Fifth Sunday of Lent (A) 2019
INTRO: SERVERS Ropes in KNOTS explained
When kids begin to serve here at IHM they simply CANNOT tie a knot with these ropes that go around their waist. It is so funny. Kids at first, when they come to serve, just cannot tie a knot…
Joanne Urbank, the sacristan and I, laugh all the time BUT, we assist the young servers so they LOOK GOOD when they come out!!!
SPEAKING OF ROPES…………. all of us do GET TIED UP or TIED DOWN with things…. Don’t we???
We get “tied up” with work!!!
We get “tied up” with the kids’ schedules!!!!
We get tied down with “spring cleaning”!!!
We get “tied up” with the UNEXPECTED!!
And being all tied up or tied down, We rat race to get all things done………….. And ………………. We sleep less, too!
Aren’t our lives interesting????
You are here this afternoon and I know some of you if not all of you have a hectic pace “tied up a bit” BUT, you still have presented yourselves HERE!!! NICE
And maybe you are clock watching too tonight… it was a LONG GOSPEL!!!
But, at least try and remember the end of the Gospel story…. Lazarus comes out tied with burial bands and cloths. AND, what does Jesus say ????? …..
“UNTIE HIM AND LET HIM GO!”
IMPORTANTLY……..Who does He say this to? ………………………
Jesus was telling his family and friends to do the untying. He was telling the “CHURCH” to help untie people around us, to partner with people around us who are experiencing a hectic life’s pace.
Jesus was teaching us to be on the watch for our brothers and sisters that show to us that they are anxious about many things.
CONCLUSION
In other words, pay attention to your mom, your dad, your neighbor, your brother or sister………. This makes for a better world if YOU notice them and “help calm them” or UNTIE THEM in their struggles!!
It is called “thoughtfulness” for no reason…
We don’t have to wait for an invitation from them to be thoughtful to another and try to UNTIE THEM or help calm them down!
BE THOUGHTFUL… LOOK at your brothers and sister with compassion.
It is CHRIST’S way …. Which is our way!