Third Sunday of Easter, 2009
First Reading: Acts 3:13–15, 17–19
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 4:2, 4, 7–8, 9
Second Reading: 1 John 2:1–5a
Gospel: Luke 24:35–48
There is a story of a man who went to a restaurant for dinner. He called the waiter over and said: “I can’ t eat this soup.” The waiter replied: “I am sorry sir, I’ll call the manager”. When the manager came over to the table the guest said, “Mr. Manager, I can’t eat this soup.” The manager replied, “I will call the chef.” When the chef came over to the table, the diner said, “Chef, I can’t this soup.” The chef said, “What’s wrong with it?” The diner replied, “Nothing, I just don’t have a spoon.”
How often do we expect the unexpected? Listening isn't’ t always one of our gifts. Preoccupied with preparing a response, we are thinking ahead, anticipating what someone is going to say. We have answers ready and sometimes we miss the questions. Sometimes we even miss the answers. At times it is as if we are speaking a different language. Parents often feel this way when they speak to their children. And children feel the same at times when they speak to their parents. Often when our ears are blocked, we let our fears define the moment. Perhaps we need to listen with new ears to hear the voices around us and the humor that is in our daily lives. All of us at one time or other have experienced a closed mind. We can’t see outside the box. Those of you who take home our parish bulletin know that every week I place in it a prescription for a better marriage. Three weeks the perscription was: The first duty of love is to listen. Can you accurately repeat anything your spouse earlier today?
This in a sense is what Jesus is talking about today in our Gospel when he was on the road to Emmaus with his disciples. Jesus gave up everything he had -- even his life, in order to help others. But even those closest to him did not understand. They were preoccupied with the Jesus that they had imagined.
The disciples were told, and we were also told through them, that Jesus will change our body to conform with his glorified body. This is the Catholic message of life after death. Yet they did not understand, and we may not understand. On Easter Sunday night Jesus appeared to Peter and the disciples with his glorified body. He came through locked doors. He spoke to them PEACE BE WITH YOU. But they were startled and terrified thinking that they were seeing a ghost. He shows the disciples, who still were not believing, that he was really Jesus. He does this by showing them the marks on his hands and feet left by nails, and he ate some baked fish with them.
This Peter is the same man who three times denied Jesus, the same man who was too afraid to stand by his Master’s cross, the same man who experienced a dramatic conversion at the Resurrection, and the same man who is now taking to heart and to action the mission of reconciliation imparted to him by the risen Lord. Their abandoning of Jesus was forgiven, and that same forgiveness is now the subject of Peter’s preaching: “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.” Peter knew what he was talking about. He had experienced it himself.
Many had left Jesus after the Last Supper. On the road to Emmaus Peter is showing the meaning of the death and resurrection of Jesus. He is also showing us that the very early Catholics based their faith on the experience of the disciples. And our understanding of being a Catholic today is based on the unique experience of the first disciples as told in the Acts of the Apostles and our Gospels.
The Bible gives us a picture of real people meeting the Risen Jesus, and they did not do it easily. They had no point of reference for such a happening, only his words to them that this would happen, only his promise to them that it would happen. How is it that the story has continued for over 2000 years inspite of many challenges to it? In fact, for all of us the story is part of history. We have heard only our 10, 25, 50, 70 or so years of the story. But at every Easter time we are placed in the middle of the whole story.
Catholics are notoriously ignorant of the Bible and the teachings of their Church. Catholics have been very blessed by having exceptional schools and religious education programs and religious web sites. Mother Angelica years ago started the Eternal Word Network, known as EWTN to provide Catholics with religious formation. However, many Catholics have not developed a strong sense of on-going education and formation. Once they received Confiramtion many think they know all they need to know about Catholic teaching. Jesus believed in ongoing formation.
