Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Purple Slacks and Gym Shoes

Love is patient, love is kind,
love does not insist on its own way.

Faith, hope and love. These three remain.
But the greatest of these is love.

When was the last time
a reminder of God’s love
walked through a door
and into your life?

Last week, an 8th grade girl walked into a conference
and took her seat across the table from me.

The girl’s name is Mandy and I’m interviewing her
in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation.

“Mandy,” I ask, “who did you choose
as your confirmation saint.”

“St. Lydia,” she replies.

“The one mentioned in the letter of St. John?”

She shakes her head.
“She was a businesswoman,” she says.

“That’s right. The Bible says she dealt in textiles.
‘Purple cloth,’ if I remember right.”

Mandy shakes her head.

It’s then I notice that I notice that
Mandy’s eyeglasses are set in a purple frame.

I notice that the sweater she’s wearing
is also purple.

“Is God calling you to be a business woman?” I ask.

Mandy frowns. “I’m not sure. But I love purple.”

* * *

Later that morning, a boy walks in and plops down in the chair.
He has a broad face and broad shoulders.
“How are you, Alex?”
“I’m good,” he says.

“I’m glad to hear that, Alex.
Does that mean you’ve been studying the virtues, Alex?”
“Yes, Father.”

“Name me one of the virtues.”
“Courage.”

“Good. Can you name another virtue?”
“Fortitude.”

“Sorry. That’s a gift of the Holy Spirit. Try again.”

He thinks a minute.

“How about humility, Alex.”
“Yeh, that’s a virtue.”

“Don’t forget to work on that one.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Let’s move on, Alex.
Who’s your confirmation saint?”
“St. Sebastian.”

“The patron of athletes?”
“Yes, Father.”

“So, what your favorite sport, Alex?”
“Football.”

“You a good player, Alex?”

“I’m good.”

* * *

Well, as St. Paul would say:
Love is patient. Love is kind.
Love does not insist on its own way.

God’s love shows up in unexpected ways doesn't it?

Sometimes it walks through the door
dressed in purple,
other times wearing tennis shoes.

If you got eyes to see it,
the grace of God's love is everywhere.

It might show up in a memo from your boss
one morning at work.
The memo commends you for a job well done
and you’re reminded of what St. Paul
writes in today’s letter:
“love rejoices in the truth.” (laughter-I hope)

So, like Alex
you sit back in the chair and say, “I’m good.”

Then, the next day,
you get a memo from the boss
and now that boss of yours
is blaming you for losing an account.

“What?” you say. You're shocked and offended.
Why, that boss of yours
doesn't know if it's raining or it's Tuesday.

You sit back in your chair
and try to calm yourself.
And God’s Word comes to you
and tells you to shake it off and move on.
Why?
Because, in the words of Paul:
“love does not brood over injury.”

* * *

Such is the way of God’s love:
it walks right through the door
and makes itself at home
no matter where you are
or what you're doing.

It's important that we keep those doors to God's love open.

That's what it means to be a Christian,
that you and I do all we can
to keep wide the door open to God’s love
day after day
in our work life,
in our family life.

This is how the Catholic faith
was instilled in us as children
and it's how we Catholics pass on the faith
to the next generation.

As people with “a sacramental angle” on the world,
we’re skilled at pointing out the extraordinary grace of God
in the ordinary parts of human life.

That's because we experience and vaule
the sacraments of the church
serve as true conduits of God’s grace.

The sacraments take “the stuff” of everyday life
—like bread and wine—
and say to us:
“Take this. This is the Body of Christ.
Eat and drink and taste the flavor of God.”

Believe this mystery
and live this mystery
and soon the mystic presence of God
takes on the taste of life itself,
it takes on the taste of bread and butter on the table at home.

In other words,
God’s love comes walking through the door of your life
at home,
at work
and everywhere you look.

This is why the sacraments are so important
to us as Catholics.

Through the sacraments,
the Holy Spirit sanctifies us.
Heaven comes down to earth
and ordinary life is transformed by grace.

It’s how we Catholics get through the day.

Generally speaking, we aren’t too good at Bible study;
not many of us memorize chapters and verses.

Naturally, we admire our Baptist and Lutheran friends
who teach their kids to memorize Bible verses
and sometimes we're downright envious
of their knowledge of the Scriptures.

But let’s not sell ourselves short.

Our kids don’t memorize chapter and verse.
Rather, in our church you’re apt to find kids who,
when lacing up their gym shoes,
might happen to think of a certain young man named Sebastian
who was courageous enough
to die for his faith.

And, now and then, there’ll be a young woman
searching through racks of clothes at Wal-Mart
who remembers a saint named Lydia
as she checks the price on a pair slacks…
a pair of purple slacks.

* * *

In less than two weeks,
our parish will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation
more than 80 young people of St. Al’s.

I hope you will join me, their parents
and their catechists in praying for them.

And I also hope that sharing something
of their preparation with you this morning
will help you appreciate the power of the sacraments
in your own life.

The sacraments are doors to God’s love.
Open them often.
Open them wide.