Filling and fulfilling

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. His fan asked: 'Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease'? To this Arthur Ashe replied: 'The world over -- 50 million children start playing tennis, 5 million learn to play tennis, 500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals, when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?'. And today in pain I should not be asking GOD 'Why me?'

The parish register tell us that we have about 3600 families: even an average of 3 would take us to 10000. A website gives us a calculation that 52% of the people of Nazareth are Catholics. In truth we can say it is 20%. If we exclude the people who cannot come to the church for health reasons, and with 4 masses each Sunday we should at least have 2500 people in church. The chosen are 250. All hunger is not the same: there is hunger from relief from boredom, hunger for affection, hunger for a way to relieve anger or sadness, a hunger for a way to deal with loneliness or stress or a hunger for stimulation. How many reach semis and finals in experiencing God’s love – a bunch of men in black (church guys) and a few others?

If ‘Christianity is one beggar telling another beggar where he found bread’ (D T Niles), why are there no beggars found here? If Holy Eucharist is the mode of communication, what do we actually communicate to God? Gimme-gimme attitude of us filled and still filling our stomachs. Visits to Holy shrines and pilgrimages are made most often to get something. God help my dog! God help my cat! – these are comparatively more in requests than – Lord! Teach me how to love.

What is filling us? Most often we are like the husband in the movie Fireproof – Dad! Don’t give me lessons on God. A man is given a 40 days lesson to get back his wife. The parasites – the addictions in other things blinds us to see love. God does not need 40 days. Try an act of kindness, a little love shown in listening to our son, daughter or parents or grandparents, a smile that comes from the heart – you are back on. God is a God of small things.

Our bishop in his mission statement includes ‘mission in holiness’. That necessarily brings in our participation. If we are part of Christ’s body, our face should be in the body and blood of Jesus. It is not enough to say Jesus is the bread of life – Our Christian commitment is the ability to proclaim that we are that bread. Our aim is not just filling the stomach; it is fulfilling God’s love. We are what we eat! We become what we eat.

“There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.” (Mother Teresa). Children need to be fed. No parent would say ‘God has given me kids to feed, feed and feed’. As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it. Children are given too many choices and one of them is God. God is not a choice. God values us. We undervalue God. Here, all kneeling counts, all words are heard and every heart is embraced. I am bread for others just as Jesus is bread for us all.
Amen.