A sermon on Luke 12:13-21

By Fr. Mike Paraniuk
HCP columnist

Every year, I attend the Monster Bash in Pittsburgh, where I get to meet celebrities who have acted in old horror movies. 

Since many of those actors have left us years ago, their children share memories of their famous parents with the 2,000 fans who attend this event. When the daughter of Boris Karloff found out I was a priest, Sarah jokingly remarked to me about actors, "It's good you're here. The whole gang of them need your prayers." 

Bela Lugosi, Jr. talked about watching from an upstairs landing his father, Bela, and mother, Lilian, celebrating Christmas eve with many Hungarian friends. They sang around the piano throughout the night. Bela would end up crying with a little help from a lot of drinking Egri Bikevar wine. I had a moving three-hour dinner with Dwight Fry Jr., whose father played both Renfield in Lugosi's "Dracula" and Igor in Karloff's "Frankenstein." He shared with me the pain of losing his father when Dwight Sr. died in his arms on a bus coming home from the movies. Dwight Jr. remained an agnostic until his death in 2003.

The one breakfast meeting I cherish was with the actress Terry Moore who was married to the reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes for eight years. She was just in her teens when she became friends with Hughes in his early 40s. 

Terry's desire to fly drew her to Howard. He taught her how to fly and obtain her license. She loved him very much, but the drugs he took made him act very cruelly. She said, "I had to leave him," which she did in 1956. Ms. Moore told a reporter something Hughes said when they were flying together. He said, "When you're in the air, you [get to] see which things are small and which things are big."

When you see life through the eyes of Jesus, you will see the big things that are important to God and the small things that are unimportant. Being rich with God means you will value what God values. 

What are the "big" things that God considers important? They are the three "S's" – Sacrifice, Service and Sharing. 

Sacrifice: If you want to go up to Heaven, you've got to give up yourself. "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters... to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice..." (Roman 12:1.) 

I am in awe of the parents at Cincinnati Children's Hospital who sacrifice everything to see their child live. I remember a father telling me, "Whatever my daughter needs, I give. I would sacrifice myself gladly so she can live."

There is a special place in Heaven for that father.

Service: Service is one of the biggest, most important things a human being can do. Service is where you put the well being of another ahead of your own.  "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served; he came to serve and to give his life to redeem many people." (Mark 10:45.) Service is how you show your love for God. 

Sharing: We are most like Jesus when we share our blessings. "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD." (Proverbs 19:17.) It is a big thing with Jesus how we treat others. 

On my way to Children's Hospital, there is this homeless man who sits on the sidewalk asking for alms. I will find him talking loudly. I gave him some money one Sunday but I had to ask, "Who are you talking to on the sidewalk?"

He said, "I am shouting to God to hear my prayers for help."

I replied, "Do you think God hears your prayers more by shouting them?"

He answered, "You just gave me 10 dollars. It works just fine!"

I laughed. I gave him another $10 for such a smart answer. 

May your life shout out to God every day, "I love you." Then wait for God to reveal His love for you. Faith is what you do while waiting. Blessings...Fr. Mike.