This weekend, as we celebrate Labor Day, the last holiday of summer, we are reminded of the message we hear from Jesus today. While we call it "Labor Day," we try to do as little labor as possible & most working people have the day off. Labor Day is different for different people. To the factory or office worker, it may be a day off. But for mothers who have both Dad & the kids to deal with, it can be a difficult day. For police officers, who must deal with extra heavy traffic & alcohol abuse, it's a tough day. To farmers & ranchers, it's just another day to feed the cattle & work in the field... It is the end of summer. School has started, vacations are over & it's time to put your nose to the grindstone & your shoulder to the wheel once again. As we labor, we experience those times of exhaustion. For example, It is between 2 and 3 in the afternoon Energy drains. Eyelids sag. Your attention span becomes short... You are wiped out, wozzy and snoozy. The urge to grab a cat nap becomes overwhelming. God invented coffee, and energy drinks, for this time of day. Fighting fatigue, we all look for ways to revive, reboot, and refresh ourselves for the second half of our day. The most fundamental law of life is that "things change" and "nothing stays the same." But the most challenging aspect is dealing with this "law of life." Things change. In modern words, "Deal with it. Get over it. Or get help." From prison, Paul wrote a letter to his friend, his co-worker, his trusted church, and a Christian community leader. In this letter, Paul challenges Philemon to "refresh" himself and reboot his attitudes and expectations. But instead of being confrontational or combative, Paul's focus is not on confronting Philemon but on congratulating and celebrating this great man. From the initial greeting, Paul asserts that Philemon is a "dear friend and co-worker." In the "thanksgiving" section of this letter, Paul praises Philemon for his "love" and his faith towards "all the saints" and towards "the Lord Jesus." Paul also thanks Philemon for "sharing" his faith and for making his faith "effective" - that is, active - in the world. This weekend, as we celebrate Labor Day, let us thank everyone who labors in the field of life. Let us do it as Paul did, praise the accomplishments and encourage each other to move forward. Jesus has come into our lives to bring healing, defeat evil, and open the gates to paradise for us. Jesus has given us the model of a life devoted to God. Jesus calls us to follow. Even though he overstates it so we can't wiggle out, he tells us that part of that calling is to avoid making our family an idol. Jesus calls us to give sacrificially, not as a test of loyalty to him, but because of the world's needs. Our labor on earth will gain us rewards in heaven. Take up your yolk, and look towards your goal. Let Jesus take your hand and lead you, encourage you. For we are all workers in the field, workers for Jesus
I heard a story about a pastor having difficulty with his assigned parking space on the Church parking lot. People parked in his spot whenever they pleased, even though a sign clearly said, “This space reserved.” He thought the sign needed to be clearer, so he had a different sign made, which read, “Reserved for Pastor Only.” Still, people ignored it and parked in his space whenever they felt like it. “Maybe the sign should be more forceful,” he thought. So, he devised a more intimidating one in the Ten Commandments style, which announced, “Thou shalt not park here.” That sign didn’t make any difference either. Finally, he hit upon the words that worked; in fact, nobody ever took his parking place again. The sign read, “The one who parks here preaches the sermon on humility this Sunday morning!” Problem solved!
Today, Jesus calls us to embrace the attitude of seeking out the “lowest places” at the table for the sake of others, promising that God will exalt such humility at the banquet of heaven. In teaching us to invite to our tables “those who cannot repay you,” Jesus challenges us to imitate the love of God: doing what is right, sound, and just for the joy of doing so, not out of a sense of duty, self-interest or the need to feel superior or in control. Seeking humility with good intentions doesn’t always work out the way we plan. In 2012, an 81-year-old devote Catholic woman, with the best intentions, permanently disfigured a fresco painted in1930 entitled Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) in a church in Borja, Spain. She attended Mass daily and saw that the priceless painting was showing its age. She probably watched Bob Ross on PBS as an amateur artist and decided to do some touchups. After her “touchup,” the fresco became known as Behold the Monkey and Monkey Christ because of what she did to it.
Many were horrified with her work. She has destroyed this painting, others said. She received relentless scrutiny for what she did, and her health suffered. The irony, the Ecce Homo, is now one of Borja’s main tourist attractions, thought to have brought in close to 200,000 visitors. It has raised tens of thousands of euros for the church and also for charity and spawned a documentary. Gospel-centered humility helps us realize that we are not the center of all things but part of a much larger world, humility that is centered in gratitude for all the blessings we have received as a result of the depth of God’s love and not because of anything we have done to deserve it. Faced with this realization, all we can do is to try and return that love to those around us. Humility is the virtue of consciously suspending our wants and needs to seek God in all people and experiences. True humility is centered on the things of God – love, compassion, mercy, selflessness, tolerance, and forgiveness. God’s banquet table includes places of honor for every poor, hurting, confused soul. At the Gospel banquet table, we are both guests and servers: We welcome and are welcomed as children of the same God and Father; as sons and daughters of God, we share equally in the bounty of this table; as brothers and sisters in Christ, we are responsible for the protection and maintenance of the vineyard given to us by our loving Father.
August 21, 2022
21st. Sunday of ordinary time
We’ve seen the images of boot camp: a sergeant up close in the face of a young recruit, shouting harsh demands at him. We’ve seen the exhausted young soldiers running 12 miles loaded down with full backpacks; the recruits crawling under a mesh of ropes while live gunfire blazes overhead. We’ve seen soldiers scaling a high concrete wall or wading through a marshy pond. Many in this room have not just seen the pictures, but have experienced boot camp first-hand. Boot camp is very unpleasant. Nobody likes it. It’s important and necessary, but it’s not very popular. During boot camp, leaders prepare young recruits for the difficult challenges that they will have to face in military service. They have to be in prime physical shape, they must be ready to respond to the most harrowing situations, and they have to take orders whether they like them or not. Without boot camp, enlistees would be unprepared for the demanding work the military is often called on to do. Even though nobody likes boot camp, both the recruits and the public know it is necessary. Jesus’ words in the passage we just read sound like something out of a Christian boot camp. They are unpleasant. They are harsh and demanding. Nobody likes to hear them. But, like boot camp, they are words that prepare us for the difficult times we will face as Christians. We don’t like to hear them but they are absolutely necessary for us if we intend to be faithful people of God. The context in which these words are spoken. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. He knows what lies ahead for him: betrayal, arrest, humiliation, mocking, pain and finally death. In the course of this journey, Jesus talks with his followers about the difficulty they will face if they remain true to him. As it is not easy for Jesus, it will not be easy for his disciples either. Jesus is talking about the most critical decisions we make in life. Our choices -- and especially our deep commitments -- carry with them consequences. Some of the decisions we make will mean serious opposition from others. A young man decides not to go into his father’s hardware business, but to become a computer programmer. His father is disappointed and angry. He tries everything he can to stop his son’s plan. He even threatens him. But to no avail. For us, the choice may not be the same, but it may be equally difficult. Sometimes a serious commitment to Christ will get you kicked out of your family, but more often it affects our jobs, our standard of living or other things we have held dear. Most of us don’t have to sacrifice the love of our fathers and mothers, but many devout Christians suffer because they take seriously Jesus' moral demands. Many Christians suffer because they refuse to strike back in retribution and believe in forgiveness instead.No one ever said the Christian life was easy. It isn’t. That’s why Jesus provided us with this boot camp kind of orientation to the difficulties ahead.
