Hi everyone, here’s my homily for the SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER – May 15, 2010. The readings for the day can be found at https://www.usccb.org/nab/051610b.shtml – Thanks as always for reading and your comments! God Bless – Father Jim
HOMILY
A couple of weeks ago there was a ranking of the Ten Best and Ten Worst Television Series Finales according to the staff of the New York Post. With fans of the show “Lost” growing more excited, (and some who are a little too into the show getting obsessed) as the conclusion to that series comes together, these television critics talked about how other popular shows ended their runs. How well (or poorly) did other hit shows go out.
In terms of the best series finales, they cited Mary Tyler Moore (I was three at the time, so I don’t really remember much of that). The last episode of the bar-themed show Cheers ranked, in an episode where Sam Malone, the main character and former cast member Diane Chambers returns to resolve the series-long theme – will Sam and Diane end up getting married? – while the regulars in the bar continued their usual bar talk. Cheers seemed to have a nice balance of tying up loose ends, yet ending simply as Sam closes the bar for the night and simply says “Sorry we’re closed” as someone knocks at the door. The editors top choice was the finale of MASH which was one of the most-watched TV shows in history (until this year’s super bowl). After 11 seasons following these characters set in an Army hospital during the Korean War, we got to see the end of that conflict and watch main character Hawkeye get to go home, which the reporter said was so emotional “there wasn’t a dry eye in the country.” (I don’t remember crying…but if the newspaper says so….haha)
In terms of the Worst endings – there were a lot of shows that I wasn’t really familiar with or remembered watching – X-files was on the worst list, as well as the last episodes of Little House on the Prairie; St. Elsewhere; Roseanne… But I imagine a lot of people would agree with their selection of two series finales being on the worst list. Seinfeld was listed the third of the worst endings. Part of me kind of liked that finale because it drove home the point that it was (and is) a show about nothing. The finale creatively brought in random characters who had been burned by the lack of care and concern of these self-centered people. But maybe the reason that episode got panned was it was too serious after 9 years of “nothingness.” Their choice for worst series endings ever was The Sopranos, (which a friend of mine reminded me I was pretty ticked off at myself) The editors described it as “one of the single most frustrating endings in history… the final scene of this brilliant, much revered show left viewers thinking their cable had gone out. While (rock band) Journey’s (song) ‘Don’t stop believing’ played in the background, Tony Soprano and family sat in a NJ diner and … what? Got rubbed out? Ate pie? We’ll never know because creator David Chase left the cut-to black ending intentionally vague to make the point that if you chose a Tony Soprano lifestyle, uncertainty reigns.” Most fans didn’t care for Chase’s philosophical point…and are still ticked that they don’t know what happened.
Coming to an end… When you think about it, for the writers of these shows it’s a tricky thing to try to do. Here they have created characters that become beloved, (which in some cases was a surprise considering there first season’s ratings weren’t so great). But after years and years of airings, people became interested in these characters, these fictitious stories. So how do they tie up things and storylines in a manner that is going to make people satisfied? What would make this a memorable conclusion becomes quite a challenge.
This last Sunday of Easter (can you believe Easter Sunday was 6 weeks ago?) We find ourselves recalling the end of one aspect of Jesus’ life as he has Ascended into Heaven and leaves the Apostles and we who follow him 2,000 years later to enter into the inner life of God. So how does the Church bring this season of Easter to a close? What’s the “finale”?
Interestingly we have a “flashback” episode! It’s Jesus at the Last Supper offering a prayer. Considering all the dramatic moments of Christ’s life – and those still to come as we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Church in the Feast of Pentecost next week, on the surface it might seem an anti-climactic way to conclude this season. (Maybe that’s one reason some Churches have moved the celebration of the Ascension of the Lord to this Sunday?)
Here we recall Jesus’ words before His trial, His Passion and Death. And if we listen to what Jesus is saying, it makes perfect sense. In this prayer, Jesus is beautifully speaking to His Father, Our Father. And in these words, we can hear the depth of love that is contained in the mind and heart of our Trinitarian God that links the Father, Son and Spirit together.
And what is at the core, the heart of God?
You.
Me.
Every one of us.
The essential message, the “ending and beginning” of the Gospel, of all the scriptures themselves comes back to this fundamental point that God has this deep, and personal, and unique love for every human person. That He is intimately caring for, concerned about each one of us.
Yes, Jesus’ words coming from before the worst would happen to Him; and recalled in light of His greatest triumph speak of this incredible focused love for all of us. Jesus never loses sight of this love in the face of the horror he will face on Good Friday. He never doubts that Love. He never forgets that Love. It is this personal love that enables him to face evil in the eye, carry that cross, suffer an apparently devastating defeat and triumph in a way that to this day remains mind-blowing even to his most faithful followers.
At the same time, this prayer of Jesus reveals the key for us to experience this love personally, profoundly ourselves. The “ending”to this Easter Season leaves us with the promise that if we live a life of unity ourselves – a life rooted in charity of heart and mind; a life free of sin – we can experience that intimate, deep love of God ourselves. We will enter into this personal communion with God that Jesus wants us to experience. We will be able to face our own Good Fridays with an awareness of His presence. We will be able to carry and suffer under our own crosses knowing a triumph we cannot imagine awaits us. As Easter comes to a close, can you and I think of a better “finale?” Or rather, can we think of any better way for us to “begin?”
