Twinkle Twnkle Little Star - Be Proud of who you are - OLF Elementary Service 4-2-2025

The first reading this morning said “Sing out Heavens and let the earth rejoice. Mountains break forth in song!”

Does everyone know “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?” Can everyone sing it with me?

Twinkle Twinkle little star, 

How I wonder what you are?

Up above the world so high, 

Like a diamond in the sky

Twinkle Twinkle little star, 

How I wonder what you are?

This song was written many years ago. People would look at the stars and not know what they were. A lot of people were not able to go to school. People could not read. So, they looked at the stars and would say “I wonder what they are?”

People asked the same question about Jesus.

In times when there was no hospitals and few doctors, He healed the sick. People who could not see, he touched them and they could see. People who could not walk, he told to stand up and they walked.

He fed thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread and fishes from a little boys lunch. He did many many amazing things.

People saw all these and thought - Jesus, Jesus how I wonder who you are?

He knew people were asking his question and Jesus asked his friends “who do people say I am?” They had a lot of guesses. Peter answered correctly, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.”

People did not like this. Especially, the people who thought they knew everything about God. These were the scribes, the Pharisees, and the Priests. They thought they were the only ones who knew what God wanted.

These people asked Jesus, “Who are you to do all these things you do?”

Jesus says “I do nothing on my own, I do the will of the one who sent me. The son does the will of the Father. The Father loves the Son.”

Jesus was telling them he was the Son of God. He was God.

And, they he says, “They should believe in Him.” Because, “You think what you have seen is special, wait you will something greater and be amazed.”

If Jesus is in us, we are something greater and amazing. We love like Jesus. We bring something greater to the world. We do the will of God’s work. 

Our dignity, our goodness, our love, and all the gifts we share with others are diamonds for the world to see.  

Jesus is the light that shines in each one of us. Twinkle Twinkle little stars. We give thanks to God for all that you are.

Amen

Reflection: The Prodigal Son - A Pilgrim of Hope’s Journey

Praise God, Praise be to Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.

Good morning, Friends my fellow Pilgrims of Hope.

Do you remember the young seminarian, Brother Michael Mongare who visited St. Lawrence a couple of years ago. He is from Kenya but in seminary at St. Meinrad, Indiana. 

He called me earlier this week and said he would be near for Easter. I said, call me and I will take you out to dinner.

He asked, “Deacon can you make me some Mtuzi Wa Samaki (M’too-zee wah sah-mah-kee)? 

My reply, “I don’t know what that is?

He said, “It is a fish stew from my country. Can your wife make it?”

I laughed, “Sorry, Michael. We’ll kill the fatted calf for you; but, it’s got to be fried or barbecued.

Today, we hear the parable of the prodigal son. What a great parable. It’s lessons are many and the truths are powerful. 

It is about the youngest son. It is about the oldest son. It is about a loving father. It is all these and all the truths that touch us individually every time we hear it.

That is why it is a difficult parable to preach. Not, because of God’s truth but there is so much this country boy deacon can get overwhelmed preaching it. 

But, considering this the Jubilee Year of Hope we visit this parable as a Pilgrim of Hope on a journey to eternity. It is one of the truths of this parable. 

This story of hope begins with a youngest son not happy with his life. He wanted more! The youngest son wanted to embrace life and live in the world. 

He asked for his inheritance, took the riches promised him, and left his father’s house. He left those who truly loved him and went to a faraway country. This young man with plenty of money squandered it all on loose living and things of the world.

Things got worse. A famine came so there was little food for many hungry people. He had no money or possessions. He had nothing. So he went to work feeding swine. 

Swine was considered unclean, sinful; but, the young man was desperate. He had no other option to make a living. 

Hunger took hold of him. He would have gladly eaten the pigs food if offered to him. But, no one did. The world did not care about him. His employer did not care. Those he worked with did not care. No one cared enough to even give him the refuse they fed pigs. 

The life he wanted to love did not loved him. 

The young man who once had everything now had nothing. He ran to sin experiencing the world. He squander everything he had. 

In desperation, the young man desired the pig’s food. Sin reduces truths we have learned. Sin makes us slaves to the world. 

It pervades our mind and heart. It pervades our being. The young man lost his morals. He lost his faith and all he learned from his family.

Yet, there was still hope. God used the young man’s troubles and trials to bring about a deep hunger. Through this hunger, the young man came to himself.

Friends, we fast during Lent because we need to become hungry. The gospels teach to fast. Jesus taught us that fasting can awaken a deep and profound spiritual hunger.

Although, the youngest son fasted involuntarily, he came to the truth. His heart was opened. He understood his reality. He missed his father, his father’s house, and all he took for granted. 

He began a journey back to his fathers house as a Pilgrim of hope.

Hope manifest, when the young man neared the house. Hope, his father saw him and ran towards him. 

Friends, everyone of us should recognize ourselves in that young man. He is all who has ever left their heavenly Father’s house, the Church. 

The young man is everyone who has felt they did not need God or the church. Everyone who thinks they can live their own rules and own ways in a world that does not love them. 

Everyone who never physically leave the Church, yet their hearts and minds left long ago. It’s not about things of God. They aren’t interested in prayer or speaking with God. It’s not about living a godly life or obeying Christ’s commandments.

Our heavenly Father loves us; but, he also gives us freedom. Freedom that allows us to take all He has given us and use it as we wish. He doesn’t force us to stay in His house, unhappy or miserable. We are free to pursue our hearts desire. 

In some way, each of us has drifted away. All of us need to return to Our Father’s house. 

We are blessed to be able to reawaken and come to ourselves. We are blessed to hunger for God and see the depth of our own fall. We are blessed that we can turn back towards home and run with haste towards the One who loves us unconditionally. 

God longs to see us come home! God longs to embrace us and forgive us and restore us. God is waiting for each of us.

We can not really comprehend how much God loves us. This love is the image of the father who sees his son at a distance and yet he comes running, not walking, running! God’s mercy and forgiveness is open wide to embrace those who will repent and return.

That is us, Pilgrims of Hope on our journey to eternal life.

Brother Michael Mongare has adopted Monroe as a home away from home. He sees us as family. Coming home for Easter, he wants some Mtuzi Wa Samaki. I will try to prepare him some.

Be good, be holy, and preach the gospel as Pilgrims of Hope by the way you live your life and love one another. 

Praise God, Praise be to Jesus Christ fore ever and ever. Amen.