I can remember as a child, and even through early adulthood, not liking the account of the crucifixion of our Lord. It started out as a dislike, simply because I knew that Jesus died that day, and I didn’t like that. Moreover, I didn’t care for the Jewish people involved, as I saw them simply as cruel murderers of our Lord. The killers of this Jesus that I had always been taught about, and who was so wonderful, why on earth anyone would want to kill Him, let alone in such a terrible fashion, was unfathomable to me. It never occurred to me, that I might be one of His killers. Nor did it occur to me, that some of my own actions would drive those terrible nails into his wrists with the same force as the largest of hammers that might have been used. I did not understand then, that the Jewish people were God’s chosen people, and their role was, in fact, instrumental to salvation for us all.

Jesus came to earth in human form for one reason, to restore us as a people, so that we would not be condemned to receive the fruits of our sins. So that forgiveness and a closeness to God our Father would be possible. He was born to this, He grew and gained understanding that this was His purpose and that He would one day fulfill all prophecy, and suffer and die for our sins. He did not aspire to the kind of greatness we humans relate to, He did not come as the warrior king, nor as the judge yet, but rather as the suffering servant. This was also foretold in prophecy but was not what the people of that time were looking for. The Jewish leaders were looking for a solution to the Roman occupation, they were looking for that warrior, king, and judge, too early. They did not want to recognize Jesus for what He was, in part because it did not appear to fit their needs, in part because they thought his teachings were dangerous since they called into question the conduct of those in their own power structure, and certainly because they had seen so many false prophets during that time that their hearts had become hardened, jaded, and afraid. They had lost their sense of hope and replaced it with their laws, their precepts, and their own illusion of control.

It’s no surprise that they held the trial before the Sanhedrin at night, a practice that was completely illegal under their own law; they were afraid of the people’s reaction, and the subsequent retaliation from the Roman occupiers when it would be apparent they could not control their own people. That is why Caiaphas said that it would be more expedient for one man to die, than for the people to do so. Against this backdrop, our Lord came into Jerusalem riding on a colt, as the people placed their cloaks and branches before him on the road. This humble king was acknowledged, knowing full well what this acknowledgment would cost Him. Yet this was why He came, to ultimately fulfill his Messianic mission through the suffering and death that would come from this proclamation of his kingship and divinity.

When the time came to celebrate the Passover, our Lord broke the bread, blessed it and gave it to His disciples to share His body, which would be broken for their sake. Likewise, when He raised the cup, blessed it, and passed it around for them to drink, it was for them to consume His blood which would soon be shed for them as the sign of the new covenant. This first Eucharist was to strengthen His disciples with the spiritual food that He told them explicitly was needed for them to have life within them, and to set in motion the Eucharistic celebration we continue to this day so that we may also have life within us. After sharing this first Eucharistic celebration our Lord knew that His time was near, and so went to pray, and in doing so experienced all our fears, and anxieties, and anguish, and brought them before the Father in prayer, yet He stayed focused on the will of the Father, and not His own. He knew what was to come and was obedient to the point of accepting all the suffering and death that the cross would bring. Our Lord did this out of love for us so that each of us would have the hope of being in God’s presence one day. He fulfilled all prophecy, and while suffering, He healed, He forgave, He carried His Cross, He gave us the gift of His mother as our own, and He gave himself. He completely emptied himself, so that we might be filled with hope, with His love, and with the promise of salvation. He did this with a love that we cannot completely conceive of, because we have no common point of reference. Perhaps that’s why sometimes it is so hard for us to really grasp what was done for us, and consequently, continue to sin. Could we really commit our sins, if we truly grasped His love for us? That is the human condition though; we still do not have a clear image of God’s love for us. If we did, we would know no fear, we would have an actual love for one another, and we would live for one thing only, the time when we would be united with God. This is our challenge, to try through our humble efforts to gain clarity of heart, and to try to grasp His love for us, so that we may stay focused on what truly matters, the love of God, and of one another that we return.

