15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 10, 2016

Written by Fr. Fitz Wednesday, 06 July 2016 10:00

Have you ever felt betwixt and between?

That is how I feel after a quick journey home to Omaha.

Kind of cought in a time warp.

Back to Saint Adalbert Parish to bury my first convert in Omaha.

The time then was 1961, and she was just a teenager attending South High.

Now she had died at age 70.

+ Sherry Pecha R.I.P.

At her funeral, I was taken back in time to 1967, the last time I said mass in this church.

And then after the funeral mass, another surprise: I had married Nancy and Bob 50 years ago that very day. Bob also was a convert but had died a year ago. But Nancy was celebrating her 50th anniversary that very day and invited me back to the anniversary mass that day at 5:30 pm.

So after the funeral, I would return to honor Bob and Nancy.

They say: "You can't go home again." but I did, and the key to it all was to be welcomed warmly.

One woman came up to me and said: "I remember when you came into our 8th grade class and introduced Sherry to us."

Wow! it is so good to be remembered.

All of this comes to mind when I read today's Gospel about the Good Samaritan.

Why?

Because Sherry in some way was like the wounded traveller on the road. 

She had endured 7 years of battle with Pancreatic Cancer.

With all of its ups and downs, cancer's retreat only to return again and again/

And she fought it valiantly.

But the question always arises WHY such suffering?

There is no easy answer.

But maybe this kind of answers the question.

Could such suffering be endured, SO THAT WE WHO OBSERVE IT BECOME THE GOOD SAMARITANS?

SO THAT WE DO not PASS BY.

SO THAT WE IN SOME SMALL WAYS HELPED HER TO BEAR HER BURDEN.THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TO DO:

"BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS."

So the patience of her husband, the concern of her friends, the ministry of the Hospice nurses, all of this helped US to become the Good Samaritan.

That was HER gift to all of us.

Just as the wounded traveller on the road brought out the vey best in the Samaritan and helped him grow in compassion and love.

So in bearing one anothers' burdens we can all become "the Good Samaritan."