Author: Fr. Leo

Pentecost, 2020

So we had our first Drive-In Mass this weekend. It was outrageously fun and a great success. We’ll tweak a few things for next week, but by and large it went really, really well. It’s also nice to be able to give communion now after Mass. As always, you can catch the video on the St. Pat’s Facebook page and our YouTube channel. Here’s the homily.

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   Today we celebrate Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. Birthdays are fun. but births themselves are simply miraculous. Anyone who has been there can tell you that perhaps the most profound moment of any birth is when the baby takes its first breath. The experience is indescribable, even for those who are there. Perhaps it is because at that moment, we realize that where there is breath, there is life. In the same moment we realize that we are not the source of that life, we are merely its beneficiaries. 

       There is a story making the rounds on the Internet about an elderly Italian gentleman who was hospitalized after he had contracted COVID-19. He recovered but had to spend a day on a ventilator. As he left the hospital, he received a bill for €500. The old man began to cry. The embarrassed attendant assured him that financial assistance was available if he could not pay. The old man said, “Oh, I don’t cry because of the money. I can afford it easily. I cry because I have been breathing God’s air for free for the last 93 years.  I have never thanked him once. It takes €500 to use a ventilator in a hospital for one day. Do you know how much I owe God?

       There are many different things we could meditate on this Pentecost, but given the historical context in which we live I would like to spend some time on the Holy Spirit as the life breath of the Church. 

       It helps to remember that we understand the Holy Spirit as the very love between the Father and the Son; the relationship between the lover and the beloved. It is this relationship of co-eternal, mutual love that is the life breath of the Church. It is the very love of God that breathes life into the Church and animates its members. 

       We have two wonderful images of this in today’s Scriptures. In the reading from Acts, we see the first manifestation of the Spirit as “a noise, like a strong driving wind.”  I’ve mentioned before that in Hebrew, the word for ‘spirit’ is “ru’ach” (רוח). Literally it means wind, breath, or soul. Thus, at the birth of the Church at Pentecost, the noise like a strong driving wind makes sense. It is God breathing life into the Church.

       In a similar way, in the passage from John’s gospel, we see the resurrected Christ breathing on the apostles and saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” It is more personal, but the image is the same. It is the breath of the Divine, the Holy Spirit, that animates or “ensouls” the life of the Church.

       It is through the Holy Spirit that we receive the gifts of  Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Courage, Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Lord.

       It is in our grateful acceptance of these gifts that we become aware of the charisms of the Holy Spirit given to certain individuals within the Church, including prophecy and healing, mercy, teaching, stewardship, perseverance, encouragement, hospitality, leadership, joy.       

Finally, it is in our exercise of these gifts that we each enjoy the fruits of the Holy Spirit: charity, generosity, joy, gentleness, faithfulness, patience, modesty, kindness, self-control, goodness, chastity, peace.

       St. Paul is right. “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” (1Cor 12:4-7)

As we begin to slowly emerge from the lockdown perhaps it is a good time to pause, take a deep breath, and thank God for the gifts that we have been given.

       The gift of life,

       The gift of faith

       The gifts, charisms and fruits of the Holy Spirit

              that are given to each of us for the building up of the Church and the world. 

Let us pray. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Why did Jesus ascend to the Father? Why did he not just stick around until the end of the age? Read on…As always, you can catch the video on the St. Pat’s Facebook page and our YouTube channel.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend.  It is good for us as a nation and as a Church to pause and remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy, especially religious freedom.  All have given some, some have given all.  Let us always remember them with honor and gratitude. 

How very appropriate that this national celebration should occur in such close proximity to the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.

I like to listen to Science Fantastic! with Dr. Michio Kaku. Dr. Kaku is a super smart guy who has one mantra: There are no stupid questions. It’s true in the physical as well as the theological sciences. 

So here’s a fun theological question for you. In the Nicene and Apostles’ Creed, we say, “He ascended to heaven…”  But did you ever wonder why? I mean, come on, Jesus is truly human and truly divine.  He is the Eternal Word of God Incarnate, the perfect self-expression of the Father.  He can do anything he wants!  Why didn’t he just stick around after the Resurrection until the end of the age? He certainly could have if he wanted to.  Why didn’t he?

Think about it for a minute. If you want to see the Pope, you have to go to Rome, because that is where he is. If you want to see the President, you have to go to Washington, because that is where he is. But if you want to encounter the Risen Christ, where do have to go? Really, you don’t have to go any farther than your own home and parish, because that is where he is. How is this possible?

It all has to do with sacramentality. Back in 1963, a Dutch theologian name Edward Schillebeeckx wrote a book called Christ, the Sacrament of the Encounter with God. It’s a rich work, with lots of fancy theological terms, but it all boils down to this.

Sacraments are all about true presence. Jesus wasn’t some great prophet who simply taught us about God, Jesus IS God.

So, after the Incarnation, how was God truly present to humanity?  Through Jesus Christ. So in the broad sense of the term, Christ can be said to be the “Sacrament of God.”

But if Jesus was still walking the face of the earth, where would you want to be now? I don’t know about you, but I’d like to be there. But there is a problem with such a localized Messiah, the only way to be in his presence is to be where he is.  If only there was a way to overcome this physical limitation and transcend the temporal order while being truly present to it….

Fortunately for us, God is waaaay smarter than Michio Kaku.  If God was truly present to humanity in the person of Jesus Christ at one time and place, how is Jesus truly present to humanity in all times and in all places? The answer is surprisingly simple. Through the Church.  So in a sense, the Church can be said to be the “Sacrament of Christ.”

