3rd Sunday of Easter

One really knows they were not raised in the Louisville metro area on the first weekend of May. Every year I’ve been here, I’ve had to ask the principal, “Do we really need to give the First Friday of May off from school?” when I approve next year’s school calendar. When I see all the interest in hats, and I’m just fine with my old Holy Family or HFS ball cap. When I hear about traffic, air shows, and fireworks, I’m like, “Oh, that’s nice!”, but I can quickly tell in the face of the other person, that I just made some sort of faux pas or social snafu by not giving enough energy & excitement to it. I’m aware (as I approach my 7^th May on the ‘Sunny Side’ of Louisville) about the high-dollar, quick-footed, four-legged, beautiful athletes who have been running this week. I’m aware of all the intensity of “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports^®” performed by the three-year-old Thoroughbreds. I recognize the millions of dollars at play. I’ve even toured the museum, the stands, the barns, and the “Backside”; all to my enjoyment. But some part of me still struggles to reorient my life for this weekend. I know that just admitting that in print means I just lost the loyalty & respect of some of my parish members. Sorry.

The Kentucky Derby is steeped in rich tradition, history, fanfare, and customs. It is social. It is fun. It is communal. It is exciting and all the rest. Without a doubt, 2-minutes of one’s life can make a huge difference. Most person’s lives are changed in serious & substantial ways by just a few minutes in the midst of and among all the minutes of a whole life. For the horse & rider who won yesterday, those 2-minutes will certainly be counted as among the most precious few of their entire lives. The victory is amazing. Yes, those 2-minutes will matter, and I suppose they should. What the world will remember, in fact, is those 2-minutes… probably just the last 10-seconds, the final few furlongs, and even just the photo finish! Beyond the true fans of the sport, most folks don’t give too much attention to all that went into that single photo. The training, sacrifices, funds, the constellation of a million little things that had to happen just right for that brief window of eligibility, of competition, of victory! Certainly, the media did their best to build interest this week by giving back stories, longshots, and human interest. These are efforts to highlight all that came before to culminate in the day. I don’t want to take away from all that.

But – and you knew I’d have a ‘but’ – but when I look at the grand purpose of life – my life & yours as Christians, I wonder if those 2-minutes are really as important as they are played off. I mean, there will be another race next year. There will even be the intrigue over whether this particular Thoroughbred can be the next ‘Triple Crown’ winner. But beyond kicking off the summer celebrations and having some communal fun, does it matter? Does it matter as much to you as what we celebrated 3 Sundays ago? Or have you moved on from Easter? Every Sunday is a mini-Easter, especially in what the Catholic Church calls the Easter Season. Is our life still focused on Christ’s Victory? Upon His 3-hour (not 2-minute) sacrifice? Upon His prayer for our Forgiveness in not knowing what we did? Do we still wrestle with the betrayals of Judas, Peter, & the other 9? Do we still feel the pain of Mother Mary, John the Beloved, & the faithful women as they stood watching in horror & heartbreak? Are we still moved emotionally, psychologically, spiritually by the power of the Passion & Resurrection? 40 days we spent preparing for the Holy Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Dark Saturday, & Easter Sunday. Yet, 21 days later, it is quite possibly a distant memory except when we darken the door of a Catholic Church.

According to Statista.com, which polls & tracks all sorts of American behavior, an average of 80% of Americans celebrate Easter in some way annually since 2009.[1] Maybe Church attendance, but at least a family gathering, egg hunt, & meal. Of course, most of the USA considers Easter just a single day, even most of our non-Catholic Christian sisters & brothers. Yet, in the Catholic Church, the silly, outdated, Catholic Church, we stand forth that something world changing happened on Easter Sunday that is worth remembering not for 2 minutes, 1-day, even an Octave, but for 50-days, and in fact every, day of our life. That in fact, it matters more than any race, competition, or any other 2-minutes anywhere, anytime, anyplace. I’m not jaded or just out of touch. This isn’t just my priestly or pastoral sensitivities showing through. This isn’t just because I wasn’t born & raised here. It’s because I actually believe that Christ’ Resurrection changed everything, & so everything in my life must change.

Nothing Less than saints for the Holy Family of God.

Holy Family, Living Resurrection Glory, Pray for us.

~ Fr Jeremy M. Gries

[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/221108/share-of-americans-celebrating-easter-since-2007/