Sunday Homily, May 29, 2016, Corpus Christi
Readings:
Genesis 14, 18-20, Abraham gave Melchizadek a tenth of everything.
Psalm 110, You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.
1 Corinthians 11, 23-26, Do this in remembrance of me.
Luke 9, 11-17, Give them some food yourselves.
Welcome Erin & Diane & Cole. So good to see you all.
Spirit Feast
I would like to talk this morning about 2 things. First, what was my most favorite moment or experience on the Viking cruise. Secondly, let me say a word about Jesus feeding the people.
This little story in Luke about the feeding of the 5 thousand men is one of my favorites. I have talked about the story a number of times over the years, because I’ve been there & done that.
Welcome back, Marlene. It has been too long since the days we did the 9:00 Spanish Mass in the cafetorium at St. Marks.
The point I like to make is that these country people would hardly ever leave home for the day without some food hidden away in their robes. They would not be in to sharing it.
By telling his apostles to share their 5 loaves and 2 fish, Jesus gets the people to share their food, too. He creates a spirit of trust. I would call this a unique spirit event, which leads me to the first point I mentioned, what about our cruise was the best.
As much as I loved being guided through so many cities I had read about and heard of my whole life, this was not my favorite.
I loved watching the water and watching the captain park this enormous boat, but this was not my favorite.
My favorite: the meals! Yes. But not in the way you are thinking, the food, which was excellent, but in the sense of spirit. Let me give an example.
This is it, the Viking Sea sailing out of the Norwegian fiord of Flam. Stupendous beauty.
There was a couple named June and Steve. We actually met them in the Heathrow Airport, where we were all part of a group of about 12 who missed our connection to Bergen, Norway because we had only 50 minutes between arriving from Boston and departing for Bergen in another terminal.
A bunch of us spent the night at a Holiday Inn, including June & Steve. We rode the shuttle with them and had breakfast together.
Docked at the Norwegian village of Flam from the exterior tables of the so titled "World Cafe," probably because from this 7th floor stern deck you can see the world.
On board we continued to see them and ate with them. On one occasion we had dinner with them in my most favorite eating location on the boat, the World Café, as they called it. It was on one of the top floors of the 8-9 floor boat, in the stern area, had no waiters, just buffet, and from each of the numerous tables on the port, starboard, and rear, I could see the ocean. A fabulous place to eat and appreciate just being alive and in that setting.
This particular evening we were finally settled in and the ship was moving. We talked about all sorts of things and we had a common spirit on so much. We actually sat at that table and talked for 3 hours. June noticed it when we were beginning to break up. I had never even thought of the time.
The marvelous World Cafe from the inside.
That 3 hour meal was my favorite moment. It was a spirit feast.
It is difficult to have these spirit feasts. We are so busy. It takes time. I don't get to do this often. At Romeos we don't take 3 hours, but we can take two. On our camping trips we can take 3 hours. This is one reason why I tote in every evening a pint or more of Jack Daniels and a pound of cheese for hors d'oeuvres. Camaraderie.
The World Cafe.
This is what we try to do here at Sigler each Sunday. And I think we succeed. Even now without wine.
It is the feast of Corpus Christi. When is your next spirit feast? What about tomorrow, Memorial Day?
Who let that homeless man on board?
