Homily for the Week of May 26, 2013

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Proverbs 8:22-31 Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 Romans 5:1-5 John 16:12-15 This year our Memorial Day weekend occurs at the same time as the Feast in honor of the Holy Trinity of our Catholic faith. Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have died. Nearly every nation in the world has a cemetery where there is a tomb that contains the remains of an unknown soldier. The most famous one in the United States is at Arlington Memorial Cemetery in Washington. Their the Tomb of the Unknowns includes the remains of soldiers from World War I and II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. On the tomb are the words: Here Rests in honored glory an American Soldier known only but to God. The words Known Only but to God are appropriate for our feast today. Today we Catholics celebrate a mystery known only but to God. It is the mystery of the Holy Trinity. How many times a day do we make the sing of the cross? We did this at the beginning of this Mass, some of you may have done this as you entered the church or you began a prayer. The sign of the cross is used at a blessing, at a wedding, at a Baptism. By so do we are invoking the blessing of one God and three persons. But we cannot explain or have a reason as to why or how it is that in one God there are three persons. It is a mystery known only but to God., Each Trinity Sunday we only scratch the surface of this great mystery of our Catholic faith. The Mystery of the Holy Trinity is known through divine revelation. That doesn’t mean that it is contrary to reason but it goes beyond what our limited human reason can comprehend. It is based on faith. In a similar sense we believe that the Tomb of the Unknowns does contain the remains of soldiers. It could theoretically be the tomb of anyone who fell in service of the nation in question, Much work goes into trying to find a certain soldier, and to verify that it is indeed one of the relevant nation's Today we come face to face with what religion calls mystery. Often events in our life are mysteries. All of us live with mysteries. A mystery is something or some event which is difficult or impossible to understand or explain. Examples are the mysteries of outer space, or the mystery hidden in a riddle, or the mysteries hidden in old abandoned houses. Sometimes we refer to persons we know by saying he or she is a mystery to me. Some particular trades or jobs or specialties contain mysteries such as the mystery of analytical geometry or psychology. The medical profession deals with the mysteries of the human body day after day. Some people spend hours watching mystery programs on TV. So it is reasonable to believe that all religions have mysteries. Religions have teachings or beliefs that go beyond human understanding. Catholics believe that God has provided us with some supernatural truths that are necessary for salvation, but some of these truths we could never know without God revealing them to us Inquiring minds want to know. We want an intellectual handle on God. Ultimately, though, God is a mystery, and the Trinity is the central mystery of our Christian faith. Faith is really the foundation of our Catholic religion. Our Catholic religion is founded on faith or believing in its truth. Many people today, especially young persons do not think much about religion because they consider that it can not be proven. They compare the search for God like the search for Bigfoot. But religion extends what can be seen through a microscope. So often we depend on inherited beliefs. Our faith in what we learned in school or on our jobs. But we need to have faith in faith. We all live by some kind of faith or trust. None of us could possibly go through life by trying to prove with certainty all that we rely on. For example can anyone prove with 100 percent certainty that someone loves them? But we all believe in love and have faith in love. We all have faith that the laws of science and the laws of mathematics will never change. So even science depends on faith. We believe that the labels on our grocery products are true, until some consumer agency makes us doubt. Today I could explore with you our Catholic faith doctrine on the Trinity. I could use St. Patrick’s explanation to the Irish people 1800 years ago that the shamrock has three petals but is one leaf. While it is very important to know about God, it is more important to know God; therefore, today is not a celebration of Catholic doctrine in a mystery but it is a celebration that we can know something fundamental about God: God knows us and loves us, and God wants us to know it. Ultimately God is Love, and we can experience this love. God has revealed himself throughout human history, and during those centuries, human beings have experienced God in a variety of ways. Historically God was experienced as ‘‘Creator.” God revealed himself in the person of Jesus. Jesus changed our word for speaking to God to emphasize the role of God in our lives: God is Father, the life giver. The Trinity is an expression of perfect love. It is a love that Jesus wants us to share. We cannot understand this love; it is simply too much to bear. But with the Holy Spirit, we can begin to approach understanding. All that the Father has belongs to Jesus precisely because Jesus is perfectly united with the Father. Jesus wants us to be part of this, so the Holy Spirit is given to show us the way. Today, on this feast of the Blessed Trinity, we are not directed to understand a mystery of our faith and religion. We are, however, invited to renew our faith in the mystery of God the Father as our creator and provider, God the Redeemer as our for giver and redeemer, and God the Holy Spirit as our sanctifier. As you make the sign of the cross today remember that you are telling yourself and anyone else who sees you that you believe that in God there are three persons: the Father, the Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit known only but to God.

