I attended a picnic recently and felt I could have been among the walking dead. I do not say this to disparage anyone. It had been several years since I last saw some of the attendees and people who I once knew to be vibrant were now wrinkled and some bent over. They did not appear to be people like the ones Isaiah described today, people with hearts that trembled as trees of the forest tremble in the wind. At one point, I had to ask myself to what extent had my own appearance changed.
I was moved by a conversation with a woman who I later learned was ninety-five. I did not recognize her at first whereas at other times she was always recognizable and always engaged me in wonderful conversations about our deceased relatives and parents. She, along with others, were still grieving the closing and sale of their parish church where the Italian community used to worship and celebrate. She confided that she no longer knew what to believe or even believe.
I left her saying we would meet in heaven, and she asked if that was a promise. I told her it was a promise and that Jesus made it, but she insisted, asking if it was a promise from me and I assured her that it was. Looking around other tables and other configuration of groupings, I sensed that belief and worship had dimmed for many of them.
Which brings me to the Scripture readings today from the prophet Isiah and a selection from Mathew’s gospel. Not a whole lot I would consider sharing with others today. Too much about wars, destruction, and the annihilation of people. Not that these things did not happen and are not happening today, however it was not my sense that these Scriptures today were making people shake in their boots or tremble like trees of a forest that tremble in the wind.
Even contemporary news media has picked up where Isaiah and some of the other prophets left off although we still have some contemporary prophets preaching doom and gloom. What is needed now are more stories that features people helping people, children helping adults, good Samaritans of every kind, race, and color.
The walking dead are alive and need to hear stories that will warm their hearts! They need to find Catholic churches that are like the inn where the Good Samaritan left the walking dead he found at the roadside.