Like the people talking to the diner, at times in our life we can’t hear what Jesus is saying to us because our opinions about him or religion or the church are already formed. We have made up our mind and we stay stuck in that repeated tape playing in our mind. At time we just don’t hear what another person is saying because we have already decided what they are saying. Before we criticize the first disciples too harshly for their lack of recognizing Jesus, we must look to ourselves and ask: How do I expect Jesus to come to me? Jesus comes in many ways. Let us recognize him through faith whenever and however he chooses to come to us! The basic question of our Christianity is: HOW WELL DOES WHAT I DO REFLECT WHAT JESUS HAS TAUGHT ME? If this question is not asked then Jesus becomes nothing other than a ghost of the past with no real meaning for today. Instead, let us hear him tell us: PEACE BE WITH YOU!!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Homily for the Week of April 19, 2009
Second Sunday of Easter: Mercy Sunday, 2009
First Reading: Acts 4:32–35
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:2–4, 13–15, 22–24
Second Reading: 1 John 5:1–6
Gospel: John 20:19–31
In the early years of our country Catholics were unwelcomed in most parts of this country except in Maryland which was considered as Mary’s land names after Mary the Mother of Jesus. That is why St. Elizabeth Seton left New York City and went to Emmitsburgh, Maryland when she became a Catholic. 150 years ago a political party was started called the Know Nothings. Whenever an Irish or German Catholic was found dead they would always reply I know nothing, though most likely one of them was the one who shot the person. In most states Catholics could not be elected to public office. Churches, Convents and homes where Catholics lived were burned down on a regular basis in many states. The reason for this bigotry was the belief that Catholics were not Americans. Our Catholic faith and the Pope in Rome would run this country, although our Constitution in 1761 had given all Americans the freedom of religion. Freedom of religion applied to all religions except the Catholic religion.
I mention these facts of American history today because the Bible readings we have today on this 2nd Sunday of Easter say very much the same about the first Catholics and Christians in Palestine, a country where the accepted religion was Judaism. In today’s Gospel, the disciples are together locked in a room for fear that they would be arrested and killed for following Jesus. After all Jesus, their leader, had just been nailed to a cross in a public place because of his teachings. The person for whom they had left everything was now dead.
But as in all difficult events there is always hope. A few weeks after his death Jesus comes and stands in front of them. They don’t believe it is Jesus because they had never known of anyone who had been buried who came to life again. Jesus says to them Peace be with you. One of them, by the name of Thomas wants evidence that it is Jesus. So Jesus then shows the disciples his hands and side, the unerasable evidence of the brutality inflicted on him. Oddly enough, instead of increasing their terror, this gesture causes them to rejoice. They then remembered the words of at the last supper when he told them that when they would see him again, their hearts would rejoice with a joy no one could take from them.
Many people today want to find out more about their ancestors. I get repeated requests for information about persons that might have lived in this area 150 years ago. There are web sites that specialize in ancestor tracking. County historians have same type of web sites. So it is just as reasonable for us who are Catholic to want to find out what did the first Christians believe, how did they worship, how they did act towards each other, how did they live out the teachings of Jesus.
Fortunately, we have 2 places to find out these things. It is the Gospel of St. Luke and the 28 chapter book of the Bible called the Acts of the Apostles. Our first reading today is from the Acts of the Apostles, It gives us a sense of how the early Christians took care of each other. The most important mark of this new life was that the community was finally of one heart and mind. Very few actually gave up all of their possessions, but they did give what was necessary so that there was no needy person among them. Jesus tells them that he will leave them soon but that they will not be alone. He tells them that the Holy Spirit will be with them. Next weekend here in this church Bishop Cunningham will be with us and will say to some of you Receive the Holy Spirit. Many of us have already received the same Holy Spirit years ago when we were confirmed.
Today we also celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. About 75 years ago Sister Faustina Kowalska, a young Polish nun received a message from Jesus telling her that he is mercy and that she should tell the whole world of his desire to give mercy and forgiveness to all persons.
This Divine Mercy Sunday provides us with hope that even though we are far from perfect God still loves us. As our Psalm response says, we should give thanks to the Lord for He is good. This Sunday also provides us with a clue of how we can begin to get ourselves on track, and that is to love as God loves us. Instead of being children who believe that God owes us for our goodness, we should be people who thank God for God's goodness.
Mercy is another name for God and Jesus. Accepting mercy and extending mercy to others changes us and thus the world. Mercy is the beginning of justice. We cannot help others unless we first can express mercy and forgiveness.
We noticed in today’s Gospel that the friends of Jesus are filled with joy at seeing him, and he empowers them with the Holy Spirit, who will help them to forgive others. The story of Thomas, however, shows how difficult this can be. Thomas doubted. We, too, can be doubting Thomas when it comes to our religion. As it was with Thomas it is also normal for us to question our faith or some parts of our faith, especially when our co workers, our classmates and the news reporters try to tells us we are all wrong. At times we do not understand how the practice of our faith makes sense. We may not be able to make the link between what we do here in church on a weekend should affect our life for the next 6 days. Let us pray each day, that in our doubts, we will hear Jesus say to us as he did to Thomas: Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed. And we will respond like Thomas: My Lord and My God.