PodCast Link

It’s often very hard for us to grasp that what we see in the mirror each day is merely a shell of flesh that we are wearing. Our true selves are in fact not flesh at all but are spirit. The true essence of man is a spiritual one, that the Lord imparted to us when He made each of us. Yet we tend to focus primarily on the physical form. In some respects that is understandable, as our senses are limited primarily to the physical, though we do have the ability if we cultivate it, to perceive more than that. It is a grace that comes from God to be able to connect more with that which is spirit, and it comes from time spent in fasting and prayer, and leaving ourselves completely open, in order to receive God’s message. If on the other hand we simply focus on the physical (such as a growling stomach during fasting), then that is all we will perceive and know. Our Lord calls us to much more than that though, He wants us to live in the spirit, He wants us to exist at that level, which is the level that will lead to eternal life. The body will die, that is one of life’s certainties, but if we exist in spirit, we will not die, but live. It’s kind of ironic when we think about it, we have this physical form for such a comically short time compared to an eternity in spirit, you would think we would be so much more prone to focusing on that. That is why, if we really take the time to get past our current sensory experience, and actually contemplate our spiritual life, we can make strides toward living at that level.

I always like hearing about Jesus’ friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. We often think of Martha as being too focused on her work to really appreciate who is with her, and yet, it is actually Martha who first acknowledges that Jesus is the Christ. She hasn’t missed the point after all. She believes that Jesus as God can do anything that He tells her. Yes, this is the same Martha who complained to the Lord about her sister Mary not helping her with the work around the house in order to provide hospitality to Jesus and His followers. Yet while she may have been trying to take care of the earthly needs of those around her, she did not ultimately miss the point of who Jesus is. So, when He tells her that Lazarus will live, she does not question it, she does assume initially that He is referring to eternal life, even though Jesus means He will raise Lazarus from the dead. Martha, ever the practical one, even goes so far as to point out when they come to the tomb, that there will be a stench because of the amount of time that Lazarus has been dead. Yet she still believes that Jesus can do anything. When our Lord arrives at the tomb, he makes it a point to let those around him hear his petition to the Father, so that they may better understand what is about to take place. When he frees Lazarus from deaths grip and has them release him from the burial bands, there is a resurrection to physical life, but there is also the lesson of what is possible through God, and the underpinnings for our need to focus on life in the spirit, for it is only through that, that we too can be raised again. If we believe and are willing to let Him take control of us, we can experience the fruits of life in the spirit. We don’t have to wait for our resurrection from death to experience life in the spirit. We can have that intimacy and understanding now. We can live in the spirit now, by taking the time to contemplate who we really are, and what we were made for. We can look beyond the daily needs of the body, and instead focus on Jesus’ words of life, and the promise of life everlasting that He earned for us by his death and resurrection. We can mentally and spiritually shift our focus away from this current state we are in and look beyond what we will ultimately be. When we do this, our situation now is put well into perspective, and we need fear nothing of this world. Jesus is our focus, we surrender ourselves to Him, we let Him guide us, and form us, to be who and what we are truly meant to be. With that submission and trust comes both peace and hope for what is to come. We need not be slaves to our fears and earthly concerns any longer. We have transcended that through Christ, who can do all things for those who believe.

Take Care, and God Bless each of you!

Podcast of Homily

We all deal with something about ourselves that is less than perfect. Some flaw, some imperfection, that challenges us, and at times may perhaps be difficult to bear. Certainly, for the man born blind, there was much to be endured. He could not hold a regular job, he could not get around to all the places that perhaps he needed to go, at least not without difficulty, or perhaps assistance. On top of all that, he also had to deal with the fact that, in that society in that timeframe, it was assumed that either he or his parents must have done something awful that resulted in his being born blind. You see in that culture and time, most illnesses were not understood so much as physiological, but were instead attributed to retribution for offenses against God. This carried a heavy toll both internally in the way one perceived oneself, and externally in terms of a deep social stigma to be endured. The easily seen physical manifestations were, of course, the easiest to spot and nearly always resulted in judgement of the individual. Yet there are far more flaws that can exist in a person, than those that are readily apparent to physical observation. Our Lord made this very clear in his discussion with Samuel regarding who He would choose as his anointed one. Samuel could only see the stature of Eliab, but could not see his heart or mind, and so did not have the same image of him that our Lord possessed. With Gods insight he could truly evaluate Eliab in the ways that really matter and thereby know the true nature of the man. All the surface stuff, the lofty stature, the noble appearance, meant absolutely nothing.

If only we could be so observant, perhaps not so much about others since our senses are rather limited, but certainly about ourselves. We seem to sometimes spend far more time on our appearance, than truly taking stock of our situation within, really looking and evaluating at the level of our spirit. How have we been conducting ourselves toward others? How much time do we really spend with our Lord? Do we not only believe in Him but really trust in Him, to the point of being willing to let him take control and form us as He sees fit? Sometimes these are  uncomfortable questions to ponder. And yet, these are the only ones that really matter, these are the ones we will ultimately be judged on.

