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Heralds of the Kingdom

[Greetings, Blog fans! Hey, FB go their software figured out and so now I can download videos again. Here’s the vid and the text. Blessed Independence Day. God bless you and God bless America.]

I’ve heard some complaints that the supply of dad jokes in the homilies has diminished somewhat.  To remedy this sad situation, here are three dad jokes to help you celebrate Independence Day…

  1. Did you hear the one about the Liberty Bell? – Yep, it cracks me up!
  2. What did one flag say to the other flag?      – Nothing.  It just waved.
  3. Why are there no “Knock Knock” jokes about American Independence?  – Because freedom rings!

     In ancient and medieval times, the king and his court were always on the move, riding from town to town and village to village. There were very practical reasons for this. First, it was important that people physically saw him so that they would remember that they had a king. Secondly, it was a practical way for the king to be available to render justice and to resolve legal disputes. But before he came to a place, he would send a herald. The herald had a twofold mission. First, to proclaim that the king is coming, and second, to instruct the people on how to properly receive their sovereign and to get the town ready for his arrival. To make sure the herald was credible, he was dressed in the finest raiment of the court. His announcement was preceded with great pomp, perhaps even the blowing of trumpets to get the people’s attention. There could be no doubt that the message was real and the king was actually coming. Once that was done, he would enlist the local authorities and townspeople to clean up the town and get it decorated. Finally, he would instruct them on the proper protocol on how to receive the king and how to address the nobles of the court that accompanied him. It was a big deal.

       In the sending of the seventy-two that we hear proclaimed in today’s gospel, we see Jesus doing essentially the same thing. He is sending his heralds to prepare the towns and villages that he intended to visit. But how very different are the heralds of the Kingdom of God! They are sent as mendicants without fancy clothes, not even any sandals or spending money. They are totally dependent on God and on those who will receive them for food and lodging. There can be no doubt that the Kingdom proclaimed by Jesus is very different from any earthly kingdom. Its worth cannot be given a monetary value.

       While the simplicity of the messengers’ life gives them a  certain credibility, how much more so does the power of their message. Their message is accompanied by powerful works. In short, they are doing the very things that Jesus is doing. they cure the sick, they expel demons, they proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Who would not believe a message accompanied by such miracles. Even the seventy-two are amazed. 

       While the times have changed, the power of the message has not.  Jesus still sends out messengers to proclaim the Kingdom in this time and in this place. The only difference is that now those messengers look a lot like me and like you. By our baptism, each one of us is called to be a herald of the Kingdom.

       The character of that witness will differ for each one of us. Why? Because just like the early disciples, each one of us has a different experience of the Risen Christ in the life of the Church.

       So here is a little tip on how to do that.  So often when asked about Christ or the Church, we don’t know where to start?  Do you start with the Nicene Creed?  The Apostles Creed, the Catechism?  The Liturgy? Dogma? 

       Well, you can, but before you do, remember these three things:

1.  The first question people ask is seldom the one they want answered.

       I’m fortunate to have learned this early on in ministry.

When I was Fr. Young Priest, people would come up to me and say something like, “Hey, Father, what does the Church teach about annulments?”

       And I always answer, “That’s a very good question. Why do you ask?”

       “Well, my sister is going through a divorce and she was wondering about her status in the Church.”

       “Ahhh…” I reply, “Let’s talk about your sister…”

2. Unless you have a particular expertise in a particular ecclesiological field, do not feel like you have to articulate every theological article or defend every aspect of the history of the Church.

       However, you are the world expert in one thing…your own faith. Tell them how you have experienced Christ in your life.  Tell them of your significant moments of conversion and how you live your faith here in the midst of  your parish family. Keep in mind that you may be the only Gospel this person will ever hear.

3. Take a genuine interest in your interlocutor’s life and desires.  Ask lots of questions.  And always…always be kind. People will seldom remember what you say. They will never forget how you made them feel. 

In the end, we are the present-day heralds of the Kingdom of God. Jesus has sent us to every place and person he intends to visit.  The credibility of our witness, and the power of our proclamation will rest on how well we have come to know Christ, so that we may make him known. 

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Towards a Consistent Ethic of Life, for a Culture that Chooses Life

     On January 22, 1973, I was a little over eight years old. I was not old enough to understand the social upheavals of the day or the issues involved in the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion on demand in the United States. But I do remember that the following weekend, Fr. Tom Connery stood in the pulpit at Holy Family exclaiming loudly, “Abortion is murder!” several times. I didn’t know what abortion was at that time or why it was murder. That horrible understanding came later.

Now, after almost 50 years, that decision which resulted in the deaths of over 50 million infants in the womb has been reversed and the issue has been remanded back to the individual states. While there is cause for rejoicing that an eclipse of reason resulting in a grave injustice has been ended, we must not gloat. If we are to heal the polarization that has characterized the tenor of public discourse in recent decades, now is a time for the exercise of charity more than ever. We must choose our words charitably and wisely. Furthermore, we must be able to articulate what it means to support and defend human life in all of its stages from conception to natural death if we are to grow a culture of that chooses life within our great society. 

