There is an old Broadway musical called The Music Man. The story takes place in rural America, a certain River City exactly, in the last decades of the nineteenth century. The musical begins with a group of salesmen on a train lamenting the success of a scam artist, a so-called Professor Harold Hill. Hill is a salesman who comes into a town and convinces the people that they have a problem and then he uses the perceived problem to sell his goods. So, Hill goes to River City, and tells the people that they have a big problem, right there in River City. Their children are on the verge of moral corruption. A pool hall has been constructed. Pool halls were notorious in those days as places of corruption where bad language became the norm. Their children in River City were learning bad things. However, he, Professor Harold Hill, just happen to have a great solution to the problem. The children needed something to do. And he had just the thing. He suggested that a healthy release for the kids would be to form a band. In addition, it just so happened that he could supply the uniforms, music and instruments. He even offered to teach music to the children. He would make that offer, but usually after he was paid for the music, uniforms and instruments; he took off, headed out of town. However, Harold Hill came upon an unforeseen situation in River City. He fell in love, in love with the town librarian, a certain Marian. That is right, Marian the librarian. So, he found himself saddled with having to teach music to the children, even though he really didn’t know anything about music. In the final scene of the musical, the children gave their first performance for their parents. They were horrible. It was a complete cacophony. But the parents thought they were wonderful. To their parents they were a fantastic marching band playing Seventy-six Trombones in the Big Parade. Well, our God is like those parents! God hears the cacophony of our lives, but also sees the determined effort. The results may be messy, but the Loving Father joins the parents and saying, “Wasn’t that just wonderful.” So, your marriage and family did not turn out as you wished. So, your career took a detour, two, or seven. So, you did not get into that college you wanted. So, we have made bad choices in the past that have left their impact on our lives now. We all have situations that might lead us to think we are broken, but we are not broken. We are just messy. We may not be as grand as the ideal, but when we play the spiritual instruments of our lives, do you know what God hears? God hears Seventy-six trombones, not a cacophony. Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope. Those words come from the First Letter of Peter, our second reading. Peter was a buffoon who tried to walk out on water to Jesus but nearly drowned because he lost faith. Peter was a braggart who denied the Lord three times. But Peter wanted to better. He wanted to serve Jesus. Eventually, through God’s grace, he conquered his fears; he controlled his emotions; he became the first Vicar of Christ. We have a reason for hope. That reason is Jesus Christ. He loves us more than we can possibly imagine each of us. He is not concerned with whether we produce the perfect result. He is overjoyed simply in that we are trying to be the best people we can be. Today’s readings speak about joy. There is the joy that St. Peter tells us is the reason for our hope. There is the joy that Jesus says comes from the Love of the Father. We Christians are truly eternal optimists. We may be dying of cancer, we may be in difficult family situations, strained relationships, financially hurting, what have you, but no matter what the situation, we know that if we are true to Christ, He will always be the source of our joy. Our lives may be messy at times, but as long as we are trying our best, God does not hear a cacophony. He hears Seventy-six trombones in the Big Parade • AE
En tiempos de Coronavirus -y antes- hablamos de Dios y de Jesús, pero lo hacemos como si estuvieran allá, lejos, donde brillan las estrellas sin conexión alguna con nosotros cielo. ¿No nos dice nada el saludo de cada domingo? “El Señor esté con ustedes” dice el sacerdote al inicio de la Eucaristía ¿Notamos que está con nosotros? ¿Estamos con él? ¿Lo atendemos en la oración? Jesús vive y está activo en los sacramentos ¿Cómo los recibimos? ¿Somos conscientes, al administrarlos, que Jesús actúa en nuestras acciones? ¿Nos sentimos tocados por la gracia de Dios? Jesús vive y habla en su palabra: ¿Cómo escuchamos el evangelio? ¿Cómo hubiéramos escuchado a Jesús en aquel tiempo...? ¿Leemos con asiduidad el evangelio? ¿Qué hacemos para que se trasluzca en nuestra vida y obras? Jesús vive y está en la comunidad: ¿Somos comunidad? ¿Qué es lo que tenemos en común? ¿Nos sentimos unidos en la fe, en la esperanza y en el amor? ¿Estamos disponibles para trabajar por nuestra comunidad? ¿O tenemos tantas obligaciones que no nos queda tiempo para convivir y compartir con los hermanos de la parroquia? Jesús vive y está en los pobres y en los enfermos: ¿Lo atendemos? ¿Nos olvidamos? ¿Les sacamos la vuelta ? Lo sé: son muchas preguntas, pero de ahi puede partir un fuego que abrase; son preguntas no fáciles de responder, pero si no hay esa conversación interior con Él y con nosotros mismos ¿Cómo vamos a orientar nuestra vida, hacia dónde, o hacia quién? • AE
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