Playing to Win: Homily for the Mass of Christian Burial for Lisa Mims

Lisa Mims was a fierce competitor.  No, I didn’t face off with Lisa on the tennis court.  Ours was no game.  We competed once a year, for eight years of my life, at the Immaculate Conception School Gala fundraising auction.  Paddles in hand, Lisa and I launched bids at each other like our lives depended on it.  Let’s just say that whenever Lisa and I had our eyes on the same auction item, I went home empty-handed, and Rod l went home with any empty wallet.  Lisa played to win, and her competitiveness revealed some of her best qualities:  she believed that she would win (and that Rod would pay), she played well, and she really enjoyed the competition.  Those qualities made Lisa a fierce competitor, but more importantly, they made her a great Christian. Our readings this morning explain why.

This morning’s readings teach us how to win the game of life.  In our first reading, Isaiah encourages us to believe in God by ensuring us that with God on our side, we can never be defeated.  With God’s help, we will always be victorious.  In our Gospel, Jesus tells us why:  God wants us to win!  It’s God’s will that every one of us should be raised on the last day and win the crown of eternal life.  All we have to do to win is believe in him.  Saint Paul, then, in our second reading, writes the rulebook for the believer’s life:  those who believe in God do good and rejoice.    

Now, I’ll let you in on a little secret: Our victory in the game of life begins and ends with believing in God because when we believe in God, doing good and rejoicing come naturally.  Now, I know that believing in God may be the toughest rule to follow.  Our seemingly endless encounters with tragedies, injustice, sickness, and death can make us wonder whether God really exists and if he does, if he’s really on our side.  But believing in God transforms our lives, and always for the better.  Believing in God and all that he promises brings with it “a quiet confidence and joy that enable [us] to feel at home in the universe, and to find meaning in the world and in [our lives].  Men and women of this kind of faith face catastrophe or confusion, affluence or sorrow, unperturbed, [they] face opportunity with conviction and drive, and [they] face others with self-forgetting charity.”[1]  Remind you of anyone?     

Lisa believed in God, and she played the game of life to win it:

+ Her profound belief in God gave her that quiet confidence and joy that gave meaning to her life.  In my mind’s eye, I picture Lisa peacefully smiling the smile of a faith-filled woman – and sporting a tennis outfit and pink Coco Chanel lipstick. 

+ Lisa’s practical belief in God inspired her to live a life of self-giving charity.  Whether serving as a class mother, a cheerleading coach, a Girl Scout Troop Leader (God bless her), driving for Meals on Wheels, knitting caps for Lexie’s sorority, getting up at 4 am to help Sammie get a cow ready for a 4H competition (God bless her, again) and especially as a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend, Lisa was a doer; her belief in God was faith in action, and we all benefitted from it.

+ Last, but certainly not least, Lisa’s steadfast belief in God brought her great joy and peace that helped her face her greatest challenge with grace, hope, and love.  Lisa was very private about her illness because she didn’t want it to dominate her life, or the lives of her family and friends.  Lisa wanted to enjoy life with all of us.  And with God’s help, she was victorious.  For as long as she could, she kept on doing the things she enjoyed the most:  playing tennis, appreciating the arts; hauling bags of feed out for the deer, and especially spending time loving her family.  Though she may have loved cats just a little more than you, Rod.  Just a little.  Lisa lived her life living; she refused to live her life dying.  That kind of strength and perseverance only comes from an unwavering belief in God and all that he promises.

You know, my life as a preacher is a piece of cake with people like Lisa in it.  I simply point to their good example of profound, active, steadfast faith and say, “Do that!” Lisa’s great example confirms that believing in God compels us to do good and brings us great joy, no matter what life may serve us. Lisa’s great example proves that believing in God gives us the strength and courage and perseverance to play to win. Whether life hands you a foot fault or a bad call, don’t sulk, don’t pout, don’t whine, don’t complain:  Listen to our readings; follow Lisa’s life example; play to win. 

In the game of life, Lisa Mims was a fierce competitor.  She believed that she could win, she played well, and she really enjoyed the competition. Throughout her life, and especially at match point, she aced the serve.  Game, set, and match.  I have no doubt that she’s won the eternal crown of glory.

Readings: Isaiah 41: 10-13; Philippians 4: 4-9; John 6: 37-40

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[1] Charles Hefling, Why Doctrines?, 2^nd ed. (Chestnut Hill: The Lonergan Institute, 2000) at 20.