One of the most compelling and succinct such articulations was formulated by the late Joseph Cardinal Bernadine of Chicago. It is not enough to be anti-abortion. What we need, the Cardinal said, is a consistent ethic of life, “a seamless garment.”

Briefly stated the consistent life ethic is this. Life is sacred and social. Because it is sacred, its dignity must be defended and upheld at all times and in all circumstances from conception to natural death.  Because it is social, society has a duty to defend and uphold it at all times and in all circumstances. 

Understanding the breadth of the implications of a consistent ethic of life is important. If we are to defend and uphold the dignity of life in all stages and all circumstances, that will certainly mean at its beginning. But it also means that we must support and defend those things which support the dignity of human persons throughout their lives. As the U.S. Bishops have exhorted us, it means walking with women in crisis pregnancies so that they may have the material, psychological and spiritual resources available to choose life. It also includes things like affordable housing, education, a just wage, affordable child care, and affordable health care. It also causes us to reexamine closely the morality and practicality of the death penalty. Finally, it involves end of life issues such as palliative care and related issues. And the list goes on.

It is a time for rejoicing but not in the sense of winners and losers. Not it is about moving deeper into the truth and walking with others in that truth with love. Our greatest work is still ahead of us.

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The Eucharist – Sacrifice and Abundance

(Howdy, Church fans! Still working on the video thing due to Facebook’s new algorithm that makes it impossible to download videos. In the meantime, go to our parish FB page by clicking here and scrolling to the homily. Sorry for the extra work. Blame Zuckerburg.)

       It’s providential that Corpus Christi falls on Father’s Day this year.  So much of this feast bespeaks of God the Father’s love for us in providing for our physical and spiritual need in abundance. 

       I’ve said this before on a few occasions, and it true. There are two ways of approaching life, the universe and everything. (Extra points for those of you who can cite that reference.) One can do so with a spirituality of scarcity or with a spirituality of abundance. Which you decide will make all the difference in your life.  It is good to reflect on today’s Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord (“Corpus Christi”) in this context. 

       First we have to acknowledge a couple of things. If one approaches life with a spirituality of scarcity, they will never have enough. No amount of wealth, fame, pleasure or power will satisfy.  However, if one chooses to approach life from a spirituality of abundance, he or she will want for nothing.  Our God is the God of abundance. This is true in the material and the spiritual. 

       The reality and the power of the Eucharist that we celebrate  today is a good example of this. In our earlier catechesis on the Eucharist, you may recall that the Eucharist is at once a true sacrifice and a shared meal. Today, in the interest of time, I’m just going to concentrate on the sacrifice part. 

In the Biblical pattern of sacrifice, you needed four things.  You needed

a priest,

an altar,

an offering and

a reason. 

Let’s look at each one of these.

The priest is the one who offers the sacrifice on your behalf.  He is the mediator. As we look to the Paschal Mystery, we see that Christ himself is the Great High Priest, who, starting with his one perfect sacrifice on the altar of the Cross, continues to offer himself, and us, to the Father in a living and eternal sacrifice. The Eucharist is the means he gave us for our true and substantial participation in passion, death, and resurrection of Christ, now offered in an unbloody way on the altar in the church. This is how the reality of the Paschal Mystery as a real for us today as it was for the first disciples.

       As I mentioned, Christ himself is the also offering, but we too bring our own offerings. Like Melchizedek of old, we bring bread and wine, but we also bring our gifts of time, talent and treasure, indeed, our very selves. Like the sacrifices of old, what is offered is immolated and transformed. The bread and wine become the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ.

Our time, talent, and treasure become the practical means for the apostolate to continue in the parish, and we ourselves are transformed more and more by grace into the image and likeness of our Creator and Redeemer.

       It’s important to remember that we ourselves cannot work this miracle of transubstantiation and transformation. It is Christ who works the miracle. Our job is simply to bring the fish. Just like the apostles in today’s gospel, Christ cannot work the miracle if we don’t offer what we have, trusting that he knows what he’s doing.

       Finally, one needs a reason. In biblical times the four main reasons for sacrifice were to establish covenants, to remember, to forgive sins and to give thanks. A quick review of the words of institution in the Eucharistic Prayer reveals what the Church has always held –that all previous sacrifices were fulfilled and brought to    perfection in the one perfect sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. 

       Finally, a word about abundance. The gospel passage for today is no mistake. It speaks of the abundance of God in providing for the needs of his people. How do we know this?  There are leftovers—lots and lots of leftovers. So to with the grace given to us in the Eucharist. Here at the Lord’s Supper, we receive more than we need. Why?  So that we may share this reality with others.         

