Homily for Sunday, January 19, 2025

[Father Paul]

Last Thursday I was at the Pen Centre having my Kentucky Fried Chicken when suddenly, from behind me, I heart these loud crashes. At first, I thought some construction worker had dropped something off a cart and it crashed to the ground - it sounded like broken grass. I've done that myself! But then, something very strange. Everyone in front of me just got up and started running around in a mad frenzy. It was so weird. Of course, the sound was continuing, it seemed like an eternity but it was obviously only a few seconds. But not only were people running around, everyone was yelling and screaming. The sounds of the crashes stopped, and I actually thought either we were under attack or the building was collapsing, that's how bad it was. this old Chinese couple was sitting at the table next to me, and we soon realized that whatever was happening was pretty much over. So I went behind me and saw all this shattered glass at the jewelry store and one guy unconscious on the ground, being attended to by a few security guards. You may have heard about this. It was a crash and grab robbery in broad daylight. Some guys just hit the display cases with a hammer and scooped up the jewelry. I don't know how severely the man was injured, he was a victim, not a perpetrator. I think he hit the post trying to catch the guys. One or two of the video's caught me while I was hovering. I was completely fine, I was never in any danger even though it only happened a few feet behind me.

But I had to think, what's the world coming to?

Believe it or not, the answer is in today's readings and the answer is filled with hope, hope that we need today as much as we've ever needed it. The hope is basically the reality that whatever violence we are experiencing is only temporary. The Kingdom of God is at hand, and it is, even in the context of a robbery in broad daylight, is still something wonderful to behold. The first reading compares God's love for us with a groom's love for his bride. "no longer will I call you desolate." "You shall be a crown of beauty in the Hand of the Lord." Consider today's Gospel. This is the first miracle story that John tells about Jesus. Jesus had just been baptized, he picked a few of his closest followers, and everyone had been waiting with expectation about who Jesus actually was. And here's John saying "You want a messiah, well here he is." And what did he do? He performed his first miracle at a wedding feast. John was teaching us about the Kingdom of God - a manifestation, if you will, of the first reading. The Kingdom of God is like a wedding feast. Not only a wedding feast, but a wedding feast where they never run out of wine. Not only they never run out of wine, but it is the best wine of all.

This is a message of hope, and if we learn to pay attention to it, hope is all around us. Even after a smash and grab robbery.

Here is an example:

On Wednesday, we gathered our young people in grade 8 to help prepare them for confirmation. At first we watched a great video on "Who Jesus was" from Ascension press. Then we had the kids discuss the question at their table: Who is Jesus? Here are some of their answers, from a group of 13 year olds: "Saviour, king, intercessor, way, truth and life, brother, healer, "I am", Father, forgiver, Good shepherd." Can't get any clearer than that.

Then, Laura did something amazing. She asked each table to appoint an evangelist, someone from among their peers who they thought would do a good job of evangelizing. She sat them in a row of chairs (8 of them I think) and then anyone from the larger group (30 or so) could ask them any questions about religion. And then, Laura instructed the evangelists that if an answer occurs to them, even from within their hearts or their intuition, they could just raise their hands or answer spontaneously. First of all, the questions were amazing. Here's how it went down:

• Where is heaven?

  
  

  • Being connected with God. Not a place.

  
  

• What's your favourite bible verse? Some of these were just paraphrased:

  
  

  • God who sees from the heart will reward you- Sermon on the mount

    
    

  • Lord is my Shepherd

    
    

  • 10 commandments

    
    

  • How about this one: "Isaiah 26 verse 3 - I don't know the exact words, but it's about how God supports those who trust in him."

    
    

  • By the way, Isaiah 26 v. 3: "Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace, in peace because they trust in you."

    
    

• Is heaven unique for everybody?

  
  

• Yes, because we are unique. And we are all different, so our experience of heaven will be different.

  
  

• How do you know God is real? And why would you believe in him?

  • It's more of a feeling. Why wouldn't I believe in Him? I have nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

  • Everything leads back to God - who made the big bang? It doesn't make sense without God. Something has to be created by something, outside of time.

  • I am happiest when God I feel God is closest to me.

  
  

• How many books in the bible - 66

  
  

• What is stopping you from reaching your full potential in your relationship with God? Personally?

  
  

  • I feel lost sometimes.

    
    

  • I don't feel worthy to be in His presence.

    
    

  • Fear of being judged by ones friends.

    
    

  • But if I give my life to being good, life would be better.

    
    

  • I go every Sunday, but I want to learn more about Christ.

• Sin, I need to go to confession but it's a little scary.

The kids have it exactly right. These questions are the questions we all have about God, at least I do. How do I know God is real and why would I follow Him? What is heaven like? How can I use scripture to live my life? What is stopping me from following Him more closely?

If these 13 year old kids can respond with that kind of grace and faith, how much more can we respond to our troubles. Here's the wedding feast of Cana right here: The Kingdom of God is like children on the cusp of adulthood, innocent yet wise beyond their years. And they are the best of children, happy and healthy and their hope is for eternity. Perhaps, like these young people, and like St. John, the author of today's Gospel, we need to see the Kingdom of God for what it is: it's all around us and it's good.

CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE

If a child lives with criticism, He learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility, He learns to fight.

If a child lives with ridicule, He learns to be shy.

If a child lives with shame, He learns to feel guilty.

But...

If a child lives with tolerance, He learns to be patient.

If a child lives with encouragement, He learns confidence.

If a child lives with praise, He learns to appreciate.

If a child lives with fairness, He learns justice.

If a child lives with security, He learns to have faith.

If a child lives with approval, He learns to like himself.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, He learns to find love in the world.

I would only add...

If a child lives with prayer, he learns to find peace.