Sunday, April 29, 2012
Homily for the Week of April 29, 2012
FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, 2012
First Reading: Acts 4:8–12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:1, 8–9, 21–23, 26, 28, 29
Second Reading: 1 John 3:1–2
Gospel: John 10:11–18
We are introduced today to one of the familiar themes of the Bible: sheep and shepherds. I met my first shepherd when I was 28 while traveling through Colorado. He was a young man on horseback surrounded by his two dogs and a few hundred sheep, and vast fields and the Rocky Mountains. Many say that sheep are dumb. Others say this idea was started by cattle ranchers. What is true is that cows and sheep respond to their caretakers differently. Cows are herded from the rear. I remember when I was a young boy I used to drive the cows from the pasture to the barn for milking. There was always one or two cows that were the first and a few dragging behind. I was always behind the cows and shout and make noise and if necessary push and prod them to make them move forward.
If you attempt this with sheep, sheep will run to get behind you. Sheep have to be led from the front not pushed from the back. A herd of cows will move no matter who makes the noise. They may at first perk up their ears to find out who it is, but they will go. Sheep will only follow a voice that they have grown to trust, that is, their particular shepherd and will follow no other. I have always admired cows. In fact I am alive right now because a cow gave me her aortic heart valve to replace my defective aortic valve.
The Bible is filled with men called shepherds of God’s people, and often they had been shepherds of sheep before becoming leaders of God’s people. Examples include Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as Moses and David. Even God is portrayed as a shepherd in the psalms, especially the Twenty-third Psalm which is known as the Good Shepherd Psalm. The prophet Ezekiel presents shepherds in an unflattering light so that he can reveal God’s promise to be a model shepherd for the people.
Synopsis
A shepherd has many responsibilities, primarily to keep the sheep fed, to care for their health and injuries, and to keep them gathered together in order to protect them. In fulfilling these duties, a bond develops between sheep and shepherd.
In today's Gospel reading St. John contrasts Jesus with the hired shepherd. There were two kinds of shepherds: the hired man and the owner. A hired shepherd never quite developed the same bond as did a shepherd who owned his sheep. The Gospel makes clear the hired man was only interested in money. He would not give his life for someone else's sheep. Such shepherds were also known to help themselves to a sheep or two. The owner of the flock was someone who would do anything to protect his flock. The flock was his livelihood. Sheep were not used for food, they were kept for their wool. The more sheep, the more wool, the more money. No owner would risk losing his income.
Over a lifetime a sheep could provide a nice income for the owner. This is one reason an owner-shepherd would be quick to defend his sheep against thieves and predators. Each sheep was valuable. A hired shepherd, however, would not be so quick to risk life and limb to protect the sheep. Confronted with wolves, an owner will stand and fight; a hired shepherd might run for the hills.
Jesus describes himself as the “good” shepherd. This does not mean skilled shepherd or good as opposed to bad. The word "good" here has the sense of being a model. The good/model shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. The model shepherd will protect his flock at all costs.
We learn that the Father loves Jesus precisely because of this willingness to sacrifice for God’s sheep. Jesus tells us too that His relationship with us is as intimate as His relationship with His Father: “I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.” Jesus has to know us intimately in order to have this close relationship with us.
We know that priests, by virtue of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, act in the person of Christ when leading us in worship and sacrament. A priest always remembers — or should remember — that to act in the person of Christ does not make him Christ. Sheep are led, but they will follow only a voice they trust. What do we want from our priests? What we want is for our priests to shepherd us, to lead us to Christ, just as a shepherd leads his flock to green pastures. (The word “pastor” means “shepherd.”)
The problem is this: before we can be led, we must learn to follow, and not too many of us are good followers. Some are taught from childhood not to be followers. Everything in our culture tells us to be leaders, to be captains of our own ship, to control our own destinies. We want to be led by our priests, but what we might really need from our priests is a model of how to follow.
On this World Day of Prayer for Vocations, we pray that men and women in our midst will actually listen for The Shepherd in their lives and then follow. (The word “vocation” comes from a verb meaning “to call.”)
Peter is put in a position of having to defend himself. He has miraculously cured a cripple. No one doubted the miracle, but he is questioned about his right to perform a miracle. Who gave him the authority to do this?