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Pondering the Most Holy Trinity – Problem, Mystery and Relationship –

[Hey, Church fans! Deacon John was preaching this weekend. So, here is this week’s offering. I still haven’t figure out how to download videos from BookFace now that they have changed their OS. Hopefully, I’ll have one for next week.]

     It’s not easy to describe God. St. Thomas Aquinas famously quipped that it is actually easier to talk about what God is not, rather than what God is. It reminds us of the young boy who was drawing a picture in his catechism class. His   catechist asked him, “Hey, Mick, what are you drawing?”

       “I’m drawing a picture of God,” little Mick replied.

       The catechist smiled sympathetically and said, “Oh, little Mick, no one knows what God looks like.”

To which he replied, “They will when I’m done!”

We cannot know everything about God, but through his    Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, we do know something about God.

In pondering the reality of God, especially the mystery of the Trinity, it is helpful to take an approach that looks at the Trinity not in terms of a problem to be solved, but rather as a mystery to be lived. 

“Mystery” in this sense is understood as a reality that is larger than you, of which you are a part and which is a part of you. Mystery in this sense is not understood in terms of analysis, but rather in terms of relationship. 

Take your family for example. It is a reality bigger than you, of which you are a part, and which genetically, sociologically, psychologically and spiritually is a part of you. You don’t solve your family. You are simply part of your family and your family is part of you.

Now let’s take the Church. It too is a reality bigger than you, and by baptism, confirmation, and especially the Eucharist, the Church is a part of you. No matter how far a person might wander, he or she never stops being Catholic.

Finally, let’s talk about God. If there is any reality that is bigger than us, it is God. Yet, by grace we are invited into the relationship between the Father and the Son, much like we can be invited into any relationship. For example, when one is befriended by a married couple, they invite you into the dynamic of their married relationship. In a very real sense, you become part of their marriage. Now, in terms of the Divine dynamic of love, this relationship between the Father and the Son is what has been revealed to us as the Holy Spirit. Just like with the married couple, we are invited into the very relationship and reality that is God. We are a part of that relationship and it is part of us. We can say with certainty that we are literally a part of God, and through indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God is a part of us. This is heady stuff, but it is not so daunting if we understand it in terms of relationship. You don’t solve a relationship. You are part of a relationship and it is a part of you, whether it is with family, with Church, and especially with God. 

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Signs of the Holy Spirit, Challenges for the Disciple.  

Well, Church fans, for some reason Facebook has changed their protocols and I can no longer download videos or upload them to YouTube. I’ll see what I can do, but in the meantime, here is the text. The homily can be viewed as part of the Mass in the following video link.

https://fb.watch/dsJXk5-lNs/

Sorry to make your scroll through. Leave it to the good folks at Facebook to screw up a good thing.

Happy Pentecost! This weekend we also celebrate the closing of the Archdiocesan phase of the Synod. It is fitting that we do so. 

    Looking over the scriptures given to us this weekend, it’s striking how the Spirit is made manifest. First, by a sound like a driving wind, then tongues of flame, then the proclamation of the Gospel in all the known languages of the day.

       You know, the whole speaking in different tongues thing reminds me of a story. 

       A man walks into a diner with his dog and asks for a sandwich for himself and three strips of bacon for his dog. The manager says, “Hey, we don’t allow pets in here.”

       The man says, “No you don’t understand, this is a talking dog?”

       “Really,” the manager says, “Show me.”

       So the man says, “Hey, Rex, what’s on top of a house?”

       The dog wags his tail and replies, “Roof!”

       The manager is not impressed and again threatens to throw them out. 

       “No, no,” he can do more says the man, “Hey, Rex, what is sandpaper like?”

       The dogs says, “Ruff!”

       The manager starts to push them towards the door.

       “No wait!” the man says, “Rex, who is the best baseball player of all time?”

       The dog belts out, “Ruth!”

       The manager throws them out.

       As they are sitting dejected, the dog looks up quizzically at the man and says, “DiMaggio?”

I.

       No surprise about the noise like a driving wind. As I’ve mentioned before, the Hebrew word for spirit, ruách (רוח), is the same word for breath and wind. This is the same word that was used to describe God breathing life into the first humans in the Book of Genesis. In a similar way, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Father breathed life into the Church at Pentecost. This is why Pentecost is often referred to as “the Birthday of the Church.” The same is true for each of us at our baptism. God breathes new life into us through the same Spirit that was given to the apostles and the Blessed Mother in the Upper Room.

       The challenge for us is to be life giving for those around us. Our homes, our neighborhoods, our town, our state, our country, the world should be very different because we Christians are present.

       As the Spirit breathes life into us, so let us breathe life into world around us. 

       Be that family that prays without apology

       Say grace in restaurants.

       Be that home in the neighborhood where everyone is welcome and at ease. Where everybody else’s kids want to hang out.

       Go to the Northeast Community Council meetings. Even better, sit on the community council itself and change the tone of the conversation by your very presence.

