Wednesday, January 20, 2021 marks the 60th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s Inauguration Day as President of the United States.
Cardinal Richard Cushing was a lifelong friend of the president and his family. He was the Cardinal Archbishop of Boston from 1944 until 1970. Cardinal Cushing delivered the Invocation on January 20, 2061. More notable than his words that day was that the podium caught fire while he was speaking and white smoke billowed up.
I more especially remember some other words that Cardinal Cushing once spoke that we all need to listen to once again today —
“If all the sleeping folks will wake up, and all the lukewarm folks will fire up, and all the disgruntled folks will sweeten up, and all the discouraged folks will cheer up, and all the depressed folks will look up, and all the estranged folks will make up, and all the gossiping folks will shut up, and all the dry bones will shake up, and all the true soldiers will stand up, and all the church members will pray up, and if the Savior of all will be lifted up . . . then we can have the greatest renewal this world has ever known.”
You and I fall into a number of those categories. Are you and I growing, spiritually and emotionally? Or have you and I let the pandemic along with the political scene drain all that is beautiful and worthwhile within us?
You and I can control who and what we are becoming. If the know-it-all talking heads on TV control what goes on inside our heads and hearts, then it is impossible that what Cardinal Cushing is talking about will ever take place.
YOU WERE MADE BY GOD AND FOR GOD. UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, LIFE WILL NEVER MAKE SENSE!
