Here is an Easter Sunday Homily that starts out with an idea of Chesterton's. Although I seriously dispute the 400lb weight--I don't believe Chesterton ever weighted that much. But the rest of it is a good reminder that we have "something to live for."
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I cannot trace the name of the Phoenix Park, but it is quite certain that it contained a Phoenix. If I were simply to say, in the old straightforward style of the storytellers that we assembled to see the burning of a gigantic golden bird, as big as an orc and as beautiful as a hundred peacocks, who was consumed to ashes before our eyes; after which the golden feathers sprouted again out of the golden flames, and that vast and radiant monster rose again and ascended visibly into heaven - if I were thus to fulfil my duties as a conscientious reporter, there would be some so mean and small-minded as to complain of errors of detail in the report.
ReplyDeleteBut it would be a very much more vivid and solid statement of what actually did happen, than if I erely stated that a Eucharistic Congress was held in Dublin and attended Mass in the large park round the Vice-Regal Lodge. The very nature of the neighbourhood was a reminder that something quite extraordinary had been completely burnt out and had somehow survived its own burning, and that on the very place where a strange spiritual monstrosity was destroyed because it was incredible, it had proved itself undeniable by proving itself indestructible. For the bird called the Phoenix was the ancient symbol of resurrection, as the bird called the pelican was the symbol of charity. It was merely a trivial accident that the Phoenix never existed and the pelican never was particularly charitable to anybody; so much the worse for the pelican.
[GKC, Christendom in Dublin]
This is so weird, at church this morning I heard almost the exact same homily.
ReplyDeleteRehearsal pictures for our Easter Monday performance of the Surprise by Chesterton are at http://picasaweb.google.com/LuciadeErausquin.
ReplyDeleteRia:
ReplyDeletePriests can search the internet for sermon ideas...yours must do so!
Lucia! Wow! I love it and wish I could see it. Where are you doing the play?
ReplyDelete