A Reflection for Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Find today’s readings here.
“We have given up everything and followed you.” (Mark 10:28)
My eldest son is a senior in high school. I find myself—too often, no doubt—sharing with him stories from when I was his age. Every now and then, they resonate. But my son is a far better student than I was, has far fewer destructive habits and has accepted roles that I couldn’t have cared less about.
Just recently, my son played the mayor in his school’s performance of “The Music Man.” It was majestic. I saw it twice. As part of the preparation, my wife and I watched the film version of the musical with my son after he got the role. It’s a fun film, though my son’s school wisely cut at least one offensive number.
On opening night, I went to see the musical with my parents. Throughout, my mom kept asking me questions about the other actors. “Does he know her?” Etc. “Mom, I don’t go to school here.”
The performance itself was a pure delight, in part because I was relieved that my son did so well. It was the first time he was in a high school play. In my perhaps biased opinion, he played the role of mayor better than anyone in the history of the universe.
The crowd roared as the actors took their final bows. When the curtains dropped, a thunder of squeals, shrieks, cheers and howls poured into the auditorium from backstage. I pictured the actors turning to each other and screaming.
They did it. Together.
They worked many long hours, dancing and singing over and over. “Cheep-cheep-cheep” and “Ice cream” and “Wells Fargo Wagon.” The opening number on the train—which involved nine different singers—takes precise timing that must have required countless boring repetitions. And the library sequence!
The cast of teenagers came together to create a beautiful work. And they rejoiced not only in the execution of the musical, but in each other. Along the way, a new community was formed.
This, I think, is what today’s Gospel is about. A new community of individuals who left their families to pursue a common goal. In the case of the Gospel, it is about following Jesus. These early followers gave up houses and siblings, parents and children, and land. And while there were hardships along the way, God had much greater things in store: a deeper bond with each other and, eventually, eternal life.
Now, I’m a big fan of purgatory. It gives guys like me a sporting chance to get into heaven. (It’s almost like rent-to-own salvation.) Anyway, if I do make it in, I imagine I’ll hear cheers similar to those heard back stage on opening night. The angels and the saints and my deceased friends and loved ones will squeal and shriek to welcome me.
We do not have to wait for heaven. We can give up everything else and rejoice in God and each other today.
