Born to be alive! And we were alive...full of life...full of energy...and ready for a night full of fun! Those were many a Friday night in early high school. The guys and I were not yet driving, but we were driven to get out in order to explore and engage our ever expanding world - a world which at that time, it might be said, was the whole USA. It would all begin with a trip on SEPTA’s “Y” bus. It was a forty minute or so journey that would end at Cottman and the Boulevard in Northeast Philly. From there it was a short walk to our destination. USA was an acronym for United Skates of America. Once in the door, we would don our roller skates and have at it. It was great fun. Often enough we would wind up meeting other kids from our school
or neighborhood. The music was played was the current pop of the day and in the course of the evening there were “group”skates, “speed” skates, and of course, “couple” skates. I took part in them all, though I have to admit that I was never the speediest skater during the speed skates. Born to Be Alive was a popular song at the time. It was sung by French artist, Patrick Hernandez, still going strong and turning 77 the day after Easter. It was his most popular song. It’s a simple yet catchy tune that speaks to life and kinda makes you want to dance - or skate. For me, the tune instantly brings back memory of those Friday nights at USA tearing around that rink located on the plot of land that had been the location of the famed Boulevard Pools (of which I have only a vague recollection). The guys and I were indeed born to be alive - and we knew it. It’s good to be alive, to be alive, to be alive! Time was on our side! And time is on our side again as we begin Holy Week. In fact, all time - eternity itself - is on our side! That’s what Holy Week is all about. In our Lord’s tremendous suffering in His Passion, what screams out at us ultimately is Life Itself as death undergoes its own demise and dies. For us, the Cross is not a symbol of death, but of life...True Life...Eternal Life. On Good Friday death dies and a whole New Life already begins! That’s our Faith! That’s our Hope! That’s our Joy of Easter already! So, as we now enter this most solemn week get ready to put on your skates! A song has already begun. It’s not a sad song at all, but one quite catchy and upbeat. It kinda makes one want to get out to explore and engage our Faith and our World as it reminds us this week that all of us are
Born to Be Alive!
Peace!
Fr. Wilson