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The Passing of Reagan and Civility
This is a summary of a Fr. Gerry Creedon homily delivered at St. Charles on Trinity Sunday, June 6, 2004
"Be near to the people formed in your image." Opening Prayer
THIS PAST WEEK the country heard the news of President Reagan's death.
I remembered the time I met him. I was in my office at Catholic Charities when Sen. Kennedy called asking me to do an invocation at a reception at his house for the newly elected president. It was an epoch long ago when politicians crossed the aisle. Cardinal Law was not able to be present because of an electric storm in Boston, so I would pinch-hit. I said yes, before I remembered that I was not wearing a jacket.
I did not have time to go retrieve one at Mount Vernon where I lived. Instead, I went to the Cathedral in search of a coat. The associate was a thin, short Vietnamese priest, whose jacket would not fit. The pastor, Msgr. O' Connell, was large, tall and weighed about 300 pounds. I wore the jacket open, and kept a hand in my trousers pocket. I did the invocation. President Reagan congratulated me saying, "That was a mighty fine prayer!" A formal photo followed that was televised. I was unlucky to be placed behind Jackie Kennedy. Msgr. O' Connell stayed up to watch TV that evening to catch a glimpse of his coat, which was shown more often than I would have wanted. Then Sen. Kennedy approached me, "What is with that jacket? One of Catholic Charities thrift store's best?" I advised him "These fine threads belong to the rector of the Cathedral!"
The point of this story is President Reagan was a gentleman. Perhaps on this feast of the Trinity we could pray for this gentle spirit of reconciliation and civility to return.
The mystery of the Trinity is a miracle of interaction and relationship. In a scene from Synge's drama "The Playboy of the Western World" the hero, who is head over heels in love with Pegeen Mike, has pity on the Lord God, sitting alone in his lonely throne, jealous of their romantic passion. The idea of a solitary deity is debunked by the vision of a God that unfolds as the sharing of life and love between Father, Son and Spirit. The Father is the author of creation; the Son offers an image of the invisible God who heals, cares and reconciles; the Spirit brings the presence of God like a flame into our hearts and like a mighty wind into our world.
As a church we are called to be God's people, formed by the outpouring of the spirit of Jesus. Our response to the Father is praise and thanksgiving. The fruit of that contact is a world of civility and peace. Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
