Homily: Easter Thursday 2016 - Recounting our encounter with Christ

The gospel readings during the week after Easter unpack the tremendous event of Jesus’ resurrection particularly from the perspective of how the disciples experienced that event.  What must it have been like for the disciples to encounter the Jesus after his cruel death on the cross?

Today’s reading follows immediately after the encounter with Jesus by the two disciples on their way to Emmaus. Jesus came to them in their sorrow, walked with them, and made himself known to them. Remember, on the road to Emmaus, they recognized Jesus “in the breaking of the bread” and then Jesus he showed them how the Scriptures, beginning with Moses and the prophets pointed to Him.

Jesus being made known in the “breaking of bread” and reading and interpreting of Scriptures—sounds a lot like what we do at Mass, doesn’t it? We encounter Jesus and recognize Jesus in Word and Sacrament.

Now, they’ve returned to Jerusalem to share these experiences with the other disciples, and Jesus becomes present in their midst. 

One of the practices engaged in by the neophytes during the Easter Season is called mystagogy.  Those newly initiated into the Church at Easter recount how they experienced Jesus in the celebration of Word and Sacrament at the Easter Vigil.  They recount how the powerful symbols of the Easter Vigil—the fire, the singing, the water, the oil, the rituals, helped them to experience the presence of Jesus, and what that means for them.  This practice of mystagogy help them to more deeply grasp what happened to them at Easter, what God is doing with them and in them now. This strengthens them as they begin to walk in the newness of life of the Christian faith, and also witnesses to the rest of the Church.

As the disciples recounted their experience of the risen Lord Jesus on the road to Emmaus to the disciples of Jerusalem, he again became present, and helped to deepen their faith, remove their fears, and prepare them for spreading the Good News.

Sharing our faith is not meant to be limited to what we do here in the Church.  What we do here in the Church, celebrating Word and Sacrament, is meant to prepare us for sharing the Gospel out in the world: with unbelievers and those struggling in their faith.

We, like the disciples of old, are meant to share our faith with great joy with others, and when that happens, Jesus can become present to them, and can set them on the road to deepening their faith, removing their fears, leading them away from sin.

The best way to grow in faith, is to share the faith; when we read the scriptures we are meant to discuss them with others, and when that happens our minds are made more fully open to them. When we receive a sacrament, that experience is meant to be shared with others, and when we do that, our hearts are made more fully open to how God is working.  Even as we encounter Jesus in the ordinary events of our lives, that is meant to be shared with joy. 

May each of us, leave Mass today with a greater sense of mission and conviction for spreading the good news of our encounter with the Lord Jesus in Word and Sacrament for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Easter Tuesday 2016 - Believing is seeing

Throughout John’s Gospel, there are many reactions to Jesus’ words and works.  Some hear his words and believe in him because of his authority, some find his words too challenging and walk away, some conspire to kill him. But really, there are only two reactions to Jesus: belief and unbelief. 

And in John’s Gospel, belief isn’t something you have, believing is something you do, you choose to do.  Believing in Jesus means entrusting yourself to Him, knowing him, receiving him, coming to him, abiding with him, and remaining with him.

And Jesus even teaches the implications for believing: if you believe, you will have peace, he says, you will become children of God, you will not perish, you will not be condemned, you will know the Father, you will never be hungry, you will see the glory of God and be children of light, you will come to do the works that Jesus does and even greater works, and you will have life in his name.

Even after his resurrection, in John’s Gospel, there is this interplay between belief and unbelief.  This weekend we will hear how Thomas claims that you will not believe without seeing.  But Jesus shows that he has it backwards, you will not see, unless you believe.

This morning, we hear how Mary, because of her weeping, because of her grief did not recognize Jesus.  She saw, but did not know him.

Many modern atheists make the claim that they would believe in Jesus if he but appeared to them.  But that’s not how it works does it? We must believe in order to see.  But when we make that choice, when we entrust ourselves to Him, that makes all the difference doesn’t it.  When we choose to believe, we are able to detect his voice in the reading of scripture, we are able to see his presence in the service of the needy, we are able to experience his saving grace in the sacraments, especially knowing his real presence in the Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist.

After finally recognizing Jesus in the Gospel this morning, Jesus tells Mary to go and tell the disciples about Jesus’ resurrection.  Perhaps one of the greatest ways to strengthen our faith is to spread the faith.  Helping others open their eyes to Jesus’ opens our own eyes even further. 

As Jesus called Mary by name to spread his Gospel, if you listen to his voice, you can hear him calling your own name: Go and tell others, that you have seen the Risen Lord. They may look at you like you are insane, but they might listen attentively, because God has been preparing them to receive the message.

