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As I read the second reading today, some words stay with me.
“You too” (that means all of us). You too – are living stones built as an
edifice of spirit.
These words reminded me that we are the church – not this
fantastic building that many of you and others worked so hard to create.
This building is a very special place for the church to gather. We are
very different people, with different backgrounds, talents, personalities,
life experiences, and cultures. We are the church. Words we have heard
before. Fairly simple words, but they need to be said over and over
again. They need to be believed and lived.
I have been in some beautiful churches and cathedrals and have
found many of them cold and lifeless. I have been in a parish church
that was an old barn (their church building had burned down). In that
barn there was life, spirit, energy, variety and warmth. There was real
church because of the people – the living stones. When we come to this building that houses us the church – most of
us get very reverent. We genuflect, bow to the Blessed Sacrament in the
Tabernacle as a sign of our respect. I believe this is a good thing to do.
It is part of who we are. But my question to all of us as church
tonight/today is this.
How reverent are we, how respectful are we to the living
tabernacles right next to us? This tabernacle is made of some type of
metal. It holds for us Catholics the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus. I
believe and respect that, but I also believe that every human being is a
living flesh and blood container of God – a human tabernacle.
That person in our family that we find very difficult right now (you
know that person) has God in them. That person that drives everyone
crazy at school or work has God in them.
That person, who is homeless, who is from another country and
taking some of our jobs, who is dying of AIDS, whose values are totally
opposite of mine, has God living in them How respectful? How reverent are we to these living tabernacles –
these containers of God – that we rub elbows with everyday. A little
respect, a little reverence, can do some pretty powerful things.
A businessman in a hurry plunked down a dollar into the cup of a
man selling flowers and rapidly went his way. Half a block down the
street, he turned around and made his way back to the poor flower seller.
“I’m sorry,” he said picking out his favorite flower. “In my haste I
failed to make my purchase. After all, you are a businessman just like
myself. Your flowers are fairly priced and of good quality. I trust you
won’t be upset with my forgetting to pick out my purchase.” With that
he smiled and quickly went on his way again.
A few weeks later, while at lunch, a neatly dressed, handsome man
approached the businessman’s table and introduced himself. “I’m sure
you don’t remember me, and I don’t even know your name, but your
face I will never forget. You are the man who inspired me to make
something of myself. I was a vagrant selling flowers on a street corner
until you gave me back my self-respect and a sense of dignity. Now I believe I am a businessman, too.” A little respect, a little reverence for the living tabernacles all
around us can do some pretty powerful things

A word that comes up a lot in these post Easter Scriptures is the
word Disciple – Being a Disciple of Jesus Christ. The best definition I
have ever heard of what a Disciple of Jesus Christ is, “is a person who
tries to follow Jesus, makes a lot of mistakes, but comes back and tries
again and again.”
A person who makes this definition come alive for me was Peter,
the first Pope. Picture with me Peter, Mr. Enthusiasm…the Charlie
Hustle of the New Testament, jumps in with both feet, “There ain’t no
mountain high enough – no valley too low – that I won’t follow you
Lord. I won’t fail you – I am committed.”
A little while later Peter, Mr. Whishy Washy, “I don’t know this
Jesus – you have mistaken me for another person – I’ve go to go, I am a
busy person – this suffering and dying stuff is too much for me. I want
to be part of a winner.”
If we explore the first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles
a little bit more, we meet Peter, the Cheer Leader. A sales person for God – Mr. Committed again, calling people forth to be Baptized. To
make a personal commitment, “It’s worth it,” he says. He proclaims the
crucified and risen Christ as the source of his strength and power.
A Disciple… a person who tries to follow Jesus, makes a lot of
mistakes, but comes back and tries again and again. YOU…ME… A
Disciple…2020. Yes! Maybe. No!
(Go out to people and look up to Altar Area.)
“What is this Guy talking about Lord? Me be a Disciple? No
way! If he only knew about the real me. If he knew what I did last
night, or what I think about that person two rows in front of me. If he
knew about the conflict in my family, or the trouble in my marriage. If
he knew some of my secret thoughts, or old grudges that run so deep. If
he knew that I am only here because my mother is making me, or that I
have a secret plan to sneak out during communion. If he only knew my
doubts…if he only knew.
I close with this thought; I truly believe that our God knows us
better than we know ourselves. He knows how inadequate we are, how awful and hurtful we are to each other at times. God has heard every
possible excuse we can make when it comes to following Him.
Today, Peter and other Disciples like him remind us that our God
is very willing to work with and thru our weaknesses and inadequacies.
God has given Peter and the others a second, third chance. God is
willing to give us endless chances if we let it happen. God will not give
up on us – let’s not give up on ourselves.
A Disciple – a person who tries to follow Jesus, makes a lot of
mistakes, but comes back and tries again and again.