When the Homily is about Immunology

The Cape

As we left the Nave of the Church after liturgy, my son saw the object of his desire sitting atop the coat rack. That which was once only a portion of a green checkered tablecloth, had since become this young man's cape. Having donned it, he would become all manner of super heros, depending on what the perilous situation required.

He asked me to get it down for him, and I didn't bother to ask how it had gotten there to begin with and neither did I question him as he put the cape around his neck while we strolled downstairs for the vittles. Really, the boy had no concept of what he looked like, he had no notion he ought to have a cooler red silk cape like superman, or maybe something black with an awesome collar-line like Batman...his checkered green tablecloth served his purpose just fine, thanks. And I was touched by his lack of self-awareness...and furthermore I felt sad knowing that growing up seems to necessarily mean the loss of this "innocence." Many a painful memory do I have of other kids letting me know that my "checkered green tablecloth cape" was lame. A POX UPON THEM ALL! LET ALL WHO ADORE THE CHECKERED GREEN TABLECLOTH CAPE UNITE AGAINST THE TYRANNY....oh sorry, got a little excited there.

Having kids almost daily brings some revelation as to what Jesus probably meant when he said that we must become like little children. Thus far, all of my kids remain generally oblivious to the "needs" of looking cool or wearing the right brands or listening to the cool music etc etc etc. They just want to be happy...and there is spontaneous and easy to find joy in them that you just don't see in adults outside of certain facilities. If gives me pause to wonder: as the culture around us teaches us what our needs are, we sure seem to lose touch that childlike joy don't we?

We watch the scale and look in the mirrors, we worry that someone will notice the stain on our shirt, we worry about the appearance of our yard, the drawing on the walls, the lack of the proper brand name on _________, the missing surround sound system and high definition TV, the need to be seen as philosophical advanced and lofty....and on and on and on it goes, you know what I mean: all those things interlaced with the "lust, the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life."

You've heard the parental joke that if you buy a toddler a $50 brand name toy that after they open it they are likely to discard the toy and find a tremendous amount of amusement with the empty box. Well it's true, it happens...and I wonder if we aren't making a TERRIBLE mistake by correcting said toddler's "erroneous" perception.

At present my kids are making mud in the backyard...joy and laughter abound...and the brand name toys are laying discarded in the playroom. Mud, hmmmmm....God's brand toys.

Nicho, you wear that cape as long as you can my boy...though perhaps hard to see now, there is salvation therein.