Advent Story Homily: Are You Ready?
Occasionally, I write story homilies and the point is to think of the message after Mass over Lunch or coffee. So here is the written version and the audio version can be found here.
There are at least two aspects of the story that have a foundation in a part of scripture, leave a comment below if you figure what they are.
Chris Thomas loved the ocean smell at the harbor, that salty air as the lobster boats and other fishing vessels come in to drop their latest catch.
Chris waited with anticipation for a ship, although somewhat concerned that it seemed maybe to be late. However, it should arrive.
“Are you waiting for the ship?” Pat Johnson arrived and sat down on a bench on the side of the pier, facing Chris. Dressed in a ripped sweatshirt, dirty, white sneakers and blue jeans that had a torn knee, Pat stood and smelled the fresh air. “Oh I love the ocean and the coast but I love the mountains. They are my family.”
Chris smiled. It was one of those polite smiles like those who don’t like to show how much they disagree, especially when talking to the CEO.
“When did you get the call?” Pat asked.
“Yesterday, I was driving down the expressway when my phone rang. They told me if I was ready to be here at 12.”
“It is only 11 now, you are early.” Pat did not wear a watch and looked to the sun.
“I know but I did not want to miss the boat, literally and figuratively.” Chris turned away to look more towards the horizon and into the harbor. “Strange the boat is not here yet.
Every cruise I took, I ensured the family was always ready the night before. The ships would arrive at 6 a.m. even though boarding would be mid-afternoon.”
Chris looked out to sea as if Pat was on the other end of a phone call.
“What were you doing when you got to call?” Pat asked.
“I was driving, I told you.” Chris was impatient with the lack of boat and the questions from Pat.
“I know but where were you going? Let me guess some kind of business meeting.”
“Yes, of course.” Chris intoned.
“Last week at this time, I was climbing a mountain, just finished asking for food in the valley at the traffic stop.”
“You are one of those guys who hold up traffic?”
“Yah, that is how I made my living.”
“What about a job?”
“I liked to live in God’s wilderness and did so since I was a teenager.”
“Your parents allowed it, I would have kicked you out of the house.”
“They had no choice”
“What? Did you tell them what to do? Are you one of those?”
“No, not really. I never knew my father, and my mother died when I was fifteen. From then on nature was my parents. I lived mostly in New Mexico and California.”
“I am sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t be, I would not be here if things were different.”
“Well, I did everything I was supposed to do and more and I have all the records and receipts to show them. Along with everything I need for the trip. I collected it throughout my life just for this moment.”
Pat held up his hands. “I got everything I own right now.”
“You have nothing.” Chris glanced over Pat, from bottom to top. “Are you going to just live off others’ generosity on the ship? I have nothing to give you.”
“Trust me I have all I need.”
“You have nothing, nothing at all except the clothes on your back and they don’t even seemed washed.”
“They are not.”
“That’s disgusting.”
“Is it?”
“How can you be like that, I did everything by the book and I am ready.”
“Well, if you are so ready, where is the ship waiting for you?”
“It is coming, it might be late.”
“Or it is not coming at all. You might be too early.”
“I am here even before they told me. I was ready all along.”
“Or maybe you still have more preparation to do.”
“How can you tell me I have more preparation to do when you have nothing and I have plenty.”
Pat just looked and smiled.
“You know what I mean. I have what I need and nothing more.”
“You have more than you need. Looks like about three suitcases more. I am sure you brought lots of money.”
“Of course, I did. I rely on nothing. I am ready now.”
Pat smiled again. “The ship is going to be late.”
“Oh, I can wait another hour or more that is fine.”
“No, it is going to be extremely late. It is easier to say it is not coming.”
“How can you say that, I got the call.”
“Did you?”
“Yes, they said, if you are ready the ship will be there at noon. I was so ready, I arrived earlier but I am ready.”
“The ship is not here because you are not ready.”
“How do you know? I don’t even know you.”
“I know about the ship. If you were ready, it would be here but you have much more to learn.”
“Like what.”
“I cannot tell you that would be cheating, you have to figure it out yourself and when you do and return here you will not be the same. You will be ready and the ship will arrive.”
“That means you are not ready either because the ship has yet to arrive.”
Pat shook his head, “I am the ticket agent. I know you are not ready.”
This was delivered at St. Anthony Parish, Allston, MA