       The physical Christ simply cannot be present in all times and in all places, but through His Body, the Church, he certainly can, and indeed is.

       Finally, within the life of the Church, there are those seven sacramental moments

       Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist

       Reconciliation, Anointing

       Holy Orders, Holy Matrimony…

when we truly encounter the Risen Christ, especially in the Eucharist. 

       To sum up, physicality brings with it, the limitations of time and space. Sacramentality transcends those limitations. Had Christ remained on earth, humanity would only be able to encounter Him in a very limited way. But through the Church and the grace of the sacraments, there is no limit to where and when we can encounter the Risen Christ.  The Kingdom of God is very much within our grasp. 

Deacon Mick nailed it again! Catch the video on the St. Pat’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/stpatsak) and our YouTube channel. (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCce6fxZKR1vqgyhuTO7e7VA/)

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There was a fellow named Tom and

Tom figured out a way

to remember his wife’s birthday and their wedding anniversary. 

He opened an account with a florist

and told him to send flowers to his wife on those specific dates,

along with a note signed, “Your loving husband.” 

Now, his wife was thrilled by the attention,

and all was great until one anniversary.

Tom had forgotten about the anniversary, as usual.

So that evening he came home as usual, saw the bouquet of flowers,

kissed his wife, and said, “Nice flowers. 

Where’d you get them?”  

…Tom is now quarantined…alone.

You can’t put love on cruise control or automatic pilot. 

Marriage is a promise to love and honor

as well as a commitment to fidelity. 

Relationships take an ongoing involvement of ourselves,

even in our relationship with God.

SO —— with God

we’re often tempted to

let fidelity to God take a back seat

as we let other things

take a higher priority in our lives than God,

such things as sports events, TV,

the internet, money, our own ego, etc.

In today’s Gospel reading,

the Lord gives three promises of fidelity to the Apostles

and to each of us.

(1)  He said,  “I will send you another Advocate”!

of course, the Lord is speaking, of the Holy Spirit. 

Most of us have seen ads for

expensive items which

carry a small disclaimer at the bottom of the page,

“batteries are not included.” 

Jesus did not give us a Gospel to follow,

a personal call to conversion,

And a way to live our life, only to say,

“By the way, you’re on your own,

batteries not included.” 

Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to be the energy

and staying power in our life of faith. 

That’s why, in the first reading,

the Apostles were sent to the people of Samaria

to give them the Holy Spirit so that 

their faith would not depend on temporary emotion. 

This Holy Spirit is manifested

not primarily in extraordinary gifts

but in the ordinary gifts of fidelity, prayer and conscience

that enable us to live our faith day by day.

(2)   He said, “I will not leave you orphans. 

I will come back to you.” 

Remember —— these words of Jesus

are at the Last supper. 

Jesus here

is referring to His return to the Apostles at Easter,

at His Resurrection. 

To us today,

this promise of the Lord

is kept in the Eucharist

when Jesus comes to us in His risen presence

under the form of bread and wine

to be our strength

and to give us a pledge of eternal life with him. 

The Eucharist is Jesus’ fulfillment of that promise to us. 

Because of the Eucharist,

we’re not orphans, we’re never alone,

no matter what we may face. 

Promise two is the gift of the Eucharist

where Jesus remains with us.

(3)  Finally he promised, “If you keep my commandments,

My father and I will reveal ourselves to you and come to you.” 

The presence of Christ becomes more vivid to us

as we follow the Gospel. 

Our failure to follow the gospel

is like a spiritual cataract

where our faith is obstructed or clouded. 

As we remove the cataracts of our life,

we start to experience the presence of the Father,

the Son and the Holy Spirit in a variety of ways. 

The Lord gives this promise

not only to the Apostles

but to the Church and to us as a whole. 

It’s our responsibility

to make sure that our life is faithful to Jesus.

The elimination of these obstructions

allows us to see the Lord more clearly in our life

and enter more deeply

into the mysterious divine life of the Trinity.

In a wonderful image in today’s Gospel,

Jesus promises those who are faithful to the Gospel

the “WE (we being the Father, Son & Holy Spirit)

will come to them and make our home with them.” 

We have three promises of Jesus that

are fundamental to Christian spirituality

and to the life of the Church. 

First, the promise of the Holy Spirit

to energize and sustain our fidelity to Christ. 

Second, the promise of Jesus’ return

to the Apostles at Easter and the Resurrection —

and to us in the Eucharist. 

Third, the promise of sharing God’s life

more powerfully now

and forever as we cleanse and clarify our lives.

We will celebrate the fulfillment

of each of these promises over the next four weeks. 

Next Sunday is the Ascension. 

After that is Pentecost with the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

This is followed by Trinity Sunday,

the feast of the mysterious life of God

in which we can have a part. 

Last comes Corpus Christi,

the Feast of the Eucharist.

My friends——

Festivals are wonderful celebrations

of the bounty of nature. 

These words, these promises of Jesus

carry the gifts of a great spiritual bounty

for each of us —

and for the Church —

through the Holy Spirit,

the Eucharist

and the life of grace that can be ours today.

In the Gospel,

Jesus gives every one of us

the promise of a magnificent spiritual life and destiny

and, as the next four Sundays will show,

with the promises of Jesus,

his fidelity is forever and 

my friends, “the batteries are included.”

