"Everything is temporary. That don't excuse nothin'."

       Of all the lines in Moonstruck that I often quote, and there are many of them, one of my favorites is spoken by Vince Gardenia (Cosmo Castorini). When Cher (Loretta) says that her new 'engagement' ring (her intendeds pinky ring ) is only temporary, Cosmo says " Everything is temporary. That don't excuse nothin'."

         It seems we go through life and it changes moment by moment. We are poor, we are rich , we are locked into one job, we study, we learn, we get ahead, we fall behind. Life is indeed a roller coaster.  We love and even that it seems is temporary.  This week has been a stark reminder of that.  If there is anything constant it is the changes. That's it! Cosmo is right!

         I can't remember how many people I have heard over the years saying they are waiting to get married or waiting to have children 'until they can afford it'.  So I say, going to stay single are you?  Today's passage speaks of everyone's contribution. In fact Jesus points out that the poor woman who gave a penny gave more than those who gave from their excesses. Everything is temporary, we really do not have the luxury of waiting for things to happen. We can't just sit idly by and wait for the right conditions to appear. Sometimes we have to make the conditions appear. Sometimes we simply have to do with what we have at that moment.

         One of the countless joys of being married to the best man in the world is his ability to show me how to live well at all times. It is not dependent on having the best this or that. It is not dependent on spending wads of money here and there or having the best. When we try to strike a balance between living wildly and saving for old age, we often put off things that celebrate life and make life seem like an endless drudge. Noting our seemingly endless array of travels, a coworker once said "it must be nice" to be able to do all those things. I still recall saying to her that anyone can do them if they plan. It is not hard to create a 5 star trip on a 2 star income. You must plan because everything is temporary.

              Everything in life is temporary and so you get no slack for not doing. No excuses.  Live well, be charitable with your finances and service. Don't hold back in things you want to do, use the brain God gave you to make things work out. Have faith in God too, an absolute must. If you ask God will provide, provided you do your part too.

       One last example. My ex-mother-in-law.  She raised 9 children, no degrees, not even a GED.  She saw the abilities God graced her with. It was not limited to raising 9 kids.  She got her GED, got her BS, got her masters and her masters again. She entered the work force outside the home later in life, in fact, after her husband retired. Then he cooked the meals and cleaned house and she pursued her gift to us. She headed a department at a major university that helped the challenged and advocated for the LGBTQ community as well. She stole my heart even more when she wore a button on campus that read "don't presume I am straight". She may have been one of the first subconscious knocks on my door to realize I am gay. A hero who knew what was temporary and knew not to squander the gifts she had been graced with. She is yet another uncononized saint of the Roman church.

         Just remember what Cosmo said: 

                             Everything is temporary. That don't excuse nothin'.

Mark 12:35-44

 While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, ‘How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared,
“The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand,
   until I put your enemies under your feet.’ ” 
David himself calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?’ And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

 As he taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets!They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’

 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’