Happy Father's Day! Today we celebrate our dads. Sometimes they don't get the credit they deserve, but they have an immense responsibility to their wives. Mothers are known for their patience, but I recently heard a story and want to share it with you. A father tried to shop at the grocery store with an uncooperative three-year-old boy in the cart. The three-year-old was asking over and over for a candy bar. Dad would say, "Now, Billy, this won't take long." As they passed the produce aisle, the 3-year-old's pleas had increased several octaves. Dad was quietly saying, "Billy, calm down. We will be done in a minute." When they passed near the dairy case, the kid was screaming uncontrollably. This dad was still keeping his cool. He said in a very low voice, "Billy, settle down. We are almost out of here." Then Dad and his son reached the check-out counter. Still, this dad was calm. The boy was screaming and kicking. His dad was very calmly saying over and over, "Billy, we will be in the car in just a minute, and then everything will be OK." Another shopper observed this interaction between dad and son and was amazed at how calm the dad was. . After paying for his groceries, he hurried to catch up with this fantastic example of patience and self-control just in time to hear him say again, "Billy, we're done. It's going to be OK." He tapped the patient father on the shoulder and said, "Sir, I couldn't help but watch how you handled little Billy. You were amazing." Dad replied, "His name is Wesley. I'm Billy!" Jesus said to them, "Give them some food yourselves." As we prepare to receive, we should ask if we, in imitation of our Lord, are ready to give — even to give all. St. Oscar Romero, then Archbishop of El Salvador, gave all, even as he celebrated the Mass on March 24, 1980, lifting the Host on high for all to see. As he did so, he prayed that all who were about to partake of the Corpus Christi, the body of Christ, might be nourished "so that we may give our body and blood to suffering and pain — like Christ, not for self, but to teach justice and peace to our people." But on that day over the, years ago, no one received the Blessed Sacrament from his hands. Instead, at that moment, Romero was assassinated. He gave his life as a martyr for the faith, standing up for the poor of his parish on whose behalf he worked and prayed. St. Paul, in his letter to Corinth, reminds us today, "I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. `Do this in remembrance of me." Jesus wanted to challenge his apostles — and us too! So he said, "Give them some food yourselves." Jesus wants us to see the world's pain is our pain! Our Lord also teaches another lesson here: We are best able to receive the Word of Life when our basic needs are met. Jesus spoke to those gathered around him about the kingdom of God, but he also healed those who needed to be cured and cared for their physical hunger. Thus we pray for our daily bread. In taking care of the world's physical needs, we open the door so that people may be more eager, ready, and willing to receive the Bread of Life, the body and blood of Christ. Because that's also what this miracle is about: the living body and blood that feeds now and forever in eternity. So when we are feeling low and feeling that our work is overwhelming and the results are few, let us remember what small steps do. If we are that dad, tenderly taking care of a rambunctious three-year-old, or a mom who words to jobs to pay the bills, a student struggling with their future, or if we are facing a serious medical diagnosis. Let us remember that St. Romero did not finish his great work of feeding and freeing the people of El Salvador; he died before he could fully accomplish that. But as he remarked, we are like seeds, and as Jesus taught us, a seed must be planted and die before it can be resurrected and be multiplied a thousandfold! Today let us honor our saints who did not refuse to give all to the One who gives life! Let us receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. And may we not just pray the Our Father. Let us live it.
You are traveling down the Interstate heading towards an appointment. You gave yourself plenty of time to arrive. Suddenly, the traffic comes to a standstill. You move forward as you watch the clock tick down the minutes. You wonder what’s going on, why we are stopped. You see flashing lights ahead in the opposite lane. It must be an accident, understandable. You realize that it’s not serious, just a stalled car in the opposite lane as you approach. After losing vital minutes, accelerate to the speed limit. We are curious people; we want to see what is going on, and it sometimes hinges on morbid curiosity. We call them bottlenecks, gawkers; they come in many names. In many cases, the lack of focus causes additional accidents. Driving requires focus and both eyes on the goal. Today, Jesus was taken up into heaven. As he ascended into heaven, the disciples watched as he was taken up. We hear in our first reading, “While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? In other words, why are you standing around? You have a mission to complete. Human nature never changes; the disciples were still shocked as Jesus ascended into heaven. For a moment, they lost focus; it required a couple of angels to remind them what Jesu was asking of them. The focus of Ascension is not on the sky, into which Christ appeared, but on the earth, which he wanted his followers to fill with the Gospel message. He calls us to do the same today, in our homes and workplace and in our daily activities. Consider the scene on that first Ascension Day. One moment Jesus is telling his followers that the power of the Holy Spirit will come upon them and that they are to be his witnesses to all the earth. That alone stuns them, but the next moment, Jesus is lifted into the sky, blocked from their sight by a cloud, and then seen no more. His followers continued staring skyward, straining to see whatever else might happen. Jesus’ last words to his disciples are about their mission. Starting in Jerusalem but moving rapidly outward to the very “ends of the earth,” they are to teach and preach and testify about Jesus and the Gospel. Those first believers did that. They opened their eyes to the whole world, which is why you and I are Christians today. The news of Jesus passed on from person to person, generation to generation, because those first believers replaced the thousand-mile stare of shock with the million-mile stare of witnessing that enabled them to envision a time when the good news of the Gospel would be available in every corner of the globe, as well as to their neighbors at hand. For us, Ascension Day has had little of our attention. But its story is about how the Gospel spreads. It comes to us with the message of those two angels: Don’t stand here focused only on the mystery of Christ disappearing into the sky. Instead, adopt the million-mile stare that sees both the work of global outreach and the opportunity to tell your neighbor and your household about the love of Jesus. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck in traffic, moving inch by inch, only to be disappointed. Take time during those slow-moving moments to allow the Word of God to sink in and become part of you. May we also respond to the fulfillment we have found in Christ by being his body — by serving, befriending, and loving the people whom Jesus loved — by having the same mind that was in Christ Jesus.
On one Sunday, a lady attended Mass at one of her neighboring parishes for the first time. After Mass, Father greeted everyone at the door; she approached him and said, "that was one great homily, father." With a big smile, the priest said, "today, it was all the Holy Spirit." The woman replied, well, it wasn't that good!
Soon those summer vacations will begin. With the gas prices, they may be shore and close to home. We prepare for months for that time off work when we load up the car and head to another destination. No matter how many times we check the house before locking up, it never fails that we double-check ourselves. Did I turn off the coffee pot? Lock all the doors? Close the frig? Despite all the double-checking, we worry that we forgot something.
Today, we hear Jesus tell his disciples, "Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, 'I am going away, and I will return to you." In the Gospel, we have Jesus bidding farewell to his disciples. He makes them understand the recent happenings and how they fit into the Father's plan. "He opened their minds to understand the scriptures. That the Messiah had to suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins are to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. "The Spirit comes to give us the gift of understanding."
Jesus knew that his disciples would be lost after ascending to his Father. He worried about them; they were like sheep without a shepherd. He also knew that they would be in good hands because the Holy Spirit would soon come down upon them and guide them. They wait for the promise and stay in Jerusalem to wait for the promise of the Father. One of the most challenging things for us who are used to action is to wait for God to act. The apostles wanted to know God's plan and hoped that they would have some say in how God's plan will work out. If we look at our own experiences, we are forever making plans for ourselves and for how God should act in our lives. Even that summer vacation, planned to the exact minute, doesn't go as planned. We sometimes even set deadlines for when God should act in our lives. Our plans usually rotate around: 'me' and 'myself,' while God has still more great scenarios which will unfold if we wait on him. We may have beautiful ideas and plenty of experience and feel that we can manage with what we have. But if we are ready to wait, if we are prepared to surrender to the Spirit, something still more wonderful will happen in our life.
The Gospel concludes with Jesus blessing his disciples, withdrawing from their sight, and being carried into heaven. His mission was accomplished; now theirs was about to begin! As their mission begins, ours continues. We prepared and renewed ourselves during Lent, we walked the road to Calvary with Jesus, we stood at his tomb and found it empty, and now we, too, must move forward in our journey of faith. After attending a convention led by Evangelist Billy Graham, a woman wrote to him. "Dear Sir, I feel that God is calling me to preach the Gospel. But the trouble is that I have twelve children. What shall I do?" The televangelist replied: "Dear Madam, I am delighted to hear that God has called you to preach the Gospel. I am even more delighted to hear that He has already provided you with a congregation in your own home." So no matter who our congregation is,
Maybe it's a stranger sitting next to you on an airplane.
Someone you meet on a park bench at Disneyland.
Or at the park.
Jesus says that if we find true peace, which he alone can give, we have to love him and the Father and one another. No matter who we encounter, we are all God's creation, and we all bring our gifts, talents, and love of God with us. When we wake up, invoke and ask the Holy Spirit to direct and show us the best way to proceed.
Happy Mother's Day!
