Sunday, August 13, 2006

Father Owen's Homilies

Homily, Sunday, August 13, 2006

Some of you may have heard of the Amino Construction based in Edwardsville, KS. They did road building, and earthmoving. In fact I believe they did a part of Highway 36 east of Seneca some years ago. Besides the parents there were four brothers who never married and a daughter who did. The family was originally in the old St. Benedict’s Parish in Kansas City, KS. When that closed they moved to Christ the King, not too far away. This entire family was great friends of the Benedictine Sisters at the Mount and of the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey. They donated produce, free earth moving at the College and Maur Hill, days and days of time.

Each Tuesday at their home office in Edwardsville they had a huge meal open to all who came. Once when I was there we had all the home made Italian sausage anyone would want, red or white wine or a mixture of red and white, fried potatoes and onions, cauliflower cooked in olive oil imported from Italy, Italian bread. A real feast! When the mother was alive she was at these meals and on a regular basis encouraging the diners to eat. She would say, “Eat Father! Eat, Brother. Strong encouragement to gluttony!

The reading from First Kings, the responsorial Psalm, and the Gospel all say: Eat! Eat! Eat! Get up and eat! Just like Mrs. Amino. The word ”bread” is mentioned six times in the Gospel. There is a message there somewhere. I think it is this:

Come to my table; eat not bread but my flesh and blood. Drink not wine but my very blood. Enjoy being a part of Me. I am with you in the deepest sense. Be happy! Be at peace! There is nothing you and I cannot bear together. I am with you always. I love you as no one else can.