Too often we are the challengers demanding to know who gave our religious leaders the right to lead when what they are doing is trying to teach us to follow the Lord.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Homily for the Week of April 23, 2012
Third Sunday of Easter, 2012
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
About 400 years before Jesus was born there was a man who lived in Greece by the name of Aristotle. He was a teacher who taught a way of thinking, of what is right or wrong, and a way of trying to understand some of our ideas that don’t seem to make sense. Aristotle said that the best activities are the most useless. That is because these activities are done for their own sake. For example watching a basketball game is more important than getting a haircut, developing a friendship is more important than making money.
For many Catholics today the most useless activity is participatining in Mass on weekends. But, according to Aristotle it is another way of saying that it is the most important thing we can do each week. There is no greater good than to honor and praise God which is why we are here once a week. This is also the importance of the first sentence of the Gospel I just read Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. As a child many of us have been taught that Jesus is in the bread, not in the breaking of the bread which I will do later at the altar.
From the moment we prepare ourselves to come to Mass and the moment we enter the church we are challenged to realize what God does for us, and how we need God to do more for us. 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.
Many had left Jesus after the Last Supper. It is now about 3 weeks after his resurrrection on Easter Sunday. Jesus is walking on the road to a small village called Emmaus and he stops by locked house where Peter and others were staying. Jesus goes into the house inspite of the locked doors and starts talking to them about all that happened to him in the last 4 weeks. And then they decide to have a meal at which time he says the same words and does the same thing as he did at the Last Supper. And they then recognized Jesus.
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.
The more that we know Jesus the more we realized that Jesus does not offer us security but peace. The peace Jesus offers is not the absence of war, violence, sickness or death. The peace that He gives is the peace that exists in the midst of the suffering that surrounds us. It is the peace that gives both courage and comfort. Sadly, too often this is not the gift we seek; rather, we still seek the security of locked doors.
The appearances of Jesus after the Resurrection teach us that wherever there is fear or hopelessness, Jesus is present. Wherever a community gathers to call upon the him, He is there. Jesus appears in His glory, but He also appears with His wounds. Jesus’ wounds, to which Luke calls attention, remind us that Jesus suffered. In His risen body, He did not cover up His wounds. He kept them to remind us that He understands and stands with us in the midst of human suffering.
Despite locked doors, Jesus appeared to teach us that we cannot prevent His reaching us. He also appeared despite locked doors to remind us that we cannot lock ourselves up with selfish things and hope to find the peace He offers. The safety and security of locked doors is, by any definition, a prison. There is no peace in a prison. Rather, as we read in our reading Jesus is the author of life.
Jesus’ first gift to us from the Resurrection was peace, a freedom from fear. “Peace be with you!” he said. This peace is given, but we must spread it. We cannot stay behind locked doors thinking we will always be secure. Thomas told Jesus that he did not understand. Jesus responded, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
The disciples gathered, Jesus appeared, and they were given peace. Let us gather, and with Jesus in our midst as the Way, either prevent those wounds or heal them. Jesus’ peace offers us the courage we need to follow him out of our locked rooms.
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 every time we participate at Mass, when we receive Communion, when we offer peace to someone. The basic question of our Christianity is: HOW WELL DOES WHAT I DO REFLECT WHAT JESUS HAS TAUGHT ME? During this Easter time at the end of our Mass I invite you to Go in Peace. To which you respond: thanks be to God. Make those words part of your daily prayer.
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
About 400 years before Jesus was born there was a man who lived in Greece by the name of Aristotle. He was a teacher who taught a way of thinking, of what is right or wrong, and a way of trying to understand some of our ideas that don’t seem to make sense. Aristotle said that the best activities are the most useless. That is because these activities are done for their own sake. For example watching a basketball game is more important than getting a haircut, developing a friendship is more important than making money.
For many Catholics today the most useless activity is participatining in Mass on weekends. But, according to Aristotle it is another way of saying that it is the most important thing we can do each week. There is no greater good than to honor and praise God which is why we are here once a week. This is also the importance of the first sentence of the Gospel I just read Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. As a child many of us have been taught that Jesus is in the bread, not in the breaking of the bread which I will do later at the altar.