It also is Easter Season, and the 4th Sunday of it always gives us a Good Shepherd theme in Scripture. As for moms… We celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday this weekend since moms are also Good Shepherds. Mom's come in many shapes and sizes; stay-at-home moms work part-time or work-from-home jobs. Shepherds come in just as many styles as sheep do. This shepherd idea and motherhood idea remind us that sometimes we need warm and cuddly, tender, loving care. And sometimes, we need correction and direction. After all, those entrusted to care for us have to reprimand us sometimes. Good shepherds have to corral them back when sheep want to go their own way. They have to use curved sticks, staffs, or crooks to grab their flocks by the neck and pull them back into line. When that happens, it does not feel good. It feels like the Shepherd does not respect us and love us. We may cry and want to leave the flock, but the good Shepherd will not let us, no matter how hard we call. Mothering is like shepherding; they come in all shapes and sizes and in different styles. But the good shepherds, like good godly mothers, share one critical character. The good Shepherd, says Jesus, "lays down their life for the sheep." The good Shepherd is unselfish.
How can we be a Good-Shepherd-led person? Well, the first thing is: Ask: Who do I shepherd? Who am I shepherding right now? Who ought I care for and how—as guided by Jesus in me? Of whom am I consciously trying to care for and shepherd along life's way, even in service of the Chief Shepherd, for the main path of their getting to Heaven? Whom am I nurturing, in love? Who am I guiding along a rocky way to get to a smooth one? For whom have I gone out looking to bring back from their being lost and afraid? Have I ever heard the cries of someone and turned around from one direction to go help someone? Like a shepherd, have I risked anything for 'a sheep,' like scrambling down mountain rocks to save the one who fell? Jesus said that the good shepherd would lay down his life for the sheep. And Jesus did. The sheep, that is, the disciples, did not understand precisely what that meant – even after it happened – but they believed Him anyway. Essentially, Jesus wanted to show the world what the real power of love is. The Blessed Mother is to be thanked for her role in the Church. She is a perfect mother! She teaches us how the journey out of selfishness is the journey to being a good shepherd and serving others, even in her maidservant of the Lord's example.
One of the most beautiful descriptions of God given by Jesus is in today's gospel reading, where he proclaims: "I am the good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep." Jesus was the visible sign of God's constant care for his people. In our present-day setup, the image of the Shepherd may be alien to us. Still, in Palestine, the Shepherd was a familiar figure in the countryside. The Good Shepherd loves you, and your love for the Good Shepherd drives you to lay down your life to bring others to Jesus the Good Shepherd. True love is not just emotional but makes sacrifices for the beloved's sake. Many times in your future ministry, you will sacrifice yourself to carry your flock on your shoulder. But you also know that Jesus the Good Shepherd will not be outdone in generosity to you.
One of the most beloved entertainers of all time was the comedian George Burns. He died in Beverly Hills on March 9, 1996. He was 100 years old. When he was in his nineties he wrote a book entitled How to Live to Be 100… or More. In the book he has a chapter with the heading, “Stay Away from Funerals, Especially Yours.” George Burns said, “If you look in the obituary column in the morning, and your name isn’t there, go ahead and have breakfast.” He said that if he ever looked in the obituary column and found his name was there, he would go ahead and have breakfast anyway because he said, “I’m not leaving on an empty stomach.” Now, that kind of sense of humor kept George Burns young at heart for all of his 100 years. But the fact is that we are all going to die… and even more painful is the fact that people we love are going to die… and that can fill us with despair. Let's begin with Simon out on his boat fishing alongside the other disciples. He is brooding, thinking deep thoughts not quite sure what to make of all that had happened. Then there is a flashback. He recalls how some months earlier he left his fishing nets at the seashore to become a follower of Jesus and how Jesus liked him and included him and changed his name from Simon to Peter because Jesus felt that Simon was strong, stable, and solid like a rock. But then all of a sudden, things turned sour. Jesus was arrested and Peter the Rock got scared and on that fateful night, he denied his Lord three times. Jesus was nailed to a cross and Simon Peter was devastated, shattered, defeated, and broken hearted. But then came Easter and Simon Peter was at one and the same time thrilled beyond belief, excited, and gratified over Christ's resurrection and yet confused and perplexed about his own future. We hear how Jesus transforms the despair of his apostles into hopes and dreams. "Like the apostles who went back to their fishing nets after the tragic episode of the passion, we too are sometimes tempted to lose hope. Our temptation maybe to get back to our everyday bread-and-butter tasks, so reliable and reassuring in their ordinariness; cut off from those who might threaten our convictions, to dream of times gone by when faith was taken for granted and the Church ruled supreme. No, this is not the way to be. Someone is there standing on the shore, someone who is more impelling and more personal than ever, and he is calling us and asking us to put out our own nets. We are not always able to recognize him straight off but it's him all right: is Christ. He is there above all in this meal which we share in memory of him and which prepares us for our necessary return to the world of everyday.
A priest pulled over by a traffic cop, for speeding. As the cop was about to write the ticket, the priest said to him, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." The cop handed the priest the ticket, and said, "Go, and sin no more." Nicknames are good and bad. We all know someone with a nickname. Bro, Bubba, Tank, Sport, Slim, Chief, E.J. Junior, Senior, Doc, Bud- just to name a few. If an unfair nickname stuck to us like Velcro, we would resent it. Getting people to stop calling us a name we hate can prove frustrating. At least one person never seems to drop it. If it’s not a nickname, maybe it’s a constant reminder of something we wish hadn’t happened. History has done something similar to Thomas. We’ve plastered the nickname “Doubting Thomas” on him for centuries. Who would want to carry that nickname forever? Who of us wants everyone to remember where we started out, not where we ended up? He didn’t believe until he saw the grave clothes in the empty tomb, but we don’t call him “the Disbelieving Disciple.” We don’t do that to Peter. He denied Jesus three times. He didn’t endure centuries of the label “Denying Peter.” We cut him some slack. We remember what he did after the big denials. We seldom mention Thomas without the nickname. From our standpoints, we miss the boat when we label this disciple “Doubting Thomas.” He actually has much to teach us. It’s true that Thomas doubted the story of the other disciples. It’s true that he declared, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” He did express doubt. We always forget that Thomas’ declaration took place in a setting bulging with doubt. Mary Magdalene had just told them she had seen the Lord. We know nothing of their initial response to this announcement. Did faith surge through them? Doesn’t sound like it. Thomas had seen Jesus die. Thomas knew that believing the disciples’ story involved a massive suspension of reality is over; the excitement of the big day has faded. We get back now to the business of being the church. Part of our work is to walk in Thomas’ sandals. Let us probe our questions about the faith until God reveals answers. Let us worship, expecting God’s presence. Let us offer ourselves in humility and obedience to God our Creator and our Lord, who calls us to service and ministry in a hurting and dangerous world. Doubt is a second great stumbling block to the life that God desires for us. Many of us today are able to grasp the idea of Jesus’ resurrection. But many of us doubt. This is understandable. Thomas doubted and he was much closer to the events than any of us ever will be. But doubt cannot keep us from Jesus Christ. The gospel of John deals with Thomas’ doubt by reporting that Jesus met him face to face. In other words, John concedes that Thomas doubted, but Thomas did not remain in doubt. Something happened — Jesus the risen Lord appeared to him. Thomas was transformed from a doubter to one of the most zealous disciples in terms of mission. Throughout the centuries, many women and men have had their doubts about Jesus, but time and time again, careful investigation ultimately leads to a life-changing faith, Jesus Christ is alive today. This reality can change your life. What if believing in Jesus Christ and becoming his follower were the way to live a life that truly matters? Move through fear. Move through doubt. Embrace the mission of extending life to others. Prepare for impact. Life will never be the same.