Okay, so I’ve been a little busy working for the bishop lately as we are putting together our guidelines for opening the churches and other parish facilities in the Archdiocese. Like the butcher that backed into the meat grinder, I got a little behind in my work. So what follows is the texts of the homilies from the last three weeks. They are quite good actually. As always, the videos are on the St. Pat’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/stpatsak) and our YouTube channel. (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCce6fxZKR1vqgyhuTO7e7VA/)

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Fourth Sunday of Easter – Having Life Abundantly

     I learned a lot on my first Engaged Encounter. I particularly remember the talk given by the senior couple about what it means to be “pro-life” in a Christian marriage. What was striking about their talk was that they approached it from a multi-dimensional perspective. Being pro-life does not mean just being “pro-baby” or “pro-birth.” Being “pro-life” for married couples and indeed for all Christians involves not just the passive receiving of the gift of life, but perhaps even more to be active in “life-giving” in all aspects and at all stages—not just physically, but also morally, spiritually, and emotionally, just to name a few. The best advice I have ever heard about being life-giving was imparted during that talk.  The husband said, “The question before you do ANYTHING in life, let alone in marriage is this: “Is this decisions life giving or not? Does it make life possible or does it keep it from happening?  Does it enhance the life of others, or does it diminish it in some way? Does it preserve life, or take it away? The answer to that question will determine what you should do.”

       It’s good advice for all of us, principally because it is rooted in the life-giving mission and ministry of Jesus, who came “so that they might have life and have it abundantly.” (Jn 10:10) Jesus did not just affirm life where he found it, he is the ultimate life-giver. He instructed the ignorant. He healed broken bodies and broken spirits. He fed the hungry. Finally, he conquered sin and death and opened for us the way to eternal life.

       What about us, the Body of Christ? How might we emulate the Lord in this ministry in our own lives in the present moment? Using the questions I have mentioned, let’s take a look at some of the moral decisions we are called to make this days. 

       While there are signs of hope, we are still in the midst of dealing with the COVID-19. Our daily lives have been greatly modified, disrupted even. When we choose to isolate or distance from those we would normally associate with; when we choose to wear a mask—are these  decisions not life giving? Do they not preserve life?  The answer is pretty obvious. We do these things, not because we like to or even want to, we do them because they are life giving. And we are here so that they may have life and have it abundantly. 

       What about our relationship with others? When we check in on our neighbors, when we buy groceries for a high-risk friend, when we donate to the food bank or give a pint of blood, is this decision not life giving? Does it not enhance the life of others?  We do these things often because they make us feel good.  We are here that they may have life and have it abundantly.

       Perhaps most sacrificial of all, when we stay away from church, at least for now; when we arrange a home chapel; when we take time for prayer after the evening meal; when we find new ways to make the Sabbath holy; are we not preserving the life of our parish community; are we not preserving the life of the parish for the future? We make these sacrifices out of a sense of duty to the common good. For we are here that our parish community may have life, and have it abundantly. 

       Things will not remain this way much longer.  The coming weeks will see a gradual reopening of our churches for prayer and eventually for limited gatherings and then even for Mass and Communion. Until then, let us choose to be a life-giving in the present day and in that part of the Kingdom where Christ now needs us most. 

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Fifth Sunday of Easter – A Place at the Table

    

“If evolution really works, how come Mothers only have two hands?”

-Milton Berle

How fitting that we pause today to honor motherhood in general and all our mothers living and in eternity. This celebration is actually kind of special to us priests. You will recall that Our Lord said, “And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more.” (Mt 19:29) So we get hundreds of mothers throughout our lifetimes, even the Mother of Christ! So Mother’s Day is pretty special for us priests

Today, I’d like to concentrate on the words of Jesus when he says to the Apostles, “I am going to prepare a place for you.” 

       At first I was going to try to do this against the backdrop of Mother’s Day, but it just doesn’t work.  All that comes to mind is that Joan London commercial about “A Place for Mom” and I just don’t want to go there.

But this notion that Christ has prepared a place for us is very compelling. 

I think there are two ways that we can approach it.

       As a future reality and as a present reality.

It is very comforting to know that there is a seat waiting for you and for me at the heavenly banquet. Our reservation is confirmed.  All we need to do is show up!

But there is also a bit of a caution called for here as well. Sometimes we can get so fixated on the future that we forget the present.  I think of the person that is so much looking forward to retirement that they don’t pay attention to what is right before them in the present moment. 

It’s important to keep in mind that Kingdom of God is at once a present and a future reality.  It is “already” and “not yet.”  Christ came preaching the Kingdom and it has been continually unfolding ever since.  We have a place in that Kingdom, but it is not just some distant, future reality.

       The Kingdom of God is in your grasp!

We have a place in the Kingdom, right here, right now. 

As I look at this Gospel passage, I see Christ speaking to the apostles at the last supper, telling them that he is going to prepare a place for them.  But I also notice that they already have a place at the table in the upper room.

It was true for them and it is true for us. 

Christ has already prepared a place for you.  Look around you right now…go ahead…take a good look.  This is your place in the Kingdom right now, physically, spiritually, psychologically, sociologically. 

       Just like the rest of the Kingdom it will unfold and develop over time, culminating in the fulfillment of your vocation and taking the place in heaven that has been prepared for you since the beginning of the Age. 

During this COVID inter-Mission, we have all been given the gift of time

       Hopefully, we have used some of that time to reflect on what is most important, or perhaps more importantly WHO is most important,

       and about our place in grand scheme of things.