First Reading: Acts 4:32–35
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:2–4, 13–15, 22–24
Second Reading: 1 John 5:1–6
Gospel: John 20:19–31
In the early years of our country Catholics were unwelcomed in most parts of this country except in Maryland which was considered as Mary’s land names after Mary the Mother of Jesus. That is why St. Elizabeth Seton left New York City and went to Emmitsburgh, Maryland when she became a Catholic. 150 years ago a political party was started called the Know Nothings. Whenever an Irish or German Catholic was found dead they would always reply I know nothing, though most likely one of them was the one who shot the person. In most states Catholics could not be elected to public office. Churches, Convents and homes where Catholics lived were burned down on a regular basis in many states. The reason for this bigotry was the belief that Catholics were not Americans. Our Catholic faith and the Pope in Rome would run this country, although our Constitution in 1761 had given all Americans the freedom of religion. Freedom of religion applied to all religions except the Catholic religion.
I mention these facts of American history today because the Bible readings we have today on this 2nd Sunday of Easter say very much the same about the first Catholics and Christians in Palestine, a country where the accepted religion was Judaism. In today’s Gospel, the disciples are together locked in a room for fear that they would be arrested and killed for following Jesus. After all Jesus, their leader, had just been nailed to a cross in a public place because of his teachings. The person for whom they had left everything was now dead.
But as in all difficult events there is always hope. A few weeks after his death Jesus comes and stands in front of them. They don’t believe it is Jesus because they had never known of anyone who had been buried who came to life again. Jesus says to them Peace be with you. One of them, by the name of Thomas wants evidence that it is Jesus. So Jesus then shows the disciples his hands and side, the unerasable evidence of the brutality inflicted on him. Oddly enough, instead of increasing their terror, this gesture causes them to rejoice. They then remembered the words of at the last supper when he told them that when they would see him again, their hearts would rejoice with a joy no one could take from them.
Many people today want to find out more about their ancestors. I get repeated requests for information about persons that might have lived in this area 150 years ago. There are web sites that specialize in ancestor tracking. County historians have same type of web sites. So it is just as reasonable for us who are Catholic to want to find out what did the first Christians believe, how did they worship, how they did act towards each other, how did they live out the teachings of Jesus.
Fortunately, we have 2 places to find out these things. It is the Gospel of St. Luke and the 28 chapter book of the Bible called the Acts of the Apostles. Our first reading today is from the Acts of the Apostles, It gives us a sense of how the early Christians took care of each other. The most important mark of this new life was that the community was finally of one heart and mind. Very few actually gave up all of their possessions, but they did give what was necessary so that there was no needy person among them. Jesus tells them that he will leave them soon but that they will not be alone. He tells them that the Holy Spirit will be with them. Next weekend here in this church Bishop Cunningham will be with us and will say to some of you Receive the Holy Spirit. Many of us have already received the same Holy Spirit years ago when we were confirmed.
Today we also celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. About 75 years ago Sister Faustina Kowalska, a young Polish nun received a message from Jesus telling her that he is mercy and that she should tell the whole world of his desire to give mercy and forgiveness to all persons.
This Divine Mercy Sunday provides us with hope that even though we are far from perfect God still loves us. As our Psalm response says, we should give thanks to the Lord for He is good. This Sunday also provides us with a clue of how we can begin to get ourselves on track, and that is to love as God loves us. Instead of being children who believe that God owes us for our goodness, we should be people who thank God for God's goodness.
Mercy is another name for God and Jesus. Accepting mercy and extending mercy to others changes us and thus the world. Mercy is the beginning of justice. We cannot help others unless we first can express mercy and forgiveness.
