The Marble Anniversary

Putting our money where our mouth is for Jesus

06/02/2024

Mk 14:12-16, 22-26 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?" The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

I heard about a couple who had been married for fifty years. It was their golden anniversary but it had been a tough 50 years. They argued their whole married life. From the wedding onward they argued, day-in and day-out, week-in and week-out, year-in and year-out. So their family decided the best gift they could give them was a visit to a top consultant psychiatrist, all expenses paid. Well, the couple argued about accepting that gift, they argued on the way to the appointment, and argued as they were entering the psychiatrist’s office.

The psychiatrist asked them one question and immediately they started arguing about that. He said, “Stop!” Then the continued: “Look, I am going to do something I have never done before in my professional career.” He got up from behind his desk, walked around to the other side, and he took the little old lady in his arms and kissed her on the lips for a very long time. And then he said to the man: “Now, that is what this woman needs – three times a week!” The man scratched his head and said, “Okay, doctor, if that’s what you say. I’ll bring her in Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.”

My friends, this weekend we, too, celebrate a milestone anniversary, and we also need to kiss Jesus to show him our love. By the way, have you noticed how much kissing goes on during the Mass, by the priest and deacon (they’re not kissing each other!)? When we start Mass, we kiss the altar. After we read the gospel, we kiss the book called the Lectionary. At the end of Mass we kiss the altar again. One kiss you usually don’t see is when the priest puts on his vestments, and kisses his stole, a long sash he wears around his neck. All those kisses show Jesus how much we priests and deacons love him.

And I am convinced this is why Jesus left us the Eucharist as his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Why did he do that? So he could be kissable by everyone. Hence, our Lord said in today’s gospel while holding the bread, “This is my body,” and while picking up the chalice, “This is the blood of the covenant.” The Eucharist, you see, is simply the extension of the Incarnation through time. What does that mean?

Well, Jesus did not become a Baby in Bethlehem so that only Mary and Joseph could kiss him. He is born sacramentally on every altar at Mass so that all Christians may kiss him in Holy Communion. Just like the psychiatrist said: “That’s what this woman needs at least three times a week!” That woman is also the Church, the Bride of Christ, and she needs a from Jesus at least every Sunday!

This magnificent church was dedicated on June 1, 1899, so that means June 1, 2024 is our 125th Anniversary. Now, at every anniversary we should put our money where our mouth is. That is, you should not only kiss your bride, you should show your love through a symbolic gift. You give a gift of “paper” for your first anniversary, a gift of “wood” for your fifth, a gift of “silver” for your 25th, and a gift of “gold” for your 50th.

Do you know what symbolic gift you should give your bride for your 125th anniversary? It’s marble! Just kidding, I totally made that up since no human couple reaches that milestone. Nonetheless, that is why we are building a beautiful marble back altar for Jesus in the tabernacle. This past week you should have received a letter from me describing our campaign in greater detail. In the entrances of the church, the school, the office, and St. Anne’s are posters with a list of the major projects and approximate cost for each.

One project that is still uncertain right now is the solar panels to provide electricity for our whole campus. And by the way, we are NOT putting the solar panels on the roof of our church, like you see on some people’s homes. We will need to buy several acres of land for enough solar panels to generate electricity for the entire church and school campus. But meeting the deadline to get the federal rebate and getting diocesan approval may sideline the project. So the solar panels are still up in the air, you might say.

So, today I am asking you to do what that psychiatrist advised the married man: give Jesus a kiss not only by coming to Holy Communion, but also by putting your money where your mouth is and making a generous three-year pledge to our Yesterday, Today, and Forever Campaign. I will personally pledge $100 per month for three years for a total gift of $3,600. Some families may give more, other families may give less.

Here’s what is really at stake in this campaign. We have a rare opportunity to leave a lasting legacy for this parish. You and I will be long gone one day, like those names you see on the stained glass windows. But that magnificent marble altar will still be standing here, to glorify God and bring sinners closer to their Savior.

When we celebrate anniversaries in the Church we use a special word called “Jubilee” which comes from the Hebrew word “Yobel” meaning a “ram’s horn.” In the Old Testament they would blow a ram’s horn to commence a jubilee or an anniversary. We are marking this anniversary not by blowing a horn but by eating Corpus Christi cookies – 2,000 of them! Thanks to Virginia Ricketts and her minions who baked and individually wrapped each one! Not many married couples see a 50th, 60th, or 70th wedding anniversary. But when you are married to Christ as his Bride, you can celebrate your 125th marble anniversary, and we will give our Beloved Spouse a gift of a marble altar.

Praised be Jesus Christ!