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Homily

6th Sunday of Easter – Spirit of Truth

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; Ps. 66:1-7, 16, 20; 1Peter 3:15-18; Jn. 14:15-21

The Advocate is the Spirit of Truth.  It is him who comes to us and remains with us when we follow his commandments.  Our act of faith is to follow his commandments with a spirit of trust which leads God to fulfill his promise to us.  Who is in the driver’s seat, the Spirit of Truth that leads the way or are we still holding on tight to the wheel? 

The Spirit of Truth is one that hears the cries out to God in good times and in bad, in joy and in sorrow, in love and worship and in surrender to love.  The Spirit of Truth is faithful when we empty ourselves of our attachments and allow him to fill us with his truth in unity with his love.  This is our conversion to the goodness of God.  Still holding tight to the wheel? 

The driverless vehicles are already on the road.  Some are happy to allow technology to take over while they focus on their own self interests while riding from place to place.  Others are fearful to let go of the wheel with the old adage “what can go wrong will go wrong”.  Some don’t even like to use cruise control and let go of the gas pedal.  Trusting technology is an act of faith to a lesser degree but it reveals to us something of our own level of trust in God.  To say “I believe” in God does not reveal how far we have come to trust in God. 

 A sign that the Spirit of Truth is active in our lives is how we trust in God.  We trust in God when we sanctify Christ in our hearts.  Christ is our hope regardless of what is going on in our world.  This hope is visible in the way we live our lives and the way we respond to the world not only with hope but with the peace of Christ that remains within us.  The Lord’s greeting “peace be with you” is not just an opening invitation of peace but a sustaining peace that remains with us in the light of hope and in the darkness of evil, God’s will be done and will prevail. 

The Spirit of Truth cannot be deceived.  Recall the adage “you can fool some of the people some of the time but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time”.  Well, you can never fool the Spirit of Truth at any time and keep a conscience clear.  When the Spirit of Truth resides in us then we can still try to deceive others by our passions but we cannot deceive ourselves and believe it.  The truth that resides in us will not rest until we bring reconciliation with God and others.  This is a blessing though some may consider it a curse, the moral conscience to do right.  A moral conscience comes from God’s law of serving a greater good. 

Keeping his commandments gets tested not only from within but also from without by a world that does not know him and lives not by a Spirit justified by God’s truth but by the spirit of self-justification.  The spirit of self-justification follows the principle that “it’s all about me”.  Because it is all about me then if you disagree with me, you are the enemy that must be “cancelled” or eliminated. 

That is the lesson seen in the crucified Christ and the experience we live with in a culture of cancellation and death.  If they could crucify Christ who walked doing what is good and spoke of Godly truth then we can see how easily the world can finds ways to silence, cancel, and if needed destroy a person for the act of practicing their faith in the public square.  The Spirit if Truth is not bound by the walls or limited to personal beliefs.  It is a Spirit of freedom to be lived, to be shared and to even be proclaimed.   

1st Peter in his letter calls us to testify to God’s power in us when we “suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God.”  The “if” reminds us not all suffering is the will of God when evil remains in this world.  The will of God comes in suffering from keeping his commandments.  These works represent his truth coming the “Spirit of Truth” as our Advocate when we respond with “gentleness and reverence, keeping our conscience clear”.  This is our hope and our challenge calling upon the Advocate in our struggles when faced with adversity.  Let us let God be our driver and we will arrive at our destination in good hands. 

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Homily

5th Sunday of Easter – The Mystery of Faith

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Acts 6:1-7; Ps. 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; 1Peter 2:4-9; Jn. 14:1-12

What is the mystery of faith?  We say it in every Mass after the consecration.  It is the real presence of Christ in the bread and wine as Christ’s body and blood, a reality accepted in faith more than by reason.  Many do not believe even among some Catholics that the Eucharist is the real presence of Christ because it sounds too cannibalistic.  It is seen with only human understanding, reduced to mere symbolism.   

Easter is the revelation of Jesus resurrected yet maintaining the capacity of being in body and blood.  It is the divine body and blood that we are now receiving in the Eucharist.  How can this be?  In the same way that he reveals to us that to see him is to see the Father, he is in the Father and the Father is in him adding to the mystery of faith.  Not only that but to complete the mystery of faith, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are one God. 

