I have something to show you. This is a piece of cloth [show a white piece of cloth] . . . it’s nice, it’s clean, it smells good. This is how many of us want the Church to be . . . pure, clean, and seamless. But in reality this is how the Church actually is [take out quilt]. The Church is made up of various pieces. Some of those pieces are nice and neat, but many are torn, tattered, worn. Yet we put all of them together, and we get something wonderful. Like this quilt . . . which is able to protect us, comfort us and gives us warmth.
I would also say, that it is the same for us as individuals. We want ourselves to be pure, and clean, without any flaws or rips. But that is not the case. Each of us are also made up of various scraps of material. We each have some ragged edges, or some torn parts. But we put them all together and become the masterpiece that God intended.
I read recently a quotes that Pope Francis used. The quote says, “There is no saint without a past nor a sinner without a future.” Each us of have made mistakes, each of us are sinners . . . but sometimes we are tempted to present ourselves other than what we are.
Just as Jesus was tempted in the gospel. Those same temptations can be symbolic for us. For example as Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread. We get tempted to make sure that everything we do is wonderful, is perfect. We can’t live on bread alone, meaning we can’t live on needing perfection.
2nd temptation for Jesus is offered power and control over everything; that is, to have all the systems of this world under his control. For us it’s the temptation to be in control!!! You know, control of that person, that family member, government, TV, etc. And you know what we are never going to be in full control. We want everything to go our way. That’s why the weather is so wonderful, because we can’t control it.
Finally, Jesus is taken to the top of the highest point of the temple (symbolizing the religious part) and is tempted to throw himself off the temple and let God catch him. (It’s the only time the devil quotes scripture.) We too get tempted to be self-righteous . . . telling ourselves or others that “I follow God and I know what God wants.” That everything we do is right and others are wrong. This can lead to “either or” thinking. I suggest for you, that when a person has a different view than yours, be curious, ask questions instead of quickly assuming they are idiots and you are always right.
I know a lot of people who are righteous, oh they are right....but they are some of the most miserable people I’ve ever known.
So with a quilt for today, I have a quote from a country woman name Eliza Calvert Hall in a book called “Aunt Jane of Kentucky”. She says,
“How much piecin a quilt is like livin’ a life!
The good Lord sends us the pieces, but we cut them out
and try puttin’ ‘em together pretty much to suit ourselves,
where honestly it’s the Lord who does the stitching and is the Master Quilter.