We noticed in today’s Gospel that the friends of Jesus are filled with joy at seeing him, and he empowers them with the Holy Spirit, who will help them to forgive others. The story of Thomas, however, shows how difficult this can be. Thomas doubted. We, too, can be doubting Thomas when it comes to our religion. As it was with Thomas it is also normal for us to question our faith or some parts of our faith, especially when our co workers, our classmates and the news reporters try to tells us we are all wrong. At times we do not understand how the practice of our faith makes sense. We may not be able to make the link between what we do here in church on a weekend should affect our life for the next 6 days. Let us pray each day, that in our doubts, we will hear Jesus say to us as he did to Thomas: Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed. And we will respond like Thomas: My Lord and My God.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Homily for the Week of April 12, 2009
EASTER VIGIL , 2009
First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Romans 6: 3-11
Gospel: John 20:1-9
Over the past few days those of us who have participated in the last events in the life of Jesus may feel that they have been in a Walmart Super Center. We have had a variety of blessings and long readings from the Bible, some in which you participated. But the ceremony ends with Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus from a borrowed grave provided by Joseph of Arimathea. But we have skeptics concerning all of these events. Some of you may fit that category. It is something of a tradition for magazines and newspapers to run articles about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the weeks leading up to Easter. Each year there are more and more attempts to discredit these events. This year popular news magazines like Time and Newsweek have search out those who do not believe in Jesus to tell us that all of this a fake -- and religious is also a fake.
Some argue the Resurrection never took place. Down through time there have been a number of arguments made about what really happened on that Sunday some 2,000 years ago. There are four basic theories used to explain away the Resurrection.
The first is that a conspiracy existed to misrepresent what transpired in the aftermath of Jesus' death. The most ancient variation of this argument was concocted by the chief priests upon discovering the empty tomb: the body of Jesus was stolen by his disciples.
The second is that the apostles and other disciples experienced the world's most dramatic group hallucination. Convinced that they had seen the impossible, they set out to convince the world of the same.
Another argument is that Jesus, tortured and exhausted, had not died, but had only passed out for a time until he was revived by his followers.
The final argument and probably the most popular is that the Resurrection is a myth.
There are, of course, many problems with each theory. For example, how would a group of frightened fisherman overwhelm Roman guards and move away a huge stone? And why would they fearlessly proclaim Christ's resurrection and then accept martyrdom, despite knowing Jesus was actually dead? How is it that hundreds of people experienced the same hallucination? How would Jesus, who was ripped to shreds and crucified, appear shortly thereafter as glorious in appearance?
The story of the two disciples journeying to Emmaus emphasizes how belief in the Resurrection is not a matter of mere reason or facts, but of a real encounter with the Risen Lord. Having walked and talked at length with Jesus, they still did not recognize him. But when he took bread and blessed it and gave it to them, their "eyes were opened and they recognized him."
The basic form of Christian faith is not: I believe something, but I believe you. It's not that faith is unreasonable; rather, it is finally, in the end, above and beyond reason, although never contrary to reason. It is ultimately an act of will and love. We believe, because we love.
Jesus did something the world had never seen. He totally emptied himself of his own needs. He lived completely for others. He died for others. He never allowed selfishness to have any part of his existence. This lifestyle resulted in his death at the hands of those who could not bear his holiness.
Immortality. That's what Easter is about. Immortality was granted through the death of Christ to those who lived the Life of Christ. The symbol of this eternal life is the sacrament of Baptism. When we are baptized, we die. Symbolically, we drown. When water is poured over our heads, the symbol is that we die to a world without the Lord, and, rising out of the water, out of death, out of the tomb, we live in a world permeated with the reality of the spiritual. We die to a pagan world of selfishness. We live in a Christian world of sacrifice. That is why being a Catholic is not always easy. Being a Catholic means living with a completely different view of life than that of the world around us.
The Easter candle which is the center of our Easter celebration is a symbol of our life in Jesus. The candle will be used at all Baptisms and Funerals as a symbol that we have begun a new life that will lead to everlasting life. We now have the opportunity to remind ourselves again of what happened the day we were Baptized, as we are now invited to state our faith publicly.
First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Romans 6: 3-11
Gospel: John 20:1-9
Over the past few days those of us who have participated in the last events in the life of Jesus may feel that they have been in a Walmart Super Center. We have had a variety of blessings and long readings from the Bible, some in which you participated. But the ceremony ends with Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus from a borrowed grave provided by Joseph of Arimathea. But we have skeptics concerning all of these events. Some of you may fit that category. It is something of a tradition for magazines and newspapers to run articles about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the weeks leading up to Easter. Each year there are more and more attempts to discredit these events. This year popular news magazines like Time and Newsweek have search out those who do not believe in Jesus to tell us that all of this a fake -- and religious is also a fake.
Some argue the Resurrection never took place. Down through time there have been a number of arguments made about what really happened on that Sunday some 2,000 years ago. There are four basic theories used to explain away the Resurrection.