To add to the mystery of faith, Jesus does not “cancel” the priesthood so that we may all be led by a good pastor of the sheep.  This is what the reformation tried to do in separating itself from the Catholic church.  It claimed by our baptism we are all priests, prophets and kings so no need for as priest.  In doing so however no more consecration of bread and wine so it had to be a mere symbolism. The first reading tells us that “even a large number of priests” became obedient not by giving up their priesthood but by joining the priesthood of Jesus. 

The first Apostles are revealing to us today in the scripture the priesthood of Jesus.  The community was growing and they found themselves having to ensure that the community was being taken care of for basic needs.  They saw this as “neglect” of the word of God and of the priestly role to “serve at table”.  This was their first obligation to proclaim the word and consecrate the bread and wine into the daily Eucharist.  The solution was to appoint “seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom” who they laid hands on them to assist in the care of the church and thus was created the first deacons.   

The origins for the call to the diaconate was to serve the needs of the people.  In being “reputable”, they were trusted with the resources of the church and not prone to scandal.  In being filled with the Spirit and wisdom they served as a channel of grace to minister to the needs of the people as the hands of the church.  Deacons are called apart out from the people but not to the priesthood become the bridge living “in the world but not of the world” uniting church and people as a visible Christ.  The diaconate is to go forth as a voice for our times in our homes, work places, and in the community. 

Jesus is our cornerstone “the way the truth and the life”.  This is our invitation today, just as the Father dwells in Jesus and Jesus in him, we are invited to dwell in Jesus and “offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”.  The complaint we hear from people is that they come to church to “get something” by being here.  Jesus is here waiting to receive what we are ready to offer him, our worship and praise, our fruits even our very selves.  It is in giving that we receive.  If we come to church with the idea of “Jesus show me what you got, show me the Father” not ready to empty ourselves to his love and mercy then we leave just as we came in.

In our times it is often repeated “the church is the people” who share in the one priesthood by baptism.  This focus on the people is meaningful and part of Vatican II’s effort for the people to be more engaged in the church.  It is not meant to deny Jesus his institution of a church to lead the people in his divine plan of salvation. 

The mystery of faith is also the church.  The church is born in the one priesthood of Jesus Christ!  Ecclesiology is the study of the nature of the “church” and traditionally Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension as the birth of the church.  These are the priests set apart to lead the people.  Pope Leo last Sunday, also called the Good Shepherd Sunday ordained a group of men to the priesthood in which he told them “You are a channel, not a filter.”  The good shepherd leads people to Christ with an open gate to add to a “holy nation, a people of his own” with love and mercy as we place our trust in him. 

The mystery of faith rises and descends from the Eucharist as the source and summit of the church. Can there be church without the Eucharist or the Eucharist without a priest?  Let us continue to pray for the priesthood and the call for vocations as the cornerstone that Jesus left us as his way to remain with us. 

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Homily

4th Sunday of Easter – The Good Shepherd

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Ps. 23:1-3a, 3b-6; 1Peter 2:20b-25; Jn. 10:1-10

Jesus is the Good Shepherd.  His voice is what runs through our minds, hearts, and will to do the Father’s will.  He leads us through right paths for he himself is the way the truth, and the life. 

The Good Shepherd’s voice calls out to “Save yourself from this corrupt generation…which does not enter the sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.”  When Peter stood up and proclaimed to his generation “this Jesus whom you crucified…they were cut to the heart”.  Salvation comes through repentance and baptism but first the word of God must cut to the heart and reveal our sin before us.  Sin is the thief and robber that climbs into our lives unsuspectingly to steal our hearts with temptation until we become “normalized” by a corrupt generation. 

The sin of each generation is a thief and robber in search of souls for a self-indulgence trying to feed on the pleasure principle, “if it feels good then indulge” until it becomes toxic but by then the heart is compromised and it stands at the gate holding us in bondage to “steal, slaughter and destroy”.  The thief lays the “feel good bag of goodies” to savor but it is our response that is the sin we possess.  Fault always is personal to be rejected with virtue.  Corruption came from the beginning, the genesis of sin after creation by free will and it remains “mia culpa” by our choice.  “For you have gone astray as sheep” but now we hear the voice of truth to lead us back. 