We’re in the midst right now, of a rather unique opportunity. At the very least,  our social calendars should be a bit freer of external activities, and in some instances, we may be downright isolated because of wanting to try to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. This can certainly leave us feeling uncertain, and even perhaps afraid, and yet, even in this situation, there is the possibility of producing something very positive. We have time available to us to spend in contemplation, to catch up on our relationship with God, that sometimes may otherwise take a backseat to our busy schedule. We can spend some time in discernment, figure out where we are falling short, and actually work toward fixing these areas. Our Lord is always willing to accept our efforts. Make no mistake, while we may not have chosen to have some of this extra time thrust upon us, if we make good use of it, He will receive our efforts with joy. In times like this, things can seem rather dark and bleak, yet we are a people who no longer walk in darkness because of the light of our Lord that we now dwell in. To all who put forth the effort to draw close to Jesus, He will take away our blindness, He will be pleased with what He sees within us, and He will give us light.

 

God Bless each one of you, stay safe, and be hopeful. Allow our Lord to take care of you, and take great comfort in His love for each of us.

My Podcast of this Homily

As a people, we sometimes lose sight of the gifts that God has given us until we find ourselves in circumstances where we are either in need, or afraid, or perhaps both. The Israelites found themselves without water, and promptly forgot all that the Lord had done for them bringing them out of slavery, and even went so far as to say they might have been better off back in Egypt. I have no doubts that as this coronavirus threat continues, we will hear the inevitable questions about “How could God allow this to happen?”. We’ve heard that same kind of question many times before when we are faced with adversity, this is just the latest issue because we are an equally forgetful people with no real sense of gratitude for the gifts we are given each day.

Let’s be blunt, as much as we like to think our existence is very solid and ordered, that is an illusion. We would be fortunate to leave Church and make it home in one peace without God’s help – that is more the reality of our own fragile and unpredictable existence. We don’t like to look at it that way, because it is uncomfortable for us to do so, that would be admitting how little control we really have, and in point of fact, how truly vulnerable we really are. So, we consequently push thoughts of acknowledging God’s graces aside, and the subsequent reliance that is our reality along with them, and console ourselves daily with thoughts that are more comfortable for us to digest. You see, when we self-medicate that way, we will inevitably lose the right mindset of gratitude for things He has already done for us, confidence in what He continues to do for us each day, and trust in what He will continue to do to guard and protect us in the future. Now, does this mean we should forget all our concerns and be oblivious to things that come along as part of our temporal lives? Of course not, God expects us to respect the gift of life that he has given us enough to do our part, but what it does mean is that we should not become so mired in worry and self-concern, that forget to trust in God’s help, and we forget to take care of one another due to excessive focus on our situation. There is a balance to be struck, that involves prudence, as part of God’s gift of intellect to each of us, and faith in His ultimate control and plan.

When Jesus spoke about the wellspring of living water that the Samaritan woman sought, part of that lifegiving water is Holy Spirit within each one of us allowing us to receive God’s grace of providence and protection in our lives. It allows us to receive these gifts in faith, which is how they must be embraced in order for them to truly work within each of us. The beauty of this wellspring of living water, is that like most flowing water, the longer it moves, the more it wears away at the hindrances that sometimes impede its flow. It is a self-improving situation from God’s grace if we allow it to be. Like the woman at the well, if we but ask for this wellspring, God will provide it. We must then nurture it by putting it into practice and cherishing it by showing our love and gratitude to God in the only way we really can – by a reliance on Him as His children that truly demonstrates our love and our trust. We sweep our house clean by seeking repentance and forgiveness that creates a fitting place for His spirit to reside. We take the time to meditate on the gifts he has given us, we acknowledge our need for Him in every moment of our lives, and we turn ourselves over to His care with trust and peace.

Our Lord told us we would have trouble in this life, this was one of those moments when you could tell He was speaking very plainly and directly rather than as part of a parable. His purpose in that statement, to let us know that this life is a testing ground for each of us, and unlike most tests, the answers come not just from within ourselves, but from our ultimate source of knowledge and grace. The question is, will we place our faith where it belongs, and allow Him to help us, or will we ignore the one constant to be counted on in a fragile reality? Allow Him to guide you and protect you, take care of His other children – your brothers and sisters, and face adversity as one, as the Body of Christ.

The people in darkness have seen a great light. What a joyful message to all people who choose to accept this light. And yet, there is still so much darkness to be dispelled. We celebrate this Mass several days after the annual DC March for Life. An event necessitated by the continuation of the mass killing of the most vulnerable among us.