From the moment we prepare ourselves to come to Mass and the moment we enter the church we are challenged to realize what God does for us, and how we need God to do more for us. 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.
Many had left Jesus after the Last Supper. It is now about 3 weeks after his resurrrection on Easter Sunday. Jesus is walking on the road to a small village called Emmaus and he stops by locked house where Peter and others were staying. Jesus goes into the house inspite of the locked doors and starts talking to them about all that happened to him in the last 4 weeks. And then they decide to have a meal at which time he says the same words and does the same thing as he did at the Last Supper. And they then recognized Jesus.
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.
The more that we know Jesus the more we realized that Jesus does not offer us security but peace. The peace Jesus offers is not the absence of war, violence, sickness or death. The peace that He gives is the peace that exists in the midst of the suffering that surrounds us. It is the peace that gives both courage and comfort. Sadly, too often this is not the gift we seek; rather, we still seek the security of locked doors.
The appearances of Jesus after the Resurrection teach us that wherever there is fear or hopelessness, Jesus is present. Wherever a community gathers to call upon the him, He is there. Jesus appears in His glory, but He also appears with His wounds. Jesus’ wounds, to which Luke calls attention, remind us that Jesus suffered. In His risen body, He did not cover up His wounds. He kept them to remind us that He understands and stands with us in the midst of human suffering.
Despite locked doors, Jesus appeared to teach us that we cannot prevent His reaching us. He also appeared despite locked doors to remind us that we cannot lock ourselves up with selfish things and hope to find the peace He offers. The safety and security of locked doors is, by any definition, a prison. There is no peace in a prison. Rather, as we read in our reading Jesus is the author of life.
Jesus’ first gift to us from the Resurrection was peace, a freedom from fear. “Peace be with you!” he said. This peace is given, but we must spread it. We cannot stay behind locked doors thinking we will always be secure. Thomas told Jesus that he did not understand. Jesus responded, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
The disciples gathered, Jesus appeared, and they were given peace. Let us gather, and with Jesus in our midst as the Way, either prevent those wounds or heal them. Jesus’ peace offers us the courage we need to follow him out of our locked rooms.
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 every time we participate at Mass, when we receive Communion, when we offer peace to someone. The basic question of our Christianity is: HOW WELL DOES WHAT I DO REFLECT WHAT JESUS HAS TAUGHT ME? During this Easter time at the end of our Mass I invite you to Go in Peace. To which you respond: thanks be to God. Make those words part of your daily prayer.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Homily for the Week of April 15, 2012
Second Sunday of Easter: Mercy Sunday, 2012
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 unwelcome 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 because the Pope lived in Rome. . Freedom of religion applied to all religions except the Catholic religion. Our most cherished liberty is our freedom to practice our religion without government control.
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. As followers of Jesus, they could be charged with Jesus’ crimes and suffer the same fate.
Most of us probably don’t realize that Jesus did not leave a blueprint or an instruction manual to produce Catholics. The church did not just pop up with everything all set out. 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 unreadable 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 did they 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 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.
This second Sunday after Easter is also called Divine Mercy Sunday. 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 likr s 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 unwelcome 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 because the Pope lived in Rome. . Freedom of religion applied to all religions except the Catholic religion. Our most cherished liberty is our freedom to practice our religion without government control.
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. As followers of Jesus, they could be charged with Jesus’ crimes and suffer the same fate.
Most of us probably don’t realize that Jesus did not leave a blueprint or an instruction manual to produce Catholics. The church did not just pop up with everything all set out. 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 unreadable 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 did they 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 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.
This second Sunday after Easter is also called Divine Mercy Sunday. 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 likr s 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 8, 2012
Homily for the Week of April 8, 2012
ASTER VIGIL AND SUNDAY , 2012
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
The coach entered a high school football locker room following a loss and said to the sad and gloomy team, I just want you to know that I am proud of the way you guys played this afternoon. We might not have won on the scoreboard, but we did prove to a lot of people what we are capable of. Today’s game was a moral victory.
A freshman sitting on a bench next to the quarterback asked, “What’s a moral victory?” The senior responded, “That’s what a coach calls a game we lose.” It’s hard to find comfort in “moral victories.” When scores are published, there are only winners and losers, success or failure.