Truth leads to wisdom of a greater understanding beyond ourselves.  It is not about “me” it is about salvation for “us”.  Easter is this gift of salvation in Jesus giving of himself for us in his passion, death and resurrection that all may be saved through the “good shepherd”.  Jesus proclaims “I know my sheep, and mine know me.” 

How does Jesus recognize his “sheep” and how do we recognize our Lord?  We are recognized in being “patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God”.  Jesus is the example we should follow that he may see himself in us.  In this Jesus recognizes his own who are responding to evil with good.  How then do we know Jesus?  Jesus’ revelation comes in the voice of truth that cuts to our hearts “and the sheep follow him”.  The voice of the shepherd burns in the hearts of his sheep and it cannot be denied. 

“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want”.  The people of Israel sought freedom he gave them salvation.  They sought a king for this earth and he gave them a kingdom in heaven.  They wanted someone to rule over them and he gave them a shepherd to follow.  They wanted to conquer other people and he gave them the power to conquer their own corruption. 

What do we “want” from the Lord?  We seek freedom from disease and pandemics he gives us salvation from sin.  We want to preserve our kingdoms we have built and he promises one in heaven.  We want leaders for nations to rule and he gives us himself calling us to follow his example.  We want to conquer in this world all our enemies and we are given the power to conquer the enemy of the world and victory over death.  Jesus is the promise of life more abundantly. 

The abundant life in Jesus Christ is the good news!  In him is our courage to “walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil”.  The corruption of each generation remains in a kingdom not our own but the Lord has called us by name and if “today you hear his voice harden not your hearts” salvation is at your doorstep. 

Our heads are anointed with oil of salvation at baptism and we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to keep our hearts burning for truth, goodness, beauty and unity in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Open the doors of hearts to “dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come”.  Today we pray for the doors to the church to be opened and a return to the banquet of the Lord in the Eucharist until we enter the heavenly banquet closer to us than we recognize in the mystery of faith. 

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Homily

Third Sunday of Easter – Faith and Hope

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Acts 2:14, 22-33; Ps. 16: 1-2, 5, 7-10, 11; 1 Peter 1: 17-21; Lk. 24: 13-35

Easter time is our reminder that “Your faith and hope are in God”.  This is our “final time” in which he reveals himself to us as human and divine, in the sacrifice of the lamb, and in the breaking of the bread.  He is true God and true man that we may come to believe and live in the faith and hope of our salvation and eternal life.   This is the time of our “sojourning to live our works of faith and hope that we may pass this final test and come into his glory. 

A house divided cannot stand so in times of crisis, war, and the cry of the suffering the first crisis is of faith to stand the test of faith amid the fears and to never lose hope.  This Sunday’s readings reveal the disciples’ crisis of faith at the death of Jesus and the continuation of Jesus’ formation of church in his real presence, “the breaking of bread”. 

Three areas of “church” division among Christianity in our times are addressed in our reading summarized as “sola scriptura”, church “authority”, and salvation by “faith alone”.  Jesus opens the scriptures to us but it is in the breaking of the bread that he is made known to us.  How often have we read scripture or listened to the same passage and yet our spirit seems dormant.  Then one day it speaks to our heart and our eyes are opened to how it speaks to our life. 

On the road to Emmaus the eyes of the two disciples were prevented from recognizing him.  The word becomes revealed to their life situation, it “burn(s)” in their hearts and they come to believe in the risen one as their eyes are opened to recognize him the breaking of the bread.  Jesus vanishes but now their faith is strengthened and their hope is renewed as they come to realize the significance of the breaking of bread in which Jesus remains burning from within their soul. 

“Sola Scriptura” meaning the “Bible alone” is a main source of division between Catholic and Protestant faith.  Today many Christian denominations follow “Sola Scriptura” as the only infallible source of authority for Christians.  The “breaking of the bread” is seen as the revelation of the word of God to open the eyes of the disciples but not his real presence.  Jesus revelation to the disciples on the road to Emmaus came first as a revelation of scripture and then as he breaks the bread to his real presence before them to remain with them body, blood, soul and divinity in the bread. 