Homily for the Week of May 19, 2013

Pentecost C 2013 Acts 2:1-11 Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Rom 8:8-17 Jn 20:19-23 or Jn 14:15-16, 23b-26 Think for a moment about the wind. Wind can be a gentle breeze, bringing comfort on a hot summer day, Or it can be a mighty gale, topping trees and even buildings as on Texas this past week. Over time a steady wind reshapes shorelines and rock formations. Though it is unseen, the wind is constantly changing the world we live in. . Breathing and wind are very often mentioned in the Bible as signs of God's presence. Those who suffer from breathing difficulties recount how terrifying it is not to be able to catch their breath. Breath or wind is the very symbol of life and has been since ancient times. We just read a section of the Acts of the Apostles, one of the books of the Bible. The disciples had experienced the death of Jesus and wondered what they would do now that he is gone. So fifty days after Easter the Apostles and some others, all close friends of Jesus, had gathered together in Jerusalem in a small locked room, wondering what they were going to do now that Jesus had left them. They had huddled together trying to comfort one another so that they could muster enough energy to carry on the mission of Jesus. But Jesus did not want to leave his friends alone, so he arranges to send them the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes to them through a strong driving wind. There were many more outside the house coming from all parts of the Middle East because this was also a special Jewish holy day. We are told that there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. The noise that is described can be compared to the noise we hear in the house when there is a strong wind blowing outside. We don't feel the wind. We only know how strong it is by its sound. In a sense that is the way that the Bible often described God. God’s voice was described as sounding like the wind. When that happened they were also able to understand each other in various languages.. Our Catholic religion has three major holy days: Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. But most Catholics pay far less attention to Pentecost than to Christmas and Easter. Pentecost is also important because today is the birthday of the Catholic Church. It was at Pentecost that the Holy Spirit gave the followers of Jesus the courage to preach the Catholic faith to others. It was also the first time that Baptism was provided for all those who became followers of Jesus. At that first Pentecost 3000 were baptized The idea of a holy spirit was not new to the Jewish people. Thousand of years before Jesus the Jewish people believed in a spirit of God that came to certain individuals and calling them to a special type of work in God’s name. When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist the Holy Spirit came to Jesus. Then on Pentecost, the special feast we celebrate this weekend,the Apostles received the Holy Spirit. Once they received the Holy Spirit the Apostles and followers of Jesus were not afraid to go out everywhere and talk about Jesus. They knew, of course, that this would get the Jewish authorities angry. Receiving the Holy Spirit was a necessary part of being a follower of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is also among us right here and now. Although unseen, the Holy Spirit moves in our lives and in the world. Like a gentle breeze, the Holy Spirit comforts us in times of hardship and loss. Like a mighty wind, it empowers us to bravely confront evil. The Holy Spirit is the primary gift we receive in Confirmation, so we can grow even stronger in our calling to be followers of Jesus Christ. God has given us the exact gifts we need to do his will. Unfortunately, so often it can happen that religion and spirituality are placed on the back burners of the daily life of our businesses, educators, politicians, newspersons, workers and families. Because of this spiritual vacuum, love and caring and sharing are missing in our society. However, we need not feel depressed or worried as long as we believe that the Holy Spirit is always there to fill that spiritual vacuum with love and caring and sharing. Catholics also believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity which we mention when we make the sign of the cross. But how do we know when the Holy Spirit is at work in you? The Holy Spirit was working in us when we said or thought of something unexpected that benefited ourself and others; at times when we had been away from God or Jesus and felt a need to return; at times when we stood firm for what was right and good. We imitate the Holy Spirit when we arrange delightful surprises for someone like making an unexpected visit or phone call to a grandparent. All of us have the breath of God within us. Sometimes we forget, yet God’s love — God’s Spirit, God’s Breath — restores life again and again. Hopefully we live our lives with a desire to keep this Spirit within us. Hopefully, we always trust the Holy Spirit to teach us how to be God’s children.

