We Shall Not Pass This Way Again (Thanksgiving, 2023)

___ Click Here for Audio of Homily ___    

____ Click Here for Video of Mass ____  

 Thanksgiving Day 2023

This homily mentions Damian of Molokai. There is an excellent 1999 Hollywood of his life – it’s available free on YouTube – Click here.  

  [__01__]   Today we read a section of Luke's Gospel, known as the travel narrative, the narrative of Jesus's journeys, where Jesus not only talks through his wisdom, but also walks his journey toward his passion, death and resurrection in Jerusalem.

            Christ's actions are the true Incarnation of the famous phrase by a Pennsylvania Quaker who emphasized the urgency of doing good: "I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do... let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."

Jesus, traversing the terrain between Galilee and Samaria, is in unfriendly territory, as the Gospel notes that "the Jewish people and the Samaritan people shared nothing in common." (John 4:9)

Samaria, the northern territory of Israel, was the place of the initial “hostile takeover” by foreign occupation that broke up kingdom of Israel. It is in this place that Jesus encounters 10 lepers, with 1 displaying gratitude and prayerfulness for his healing—an embodiment of a true "good Samaritan" outsider illustrating devotion, prayer, and humility.

The Samaritan was not trying to control the “travel narrative” but rather just wants to travel “inside” with Jesus.

[__02__]   I, OTOH, am one who likes to control the travel narrative and control the outcome or what comes next.

Recently, during a family medical visit to NYC, we embarked on a journey to find parking in a garage frequently full.  I expect this to be problematic and am nervous on these trips.

That day, we were fortunate. The garage was full, but we presented a HDCP parking sticker, the attendant guided us to available spaces. We expressed gratitude with a tip, not only as thanks for his assistance but also with the anticipation of returning. In a city of 9 million, I hold out some hope he might remember us. This reflects my occasional approach—to go down paths again for future benefits. Yet, doing good is really about the present moment!

The food you have presented for the poor is not simply about the future, it is about the present moment.

[__03__]   The mission of mercy that Jesus embodies emphasizes his presence in the here and now, a concept echoed by the Good Samaritan parable. While the wounded man is left at an inn, the Good Samaritan promises to return.

 

[__04__]   Jesus's healing of the Samaritan underscores his sacrifice for all, portraying him as an outsider in his own right. He sets an example for us to follow, acknowledging the shared experience of being outsiders. “It takes one to know one.”

 

[__05__]   A Catholic missionary exemplifying the Gospel commandment to give his whole life – was in the 1800s, Father Damian of Molokai, canonized in 2009.

            Coming from Belgium, he traveled to Hawaii, confronting the isolation and suffering caused by leprosy. Amidst a dire situation, he tended to the afflicted, demonstrating compassion and care in the face of a devastating disease and epidemic.

 

[__06__]   Molokai, where Father Damian served, was not a destination for health and wellness; it was a place where people were exiled to die, a practice rooted in European rather than Hawaiian culture.

Quote: “[One native Hawaiian man] heard that the government was rounding up lepers and sending them to Molokai. "How cruel," he complained to his neighbors, "to separate mother or father or children from home when they need the family most. If the white man wishes to treat his sick differently than Hawaiians do, why doesn't he go away and leave us alone? He forced his cruel illness on us and now he is forcing his brutal cures."” (https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/saints/damien-of-molokai-539)

We also need family and friends in times of crisis. And, you and I can learn – some of you know well – it is difficult but also a blessing – care for someone who sick or dying.  It is a precious moment that we shall never have back – again.

 

[__07__]    Damian believed in the dignity and worth of every person with leprosy. And he was well aware that the lepers on Molokia lived in a cycle of disease à despair à drunkenness that led to amny illicit / licentious behaviors.

 

 

 

[__08__]  Damian taught them about dignity and virtue, to plant and harvest crops, to raise animals, to play musical instruments, to sing. One witness reported that he saw two keyboard playing church organists – victims of leprosy --  sitting side by side in front of a church organ. One had suffered the loss of her RH, the other, LH but together they had 2 good hands to play !

There was no self pity in Molokai.

One American writer observed life on Molokai before and after Damian. Before, he saw miserable shacks and huts. Years later, with Damian’s personal carpentry skills and training of the people, he found two villages of white painted houses with flower gardens and cultivated fields. Molokai boasted a decent hospital, a graveyard, and 2 orphanages of children. But what really delighted the visitor was the sight of men and women rather than sitting around – were out horseback riding, enjoying life.

[__09__]    Damian taught inhabitants essential skills, turning the once dismal landscape into vibrant villages. His dedication to celebrating life, even in the face of death, is reflected in the construction of a proper graveyard. Eventually succumbing to leprosy at 49, Damian left an enduring legacy, symbolized by his statue in the U.S. Capitol.

Even Father Damian, however, left projects unfinished.

And I am grateful for the collaboration that consistently and the collective effort of you, Our Lady of Lourdes parishioners who helped me to minister to many people here at Our Lady of Lourdes to our young people, to older people, to poor people. It's important that we work together.

We are all called to collaboration, collective responsibility to work in faith, hope, and charity. It underscores the importance of leaving a positive impact for those who follow and expressing gratitude for the gifts bestowed by God. None of is able to   “to do it all”, but we can all love our neighbors, forgive from the heart, and recognize the temporary nature, the transience of our earthly journey.

            Our home is in heaven. We shall not pass this way again.  [__end__]