Today in the Catholic church we celebrate both in the Mass with its two parts called the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  This journey of faith on the Road to Emmaus is our journey of faith “on the first day of the week”, resurrection Sunday.  It is the confirmation of the “Last Supper” to be continued in Tradition.  The Eucharist is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ’s revelation to this very day.  Jesus remains with us in the Eucharist to strengthen our faith and hope in his mercy and love despite our weakness for sin.  

Church “authority” closely follows in a “house divided among itself” for Christianity.  “Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: ‘You…indeed all of you…Let this be known to you, and listen to my words.’ Peter is given the keys to the kingdom by Jesus after Peter denied him during the Passion.  The primacy of Peter is the “authority” to follow in Jesus’ self-sacrifice as a “Holy Father”.  The word without the authority of the church to bring unity is a house divided among itself.  Left to our own authority we divide into our “denominations” with what interpretation of scripture we identify with as our “truth”. 

The disciples on the road to Emmaus knew the scriptures as faithful Jews but it is the person of Jesus who “interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures”.  This gift of interpretation is passed on to his disciples to build the Kingdom of God in one holy, catholic, and apostolic church.  Today it is the “Chair of Peter” passed on to each Pope to carry forth into generations to come. 

Salvation by “faith alone” is the third major pillar of division among the Christian “house” filled with rooms called denominations.  Peter proclaims, “If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one’s works…as of a spotless unblemished lamb”.  Powerful authority to declare not by “faith alone” does the Father judge impartially but “according to each one’s works”.  Faith is the seed of salvation and works the fruit of salvation.  The seed without works dies but the works produced by the seed are the works of God through us, not our own.  The principal argument made against “works” is the conception that they are “our works” to merit heaven as if there is a scale that tips the works in our favor earning our justification.  Far from it for to be Christian is to surrender ourselves to the works of God as instruments of his grace working in us for the salvation of souls.  It is God’s grace, his gift of love, mercy, faith, and hope to be witnesses and bring forth the good news.  These are the works of God that bring salvation who the Father judges how we fulfilled them. 

It is believed that Martin Luther could not reconcile personal sin because of his own scrupulosity and thus came up with the theory of salvation by “faith alone”.  He lost hope of the human capacity to fulfill the call to be “perfect” as God is perfect.  Our hope is in the mercy of God to be washed clean of our sins with God’s perfect love.  Our works reflect our cooperation with God’s grace as we participate in God’s salvific work.   

Finally, the goal of the Christian is to come before the Lord as a “spotless unblemished lamb” that is without sin.  Who then will be saved?  This past week we recall the Lord’s promise of mercy to the whole world in Divine Mercy Sunday.  In confession and the breaking of the bread we receive atonement for our sins when we come to Jesus.  This is our redemptive gift but we must respond or carry our sin with us into the fire of purification, our purgatory in this life or in the next.  Let our eyes be opened to his revelation from the foundation of the Church.  The pandemic of death is not a virus but a house divided among itself in a crisis of faith.  I believe in one God and in one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. 

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Homily

Second Sunday of Easter – “Receive the Holy Spirit”

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Acts 2:42-47; Ps. 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 Peter 1: 3-9; Jn. 20: 19-31

It is the evening of the resurrection referred to as “the first day of the week” and Jesus appears to the disciples ready to deliver a great gift.  The gift is wrapped with a bow he declares as “Peace be with you”.  The bow of peace brings joy to the disciples in order to be ready and open to receive the greater gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the gift that comes with power to give witness to the resurrection of Jesus.  This is the gift that transforms the lives of the disciples into vessels of authority to forgive sins, to heal the sick, to cast out demons, to offer up the body and blood of Jesus in the Eucharist. 

The resurrection brings us the joy of peace.  It is the peace to know his victory over death.  It is the peace of eternal life.   It is the peace to live in peace regardless of what this world brings us.  It also is the peace to open our minds and hearts to receive the Holy Spirit and give testimony to the resurrection of life. Even in this life we are to become a new creation through the sacramental life of the church.  The Lord offers us his peace which we can accept by the act of trusting in him or we can refuse by holding onto our own worries and anxieties.  This day is also the celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday in which the words he gives us to accept are “Jesus, I trust in you”. 