During this time, for the health and safety of others, we have withdrawn from certain activities and interactions

       Perhaps this has given us a new perspective and a new appreciation

       For family

       For friends,

       For Church

       For the Sacraments. 

Most of you have already read Bishop Bellisario’s letter informing us that this time we have had will be gradually coming to an end over the coming weeks and months.  In due time, we will once again take our places here in the Sacred Assembly,

       first in very creative ways,

              and then, hopefully, as time passes in a more                             normal fashion.

In the coming days, with the parish staff and the liturgy committee we will be putting our safety plan together for the incremental reopening of the Church and a return to the sacraments, albeit in somewhat limited and creative fashion.  I’ve mentioned some of that in my column in the bulletin, but on Wednesday or Thursday log onto the parish website for details of the Plan. 

       We need to get a few things in place and make sure we have all the necessary supplies, but my hope is to begin opening the Cloister and the Church for prayer and devotions on Tuesday, May 19^th and begin with small daily Mass right after Memorial Day on Tuesday, May 26^th.

       Given the restrictions on space in the Church, I don’t see us having public Masses in Phase II. If we can get the FM transmitter in time, I think we will have a drive-in Mass on Saturday evenings and then a livestreamed Mass on Sunday mornings, each followed by the distribution of Holy Communion.  That would begin on the weekend of Pentecost. So stay tuned and log onto the website for details. 

We most definitely live in interesting times.  But that’s been true in very era of the Church, why should we be any different. 

       Our place in history is here.

       Our place in the Kingdom is here.

       It has been prepared for us since the dawn of time.

       And will bring us to eternity.

     In most Catholic households, it is a tradition to have a depiction of the Last Supper in the dining room.  However, in the parish house, I have hung a print of Caravaggio’s second Supper at Emmaus. It’s a bit more subdued than the 1602 version, but I like it. In fact, I like everything about the Emmaus story.

           Principally, I like how the story is constructed. The framework in which the narrative unfolds is unmistakably the same as the Order of the Mass. Our first hint comes from the punchline about how they recognized him “in the breaking of the bread.” Indeed, “fractio panis” was a sort of buzz word for the Mass in the early Church. An early Christian would have picked up on the reference immediately.

           You will recall that the Order of the Mass has four main parts in which we gather, we share our stories, we break the bread, and we are sent forth. Officially, these are known as the Introductory Rites, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist and the Dismissal. Just as the Mass is timeless in its relevance, reading the story within this framework can help us understand it and apply it to our present circumstances.

           The story opens with the two disciples heading away from Jerusalem to a place called Emmaus. Emmaus was a small resort town not far from Jerusalem, sort of like Girdwood is to Anchorage. The appearance of the Risen Christ as they walk along discussing the passion and death of Jesus is consistent with his earlier saying, “wherever two or three are gathering in my name, there I am in their midst.” So they are, and so he is.

           I think it is important for us to remember this in our present circumstances. While am heartened by the gradual lifting of certain health restrictions, in reality it will be some time before it is safe for us to gather as a parish community. It is comforting to know that Christ does not abandon us during this time. Christ is truly risen, and he certainly more powerful than any microbe. When we pray together in our homes, when we video conference with our small groups or FaceTime with our prayer partners, Christ is in our midst, just as he was for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Where two or three of us are gathered in his name, by any means, Christ is present in our midst. He is truly risen, even if we sometimes do not recognize him right away.

           There is no shame in that. The two disciples did not recognize him either. I love how Jesus is so coy in drawing them out of themselves. It’s a simple exchange: “Hey, guys! What’s up? What are you talking about?”

           “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who doesn’t know about the things that have gone on there?

           “What things?”

           At this point, the disciples have a choice. They can change the subject, lest they reveal themselves as disciples of Jesus, or they can share their story and the questions of faith that they are dealing with. They choose the latter and that’s when things get real. 

           So they share their experience of the passion and death of Christ, but they don’t know what to make of it. Fair enough.  Who would? So Jesus goes to work putting their experience into context as he explains everything that referred to him in the scriptures and how the Christ had to suffer. What an incredible Liturgy of the Word that must have been!  Can you imagine having the scriptures explained to you by the very Incarnate Word of God?! What a privilege. What a gift!

           In these past weeks, we too have been given the unique privilege and gift of time to encounter Christ more deeply in the sacred scriptures. What an opportunity to take some of that time and set it aside to spend some time with the Word. There are lots of ways to do this. Here are just a few suggestions. 

– Take ten minutes every day, perhaps right after dinner, to read the Gospel of Luke to each other. Have a different person in the house read each day, maybe reading a chapter or a section each evening.

– On the weekend, do the same thing with the Sunday readings.  Have one person read and each listener share one thing from the sacred text that stood out for them. 

– View an online course at formed.org or Word on Fire.

Just like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we have the gift of time to spend with the Word.  Let’s not waste it.

           The story goes on. As they near the village Jesus toys with them again, perhaps testing their faith. He pretends to continue on, but the two disciples prevail and they all sit down for supper. What happens next is at once simple and amazing. As he had done so many times before, Jesus takes what is before him and transforms it into the means of grace.

           Our first clue comes when the words used to describe his actons are exactly the same ones that Luke uses earlier to describe the Last Supper. 

           …he took bread, said the blessing,

           broke it, and gave it to them.