The last time I checked the statistics, there had been over 61 million children denied the chance to simply be born and take their first breath on their own. That is ten times the number of Jewish souls lost in the holocaust, and almost three times the number of souls lost during the communist revolution and purges that took place after the second world war. There has never been a singular genocide in history that has exceeded this value, and yet it continues to this day. As a people, we are incensed when we hear of genocides occurring in other societies, yet we ignore the most profound darkness that we ourselves allow to continue in our own country.

So, when we hear the words “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”, I would have to question just how much of that we have actually taken to heart as we allow this to continue. Yet, the message of repentance, and of the light that has come into the world, should still give us both hope and joy. This is especially true for those wounded by the sin of abortion. More often than not, that choice to end a pregnancy is one of desperation and ignorance of the ramifications of the act itself. Yet the fallout and implications of the act affects several lives– those of the mother, father, and the brief life of the child. I have seen and experienced myself the guilt and inability to forgive oneself after having committed this act. It can last our entire lives and drag us into profound despair if we do not seek forgiveness and help. Yet God in his mercy has given us the light of His son, Jesus Christ, who took upon himself all our sins, past, present, and future, and purchased our forgiveness at a tremendous price, because of the love that he has for each one of us. There is no sin, that He will not forgive. No matter what it is, no matter how many times it has occurred, if we are truly repentant, he will forgive us – even when we have trouble forgiving ourselves. Yet, we must also keep in mind, that the act of sometimes not accepting His forgiveness because of our own feelings of guilt, is a sin in and of itself. We are then doubting God’s ability to forgive because unlike our own abilities, it is limitless. This does not mean we forget our sins, some of them burn deep, and are a reminder to us of what can happen when we are not vigilant in following God’s path. They can motivate us to seek change, both in ourselves, and in others whom we either see as proliferating the same sin or perhaps being vulnerable to committing it.

So, on this Sunday following the March for Life, I would invite anyone who has experienced the sin of abortion, to seek counsel and healing, beginning with the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but also continuing with additional counseling that is much needed, whether you realize it or not. There are many resources available, including Project Rachel, and others that you can participate in. Some of these are individual encounters, others are in a group format, so you may very well be helping others by participating. If you have questions or are afraid to talk about it, it sometimes helps to talk to someone else who is responsible for the same sin, and has perhaps shared your feelings – you are welcome to start with me. There are also resources available through our pro-life and social outreach ministries who can work with you.

To those among us who are younger and are the most vulnerable to the rhetoric and arguments presented by organizations like Planned Parenthood, and others, I would ask you with the most extreme urgency to always find another solution. The seemingly easy out that these proponents of death provide, will scar you for life. Their arguments are incredibly persuasive to those who are vulnerable and desperate, but I promise you, they are hollow, and you will regret such a choice. Please listen to those of us who have already found this out and learn from our mistakes.

There are many options available today, that allows you to choose life, even if you are not ready to become a permanent parent yourself. To all of us who are parents of a younger person, who is vulnerable to this situation, and that means pretty much all parents at some point in time, we must talk to our children about this. It is not a comfortable conversation, but it is critical, nonetheless. We must make them understand that we will not reject them for their decisions, we will not abandon them when they need us most, and we will work with them to seek a better option than death.

All life is sacred, this goes far beyond the issue of abortion, we must respect life in all phases. The yet to be born, the infirm, and the aged, all must be protected. We must also acknowledge and ensure the dignity and sanctity of life of those imprisoned, those who are on the fringes of society, and those who seek refuge in our land. God has a plan for all his children, and when we do not respect and protect any of those, we are then guilty of violating the two foundational commandments. Love God, and love one another, because we are all created in his image. All of our beliefs in the Sacraments, and in the building of His Church – the body of Christ, are predicated on the person being there to receive them or to participate. There is no middle ground with this issue. Yet this simple foundational precept too often seems to divide us both socially and politically. Those doctrines, either social or political, are secondary to what we believe in as Catholics. We place God first in all things, and we do not allow other points of view to eclipse His commands.

When this country was founded, it was founded to allow all people a chance to live and to thrive, and to be accepted into it, and within it. It was founded as a refuge for those seeking freedom, safety, and dignity of life. If our founding fathers could see what we have turned this vision into, I suspect they would question both our morality and our sanity. We are deeply divided in this country, by an artificial chasm between what we call the “left” and the “right”. This is nonsense and a deception to draw us away from unity when what we really should be looking at is simply right from wrong, and this begins with the most fundamental of moral obligations – respecting God’s creations. In the realm of this country’s current politics, we hear arguments made that try to persuade us that the values and ideals provided by a particular candidate, or organization overshadow their stance on the sanctity and dignity of all life. I do not agree, those other values they are proponents of mean nothing to those who are not here to benefit from them, and if we as a people are willing to accept them at the cost of the lives of others, then we are guilty of the greatest selfishness. Mother Teresa of Calcutta likely summed it up best, when she was speaking about the global inequality of resources being used, though I think it applies here as well. She said, “it is a poverty that others must die, so that you may live as you wish”.

