Once there was a street vendor who sold hot dogs -- the best hot dogs in town. Because he was hard of hearing, he didn't have a radio; because he had trouble with his eyes, he didn't read a newspaper or watch much television. But he sold delicious hot dogs. He started with a few signs on the highway advertising them; every day he was at his favorite corner calling out to people to buy a hot dog. Soon the word was out about his great hot dogs. He increased his meat and bun orders. He bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade.
Once there was a street vendor who sold hot dogs -- the best hot dogs in town. Because he was hard of hearing, he didn't have a radio; because he had trouble with his eyes, he didn't read a newspaper or watch much television. But he sold delicious hot dogs. He started with a few signs on the highway advertising them; every day he was at his favorite corner calling out to people to buy a hot dog. Soon the word was out about his great hot dogs. He increased his meat and bun orders. He bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade.
One day his son was home from college and decided to help out. He said to his father, "Dad, haven't you been listening to the radio? Haven't you been reading the newspapers? These are tough times. There's a recession on. The stock market is collapsing. The dollar is falling. Nobody's buying hot dogs anymore."
"Gee," the father thought, "my son's been to college, he reads the papers and listens to the radio, so he ought to know."
So, the hot dog vendor cut back his meat and bun orders, took down his few highway signs, and no longer went out with hot dog cart. His sales fell overnight.
"You're right, son," the hot dog vendor said. "I had no idea times were so hard. We certainly are in the middle of a big recession."
It's so easy to let bad news, disappointment, and hardship overwhelm us. Much like Thomas in today's Gospel, we can let ourselves become so beaten down and discouraged by life that our cynicism begins to destroy our spirits: We are no longer able to realize God's presence in our lives; we lose all reason to dream, to hope, to approach life with any enthusiasm; we let our discouragement and failures overwhelm the many good things that have happened to give our lives joy and meaning; we fail to see this life of ours as a gift from God, given in order that we might discover God and, in our search, discover ourselves.
Such faith is the antithesis of a cynicism we know too well, a cynicism that refuses to embrace the possibilities of resurrection in the throes of death. May our continuing celebration of Easter transform our attitudes and perspectives, opening our eyes and hearts and spirits to encounter God in all of creation; in every manifestation of selfless, joyful love; in every victory of light over darkness, of hope over despair, of good over evil.+
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