The reference is unmistakable—for the two disciples, for the early Church, and now for us. Jesus is doing exactly what he did at the Last Supper. This is the Eucharist, Christ truly and substantially present in the appearance of bread and wine. 

           Many scholars think that is why he vanished from their sight. Present in the sacrament, his physical presence is simply not necessary.  From now on, it is in the fractio panis, the breaking of the bread, where he is recognized by those who believe in him. Powerful stuff.

           They don’t seem to have realized it, but the power of this moment is exactly what they were yearning for earlier during their ambulatory Liturgy of Word.  I’m struck by the phrase “Were not our hearts burning within us…?”  Their encounter with Christ in the scriptures leads to a burning desire for more intimate union with Christ. This finds its fullest expression in the Eucharist.

           So what about us?  What about now?  Perhaps in one sense, some real spiritual good can come from this extended Eucharistic fast, this COVID-19 “Inter-MISSION.” Are not our hearts burning within us?  Perhaps absence does make the heart grow fonder in a holy longing for deeper intimacy and full communion with Christ and his Church

           It is important to remember that the while the reception of Holy Communion is the fullest expression of our union with Christ, we must distinguish between the relationship itself and the expression of the that relationship.

           Married couples give us a good example of this. My mom and dad had a great marriage of 47 years. Being of good Irish and Danish stock, they were not overly public in their displays of affection…but they did have eight kids, so that says something. They had a deep, loving and fruitful relationship.  But there were times when they were separated from each other, sometimes for weeks at a time. During those times, there were no hugs, no kisses, nor anything else that goes along with showing how much they loved each other. But their relationship was deeper and more profound than their inability to express it. It did not cease to exist simply because they could not be with each other for a period of time. In some ways, it grew deeper so that its expression was all the more profound when they were finally reunited. Did I mention that they had eight kids? 

           So it is in our relationship with Christ and the Eucharist. There is the reality of our relationship with Christ, and there the expression of that relationship in the Eucharist.  At present, we may be separated for a time, but will that not make our reunion all the more powerful?  Are not our hearts burning within us? That may not be such a bad thing for now.

           A second thought – as soon as they recognize him in the breaking of the bread, he “vanished from their sight.” 

           In a certain sense, because we cannot gather for Mass, we may be tempted to feel that Christ has disappeared from our midst, that he is somehow absent. But is he really?

           Listen to the text again. It simply says, “…he vanished from their sight.” It does not say that he abandoned them. Otherwise, how could he say elsewhere, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age”? He did not abandon them then, and he does not abandon us now.  For “nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.”

           Now, after all this, the two disciples could have remained where they were, contemplating in wonder all that had just happened. But they do not. They cannot! They are compelled to share their experience of the Resurrection with others.

           So it is with each of us. Sure, we may be hunkered down, but as the meme says, the church isn’t empty, “The Church is deployed.” Right now we are where we are because God needs us in our homes in our neighborhoods for a reason.

           Perhaps it is to check in on an elderly or infirmed neighbor. Perhaps to get back in touch with loved ones, maybe even the ones under your own roof. Perhaps to be a witness of the Resurrection in a way that you have never thought possible before.

           The two disciples on the road to Emmaus can teach us much in our present circumstances. Understood within the framework of the Order of the Mass, we see

1) that whenever and wherever two or three are gathered in his name, Christ indeed is in their midst. It was true for them; it is true for us.

2) that an encounter with the Word of God evokes in us a holy longing where our hearts are burning within us for deeper intimacy with our Lord. It was true for them; it is true for us. 

3) that while our relationship with Christ is best expressed in the sacred assembly it is not limited only to it, any more than the relationship of a married couple is defined solely by their ability to express it. “Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.” It was true for them; it is true for us.

4) that even now we are sent into the world, or at least that little part of the world in which we find ourselves, to be witnesses of the resurrection because that is where God needs us to be. It was true for them; it is true for us.

           Like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, we all have a choice to make. When asked, we can change the topic or we can face our fears and reveal ourselves as disciples of Jesus Christ. 

           My prayer for us, is that like them, we do not shy away from our calling; but that we share our story to be numbered among the saints as witnesses of the resurrection.    

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For a video recording of the Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday, as well as daily Mass, check out the St. Pat’s FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/stpatsak/

The Sunday Masses are also posted on the St. Pat’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCce6fxZKR1vqgyhuTO7e7VA

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My friends,

This weekend the Church concludes the Octave of Easter

as we celebrate the 2^nd Sunday of Easter,

now referred to as Divine Mercy Sunday. 

As I was reflecting on our readings today,

I noted an interesting feature

about this Gospel scene in that ———

the Risen Christ retained the scars of the Passion on his body. 

I think it’s quite extraordinary. 

Jesus had a transformed,

exaulted, glorious risen body that

could pass through doors —— yet he kept the scars. 

Now, Christ could have miraculously

erased those scars after the Resurrection but

He chose not to. 

They were his personal “signature”.

They helped identify him.

Most of us can often recognize someone

who has changed dramatically over the years

by certain marks and scars. 

It was only

when the apostles saw the scars in his hands and side that

they realized that

this was the Jesus of Nazareth they knew,

The Jesus of Nazareth they had spent 3 years walking with,

The Jesus of Nazareth that had been their teacher. 

In reality, I believe

that’s why Thomas wanted to see the scars.

Personally, whenever we see a scar

on our knee, finger, face or chest,

we remember how it got there. 

Maybe we got these scars from

our own negligence

or that of others. 