Mark’s Gospel could be called the “Gospel of Failure,” but the failure does not belong to Jesus — it is ours. From beginning to end, Mark’s Gospel records the failures of those who followed Jesus Christ. The Passion according to Mark, which we read on Palm Sunday, told the story of one defection after another. Judas betrayed Jesus. Most fled when Jesus was arrested. The young man who fled naked when the soldiers tried to grab him is Mark’s way of saying that the disciples bolted and left everything behind that Jesus had given them. We read especially of Peter who denied Jesus while in the high priest’s courtyard. The number three was used to describe something that is absolute, and Jesus had said to Peter, “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter could not have been a bigger failure.
Synopsis
We think of Peter as being the head Apostle, but Mark actually sets him up as the best example of all of disciples who don’t ever seem to get what Jesus is really about — although Peter almost got it right once. When Jesus asked, “Who do people say that I am,” Peter’s response was heartfelt that he thought that Jesus was the Messiah. As soon as Jesus told Peter exactly what that meant, that He “must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, be killed, and rise after three days,” Peter took Jesus aside to rebuke Him. In turn, Jesus had to rebuke Peter by saying to him, “Get behind me, Satan.”
In the Gospel reading for the Easter Vigil, Mark describes three women who felt both grief and defeat: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. They felt grief for the loss of Jesus, but they also thought that, with His death on the cross, the kingdom that He had represented was defeated as well. This sense of defeat is heightened in the women’s realization that they might not be able to anoint Jesus’ body because of the stone used to seal the tomb. The irony that Mark creates is that, in going to anoint Jesus, the women were not simply fulfilling a burial ritual. “Christ” means “anointed.” The women were going to announce the Anointed One!
In the tomb, the women encountered a young man dressed in white. They did not know who he was, but we know. Mark tells us that this is a divine messenger when the young man says, “Do not be amazed.” This is the greeting of divine messengers. The Divine Messenger announced that Jesus had been raised and had gone before them to Galilee. The women’s response? “Then they went out and fled from the tomb, seized with trembling and bewilderment. They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”
This sentence ends what may have been the original ending of the Gospel of Mark. The additional verses may have been added to make clear “the rest of the story.” For Mark, however, this moment begins the rest of the story.
Mark’s Gospel starts with the words, “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” This line does not mean that the Gospel started right at that line. The real story begins at the conclusion of the Gospel. The real Gospel begins with the announcement that the risen Jesus has gone before the disciples to Galilee. This is the Gospel: the story continues.
The women were told to go and tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus would meet them in Galilee, at the place where everything began. The disciples might have seemed failures for having abandoned Jesus and fled, but Jesus had not abandoned them. In the end, what is not written by Mark, but what we know, is that Peter would finally get it, and so will we. Easter tells us that Jesus did not suffer defeat. It also tells us that Jesus will not let us fail. He is on the road ahead of us. We have only to go and meet him.
Easter is at the heart and center of the Christian faith. Every year we hear the same message from the Bible and probably the same words from this pulpit. Every year we celebrate the same important feasts, but we are not in the same spiritual place that we were in the previous year. For good or for ill, we change from year to year, and so does the impact of the feast upon our consciousness and our spiritual development. We are simply not the same person. In the end, however, the Resurrection is not about newly discovered bones but about the transformation of one’s life. Faith in the Resurrection requires us to live as Jesus did, dying to self for the sake of others, in the hope of rising again.
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.
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
The coach entered a high school football locker room following a loss and said to the sad and gloomy team, I just want you to know that I am proud of the way you guys played this afternoon. We might not have won on the scoreboard, but we did prove to a lot of people what we are capable of. Today’s game was a moral victory.
A freshman sitting on a bench next to the quarterback asked, “What’s a moral victory?” The senior responded, “That’s what a coach calls a game we lose.” It’s hard to find comfort in “moral victories.” When scores are published, there are only winners and losers, success or failure.
