Homily for St. Pius X Reunion – November 11, 2006

32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B

1 Kgs 17:10-16; Ps 146:7-10; Heb 9:24-28; Mk 12:41-44

I do have a confession to make.  This is not the first time I have preached from this spot.  The first time was on senior leadership day in 1976.  After 30 years, lots of lost hair, and after having been ordained to the diaconate for 3 years, I cannot promise you a better homily, but only a longer one.    

            Also, in honor of Father Dan Fagan, may he rest in peace, this homily has three points – and if the third point to you sounds like a mere reiteration of points 1 and 2 – then this homily will be a more accurate reminder of Father Fagan’s homilies than it should be but, sorry Father, that was the way it usually was.

The First point is that it is good for us to have a reunion because it provides an opportunity for each one of us to ask ourselves – “What did you take from your time here at Pius.”  What did you take from Pius that can continue to help you live as a person of faith in Jesus, that can continue to help you trust in God’s presence in your lives through all of life’s ups and downs, and that can continue to help you to serve others as disciples of Christ.  We all took different things from our time here at Pius so it is a very individualized reflection.  And for many years, you might not have even thought about it.  

For example, one thing I took from Pius was this baseball.  This is a game ball from April 30, 1976, a game I pitched and we beat Holy Family 1-0, which was a bit of a miracle right there.  For years, I did not know I even had it.  It was stuffed in some box at the top of some closet.  Then, in 1996, my youngest son was born – nearly 3 months early and he weighed about 2 ½ pounds.  I went and found this ball and stuck it next to him in the incubator.  His whole head was no bigger than the size of this baseball.  My son is now 10, but this baseball became a reminder to me of the awesome presence of God and the marvelous gift of life that has been entrusted to us.  It never went back into the box after that, but I kept it in my office.

 Then came September 11, 2001 and once again this ball I took from Pius became important.  For this ball, like all of the games I pitched here, was caught by Kevin Donnelly – my classmate and one of our alumni who were killed on 9-11.   Kevin was a hero fireman many times over before September 11 and he certainly was that day—leading his company down a stairwell carrying burn victims from the floors above.  This ball now reminds me of our call to be disciples of Christ, trusting in God’s love and mercy, and being of service to others, even at great sacrifice.

And that is the message of our readings today.  Both widows –with trust in God – and not having much more -- were willing to sacrifice all that they had – whether it be flour and oil or two coins –and in so doing faithfully loved God and neighbor.  Indeed, our second reading refers to Christ as our High priest, whose sacrifice of the cross, reconciles us to the Father once and for all.  Yet, by reason of our baptism, we all share in Christ’s priesthood and are called to sacrifice for others.

So let me ask you to ask yourselves -- what did you take from your time at Pius that has helped you -- and can further help you -- live as disciples of Christ – faithfully answering the demand on us to love God and neighbor.   Whatever it is – fond memories of distant times, friendships that have lasted, lessons learned or role models recalled -- whatever it is, remember what you took and use it, even if you have to dust it off. 

The Second point is that it is very fitting that we begin this reunion with the celebration of the Eucharist.  Because each time we participate in the celebration of the Eucharist, we are celebrating a reunion par excellence.  (And people thought I didn’t remember anything from French class here).  Each Eucharist is a living memorial whereby we gather together as Church and recall presently the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  And through the Holy Spirit, we celebrate this reunion par excellence together with the entire Church – those living now and all those who have gone before us, including the alumni, teachers and staff of Pius who have died.   And we celebrate this reunion par excellence with the leader of our church, Jesus Christ who is present here among us in word and sacrament.  As seen in the readings today, God acts through the simple.   In the first reading, it was flour and oil and here it is bread and wine.

And at this Eucharist we are commanded to TAKE from this Eucharist – “Take this all of you and eat it” – Each time at Eucharist, we are commanded to take and eat, to make the body of Christ part of our substance, part of us.  As St. Augustine said – we take and eat the Body of Christ so that we may become the Body of Christ.  So after 30 years, the prayer etched in glass at the front to this chapel makes so much more sense -- Christi Simus Non Nostri, which Father Guarino translated for us  – “Let us be of Christ and not of ourselves.”  That we TAKE Christ in and make Christ a part of us, part of our substance -- and then we are dismissed to go and share Christ with others by how we live.  We are to live like the widow of the Gospel who gave her substance, her whole livelihood.  Called to be disciples of Christ, we also must give of our substance in giving our time, our talent and our treasure to build God’s kingdom here on earth.  

The Third Point is “What will you take from this evening, this Reunion that will help you re-commit yourselves as a disciple of Christ and enable you to better give of your substance rather than just of your excess.  Be on the look out. God works with the simple.  Maybe it will be a renewed friendship or finally talking with people from different class years.  Whatever it is -- be open to God’s activity; God’s grace among us. 

There is the old story about the person who died and stood before God.  The person said, “God, why haven’t you done anything. People on earth are at war, there is much hatred and poverty, much hunger and despair.   Why didn’t you do anything.”  God replied, “But I did, I sent you into the world.” 

What will you – and me – take from this reunion, the present, that will help us re-commit ourselves to work to build God’s kingdom of justice, peace, and love by serving God and one another –today, tomorrow, and all the days after that. 

Remember, God works through simple things – flour and oil, bread and wine, and even a baseball.  But most especially, God works through each one of us.   Let our prayer always be then – Christi Simus Non Nostri.