Some scars came intentionally through surgery or

accidentally from a sports injury

and others maybe from violence. 

Some of those scars are on the outside

while others are on the inside,

but each one has a story. 

I believe the Risen Lord kept his scars as the evidence of his love.

They also help us

keep his Passion and Death joined with his resurrection. 

It can be spiritually distorting to separate them. 

If we emphasize the sufferings of Jesus,

it is important to remember that

those sufferings lead to his resurrection. 

If we reflect solely on the resurrection of Jesus,

we need to remember that

the road to new and eternal life was through a crucifixion and death. 

The Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ are all linked. 

Theologians call this fusion — this uniting of the Passion.

Death and Resurrection of Christ

the “Paschal Mystery.”

Jesus’ scars are also a promise. 

The Risen Lord showed his apostles His scars

and He still has them, to show us that

through him we can have healing and spiritual victory.

Jesus knows the stories behind all our wounds,

the ones on the outside and the ones on the inside. 

Catholics — Christians do not have immunity to wounds. 

People slander us as they do others;

people harm us as they do others;

people oppose us as they do others;

people deceive us as they do everybody else. 

The scars of Jesus should give us the confidence that

real victory comes from doing God’s will. 

The scars of the Risen Christ

give us strength that

comes from knowing

we are on the side of the Risen and victorious Christ.

None of the circumstances

outside that locked room

in today’s gospel reading changed

after the apostles received the peace

that Jesus offered them. 

They still had to face the same situations they faced

before he entered the locked room. 

They still had to face the authorities. 

They still had to risk going out into the streets. 

They still had to face the crowds who crucified Jesus. 

They still had to face trials and troubles —— as each of us do.

The change

occurred inside the room and inside them.

Jesus gave them a strength

and a peace

which they could not generate on their own. 

Just as the Apostles recognized Jesus by his scars ——

so will Jesus, in his Divine Mercy, recognize us by our scars.

When we reveal our scars,

when we open whatever wounds we have

to the healing power of Christ’s truth and grace,

they can become places of strength. 

That will be true of the church

as well as of our lives.

My friends, the scars of Jesus

give us hope,

strength and confidence that,

through him, and by his divine mercy

our wounds can heal

and even become places of new strength and grace

for ourselves and for others.

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For a video recording of the Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday, as well as daily Mass, check out the St. Pat’s FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/stpatsak/

The Sunday Masses are also posted on the St. Pat’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCce6fxZKR1vqgyhuTO7e7VA

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    I am struck by a stark contrast in the greetings of Jesus before the resurrection and after. Whether he is calling the first disciples or healing the daughter of Jairus, or walking to them across the turbulent waters,  before the resurrection, Jesus can most often be heard saying to his disciples, “Do not be afraid!” But after the resurrection, he simply says, “Peace be with you.”

       I think it is very important for us to pay attention to this change of greeting and what it means for us Christians, especially when so much of human interactions today now take place against a backdrop of fear—fear of infection, fear of overwhelming our health care system, fear of unemployment, of economic collapse, etc. 

First, we need to talk about fear. Fear can be healthy. Healthy, rational fear is essential for survival. It keeps us from naively petting the grizzly bear or straying too close to the edge of the cliff. Much of what we are afraid of at present in society is healthy and rational. It helps us make good, rational decisions to prevent the spread of this little microscopic monster and the dire consequences that could follow. 

Nevertheless, even if the present phenomenon is healthy, rational fear, it is vitally important that we do not let even this fear define us. That is not our call as disciples of Christ, witnesses of the resurrection.

Before the resurrection, there was a lot to be afraid of in the first century. Life was a lot shorter and tougher. Much of this was a reflection that in the spiritual realm, things were not rightly ordered. The relationship between God and humanity was gravely injured as a result of original sin. Thus, the devil and his minions had a lot more influence.

Enter Jesus the Christ, who by his passion, death, and resurrection, reconciled all creation to the Father. He not only restored the relationship between God and humanity, but elevated it to a level of unimaginable intimacy. So much so, that we can now enter into a spiritual and real communion with the Divine. In the most important relationship of all, things are as they should be. Thus, the peace Christ gives is deeper and greater than that of the world. It’s a subtle, but important distinction. It is one thing to be free from fear. It is a much greater thing to be at peace. Yet, by the very grace of the resurrection of Christ, even in the midst of a fearful world, we Christians proclaim the hope of the resurrection so that we may all move from “Do not be afraid.” to “Peace be with you.”  The world needs us to do so now more than ever. 

(Here’ s a preview of my article in upcoming edition of the the Catholic Anchor. )

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What does it mean to be a “good Catholic” not only in ordinary times, but especially in the extraordinary times in which we now live? The primary duty of the faithful is “to preserve and foster communion with the Church,” (Canon 209 §1).  But how does one do that when the ordinary means of grace are not readily available? A meditative review of the Precepts of the Church (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2041-2043) can help us find an answer.

You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation.

          By decree of the Apostolic Administrator, all public Masses and other gatherings are suspended until it is once again safe to do so. It is important to remember that while the faithful are dispensed from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days, the obligation “to keep holy the sabbath” remains. Sundays should be special. There are many creative ways of doing this. Many households have set up little chapels in the home where they gather for common prayer. Sometimes these will be around the TV or computer monitor so they can participate in a livestreamed Mass. No matter what we do, it is essential that Sundays be set aside to commemorate the Resurrection of the Lord and to rest from those activities that would impede the sanctification of the Lord’s Day. 

