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.

The City of God (Sunday homily)

There’s a lot going on in all the readings, 

but let’s focus in on the City of God in the Book of Revelation.

And while on that subject, please note: 

it’s called the Book of Revelation, singular, not plural. 

Why is that important? 

Because no matter how complex this book is, 

it’s not a mishmash of statements or visions. 

It has one, single subject; one revelation: 

and that is Jesus Christ and his work to save us. 

All the various details, which are challenging to penetrate, 

together form a mosaic that shows us our Savior. 

And so, we have a city, come down from God. 

A glorious city of gold. 

There are twelve gates that stand open all the time. 

This city is always filled with light. 

This is an image of who you and I, and all believers, 

will be when Jesus has completed his work. 

Not a place of violence or greed. 

Not different factions. You and I won’t be off on our own. 

We are a city – cities are people depending on each other. 

A family. The Body of Christ.

The first reading – without taking time to explain the whole story – 

is resolving a dispute. 

If fights and bad bloods among Christians discourage you, 

they began early! 

The gist of the Apostles’ advice in that first reading is: 

everyone be willing to make some accommodation, some adjustment, 

to maintain our community. Good advice, 20 centuries later.

I want to highlight a detail you may have missed. 

Notice the twelve gates of the city 

bear the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 

This reminds us of something St. Paul wrote 

in his letter to the Romans: 

God’s gifts and call to the Jewish People are “irrevocable.” 

There’s a lot more we could say about just how 

God intends his Chosen People to play a role in the full plan of salvation.

But for now, let’s be clear he does have that intention!

And realize, his plan is to bring each of us into that “chosenness,”

Not to push anyone out.

You may or may not realize that 

there have been disturbing re-occurrences in recent times 

of hatred and contempt toward Jews.

There was a murder in our nation’s capital days ago.

And a few weeks ago, someone painted ugly graffiti 

on a business just down the road from St. Henry Church. 

So, let’s take this moment to make clear: 

we Christians are called never to hate, rather to oppose hate. 

It may require some of us to speak up, 

maybe even to cause some awkwardness, in confronting bigotry. 

And, lest there be any lack of clarity, 

Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the Apostles were all Jews. 

God’s Plan is that we are a family that is together.

And that’s not just about Jewish or non-Jewish,

or any identity or nationality.

It’s about all the lovely hues of skin color, 

and the symphony of languages in which God is praised, 

all the stunning variety that God himself created.

All are called into the City of God.

What forms and perfects this spiritual family, 

this golden City of God, is Jesus Christ. 

Those who are included are those who let Jesus reshape them. 

You and I can refuse to cooperate, 

which is a frightening thought: 

that would mean we exclude ourselves from that hope!

The process of cooperating, of becoming that City, 

Isn’t easy, isn’t quick. It takes place in our daily lives. 

Each day you and I choose: will I be light or darkness? 

Will I stay close to Jesus, or put other things first?

Will I humble myself and admit wrong? 

Will I seek grace in the sacraments? 

Life in any city means we rely on others 

to supply our food and water and electricity. 

In the City of God, that’s the sacraments: 

our light and power and life.

So, brothers and sisters, look intently at that City.

That’s who God wants to make you. Let him do it!

Notes on the Readings, 6th Sunday of Easter

When I prepare a homily, sometimes I write out notes on the readings to organize my thoughts. I don't need these anymore, but I thought maybe they'd be of interest, so I'll post them here. Watch this space for the resulting homily.

The first reading talks about healing a dispute. It may not be clear without more context but: it asks everyone to make adjustments to maintain unity; for individuals to make some personal sacrifices for the common good.

The second reading describes the City of God, which represents who we will be in the New Creation. Our eternity with God isn’t about each of us being individuals, all on our own, but rather, being a community. The city is peaceful, unified and glorious. Its gates are always open. It is always full of light.

Jesus’s words in the Gospel emphasize that when you and I are fully united to him, whether he is walking on earth – as he was with the Apostles – or he is at the right hand of the Father in heaven – as he is now – we have no reason to be sorry or sad. Jesus continues to be our source of life and transformation. He is the one who is building us into that City of God!

The Apostles’ letter:

The first reading refers to a dispute that arose after non-Jews were being baptized and becoming Christians – the first Christians were all Jews, as was Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the Apostles. The influx of non-Jewish believers prompted the question: did they need to adopt the practices that belonged to Judaism, such as a limited diet and circumcision? The answer was no. This came from the St. Peter, based on Scripture and what he observed of God’s action through him, and endorsed by St. James the Apostle – in whose name some had advocated a different course. The Apostle James recommended certain steps, described in this letter, that would foster unity between Christians who were either Jewish or non-Jewish in origin.

This reminds us that, then as now, there can arise disputes and disagreements, based on good-faith attempts to do the right thing. The decision of the Apostles at that time was an accommodation that bridged the differences. Non-Jewish Christians were urged to avoid eating certain things; today we don’t even talk about this, it’s a non-issue, but it was a different world then. It reflects the overriding goal of each of us being interested in supporting our fellow believers, and making sacrifices that help them, rather than creating scandal or distractions.

In our time, can you and I think of ways individual Christians might either cause scandal to others, by insisting on “doing it my own way” – versus making a sacrifice that might help maintain unity and help others not to be discouraged?

The City of God:

Described as 1,500 long, wide and high. This would stretch from Dayton to Utah to the west, and to the Caribbean Sea to the south, and go west into the Pacific Ocean; and way up to where our satellites circle the globe.

The city is made of “pure gold, transparent as glass.” This is curious: gold can’t be “transparent” as we understand it, except when hammered out to extreme thinness, or theoretically under intense pressure that we cannot create. This language may be better understood as not “transparent” but “pure”; more likely, it is deliberately not something occurring in nature, and therefore, belonging to super-nature.

Gates: Angels are gatekeepers? Names on gates: 12 Tribes of Israel. 

This reminds us that God’s gifts and call to Israel are, as St. Paul said in Romans, “irrevocable.” There have been disturbing re-occurrences of hatred and contempt toward Jews – a murder in our nation’s capital, and ugly graffiti on S.R. 741 – so we remember that we Christians are called never to hate, and to oppose hate, and to recognize the Jewish people as continuing to enjoy God’s favor and to have a role to play in his plan.

Foundation: Apostles – note, they are essentially united to Jesus, who is the true, ultimate foundation.

Jesus’ words in the Gospel:

Jesus is answering a question from St. Jude: why are you manifesting yourself to us, but not to the world?

Jude’s question may have reflected the belief among Jews of his time (and since) that the Messiah would manifest himself to the whole world. Hence, he is puzzled by what he just heard Jesus say.

The answer given here is that, in the next phase of the plan of salvation, Jesus will manifest himself to those who love him and keep his commandments; this will involve the Father’s love and the presence of the Holy Trinity in that person’s life. 

However, other Scriptures (Matthew and Revelation to name two) make clear that at a certain point, the Savior will, indeed, be manifested to the world. Further, we might understand it this way: for a time, Jesus will be manifested to the world by invitation – through the witness of Christians and with the assistance of grace – leading to conversion. But at a definite point, the Messiah will be manifested as Judge.

