Sunday Homily, April 6, 2014, 5th Lent, Cycle A
Readings:
Ezekiel 37, 12-14, I will open your graves and have you rise.
Psalm 130, With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
Romans 8, 8-11, Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
John 11, 1-45, The raising of Lazarus.
Make Lazarus live. Make life happen.
Guess what, I have a story about France this morning. I want to use it to exemplify the metaphor of giving life that is contained in the Lazarus story. I would propose that Jesus metaphorically gave life to Lazarus, something all of us can do, give life.
There is a tour company known as Fat Tire Bike Tours. Founded a few years ago by, of all things, an Aggie who made good in life, the company has tours in a number of European cities, Paris included, naturally.
Rosemary & I have used them a few times in Paris and we find them terrific. A week ago we joined a group that was going to visit the home of Claude Monet, an hour train trip northwest out of Paris into the province of Normandy. On these distant trips you take the train out to the location, like the palace of Versailles, for instance. Then you pick up bikes and ride.
Our tour was meeting at the St. Lazare train station in Paris and going to Giverny, the simple, but beautiful garden home of the impressionist artist, Claude Monet. Twenty eight people met at 10 A.M. at gate 22, and we split into two with a guide for each.
Our international group of Chinese, Australians, Irish, Americans, and a 28 year old New Zealander guide rode the train to Vernon, a neighboring town to Giverny. We picked up bikes, went to buy picnic lunches at a farmers’ market, rode to the edge of the Seine River that ran through the town, and had a picnic.
On the picnic the group came alive. The guide had his French girl friend with her two French girl friends. Another sparkling young couple from Australia revealed that they were just engaged the evening before. Life came to the group as pairs or individuals revealed glimpses into themselves.
As the day went on, (we traveled together from 10 to about 7 in the evening), Rosemary & I began to reveal ourselves and we also focused on hearing the stories of others. We targeted particularly 3 groups.
One, of course, was the Australian couple. We invited them to tell the amusing story about how the engagement planned never took place, but still was dear. I said I knew an old priest who would do their wedding cheap.
Then we spent a lot of attention on the guide and his girl friend. They were not engaged, but we, of course, almost had them married. I suggested that same old geezer priest would do their wedding.
Thirdly, we focused on a Chinese family from California, a mother, an 18 year old high school senior, and an 11 year old, shy daughter. The 18 year old especially talked about his hopes and dreams, to go to Georgetown, to become a doctor, to work for Doctors without Borders.
He said he wanted to work internationally like I had done. I affirmed his dream while pointing out I did this in 74 years and he still had time at 18.
The mother was extraordinary. Leaving China, speaking Cantonese and another Chinese language, Erica, did not seem daunted by the prospect of financing Jacob’s educational dreams.
By the time we arrived again at gate 22 in the St. Lazare station about 7:00, an amazing closeness and life pervaded the group and everyone was hugging. Jacob even asked to use us as the subject of a project he had to compose for his classes. He took our picture. I was flattered.
By asking these people to tell their stories, I saw them come alive. Reciprocally, their stories enlivened me and Rosemary. We were mutually giving new life.
I repeat my idea, Jesus metaphorically gave life to Lazarus. And we give life to each other. That is what our community attempts to do. That is what Mike’s ideas about a beans & rice brunch and a penitential rite do for us.
To whom are you giving life?