There are many things we want in life. But, in “here and now” terms, the one thing we want most of all is inner peace.
I know this world is not perfect (any more than I am perfect). I know that from time to time there is pain and suffering. I know that love is sometimes fragile and my heart will be broken. I know all about sickness and setbacks and failure. I know I will make mistakes along the way, and often have no excuse.
But, oh, beneath all of this, to have a deep-down inner peace. Not a false peace (and I can tell the difference), but an honest gto goodness deep-down peace. That is what I want most of all. Honestly, I could handle all the rest if I could just have that.
Look again at the Gospel passage above, Jesus promises his disciples -- (including me (!) – a peace that drink and drugs, and false compliments and distractions and day-dreaming cannot give. He promises a peace that goes to the roots, to the core of who I am.
Read the text one more time, and hear Jesus speak your name when he says, “[Your name], my peace I give to you.”
Jesus doesn’t make false promises.
Pierino Como was born in Canonsburg (a small mining town southwest of Pittsburg), Pennsylvania, on May 18, 1912. He was the seventh of 13 children of Pietro and Lucia Travaglini, who had emigrated from Italy.
At the age of 10, Perino got a job sweeping out Steve Fragapane’s barber shop for 50 cents a week. By the time he was 14, he was cutting hair in his own barber shop where he worked after school. He sang as he worked, and the miners enjoyed it. On weekends he earned extra money singing for the local chapter of the Sons of Italy.
When he was 21, he took the job as featured vocalist of Freddy Carlone’s dance band for $28 a week. Ten years later he had a 15-minute nightly radio show in New York, and signed a recording contract with RCA Victor – a recording contract that was to continue for 46 years.
“Mister C” (as he came to be known) was a strong Catholic and family man, married to his wife (a childhood sweetheart) for more than 65 years before her death in 1998. He had tried his hand at movies in the 1940s, but found that Hollywood “is not what you would call a family town” and he returned to radio and recording, which enabled him to spend more time with his wife and three children.
In 1948, he moved to television as host of “The Chesterfield Supper Club.” His easy-going manner charmed TV audiences and he became a superstar.
Perry Como died on this date three years ago, just days short of his 89th birthday.