       (Their next meeting is June 16, BTW)

       Our job as a parish is to become so much a part of our local community that they cannot imagine life without us.

       So go!  Be a life-giving force in the world…or at least that little part or the world in which God has placed you.

II.

       The tongues of flame are intriguing. This can symbolize many things.  Certainly, it can refer to the enlightenment bestowed on the apostles and Mary, as they receive all the gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.)  But fire also reminds of the power of the love of God alive in the heart of the believer. The disciples on the road to Emmaus exclaimed, “Were not our hearts on fire within us…” as they conversed with Lord. (Acts 24:32) The Holy Spirit is not timid. Rather it bestows on us Christians the power to live the life to which we have been called.

       The challenge for the Christian is to be open to receiving these gifts and perhaps more importantly to recognize them in others.

       True leadership, true discipleship means recognizing one’s own gifts and offering them for the good of the community, but it also means recognizing those gifts in others and calling them forth.

       Being small helps no one.  Part of being a family of faith is to celebrate the gifts in others, encouraging others to develop them and offer them to the service of Christ and his Church.

I will say this now without apology. In the years that I served as Vocations Director for the Archdiocese, I learned that there is no shortage of vocations to the priesthood or any other vocation in the local Church.

However, what I did find was decided lack of trust in the Lord. 

I’ve said it before, every member of the parish family has a critical role and a sacred obligation to call forth those whom the Spirit dedicates.

If you see someone who you discern has the gifts needed, you take that person aside and tell them,

“Hey, I see in you the gifts that would make a good

Priest, a good deacon, a good Director of Catechetical Ministries, a good catechist, a good lector, a good choir member…

       Would you please consider it and I’m going to be praying for you.”

III.

       Finally, nowhere is this more evident than in the proclamation of the Gospel in every known language at the time.  I always sympathize with the lector this weekend as he or she is confronted with the litany of the languages of the known world. Not unlike our own time, the world in which the Church was born was a divided and confusing place. The multiplicity of languages was a part of that. This reminds of us of the confusion caused by humanity’s pride at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9).  But with the gift of the Spirit, what was once confused is now clear. The Church and the Gospel message are truly universal in scope. Indeed, today the Church exists in every language and culture and the Good News is proclaimed in every corner of the world.

       The challenge for us is to boldly proclaim that same Gospel message clearly so that it may as easily understood in this time and in this place. 

       To do so, your need to learn basics of our faith certainly, but more importantly, you need to be able to express to people why and how it makes a difference in your life.

       There is a great temptation when someone asks about the Church, or challenges us about the Church her teachings, to try to defend the entire Church universal and all her doctrines.

       That’s fine, if you can do so. But the best answer you can give them is to tell them about why YOU are Catholic and what your faith means to YOU.

       It’s easy to criticize and dismiss a faceless, monolithic institution.  Even we Catholics have a tendency to institutionalize our own Church.  Often we find ourselves saying, “The Church should do this…or…The parish should do that.

       But the Church is not institutional.  It is personal. The Church has a face. Not surprisingly, it looks a like your face and mine. 

       Let me close with this one story.

       A long time ago, in a parish far, far away, I was approached by a very faithful, well-meaning parishioner.

       “Hey, Father,” he said, “There is this elderly woman named Mary who lives in the house next door to us.  She’s getting on in years and she’s developed that macular degeneration. So she can’t drive any more.  As a result, it’s tough for her to get to Mass.  And I know she’s not the only one is a situation like this.  I have an idea…

       …do you see where this is going…

“The parish should buy a van so that we can pick up people like her and others.” 

       I looked him right in the eye and I said to him, “She lives right next door to you?”

       “Oh yeah.” 

       “Why don’t you give her a ride?”

He looked at me dumbfounded for about three seconds.  Then a light came on and said, “You know, the idea and never crossed my mind.  Yeah! I’m going to do exactly that!”

       And he did!  And right up until they day she died, they would pick up Mary every Sunday morning and come to Mass together.  The added bonus was that their daughter grew up with an extra grandmother who was as wise as she was generous. 

       THAT is what I’m talking about.

       Pentecost is at once a commemoration and a challenge. We rejoice in the gift of the Spirit in the Upper Room. Now it is our task to continue the saving mission of Christ in our part of the world. This is our call. This is our sacred vocation.

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How Do You Want to Spend Eternity, Smoking or Non?

[The homilies this month have been about stewardship and whatnot and are pretty parish specific. As an alternative, I’ll start posting from my “Ask Fr. Leo” column in the North Star Catholic. It comes out every month.]

          This month I got several good questions about, of all things, the nature of hell. Seems like a downer of topic, but it is something we need to talk about from time to time, especially. Some Christian traditions speak of it as eternal suffering in a lake of fire, while others see the fire as simply snuffing the soul out of existence. What does the Church teach about the nature of hell?

