by Fr. Tommy Lane
On 3rd February 1959 10,000 meters above the Atlantic, Captain Lynch took a last look at the flight panel of the Boeing 707. The co-pilot was studying a map. Captain Lynch decided to stretch his legs, thinking that the worst was over. Shortly after leaving Paris they had run into a 120 kph headwind. But by now they had climbed above the storm. The captain made his way down the aisle between the rows of seats. All the passengers still had the seatbelts fastened. At the back a baby was crying in its mother’s arms and the captain reassured her saying, “It will be better now. Your baby will be able to sleep.” Just then Captain felt the right wing tip and he was thrown against the seats on the right hand side. At the same moment all the lights in the plane went out. Next he found himself lying on the floor. At least he thought it was the floor. But then he realized it was the ceiling he was on. The Boeing was on its back. He also knew it was dropping like a stone head first. He began to make his way back to the cockpit. He decided to try to hold the plane at 2,000 meters. He could see the sea through he night. The co-pilot had been knocked unconscious. He came to again and he and the captain managed to bring the Boeing to the horizontal. A few more seconds and the plane would have crashed. The whole incident lasted four minutes. What caused it? While the co-pilot was studying the map he did not notice the blue light on the indicator panel warning that the automatic pilot had stopped working.
God has given us an indicator panel to guide us through life and prevent us from getting turned upside down and crashing. That indicator panel is the Commandments. The Commandments are a gift from God to help us enjoy life by not getting lost along the way. That is why our first reading said, “observe them that you may have life.” Not only are they a gift from God but they are also a sensible way to live. Again our reading states, they will demonstrate to peoples your wisdom and understanding.” The Lord said to the people through Moses, “And what great nation is there that has laws and customs to match this whole Law that I put before you today?”
There are also other ways in which God has given us an indicator panel to guide us through life and help us not get turned upside down and crash. Above all God has revealed his indicator panel to us in Jesus. God has also given us the Bible, and the teaching of the Church. Thank God for all the helps he has given us for our journey through life. God’s indicator panel is to help us find happiness in life. There are many temptations and attractions all telling us that they are offering us happiness but any happiness they offer is shallow and not lasting. Sinning never brings happiness, only unhappiness. Sin is sin and never brings happiness only unhappiness. Only by following God’s indicator panel will we find true happiness. Let us resolve to leave sin behind and follow God’s indicator panel. It is the only way to life and the only way to guide us safely above the storms of life.
If we do get turned upside down let us return to the Lord who is all merciful and rejoices over sinners who repent. There is more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine who have no need of repentance.
I will finish with the words of our Psalm:
Lord, who shall dwell on your holy
mountain?
He who walks without fault;
He who acts with justice
And speaks the truth from his heart.
He who does no wrong to his brother
Who casts no slur on his neighbor.
This homily was delivered when I was engaged in parish ministry in Ireland before joining the faculty of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Maryland.
More related material for the Twenty-Second Sunday Year B
Related Homilies: The Ten Commandments Forming Our Conscience
stories about the Commandments