Before I Forget…

· Wife, reading her husband's fortune card from a scale: 
"You are a leader with a magnetic personality and a strong character.
  You are intelligent, witty and attractive to the opposite sex."  She paused.
"It has your weight wrong too." 

· Years ago Fr. Vincent McNabb was speaking on Christianity at Hyde Park Corner in London when a women heckler shouted, "If I was your wife, I'd put poison in your tea."  Father McNabb replied, "Madam, if I were your husband, I'd drink it."

· Ad in newspaper:  For Sale:  Complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica, $1000.  No longer needed.
Got married last weekend.  Wife knows everything.

     We need each other!  True or false?
     What good is one sock, one shoe, one glove?  As I reflect on my life, some days I'm more like my father, other days more like my mother.  My parents were different from each other--like salt and pepper.  But they were my parents and I learned from both of them.  Both had their strengths and weaknesses.  I needed both of them, and I am the person I am because they were my parents.  I can honestly say that they loved me.  Of all the relationships I've had in my life, these two people have blessed me more than I can ever imagine.  Mother and Father… What blessings in our lives!  (Parents:  some day your teenagers will realize this!) 
     As the Church, as the Parish of St. John the Baptist, we need each other.  God created human beings to live in community.  This weekend we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, The Body of Christ.  Yes, we believe that the Risen Christ is present in the Bread and Wine.  But we also believe that the Church is the Body of Christ.  Christ is the head of the body and all the baptized are members of His body.  The secular media, when it attacks the Church, doesn't always understand this mystery of our faith.  Hopefully, we will always remember who we are as the Church, the Body of Christ, and treat each other with respect and dignity.  If we tear down the Church, we are  tearing down the Body of Christ.  This week would be a good time to rededicate ourselves to Christ and to living in the Christian community.  Are we faithful to this important community in our lives?  If not, why not?
We have a variety of relationships in our lives.  Some are more important than others.  Some are successful, some fail.  The joy that comes from a good relationship is the deep joy God intends for each person.  What important relationships in your life do you want to renew during these lazy days of summer?  Summer is a good time to invite those friends over for a good time over food and beverage! 
Teenagers thrive on relationships.  Some of their relationships can cause tension at home.  If parents and teens disagree about a teen's relationships, how can they (parents and teen) resolve the problem so that the important relationship between teen and parent is not destroyed?  How can you, the parents of teenagers, support each other?  Adolescence will try any parent's unconditional love!!  At this time in your teen's life, your parental relationship is both absolutely essential and fragile.  As a parish we need to pray for our teen members and invite them to be a part of important relationships and the parish.  (Remember parents of teens:  you are normal.)
I have a special place in my heart for children.  And in that special place there is a special place for children  being raised by a single parent due to whatever reason.  If you have grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or neighborhood children being raised by a single parent, invite these children to join your family for outings, a picnic, some time at the cabin.  We, the Body of Christ, the parish, have a special responsibility to children. 

Happy Summering!

Fr. Bill