Why should the Apostles rejoice that Jesus goes to the Father?

For three reasons at least. First, for Jesus himself who is both human and divine; as a human being, will not his Ascension be a wonderful thing? Second, for the consequences of his Ascension, which will be the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which means the Apostles – and everyone – will take a big step forward in knowing the Holy Trinity, and in being empowered as witnesses, and in becoming truly the Body of Christ.

Third, what he is saying is that if the disciples fully, truly loved Jesus, they would have no fear or anxiety about his ascension. They would have the greatest possible closeness and have full trust and confidence. Jesus understands that we don’t always have that, and he doesn’t react to that inadequate love by rejecting us. Rather, he always seeks to raise us up. This is what he did with Peter: he lifted him when he sank into the water; and when, in his confession of love after the Resurrection: Peter’s “yes, I love you” was a weaker expression of love, but Jesus accepted it, and ultimately, transformed Peter into one who gave his life for Jesus.

How can the Father be greater than the Jesus? The Father and Son are equal in divinity; yet Jesus in his humanity is the creature of the Trinity.

Holy Communion brings us to the New Creation (Sunday homily)

 A few moments ago, we heard a reading

in which John tells us he saw “a new heavens and a new earth.”

Our world is beautiful!

Every day, as spring unfolds, it’s more marvelous.

Think of all his wonders to behold:

rivers and meadows, waterfalls and canyons,

snow-caps and rain forests, deserts and oceans—

Think of all the forms of life that fill the earth.

When night falls, look up and behold

the spangled sky, littered with gaudy extravagance.

Imagine what wonders fill the countless galaxies!

You fall asleep, dreaming of them!

What a world—why make a new one?

Because it is damaged.

I left out one part of God’s Creation: US!

Human beings have not only the greatest potential—

but we can also do the greatest damage.

So, you and I are the ones who need to be made new;

and a new us means a new heavens and a new earth.

What might that be like?

Well, imagine we could somehow extract from this world,

all the envy, and greed, and pride…

all the anger and apathy and selfishness?

That would be a “new heavens and a new earth”!

That and more is what John saw.

So: how do we get there?

Today you and I celebrate the Lord rising from the dead,

same as every Sunday, but especially in Easter Season.

Ah, but there’s something special today!

Many fellow believers here

will receive the Eucharist for the first time!

So I just asked: how do we get to the new Creation?

The Eucharist is how we get there.

Jesus told us many things.

He said, “I am the Bread of Life”;

He said, “my flesh and my blood are truly food and drink.”

In a few minutes, at this altar,

you’ll hear him say, through me,

“This is my Body” and “This is the Chalice of my Blood.”

So, all that points to the Eucharist we share.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus spoke of “glory”:

The Father gives glory to the Son;

and the Son shares his glory with us.

That happens through the Eucharist.

Boys and girls, I know that your teachers and parents

have taught you many things about the Eucharist.

We believe that we’re together

with Jesus, Mary, the saints and angels—

all heaven and earth, right here in the Mass!

You and I know that we don’t come to receive the Eucharist,

unless we have faith, unless we turn from our sins,

and unless we are ready to live as part of His Church,

the New People, his chosen Bride.

So, the Eucharist is not a gift just for us:

this isn’t a “look at me, I’m special,” day.

Instead, this is a day Jesus chooses us in a new way,

to be givers and sharers of his life, with others.

All this is how we become his new creation.

We might wish for a “one-and-done” process to holiness.

But that isn’t how it works.

You were baptized as babies;

then you had to grow up some, before this day.

And far more lies ahead for you.

God wants us to grow into that new Creation.

And that’s the same for everyone here.

Yes, including grandma and grandpa.

Each of us needs to keep growing in holiness.

Let me tell you a secret…

The communion that matters the most,

isn’t the first…but the last one!

Remember I said, this Creation is wonderful—

but a new one is coming, far better?

This first communion is wonderful;

but the last one—the one that takes us from this world to the next – 

that’s the one to get excited about:

because that communion will never end!

Grownups, maybe you’re looking back

on your first communion.

But don’t look back, look forward—

to your next one, and to that last one!

And, if it’s been a while, do as these young people did:

go to confession, and make another “first” communion,

back on your way to that forever communion!

Boys and girls, I just want to end by saying “Thank you!”

Your eagerness, your joy, is a powerful example for everyone here.

I said a moment ago Jesus wants you to share

the new life he gives you in the Eucharist.

And already, you are witnesses to that 

by your joy and faith and reverence today. Thank you!

Helping others join the 'great multitude' (Sunday homily)

 On Thursday, you and I received the news: a new pope, Pope Leo XIV.

You and I can only imagine 

the sense of responsibility Pope Leo must feel. 

It may have taken a few hours or even a few days for it to sink in.

The most important response you and I can give, 

beyond our gratitude for having a shepherd, 

is to give him our best help.

Here’s how you and I can help Pope Leo:

First: pray for him!

Second: don’t impose unfair expectations on him. 

Namely, he’s not Pope Francis, 

nor is he Pope Benedict or Pope John Paul.

Third, remember that he is a human being, the same as you and I.

What we believe is that God gives the bishops – 

and the pope in particular – 

help to avoid running the Church “into the ditch,” as it were.

That doesn’t mean the pope is given divine illumination.

Nor does it promise that every decision he may make will be perfect.

We believe that the Holy Spirit protects the bishops, 

in their shared teaching office, from teaching error. 

That is what “infallibility” means, 

and it applies to the bishops when they act together, 

and when the pope acts as our chief pastor.

Today, you and I are also celebrating a special day 

for several of our children, 

who are receiving their first Holy Communion.

Children, maybe you noticed the curious words in the second reading: 

the Apostle John said he saw “a great multitude,

which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue.”

Think of how vast a crowd that must be! As far as the eye can see!

This is a promise of what Jesus will do to bring people to heaven.

But here’s something each of us needs to recognize:

Jesus chooses to do this, not all on his own, as he might, 

But rather, to do this through you and me.

He gathers this “great multitude” through his Church. That’s us.

It is your job and mine to tell people about Jesus.

To give everyone a welcome to know Jesus better.

To show in our daily lives, the difference Jesus makes.

Now, this is a good time to recall the first reading:

Paul and Barnabas and other Christians – 

when they did what I just described, in telling others about Jesus – 

did you notice what happened? 

They were insulted and beaten up.

Eventually, Paul and Barnabas and others were killed 

because they were faithful to Jesus!

You and I must not kid ourselves 

or mislead others about the cost of being a disciple of Jesus.

To say yes to Jesus is to say no to other things in life:

It may mean we don’t end up with as much money or stuff;

We may have to give up some fun things on the weekend, 

so we can attend Holy Mass.

Most of the time, the choice to be faithful involves small decisions, day-by-day, 

that maybe no one but God will know about.

It can seem easy to say “yes” one time to Jesus.

