I recently read an excellent reflection by L. Kazlas on the reality that we are all passing through this life on the same journey that I want to share with you today.
We are a pilgrim people, and heaven is our home. We journey through life with our family, friends, and one another in the Catholic church. Our lives are richer, fuller, and happier when we reach out to one another wherever we are to form a community and share our lives, both the good and the bad as well. That is what the gospel reading is about today, too, except the people of that time did not see it that way. John the Baptist did not eat bread and drink wine, and they thought he had a demon, but Jesus did eat bread and drink wine, and they thought he was a glutton and drunkard and a friend of the worst of the sinners. The way things look is not always what they seem to be. There are hidden truths in one another’s lives that only the Lord knows, so we should never judge one another by the surface facts of our lives. That is hard to do sometimes, but it is necessary to be a true community that lives in the Holy Spirit, eating, drinking, dancing sometimes, weeping sometimes, and supporting one another through our life’s journey. Our reflection verse today from Luke’s gospel speaks to the beauty of our church. Individually, we are less than perfect people, but together, we are the living, breathing body of Jesus Christ. The vindication for our imperfections is not from ourselves but from Jesus, the bridegroom of our church, who earned the right for us to be gathered together to celebrate eternal life with him and one another. Surely, we will meet one another in heaven one day, and someone will play the flute, and then we shall dance. But today, I pray that your spirit dances within you wherever you may go.