We are all familiar with the expression Let go and let God”.  The mercy of God requires our trust in him.  It does not mean we sit still waiting for life to happen, to the contrary it means we go forth in peace trusting the guidance of the Holy Spirit to direct our hearts, minds and actions towards the will of the Father.    The disciples devoted themselves to “teaching” and to “communal life, the breaking of bread and to prayers”.  They had a mission to fulfill and it started with understanding their purpose in building up the church.  The mission remains the same to add to the number being saved.  It is our mission and it begins with bringing our children to the sacrament of baptism and being raised in the faith. 

We hear today that our “inheritance” is kept in heaven “safeguarded through faith” to be revealed in the final time.  In other words, we must persist in faith and not lose heart because of the trials we encounter in this life.  Each time we are “tested by fire” we have a choice to turn from God asking “where were you God when I needed you” or responding with “Jesus, I trust in you”.  We are weak but the power of God is waiting for us to stand by our faith and persevere through our trials. 

Thomas represents all of us when our faith questions God even though we have already accepted Jesus by faith.  Our faith wants to see evidence of his presence in order to believe.  Thomas wanted to see the nailmarks in his hands and the wound on his side.  We start with prayers that are conditional “if you do this for me Lord, I will believe, I will go to church, I will stop committing this sin”.  God hears the prayer of an unconditional heart who surrenders to his love and remains hopeful for God’s time as the right time. 

Here we are 2000 years later believing in Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  Is this the faith of our parents who we follow simply by tradition or is this the faith built on a strong foundation of trust, trials, and having a personal relationship with the one we love?  The life we have by faith comes with the power of the risen one who is opening the window to his mercy or we remain wandering in the desert still searching for what is this life all about. 

“Jesus, I trust in you.” 

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Homily

Easter – A Triduum of sacrificial love

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Easter is a Triduum of love in the person of Jesus Christ.  The mystery of the Jewish Passover is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ, his passion, death and resurrection.   Through his sacrifice of love, Jesus brings us salvation and passage into heaven. 

Holy Thursday seen as the institution of the priesthood and the eucharist comes with the words “Do this!”  Good Friday, the only day without the celebration of the Mass is the paradox of being “Good” when at the same time the Lord is being crucified and proclaims on the cross “It is finished!”  Holy Saturday is the “Proclamation of the Exultet” from darkness to light with the lighting of the Easter candle, a sign of the Lord’s resurrection and the conquering of death concluding with Easter Sunday.  Thus, Easter is not a day or a moment but a living out of life through a process of love that begins with a command “Do this!” and so by doing it we enter into the life of Christ, his sacrifice, death, and resurrection. 

“Do this!”  Jesus command to his disciples to follow “the way”, his way before his death was to take his high priesthood as son of God and bestow it to his disciples.  It is the call to his royal priesthood.  This was not a public proclamation but a solemn event to those he called to be his disciples in order to give them a mandate of love through an act of charity by washing their feet.  This was “the way” of continuing to multiply the “loaves” of bread to feed his sheep and tend to his sheep through his body and blood in the Eucharist.  Jesus taught publicly many lessons but he reserved to these disciples a call to a life apart, a sacramental life, and a sacrificial life for the stranger making disciples of all nations. 

How is it that on a day when “sin” tries to claim its victory over God in the crucifixion of Jesus we recall it as a “Good Friday”?  Is there anything more of a paradox in life than to see Jesus crucified and call it “good”?  It is good that Jesus remained obedient to the Father through all his suffering even till death on a cross.  It is good that “it is finished” in bringing us the final victory over sin and death so that at the name of Jesus sin and death can have no power over us.  “Death, where is your sting?” It is good that we never forget this day in the life of faith so we may endure our own suffering knowing grace and patience until the day of our deliverance.  Yes, it is good to recall “God doesn’t give us what we can handle, God helps us handle what we are given” by our “cries and supplications” and by his grace to the God of deliverance. 

Exult for we have come from darkness to light, from death to life, and from sin to holiness.  Exult for the history of salvation is revealed to us in order to give us wisdom and understanding of the mysteries of faith.  Exult because now is the time of deliverance from the power of evil from the days of Adam and Eve to a new creation in Jesus Christ.  Let us exult for we now are transformed into the creation of the temple God longs to live in when we surrender into the waters of our baptism to rise again as he did from the darkness of death.  This is the “Proclamation of the Exultet” to rise again from our darkness. 

