Last week at Mass, I spoke briefly about my experience at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. We were there to serve and learn from the traditions of the Lakota Indians. For much of the week we were out in the field doing work projects.
The first day out, the work boss gave us a few bits of advice. If you go out behind the trailer, be careful because there’s a nest of rattlesnakes out there. I’m thinking “That’s not good. I won’t see them, and if I hear one rattling, it’s probably, too late.”
The guy then says, “Oh, by the way, watch it in the supply shop. Every once, in a while, a rattler will drop down from one of the rafters.” Now wait a minute. Rattlesnakes dropping from the rafters? Dang, the dude’s been pulling my leg all along and this city slicker, that’s me, bit hook line and sinker.
Maybe it might have been that way the day that Jesus asked his disciple who they thought he was. Were there people pulling the leg of some of the disciples? Maybe. “That Jesus that you’re hanging around with, he’s really John the Baptist come back to life,” And then someone else says, “No, he’s not John the Baptist. He’s Elijah come back to life.” And on it went.
Hearing this, Jesus may have said, “Look, I know there’s people out there pulling your leg about who I am. But who do you say that I am?” It’s Peter who answers, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.”
Peter didn’t learn that out of a text book. He answers based on his experience of Jesus. Based on our experience of Jesus how would you and I answer that question? If we had time we’d break up into small groups and let everyone take a crack at it.
After Peter’s response, Jesus names Peter as his heir apparent. “Blessed are you Peter, upon this rock I will build my church.” Although at that time they didn’t call him that, Peter is known to us as the first pope. 265 more have followed right up to Pope Leo.
Think of the last few popes, John Paul II, Benedict, XVI, Francis, and now Leo. All of them good men but different in their own way. That came through beautifully in the movie “The Two Popes”.
In the film, you see how Benedict and Francis have this mutual respect for one another, yet they are so different. Pope Benedict the introverted intellect and Pope Francis the extroverted activist.
There’s a scene that characterizes just how different the two popes are. Francis is from Argentina home of the tango. He’s trying to teach the dance to Benedict who will have none of it. It’s comic relief watching Benedict squirm as Francis insists that he give it a try.
As the popes are different so we are different. There’s no two of us alike. We have different personalities, different styles. And it’s the same with people. Take a parish for instance. You have all these personalities yet it’s our faith that unites us.
Today’s Sunset Fest exemplifies that spirit. It celebrates who we are, a parish family that reaches out as the face and hands of Jesus. Thanks for being here today. Wherever you come from know that your being here today makes us that much better as a parish family.