You shall confess your sins at least once a year.

          Throughout the Archdiocese, priests are still hearing confessions by appointment in a way that preserves social distancing. During this time, it is advisable to request confession only when one is aware of serious sin. Unfortunately, it is not possible to go to confession via the telephone or other electronic means as it is impossible to guarantee the Seal of the Confessional. Still, the faithful should not be shy about requesting this sacrament when they really need it. 

          The same holds true for requests for Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum in danger of death. The priests of the Archdiocese and especially the chaplains at Providence are going out of their way to make sure that people who are in danger of death are being taken care of. When physical contact is simply not safe or not possible, the granting of the Apostolic Pardon is used. 

You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.

          As mentioned before, the faithful are dispensed at present from the “Easter Duty” as it is known. Let us pray that it will once again be safe to gather by Pentecost. Now is a good time to be in spiritual solidarity with all those parishes throughout Alaska who have never had frequent access to the Eucharist.

You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.

          Fasting and abstinence from meat are only required Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fridays of Lent are the only days of abstinence. Nevertheless, every Friday of the year is to be observed as a day of prayer, penance and reparation. While the Church no longer mandates what form that will take, Catholics should perform some act of prayer and penance every Friday. A good idea might be to pray, to fast, to abstain from meat, to volunteer, or to do some other reasonable act of penance or charity in behalf of those medical professionals who are sacrificing so much for others at this time. Get creative.

You shall help to provide for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.

          Fulfilling this obligation is fulfilled by a reasonable, deliberate and sacrificial commitment of one’s time, talent, and treasure. This will involve an honest appraisal of one’s available time and financial means. Given the present circumstances, there are many opportunities for gifts of time and talent, such as delivery of meals to the doorstep of elderly or infirm neighbors and parishioners, as well as prayer chains and phone trees to promote fellowship and communion.

          Most parishes have the opportunity for online giving, which is safest and most secure means of financial support. If that is not available, one should mail their envelope to the parish. Never send cash. Many parishes have secure drop boxes where parishioners can leave their donation. The churches may be closed for now, but the payroll and the bills are still due. 

          These extraordinary times can be an extraordinary means of grace. The Precepts of the Church give us a helpful framework for creative ways to preserve and foster communion within the Body of Christ so that we may emerge from the solitude of this pandemic closer to Christ and to one another. 

Fr. Leo Walsh is a pastor, pilot, theologian and canon lawyer.  He is currently Pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in Muldoon and Adjutant Judicial Vicar of the Archdiocese of Anchorage.

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For a video recording of the Mass for Easter Sunday, as well as daily Mass, check out the St. Pat’s FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/stpatsak/

The Sunday Masses are also posted on the St. Pat’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCce6fxZKR1vqgyhuTO7e7VA

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    I don’t run much anymore. Ten years of football and fifteen years of rugby have left me with a bit of stenosis which makes running or jogging an iffy proposition. But I could not help noticing that there are a lot of people running around the resurrection account we read today. Mary runs from the tomb to the disciples! Peter and John run back to the tomb! So much activity. The casual observer could not help but wonder what it was all about.

     No doubt it is about a lot of things. Mary is running because she is afraid that the body of Jesus has been moved by some unknown persons, perhaps the Jewish authorities or the Romans. Peter and John probably have the same concerns. They need to investigate things immediately, and so off they go at full tilt. 

       But as John enters the tomb after Peter, it starts to become about something else. “…he saw and believed.”

       The thing is, we’re not quite sure what he believed. It’s unclear because in the very next line we are told that “they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” (Jn 20, 8-9) 

       Actually, I take a lot of comfort from the belief of Peter and John in the midst of perplexity. The modern, analytic worldview wants to understand everything before it will believe anything. But Peter and John show us that is not the way it works. The resurrection and our faith in it is first and foremost about relationships; and relationships do not lend themselves to scientific analysis.

       Don’t believe me? Try this little experiment. Walk up to your spouse or girlfriend, etc., and say to them. “At last I finally understand you. I know all of your likes and dislikes, your values and aspirations. I know all there is to know about you. Now I can trust you.” Let me know how that works out for you.  Or instead you can say this, “You know, after all these years you still amaze me!” 

       Because the resurrection of Jesus is about his relationship with the Father and with us, it cannot be analyzed scientifically. Instead, we talk about it in terms of ‘sacred mystery,’ a relationship or set of relationships that is larger than us, of which we are a part, and which is part of us. In this sense, we can see how it works for all relationship. You don’t solve your family.  You are part of your family and genetically, psychologically, sociologically your family is a part of you. Likewise you don’t solve your Body of Christ.  You are part of the Body of Christ, and through the sacred mysteries we celebrate, Body of Christ is part of you. Now let’s bump it up a notch to our God who is relationship itself. We are told by John in no uncertain terms that when one dwells in God, God dwells in him or her through  indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which is the very relationship between the Father and Son. Through the Body of Christ, the Church, we are invited into that very relationship. We belong.

       In this context it becomes clear that belonging precedes believing and believing precedes understanding. So it perfectly reasonable that John could believe without understanding because of his relationship with Christ. In due time, he will come to understand and the fruits of his reflections permeate his writings. 

       I would go one step farther. Because of my relationship with Christ and the Body of Christ, his Church, I think that the resurrection of Christ is not just a reasonable proposition, but indeed and IMPERATIVE one for the sake of all humanity!  

