I was mowing grass making my usual straight clump-rows in our front yard on my last Saturday off before December, when "flying"out of our garage came Harry Potter, running like the wind, wand drawn and out in front of him, and his black, round glasses glinting in the sunlight! His Gryffindor Quidditch robes trailing behind him as he ran in search of the ever-elusive "golden snitch."
It was, of course, our son Patrick, who is now six years old.
What makes a kid run like that for no reason? Imagination, creativity, boundless energy, a happiness welling up inside him that is so great and profound, that it made him leave the comfortable & cool confines of our family room (read that as where our Wii lives), and run like the wind outside. That I began to chase him with my zero-turn lawnmower made the game even more exciting for both of us...
Where is my joy like that? I had it... I know I did. I shed a tear or two every time the grownups can't hear the bells on Polar Express, and a few more in toy Story 3 when Andy's Mom visits his empty room as he heads off to college. I desperately want Clarence to get his wings each time I watch, "It's a Wonderful Life." But seriously, running outside on a hot day for no reason????
When Jesus tells us "anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." (Mark 10:15), I think this is the stuff he's talking about. We need to never tire of the wonder of it all. Why doesn't the Eucharist compel me to run with a cape and funny glasses on like my son when I know it should do even more for me?
When I listed to Father Chris's homily today at Mass, I began to think about my son and his love of imagination and I began to realize my own is lacking. I'm not talking about wanting to go to Hogwarts rather than to work at KCHS... I'm talking about dwelling a little more often on the many miracles that surround me every day.
Riding my motorcycle definitely transports me somewhere else whenever I ride. It puts me in a new place that is removed form anything else. It clears my head and allows me to think more clearly and I notice stuff I ignore when driving in a car. I am filled with joy to twist the throttle back and have the immediate response of a 14" drive shaft turn the rear wheel, and the wind feels good, even if it's coming in through my helmet vents. This is a secondary moment for me in experiencing what my son is doing with his cape. It's about relaxation, being contemplative, and enjoying the moment. But there is more!!!
Christ offers us himself each day in the context of the holy Mass. He invites us to participate in the supernatural. He invites us to participate in his very life and body. He invites us to participate in the most important friendship possible: one between all of us and Himself. He invites us to be Christians.
Fr. Chris expressed how he looks forward to Mass each Sunday so that he can find support from everyone attending as we are all in the same boat of sin. It made me feel better to hear him say that he often does not live what he preaches; I can relate to that sentiment!
So here is a challenge to you today: Find joy in your life and then turn to Christ in that joy and say thank you. This is the cliff notes version of the Eucharist anyways. Just begin to baptize the good things in your life. Understand that everything good you encounter comes from God and pretty soon you'll realize that you might need to pick up your own cape, glasses, and wand, and run like the wind...
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