The name is Bond, James Bond. I wanted to be James Bond when I was a kid. I had fun playing “secret agent” and getting the bad guys. When I was young, Easter was tied to getting a new outfit and then wearing my new shirt, tie, and pants to Easter Mass. One Easter was very special indeed. My new outfit was an overcoat. It was a beige color raincoat with lots of buttons and pockets...and even hidden pockets! It was an overcoat apt for someone just starting out in the espionage business – little Bond boy that I was. James Bond is cool. Agent 007 is cool. Just ask Fr. Wesly. The two of us have together watched more than one Bond movie. Netflix now has them all. Mr. Bond, in the end, not only gets all the bad guys, he gets all the stunningly beautiful ladies as well! As a kid, I was more interested in the all the car chases and Q’s specialized spy gadgets. All the rather racy adult innuendos that were in the films were over my head. The one Lady that really stands out in my mind is Moneypenny. This secretary really seemed to love James in the truest sense – and I believe he truly loved her as well. Being in Her Majesty’s Secret Service authorized Mr. Bond with a “license to kill.” Although, as he himself states, that license is used only against those who themselves are killers. No, James – himself – is quite the gentlemen otherwise enjoying good conversation and a good meal with a martini shaken and not stirred. Although I would usually prefer a Manhattan over a martini, in some ways I suppose that I have now followed in Mr. Bond’s footsteps. I’m not in service to Her Majesty, the Queen of England, but I am in service to His Majesty, the King of the Universe. My “license to kill” is usually exercised in the hidden innards of the confessional where the ravages of sin are laid to rest. All of us this Lent, in fact, are called to exercise our talents in service to the King, whether our forte is that of Q with his technical prowess or Moneypenny with her charm, true love, and exceptional organizational skills. This Lent, all of us again are called to use our talents together to get the bad guy villain that we know as the Evil One. The story’s dramatic ending with all of its heart racing action will so soon be upon us. Don’t miss the film! Don’t miss the action! Don’t miss the opportunity before the credits roll this Lent to be cool – as cool as James Bond, 007 – and to serve His Majesty, the King!
Peace!
Fr. Wilson