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Today we celebrate Lutari Sunday. Lutari Sunday means let us rejoice, let us give thanks. So what do we have to be thankful for? There’s so much going on right now with the coronavirus, all the things that are going on at home, loss of income, stress, cabin fever, fear of illness, all these things. But we rejoice because the Lord is there for us and takes care of us. We are people of faith. And as a matter of fact, we could use this time as kind of like a retreat. You know, that might be hard for some people who have a household of rambunctious kids, but it is possible. We count as people of faith. I want to share a faith story about a famous actor who lived so many years ago. I’m just going to read a little bit about his life and how it applies to today’s gospel about the blind man. We think we are not blind. We think we see. Maybe we do, but there might be things in our lives that are blind to us, but very apparent to others. Therefore, it is time for us to reflect. I want to share this story. First of all, quoting John, Gospel John, Chapter 9, Verse 7. Jesus said to the blind man, Go and wash your face in the pool of Sibylong. So the man went and washed his face, and he came back seeing. We want Jesus to do that for us too. Gary Cooper was a Hollywood superstar. He won two Oscars during his career, one for his title role in Sergeant York, the other for a high drama role for the town sheriff in High Noon. Maybe many of you are familiar with that classic. Many of his movies are still popular and available in different ways today. Gary’s life, like the lives of so many people, seems to have fallen into two stages. The first stage was pretty much the one of living exclusively for this life. I think that’s where it can apply to us. We are on the go. We are running here and there, and sometimes we don’t even have time for mass, for God, for church or spiritual lives. His goal was to be successful and to enjoy the fruits of success. The second stage of his life began with a profound conversion of faith. Without a counter came a new vision of life, a new way of seeing things. Gary sought as a prelude in the preparation for a more wonderful life to come. In spite of his celebrity status, Gary Cooper retained a genuine simplicity and humility throughout even the first stage of his life. This simplicity and humility gave way for the second and most important stage of his life. Upon his death in 1961, a foreign newspaper said of him, he had the soul of a boy and was the incarnation of an honorable American. The pastor of a good shepherd Catholic church in the Royals knew Gary well. After Gary’s death from cancer, here’s what the pastor wrote, As a priest, I have prepared many people for death, but I have never met a person more resigned and disposed for death than Gary. Like Christ, he remained meek and humble of heart to the end. The pastor cited two examples to illustrate this point. A few months before Gary died, the two of them were talking in a softly lit room in Gary’s home. At one point, Gary said, and this is kind of an interesting question, You know, Father, I became a Catholic only a few years back. Why is it now that as a Catholic, I feel more sinful? The pastor had a great response, Gary, do you have a flashlight? Gary went off and got one. Picking the flashlight, the pastor said, Gary, you are wearing what looks like a flawless sweater. But when I shine the flashlight on it like this, we both see a tiny stain and some loose threads behind. Before your conversion, you were in the dark. You never reflected much on your relationship with God. Since your conversion, you are reflected on it a lot. That is why you are more aware of your shortcomings. You have shed light into your soul. Now that makes sense, Gary said. That really makes sense. And that explanation fits beautifully with the words of Paul to the Ephesians. In today’s reading, when he writes, You yourselves used to be in darkness, but now you have become the Lord’s people. You are in light. So you must live like people who belong to the light, for it is the light that brings a rich artist, trying to learn what pleases the Lord. Some time later, Gary began experiencing intense pain from his cancer. The pastor gave him a small steel crucifix saying, Gary, hang onto this tight. When the pain gets really bad, squeeze it and remind yourself to unite your pain with the pain that Jesus Christ, for the salvation of souls, to offer it. After Gary died, his pastor saw a article about a popular offering. He described the visit to the final days of Gary’s life. The author commented that during their visit, Gary kept squeezing the small crucifix. The pastor said later, the article that the author had no idea of the significance of the crucifix, but Gary did, and sold it out. And this really connects with today’s Gospel. It tells of the man that was born blind, and he went through a faith journey unlike Gary’s own faith journey. Not alike. He too, had evolved to two stages. In the first stage, he did not know Christ, but isn’t it interesting that the blind man knew that Christ could do this? So in a way, was he really blind? Were the people that were enlightened, the religious leaders, who condemned him, and who had his supposed insight, not considered themselves blind? The second stage of a man’s life began with his encounter with Christ. We might compare the blind man washing from the waters of Siloam to Gary’s washing from the waters of Baptism. Both washings result in a totally new vision for both. Both washings reveal a new vision and understanding of Christ. Both washings result in a period of suffering. In both cases, suffering is instrumental in drawing both closer relationships with Christ. I think that relates with us right now. We are suffering. We have fear. Are we going to be struck by the coronavirus? As for today, it is as close as Ramsey County, the convent’s door. Are we going to be affected? What do we do? So this is a special time for us. Maybe the Lord will take us. Does that set back? We have faith. Gary, remember, had faith. He was ready for the Lord. So it is a time for us, it is a gift for us, to stop and reflect. And there are so many tools and ways to do that that are so available to us that maybe wasn’t available in the first place. For example, our parish website has a link to masses that are offered each day. Masses to choose from. Readings. Various special opportunities. For example, I’ll take an Erickson class on how to revitalize the live stream on Wednesdays. If you can’t make that, you can watch those later. First session is held this past Wednesday. The next session will be this coming Wednesday. So there are many different ways we can stop and reflect to really tackle the blinds that we all have. We all have it. Sometimes when we say, you know, that could apply to someone, that’s not me, that’s a trap. That’s the devil’s work. You know, that would take me seriously. And one of the obstacles we have, one of the things that caused our blindness is arrogance. The religious leaders were arrogant and questioned and challenged the blind men. Even taught these parents they were intimidated. They were arrogant. We do not want to be in that category. But offering our suffering in union with Christ, we can be transformed. Old stories remind us that we too can turn our sufferings into blessings. Grace is on us. So we are people of hope. So on this Sunday, the Atari Sunday, we have hope. I know it’s supposed to be represented by these rose-colored vestments, not paint. Not paint, my friend. These rose-colored vestments that we are a little bit more than half through the season of life. It’s a journey of faith. It’s a time in the desert. It’s a time for us to reflect and know that God is there for us. St. Augustine, early church leader and doctor of the church, was confronted by a man who showed him his pagan idol and said, here is my God, where it’s yours. He replied, I cannot show you my God because you do not have eyes to see. We pray that during this season of life, during this time, especially this very difficult time that we are facing, with the economic pressures of all the things that we experience, that we will have eyes to see. Maybe that should be our prayer. Bless me, Lord, help me in my blindness and help me to see. We are eager to turn our lives around. That is the purpose, the focus, not only of this season of life, but always. It is a special focus for us as we reflect upon the three pillars of life, prayer, fasting, and fasting. So amidst all this, with all the fears and the challenges we have, even economic disturbances we have, setbacks, even choice, God is there to take care of us. Thank God that as you all may continue to look at the website and other things that are available to you. The church is always open. Time to spend, time in her, in front of us, is stuck. Christ is true, Christ is here. He has not left us. The church is well and alive, and we go forward knowing the Lord is there for us. He is there for you. The doors are always open.