Homily for the Week of May 12, 2013

7 Sunday of Easter, 2013 Acts 7:55-60 Psalm 97:1-2, 6-7, 9 Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 John 17:20-26 Early in the winter of 1941, soldiers and sailors assigned to posts in Hawaii were enjoying life in that island paradise. They were conducting the usual military exercises, having drills, going on regular patrols. Ships were sailing in and out of Pearl Harbor, routinely searching for submarines but finding none. They then returned to port where most of the crew looked forward to liberty ashore with the usual golf matches, ball games, dating and partying. Suddenly, in the early hours of December 7, Pearl Harbor was attached, and everything changed. I bring this up today, not only because this weekend we remember those who fought and died in our country's wars, but because, like most of us, the military people serving Hawaii were preoccupied with the events of ordinary daily life. They did not give much thought to what was happening elsewhere or to what might lie in the future. War was certainly a possibility in the minds of those on that island, but it took this catastrophic event to make the possibility into a reality. The first followers of Jesus must have had a similar mind set. As they heard him preach throughout Galilee and Judea, they gradually became aware that fundamental changes in their lifestyle were coming if they continued to follow him. He warned of hardship and suffering. His closest friends and disciples heard him say on several occasions that enemies would seek to kill him. It was only when they witnessed his brutal arrest and execution, however, that they fully came to realize the meaning of those warnings. The Apostles undoubtedly listened carefully to the words of Jesus during what was to be their last supper with him. They heard him pray that they would continue to be faithful to him and to the Father whom he had revealed to them. He prayed that they, along with others who would come to believe, would be united in the love which he shared with them and with his Father. But it was not until after his death and resurrection that these remembered words took on their full significance. We are given today the story of Stephen, one of the disciples chosen as a deacon to carry out the charitable works of the early church. Stephen became the first in a long line of Christians who would die for their religion. Stephen became a follower of Jesus when he heard how loving Jesus was. In both word and action he showed his understanding of Christ's teaching. He believed that Jesus was truly a Jewish man but also God. Stephen was killed for believing this just as was Jesus. Paul became a follower of Jesus because of Stephen. In the gospel Jesus prays that all may be one, as you Father are in me and I in you. There is a story about a group of shipwrecked people who were adrift at sea in a long narrow lifeboat. The boat was so long that the people in the front thought of themselves as the front people and those in the back as the back people. Suddenly, the front of the boat developed an uncontrollable leak. A man in the back of the boat whispered to the woman next to him: Thank God that the leak is in the front. It it were in the back, we'd be doomed. All of us are obviously in the same boat. A threat to any of us is a threat to all of us. Jesus prayed for oneness among his disciples and with all those who would come to believe in him. Then there is the gift of God's presence in all that surrounds us. It is the Spirit who enables us to see God reflected in creation, just as it is the same Spirit who helps us see God's guiding hand in the stories of our lives. Such a vision can always be obstructed. Jealousy and envy, possessiveness and greed darken our view and twist our perception so that we always see what is wrong and assume it is irreparable. Again it is the Holy Spirit who helps us overcome such a destructive vision and leads us to celebrate God in ourselves, our world, and all whom we meet. Our world may fail to see God but desperately needs to see God. I often hear parents grieve that one of their children has gotten away from the practice of their religion. Sometimes they will ask: What can I do to get them back to church again? The easiest and best response is simply: Let them see the joy your faith gives you. Giving witness to the joy of your religion does more than any other thing to make people curious about church. We can only be joyful if we experience the unity of love Jesus prays for today. How could Jesus endure what he did? How could Stephen endure what he did? It could only happen because they knew God and had a relationship with him. Jesus knew the Father. Stephen knew Jesus. Likewise, many will come to know God and Jesus because of you. That means, of course, that you don't compromise yourself -- that you don't sell yourself short. Our faith and our religion must be consistent. We can't behave spiritually one way at home and another way at work or school. Yes, some may think you are different. But you will be different where you believe it counts. Pray this week for gift to let your faith guide you. And if you need help, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.