We have heard the Good Friday story so often, we may think they know it through and through. But what we overlook in the story can be as important as what we think we already know. Jesus arranges for us to be saved, and one of the meanings of that is to be saved from ourselves and our past. Jesus sets us free from the past and points us in the direction he would have us go. What direction is that? To be of service to humanity, to feed Jesus’ own sheep, to work to heal this wounded world. And one way we do that is to tell people that Jesus is ready to give them a new past and a brighter future, too. That’s surely a big part of what Jesus meant by his direction to Peter to “feed my sheep.” Feed them the good news of the gospel. Tell them that they, too, may have a new past and, thus, a new future. The final sermon that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached before he was assassinated was the famous "I have been to the mountaintop" sermon. In it he declares, "I have seen the Promised Land, I am not afraid to die, I am ready to meet my Maker." He preached this sermon in the evening; he was killed the next day. Was it coincidence that he preached those words the day before he died? Or could he have had some mystic prevision of his death? It is said he preached that sermon very often, possibly a hundred times throughout the country. A friend of Dr. Kings shares this, "The reason that he could preach that sermon so often was that he was always ready to die." He knew that death would come any moment because of the challenge that he was continually presenting to the conscience of America. He lived life fully and fearlessly. He was convinced of the rightness and goodness of what he was doing that he wasn't afraid to die. The faith of Jesus told him that God would prevail in the end. His job was to be faithful to his mission. Friends, that is our job, too. We may not be able to end poverty, crime, racism, environmental distruction and war, though we should try. But we can trust that just as Good Friday was not the end of the story of Jesus, so God will, in the end, write a beautiful, happy ending to the story of humanity. In anticipation, we can live under the reign of God this very day by committing ourselves to the values Jesus taught us — values of mercy, compassion, justice, forgiveness and love. May it be so.
The anticipated movie, Father Stu opens up in theaters tonight. At one time, Hollywood produced many movies based on Catholic real-life experiences. From the Bells of St. Mary, The Ten Commandments, The Robe, The Passion of Christ, and yes Jesus Christ Superstar, for you 70’s fans. “Father Stu” tells the true story of Stuart Long, an amateur boxer from Montana who moved to Los Angeles to work as a supermarket clerk while hoping to launch an acting career in the late 1980s. While in California, Long met and became fond of a Catholic Sunday school teacher named Carmen. He started going to church to impress her before he was involved in a serious motorcycle accident and had a profound spiritual experience. He survived his injuries with a new desire to become a Catholic priest. The movie has profound themes, that center around faith, redemption, hope, tough mercy, tough grace, inclusion, acceptance, unconditional love, and unconditional support. Father Stu, as he was affectionately known, pursued careers in boxing, acting, teaching, and museum management before discerning the priesthood. According to a spokesman for the Diocese of Helena, where he was a priest, “He was intense in his worldly life, and he was intense in his priesthood “His priestly ministry to the diocese here was transformative.” Throughout the life of the Church, we have seen this “picture” play over and over again. St. Paul, St. Augustin of Hippo, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Mother Theresa, St. Pope John Paul II, and the list goes on. Each of them experienced a transformative experience. Tonight, as we gather, we have been invited to experience a transformative event in our own lives. An opportunity that has the real potential to change our lives, and become a witness of the love that Jesus has for each of us. Tonight, we begin our vigil standing with Jesus as he is arrested, condemned, scourged, rejected, and crucified. Tonight we experience the sorrow of Mary, his mother, the shame of Peter his disciple, and the abandonment of his friends. We are drawn into Jesus' life through the Holy Triduum. If after all this we still are not convinced of the life-changing ability of Jesus he seals our love with not only his own body and blood but his body and blood given to us in Holy Communion. “At that last supper, he said, “do this in remembrance of me,” and so we do. He asks us tonight to be the servant of all, to reach out to those in need and who are suffering. To heal old wounds, to forgive hurtfulness, to transform into Christ. “Jesus has risen from the dead. That’s the truth. That's what gives us our identity as Christians. And so, no matter what suffering we have to go through, we unite that with Christ. Father Stu was very keen on saying that, yes, if God wanted him to suffer, he would suffer willingly. But he was going to do it joyfully, to give people hope, because he talked about heaven. He said, ‘I won’t be suffering forever. Eventually, I’m going to move on. And, in this, God is doing great things.’ “When God wounds us, he brings us closer to him,” Father Stu says. God only asked Father Stu to serve 4 years as a priest, he died of a rare disease that is related to Lou Gerges disease in 2004.
PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD Lk 19:28-40 (37)/Is 50:4-7/Phil 2:6-11/Lk 22:14—23:56 or 23:1-49
One night a man had a dream. He was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. In each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him and the other belonging to the Lord. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints, and that,every time that happened, he was at the lowest and saddest times of his life. This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. Lord he said, You said when I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way. Why then in the most troubled times of my life, there are only one set of footprints? I don't understand why you should leave me when I need you most. The Lord replied My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, During your times of trial and suffering, when you only see one set of footprints, it was then that I was carrying you. I In today's second reading Paul reminds the Corinthians that we are not called to be God's slaves but His children. All people are invited to be God's children. We are called to be a new creation, for anyone in Christ is a new creation. Paul sums up Christ's mission as follows: to reconcile men with his Father and to make them a new creation. Reconciliation with God and with one another is especially needed in the world today with its many divisions. There can be no peace without repentance and reconciliation. Today's gospel story of the prodigal son is one of the most familiar and moving portrayals of God's loving compassion for his people. The prodigal son is not a model for conversion. Rather the emphasis is on the mercy of the father and the joy of finding the sinner again. Through this story Jesus was giving practical expression to the Father's invitation to all his children. The story is realistic and full of insights.
Third Sunday of Lent
Ex 3:1-8a, 13-15/1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12/Lk 13:1-9
During my seminary days, my world religion class required me to visit other places of worship outside of our Christian beliefs. One of the locations I chose was The Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, located just a few miles from the seminary. Some of you might remember the horrific scene there in 2012. A former Marine welding many weapons entered the Temple and martyred six worshippers. I clearly remember stepping inside the Temple in 2015, just a few years after the incident – feeling I was stepping on holy ground. The experience, for me, was reminiscent of Moses on the mountain. The first thing you are asked to do is remove your shoes and cover your head. The motive for the shooting, Sikh men, wear turbines, and the assailant mistook them for a radial group. Visiting the Sikh and getting to know some of the worshippers is an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. Today's gospel gives us two examples of disasters in Christ's lifetime. One of the incidents was the ruthless murder of some Galileans while they were in the middle of their Temple sacrifices. The other incident was a construction accident near the Temple during the building of a water aqueduct. It was a project hated by the Jews because Temple funds were stolen by Pilate to finance it. These two incidents are brought up because the Jews presumed that those killed were being punished by God for their sins. But Jesus denies this. Instead, he asserts that what really destroys life is our unwillingness to repent and change our lives. Jesus says, not once, but twice by way of emphasis: "Unless you repent, you will perish as they did." Throughout history, God calls His people to repentance, renewal to return to him. God calls Moses from the burning bush to forget the past and return to his enslaved people in the first reading. He challenges Moses to take up the task of setting His people free. God is always calling his people to leadership roles, to go in His name and with His power. What is our response? Who will set God's people free? Just this [Saturday] morning, I celebrated Mass with Individuals in Custody, at the Southwest Correctional Center, in East St. Louis, the former Assumption High School. I am sure many of those attending Mass committed some horrendous crimes. But did that stop me from welcoming them to celebrate God's presence? Was I helping to do God's will by setting people free, not from iron bars, but from their past offenses? A few years ago, while ministering to the Individual in Custody at Menard Correctional Center, one elderly individual approached me with a question. "What does God have planned for me? I suffered a heart attack two years ago and was revived. I had four appeals on my death sentence. Then, after losing my final appeal, one week before it was carried out, the Governor commuted all death row inmates' to life in prison. What is God telling me? "Jesus answers this and other profound questions with the parable we just heard, " 'For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?' He said to him in reply, 'Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future." Only Jesus can cultivate the ground and bring salvation to us. It is through his love and our repentance that we can answer the question, "What is God telling me." This brings us to the parable of the barren fig tree. It is a parable of our lives. All of us have been given a patch of ground in the Lord's vineyard, where we are expected to produce fruit. Each one's patch is different, often yielding other fruit. Many choose to rear families. Some also run businesses or contribute to their running or work at different levels in institutions. Nowadays, a large percentage is engaged in "caring professions," working in education, medicine, social services, religion, teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers, priests, and similar fields. And if we are to bear fruit in our lives, the crop must come mainly from those fields. The six martyrs at the Sikh Temple never expected what happened to them, but death comes to all of us, on God's time. The death row individual was granted life, but still seeks God’s forgiveness. We know that Jesus is the Great Gardener who intercedes and mediates for us. Jesus fulfills this role through women and men who function as members of Christ's body. The gardeners in our lives who have helped us move from barrenness to fruitfulness include our parents, teachers, pastors, friends, and even our enemies who have motivated us by their bitter criticism, which is true more often than not. We thank God for them, we thank God for giving us another opportunity this Lent, and we promise to make the best use of this season of grace to repent more and bear more fruit in our lives. We are on holy ground.
