A parish picnic. A parish picnic. 100 of you wanted one this year. It’s been a while. Quite awhile. And, how many attended in previous years? Loved ones gone now but still remembered? Unnamed faces you recognize from Masses? A simple kind word exchanged from time to time with some folks? Long-lasting friendships from church volunteering.

Debbie Hintz would have attended. Fr. Jeff Prasser would have been invited. Well, I’m happy to tell you that both responded to my RSVP. Both of them will eat and enjoy a brat or burger along with all of your remembered loved ones. And, Fr. Joe, there’s a third Joe, Fr. Joe Loefler. His name is on the first north side stained glass window. I reached out to him but didn’t hear back. I don’t think he has an email account. They are all with us in spirit when we gather during every Mass and today after this Mass for food and companionship on this spiritual journey graced by our Creator God. 

I heard somewhere that it’s called “on earth as it is in heaven.”  Unity. Church. Humanity. 

You know speaking of unity and humanity, Isaiah gives us a full facelift today. A face like flint. We should all be so lucky during our growing, aging, sagging years. However, I think he meant a flint-like-face that is true to your beliefs but also listening and respecting the beliefs of others. We don’t need a foreign country conflict with American troops storming in. We only need a Family Table restaurant (Pink Palace) gathering or family reunion to spark disagreements, arguments, and perpetuating discord. 

Face-Like-Flint, says you. The Church beautifully says, “Say what you believe, believe what you say, and then practice what you preach.” So, guess what the other person’s Face-Like-Flint is doing? 

(Silently) You know or you may not know this but I’m always right. That’s right. I’ve got the evidence, the rebukes.  I know what you’re going to say before you even say it. And, I have my tried and absolutely true responses. Oh, it’s so nice to be me. 

There’s the division and continuing divisiveness. For some reason, more so these days - black and white, Clean and clear, it’s a tie game, but hitting a home-run with my final argument. I win. You lose. We can’t even agree on a deadly virus!

Entering now is our first Pope, St. Peter. He’s the guy who hears the cock crow not once but three times because of the confidence and his flint-like-face denying the flinty-face of Jesus. 

His is also provides the beautifully inspired answer to the question posed by Jesus, “Who do folks think I am?” 

Same Peter. Later. “Rebuked” by Jesus says scripture. Peter draws Jesus aside and in a Mafia voice says, “You know Jesus there are many ways out of this mess that your Father put you into. You didn’t do it. You’re not responsible. Let me handle this. Let you, me and the boys get out of here, have some pasta and see what we can do about this.”  Jesus swiftly says, “Get behind me Satan.”  Jesus says that to his Father’s first Pope! So much for Peter’s Robert DeNiro impression.  

Isaiah keeps the facial work going by offering his cheeks. To even those without beards. Complete with buffeting and spitting. 

Tough stuff. Before a parish picnic. 

People make a big deal about the difficulty of preaching. “You poor guys.” It’s not that hard. 98% is telling you religious stuff that you already know. It’s like breaking through open doors. We need to be reminded, both the hearer and the speaker. We need to recall what we’ve either sinfully forgotten, conveniently ignore or simply discard.

That’s not bearing the weight of the cross that Jesus carried. That’s not our denial of self and being with each other even when politics and personal issues collide. 

Poor Pope Peter. He didn’t even have enough faith to stay afloat. “What little faith,” Jesus says while staying afloat. “We’ve been at it all night!” Peter also says before returning to the waters to fill not one but two boats full of fish without breaking their nets. 

We are all St. Peter. In all our ups and downs. With all our ins and outs focusing solely on our own opinions and beliefs. We feel good about crucifying ourselves instead of bearing the Christ cross. We think of the Christ cross only when hard times hit us. But remember, the daily Christ cross is victory over ourselves and bringing a merciful, compassionate love of God to each agreeable and disagreeable person we meet. 

That’s wearing and bearing an Isaiah “flint-like-face.” But with the 98%, you already know all of that. With that reminder, I hope that you remember who is right - seldom but some of the time.