What do you do when you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep? It was 3:30am, made a cup of tea, sat on my screened in porch taking in the silence, retired to my room, and gave some thought to this homily. In the today's reading from Genesis, Abraham's wife, Sarah, dies, and Abraham seeks to find a place for her burial. The scene resurrects thoughts of their marriage; and the playful exchange about her conceiving a child in her old age.
My thoughts turned to older couples. The death and separation occasioned by the pandemic has even kept some couples apart who lived under the same roof; who lived in the same nursing home, yet were separated.
I offered a prayer for widows, and widowers, impacted by the pandemic.
I was delighted to read that Abraham got his dying wish about finding a bride for his son Isaac. It was love at first sight.
Rebecca was heard to say, "who is that young man out there walking through the fields toward us."
In his love for her, Isaac found solace after the death of his mother. I offered yet another prayer that couples seeking to marry might find the person of their dreams, particularly the couple whose marriage I will be attending this Sunday.
There is a young Indian man who sends us frequent prayer requests through the internet. His prayer was to be able to find a girl to marry, who he would choose. In some cultures, this is not always allowed. I ask God to do for him what He did for Isaac.
Reading Matthew’s gospel, I was inclined to focus on the table gathering, and the people Jesus ate with. Some of his accusers complained that he was fraternizing with low life, sinners.
Jesus heard them and responded. My thoughts turned to our church and its teachings about the fundamental option for the poor, and the dignity and equality of all peoples
I was left with a question:
How can we, hearing what Jesus said about reaching out to sinners, make His teaching our own?
Jesus may have answered the question when He said, "go and learn the meaning of the word mercy."
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