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Christianity is not meant to be a repressive force in our lives that stops us from doing what we want to or are capable of doing.
This Fr. Gerry Creedon homily was delivered at St. Charles on June 1, 2003
"BEND it Like Beckham" is a recent movie. Some of you don't play soccer and may not understand the title of the film. A soccer ball is like a baseball in that it can take on a curve. You can kick the ball inside out and the ball will curl. Beckham, the great Manchester United player, could bend it like nobody else.
This film tells a story about teenage girl that grew up in an Indian family in London. She had a great ability to play soccer but her family, especially her mother, did not take too kindly to the idea of her daughter playing on a team. She was going against the mores and traditions of her family, and her championship game conflicted with her sister's wedding. The movie tells the rest.
The dilemma reminded me of my own teenage years, which some say I never really left. I remember when I was about 14 years old and passionate about playing football. The football field was right beside the church. On a Friday evening at 8:00 PM, we had Benediction of the Most Holy Sacrament. My father and I were in the choir and while we were singing "O Salutaris", I would look out the stained glass window and discern the football flying through the air. I would look out the western window in the church and see the sun going down and knew that football practice would be finished by the time we were done psalmsing. My heart was not in "O Salutaris" those Friday nights.
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Religion often times comes across as a restriction on our lives. In fact the word religion means to "tie down" in its Latin root. The feast of the Ascension clarifies this view as a caricature of true religion. Christianity is not meant to be a repressive force in our lives that stops us from doing what we want to or are capable of doing.
The Ascension: The Power to Leave Our Comfort Zones
The whole point of the Ascension is that Jesus turns over all of his energy and spirit to His disciples and empowers them to go out and bear witness. They were standing there on the mountaintop not sure of what was going to happen to them. They had to have an angel to tap them on the shoulder and say, "Men of Galilee why are you standing here looking up in the clouds? You have work to do. Go make disciples."
The angel was telling them to leave their own comfort zone. All of them left father, mother, brother, and sister to follow Jesus. In fact in the wedding ceremony it says leave your father, mother, brother, and sister and cleave to your spouse. We don't get on with our lives without letting go of all of that protection that sometimes stunts our growth. Faith is taking a risk. Launch out into the deep.
We invite the candidates for Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist not into a life of restrictions, but to the freedom of the spirit of God that calls you to do things that you would never have thought of doing.
Jesus said to his disciples, " In the power of the spirit you will do far greater things than I."