          The concise answer is found in paragraphs 1020-1060 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Go to: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a12.htm).That’s the dogmatic explanation, but let’s take a look at the spiritual side of the question.

          In sum, as a human person, you will never cease to exist. You are eternal. The big question is, “How do you want spent eternity? Smoking or non?”

          As human beings, we go through various stages of development on our journey into eternity. We are conceived, body and soul. We spend about nine months developing and enjoying womb service. We are born, we grow, we mature into adulthood, and hopefully in wisdom and grace. All the while we learn about and form relationships. First with our family, then others and especially with Christ and his Church. Eventually, we pass the threshold of death. It’s all part of being human.

          The relationships we build in this life, with Christ and with others, are really the only things we take with us through death. This is our “treasure in heaven.” The quality and depth of the relationships we form in this life have a direct effect on how we enter eternity. Quite literally, we reap what we sow.

          In the Church, we understand the essential relationship as one of “communion.” Quite literally, this means a union at the level of being. Namely, who I am at the depths of my soul is united to who you are at the depths of your soul; and together we are united at the level of being to Christ who is the head of the Church. To maintain communion with Christ and His Church is the primary responsibility of every Christian. In this lies our salvation. Virtue deepens communion. Sin can injure communion (venial sin) or even sever it (mortal sin). Thankfully,  reconciliation restores communion. You can see how regular participation in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation, lead us deeper and deeper into communion with Christ and with one another.

          Now here’s the rub. We are free to choose for or against communion with Christ and each other. Sadly, some people choose against it. This seldom happens all at once. Few relationships die become of conflict. Most suffer because of neglect. Think of that friend from high school who promised to always stay in touch, but now you have no idea where they are.  It’s not rocket science. If you want your relationship with Christ or with others to grow, you need to give it two essential ingredients: time and attention. 

          When we neglect our relationships with Christ and others, we begin to turn in on ourselves. We diminish the level of communion we enjoy. If left unchecked, this process of self-imposed separation leads to fear and isolation. We get selfish, and selfishness harms relationships. This harm to relationships is called sin. We choose against communion. 

          Hell in its essence is the voluntary rejection of communion with Christ and his Church. It is first and foremost a rejection of relationship. It may start small, but left unreconciled, the consequences are eternal. Hell is the most selfish form of existence.  That is why it is a realm of profound and eternal suffering. The saddest part is that God has never condemned anyone to hell. Everyone in hell has freely chosen to be there.

          In sum, life on this earth is the phase of our existence where we form the essential relationships that lead us to communion…or where we choose against them. Once we die, the momentum of our relationships (or lack thereof) will carry us either towards God or away. You can see how there are no insignificant choices. Our journey to heaven or away from it, begins now.

          I’m reminded of the story about the staff meeting with Devil and his minions. The question on the table was how to steal more souls for damnation.

          The first demon spoke up, “I know, Boss, let’s convince people that there is no heaven. That way, they will despair, and we can get more souls.”

          The Devil liked his enthusiasm, but replied, “No, that might work in the short run, but we need long-term solutions.”

          “I know,” the second demon piped up, “Let’s convince them that there is no hell. That way, they will get lazy, and we can steal more souls.” 

          “Better,” the Devil replied, “But again, not trendy enough. I need something that will appeal to the modern mind.”         

          The third demon thought for a bit and then said, “How about this. We convince them that there is a heaven, and that there is a hell…but not yet.”

          “Ahhhhhh,” the Devil beamed, “Now we are getting somewhere!” 

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This Changes Everything!

     If Alaskans ever needed a biblical justification for their favorite summer pastime, they need look no farther than John 21:3, wherein Simon Peter says, “I am going fishing!” and the others reply, “We will come with you!” As the saying goes, if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he will sit in a boat and tell tall tales all day!

       Most Alaskans don’t fish for a living. We do it to relax,    enjoy companionship, and fill the freezer. But up until he met    Jesus, Simon Peter was a commercial fisherman. Not fully     appreciating the implications of the first two appearances of the resurrected Christ, it looks now like he is going back to the life he knew before…and with similar results!

       But there is no going back. He may not realize it yet, but the Resurrection literally changes everything.

       So much of this encounter with the Risen Christ is a reflection of previous moments with Jesus. Just like on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, they fished all night and caught nothing, but at the word of Jesus, their nets are full to breaking. Again, realizing that it is Jesus, Peter jumps out of the boat, just like he did when he went out on the water towards Jesus during the storm. (Only this time, he gets wet!). And just like when Jesus fed the 5000, the menu is fish and bread. There is no doubt in their minds that this is Jesus as they sit down to share a meal.

