What if…

A homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent (Scrutinies), March 17, 2024

Ez 37:12-14, Rom 8:8-11, Jn 11:1-45

Mom died in the hospital on Easter morning 1987 in the middle of telling her roommate a joke. The roommate said Mom headed to Heaven right before she delivered the punchline. 

Yeah, telling jokes was more my father’s thing.

Julia Marie McCosker Zapcic was a month shy of her 58th birthday. She left behind a husband, six sons and several (forgive me; I forget how many at that time) daughters-in-law. She never met some of my brothers’ wives, nor did she get to play with 12 of her 14 grandchildren. Mom knew only my two now-grown offspring.

Our family often wondered what else she never had the chance to do.

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