May each of us be strengthened in faith by sharing the faith, and lead those in unbelief, to the new life of faith through the Risen Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Easter Monday 2016 - Fearful, yet overjoyed

When Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the place where Jesus was buried, their first encounter was with an empty tomb.  Jesus’ body laid to rest on Good Friday was missing.  Unlike, the eleven apostles had fled from their master’s passion in fear, these two women had watched Jesus die in agony, and witnessed his interment in the tomb: they had followed Jesus to the bitter end.

What brought them to the tomb on Easter morning? St. Mark says that they came with spices to complete the burial rites left unfinished by Joseph of Arimathea. St. Matthew omits this detail, 

perhaps to intimate, that what really brought them to the tomb was Hope.  Hope that Jesus’ words and his promises would be fulfilled.  Hope, that he had risen, just as he said he would. 

Their first encounter was with an empty tomb, their second encounter that morning was with an angel heralded by a great earthquake—and he truly had some earth-shattering news: Jesus has risen!

The last time we met the angel of the Lord in Matthew’s Gospel, Joseph was being told not to fear taking the pregnant Virgin Mary as his wife, now the angel offers that same greeting to the women at the tomb, “Do not be afraid!” Why would these courageous women be afraid, especially if hope had brought them to the tomb? In Scripture, fear is a common experience in the face of some powerful work of God—and the resurrection, though promised by Jesus is still beyond our imagining…or perhaps, the angel wanted to reassure these women that Jesus’ body had not been stolen. And they left the angel “fearful, yet overjoyed” as they carried this message of the resurrection.

 “Fearful, yet overjoyed” is a great description for all of us tasked with the message of spreading the Gospel. We are fearful, because we are all in unfamiliar territory.  We will not know how the message will be received. We are not entirely sure how we will reach out to those who appear to have hard hearts.  Yet, we are overjoyed in being tasked with this mission.

I think of the newly baptized on Easter.  How overjoyed they must be in receiving the new life of grace, yet also a little fearful—how will they maintain that joy, and maintain this new relationship with the risen Lord? Certainly with our help, yes?

The most important encounter the two Mary’s had that morning, wasn’t with an empty tomb, not even with the angel.  The third encounter they had was with the Risen Lord Jesus himself.

In earlier years, it was customary for the newly baptized to attend Mass throughout the entire octave of easter, so they could encounter the Lord as they encountered him in the easter sacraments, once again in the reading of scripture and the celebration of Eucharist.

And all of us need that constant encounter with the Lord: in our communal worship, in the scriptures, in the study of our faith, in service to the needy, and of course, in the blessed sacrament.

We are blessed to have that great honor this morning. May the Lord, give us courage in our fearful mission of spreading his Gospel, and fill us with joy at knowing his constant presence with us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Easter Sunday 2016 - He is Risen!

During Lent, a wonderful movie was released about the resurrection of Jesus Christ seen from the eyes of a Roman military official.  The movie was called ‘Risen’.

The movie begins much like our Gospel reading today: with an empty tomb.  And this Roman military official, who witnessed the execution of Jesus on Good Friday, is ordered by the governor Pontius Pilate to investigate what happened to Jesus’ body.

It is a fascinating film.  It as if you are transported to first century Jerusalem: the palace of Pontius Pilate, mount Calvary where Jesus was crucified, the tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea where Jesus was laid. 

And it is also interesting to watch this film from the perspective of this Roman military officer. He had not before heard of Jesus and his band of apostles.  He himself prayed to one of the Roman gods, Mars, the god of war.  And his entire world is shaken when he begins to meet with those who claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. 

His investigations led him to seek out the testimony of Mary Magdalene and the Apostles.  What struck him was how these people who had been filled with so much grief on Good Friday were now, after Easter, filled with peace and joy and fearlessness and conviction.

One of the Apostles, Bartholomew could barely contain his excitement.  Jesus had risen! He had appeared to them! He won! The kingdom of peace and joy that Jesus promised was being established! The old kingdom of sin and death and violence and hatred and perversion was itself passing away to make way for the new kingdom that would last forever.

Brothers and sisters, on this easter morn, we are called to consider our reaction to the resurrection of Jesus.  Are we like the Roman Military official, not quite sure if this really happened? Or, are we like the apostles? Filled with joy and excitement and conviction that He is Truly Risen?

From time to time, I meet fellow Christians who claim that their faith would be so much stronger if they had lived back then: if they had been one of the apostles or heard and seen Jesus preach and perform miracles.  But brothers and sisters, God did not choose us to live back then, God chose us to witnesses to the Resurrection of Jesus here and now—to live and proclaim our Easter Faith in this 21^st Christian century: He is Risen, he is truly risen.