       But then things take an interesting turn. There is a loose end that needs to be tied up.  Jesus takes Simon Peter aside for a little chat. Notice that Jesus does not address him by the new name he gave his friend at Caesarea Philippi. Instead, he uses his original name: “Simon, son of John.” There is a good reason for this. Three times Peter had denied Jesus. This was a complete denial. In denying Christ, Peter gave up his heritage. He needs to be reconciled. Just so, three times Jesus asks him if he loves him, and three times Simon Peter replies, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Thus, Peter’s three-fold denial is reconciled by his three-fold profession of love. He is restored. We know this because when they are finished, Peter receives the same invitation as in their first encounter.  Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”

       This encounter with the Risen Christ gives me hope. Unlike Peter, I can’t count the number of times I have denied Christ by my sins. But like Peter, I have come to know that as many times as I have denied him, if I turn back to him in love, Christ is willing to restore me to grace. It is an infinite love I cannot fathom, of which I am not worthy, but for which I am extremely grateful.      

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From Fear to Peace

Howdy, Church fans! How do move from fear to peace? The resurrection makes all the difference. Check it out. The video is below. The text is below that.

    One of the striking transitions in the scriptures is the way that Jesus greets his disciples. During his public ministry and even up to his passion and death, the first words out of Jesus’ mouth are typically, “Do not be afraid.” or some variation thereof.

   However, after the Resurrection, his greeting changes.  Now it is, “Peace be with you.” 

What’s going on here, and how do we move from fear to peace? 

    First, let’s look at fear.  Reasonable fear itself is not a bad thing and is often useful for survival. When we find ourselves between a sow bear and her cubs, it’s a good thing to be afraid and to remove oneself from the area. When the hackles go up and the ears go back on the bull moose in the front yard, fear is a good thing. 

But this is very different from unreasonable fear, such as fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, or fear of appearing “too religious.”  Such fear paralyzes us and keeps us from doing the loving thing.  As such, it is can rightfully be said that the opposite of love is not hate; it is fear. 

    Peace drives out fear, especially the peace that Christ gives. The peace or “shalom” that Christ is talking about is the reality of when things are as they are intended to be. Before the passion, death and resurrection of Christ, things were not as they were intended.  Sin had entered the world and held it in its grip. Fear was the result.      However, after Christ reconciled all creation to the Father, the world was set aright. The effects of sin are still around, but sin no longer has mastery over the world. Christ has broken the bonds of sin, suffering and death. The possibilities are literally endless. Sin, suffering, and death are still part of the human reality, but they can’t rule our lives. Like Christ, we transcend the vagaries of the present age and rise above to new life in the Spirit. This is the peace that the world cannot give. This is the peace Christ.             

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To be an Easter People

Easter, 2022

[Hello, Church fans! Well, it took me a week to recover, but here is the Easter homily along with the video. What does it meant to mean to be an Easter people? The theological virtues can give us insight. ]

Last year I spoke about why the resurrection is so important for us as human beings.  Namely, that as human beings we are unique in that we have a body and a rational soul. Christ entered fully into our human nature, body and soul. He did not redeem just part of us, he has redeemed and perfected all of us. The resurrected Jesus is humanity perfected, body and soul. So if we die with him in baptism, we will rise with him in glory at the resurrection at the end of the age.

       However, the reality of the resurrection begins now. As Pope St. John Paul II said, “We are Easter people, and Alleluia is our song!”

What then does it mean to be an Easter people?  Three things, I think.

First it means that we are a people of Faith.

       Faith, we know, is not simply assent to a disembodied set of philosophical principles.

       Too often in the world today, there are those who try to reduce Jesus of Nazareth to just another wise sage who taught us how to live in peace, love, joy and harmony,

       …Jesus of Nazareth…sensitive new age guy.

Faith, at its heart is a relationship,  

       With Christ and with others.  

It is not rocket science.  If you want a relationship to grow, you give it two things

       – time and attention.

The more time and attention you give it, the deeper it will grow. Until we reach the point where the lover and the beloved are joined at the deepest level of human existence, a perfect and holy communion at the very level of our being.

       This holy communion was described by Saint Francis de Sales as “Cor ad cor loquitur.” – “Heart speaks to heart.”

To be an Easter People is to be a people of faith.

To be an Easter People is also to be a people of hope.

       Hope, of course, is born within the context of the relationship of faith.

       Hope, in its simplest form, simply means a founded, realistic expectation of some future good. 

       There are two kinds of hope.

  • “little” immediate hope and
  • eschatological or “ultimate” hope

It is important not to confuse real, theological hope with wishful thinking.

       Wishful thinking is an unfounded expectation of something that may or may not happen.

       For example, “I hope Fr. Leo doesn’t preach too long, I have a leg of lamb in the oven for Easter supper.” 

       But real hope is founded on one’s relationship with the other. It can be immediate or ultimate.

       For example, say you get a call from your spouse who says, “Hey, honey.  Come home hungry because I am making your favorite dish for dinner tonight.”