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT, MARCH 13, 2022 Gn 15:5-12, 17-18/Phil 3:17—4:1 or 3:20—4:1/Lk 9:28b-36
Look. See. Believe. What do you see when you look up in the heavens? God? The awesome majesty of the Creator? Or a vast void that stretches across meaningless light-years to encompass nothing? It’s all in how we connect the dots that determine what pictures we see. Someone asked me a question, we have the International Space Stations, we send men to the moon, we launch satellites that are now leaving the milky way, why haven’t they ever run into God? We are taught from a young age, “look to heaven,” so we naturally lookup. When Astronaut John Glenn, circle the earth for the first time, he encountered what he described as “fireflies,” swarming around his Gemini capsule. C.S. Lewis, who followed the early days of the space race with interest and skepticism, noted: “The Russians, I am told, report that they have not found God in outer space. On the other hand, a good many people in many different times and countries claim to have found God, or been found by God, here on earth. ... Space travel really has nothing to do with the matter. To some, God is discoverable everywhere, to others, nowhere. Those who do not find him on earth are unlikely to find him in space. ... But send a saint up in a spaceship and he’ll find God in space as he found God on earth. Much depends on the seeing eye.” In our first reading from Genesis, Abram is losing heart because decades have gone by since God’s initial promise that his wife Sarai would give birth to a son. Out of the blue, without any prior warning, the great I AM had told the aging, childless couple, Abram and Sarai, to pull up stakes late in life and set out on a journey that would include a seemingly impossible birth and end with their innumerable descendants taking possession of a great inheritance. The past couple years have been a roller coaster for all of us. We believe that ultimately, as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. Yet sometimes it feels like we’re in a game of Whack-a-Mole, and we’re the moles. We keep sticking out heads up to see if things are okay, and then we have to duck. The pandemic surges and fades and surges. Political strife reigns all over the world. And though Jesus fervently prayed that we might all be one, our churches are struggling to maintain unity. We may be searching for God. Looking UP, to the heavens to see him. When our prayers are not answered in the way we expect, we get discouraged. In the midst of any discouragement we may feel, we need to remember that some of God’s promises to Abram were not fulfilled for centuries, long after the patriarch was gone. In a world of television and music on-demand, one- and two-day free delivery, and instant gratification, we tend to lose heart when we don’t get what we want right now. And if we look with the eyes of faith, we who believe in God will see the cross everywhere. Let us look for God in the skies, in each other, in our shared suffering and in our triumph. We who are disciples of Jesus should see the cross — and our redemption — everywhere. We see it in the skies, in each other, in our suffering, in our triumphs and in the crosses we carry! And with a faith and a hope that spans centuries, let us also look for the resurrection and the peace that passes understanding in every aspect of our lives as disciples, including the bread that we break in his memory, the songs of remembrance and praise, the prayers we lift up in thanksgiving and the offerings we lift up gratefully. Look. See. Believe. First Sunday of Lent, March 6, 2022 What changes are you making this year? One of my favorite desserts is Red Velvet Cake. I know it's just chocolate cake with red food dye, but something attracts me to that delicious cake. I decide early what changes I am going to make during Lent. Hopefully, I choose things that will help me journey through the desert. So, this year, on the nutritional side, I have decided to give up Snickers, Diet Coke, Red Velvet Cake, and one new one – Tammy's Cheesecake at Jerry's! These delectable delights and Diet Coke bring a degree of satisfaction into my life. The question now becomes, that I have announced this publicly (and all eyes will be on Father) can I live up to my commitment? At Susie's Restaurant in Red Bud, Beth temptingly has a warm out of the oven freshly iced Red Velvet Cake place strategically among the many homemade desserts Susie offers. Whoever the server may be at the Jigger, they never fail to ask, "Father, are you having a slice of Cheesecake tonight?" Sound familiar to anyone? On this First Sunday in Lent, as on every First Sunday in Lent, the gospel reading is about what happened immediately after Jesus' baptism. It's a familiar story. As soon as the heavenly voice has assured him that he was God's beloved Son, Jesus is led into the wilderness — the desert — to be tempted by the devil. Since we've heard this story often, it would be easy to cruise through it on autopilot. So let's be careful. There may be surprises ahead. Jesus is to be "tempted." We know what that word commonly means: someone or something tries to get you to do something you shouldn't (or maybe to not do something you should). If you think of your own experience, you can probably see that temptation can often arise within yourself; for example, "Maybe I'll just sleep in this morning instead of going to church? By refusing to put God's love to the test, Jesus affirmed that God's love for us is unconditional. With the knowledge that God loved him, Jesus found it easier to avoid the temptation to quit. But that may not be our experience, for when the going gets tough, even the toughest people need to be reminded that they are loved. Jesus said that as the Father has loved me, I have loved you. In the midst of your life, be assured God loves you. Don't doubt his love; embrace it, hold it, and cling to it, for you will need it in the face of opposition. Defeat temptation and know in your heart that God loves and accepts you just as you are without conditions. What changes are you making this year?
Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time, February 28, 2022
Sir 27:4-7/1 Cor 15:54-58/Lk 6:39-45
Today we see that Jesus has a sense of humor. He says, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?” He gives this message as a wake-up call! It is so easy for us to judge. There is a policy for cast members who work at Disney Parks and Resorts. If you ask for directions, they will never point with their fingers. They will always hold all fingers straight out to show you the correct direction. How many of us has corrected a younger person with “don’t point fingers, remember three fingers point back at you.
But exactly does Jesus mean when he asks whether a blind person can lead a blind person? I suspect that if he were to ask this question today, he might phrase it this way: “Can a person who doesn’t gather news of — and information about — the world from many different sources possibly explain fairly and accurately what’s happening?” It’s a warning not to be so narrow in your sources of information that you become blind to the complexity of reality. Not to point fingers and accuse others. Many of us will only listen to one source of information, I pray it is not Facebook! By doing so we narrow our vision. And this is true not just in politics but in many other areas, too. Just pose the question, “are you vaccinated?” You are opening yourself up to a long narrative of why you should be vaccinated or not. It does make for a great conversation starter. We often avoid the risk of being exposed to thinking that challenges our views of racial matters, economics, education, ecology and yes religion. We are not immune to bigotry, here in Southern Illinois. Groups, such as the Berger gang, the KKK and groups not only discriminated against race, but religion. Where do you think all the anti-Catholic bigotry found in the history of this nation came from? From ignorance and fear, of course — sometimes willful ignorance.
Following 911, our Islam Brothers and Sisters experienced the same anti-Muslimism bigotry that Catholics were subjected to in the early 20th Century. Jesus is asking us to remove whatever is blinding us to reality. We have work to do to overcome such self-inflicted blindness. Otherwise, says Jesus, we’ll end up in a ditch. Please know that Jesus is not arguing here that all ideas are of equal value or for what has come to be called morally correct. Not at all. He’s simply asking that we not judge ideas or the people who hold them without understanding those ideas, their sources and why they believe them. He tells his listeners not to obsess over the tiny speck in their neighbor’s eye when they themselves have a massive plank, or log, in their own eye. In other words, be careful about the judgments you make because you might be judging yourself.
Many of us fail to see Christ’s humor in this statement. Today we would say, duh, don’t you get it! In the end, Jesus hasn’t just been idly stringing pearls. He’s been teaching us how to be his disciples, how to live beautiful lives, how to express gratitude to the source of all life. Friends, those are all pearls of great price. Treasure them. Live them out. Today and every day.
Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, February 20, 2022
1 Sm 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23/1 Cor 15:45-49/Lk 6:27-38
Many of us have the opportunity of growing up at a different time. We refer to them as the "good ole day," many of us say, "when I was a kid!" Someday, today's kids will be in our shoes and will be saying the same thing. There was an unspoken standing rule in my small community, and justice was carried out most uniquely. Not saying this ever happened to me since I was such an angel, but if you encountered the town police, you didn't get a ride to the police station. You got a ride back home! I have heard that many pleaded to do some time in the pokey, then be taken home to face dad's wrath! First, most dads were loving, caring dads, but there was very little mercy when it came to getting in trouble and getting a ride home in the police car. My dad was the Postmaster, and the good citizens of Evansville never failed to report me or my brother's whereabouts to the local federal employee, our dad. You know the drill, sitting down for supper, dad says, "well, what did you two do today?' My brother and I would look at each other; oh boy, he knows something!
Love is expressed in many ways; we practice tough love, we share our passion, we fail to love, we love unconditionally, the list goes on. Family dynamics hardwires our love for each other; it's natural. We don't even speak the word; it's a given. Can we take that same love, that unforgiving love, and extend it even to those who have hurt us? Take a moment and think about that? Is it possible to forgive a serious internal injury? A chaplain friend once told me a story about a son and his father. When the son was 20 years old, his dad threw him out of his life and home because he was something that his dad disapproved of. For over 40 years, they never spoke towards the end of the father's life; the chaplain noticed that he was holding on to something. Hospice said it could be just hours, and he would be gone. But there was something; he couldn't put his finger on it. One, two, three days, he lingered. Finally, the chaplain asked the gathered family members, is he holding on to something? They looked at each other and, without saying a word, knew precisely what it was, their youngest brother, whom they had not seen for the same number of years. With the help of the Red Cross, he was located, immediately flew home, and went to his dad's bedside, not saying his name, just saying, "dad, I'm here, and I love you." A quiet peace came over him; later that evening, he passed peacefully.
"Stop judging, and you will not be judged. Stop condemning, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Powerful words today, words that we all need to hear. Each of us gathered in this space need to listen to these words. We can only follow Jesus' command is to love like he loves to surrender to his spirit. Jesus never lashed out at anyone--except the people who elevated the law of religion over the love of people or who used religion to their own ends. Jesus never called anyone a sinner. Jesus never demeaned anyone over their lifestyle. Even on the cross, he forgave those who put him there. He showed that it was possible to love your enemy. How can we ever live like that? Two things. First, we need to surrender our hurts to him. Secondly, we need to ask him to come into our hearts and reside there. Jesus loves unconditionally. Look at it this way, facing a hurtful situation is not easy. The love that we have for each other will overcome all. Don't wait until that last moment; it may be too late; let Jesus help you heal the hurt that sometimes comes from loving.
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time, February 13, 2022
Jer 17:5-8/1 Cor 15:12, 16-20/Lk 6:17, 20-26
Today we hear the most famous sermon Jesus preached, the Beatitudes. It is recorded in both Matthew and Luke, but today we hear from Luke. The beatitudes are like a roadmap to living by. They are not just suggestions but God’s word. In Jesus’ day, everyone wanted healing. Everyone wanted a better life. Everyone wanted a piece of the man who held out the promise of a better tomorrow. And many were healed. But not all. Many were changed. But not all. Whatever the kingdom of God is for this present time, it is not a ticket to a charmed life in which every believer will be kept free of pain, disease, disappointment, and even persecution. Maybe that is why, right in the middle of all this excitement, Jesus turns to this disciples and begins to speak a series of Beatitudes or blessings that point to a lifestyle and a mindset that was all-but completely at odds with what most people were, at that very moment, seeking to get from Jesus. I have a friend who loves to shop. Every day after work, she would head to Walmart to pick up a “few” things. One day she says, “I need a hobby,” any ideas? I said, you could try collecting precious moments, there is a new one issued every few months, that might be fun. So the conversation ended, a week later she came to me and said, “well, I collected all the Precious Moment,” now what? I said, all of them? “As many as I could get my hands on! Immediate happiness is hard to achieve. We are always seeking happiness, and there is nothing wrong with that. There was a Peanuts cartoon years ago in which Lucy asked Charlie Brown if he has ever known anybody who was really happy. Before she could finish her sentence, however, Snoopy came dancing on tiptoe into the frame, his nose high in the air. He danced and bounced his way across two frames of the cartoon strip. Finally, in the last frame, Lucy finished her sentence, “Have you ever known anybody who was really happy and was still in their right mind?” Jesus said, "To whom much is given, much is required." So often we forget that everything we have been given, life itself, our possessions, our resources, and our finances are given to us by God as a gift to be given to others. We are just a channel through which our energies and resources are funneled to others. That is the purpose of the church. The church is to give us structure and discipline so that we may not only be ministered unto but we can minister and give our talents, resources, and gifts to others making their lives better. The church budget is a structure to teach us to tithe and to give of our resources so that other lives may be enriched. "To whom much is given, much shall be required," Jesus said. Or, maybe Jesus is talking to those who are so blessed and reminding us that success is much harder to handle than failure. Every thought and every action we extend is centered around our personal relationship to the living Lord, Jesus Christ. I think it means this: In our best of days when everything seems to be going well, we ought to enjoy life with fullness, joyfulness, exuberance, and extravagance. We ought to enjoy the marvelous life that God has placed before us, always mindful that there is a great danger when we center our lives around what we have. That can become a distraction to our relationship with God. I also think it means that in our worst of days when nothing seems to be going right we must remember that the final accounting has not occurred and we do not need to be weary in well doing because God rewards his faithful. I don't know about you, but sometimes I get tired of structure. I get tired of discipline. I get tired of poring over sermons late at night, but Jesus says, "It is all worth it!" That is not just some "pie in the sky" statement. Jesus is saying that it is not only worth it then, but it is also all worth it now! A life surrendered to Jesus is the very best of all lives, and that will work in the best of your days and in the worst of your days.
Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time, February 6, 2022
Is 6:1-2a, 3-8/1 Cor 15:1-11 or 15:3-8, 11/Lk 5:1-11
Growing up on a farm, one of the spring rituals was to seine the ponds to remove the larger fish. It was a community event, and neighbors would join us. It was hard work, dragging the seine through the water. As we progressed, it would get heavier, and then the water would begin to swirl with fish. That was an exciting time. On some occasions, if it was not correctly done, the fish would find a way to escape, and you needed to start over. We would then separate the large fish and release the smaller ones back into the pond when the net was full. On occasion, a snapping turtle would get caught, which was a treat. It was something I always anticipated, the fun, the excitement, visiting with neighbors and friends. The best part was the fish fry afterward, over an open fire. This was the easy way of catching fish, but nothing beats a cane pole, a coffee can full of earthworms, and a warm day. Your eye focused on that bobbing cork, waiting for that fish to take the bait!
We just heard a fish story to write home about. It contains the sting of disappointment, as well as the adrenaline of success. Peter, James, and John are washing their nets from a stormy night of fishing when Jesus comes along and swipes one of their boats to use for a pulpit. When the sermon is finished, Jesus says to Peter, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch "Let's go fishing!" Can you imagine the look on Peter's face? Here's a carpenter telling the Zebedee Fish Market Crew how to catch fish. Besides, they've been fishing all night, which is the time to fish, in the shallow water where fish are usually found. Now they are enduring that painful question that people always pose to fishermen. "Are you catching anything?" No wonder Peter is less than enthusiastic in his obedience; he says, "Master, we have worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." Of course, you know the rest of the story. They catch so many fish that their nets begin to break, and they have to call for help. I shall not try to explain the miracle. Is Jesus calling you into the deeper waters? What are the signs that signal the time for a move? Are you willing to obey—to go with Him all the way?
Putting into deep water can be scary. The unknown creates anxiety and concern. Again, it's not just a fish story. Deepwater may be a job change, getting married, graduating from school, facing a medical decision, accepting a child who has not lived up to what you expected. Whatever God calls you to involves sharing what you believe, and God has equipped you to accomplish it. You can find your own way to tell your children, "This is what I believe." "This is how I pray." "I know God loves you." Whenever we find ourselves dealing with a friend or someone at work who is in need or struggling with grief or loss, whenever we find ourselves called to reconcile with someone who has hurt us, that call is an invitation to share what we believe. We should not be reluctant to cast our nets in our approach to others. Cast your nets, and experience the joy of seeing all that God gives you. Let his love fill your net; let him into your life to guide you through deep water.
