• 2019 June 1 • 7th Sunday Easter (year C) • Acts 7:55-60 • Psalm 97
• Revelation 22:12-14,
16-17, 20 •John 17:20-26 •
URGENCY OF UNITY.
[_00a_] I’d
like to reflect on the URGENCY of UNITY – regarding the message of the Gospel,
regarding the upcoming marriage of our engaged couples from our Pre Cana
today…and for you and for me. The urgency of unity and to use as an example a
baseball World Series team from 2016: The Chicago Cubs.
[_00b_] “Dad we have 97% chance of winning the World
Series.” This 97% prediction was made by the 8 year old son and budding
mathematician, the son of the Chicago Cubs General Manager, Theo Epstein, near
the end of Game 7of the 2016 World Series.
The Cubs were playing an “away” game in Cleveland..but at this point
they had a 97% chance.
Theo Epstein is the general manager of
the Chicago Cubs and also believes in the urgency of unity.
However, in his first year –in 2012 -
as general manager, the Cubs had their worst season in 46 years, winning only
about one-third of their games and had over 100 losses that year. The “urgency”
seemed to be lacking or at least it was building slowly.
It was a slow re-building process, and
a team’s success always relies on unity, on community, and not necessarily just
a few stars. Theo Epstein was determined that the Cubs would build gradually
this unity rather rather than assemble a team of individual star players.
Theo Epstein is known as the baseball general
manager responsible for breaking what baseball fans called the 2 100+year curses for teams without a
championship. He did this when the Cubs won the World Series in 2016 …and also
when that other team in Boston won the World Series in 2004.
[_02_] In the Gospel today, Jesus is speaking about
his urgency for unity among
his disciples – in 2 ways.
In the first way, Jesus makes an
URGENT prayer for unity …
[“Father I pray not only for them [for
my disciples] but also for those who will believe in me through their word”
(Gospel of John, ch. 17)]
Jesus practices and preaches and prays
about this unity for you and for me.
That is, he not only prays that we
will follow the commandments, know right from wrong, good from evil, but that
I
will live – and you will live –recognizing our need for each other.
In small ways – or significant ways –
I can forget about this. The other day, I recall going through the doors of a
store in which I was carrying a bunch of stuff, someone opened the door for
me…and yet I chose to say, “I got this.” In other words, I am too proud even to
let you hold the door for me. That’s a
small example, but perhaps significant. For me what was “urgent” was my own
independence.
Do I accept this prayer for unity from
our savior.
Do we not recognize that our mothers and fathers pray for
this unity in the family? If we are not
getting along as brothers and sisters – at whatever age we are – I assure that
your mother or father (living or deceased) is praying for your unity.
We are called to listen to their prayers.
So, there is prayer for unity.
[_02_] In the Gospel today, Jesus is speaking about this
urgency for unity among his disciples – in a 2nd way: the PERFECTION
of unity.
[Jesus prays that we “may be brought
to perfection as one.” (Gospel of John, ch. 17)]
Is perfection, however, only about
success and a scoreboard of points – or “runs batted in”?
In Gospel terms, perfection is not
rating system or score but a road and ongoing process. That is, Jesus is not faulting us for imperfection or
not yet being rated as perfect but that we are being BROUGHT TO PERFECTION.
At this Mass, we are pleased to
welcome our couples who are preparing for marriage – the sacrament of matrimony
– and who also hope for – and we also wish the same for them – a perfect
wedding day and happy married life.
And, there are important ways in which
the wedding signify this urgent prayer for and this perfection of unity.
Both husband and wife give their “I
do”. They state their vows.
And,
in all of their decisions – even if the decision seems to affect one more than
the other not to walk away and say… “you got this”… but to say with urgency “we
got this”.
This is the prayer for unity of Jesus…
[“Father I pray not only for them [for
my disciples] but also for those who will believe in me through their word”]
And, you – our brothers and sisters
preparing for marriage – you also help us to be inspired in our loving
relationships, to believe, because of your word.
Perfection and unity are not just
about SUCCESS or the number of wins.
Yes, the Chicago Cubs won the World
Series in 2016 and if you are a Cleveland Indians fan…my apologies.
The game was close.
Theo Epstien shared this
I
watched Game 7 with his family including his 8 year old son who kept his father
updated on the probability of winning. As the Cubs enjoyed a 2-run lead after 5
innings, the boy said: “Dad, we have a 67% chance of winning the World Series.”
“I know, buddy. It’s going well. But, remember, it’s baseball. Lots of things
can happen.” Later, we had a three-run lead with just four outs to go in the
game, nobody on base, and the bottom of the Indians order coming up. Tens of
millions of Cubs fans nationwide, counting down the outs, put their arms around
loved ones – or called them – to keep them close for the big moment ahead.
The boy said again: “Dad, we have a
97% chance of winning the World Series!”
“I know, buddy, I know.” I said. “It’s so
great. One batter at time, though. We still need four more outs. Don’t want to
look too far ahead.”
Then, out of nowhere, as storm clouds
suddenly moved into the area… it was raining ..there was an infield single, a
double, an errant fastball, a fateful swing, an impossible home run…. and a tie
game.
The boy: “Dad, we definitely have less than a
50% chance of winning the World Series now.”
A meeting that was memorable was held in the
Cubs’ locker room/ clubhouse …memorable to Theo Epstein because it was not the
coach preaching to the players…or even the stars necessarily preaching to the
lesser players to pick up their game.
Notably, one who speak was a 38 year old back
up catcher at the very end of his career..who was having a poor season, played
in less than half the games… and yet he was a key motivator re juvenate and
reunite the team. And the meeting was called by another player was actually
having a terrible year…. And the players are thinking …what can these guys say…
but it was their positive attidude their call for unity that helped the Cubs
recover.
Theo Epstein recalled what he would
say later to his players and to his family about the URGENCY OF UNITY. …. And I
will tell them not to wait until the rain comes to make this choice, because
that can be too late. We weren’t winners that night in Cleveland because we
ended up with one more run than the Indians…. We were winners because we worked
for unity.
The
disciples surrounding Jesus – at this moment – in this Gospel reading are at
the Last Supper – they are with their Savior. The rain and storm of the Passion
has not yet come. But, they are working – right now – on the prayer and the
perfection of the unity that will sustain them. We are called to go and do
likewise. [__fin__]
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