Pentecost & Beacons of Light (Sunday homily)

 There are five super-feasts the whole Church celebrates: 

Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, and today, Pentecost. 

These are the days when we bring out our best, 

just like our nation will do in a few weeks on Independence Day,

or families do for the most special occasions. 

Today is the family reunion for the Body of Christ.

Why? What’s so special about Pentecost?

Well, you could look at it this way. 

Christmas is when God gives the world his Son. 

Easter is when Jesus gives us the Father – by opening heaven for us. 

Notice how we signify that in every Mass: 

right after the Eucharistic Prayer, 

which recapitulates Jesus’ offering on the Cross, what do we do? 

We pray the Our Father.

And so, today is when the Father and the Son gave us the Holy Spirit – 

the third Person of the Holy Trinity. 

This forms the complete picture, if you will, of what our destiny is: 

to live forever in relationship with God, and with each other.

In the Old Testament, there were two key things about Pentecost: 

it was when the first harvest happened, of wheat.

And, it is when God gave his law to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Notice how these foreshadowings illuminate what Jesus did.

The Holy Spirit is the true law of God.

And with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, 

the Apostles began the harvest of believers 

that continues to this day.

But to return to a key point: the main thing that happens on Pentecost 

is the giving of the Person of the Holy Spirit 

to the Church as a whole, and to each believer individually.

Notice that: the Holy Spirit isn’t given only on an individual basis.

Sometimes people talk about the Holy Spirit that way:

They say, well, the Spirit told me to do such-and-such…

But the Holy Spirit is not about division. 

That’s what sin does: sin creates divisions and conflict.

The Holy Spirit creates oneness. One Body of Christ. One City of God.

And again, the Holy Spirit is a Person. 

You and I, individually and collectively, are invited 

to have a personal encounter and relationship with God.

For whatever reason, in God’s Plan, the Holy Spirit 

isn’t so much the word that is spoken – we call the Son the “Word” –

but rather, the Holy Spirit gives voice and force to that Word.

Think about how you and I, ourselves, speak.

We have a word we want to say; but if we have no breath?

It’s only a whisper, or nothing at all.

So it is with us as the Body of Christ:

We have a Word to speak, but we need Breath: the Holy Spirit!

Now, some of us are naturally quiet people.

Others of us, not so much! And that variation is wholesome.

But the Body of Christ, may I suggest, is meant to have – 

through our individual personalities and gifts – a bold voice.

That’s the Holy Spirit, giving boldness to the whole Church.

May I suggest to you that as we celebrate this great feast,

Each of us ask the Holy Spirit to help us to have that boldness.

It may not be in big talk, it might be in big action.

But let each of us be willing to be bold for Jesus Christ!

In a few weeks, members of our Pastoral Council and I 

will present to Archbishop Casey our request 

to finalize our coming together 

as the Parish Family of St. John Paul II.

As our three parishes have grown together, sharing our gifts,

We are trying to be responsive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, 

under the guidance of Archbishop Schnurr, and now, Casey.

We mere mortals can’t perceive the plan perfectly; 

there are twists and turns that come with human frailty.

Still, we know it’s true the Holy Spirit calls all Christians to unity.

So, surely he wants our parish family to become closer.

Remember, that’s the key to Beacons of Light:

Coming together to be a more powerful witness, 

to draw more people to Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit is the mighty breath 

that powers our word and witness!

And so, we say: Come, Holy Spirit!

The Ascension -- like Mass -- is about heaven (Sunday homily)

 The feast of the Ascension is NOT about Jesus leaving us. 

Rather, it’s about where Jesus wants to take us.

The Ascension is about heaven; 

Jesus wants to take you and me to heaven.

It’s the exact same thing with Holy Mass.

This is all about getting us to heaven.

This is something some miss, or don’t grapple with.

For one, way too many people take heaven for granted.

And if you do that, then what’s Mass?

It would be like going into court, facing a trial, 

but you were convinced that you’d never be found guilty.

So, there’s nothing at stake. You can just shrug. Not even show up!

So it is for many people coming to Mass.

Or else, people want Mass to boost their mood.

Or they can visit with friends. Or we get to reflect a little.

To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with any of these objectives; 

but none of these is the point of Holy Mass.

And, this means, by the way: if these goals don’t happen –

if you aren’t inspired, if you can’t have quiet reflection, 

if you don’t see familiar faces you hoped to see, 

and you don’t come out of church feeling “up” –

that doesn’t mean you, quote, “didn’t get anything out of Mass.”

It might mean you came with the wrong expectations.

People say: what do babies get out of Mass? Or any of us?

Answer: GRACE!

The Sacrifice of the Mass is about getting us to heaven.

It is Jesus our priest making an offering – himself! – for you and me.

And that demands a response. Some reject. Some shrug.

But when you and I strike our chest, like the tax collector:

Remember, Jesus said, that’s who left justified.

That’s the response. 

And again: if we take heaven for granted, why change?

No drama. Nothing at stake.

What Holy Mass does, as the Cross does, is to confront you and me,

like a mirror, showing us our desperate need.

And only then 

is Jesus’ offering on the Cross – and the altar – good news!

You’re drowning, Jesus says! I’m here to save you! Good news!

But not if I say, “Who’s drowning? I’m fine. No thanks.”

By the way, let me tie this into the great project 

of our parish family, our archdiocese, and our whole Church,

Namely, evangelization:

Drawing others back to the Faith, or drawing them here anew.

As long as people think: I don’t need it, then why would they be there?

On the other hand, the best pitch comes from conviction.

And that comes best, not from me – but you:

From you saying, not, “it’s kind of nice!” But rather: 

“This is my refuge in a storm.

This is my hope.

The Mass, and my Catholic Faith, gives me mercy, 

grace to change, and a way to understand what is dark around me.

“In a word, it’s about heaven.”

If you and I, together, are going to build our parish family 

as we know needs to happen,

Everyone is needed as a convinced messenger. 

Kid to kid. Teen to teen. Family to family.

Young adult to young adult. 

Senior citizen to senior citizen.

Here’s another reason to focus on the deep reality of Mass.

Our focus has to be beyond the externals of our parish.

Of course, let’s become more welcoming, let’s offer our best.

But there’ll always be something on the surface to find fault with.

The best message, I think, is to say, “it’s not about us.

It’s about Jesus. And he’s here.”

So, if you’ve ever been bored at Mass, this is your remedy.

Remind yourself that the salvation of souls is at stake.

Jesus, on the Cross, pleads for them, for you!

He wants us to plead with Him, for them. 

In a moment, at the altar, I’ll lift up His Body and Blood.

You hear, “Through him, with him, in him”: 

This is really Jesus offering himself to the Father.

This is the source of grace to change us.

This is what gives us salvation! This is the entirety of our hope!

Jesus is the point of every Mass. 

He’s in the Scriptures. He’s at the altar.

He feeds you. He goes in peace with you when Mass is ended.

And this is why the Ascension wasn’t a “going away” party.

Jesus went ahead to the Holy Trinity,

And everything that follows is him drawing us in,

Pulling in the drowning swimmers! That is, us!

Jesus hasn’t, really, gone anywhere.

It’s about him reorienting everything toward heaven.

Here’s there; he’s here. 

Mass is about heaven. This to there. 

Us to there. You and me: heavenly.