Now batting for the Yankees, number
2, Derek Jeter, number 2.
Many of us will miss those
words. It was an emotional night at the
Stadium on Thursday night – Derek Jeter’s last home game. I kept texting my
nephew, Kevin, who is in college, and has grown up watching Derek. I am happy
his hero was such a good role model.
Couldn’t have asked for a better ending
– if it was a movie, no one would have believed it – Derek Jeter gets a walk off game winning
hit. After a Yankee win: we always
hear: ”Start spreading the news . . . - but then, we heard
“And more, much more than this, I did it my way.”
I get it - For Jeter – he worked
hard, always gave 100%, played the game “the
right way.” But I am always a bit
uncomfortable with that song - what’s
more important – to do it My Way or – how about God’s Way?
God’s Way can be a lot harder to
follow. Sometimes it calls for
sacrifice, for saying or doing hard things. Sometimes we feel the words in
Ezekiel – God’s way are not fair! God
says - Is it my way that is not fair or
is it your way?
I think of Mary. Six years ago I offered
Mass in Nazareth. Marking on floor – Verbum Caro Hic Factum Est -- The Word Was made flesh here! Sure she had her own plans – but now – God was
asking her to go in a different direction!
Would she be the one to bring Christ into the world? Perhaps had no idea how much that would cost
her! But that day, she chose God’s way –
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, Let it be done to me.” God’s way, not my way.
Or Jesus, in the Garden of
Gethsemane. Son of God who has come down
from heaven, now being asked to suffer, to take the sins of the world upon his
shoulder. Abba, if it is possible, let
this cup pass. But, not my will but your will be done. Don’t we pray that every day? As St. Paul said – he emptied himself. He walks the path of obedience and humility. And because of this – God exalted Him! God’s way, not my way!
Sometimes hard to do God’s will: in marriage, at work, in school, in sports
- can be easier to do it my way. So what happens if we say no???
Reminded of Oskar Shindler – Stephen Spielberg’s
“Shindlers List.”
Baptized a Catholic, he became a
member of the Nazi party. He drank too much. He gambled too much. He was not
always faithful to his wife. And, he tried to make money off the Nazi’s by
using Jewish slave labor. But then, he began to see “was blind but now I see.” Saw them as people. Began to do all he could
= and saved thousands of Jews from the gas chambers by putting them to work. There
is ONE Nazi buried on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
One son said NO but then he said Yes! Shindler finally said YES God is so merciful – invites us back on the
path. We can still change our ways!
You did it your way, but more, much
more than this, why not try God’s way???
