Come to think of it, that was fun. I mean our Fall Festival last week; it was an absolute blast. The weather was beautiful – almost hot, but not quite - and everybody I saw was having a terrific time and ignoring their phones. There were things you rarely see these days, such as children playing together outside with other kids they only just met, or fifty people gathered around one television to watch a single football game. It was just good, old-fashioned being together. I saw a number of people I didn’t know at all, and I hope they were our neighbors from the ‘hood who otherwise do not tread on our campus. They saw a good side of us!
A lot of people worked very hard to make it happen, especially the Genius Committee under the leadership of “queen” genius Elizabeth Narsavage. There were some key sponsorships too, such as the Knights of Columbus who always provide the beer tent, the beer, and the proceeds therefrom. Let’s not forget the ponies who patiently offered their backs for riding! It is not a fund-raiser, you know, but a community builder; though we do try to come out at least a little bit ahead. We will find out for sure after all the bills are paid, but it looks good from here.
All the work and all the people and all the variables add up to what I think can be characterized as a “simple pleasure.” There is something about all those people being together in festival form that is simply elemental to human thriving. I hope it helped you thrive, and that it helped the parish thrive. I know it was attractive to anybody in search of a thriving community!
Perhaps this is the sort of thing that falls under the grouping Saint Paul formed in his letter to the Philippians that we hear at Mass on Sunday: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Phil 4:7-8) Sunday was lovely and gracious in this sense; and to think on it is a source of cheer and consolation to me.
It has been a week filled with actions, events, and efforts that continue to stun and sadden not only me, but so many earnest and otherwise unselfish people who simply want to see the nation and their neighborhood, the Church and their family thrive. It seems such a modest aspiration, familiar to so many but clearly no longer universal. Was it, really, ever thus?
Perhaps. But all that was, is now, and ever shall be, is Christ’s grace and truth. He is the light that has not been overcome by darkness. He is become flesh, and dwelt among us. Our own eyes see that light among us in the midst of the simple pleasures that mark our communion, including but by no means limited to our Fall Festival. Surely, clearly, when we kneel in adoration or stand to sing praise is this excellence revealed; but so is it as well in the lovely and gracious times marked by children laughing and parents laughing harder; shrieks and giggles, and easy familiarity even with folks we don’t know very well. Think about these things. Think about these things!
Monsignor Smith
