Louis Zamperini, Unbroken (Homily Excerpts-2nd Sunday of Advent Season)

I just finished reading a book called “Unbroken”.  It is a book about the life of Louis Zamperini.  His family and friends called him Louie.  Louie excelled in track and at the age of 19 Louie qualified for the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany.  He did not win a medal put he set a record for the fastest final lap in the 5000 meter run.  This was so impressive that Adolf Hiller had a personal meeting with him.

In 1941 Louie enlisted in the Army Air Force and became a bombardier.  While on a rescue mission in May of 1943, his plan crashed into the Pacific Ocean.  Louie and his friend Phil, the pilot, lived on rainwater, raw fish and birds for 47 days.  It was on the 47th day adrift that Japenesse captured them. They were held in captivity, severely beaten, mistreated, bones broken and underfeed until the end of the war in August 1945.  Louie was tormented by a prison guard nicknamed "The Bird", who in psychotic rage would beat him regularly.  Louie was so badly beaten, abused and starved that he would never again be a world class runner.

After the war ended Louie married but began drinking in an attempt to forget his POW abuse.  He thoughts were comsumed by plans to murder “The Bird”, constant nightmares also haunted Louie, including nightly dreams of being strangled by his captors.  He woke up one night with his wife screaming, Louie was strangling is own wife trying to fight off the prison guards.

Louie's wife Cynthia attended a crusade looking for peace.  Louie reluctantly agreed to attend a later crusade with his wife in the hope of saving his marriage.  After attending the crusade, Louie remembered his prayers both on the life raft and in the prisoner of war camps.  Louie had made repeated promises to serve the Lord if God would only protect him.  Louie laid everything at the foot of the Cross. He said that as soon as he made his decision to fulfill his promise to Christ his life changed. He was able to forgive his captors, stop drinking and never had another nightmare.

Louie became an inspirational speaker and established a camp for troubled youths called Victory Boys Camp.


This can be our Advent.  We can lay all our troubles and vices at the foot of the cross.  Advent points us to the birth of Christ, to our redemption in Christ.  The challenge of Advent is to have a straight and clear path to God.  John the Baptist dominates the Gospel on the second Sunday of Advent.  He is proclaiming the coming of the messiah.   John’s preaching is on preparation; repentance.  Jesus will give us the message of salvation.  We have to repent to be ready to receive it.

Louie had the hope that God would physically protect and save him. John the Baptist also points us to God for our protection and salvation. We say that sin puts us in darkness, the Advent wreath points us to the light. As we get closer to Christmas, more candles are lit. The wreath and everything around it gets brighter. Advent prepares us for something that is brighter than all the candles in the world.  On Christmas day you will hear these words. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;”

Advent is our opportunity to start pushing back against the darkness. Advent is our chance to repent and have hope in the coming of Jesus.  Louie had to remember his promise to God.  God was always there waiting for him.  Louie only had to walk out of the darkness and stop looking at earthly things for comfort.

What can hinder us from meeting the Son of God?  Have we broken our promise to God to sin no more?  The moment we recognize our weaknesses and failures, we can recognize that we are in the same condition as Louie was.  We are in exile and we long to return to God.  Acknowledging our sinfulness is the first step out of exile.  John the Baptist preached more then just baptism.  He was proclaiming the forgiveness of sins through a baptism of repentance.

Where do go we for repentance and where can we receive forgiveness. It is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Recall the peace that Louie felt after he turned back to God.  Pope Francis said “Many times we think that going to confession is like going to the dry cleaner to clean the dirt from our clothes, but what really happens is that Jesus “donates to us the peace that only he gives,”

To admit our sins, our shortcomings and failures is very hard for us, but Pope Francis address this also. “We are often ashamed to tell the truth, but shame is a true Christian virtue, and to be ashamed is a virtue of men and the women who are humble,”  Pope Francis teaches us that being ashamed of sins is “not only natural, it’s a virtue that helps prepare us for God's forgiveness.”  The Holy Father also noted that walking in darkness means being “overly pleased with ourselves and believing that we do not need salvation.”  and adds “That is darkness! When we continue on this road of darkness, it is not easy to turn back.”

Louie was a man who had seen and felt the worst of mankind but still found hope, peace and joy in God. Take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Advent season. Find the same hope, peace and joy that comes with the birth of Jesus Christ.