Where it gets harder is to keep saying “yes,” day by day by day.

This is why Jesus gave you and me the sacraments, in particular, 

the sacrament of confession, 

where we return to him after we lose our way;

and the Most Holy Eucharist, 

where we are united to him as fully as is possible in this world.

Remember: the Holy Eucharist isn’t just a symbol.

Holy Communion is union with Jesus himself.

He gives his Body and Blood – ALL of himself – to you and me.

He does this so that you and I can be able to make him real to others. 

To be faithful. To be strong. To remember who we are.

I can only imagine the first time Pope Leo offered Mass, 

after becoming our shepherd, 

he focused on how much more strength and courage and help 

he needed from Jesus. To be a witness.

You and I may not be pope. But we need that same help.

Today, second graders, you say yes to Jesus in a new way.

The rest of us are helped by your example: to consider our own “yes.”

Please, children, show us: not just a “yes” today, but every day,

Until one day, you help the rest of us join that great multitude!

Why are they eating all the time in the Gospels? (Sunday homily)

 If you look at the Gospels, 

Jesus spent a lot of time eating with people and feeding them.

Did you ever wonder why that is?

To prepare a meal for another person,

to invite someone to a meal, and to accept that invitation, 

are powerful signs of welcome and love. 

And turn it around: what would it mean to say, 

“NO! I will NOT eat with you!”?

So the reason there’s so much eating in the Gospels?

Because Jesus wants us to know: he likes being with us!

He wants to feed us! He loves us.

So notice what Jesus put at the center of the life of the Church:

The Holy Mass, where he gives us, 

not just ordinary food, but his own, precious, Body and Blood! 

The best of foods! The best of meals!

Many of us have family or friends 

who belong to other Christian traditions, and for them, 

Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper as some call it,

Is only a sign, or only a reminder.

They believe that the bread and wine never become anything else.

That’s not what we believe as Catholics, together.

However, some individual Catholics actually think that way.

They say, well, it looks like bread, it tastes like wine,

So that’s all it is, and I don’t believe there’s any miracle.

But then, there were people who met Jesus, and said,

He looks like he’s only a human being, 

So I don’t believe he’s also the Lord our God!

People don’t ever say these things to me, but if they did, 

here’s what I would want to say back to them:

And, 2nd graders, these questions I’m going to pose are only for reflection, 

you don’t have to raise your hands!

But: I would ask people who doubt the Eucharist:

Do you believe that you need to be saved?  

Do you need God to rescue you from what sin does?

Do you need God to forgive your sins and change you, 

to keep you from hell and bring you to heaven? 

Now, some people, if they were very candid, would admit:

No, I don’t need God to do those things. 

I’m doing just fine.

And if that’s what you believe, then Jesus makes no sense.

Baptism, confession, all the sacraments make no sense.

Above all, the Mass and the Eucharist just aren’t very important.

So bread, wine, body, blood, whatever? Who cares?

On the other hand, if you look in your heart, and see:

I’m not just fine on my own. I do wrong things, 

And if it weren’t for God helping me, I’d end up in a terrible state!

Then it makes all the difference whether Jesus gives you a cracker, 

or he gives you his own Body, his own Blood! 

His own divinity and soul and self!

 

If you believe this, if you believe 

Jesus really is making this happen at Holy Mass –

and that is our Catholic faith – 

then isn’t it obvious why we come Sunday after Sunday?

Like a lot of people, I have a pill I’m supposed to take every day.

It keeps my arteries clear. So, I take my pill.

Jesus doesn’t offer us a pill;

He offers us his very self.

Jesus says, “Eat my flesh and drink my blood.” 

And he said, “whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood 

has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.”

Now, in today’s Gospel, Jesus is drawing Peter especially to a meal; 

But it’s not about fish and bread.

It’s about healing Peter’s earlier betrayal.

This episode on the beach is like going to confession:

Peter is forgiven and brought back into union with Jesus;

back to the union that is Holy Communion.

That’s what the Eucharist really is: not merely a ritual, 

but that union with Jesus that begins in this life, 

and it becomes perfect in eternity.

So why wouldn’t all Catholics want to have this Food, this Life, 

as often as they could?

Today, our second graders are making their first communion. 

I can see how much you have been looking forward to this day. 

So have your parents, and so have I!

But I want to say something I try to say each year.

It isn’t your first communion that matters the most, 

but our last communion, and all that come between.

 

That repetition is critical. Parents, you know this is true! 

You remind your kids over and over to say “please” and “thank you.”

Having to keep reminding them drives you crazy, 

but if you don’t, the habit will never take root.

So, why be surprised that Jesus knows this too?

And says, keep coming back, Sunday after Sunday?

Sad to say, lots of people make a first communion, but drift away.

So, you keep coming. Stay close to Jesus through prayer 

and especially in the sacrament of confession.

And keep coming to Mass and keep receiving Jesus’ Body and Blood.

He so wants to feed us. It’s the most important thing to him.

Don't answer too quickly (Easter homily)

Tonight’s Mass is supposed to be an ordeal. 

In the modern day, we have made it much easier.

It used to have many more readings, and would go all night.

When the faithful receive the Holy Eucharist,

particularly those doing so for the very first time, 

and the priest shows the Lord to the faithful, saying, 

“Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world; 

blessed are those called to the Supper of the Lamb”:

This would happen just before sunrise.

In other words, it coincides with the Resurrection!

So, for those who are becoming a Christian tonight,

With baptism, confirmation and the Holy Eucharist:

This night is especially for you.

For the rest of us – including those who were baptized 

in other Christian communities, 

and tonight enter into the fullness of the Catholic Faith – 

this is a re-experiencing, a rediscovery of these mysteries.

We call them mysteries, by the way, 

because the Apostle Paul and the first Christians called them that. 

The word “mystery” suggests something hidden and inaccessible; 

and that’s the point: Jesus gives us access!

The veil is torn in two; heaven is open; you and I are born again!

The other thing about a divine mystery 

is that pulling aside one veil doesn’t “solve” it. 

With God’s creation and redemption, there is always more. 

So the long vigil is meant to reinforce 

that exploring this mystery goes on, as it was in the beginning, 

is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

That is one reason why – 

although we are baptized and confirmed only once – 

you and I re-encounter these mysteries each year at this time, 

each Lord’s Day, and even every day.

In a few minutes, the deacon and I will lead you to the font.

The Easter Candle, the pillar of fire, goes before you.

Unlike pharaoh who perished in the sea, you are led safely through!

In baptism, you die: with Christ.

We all die; but this is the death you and I choose: 

with Jesus, accepting his cross and making it our own.

Every time you make the sign of the cross, 

Every time you bless yourself with holy water, you remind yourself:

I died with Christ, and through him, I will rise again!

So I want to be very clear and serious here:

this moment is a fork in the road, an ending and a beginning.

I will ask you to renounce sin and the vanities of this world.

I will ask you if you believe

in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 

and in the faith given to us through the Apostles.

Before you answer those questions, I must warn you:

to be a Christian has always been costly.