Rejoice children of God in Easter Sunday as the temple is raised again as promised in three days.  Rejoice because in rising from the dead he appeared to his disciples with a new command to forgive sins with the power of the Holy Spirit that is to come into them.  Rejoice children of God for our Shepherd is with us as we listen for his voice.  From the day of birth of mother church in the institution of the priesthood to the rising of the Son of God we rejoice for we are not alone, never abandoned nor forsaken by the Lord who suffered his passion in order to remain with us until the end of time.

Easter, a Triduum of love has been called the “silent times” in which we have offered our sacrifice of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during our Lenten season in order to experience the resurrection of the Lord in our own mind, body, and spirit.  In these silent times God speaks and his words are both universal to the world as they come also to each of us to say, “Do this for love of me.”  In the quiet of our hearts, we now come to Lord to receive his glory and to celebrate our own victory as we pass through from death to life in Christ. 

Happy Easter!  Happy Resurrection Day! 

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Homily

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Mt. 21: 1-11; Is. 50:4-7; Ps. 22:8-9, 18-20, 23-24; Phil. 2:6-11; Mt. 14:27-66

The Lord’s Passion, it has begun.  It has begun what the prophet foretold a “king comes…riding on an ass…a beast of burden”.  It is the burden to come for the sins of the world.  Those who worship cried out “Hosanna to the Son of David” and those filled with hate “crucify him”.  His betrayer, one of his own disciples for thirty pieces of silver.  Did this have to be simply to fulfill a prophesy?  It had to be because of a fallen humanity that no longer served God but served itself under the guise of religion in order to exert power over the people. 

Jesus is the suffering servant to this day whose death on the cross is not just a historical event but an active suffering that remains in his soul for our sins and failure to respond to his love and gift of mercy.  The world remains in a culture of death that by it’s action cries out “crucify the innocent and release the sinner”.  Jesus institutes the Mass, that is the cup that does not pass him by in his body and blood as a perpetual sacrifice for our sins.  Why do Catholics continue to leave Jesus on the cross even though the resurrection has also come?  It is because both can be true at the same time his perpetual sacrifice for our active sins and his resurrection for those who have been redeemed. 

This day of the Lord’s Passion, we prepare to live the Easter Triduum recalling Jesus’ prayer “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.”  In his humanity it seemed intolerable to endure the cross but in his divinity the spirit came to his aid to bear the unbearable.  This is our cry in our suffering that this too will pass us by and we can overcome all trial and tribulation.  It also is the willingness to accept the will of God who provides the strength to overcome the cross.  The cross is also a gift to bring about sanctification if we unite it to serve a greater purpose as revealed by God.  The flesh is weak but the spirit is strong when supported by the grace of God. 

The Lord’s Passion reminds us how easy it is to promise but how difficult it can be to fulfill.  We see this in Peter and all the disciples who each claimed they would not deny Jesus.  When the time came and the “shepherd” was struck the “sheep of the flock” scattered in fear.  How easy it is to renew our baptismal promises, as easy as it is to forget them in the moment we are tested when we leave the sanctuary.  Jesus knows this would be and so he suffers his passion once again. 

We must not lose sight of Jesus words when he says he could call on the Father and, in a moment, he could call the whole Passion off “with twelve legions of angels”, “but then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?”  Jesus reminds us of the gift of the will to follow the path of the Word, God’s purpose for our life or separate from him to follow our own design and consequence.   Jesus could not deny himself his own mission for the redemption of the world.  Are we living our mission as designed by our creator? 

Peter walked with Jesus and yet claimed “he did not know the man”.  He was right even after three years he did not come to know the man until after the resurrection that his eyes were opened as he witnessed “the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised” from the tombs appearing to many.  The resurrection is the proof that reveals and confirms our faith, “Truly, this was (and is) the Son of God!” 

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Homily

Fifth Sunday of Lent – Do you believe?

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Ezek. 37:12-14; Ps. 130:1-8; Rom. 8:8-11; Jn. 11:1-45

Do you believe in Jesus?  Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead?  True faith determines how we live our life and how we live our life determines where we spend eternity.  Believers live with the end in mind knowing that what we do today matters for eternity.  The God who knows every hair of our head also knows our thoughts, feelings, and the intent of our will. 

