WIND IN THE WILLOWS

Today, we heard proclaimed the Gospel of the loaves and fishes. The homily I heard, reminded me of a story my boys loved to have me read...over and over again...when they were little. It was a Little Golden Book called "Mickey's Stone Soup."

Based on the Grimm Brother's tale, Mickey Mouse enters a village and with a "magic stone" manages to gain everyone's trust and cooperation to make a grand soup to share. Someone brings the pot...another the water...others, the carrots, potatoes, and a bone...until a savory soup is simmering.

The Body of Christ is like that!

We all have something to share!

Too many times...like the villagers in the story...we do not even realize, just how much we have within us to share. But, when we loosen up just a teensy bit, we find that our contribution...no matter how big...or...how small...is just the thing to season the mix perfectly.

The little boy in the Gospel, had enough faith that his contribution of five barley loaves and two fish in Jesus' hands could feed the multitude gathered.

Jesus tells us we must have the faith of a little child to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

How is...YOUR...faith doing, today?

How is...MINE?

What do...YOU...have...within YOU...that is just the thing that the Body of Christ needs to fulfill the Kingdom?

What do...I?

How can...WE...come together...with...OUR...different contributions...to further God's Kingdom...here on earth?


At the end of the homily, the presider began to sing the refrain from a beautiful old song about the Holy Family, called Wind In The Willows:

As I went a walking
One morning in spring
I met with some travelers
On an old country lane
One was an old man
The second a maid
The third was a young boy who smiled as he said
"With the wind in the willows
The birds in the sky
There's a bright sun to warm us wherever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of mankind."
So I asked them to tell me their names and their race
So I could remember each smile on their face
"My name is Joseph this is Mary my wife
And this is our young son, our pride and delight
With the wind in the willows
The birds in the sky
There's a bright sun to warm us wherever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of mankind."
So I sat down beside them
With flowers all around
We et from a mantle
Spread out on the ground
They told me of prophets
And peoples and kings
And all of the one God that knows everything
"We're traveling to Glaston
Over England's green lanes
To hear of men's troubles
To hear of their pains
We travel the wide world
Over land and the sea
To tell all the people
How they can be free
With the wind in the willows
The birds in the sky
There's a bright sun to warm us wherever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of mankind."
So sadly I left them
On that old country lane
For I knew that I'd never see them again
One was an old man
The second a maid
The third was a young boy who smiled as he said
"With the wind in the willows
The birds in the sky
There's a bright sun to warm us wherever we lie
We have bread and fishes and a jug of red wine
To share on our journey with all of mankind."

I found the following video of the song. I just wish the lyrics had not been changed to exclude the names of Jesus, Mary and Joseph!