There has always been a tug-of-war 

between the kingdoms of this world, 

the kingdom of our own will, and the kingdom of Jesus.

And if no one ever told you this, I tell you now:

your choice of allegiance to Jesus Christ and his Kingdom,

which is in this world, imperfectly, in his Church:

that choice will cost you, sooner or later.

It may seem over-dramatic to speak of martyrdom; 

we’re in Ohio after all, not ancient Rome!

But martyrdom comes in a thousand small, daily, tedious choices 

long before it becomes some great climactic witness.

Probably none of us will ever stand before a guillotine; 

but every one of us faces the refrigerator, the computer, 

and the emperor that is our own will.

It isn’t a firing squad, but criticism from coworkers, friends and family, 

that cows us and shakes our resolve.

So, why should anyone profess this faith? Why should you?

On behalf of the faithful, some of whom are gathered around you, 

and on my own behalf as a Christian, I testify:

God has acted in time and history.

Jesus, the Son of God, having our same flesh,

revealed to us a Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

For our salvation, he embraced the Cross. 

He truly died and rose, in his mortal body, from the dead.

He is the judge of all mankind, to whom he offers not only mercy, 

but new life, fullness of life, and union with God, 

in the resurrection and the new world to come.

Jesus, risen from the dead, is the true and faithful witness!

He drew you here and he invites you to life.

The Axis (Good Friday homily)

This day, which stands at the center of our Sacred Three Days,

Is the Day of all days.

The Cross stands at the center of time; and all Creation, all history, 

revolves around it as the earth revolves on its axis.

Thus everyone, without exception, 

must come and stand before the Cross. 

That is the meaning of the Final Judgment each human soul will face.

So it is a mercy that God has draws us here, now,

while you and I can still be changed by it.

We see the Cross, and we ask “Why?” 

Be very clear: No one made Jesus do this. 

The Father did not make his Son do this.

Before time, Father, Son and Holy Spirit knew man would sin. 

God saw it all, 

From the vanity and self-importance,

Wrath and pride, lust and greed and gluttony;

To the cruelty people visit on each other large and small,

From Cain and Abel, to Hitler and Mao,

To the crack of a whip, the prison of a slum, 

The office of an abortionist, and all the forms of our indifference.

Before anything began, God saw it all…

And He went ahead. He chose to create us.

And he chose to become one of us.

Was there no other way but the Cross? 

Of course there was. God chose this way. 

Remember, God didn’t invent the Cross; humanity did. 

Had God never become man, 

man would still have faced a cross, but now alone; 

and it would have been all death with no life.

St. Thomas Aquinas tells us the Cross was “too much”: 

“Any suffering of his, however slight, 

was enough to redeem the human race…” 

The Cross is God’s exclamation mark 

on the sheer extravagance of his mercy.

God did the maximum where the minimum 

would already have been generous!

Archbishop Fulton Sheen said this:

“I tell you that if God had not come down …

and given us the supreme example of sacrifice, 

then it would be possible for fathers and mothers, 

men and women of countless ages, 

to do something greater, it would seem, 

than God himself could not* do, namely, 

lay down their lives for a friend.”

Why the Cross? 

Consider an amazing image from our patron,

Pope Saint John Paul II:

God came to earth—so man could put God on trial—

so that man could forgive God.

Our late pope asked, "Could God have justified himself 

before human history, so full of suffering, 

without placing Christ’s Cross at the center of that history? 

"Obviously, one response could be 

that God does not need to justify himself to man. 

It is enough that he is omnipotent. 

From this perspective everything he does or allows 

must be accepted. 

"But God, who besides being Omnipotence is Wisdom 

and—to repeat once again—Love, 

desires to justify himself to mankind.

"He is not the Absolute that remains outside 

of the world, indifferent to human suffering. 

He is Emmanuel, God-with-us, 

a God who shares man’s lot 

and participates in his destiny.

"The crucified Christ is proof of God’s solidarity 

with man in his suffering."

We blame God. God does not argue. 

He comes to us; offers himself for trial. 

Pilate presides, and we are in that court as jury. 

We found him guilty; we sentenced him to death.

The price is paid. God himself atones. 

God and man are reconciled.

We see the horror of the Cross; we see the horror of human evil; 

and we wonder—can man be saved?

The Cross is our answer.

It is God saying “Yes.”

* typo fixed.

Our first Supper as a family! (Holy Thursday homily)

Mystical Supper Icon, All Saints Russian Orthodox Church, Las Vegas.

Tonight’s Mass marks something very special for our parish family.

Look: you have never seen all these priests and deacons at one Mass.

I realize that this is a change: having Holy Thursday Mass together. 

And it may take some getting used to. 

But, if you and I are truly a family, then – like every family – 

There are moments when we’re busy in different ways.

Yet on certain occasions, it is necessary that we come together as one.

Tonight is one of only two times in the whole year

when the Church insists a parish has just a single Mass together – 

the other will be two nights from now, the Vigil of Easter.

Let’s peel back the layers of what we’re doing here.

The first reading describes the Passover, 

celebrated by the Jewish People. 

The lamb was one year old and “without blemish”; 

it was obtained several days before and lived with the family.  

Why is this important? 

This points to Jesus, who became a member of the Jewish household, 

a member of the human family.

Then, with the whole assembly present, the lamb was slaughtered. 

When we come to church tomorrow, what do we recall?

Jesus is crucified with the whole assembly present.

The blood of the lamb is then spread over the doorposts.

This is protection from divine judgment. 

By the way: when you and I are baptized, 

that’s when the blood of the Lamb covers us! 

When we fall back into mortal sin, confession renews it.

And then after the lamb is sacrificed, its flesh was eaten. 

This was necessary to complete the sacrifice.

But only those who were members of the household could eat the lamb.

So, this is why only those baptized 

and who have chosen to join themselves to the household – 

that is, the Church – and who are also in a state of grace,

receive Holy Communion at Mass. 

While the lamb is central to the Passover,

Notice the accounts of Jesus’ Last Supper never mention a lamb.

Why not? Because HE is the lamb!

Instead, he takes the bread, and says, 

“this is my body, given up for you.” 

And of course, there was a cup of wine.

But did you realize there were four cups of wine.

The first was called the “cup of sanctification,” 

and the father began the meal with a prayer, over this cup, 

and the food is brought to the table.

The second was the cup of “proclamation” – 

it was prepared, but not drunk right away; 

because while the food was on the table,

the father would tell the account of what God did 

for his people who were slaves in Egypt.

By the way, when these events were “remembered,”

the understanding was that in remembering, you were present!

You were actually brought there spiritually, through the meal.

So, when Jesus tells the Apostles, “do this in memory of me,”

two things:

That reveals he made a plan for each of us to be part of his Passover.

Jesus planned for what we call Holy Mass,

and for priests to offer this sacrifice.

And second, our “remembering” here, 1,995 years later,

likewise makes you and me truly present: 

in the Upper Room, at Calvary, at the empty tomb.

It happens not because we want it; but because he wants it!