Where does faith come from?  We claim to have faith but we also pray for an increase of faith from God.  By faith Abraham and Sarah conceived a child.  By faith David believed what the prophet Nathan revealed to him that “the son of David will live forever”.  By faith Joseph believed what the angel revealed to him and took Mary into his home as his wife.  Mary accepted what the angel revealed to her in faith.  In each of these situations there was a messenger from God with a revelation but they were also predisposed to faith because God had already acted in their lives, in their formation of faith.  There is the personal element to believe and to follow.  God comes calling and then it’s up to us to respond as Mary does “let it be done to me according to your will”. 

Jesus said to the woman with a hemorrhage as he does to Bartimaeus born blind and to the Samaritan leper and to the blind beggar “your faith has saved you”.  Clearly there is a personal element to faith in all these individuals who he not only healed but claimed to be saved.  These individuals may not have had any formation of faith but were ready to receive the grace of faith through their suffering.  Suffering opens the heart to receive the grace of God through his mercy and love.   

Jesus rises Lazarus from the dead to show us in him is the power of the resurrection and of eternal life.  Both Mary and Martha said to Jesus “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  They only knew of the resurrection to come “on the last day” but by now they believe in Jesus as Martha proclaims “you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”  Jesus brings us “the last day” already upon us in himself.  He is the resurrection and the life.  How are we living “the last day” in our lives when everything is being consummated in Jesus, love, mercy, justice

Do you believe in the indwelling Spirit of Christ?  His Spirit is the source of life and without it we suffer the mortal death of sin.  Christ comes into the heart of a believer.  He sends us the Holy Spirit to help us grow in sanctity with the “tool box” of gifts that we may bear fruit.  Faith leads to right action when we surrender to the will of God. 

Do you believe in the mercy of God?  God comes to save us with love and mercy.  The window of salvation is our time of repentance.  God is merciful but his mercy must be an act of grace we seek otherwise we are left to the consequences of our own will which can deny us heaven.  God seeks relationship with his people to grow in love together.  If we believe then let this Lenten season bring us closer to the God we trust in. 

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Homily

Fourth Sunday of Lent – Light of life!

Posted on by Deacon Joe

1 Sam. 16:6-7, 10-13a; Ps. 23:1-3a, 3b-6; Eph. 5:8-14; Jn. 9:1-41

Christ is the light of life and we are to “live as children of light”.  So let us rejoice on this Laetare Sunday that reminds us our Lenten time is coming to an end.  When Samuel anoints David “the spirit of the Lord rushed upon David.”  The Lord said to Samuel to fill his horn with oil and the Church continues the anointing with Holy oils in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, ordination and anointing of the sick.  We call upon the Holy Spirit to seal us and heal us that we may live with Christ as our light of life. 

Soon we will be celebrating the sacrament of confirmation for some of our youths have prepared themselves for this great gift when the spirit of the Lord will rush upon them in the anointing with oil.  The sacrament confirms us to be the light of life in the world.  The Holy Spirit comes with its gifts to sanctify us but first it scrutinizes the soul to see that we are well prepared for the gift that will also be a calling to be used in the service of God.  The scrutiny by the Holy Spirit is to measure out the gifts by our love of God, by our commitment to serve God, and by our cleansing of our sin. 

The Holy Spirit is the sanctifier, makes us holy but only through the active practice of the gifts we receive.  The gifts are to serve in the spiritual and corporal works of mercy to be a light in the darkness.  The more the gift serves its purpose the more light it gives and the more we are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.  However, as in the parable of the talents reveals what we do with our gifts will either be multiplied or be taken from us if we are complacent.  This is why faith without works is dead and we risk suffering a slow death of our own. 

As it says in the second reading “Christ will give you light”, the light of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Wisdom to discern the truth, understanding to have clarity of mind, counsel to speak for justice, fortitude to take right action, knowledge of the word of life, piety to worship in love, and fear of the Lord to remain faithful as he is faithful to us.  Darkness is from the evil one who counters wisdom of right judgement with rationalization, instead of understanding of truth with confusion, instead of good counsel with spoken lies, instead of fortitude with fear of the unknown, knowledge is countered with false teachings, piety in devotion to God with narcissism, and instead of fear of the Lord brings on ignorance of God. 

