Homecoming

Well, tonight I have a lot on my mind: house worship and what that looks like, baptism (I was baptized last night - Cella and I went down into the water together), communication (today I became acutely aware of the complexities of communication), time and place (how they are connected and what they mean). However, tonight, I'm going to write about Homecoming.

On Friday night, I returned to my alma mater, St. Joseph's College, for Homecoming festivities. As I approached Renssealer on Highway 114, my heart leapt with the first glimpse of the twin tours peaking out from the trees to my left. The next 20 hours were a time of incredible joy and excitement. I spent time with close friends and mentors. We reclaimed our relationships - it was as if the conversations had never ceased. Walking around campus offered me a time of personal renewal and restoration. It is a haven for ideas, creativity, and spirituality. This visit was also different because I had the privilege to meet up with my youngest brother, one of the newest members of the Puma family. We posed for a picture outside the dorm that contains my old dorm room. This room is now his room. It is kind of strange how things work out.

As I drove back to Bremen, I reflected upon this word, Homecoming. Actually, I think it is kind of strange word. I suspect it exists because other phrases just don't seem to work.

Come home.

Go home.

Going home.

Coming home.

I am coming home.

Home coming I.

Homecoming?

Merriam-Webster online (http://www.m-w.com/) defines homecoming as:

1: a return home

or

2: the return of a group of people usually on a special occasion to a place formerly frequented or regarded as home; especially : an annual celebration for alumni at a college or university

I'm not sure that these definitions adequately describe homecoming. The word seems to connote a sense of expectancy, a sense of movement that is not captured in these definitions. We aren't their yet, but we are coming.

However, I started thinking about it a little bit differently because I'm not really sure that home and coming really match up too great. (If any of you are English-type people and want to help me out on this that would be great.) This is how I would "derive" homecoming.

Homecoming.

Coming home.

I am coming home.

However, there might be another way of looking at this. Let's try again.

Homecoming.

Home coming.

Home is coming.

What would it be like for the spirit of St. Joseph's to come here? What would it be like for that joy, heart-leaping, renewal, and relationship reclamation to come here and increasingly be part of every day. I guess that is the challenge.

Out.