Now, back to the Passover.

After everyone ate, the father would share the third cup, 

called the “cup of blessing.” 

And Saint Paul just told us that this was the cup Jesus took up, 

and said, “This is my Blood.”

I said earlier there were four, where’s the last one?

Tomorrow, you and I will hear these words in the Gospel of John:

After this…Jesus said, “I thirst.”

There was a vessel filled with common wine….

They put a sponge soaked in wine…up to his mouth. 

When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” 

And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

So, we don’t finish this Mass tonight. No final blessing.

We do go on a procession – to a special altar – recalling the Garden.

Let me share something very special 

about how Father Manning arranged this church.

By the way, Father Jim wanted to be here 

for this first gathering tonight as a family. 

He was a huge part of the work that brought us together.

Now, notice: the window to your left shows Melchizedek and Abraham. 

That meeting foreshadows the Holy Mass, 

and it’s referenced in the Eucharistic Prayer.

Look over to your right: that shows the Apostles 

gathered with Jesus on the night before his death. This night!

There’s still another detail I want to share with you.

In Jesus’ time, when the lamb was prepared for the meal, 

in order to roast it, do you know how they did it? 

They took two skewers, made of wood. 

One was speared through the torso, from head to tail. 

The other was speared through both shoulders. A cross.

Tomorrow we will worship the Cross on which our Savior, 

our Lamb of God, was slain. 

Tonight is our Passover. It begins tonight. 

'The Week of Salvation' (Palm Sunday homily)

 Listening to the Gospel we heard--the heart of our Faith --

Makes me fall silent. Maybe you, too.

That’s why we do this every single year.

If you’ve come this far in Lent, 

it may be that you feel you missed the boat.

You can still make Holy Week your Lent.

If you ever said, I wish I knew my Faith better, 

may I suggest that taking time during Holy Week,

to come on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil?

These days will help you go deeper into our Faith,

because this week is the heart of our Faith.

If you wish you’d gone to confession—it’s not too late. 

There are confessions Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

To accommodate everyone, we added a Sunrise 7 am Mass 

here at Our Lady of Good Hope just for Easter. 

And, if Masses are crowded, let’s try to have good humor and patience.

We’ll have folks we don’t see very often;

Yes, your favorite seat may be filled.

Our generosity of spirit can only make it more likely 

we’ll see them again.

Also, as the Mother Church for our parish family,

Our Lady of Good Hope is the site of our shared Easter Vigil.

We have a large group of men, women and children 

Who will be baptized and confirmed 

and receive Jesus in the Eucharist the first time.

This is the week of salvation. His week; our week.

It’s about what we did to the Lord; even more, what he did for us.

Why so much death? (5th Sunday of Lent homily)

 

This Gospel provides an opportunity to deal with a question 

that sometimes people ask about us Catholics: 

Why do we talk about death so much?

Why is an image of Jesus dying on the Cross so prominent?

Many say we should focus on the Resurrection.

Sure: but you can’t talk about resurrection without talking about death.

One answer might be: well, death is just part of life.

That’s true, but only to a point.

It ignores something else we Christians believe: 

that God, in the original plan, did not want us to die. 

Let me say that again:

God’s original plan did not include death!

The world we live in – which includes sin and death –

is not the world God wanted for us;

And it isn’t the new world he is preparing for us.

Sin means that our life is a shallow, shadow kind of life. 

Let’s remember that death came into the world 

because of human rebellion against God.

That rebellion, however, doesn’t mean living without God; 

it means replacing the God who actually made us,

with the god of my own will, my own desires, making myself god. 

And that means not a world centered on one God,

but a world of seven or eight billion gods – one for each of us;

and what do you think that world looks like?

That’s a world of greed, injustice, murder and indifference. 

And that kind of so-called “living” – Jesus came to tell us – 

is a shadow experience of life; a kind of “deathly” living.

Whereas Jesus came to give us true life; the fullness of life.

And to have that fullness of life, 

you and I must die to what this world thinks is life. 

This is where God’s mercy is at work.

As you and I get a little older, our eyes aren’t so good, 

our hearing fades, our body doesn’t do all it used to…

this experience has a way of humbling us, and teaching us: 

you really aren’t God, you know that? 

And if we listen, and accept the lesson, we grow wise. 

And we are reminded: this life isn’t my destination; 

I’m on the way to something bigger and better. 

It is in letting go of this world that we gain the world to come.

This might be a good exercise for each of us: 

to look ourselves in the mirror, and ask the question: 

“Who is God?” And then tell ourselves: “Not you.”

Dying to self is the very hardest thing we do: 

we fight it from the first word many of us learn – “No!” – 

to our last breath.

And yet: think of those whose sacrifices gave us our freedoms.

Think of those who, when disaster strikes, run to the fire.

Think of your own parents.

Only when we die to ourselves do we become life-givers.

At this Mass, we are joined by those preparing to be baptized in two weeks.

Baptism is dying with Jesus, so that we can live for him forever.

Dying to shadow-life; rising to eternal life.

They are here to pray, 

but also, to seek our prayers, for the grace of conversion.

God has called them; and their witness reminds us: 

he’s calling you and me too!

Next week is Palm Sunday and then Holy Week:

if the Cross is the most important thing that ever happened, 

then Holy Week recalls the most important week in history.

We’ll have all our normal activities this year!

Make the most of it.

If you need to go to confession, but have been procrastinating, 

there are plenty of opportunities over the next two weeks. 

Do I live for me, for here, for this? Or do I want to live forever?

Who is blind? (4th Sunday Lent homily)

 

Credit: Masterfile

Of all the people in the Gospel who couldn’t see,

only one was healed.

It was he who, without question or delay,

simply went and did as the Lord said.

Everyone else tried to analyze, argue or deny.

That’s not to say we shouldn’t try to understand.

Some questions we ask help us to see;

There are others we ask that aim to delay choosing.

So often, there comes a point when we know:

no more delays—just go!

When I was 19, I left the Catholic Church,

And joined another church. I came back 10 years later.

Over that time, I had questions,

I debated and wrestled—and that was right.

But, there came a moment, and I remember it vividly.

It was during Lent: as I drove home from work one day,

past a Catholic church, I heard the question in my head:

“What holds you back?” And I knew: “Nothing, Lord.”

A day or two later,

I went to confession for the first time in 10 years.

So, how about you? Are you holding back, or delaying,

on something you know the Lord wants you to do?

For a lot of us, that’s how we handle the sacrament of penance;

That is to say, we hem and haw and put it off.

It’s no great mystery why that happens.

Not many of us want to admit our sins,

especially to another human being.

Maybe we get discouraged,

Or we rationalize, I’m doing pretty good.

Just so you know; priests go through the exact same thing.

Again, the blind man could have had all the same feelings.

Did you notice, he didn’t ask to be healed?

Maybe he’d gotten accustomed to his situation or given up hope.

It amuses me to imagine him arguing with Jesus:

“Hey, what’s with this messy mud on my eyes?

Can’t you heal me without that?”