God says walk in my ways that you may be blessed but the world is filled with souls that follow their own ideas. Their hearts are hardened because as much as we believe we think for ourselves we are prone to follow ideas of others, ideas that are given to us from this world as they reflect the norm of what is acceptable to the world.  God’s word is not a current idea but an eternal one.  If we trust in him, he will guide us in right paths and “there is nothing I shall want” but to be with our Lord all the days of our life. 

The light of Christ “produces every kind of goodness and righteousness, and truth.”  The man born blind was a test of faith for the man but also for the Pharisees.  The man was healed “so that the works of God might be made visible”.  Jesus with saliva and clay demonstrated how God created humanity and gave it life and by this act he also claimed his identity as God the Son.  The pool of Siloam was fed by the Gihon River which was thought to begin in Eden the place of Adam and Eve.  Jesus now demonstrated not only a work of mercy but a claim to God to make all things new. 

The blind man believed his eyes were opened to see because his eyes were “anointed”, that is the finger of God touched his eyes.  The Pharisees with eyes that see were blind to the truth refusing to believe in the miracle or in Jesus.  The blind man who now sees ministers to the Pharisees “God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him”.  The Pharisees are offended by the truth.  The man now with vision believed and worshiped the Son of Man. 

Jesus said, “we have to do the works of the one who sent me”.  This too is our call to do the works while it is still day.  The night for Jesus was to be his passion and death as our night is also coming.  We however rejoice because the light of life follows the darkness in the resurrection of Jesus and we believe in the promise of the resurrection.  Our Easter day is coming, let us receive the light of life and be transformed into his image. 

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Homily

Third Sunday of Lent – “I am he.” 

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Ex. 17:3-7; Ps. 95:1-2, 6-9; 2 Rom. 5:1-2, 5-8; Jn. 4:5-42

“I am he, the one speaking with you” harden not your hearts.  I am he who comes to you in the Word, in the Eucharist, on the cross, and in spirit and in truth.  I am he who is in your midst present in your joys, struggles and suffering to bring you the good news for your salvation. 

We are all familiar with this gospel of the woman at the well.  First Jesus is addressing a Samaritan woman who readily responds “For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans”.  Jesus was ready to drink from the same cup, the cup he would offer her for her salvation.  He is leading her to recognize him as the Messiah “the one called the Christ”.  She believed because as she said, “he told me everything I had done”.  He is revealing himself to her as the Christ opening up salvation to Jew and Gentile alike.  Now all the people of the town came out and by his word they came to believe “this is truly the savior of the world.” 

That same word is spoken to us in the scriptures we hear each time we come to Mass.  Do we believe he is speaking to us personally giving us a word of knowledge that speaks to our hearts?  Sometimes the more we hear the word the more desensitized we can become as if the story does not apply to us.  In fact, because we have entered into the faith, the Holy Spirit comes to waken us up to the truth of our own sinfulness that we may be converted and seek forgiveness. 

I am he who you crucified who died for you who by your sin drives the nails into my hands.  This Lent is our time to reflect on Jesus on the cross, his passion, death, and resurrection.  In our prayer he comes to remind us “I am he” who not only died on the cross but suffers the sins we commit, not only the sins of his people but the sins of the world.  His sacrifice for us is forgotten as we look to live our lives forgetting his call to be holy.  I am he who by the cross now justifies you by your faith.  Jesus takes the pain of the cross upon himself that we may be justified by our faith in him. 

I am he in the Eucharist who remains with us in this consecrated manner to provide us living water through his body and blood.  As he became incarnated into humanity, he offers himself to us that he can also be incarnated into us as one “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” as food to continue “to do the will of the one who sent me”.  Many come to receive the Eucharist without believing it is him present who we consume.  Without believing the first act of faith Jesus cannot pour out his grace upon the unbeliever even if he or she receives the Eucharist. 

I am he in spirit and in truth who through the Holy Spirit provides the gifts and fruits of the spirit to lead us and enlighten us to what is good, true beauty, unity, and truth.  This lent let us surrender to Jesus and wait upon him to reveal himself in our hearts, minds, and will. It is our time now to respond to him, let us not delay. 

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