Mark’s Gospel could be called the “Gospel of Failure,” but the failure does not belong to Jesus — it is ours. From beginning to end, Mark’s Gospel records the failures of those who followed Jesus Christ. The Passion according to Mark, which we read on Palm Sunday, told the story of one defection after another. Judas betrayed Jesus. Most fled when Jesus was arrested. The young man who fled naked when the soldiers tried to grab him is Mark’s way of saying that the disciples bolted and left everything behind that Jesus had given them. We read especially of Peter who denied Jesus while in the high priest’s courtyard. The number three was used to describe something that is absolute, and Jesus had said to Peter, “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter could not have been a bigger failure.
Synopsis
We think of Peter as being the head Apostle, but Mark actually sets him up as the best example of all of disciples who don’t ever seem to get what Jesus is really about — although Peter almost got it right once. When Jesus asked, “Who do people say that I am,” Peter’s response was heartfelt that he thought that Jesus was the Messiah. As soon as Jesus told Peter exactly what that meant, that He “must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, be killed, and rise after three days,” Peter took Jesus aside to rebuke Him. In turn, Jesus had to rebuke Peter by saying to him, “Get behind me, Satan.”
In the Gospel reading for the Easter Vigil, Mark describes three women who felt both grief and defeat: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. They felt grief for the loss of Jesus, but they also thought that, with His death on the cross, the kingdom that He had represented was defeated as well. This sense of defeat is heightened in the women’s realization that they might not be able to anoint Jesus’ body because of the stone used to seal the tomb. The irony that Mark creates is that, in going to anoint Jesus, the women were not simply fulfilling a burial ritual. “Christ” means “anointed.” The women were going to announce the Anointed One!
In the tomb, the women encountered a young man dressed in white. They did not know who he was, but we know. Mark tells us that this is a divine messenger when the young man says, “Do not be amazed.” This is the greeting of divine messengers. The Divine Messenger announced that Jesus had been raised and had gone before them to Galilee. The women’s response? “Then they went out and fled from the tomb, seized with trembling and bewilderment. They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”
This sentence ends what may have been the original ending of the Gospel of Mark. The additional verses may have been added to make clear “the rest of the story.” For Mark, however, this moment begins the rest of the story.
Mark’s Gospel starts with the words, “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” This line does not mean that the Gospel started right at that line. The real story begins at the conclusion of the Gospel. The real Gospel begins with the announcement that the risen Jesus has gone before the disciples to Galilee. This is the Gospel: the story continues.
The women were told to go and tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus would meet them in Galilee, at the place where everything began. The disciples might have seemed failures for having abandoned Jesus and fled, but Jesus had not abandoned them. In the end, what is not written by Mark, but what we know, is that Peter would finally get it, and so will we. Easter tells us that Jesus did not suffer defeat. It also tells us that Jesus will not let us fail. He is on the road ahead of us. We have only to go and meet him.
Easter is at the heart and center of the Christian faith. Every year we hear the same message from the Bible and probably the same words from this pulpit. Every year we celebrate the same important feasts, but we are not in the same spiritual place that we were in the previous year. For good or for ill, we change from year to year, and so does the impact of the feast upon our consciousness and our spiritual development. We are simply not the same person. In the end, however, the Resurrection is not about newly discovered bones but about the transformation of one’s life. Faith in the Resurrection requires us to live as Jesus did, dying to self for the sake of others, in the hope of rising again.
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.
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 1, 2012
Homily for the Week of April 1, 2012
Palm Sunday Mass 2012
Is 50:4-7; Ps 22; Phil 2:6-11; Mark 15:1-39
Today we begin the most sacred week of the Christian year. 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. This week, our holy week, we have the opportunity to walk with Jesus from the glorious procession to Jerusalem when people were waving palm branches to a few days later when he is nailed to a cross as a criminal. But we Christians call that day Good Friday!
The story in which you and I just participated is filled with contradictions. Judas sells out Jesus; the chief priests who have a fake trial; some of Jesus' followers who fall asleep; Peter denies him; Pilate condemns Jesus although he knew he was innocent; and soldiers and the crowd who shout at Jesus.
Holy Week will be holy 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.