And if you believe that, it changes everything.  No longer are we to live as part of the old fallen regime.  We no longer take part in its fallen sinful practices. No longer are we to imbibe in its glamours and false promises.   No longer are we to fear the powers of this world which seek to silence the message of Christ.

We are to joyfully and fearlessly witness to the doubters, the lost souls, the souls trapped in cycles of addiction and sin, that freedom and new life is possible through Christ because he is victorious over sin and death—sin has no power over those who are filled with the resurrected life of Jesus Christ.

On one level, we have a pretty easy time making the transition from Lent to Easter. We naturally prefer feasting to fasting, rejoicing to sacrificing. We prefer singing Alleluia to doing penance.  For those of you who took Lenten penance seriously, we are glad that Lent is over.  Yet, on another level, the transition from Lent to Easter is life challenging—this is when the real work begins—the work of spreading Christian joy, the work of fearlessly standing up for our faith, the work of witnessing to unbelievers.

St. Paul said to us in the second reading, “If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above.” Lent was supposed to help us put earthly things behind us. Are you ready to put earthly things behind you? Are you ready to leave earthly pursuits in the past, so you can seek the things that are above: truth, goodness, beauty, patience, peace, joy.

When Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning nearly 2000 years ago, he rose WITH HIS SCARS! In the resurrection, in glory, Jesus STILL BEARS THESE GLORIOUS WOUNDS of his crucifixion. So too with us. The sacrifices and penances of Lent have prepared us for Easter living.  During Lent, we tilled the soil of our souls, that the new life of Easter might be planted, and bear fruit of fearlessness, joy, perseverance in good works, patience, and generous charity. 

In just a moment, we will renew the promises of our Baptism. We will promise once again to put behind us the old life of sin, to walk with Christ in newness of life, to make our souls places where the risen Christ may dwell and bear fruit and draw sinners to himself through us. 

How will you ensure Christ’s victory will continue in you? As you renew the promises of baptism, renew your commitment to Sunday Mass, daily prayer, regular reading of Scripture, generous charity, patience with one another—for authentic Christian joy is impossible without them.  Easter is not simply meant to be celebrated once a year, but daily, as easter faith is lived out in the lives of the Christian people, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Good Friday 2016 - Present on Calvary

Since the earliest times of the Church, no Mass has been offered on Good Friday. Instead the service has consisted of a solemn procession, readings (including the Passion in the Gospel of St. John), a series of petitions, the veneration of the cross, and a Communion service.

Good Friday is the one day of the entire Church year when Mass may not be celebrated. And this may be somewhat surprising.  At every Mass, Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself on the cross is made present.  It would seem that Good Friday is the one day that Mass should be celebrated as we gather solemnly for the commemoration of the Holy Passion and Death of Our Lord.

Why, of all days, is Mass not celebrated on Good Friday?

St. Thomas Aquinas, the greatest theologian in Church history took up this question in his Summa Theologiae. He wrote: “The figure ceases on the advent of the reality….the sacrament is a figure and a representation of our Lord's Passion…And therefore on the day on which our Lord's Passion is recalled as it was really accomplished, this sacrament is not consecrated.”

St. Thomas Aquinas is saying, that on Good Friday, we who gather in commemoration of the Lord’s passion are present on Calvary in such a unique way that we don’t need to celebrate Mass.  Through the Good Friday Liturgy, we are united to Christ—sharing in his sacrifice.  This is seen through the rituals of this day: the priests begin laying prostrate, the people kneel, as if at the foot of the cross, calling to mind the full reality of his sacrifice.

The scriptures are read with such solemnity that we are transported in time, 2000 years ago, to that sorrowful day.

Our prayers, for the needs of the world and needs of the Church are so solemn, so intense, in order to recognize that in the sacrifice of the Cross God has answered all prayers.

Following our solemn petitions, we will come forward to venerate the Holy Cross, the instrument of our salvation.  We come forward as if coming to THE ONE CROSS—the very cross of Calvary.
It was not until about the year 800, that the practice of receiving Holy Communion on Good Friday was established.  St. Thomas Aquinas explains this too, when he says, “lest the Church be deprived on Good Friday of the fruit of the Passion offered to us by this sacrament, the body of Christ consecrated the day before is reserved to be consumed...”

Though Mass is not celebrated, we receive today the fruit of the Passion, in Holy Communion, the saving flesh and blood of Jesus, after venerating the Holy Cross, the instrument of our salvation. Eternal life won for us on the cross is bequeathed to us in Holy Communion; for as our Lord said, “he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.”