That makes me laugh, 

because sometimes I have conversations like that:

“Do I really have to do it this way?”

Instead, he simply went and did what the Lord asked.

He, and he alone, was healed.

So—for the sacrament of penance—just go!

We have confessions Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 

Thursday, Saturday and Sunday!

Check the bulletin.

As Mass began today, we prayed the words of Isaiah:

“Rejoice…”

But wait, Lent is about self-denial—

what are we rejoicing about?

Well, consider the blind man in the Gospel.

After the Lord put clay over his eyes,

and sent him to the pool:

what might he have been thinking?

I don’t know, but: if he felt certain he would be healed, 

would not his heart have swelled with hope?

Would he not have raced to that pool? 

Well then, the same for us:

Even as we pray, and confront our sins,

and ask God to help us change,

You and I really can be sure

God will forgive and heal us.

Here at this Mass, some among us can’t wait to be baptized.

They’re racing to the pool! In a moment, 

I’m going to invite you to join me in praying for them, 

for God’s help on the rest of their journey.

Meanwhile, the rest of us can—in confession—

Go back again to the pool of Jesus’ healing forgiveness.

And, when we share the Eucharist at Mass,

We are the blind man who can now see.

We come to worship the one who healed us.

It's not about them, it's about you (Sunday homily)

 These readings are about heaven and hell.

Let’s start with heaven.

In the first reading, Moses asks to know God’s Name. 

He wants to draw closer to God. 

After all, Moses and God’s People had been in slavery 

for over 400 years. 

The stories of what God did in Abraham’s life, 

in the lives of Isaac and Jacob and Joseph, were all distant memories. 

Perhaps even God himself seemed very distant. 

In Hebrew, names are more than just what someone is called.

They express the essence of who someone is.

When God tells Moses he is “I AM WHO AM,” 

he is revealing his true nature, 

that he is the One who truly and fully exists.

By responding this way, God is being very intimate with Moses,

And encouraging Moses’ desire for that intimacy.

Notice that: God WANTS US to know him this way!

This intimate union with God is heaven.

That is what heaven is.

So, whatever else you imagine heaven to be,

First and last, it is complete closeness with the Blessed Trinity.

And please remember: God wants this for us.

You and I don’t talk God into this; he’s talks US into it.

The problem is never God’s want-to, but ours.

You and I never have to change God’s mind. 

It is our mind, our lives, that need to change, 

and God is always at the door our heart, 

you and I only need to invite him in.

At the beginning, I mentioned hell. Where does that fit in?

Well, that’s what Jesus is warning against in the Gospel. 

Unless you and I repent, he says, we will all likewise perish.

He doesn’t mean natural death, but spiritual death.

And, one of the escape routes we choose to avoid a serious question

is to focus on other people – instead of ourselves.

Jesus says: don’t focus on whether those Galileans were sinners.

That’s a way to avoid thinking about the really hard question:

My need to change.

Our Lord Jesus points to a fig tree yielding no fruit.

God is patient – vastly more patient than you and I are.

In fact, this is actually one of the major reasons 

people don’t believe in God; 

because they say God is too slow to act, to bring justice.

“Why does God wait?” people ask. 

Still, don’t presume on God’s patience.

Jesus said it: give the tree some time; but: 

if it doesn’t yield fruit, cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?

There’s nothing fruitful about looking at others and saying,

“Oh yeah, she’s a fruitless tree!”

Ask yourself…about yourself.

The Gospel – the Good News – Jesus brings us 

is what he, as God, told Moses so long ago: 

He is True Life, and he invites each of us to be fully alive with him.

There is always an invitation, as there is right this moment, 

to become that life-bearing, fruit-giving friend of God!

Take advantage of this Lent: of many opportunities for confession;

of the opportunity to turn back to Jesus.

The Power of 'No' (Sunday homily)

 Let me repeat something that is so simple we may miss it:

Lent is all about conversion. 

That’s the point of self-denial, of taking more time for prayer, 

and of giving away money or things to others.

You and I don’t fast and pray and give things away

In order to gain more of God’s love;

He already loves us as much as he possibly can.

We also don’t do these things for a show.

The only point is the extent to which this helps our own conversion.

And note that: Lent is about our own conversion; 

it’s not your job to convert her, or him.

Even in the family: true conversion has to be me choosing it for me.

Focus on your own conversion, and let that be your witness.

So we start with humility.

In the first reading, the faithful Israelite must confess:

My father was a nobody. My ancestors were slaves.

We didn’t set ourselves free – God did it.

In fact, everything we have comes from God.

And in the Gospel, even Jesus the Lord humbles himself.

But perhaps the main thing we might notice

in the Gospel is the power of a single word: NO.

How much you and I need to learn the power of saying “NO”:

No to temptation; No to all the tasty and enjoyable things 

that are too important to us;

“No” to all the distractions and short-term things 

that so fill our thoughts, that we fail to focus on the distant horizon.

This is really hard. But it’s an essential part of our Lent.

We know this, because Jesus himself did it. 

He went into the desert and fasted.

He said “No” to pretty much everything – 

food, drink, entertainment, other people’s company –

before he launched on his great mission of our salvation.

He did it, without needing it, to be in solidarity with us.

And thus he makes clear how much you and I DO need it.

Notice we began Mass with the sprinkling of holy water.

Remember that Lent is also about preparing for baptism, and – 

for those of us who have been baptized – 

about renewing and reclaiming it.

[And I might mention, at this Mass, we have some folks 

who are preparing to be baptized in six weeks. 

Today we acknowledge them as the “Elect” – 

meaning, they are chosen by God to enter into the new life of baptism. 

And we have others who were baptized in other communities, 

but now wish to be part of the fullness of the Catholic Church.

It is the grace of their baptism that urges them to this! 

And we want to pray for them along the next steps.]

Recall that when you and I were baptized, 

The deacon or priest asked three questions;

And we, or our parents, gave three renunciations. 

We said “No” to Satan; 

“And all his works?”

“And all his empty show?”

And notice, Jesus is tempted by the devil after 40 days.

That means his struggle with evil corresponds to Holy Week.

Good Friday represents the devil seeking to kill him,

Perhaps because he would not bow down to him.

When you and I learn the power of “No” when it’s needed,   

We gain the power of a true “YES” when that is needed!

YES to being truly generous with ourselves and our time and our stuff.

YES to trusting God with peace and calm.

YES to going deeper and farther, 

the way Peter stepped out of the boat, 

and walked – albeit briefly – on the water.

So if you want to take something away from this homily,

Take a simple word. That word is “No.”

Use this Lent to learn how to say that word and mean it:

A “No” to the stomach, a “No” to the eyes, and a “No” to the ego:

So you and I can receive the fullness of God’s life.

That’s a good way to make Lent fruitful, don’t you think?

The hardest fast (Sunday homily)

 Everyone knows that Ash Wednesday is this week, right?

And we all know that those 18-59 are obliged to fast 

on Ash Wednesday – and on Good Friday. 

That means one full meal and two snacks if you need them.