       That, my friends, is a founded hope. You know your spouse loves you and knows what your favorite dish is. That same spouse has revealed to you that tonight’s dinner will indeed be your favorite. Furthermore, you know that you spouse would not lie to you.  You now have a founded, realistic hope in a really tasty future good. 

       Do you have any guarantee? Absolutely! Your relationship with your spouse. Over the years, your relationship has grown and deepened to the point where you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that when you get home, the house will smell wonderful, and you are going to enjoy your favorite meal with your favorite person.

       Having such a hope changes the entire rest of your day. No matter what the world, your boss or the clients throw at you that afternoon, because you await the blessed hope of the taste of the meal to come. Amen!

       It’s not all that different with eschatological, that is, ultimate hope. 

       As a people of faith, living in relationship with Jesus in the midst of the Church, it has been revealed to us that ‘what we await is a new heaven and a new earth.” (2Pet 3:13) when those who have died in Christ in baptism will rise, body and soul with Him into eternity. This is our hope

“and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5)

       We await the blessed hope

              And the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ.

To be an Easter People is to be a people of hope. 

Finally, to be an Easter people is to be a people of love.

       To help me out, I’d like to turn to one Monhandes K. Gandhi. Gandhi enumerated seven “deadly sins”. They are

•      Wealth Without Work

•      Pleasure Without Conscience

•      Knowledge Without Character

•      Commerce Without Morality

•      Science Without Humanity

•      Politics Without Principle

•      Religion Without Sacrifice

This last one kind of hits home doesn’t it.

Faith, our relationship with Christ and others, gives rise to our hope.

       And hope changes how we live in the midst of the world.  Hope gives rise to Love.

       And love involves sacrifice. 

Thomas Aquinas tells us that love intends the good of the other.

       And the deeper the love, the greater and more eternal is the good that one intends. 

       In the warm of deepest love, no price too great, no sacrifice is too high.  

       Ultimately, we come to realize that Our Lord was correct when he said, “There is no greater love than to lay down your life for a friend.” 

       Faith gives rise to hope

              Hope gives rise love

                     And love gives everything, sacrifices everything for the good of the other.

I am reminded of the words that Our Lord spoke to the Apostles in the Upper Room at the last supper, “What I have done is give you and example.  As I have done, so you should do.” 

       There is no greater love…

To be an Easter people is to be a people of love, a people of sacrifice.

       But where love is present, sacrifice comes easily.

To be an Easter people is to be a people of Faith, Hope and Love.

“We are an Easter people, and alleluia is our song.”

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The Holy Eucharist, the Holy Priesthood

Mass of the Lord’s Supper, 2022

So much to preach on, so little time…

       or is there…

When we stop to think about everything that led up to the events that we commemorate tonight, we cannot but wonder at how different the lives of the apostles were from when they left everything to follow Jesus;

       of all the things they had experienced with him,

       the teachings, the miracles, calming of storm, the feeding of the 5000 and the 4000, the raising of     Lazarus from the dead.

They have changed much in the last three years, these twelve men, not to mention the women and the rest of his disciples.

       That’s really how it seems to work with Jesus.

       He is truly human and so he enters fully into our human reality.

       He is also truly divine, and so having entered into our human reality, he transforms it.    

Whatever Jesus touches, Jesus transforms.

       He did it at the waters of the Jordan, transforming the baptism of repentance into the sacrament of our salvation.

       He did it at the wedding at Cana, when he transformed marriage into the sacrament that reflects the faithfulness of God in the lives of husband and wife.

       He does it twice tonight when he transforms the Passover into the Eucharist, the sacrament which is the source and summit of all that the Church is and does. 

        And again, when as the Great High Priest, he establishes the Ministerial Priesthood in order to perpetuate his one perfect sacrifice on the Cross.

       Let’s look at these last two. 

The Eucharist is a true sacrifice and a shared meal.

       What do you need for a true sacrifice?

              A priest

              An offering

              An altar

              A reason

The priest is the one who offers the sacrifice on your behalf. 

The offering depended on the reason for the sacrifice.

       Usually, it was the first fruits of your field or an unblemished animal from you flock.

       It had to be blemished because it was not right to offer one that had a bad foot or disease that you wanted to get rid of anyway.

       You only give God your best.

       Mediocrity is no way to serve Our Lord.

The altar was made of stone. This was because on it were placed coals from the fire for the immolation of the offering.

       There were four main reasons that sacrifices were offered.

       1. to establish covenants – They were always established in blood.

       2. to give thanks – Offering the first fruits.

       3. for the forgiveness of sins – the Sin Offering

       4. to remember – the Passover

The mechanics of the sacrifice varied, but the general pattern was that you brought your sacrifice to the priest, who would lay his hands on the offering. From that moment it could only be used for sacred purposes. 

       Next, if it were an animal, it was slaughtered in the proscribed manner, the blood was saved, certain parts were removed, such as the kidneys, the fat on the liver and so forth, and placed on the coals on the altar.  Sometimes the blood was sprinkled on the corners of the altar. 