Today is called “Good” because it is the fount of our salvation. The sounds, the sights, the emotions of Good Friday are to permeate our lives—they are to echo throughout the entire Church year, lest we ever forget that it is not by our own deeds that we come to heaven, but by his labor of love embracing pain and suffering beyond all telling for our redemption.

We keep this day solemn by kneeling, laying prostrate on Calvary; we place ourselves under the shadow of the cross, that his blood may wash us clean, that his will obedient to the Father unto death may spurn us on in our spread of the Gospel, that his perseverance may help us remain faithful to God throughout all of life’s trials and tribulations, that his love for sinners may beat in our hearts.

As we approach the cross and receive the flesh and blood of Our Savior this day, in the words of St. Paul “let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help” and moreso, as Christ himself “offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears” let us too tearfully, reverently, honestly, and with great love, offer ourselves with Christ as a living sacrifice to God, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Good Friday Morning Prayer Reflection: "Have mercy on me, O God" (Psalm 51)

Every Friday of the Church year, the Church recites in morning prayer Psalm 51, one of the seven Penitential Psalms of David.

Pope Innocent III, reigning at the beginning of the 13th century decreed for the Church of his time, that the Psalms be prayed with great devotion throughout the entire season of Lent.

In each of these Psalms there is an honest recognition of one’s sinfulness and a pleading to God for mercy.  In Psalm 51, often called the “Miserere” from its latin translation, David humbles himself before God, acknowledging the gravity of his adultery with Bathsheba.  David’s lust caused the death of Bathsheba’s husband, and for this David himself deserves death. Yet, instead of falling on his sword, he falls to his knees and begs God’s mercy.

“MISERERE MEI, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam, HAVE MERCY ON ME, O God, according to Thy great mercy” is a fitting prayer for all of us to pray daily. For in our sin, we are all in need of God’s mercy.  And how fitting indeed is it for us, to recall these sentiments on the most solemn of days.

Horrible was the nature of my sins, but boundless is the mercy that stretches out its arms to any man who comes in search of it.

Today, fittingly begins the powerful novena of Divine Mercy.  I encourage all Catholics to pray this Novena, praying for the Church, praying for sinners lost in sin, praying for those who do not believe in God, praying for ourselves, that we may encounter and experience the boundless mercy which saves our souls.

Homily: Tuesday of Holy Week 2016 - 3 Holy Week Responses to Jesus

Each of the Gospels relate scenes from the night before Jesus died.  On this Tuesday of Holy Week, we are taken to the table of the Last Supper, where Jesus predicts his death and his betrayal.

Three characters have three different responses to Jesus: John, the beloved disciples lays his head on Jesus’ chest .  Peter, confesses his desire to follow Jesus even unto death, but at the sight of the cross flees in fear.  And Judas, with betrayal in his heart goes into the night. 

Sometimes we are like John: we have moments of great intimacy with Jesus, of deep prayer and unshakable love for the Lord.  Of all the apostles, it is John who stands at the cross with the Blessed mother. 

Sometimes, we are like Peter: we can be so pious and enthusiastic one moment, saying, “Master, I will lay down my life for you”, and then the next moment we are running away in fear.

And then sometimes we are like the silent Judas, rejecting the light and slinking off into the darkness—to sin.

At this Holy Mass, we are like those disciples at the Last Supper: some of us are drawing near to Jesus as we should, like John, some of us are enthusiastic initially, like Peter, but at the sight of the cross, we run away, and some of us may even be like Judas, not willing to give up our sin.

We have all been like Judas, from time to time. Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, we betray him often for so much less, a moment of passing pleasure, a juicy morsel of gossip shared on social media, sports practice instead of attending Sunday Mass. 

How will we ever stop acting like Judas and more like John, however will we get over our fear of the cross, and instead of lip service, like Peter, we really do come to lay down our life for the Lord?

First, we must count our faith, our relationship with Jesus more valuable than anything.  Being faithful is more valuable than any sports trophy, than any passing pleasure.

Secondly, we must like John, lay our heads on the chest of Jesus in daily prayer.  If you are not putting your ear next to Jesus heart, how can you learn to love him and love others as he loves?

Thirdly, practicing fasting and abstinence and acts of mercy, not just through Lent but throughout the whole year, helps us to overcome our fear of the cross. When we can practice sacrifice in small things, we become more willing to practice it in larger things.

As we prepare to enter into the most sacred three days of the Church year—the sacred triduum, may we continue to be strengthened in our love for him as we journey with him to the cross, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.