I have just returned from presiding at the 5:30pm Mass. It is a very popular Mass for families and young people. The music is done by a great group who sing beautifully and are most inviting for participation.
The Little Sisters of the Poor were at the doors as people left. One of them, Sister Pauline spoke after Communion. They are a wonderful group of women who provide a home for the elderly poor. Sister had two young women with her who are postulates. It was good to see that they are still young women open to God’s call to committed relilgious life. They were happy and friendly. I saw some of our young people talking to them after Mass.
As we began this new liturgical “year of grace”, I shared in my homily what a marvelous Thanksgiving Day I had.
Many of you know that I have three sisters, Marie, Maggie, and Maureen. Marie and Maggie and most of their children live in this area. Maureen lives in Georgia with her husband, Rick and two of her sons live nearby. Her other son, his wife and five children live in Florida.
In 2007, Maureen was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis. It is a hardening of the fibrosos in your lung and limited the ability to breathe. They don’t know the cause and there is no treatment but as the fibrosos harden, it is necessary to rely on oxygen. Maureen uses oxygen in a limited manner but she runs out of “steam” if she moves to much.
When she was diagnosed, she made an interesting decision. She told her sons and daughters in laws and grandchildren that she would like them all to come up to Maryland for Thanksgiving 2010. My other two sisters told their children as well. The cousins from the South stayed in the homes of some of the local cousins. My sisters, Rick, and I all stayed at my sister, Maggie’s home in Dunkirk and we got the use of the volunteer Fire Department for the dinner.
Some came in to the area starting on Sunday, the 21st and did things like the Aquarium in Baltimore and sightseeing in Washington. My sisters and their children prepared list of foods that we needed and there was cooking and baking going on all week. Uncle Maury brought Honeybaked hams and people cooked three turkeys and lots of side dishes and deserts.
Each family wore a particular color, Marie’s wore White, Maggie’s wore Blue, Maureen’s wore Red, and Uncle Maury wore Black. We took lots of pictures. Cousins came from New York and Florida. Other relatives came from Kansas and members of our extended family came from the neighborhood. One grandson, who is a Marine in Okanawa wasn’t able to be there but we had his picture. In total we were 73.
During grace, we thanked God for our parents and grandparents who gave us life and faith. We thanked God for the many blessings we have recieved and especially for the opportunity to come together and celebrate this feast. We thanked Him for the safe arrival of all and asked His protection as people returned to their home. We asked God to bless those who prepared for this feast and to be with all the sick in our family and community. Lastly, as we share this good food and our company, we asked Him to bless those who have little to eat and no one to share it with.
In my homily, I mentioned that the Gospel tells us to be prepared for the annual celebration of the birth of Jesus and to be prepared for the next coming of Jesus. It will be at the end of time and also for the end of our own lives.
I closed my homily by this reflection. As I looked over my family – and like most of you we have a “real” family, I realized that as different as we are on such topics as diverse as religion, politics, lifestyles, to the type of dressing for the turkey, we are united in love and acceptance of each other. We try to live as Jesus commanded us “to have love, one for another”. May that love touch each of us so that Jesus will find us waiting with joy for His coming.