The first is that a conspiracy existed to misrepresent what transpired in the aftermath of Jesus' death. The most ancient variation of this argument was concocted by the chief priests upon discovering the empty tomb: the body of Jesus was stolen by his disciples.
The second is that the apostles and other disciples experienced the world's most dramatic group hallucination. Convinced that they had seen the impossible, they set out to convince the world of the same.
Another argument is that Jesus, tortured and exhausted, had not died, but had only passed out for a time until he was revived by his followers.
The final argument and probably the most popular is that the Resurrection is a myth.
There are, of course, many problems with each theory. For example, how would a group of frightened fisherman overwhelm Roman guards and move away a huge stone? And why would they fearlessly proclaim Christ's resurrection and then accept martyrdom, despite knowing Jesus was actually dead? How is it that hundreds of people experienced the same hallucination? How would Jesus, who was ripped to shreds and crucified, appear shortly thereafter as glorious in appearance?
The story of the two disciples journeying to Emmaus emphasizes how belief in the Resurrection is not a matter of mere reason or facts, but of a real encounter with the Risen Lord. Having walked and talked at length with Jesus, they still did not recognize him. But when he took bread and blessed it and gave it to them, their "eyes were opened and they recognized him."
The basic form of Christian faith is not: I believe something, but I believe you. It's not that faith is unreasonable; rather, it is finally, in the end, above and beyond reason, although never contrary to reason. It is ultimately an act of will and love. We believe, because we love.
Jesus did something the world had never seen. He totally emptied himself of his own needs. He lived completely for others. He died for others. He never allowed selfishness to have any part of his existence. This lifestyle resulted in his death at the hands of those who could not bear his holiness.
Immortality. That's what Easter is about. Immortality was granted through the death of Christ to those who lived the Life of Christ. The symbol of this eternal life is the sacrament of Baptism. When we are baptized, we die. Symbolically, we drown. When water is poured over our heads, the symbol is that we die to a world without the Lord, and, rising out of the water, out of death, out of the tomb, we live in a world permeated with the reality of the spiritual. We die to a pagan world of selfishness. We live in a Christian world of sacrifice. That is why being a Catholic is not always easy. Being a Catholic means living with a completely different view of life than that of the world around us.
The Easter candle which is the center of our Easter celebration is a symbol of our life in Jesus. The candle will be used at all Baptisms and Funerals as a symbol that we have begun a new life that will lead to everlasting life. We now have the opportunity to remind ourselves again of what happened the day we were Baptized, as we are now invited to state our faith publicly.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Homily for the Week of April 5, 2009
Palm Sunday Mass 2009
Is 50:4-7; Ps 22; Phil 2:6-11; Mark 15:1-39
Some years ago I was giving a Holy Week day of recollection to a group of college students. During this time each of them had a chance to express an event in their lives that meant a lot to them. One of them recounted an event that happened when he was a young boy. As a young boy he was always late for dinner. His mother and father tried to have him get there on time,but it did not seem to matter. Finally, his frustrated father mentioned to him that if he was to be late one more time he would have only a slice of bread and a glass of water for supper. But in a few days he was late again, and even later than he'd been before. Neither of his parents said anything but that evening, when they got around the table for supper he found at his place only a slice of bread and a glass of water. He realized that he had been warned, but this evening he was really hungry. After a few silent moments, and after the full impact of such a small meal sunk in, his father took the his son's plate and placed it in front of himself. Then he placed his own warm, delicious meal in front of his son.
At that time he realized that his father was taking the punishment that he, the boy, had brought upon himself by his disobedience. And now that the boy was an older person he recalled that evening meal of many years ago, and he said to the group: All my life I have known what God is like because of what my father did for me that night.
Today we begin the most sacred week of the Christian year. We begin a week in which we will center our prayers and actions on how Jesus took the punishment for our sins upon himself. We begin a week which can be filled with spirituality, spiritual renewal, and thanksgiving for the gift of life which Jesus has given us. It is the greatest week because it celebrates the GOOD NEWS--Jesus has reconciled us. Jesus has exchange himself for us.
Holy Week, however, will be holy only if we find time to pray. Jesus invited the apostles to stay with him at Gethsemane and to pray with him less they enter into temptation. He extends that invitation to each of us today.
If we look carefully at the Bible readings for today we find that every person possesses something that needs to be given away.
The woman who anointed Jesus possesses an alabaster jar of perfume made from expensive aromatic nard.