Isaiah 49:3, 5–6

It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

 

John 1:29–34

I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.

 

 

The message is clear, in our very roots as God’s people, we are each of us prophets, and evangelists – we are to make known to all people God’s word so that their lives will have His light.

As His followers, we operate at a debt, each of us has much to be thankful to God for, things that we cannot even begin to truly repay. So how can we at least try to show effort at balancing this – God asks us to love Him, to love those created in His image, and to spread the light of His message to all, because even those who do not believe are children of God as well, even if they do not realize or acknowledge that fact. God loves them nonetheless, and He expects those of us who do possess knowledge and love of Him, to share that prolifically, constantly, and if need be, persistently – so that all may come to a relationship with Him. If we do not, we are not answering our call, nor easing our debt.

“To the one to whom much has been given, much will be expected” – it is a surety that like any parent, God has expectations about how we use what he has given us. What we have learned from reading and hearing God’s word, will have the requisite expectation that it will be shared, and woe to the one who has done nothing with that knowledge.

So, how do we fulfill our destiny as prophets and evangelists? Do we go about preaching to everyone we meet? Yes and No, there are many ways of preaching, some more effective than others. I always loved the quote “proclaim the Gospel always, and if necessary use words”. There is a lot of truth to that, in that the doorway to our being able to have a discussion with someone to share our faith, is often the example we set by how we live our lives. No one is going to listen to a person who they do not perceive as being genuine. We have to walk the walk BEFORE we talk the talk. I find this to be particularly true for those of us who are parents. Our children have a finely attuned mechanism for detecting dis-ingenuine conduct or talk. When we try to stress to them about how important a relationship with God is, but then skip Mass on Sunday because it conflicts with a social or sporting event, what message are we really sending? I can guarantee you, that despite their likely enthusiasm at the moment, to go do something entertaining, our kids will eventually connect the dots. For that matter so will anyone else who is paying attention. We have to live what we hope to preach.

Whether we realize it or not, people who have not yet come to terms with their faith, are very often curious about those who have. It’s not unusual that they pay close attention to the conduct of others whom they see as believers while they are trying to make up their own minds. I can’t over-emphasize the importance of this. We need to always be sensitive to this, which I know is not always easy. I can recall an instance years ago, one of my daughters’ friends was over visiting, it was summer, and I was outside working on a carpentry project with my usual finesse and brought the hammer down on my thumb. A moment later a creative string of verbiage passed my lips, and from behind me, I heard a teenage voice sing out slightly sarcastically, now, now, deacon tsk tsk tsk. I was not amused, but I also realized later that she was right. I had to keep my mind focused always on how I conducted myself because you never know who is watching and taking note. A crass joke at a barbeque, a grumble about someone’s performance in the office, an unkind word about a fellow commuter in traffic. None of this goes un-noticed at times, and while it may seem trivial, it can cast doubt upon our overall conduct, and hence how much we really believe and adhere to God’s teachings.

Our responsibility as God’s followers means sometimes stepping back from what has become the social norms of some situations. We’re called to be a bit more thoughtful and reserved in our conduct. We’re called to exhibit greater patience and love toward others, even in times when that is not so easy. On our own, this is at best difficult, which is why we are called to always be humble enough to acknowledge our limitations and ask for God’s help. To daily spend time in prayer, not out of obligation, but out of personal necessity, so that we can have some hope of fulfilling our responsibilities. What is impossible for man, is absolutely possible for God.

If we live our lives in this way, with God’s help, we achieve a noticeable peace and serenity that others often find extraordinary. They may even ask us about it, and therein lies the opportunity. We can give testimony to our own challenges and experiences, and how we were helped to overcome and deal with them. We can talk to them about the peace that most of us seek, and so few of us find until we learn to rest in God’s care. We can talk about the solidity of our faith after investing the time to learn, and truly discover the depth and consistency of the Gospel message. All these things give testimony and provide others who do not yet believe with reasons to start their own search for knowledge of God. When we have influenced even one other soul, our efforts have certainly not been wasted.