And, we all know that the focus of Lent 

is on repentance and self-denial: 

that’s why we pray more seriously, and look to be more generous, 

and we choose to give things up.

Allow me to point out: the hardest fast is not from food.

It is from words.

The words you and I speak.

And the words we listen to. 

Fewer words mean more silence.

What happens if you die right now? (Sunday homily)

 Lent begins in two and a half weeks. 

For the next three Sundays, 

you and I will hear from Saint Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, 

from chapter 15, where he talks about resurrection.

This is a great transition to Lent.

Let’s recall what we believe as Catholics.

At the moment our life in this world comes to an end, 

you and I will immediately face Christ as our judge.

We call this the “particular judgment.”

And in that moment, Christ will weigh our faith: 

did we respond to his grace? Did we obey his commands? 

Did we repent of our sins and turn to him for mercy?

And then, one of two things will happen.

If you or I die without God’s friendship, having rejected his grace; 

refused to change, or, perhaps gave mere lip service, then what? 

Remember what he said: “Not everyone who cries, ‘Lord, Lord!’ 

will enter the Kingdom.” 

And they will say, “but look what we did in your name!” 

And Jesus will say, ‘Depart from me! I never knew you!’”

So, if that’s where any of us are in that moment before Christ, 

then we will go to hell, precisely because we refused the grace 

and the conversion of our lives that would prepare us for heaven. 

On the other hand, if we “die in God’s grace and friendship,”

As the catechism states it (Paragraph 1030), 

then we enter into heaven. 

But at that point, you and I may need some further brushing-up, 

so that we are truly ready for heaven. 

This is what purgatory is.

If you and I make this life a time of conversion, 

of breaking bad habits, of self-denial, 

we will not need much from purgatory.

Here’s a prayer that you may want to pray each day:

“Lord, send me here my purgatory.” 

The point Saint Paul wants to make is simple:

Do not make the mistake of thinking this life is all there is.

You and I are meant to live forever.

Moreover, our bodies are not just something 

we throw away or leave behind. 

We will have our bodies back in the resurrection.

So Lent is coming, and we have a few weeks to gear up.

Since I mentioned purgatory, that’s a good way to understand Lent: 

You and I are seeking our purgatory here and now.

Our sacrifices, penances and extra prayers are tools, 

in service of what Lent truly is about:

Conversion. Change of heart. Change of life. Getting ready for heaven.

The origin of Lent is that it was a time of intense preparation 

for those who were going to be baptized at Easter – 

and that is why they fasted, and prayed intensely, 

and examined their lives so closely.

And for those of us who have been baptized,

Lent is our time to re-embrace our baptism.

So, notice: at Easter you will be asked to renew those vows.

It's not a mere ritual; it’s a very solemn moment.

So, Lent is near. It’s time to get ready.

You should have seen by now 

we will have a Eucharist-focused Mission in two weeks, 

leading into Lent. 

It will also be a lead-in to an opportunity for all of us 

to focus particularly on the Holy Eucharist during Lent. 

There will be many opportunities for prayer and reflection.

I want to issue everyone in the parish a challenge:

Let’s make this the best Lent you’ve ever had.

I’m asking that we all unite in that desire – 

and help each other make it happen.

Here’s some simple but serious homework:

First: now is the time to think about your plan for Lent.

And, second, I ask everyone to begin praying that this Lent 

will indeed be a powerful time of conversion for our parish family. 

Pray for yourself, your family, and for each other. 

Let’s pray for our St. John Paul Family to experience conversion.

Five easy ways *everyone* can answer God's call (Sunday homily)

 I bet this has happened to you.

You put new lights – brighter lights – into your kitchen, 

and then, you look and grimace: hmm, that floor doesn’t look so good! 

Or, it’s the bathroom, and you look in the mirror! Hmm, not so good!

That’s when you turn down the lights!

Something like that – yet far more transcendent – 

happened to Isaiah in the first reading, to Paul in the second reading, and to Peter in the Gospel. 

The intense reality of who God is 

illuminated for them the disturbing reality of their own lives.

Isaiah said: "Woe is me, I am doomed!

Paul said, “I am not fit to be called an apostle,

because I persecuted the church of God.”

Peter said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."

Now, perhaps you can think of a moment 

when you experienced something like this. 

I recall being on an airplane 

and it suddenly went very bouncy-bouncy, 

and I intensely wished I’d gone to confession.

My prayer was something like Isaiah’s.

But please notice, however disturbing this experience is, 

it is a mercy – it is a grace!

Would it have been better had Isaiah not woken up?

Would Paul have been better off not converting?

Notice also, in each case, this searing of their consciences 

preceded Isaiah, Paul or Peter being sent with a mission.

Please remember this whenever someone asks you 

to pitch in or take on a project.

You might want to answer, no, ask someone else.

But what God really wanted to hear was Isaiah’s, “send me!”

There are a lot of individual tasks that make up our faith-family.

We all rely on people to organize different things.

By the way: sometimes people notice a change, and ask, 

why did that change? Why did that go away? 

Often the answer is, we need help to organize it.

And there really is something for everyone to do.

The overall mission is clear. You and I are witnesses of Jesus.

We are his messengers.

Being sinful and weak doesn’t disqualify Isaiah, Paul or Peter.

But they all needed conversion.

And for everyone who wonders, when will someone revive things?

Don’t wait for someone else. Answer like Isaiah: “send me!”

How do you do that? How is that accessible to absolutely everyone?

I’m going to give you five things everyone can do.

First: everyone listening to me can pray.

If you and I reach the Kingdom, 

we’re going to be stunned by how much tired, persevering prayer 

held this world together like spiritual duct tape.

Prayer doesn’t have to take hours of our day.

Start each day with the morning offering.

If you drive to work, turn off the radio 

and pray the Rosary or Divine Mercy chaplet.

You’ll be a more patient driver, I prophesy!

Pause periodically – just for 10 seconds! – and remember God.

Second, everyone can say, “I believe in Jesus!”

Our little children can say that. 

Our oldest, tired-est parishioners can say that.

You don’t have to be a theologian. 

But it is our lives that make our words credible.

That leads to third: like Peter, Paul and Isaiah: seek conversion.

Ask, and God will light up what needs to change.

Fourth and fifth:

The early Christians won their world by their love.

They were generous and forgiving.

Everyone can give something. 

And everyone, sooner or later, faces the choice to forgive.

That’s what it is: not a feeling but a choice:

To let go of that wrong and give that to God.

Imagine how Paul felt to be embraced 

by the Christians he tried to kill!

What if they had refused?

So, there you have it: five ways everyone can answer the call.

Pray. And say. Convert. Give. And forgive.

The Light of the World (Presentation Homily)

 Today’s feast is celebrated every year, 

but it only falls on Sunday every once in a while. 

The formal name is the “Presentation of the Lord”;

Another name is “Candlemas,” because of the candles of course.

But why candles?

On one level it’s kind of obvious: 

Jesus comes to the temple, and he is the Light of the World.