Judas Iscariot held a purse of money.
A nameless man carried a water jar.
Peter held on to his assertion that he would never deny Jesus. A few minutes later he traded his assertion for some denials; he owned the fact that he had never known Jesus.
A young man owned a loin cloth.
The high priest possessed the verdict of guilty for blasphemy.
Before Pilate the crowd wanted Barabbas.
Pilate owned the power over life and death.
Simon of Cyrene helped to carry the cross, thus possessing its weight.
Joseph of Arimathea requested the dead body of Jesus, and took it down from the cross and buried it.
The crowd held the reeds and palms.
Everyone owns something, everyone possesses something, Jesus alone owns nothing because he is stripped naked.
This Holy Week Jesus is asking us to come to him without anything. He wants us to stand before him with empty hands because he wants to fill them with his love and goodness. When we are stripped of all, when all false saviors are gone, then we are ready to approach Jesus with nothing.
This week let us look at some of the areas that need to be emptied. I realize that this can be tough. We all want to hold on to something. We are all addicts in one way or another. The hardest work of love is not to hold anything back. Let us try our best during the days and events of this Holy Week to turn everything over to Jesus who died for us. If we do, we will truly feel and understand the joy of Easter, because, with Jesus, we too will have risen from our past.
Is 50:4-7; Ps 22; Phil 2:6-11; Mark 15:1-39
Some years ago I was giving a Holy Week day of recollection to a group of college students. During this time each of them had a chance to express an event in their lives that meant a lot to them. One of them recounted an event that happened when he was a young boy. As a young boy he was always late for dinner. His mother and father tried to have him get there on time,but it did not seem to matter. Finally, his frustrated father mentioned to him that if he was to be late one more time he would have only a slice of bread and a glass of water for supper. But in a few days he was late again, and even later than he'd been before. Neither of his parents said anything but that evening, when they got around the table for supper he found at his place only a slice of bread and a glass of water. He realized that he had been warned, but this evening he was really hungry. After a few silent moments, and after the full impact of such a small meal sunk in, his father took the his son's plate and placed it in front of himself. Then he placed his own warm, delicious meal in front of his son.
At that time he realized that his father was taking the punishment that he, the boy, had brought upon himself by his disobedience. And now that the boy was an older person he recalled that evening meal of many years ago, and he said to the group: All my life I have known what God is like because of what my father did for me that night.
Today we begin the most sacred week of the Christian year. We begin a week in which we will center our prayers and actions on how Jesus took the punishment for our sins upon himself. We begin a week which can be filled with spirituality, spiritual renewal, and thanksgiving for the gift of life which Jesus has given us. It is the greatest week because it celebrates the GOOD NEWS--Jesus has reconciled us. Jesus has exchange himself for us.
Holy Week, however, will be holy only if we find time to pray. Jesus invited the apostles to stay with him at Gethsemane and to pray with him less they enter into temptation. He extends that invitation to each of us today.
If we look carefully at the Bible readings for today we find that every person possesses something that needs to be given away.
The woman who anointed Jesus possesses an alabaster jar of perfume made from expensive aromatic nard.
Judas Iscariot held a purse of money.
A nameless man carried a water jar.
Peter held on to his assertion that he would never deny Jesus. A few minutes later he traded his assertion for some denials; he owned the fact that he had never known Jesus.
A young man owned a loin cloth.
The high priest possessed the verdict of guilty for blasphemy.
Before Pilate the crowd wanted Barabbas.
Pilate owned the power over life and death.
Simon of Cyrene helped to carry the cross, thus possessing its weight.
Joseph of Arimathea requested the dead body of Jesus, and took it down from the cross and buried it.
The crowd held the reeds and palms.
Everyone owns something, everyone possesses something, Jesus alone owns nothing because he is stripped naked.
This Holy Week Jesus is asking us to come to him without anything. He wants us to stand before him with empty hands because he wants to fill them with his love and goodness. When we are stripped of all, when all false saviors are gone, then we are ready to approach Jesus with nothing.
This week let us look at some of the areas that need to be emptied. I realize that this can be tough. We all want to hold on to something. We are all addicts in one way or another. The hardest work of love is not to hold anything back. Let us try our best during the days and events of this Holy Week to turn everything over to Jesus who died for us. If we do, we will truly feel and understand the joy of Easter, because, with Jesus, we too will have risen from our past.
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