Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org
-check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM on Sunday
Rich Little It
When I was a kid Rich Little was the greatest impersonator in the world. He could make himself sound like anybody and everybody. I think he could even sing like famous people. I think the invitation on this good Shepherd Sunday is to make our voices sound like Jesus. I think Jesus is voice sounds like mercy. i'm thinking about calling it "rich little it".
Fr. John, Fr. Joe and I are all talking about the same thing this week. We stole the idea from Fr. John. He is talking about my dog buddy and how Buddy responds to the sound of my voice whenever I walk in the rectory. Fr. Joe desperately wants to make friends with Buddy and saw he has resorted to "imitating" my voice when he comes in to the Rectory to try and fool body into responding. So Fr. Joe has taken to impersonating me so that he can get a rise out of body.
I'm sure you can imagine how funny this is especially with father Joe's very distinctive voice. Fr. Joe thinks that he is able to fake out the dog. He says when he imitates me the dog will lift up his head with interest and then when he catches a glimpse that it is really Fr. Joe and not me the dog puts his head back down and goes to sleep.
What is funny about this whole thing to me is that I don't think Fr. Joe's impersonation of me is credible at all even to the dog. He of course doesn't agree. And Fr. John has had to observe all of this. Fr. Joe and I also do other impersonations. For example, Fr. Joe's best impersonation is of Austin Carr commentating on the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball games when a three-pointer is made and Austin screams "downtown".
Anyway, all of this has prompted the three of us to hear the words of John's Gospel today about the sound of one's voice. I am thinking that we might hear the call to be mercy as an invitation to impersonate the Lord Jesus in his voice, in what he has spoken to the human family on behalf of God.
How might we make our lives a more credible impersonation of Jesus the good shepherd? Maybe the priesthood and ministry is an excellent example of impersonating the Lord Jesus. Let's pray for all the ministers of the church and for vocations to ministry.
3 comments:
I like where you are going with this. I have been at home, in another room and Celia will say something. Depending on what or how she says it, I immediately think of one of my other daughters even I know they don't even live at home any more. She also has a very on point, uncanny of tricking me into hearing Fr. Pajk (not the pirate version), Fr. Chuck, Frs. John and Joe and even you Mr. Estok. She talks about school and without mentioning names I find myself listening to hear and identify a particular teacher. What Celia does is not an imitation or even an impression. It is more of a placing of herself into the mindset of that particular person. But, especially because she has this gift I have become in tune to listening in different ways. Is it the inflection, the tone, the expression, or simply the thought? God Bless.
PS One more - growing up we had a little parakeet that could talk. He used to sit in his cage and call the dog. She always sat up and took notice!
Maybe what is happening with Buddy is that he hears the love in Fr. Joe's voice - which Fr. Joe is duplicating from the love in your voice. Therefore Buddy may indeed lift his head. I could believe that! Korean Love would not "sound different" than American love.
I am thinking this is what holds true for mercy also, and what makes your suggestion very workable in our attempt to sound like Jesus. People know mercy when they hear it - and when they see it. No matter who the particular bearer, it is Jesus incarnate.
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