But let’s you and I drill down on that, shall we?

When Jesus was born, he looked like any other baby.

When the Apostles met him, they encountered a man like them.

Jesus ate and drank, he worked and got tired and had to rest.

Then, on one occasion, 

Jesus took Peter, James and John up a mountain, 

and he was, quote, “transfigured” before their eyes.

The Gospels say that he was brilliantly bright.

The apostles fell to the ground; 

maybe the sight scorched their eyes?

In other words, in that moment,

they saw, as much as human eyes could see, 

what it really means to say Jesus is “the Light of the World.”

 

You and I don’t dare stare at the sun – it sears our eyes.

And yet Jesus, our Lord, is vastly more luminous,

more full of power and fire!

All the suns and stars and galaxies are but a little candle next to him!

When we say, “a Light for revelation” came into the temple…

Realize how intense and awesome that Light truly was!

If the sun in our sky could somehow enter this church,

maybe that gives a sense of it.

But consider what happened in the temple that day.

God chose not to give that kind of sign.

Instead, it was the eyes of faith – Mary and Joseph, Simeon and Anna – 

That saw the Infinite Light of Jesus.

And that’s how it works for you and me.

This is as good a time as any to remind you that it’s time 

to make our own commitments to the Catholic Ministries Appeal.

By now you should have gotten a mailing about it.

 

You know the projects it pays for:

Caring for our retired priests;

Caring for the poor and needy;

Supporting a Catholic presence in prisons, hospitals and colleges;

Supporting our seminary and our vocations programs, and more.

There are cards and envelopes in the pews, if you need one.

Your pledge, like one candle, may not seem like much,

But united to Christ and all our candles, it is a bright light!

There’s something else here, and it has to do with Jesus’ priesthood.

The first reading describes the Lord coming to purify the temple, 

and to offer a pure, all-powerful sacrifice worthy of God.

This is a foreshadowing of what would happen on Good Friday;

And what is made present in every single Mass.

It is not too strong to say that right here, right now, we are there.

Every single Mass, you and I are there, 

with Jesus, offering himself as the Lamb of God.

So: are you and I like most people in that temple that day,

Ho-hum, nothing special?

Or, are do we see as Simeon and Anna, recognizing the Lord is here?

I know, you might be frustrated because you try, 

yet with kids and diaper bags and the cares of daily life,  

it seems impossible to do more than to “get through” Mass.

If that’s you; if you’re harried and hassled, my word for you is this:

Just be here and trust Him.

His light is here, and he will shine on you, in you, and it’ll happen.

Not in a day; not on our timetable; but in his time.

Present yourself to the Lord and let him accept that offering.

But you’ll be a glorious saint one day. He’ll do it, not you.

Or, maybe you’re here, and you think, boring!

I don’t like this music; this homily is no good!

I don’t like the people sitting around me…

My answer is: you’re right: everything is awful!

Twelve years ago, I made a trip to the Holy Land.

And I was able to offer Holy Mass at Calvary! At the Empty Tomb!

As far as Mass goes, on this side of heaven, that’s as good as it gets.

Still, you know what? 

People were coming and going, it was crowded and often rushed.

Before you know it, we had to move on to the next stop.

I will never forget that trip to the Holy Land, and yet:

Right here, right now, it’s every bit as real and holy,

because the Light of the World, Jesus our High Priest,

Comes here at every single Mass and fills this temple with his glory.

And whether that light fills the temple of your life is up to you.

Jesus' Liberation (Sunday homily)

 Jesus chose this Gospel passage to announce: he is the Messiah.

That’s what he did in that synagogue that day.

People were waiting for something like this.

It must have been an electric moment.

Notice what Jesus identifies as the heart of the Gospel:

Liberation. Redemption. Freedom.

But what does that mean?

He is not speaking primarily about political freedom.

Jesus never organized a demonstration or circulated a petition.

Political freedom and activism are very worthwhile – 

but they were not Jesus’s starting point. 

Jesus focused on changing lives.

If you are poor, what counts as good news?

Maybe having that threat of no heat, no water, no home, go away?

A week’s groceries is good news.

Even better news is that you aren’t treated as “less than”; 

that you are treated with dignity; you matter.

Would it shock you to hear that there are people 

who don’t come to Saint Henry or Our Lady of Good Hope or Saint Mary, 

because they aren’t sure they’ll be welcome?

They don’t know if their clothes are nice enough.

They aren’t sure they know anyone who is here.

 

So if you want to bear “good tidings,” think about people 

who may not feel welcome in “our” circle – and change that.

Who are the “captives” to set free? Lots of people.

What about folks who need alcohol – too much?

Or people hooked on food? Or sports, or work? 

How about addiction to the Internet? 

Either to the latest news or gossip or outrage 

on Facebook and Twitter;

or to dark materials on websites

you don’t want anyone else to know you look at.

How do we get free from these addictions?

Only Jesus Christ can set us free.

Only he can give you and me the strong enough “want to,” 

to be willing to change what needs to be changed, 

to confess our sins without holding back,

and be willing to ask another human being to help.

Alcoholics Anonymous originated something called the Twelve Steps. 

And the first step goes like this:

“We admitted to ourselves that we were powerless over alcohol – 

that our lives had become unmanageable.”

People in AA recite that, and the rest of the Twelve Steps, 

to one another in regular meetings.

A lot of people are captive precisely because 

they aren’t ready to take that first step. 

How does this work?

The obvious starting place is the Sacrament of Confession.

After that is looking for people we trust who we can talk to.

Jesus wants to set people free. 

He asks you and me to be the face of that liberation;

To be the hands that help lift people out of the prisons of their shame.

I am convinced that lots of people – here, listening to me right now –

could experience that freedom, 

if only they are willing to open up to another human being and say,

“I need help. I’m addicted to…” fill in the blank.

“And I need a partner to hold me accountable and help me get free.”

How does this work?

Well, we have about four hours of confessions each week.

We priests are happy to meet you there.

But after that, the task is for each and every one of us.

Are you ready for a friend or family member to come to you?

Ready to say, I’ll listen; I won’t judge or reject you?

I’ll keep my ears wide open and mouth tight shut?

Twelve-step groups are all around for alcohol.

For people dealing with drug and pornography addiction, 

there are meetings around Dayton and Cincinnati,

along with online resources.

These Twelve Step resources are one tool to help,

Along with prayer, confession and Christian fellowship.

There are things we can do to be set free – if you are ready.

In the first reading, when Ezra was reading God’s Word to his People, they were crying! 

Why did they cry?

Because they realized how far they were, in their lives, 

from what God had for them.

But remember what Nehemiah said: “Do not be saddened: 

because rejoicing in the Lord must be your strength.”

Jesus coming to be with us, to bring us complete forgiveness, 

and to give us the Holy Spirit to strengthen us – that is our joy. 

Sadness? Because we’ve missed out? 

Because of what enslaves us and others? Absolutely.

But replace that sorrow for sin with rejoicing for mercy!

Christ forgives! Christ liberates! Christ is with us to set us free!