What do I mean by this?  Simply put, in the light of the corona virus and COVID -19, never before in my life or in the memory of any of my contemporaries, have we ever seen the human race so paralyzed with fear on such a global scale.  Our societies, our economies, our personal relations…all are paralyzed with a very justifiable fear of death by hypoxia brought on by this little microscopic monster.

Never before in our modern, analytic, scientific world have we seen such immediate and pervasive fear. Fear paralyzes us. And in the shadow of such a spectre, we have learned firsthand as a global society that the opposite of love is not hate, but fear.      

       It can be simple fear,

              fear of solitude, fear of embarrassment, fear of the unknown

       Or it can be profound fear,

              Fear of infection, fear of pain, fear of death. 

How do we confront and overcome such fear? 

       For modern, analytic world that wants to understand everything, the answer is elusive,

       But for the Christian, comfortable of living within the wonderous mystery of simple and sacred relationship, the answer is obvious.

       Because the Christian knows that death is not the worst thing that can happen to you. 

       The Christian knows and proclaims to a fearful world that by his Passion and Death, Christ won for us the forgiveness of sins and therefore overcame the result of sin, which is death. 

       And that by his rising from the dead, he has shown us the destiny of a humanity now healed, where our relationship with God and with one another is now reconciled and as it should be. 

       In the coming weeks, listen to the subtle change in the words of the resurrected Christ as he greets his apostles.  You will recall that whether it was when he calmed the sea, or healed the publican’s daughter he would say, “The first words out of his mouth were, ‘Do not be afraid.”

       But now, in the wake of the resurrection, his greeting is very different, “Peace be with you.” 

How odd, how very paradoxical, how very fitting that in the Good News of Easter joy and the peace  should come in the midst of the most fearful time in recent human history.

But we Christians have always been a people of paradox: fearless in the face of death, triumphant in the midst of suffering. 

       And thus it has always been.

Especially in these most uncertain fearful times, the Christian stands as a beacon of hope

       In our neighbors, in our towns, in our cities, in our world

       For we are people of the resurrection.  We know that death is not the worst thing that can happen to us.

       For Christ is risen from the dead

       and we the Body of Christ rise with him.

Echoing the words of the great Pope St. John Paul II,

“We are Easter people! and ‘alleluia!’ is our cry!” 

Happy Easter.  

(With all this COVID-19 stuff, I’m a little behind in the posting. Since we are livestreaming our liturgies, I will only be posting the text of the homilies. The video recording of daily Mass can be found at our parish Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/stpatsak/

We also post the video of the Sunday Masses on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCce6fxZKR1vqgyhuTO7e7VA )

One Perfect, Eternal Sacrifice

     I have never done a palm-less Palm Sunday before. Then again, I’ve never had to celebrate without a congregation before either. We live in “interesting times.” The reason we are not blessing or distributing palms this year is that because this microscopic monster can live on their surface for up to 24 hours, they could very easily become a means of transference of the virus. The common good, including the health and safety of others is still our primary concern.

     Of course, the proper name of this day is Passion Sunday, where we commemorate the Passion and Death of Our Lord. This remains the ‘ultimate sacrifice’ in the primary sense of the term, meaning the last and greatest of its kind.

       The people of ancient Israel were very acquainted with ritual sacrifices. We read about them throughout the Old Testament. Essentially you needed four things for a ritual sacrifice: a victim or offering, an altar, a priest, and a reason. In general there were four reasons for offering a sacrifice: 1) to establish covenants, 2)to remember, 3) to give thanks, and 4) for the atonement and forgiveness of sins.  

       How did it work? Let’s look at sacrifices with a victim. Basically, the one offering sacrifice would bring the victim to the priest. The victim had to be unblemished, meaning that it could not have any flaw or defect such as a busted hoof or mange or anything else that would make you want to get it out of your flock  anyway. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be sacrificial. The priest would then lay his hands on the victim, dedicating it solely to God for sacred use. The victim was then slaughtered in the proscribed fashion depending on what kind of sacrifice you were performing.   Usually, certain parts such as the fat on the kidneys and the lobe of the liver, etc., were burned on the altar. For his services, the priest received the front left quarter for his family. Then you took the rest home for a ritual meal known as the sacrificial banquet to celebrate with your family and friends. Note that from the earliest times the idea of ritual sacrifice and ritual meal are inextricable.

       From its very beginning, the Church has always understood that the one, perfect, eternal sacrifice of Christ on the Cross brought to fulfillment all previous sacrifices ever offered. This is most apparent in the words of consecration over the chalice.   

       …and GIVING YOU THANKS, he said the blessing, and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying:

       Take this, all of you, and drink from it,

       for this is the chalice of my blood,

       the blood of the new and eternal COVENANT. 

       which will be poured out for you and for many for the

              FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

       Do this IN MEMORY of me. 

       Our participation in the Eucharist is our real, substantial participation in the one, perfect, eternal sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. With Christ the Great High Priest, the gift of our lives and the first fruits of our labors in this true sacrifice and ritual meal are offered as a pleasing offering to the Father. . Here we have the altar, the priest, the sacrifice and the best of all reasons. 

       Thankfully, especially in these uncertain times, Christ’s sacrifice is eternal and its universal effects for the forgiveness of sins and sanctification of the world and everyone in it transcend the vicissitudes of our present predicament. No virus, no lockdown, no “social separation” can separate us from the love of Christ, and the forgiveness of sins won for us in his one, perfect sacrifice.

Not now, not ever.