Wednesday, June 30, 2010

A Scorcher Sunday


On Sunday, I went to the 12:45 p.m. Mass at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral. The liturgy was celebrated by Fr. Jonathan Morris.

To set the scene: Sunday afternoon was a scorcher in Gotham. Old Saint Pat’s does not have air conditioning. The church was populated with its normal contingent of Soho / Nolita young adults plus the families of some 10 babies to be baptized after Mass.

“Imagine it is February in Alaska,” Deacon Paul Vitale gently suggested at the beginning of his fine homily on the day’s scripture readings.

The Gospel was from Luke Chapter 9.

The passage, which I posted in its entirety in 2007, is another about what it means to follow Jesus – and how urgently to follow him. Its most well-known verse may be Jesus’ exchange with the person who asks, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”

Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God,” Jesus responds.

For thoughts related to this incredible command, pay a visit to Fran and City Father.

The painting above by Georges Rouault is from here.

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