4th Sunday of Ordinary Time, January 30, 2022
Jer 1:4-5, 17-19/1 Cor 12:31—13:13 or 13:4-13/Lk 4:21-30
Most of you remember the game show, "what's my line?" Usually, three people were placed behind a table, and they all professed to be the same person. The contestants' job was to determine who the real person was from questioning them. If Jesus was on this show, how would he have been defined? I could picture three different-looking people. The first says, My name is Jesus; he has long flowing hair and a draped white robe. The second says, My name is Jesus, a wreath of jagged thorns on his head. Finally, the third says, My name is Jesus, a dark-complected curly-haired young man with defined Jewish features.
Atter the questioning, the host says, "Will the real Jesus Christ, please stand up?" Everybody sees Jesus from a different angle, including the writers of the New Testament. For Matthew, Jesus is the Teacher of Righteousness. Mark sees Jesus as an exorcist, constantly battling the powers of evil. According to the Gospel of John, Jesus comes to reveal God. But for the writer of Luke's Gospel, the word that best summarizes the person and work of Jesus is the word "prophet." Jesus is a prophet. Luke says Jesus was a prophet. His role had nothing to do with his appearance. It had little to do with his familiarity with the traditions of Israel. Instead, it had everything to do with his sense of timing.
The prophet Jesus says, "Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." That is striking. Jesus could have said, "Yesterday," as in, "Yesterday, this scripture was fulfilled." Neither did Jesus say, "Tomorrow." Maybe we thought he would say, "Tomorrow, the scripture will be fulfilled." Or at least he could have said, "Someday, the scriptures will be fulfilled." An announcement like that could move our hearts toward hope. So what are we supposed to do with this strange story of Jesus' first sermon to his hometown folk? The Old Testament lesson read to us this morning gives us a clue. It is from the Book of Nehemiah. It is a historic passage because it records the event in which scripture was established as the Word of God. So put yourself back in that congregation in Nazareth and listen now. Listen to this. "Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." That means that the time you are waiting for is here. The time is now, not some other time. The time for you to begin living is right now. Whatever image you have of Jesus, the suffering servant, the prophet, the healer, it really doesn't matter. Jesus is for us today. We can question him all we want, reject him, accept him; he is here for today. Will the real Jesus Christ please stand up? Who did you pick, who do you follow today?
3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, January 23, 2022
Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10/1 Cor 12:12-30 or 12:12-14, 27/Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21
Most of you know the saying, “all eyes on you, or caught in the headlights.” I believe there is nothing more terrifying than walking into a room and speaking to a group. It became even more nerve-racking when you are speaking to people you know. Most newly ordained priests, select someone else to preach the homily for their first Mass. I had the honor of having Bishop Stan preach my first Mass. There are many reasons behind this custom, but one for sure is in most cases you are back at your home parish, friends, family, classmates, priests, and even bishops in attendance. “all eyes on you!” For some people, it comes easy, for others it is a frightening experience. Today, Jesus is faced with that situation. He was back home in the synagogue. All eyes were on him, he was the deer in the headlights. Before this time he was probably seen delivering chairs, tables, and other items that he built with his earthly dad, Joseph. I am sure there were eye-rolling, and sighs. Jesus chose the great passage from Isaiah that we heard today, proclaiming the coming of a savior, that the people had waited millenniums for.
It would have been obvious that the words were immediately recognized. Then Jesus did something unexpected. After rolling up the scrolls, He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Surely everyone was looking at each other, “did I just hear what I think I heard.” Did this carpenter’s son just declare he was the savior? If they had Facebook, there would have been thousands of comments! It appears there was immediately a double-reaction: some were amazed and part of their amazement at his "gracious" speech gets expressed in the line "Isn't this Joseph's son?" But that question seems to cut two ways, and Jesus' subsequent words indicate his awareness of this. The question "Isn't this Joseph's son" CAN be a source of genuine wonder and appreciation-look how far our local boy has come! But it's not difficult to see that the same question could be asked with a real edge to it, with a sneer, with jealousy. "Joseph's kid? Good grief. He was a nobody back in the day and he's a nobody from a no-account family now. Forget him!" His friends are prostitutes, sinners, tax collectors, and drunks. In his best stories, the heroes were a no-good son, a Samaritan, and a beggar whose sores the dogs licked.
We are now the ones with all eyes on us. We, stand glaring at the headlights realizing that these words are directed to us. The shock comes when we realize that his mission then is our mission now. We have a direct relationship with this young man, who was tossed out of his hometown. The world needs to see Christ clearly, without distraction. That means the world needs to see the church clearly. For as the spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus, so it is upon us to "preach good news to the poor ... release to the captives ... sight to the blind ... and liberty to the oppressed." This is our opportunity to stand before everyone. I do know this, Jesus said, “Today is the day.” Not last Thursday, not next Tuesday. Jesus said, “Today is the time of God.” And he was right. For anybody who would follow the prophet of Galilee, for anybody who would bear the name of “Christian,” this is the acceptable time to share the love and justice of God.
2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, January 16, 2022
Is 62:1-5/1 Cor 12:4-11/Jn 2:1-11
Johnny Carson, was interviewing an eight-year-old boy one night. The young man was asked to appear on the Late Show because he had rescued two friends from a coal mine outside his hometown in West Virginia. As Johnny questioned him, it became apparent that the boy was a Christian. Johnny asked him if he attended Sunday School. When the boy said he did, Johnny inquired, “What are you learning in Sunday School?” “Last week,” the boy replied, “our lesson was about how Jesus went to a wedding and turned water into wine.” The audience burst into laughter and applause. Keeping a straight face, Johnny asked, “And what did you learn from that story?” The boy squirmed in his chair. It was apparent he hadn’t thought about this. But then he lifted up his face and said, “If you’re going to have a wedding, make sure you invite Jesus and Mary!”
That is precisely the message of today’s Gospel: make sure you invite Jesus and Mary wherever you live and wherever you go – they are the only ones you’ll ever need. In other words, today’s Gospel lesson is about the need of Christ in our lives and the power of his Mother’s intercession. Jesus lived in a culture that valued hospitality and community. No more wine meant no more wedding celebration, which would be humiliating for the bride and groom’s families. Jesus’ mother, Mary, must have heard whispers about the lack of wine, so she took the problem to Jesus. “They have no more wine,” she said. Jesus answered, “Woman, why do you involve me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” This passage is a great example of what I would call mom-power. Mothers have that unique power to talk their kids into doing their bidding. Mary didn’t ask Jesus directly to do anything. She didn’t demand. She just presented the problem to him in such a way that he couldn’t say, “No.” That’s mom-power.
In 2020 small Italian town experienced a seeming miracle. A local winery in the town had a valve fail on its bottling line. The pressure created by the leaky valve forced wine into the area water pipes, causing red wine to flow out of the water taps in about 20 homes surrounding the winery. The red wine flowed for about three hours, until workmen were able to fix the leaky valve. The manager at the winery said the malfunction was appreciated by many of their customers. In fact, some of them were bottling some of the wine for later use. Can you imagine wine pouring out of your kitchen faucet? Jesus could have provided wine for every household in town.
But if you read through the Bible, God often asks ordinary people to assist in His work. God partners with us to do miracles. But God chooses those who trust Him. It always requires an attitude of trust, an act of faith, to partner with God in doing His work. Jesus’ first miracle wasn’t for show. It was to show us that in his coming, in his life and his death for our sake, God was doing a new thing, an abundant thing, and a grace thing. His broken body and the wine of the Eucharist are constant reminders of Christ’s courageous love for us. Don’t you want to know a God like that? Don’t you want to be a part of His work? Then give your life to Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and see what new things, abundant things and grace-filled things God can do in your life.