       Then you took the rest of it home and ate it in a raucous sacrificial banquet. 

       The idea of sacred sacrifice and sacred ritual meal are inseparable.

What do you need for ritual meal?  You need

       Special environment

       Special gifts

       Special food, and

       Special words and songs.

We are all very familiar with certain ritual meals. 

       For example, you walk into your friend’s house, there are balloons and streamers everywhere…special environment.

       There is a big cake that will be placed on the table with candles on it…special food.

       There are gifts that are brought wrapped in pretty packaging.

       And there is a special song that must be sung for the ritual to be valid: “Happy Birthday to you!  Happy Birthday to you!”

       As we heard tonight, the Last Supper took place in the context of the Passover.  But it is the firm belief of the Church that every sacrifice,

       whether to establish covenants,

       to give thanks,

       to forgive sins, or

       to remember

were fulfilled and brought to perfection in the one perfect sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.

       We celebrate this in the context of what is rightly called the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass,

       Listen to the words of institution over the cup:

       “…when supper was ended, he took the chalice, and once more, giving THANKS, he gave it 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.” 

       The Eucharist is a true sacrifice, allowing us to participate truly and substantially in the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ.

       It is also a shared meal.  Here we have:

       Special environment – this sacred space

       Special gifts – bread, wine, our treasure and ourselves.

       Special food – the bread and wine which become truly and substantially the Body, Blood, soul, and divinity of Christ.

       Special words – “This is my body…This is my blood.”

       Thus, the Eucharist is also a shared, ritual meal, rightly called the Supper of the Lord. 

       It’s important to remember that while the Temple worship ended with the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., the Church retains the inseparable connection between ritual sacrifice and ritual meal, even though modern Judaism does not.

       But there was more that happened that night in the Upper Room.  To ensure that the Eucharist would always be at the center of the life of the Church, Christ established the Ministerial Priesthood in what we have come to know as the Sacrament of Holy Orders

       This differs substantially from the priesthood of all believers in that the priest is configured at the core of this very being to Christ the High priest.

       As such, he acts in persona Christi – in the person of Christ, the Head

       And in persona ecclesiae – in the person of the Church, the Body

       There is no higher calling.

              There is no greater challenge.

                     And today, there is no greater need in the life                      of the Church.

There is no higher calling

       because the priest is configured, changed at the very core of his being to Christ, the Great High Priest. 

       As the priest acts for the Church and the world in the person of Christ, so to, it is Christ who acts in person on each priest who continues his ministry of teaching, sanctifying and governing.

There is no greater challenge

       because in a world obsessed with power, the priest is called to exercise his authority in imitation of Christ, the suffering servant,

       Christ, who came not to be served, but to serve.

       One cannot understand or comprehend the nature of the priesthood and authority in the Church, unless it is exercised in as service to Christ, to the Church and to the world.

       Sadly, throughout history, and especially in the early part of the 20th century, we have seen what scandal can happen when authority in the Church fails to be exercised in spirit of service. 

       There is no greater need,

       because in an increasingly over-secularized and over-sexed world, the priest stands as countercultural witness to the things that are eternal and the one dignity and sanctity of human life and love.

       Who else, like Christ, can stand as the bridge between heaven and earth?

       Who else can celebrate the mysteries of our salvation?

       Who else can forgive the penitent sinner or entrust the dying soul, cleansed from sin and anointed by grace to mercy of Almighty God? 

       This is the challenge of the joy of the ministerial priesthood of Jesus Christ in the Church in the world.

       This is is why I love being a priest.

Who shall call the next generation of priests

              if not you?  If not me? 

Karl Rahner said it well in his poem entitled, “The Priest”

The priest is not an angel sent from heaven.

He is a man chosen from among men, a member of the Church, a Christian.

Remaining man and Christian he begins to speak to you the Word of God.

This Word is not his own.

No, he comes to you because God has told him to     proclaim God’s Word.

Perhaps he has not fully understood it himself.

Perhaps he adulterates it.

But he believes,

       and despite his fears

       he knows that he must communicate God’s Word to you.

For must not some one of us say something about God,        about eternal life

       about the majesty of grace in our sanctified being;

must not some one of us speak of sin,

       the judgment and mercy of God?

So my dear friends, pray for him.

Carry him so that he might be able to sustain others

       by bringing to them the mystery of God’s love

       revealed in Christ Jesus.

                                                  (Karl Rahner- The Priest)

       Acting in the person of Christ, with the heart of Christ and the power of Christ, the priest enters into and transforms the reality of everyone and everything.   

       That’s why I love being a priest.

I could say more, but that’s enough for now. 

       For now, it is enough to remember that two great sacraments were initiated that night in the Upper Room by Christ, the Eucharist and the Holy Priesthood

Both are at the heart and soul of all that the Church is and all that she does 

       from now until the end of the age.