The story of the last days in the life of Jesus is an account of Jesus Christ’s suffering that lead to his death. The account we just participated in is very blunt and specific. It is a tragedy. But as we look at our life most every one here has had to struggle to find a meaning and understand It is amazing how many people want to blame suffering on God. When problems of any kind come to us does it make sense to think that suffering is God's desire for us? A lot of people do. For some it helps to cope with tragedy, while others turn their back on God and claim he is cruel and unfair. If we stop to think about life, so many problems we deal with we create for ourselves. At times it is a matter of bad luck, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We can't always put our finger on why bad things happen, especially to good people. God came in the person of Jesus to save us from evil.
What is important for us to believe is that when suffering and bad things happen to us that are beyond our control, God can turn them into something good. If God could take the suffering and death of Jesus and make it the source of our salvation, then God has the power to turn anything around and make it good.
To understand suffering, however, most of the time we must give away some of the things we cling to. 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.
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.
The crowd wanted Barabbas.
Pilate had the power over the life or death of Jesus. .
Everyone owns something, everyone possesses something except Jesus, who has nothing because he is stripped naked.
HE EMPTIED HIMSELF AND TOOK THE FORM OF A SLAVE. HE HUMBLED HIMSELF, OBEDIENTLY ACCEPTING DEATH, DEATH ON A CROSS. This Holy Week Jesus is asking us to come to him without anything. He wants us to stand before him with empty hands and then he can be our Savior. When we are stripped of all, when all false saviors are gone, then we are ready to approach Jesus with nothing.
Seeing Jesus in true darkness makes the cross real. But it also guides us in our own times of darkness, of loss and of suffering. At one time or other most individuals have felt lost when we have been abandoned by friends and fellow workers. We may have even felt abandoned by God. And when we feel this way, let us remember that Jesus also felt lost not only in his home village of Nazareth but in Jerusalem. This week we have the opportunity to walk with Jesus during the last three days of his life.
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.
Is 50:4-7; Ps 22; Phil 2:6-11; Mark 15:1-39
Today we begin the most sacred week of the Christian year. 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. This week, our holy week, we have the opportunity to walk with Jesus from the glorious procession to Jerusalem when people were waving palm branches to a few days later when he is nailed to a cross as a criminal. But we Christians call that day Good Friday!
The story in which you and I just participated is filled with contradictions. Judas sells out Jesus; the chief priests who have a fake trial; some of Jesus' followers who fall asleep; Peter denies him; Pilate condemns Jesus although he knew he was innocent; and soldiers and the crowd who shout at Jesus.
Holy Week will be holy 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.
The story of the last days in the life of Jesus is an account of Jesus Christ’s suffering that lead to his death. The account we just participated in is very blunt and specific. It is a tragedy. But as we look at our life most every one here has had to struggle to find a meaning and understand It is amazing how many people want to blame suffering on God. When problems of any kind come to us does it make sense to think that suffering is God's desire for us? A lot of people do. For some it helps to cope with tragedy, while others turn their back on God and claim he is cruel and unfair. If we stop to think about life, so many problems we deal with we create for ourselves. At times it is a matter of bad luck, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We can't always put our finger on why bad things happen, especially to good people. God came in the person of Jesus to save us from evil.
What is important for us to believe is that when suffering and bad things happen to us that are beyond our control, God can turn them into something good. If God could take the suffering and death of Jesus and make it the source of our salvation, then God has the power to turn anything around and make it good.
To understand suffering, however, most of the time we must give away some of the things we cling to. 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.
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.
The crowd wanted Barabbas.
Pilate had the power over the life or death of Jesus. .
Everyone owns something, everyone possesses something except Jesus, who has nothing because he is stripped naked.
HE EMPTIED HIMSELF AND TOOK THE FORM OF A SLAVE. HE HUMBLED HIMSELF, OBEDIENTLY ACCEPTING DEATH, DEATH ON A CROSS. This Holy Week Jesus is asking us to come to him without anything. He wants us to stand before him with empty hands and then he can be our Savior. When we are stripped of all, when all false saviors are gone, then we are ready to approach Jesus with nothing.
Seeing Jesus in true darkness makes the cross real. But it also guides us in our own times of darkness, of loss and of suffering. At one time or other most individuals have felt lost when we have been abandoned by friends and fellow workers. We may have even felt abandoned by God. And when we feel this way, let us remember that Jesus also felt lost not only in his home village of Nazareth but in Jerusalem. This week we have the opportunity to walk with Jesus during the last three days of his life.
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.
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