Baptism of the Lord, Sunday, January 9, 2022
Is 42:1-4, 6-7/Acts 10:34-38/Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
A pig and a chicken were out for a walk one day. The chicken remarked ‘Those are very nice people down in that house down there.’ ‘They are indeed,’ replied the pig, ‘they are very nice people.’ ‘They are very good to us,’ continued the chicken. ‘They are indeed’ replied the pig, ‘they are very good to us.’ ‘Do you know what I was thinking’ asked the chicken. ‘No’, said the pig. ‘What were you thinking?’ ‘I was thinking’ that we should do something for them’ That’s a very good idea’ replied the pig. ‘I think we should do something for them. What did you have in mind? ‘I was thinking that we should give them something’ said the chicken. ‘A brilliant idea’ said the pig. I think we should give them something. What did you have in mind? ‘I was thinking’ said the chicken, ‘that we should give them bacon and eggs. The pig quickly stopped in his tracks, and said ‘Definitely not! For you it’s only a slight inconvenience, but for me it’s total commitment!’-
Baptism is intended to lead us to a total commitment and our acts of Christian charity should be seen as anything but slight inconveniences. Baptism is a total commitment. When someone decides to join the Catholic Church, the first question asked, “are you baptized?” The response might be yes when I was a baby. Baptism is not a Catholic, Protestant, Lutheran, Baptist thing. It is a Christian thing! Yes, proper form and matter must be present. We don’t baptize people with milk, diet coke, or beer. We don’t use a water gun and say, “got ya!” The importance of form and matter—truly matter. I baptism you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Using water.
Anyone who has visited the Jordan river know its not a pristine body of water. It is no different than our Kaskaskia River, or Mississippi River. Many moved by John’s fierce preaching at the Jordan mistakenly believe that he is the Messiah. John tells them that he is only preparing the way. He performs an ancient ritual symbolizing conversion and repentance. The Baptist refers to the one who is to come, ‘who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire!’ If the one who is to come will baptize with the Holy Spirit, then he must be possessed by the Holy Spirit. John baptized Jesus with water, but Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. According to Luke, “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.” Jesus confronted evil, not at a point of weakness, but at the points of his strength, assisted by the power of God’s Spirit.
What does it mean to be baptized by the Holy Spirit? It means we are commissioned for ministry. We are called to do God’s work. We are given sufficient power to do what we must, wherever we are needed. It means God gives us the strength to do what God requires of us ... which, if you ask me, is the essence of grace. Baptism enables and empowers us to do the things that Jesus wants us to do here and now. We are able to identify with Jesus because He was baptized. And we are able to love as he loved. Such identification is life changing. That kind of identification shapes what we believe and claims us.
It’s not easy giving of ourselves in baptism, it is a permanent mark, no matter how hard we rub, deny, reject that mark travels with us. It is the power and sign of the holy spirit working in us. The beginning of the journey towards our own salvation. Today, like the poor pig realize the our baptism marks us a mission. Sometimes that mission requires us to give totally of ourselves. To live the life that Jesus asks.
Epiphany, Sunday, January 2, 2022
Is 60:1-6/Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6/Mt 2:1-12
You may have heard about the three six-year-old boys playing the wise men in their church Christmas program. As they came up to Mary and Joseph at the stable, the first one handed over his present and said, "Gold." The second presented his gift and said, "Myrrh." The third one then gave them his treasure and said, "And Frank sent this." "And Frank sent this." Makes sense to me. What do children know about frankincense and myrrh? I wonder what kind of men the three Magi were? In the folklore of our faith, they are given names--Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. In some portrayals of the men, they have distinctive racial features--Melchior, European; Balthasar, African; and Caspar, Asian. They represent people from all over the world coming to seek Jesus. The three men have been characterized as kings. Obviously, they were not lowly peasants. Herod and all of Jerusalem would not have been distressed if three peasants came seeking the newborn king. They have also been called Wise Men, of course. Indeed, they were students of the stars. Astrologers, perhaps. They had seen a star, a star unlike any other star, and they followed it until it came to rest over the house where the young child lay.
Today marks the last official holiday count off - as we celebrate Epiphany, the end of the twelve-day Christmastide bridges Christmas Eve and Epiphany Eve. Epiphany is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God, Emmanuel, "God WITH Us," as was manifest specifically in the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus, which symbolized Jesus' mission to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. God's "Withness" embraces all peoples of all cultures and creation... I get a little sad when Christmas is over. There's so much good music, such tasty foods, so much color, and warmth. And presents! I love presents! I wish we celebrated all twelve days of Christmas. Three wise men come from the East bringing gifts to the infant Jesus, and in the process, receive a gift worth the distance and effort they spent. After depositing their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they, in turn, receive a gift: They are redirected. That is what we all get after kneeling before Jesus: we are redirected. That different direction after kneeling before Jesus means that your joy in life will not be in seeking happiness and fulfillment directly but in intentionally walking the way of service, sacrifice, and surrender.
The new direction involves finding the holy in the least expected places, the very places we would most like to avoid. The Magi were men of action, men of determination. They were "Yes, I will" people. But more than anything else, the three Magi were men of faith. As they told King Herod, they were following their star that they might worship the one who had been born king of the Jews. The three wise men came with pure hearts. Their purpose was worship and praise. They came not to find gold but to find God. Their purpose was to offer up gifts to their Savior and Redeemer. My dear friends, follow that star. People who make a difference in the world are not content to sit on the sidelines. They set their sights on a worthy lead, and they follow it with all their hearts. Of course, the most magnificent star that we can observe is the same today as it was in the time of the Magi. It is the star of Christ himself. Bowing before him in adoration and praise and offering the gift of ourselves.
Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, Saturday, January 1, 2022
Nm 6:22-27/Gal 4:4-7/Lk 2:16-21
Happy New Year!
I trust you have made those New Year resolutions and you are going to keep them? I heard about one gentleman who decided to make only resolutions this year he could keep. He resolved to gain weight, to stop exercising, to read less and watch more TV, to procrastinate more, to quit giving money and time to charity, and to never make New Year's resolutions again. Maybe he's onto something. Why torture ourselves when we never keep those resolutions more than a week anyway? What we need, of course, is not another resolution, but a revolution. We need a turning point in our lives. Like the wise men of old we need to catch a glimpse of a guiding light, and we need to follow that light to a New Life in Christ.
On the first day of the New Year it would be good to bless and thank God for the gift of yet another year and ask for his blessings on every day of the New Year. One of the blessings we have received is the gift of Mary Mother of God and our mother. It would be great if we could count the marvels God does for us every day! ‘Have a blessed New Year!’ The blessing from today’s first reading is one of the best known sections of the entire Torah, a priestly blessing upon the people. The blessing is threefold, and was used by the Jewish priests to bless the people at the end of the sacrifice in the temple of Jerusalem. The words of the blessing are almost self-explanatory; three times the name of Yahweh is mentioned to remind us that He is the source of all blessing. The blessing firstly recognizes the people’s dependence on God. Secondly, it wishes that God gives the recipients a sign of his pleasure. Thirdly, it wishes ‘Peace’ that precious gift of not only internal tranquility, but prosperity and happiness as well. In summary, what is being said is that we are blessed because we are children of Yahweh, his favored sons and daughters! So did this simple prayer make it into our modern, Christian understanding? Here is an example: Someone sneezes? What do we say. “God bless you.” I rest my case! It is our traditional invocation, when we want to wish people well, is to say ‘God bless you’. A Blessing implies finding favor with God, even for a sneeze.
There was once a Christmas pageant at a small church in which the part of the innkeeper at Bethlehem was played by a high school student. He was a quiet and polite boy, but the kind of boy for whom the word "awkward" was an perfect description -- awkward in manner, awkward in social relationships, even awkward in size. His peers liked him well enough, but he was the sort of person who was easy to overlook, to exclude from the center of things. When Joseph and Mary appeared at the inn, he stood ... awkwardly ... in the doorway, slumping a bit toward the couple as they made their request for lodging. He then dutifully recited his one line, "There is no room in the inn." But as Mary and Joseph turned and walked wearily away toward the cattle stall where they would spend the night, the boy continued to watch them with eyes filled with compassion. Suddenly responding to a grace which, though not part of the script, filled the moment, he startled himself, the holy couple, and the audience, by calling, "Wait a minute. Don't go. You can have my room." What a simple New Year’s resolution, kindness and compassion, something we can keep.