Fisher of Men

Fisher of Men

Luke 5:1-11

5th Sunday Ordinary Timer (Year C)

In today's Gospel reading, Christ comes upon several men, Sts. Peter, James, and John who, the Gospel says, had been fishing all through the night and had caught nothing.

After spending some time teaching His message, Christ turned his attention to the fishermen. At the Lord's bidding, they returned to their boats and, putting their faith in Christ's words, once again let down their nets. And they caught an abundance of fish, enough to break the net, enough indeed to fill two boats and to cause both nearly to sink. Peter seeing this miraculous catch of fish, confesses to the Lord that he, Peter, is a sinful man. Christ responds that while they now catch fish, soon they shall be catching people. We note first that after Christ had commanded them to let down their nets once again, Peter, who was certainly an expert in fishing, disputed the possibility that any fish would be caught. They had fished all night, he insisted, and caught nothing. His mastery of his occupation told him that to lower the nets again would be a waste of time. Nevertheless, Christ commanded that he do it, and he did.

Christ was teaching his followers that they must put their trust in Him, even when it seemed a waste of time, even when it seemed foolish, even if they thought they knew better. The obedience of these men to Christ command was rewarded by a huge catch of fish. Christ commands us, equally strongly, to put our trust in Him and to obey His commands. Sometimes that seems illogical to us, and yet something that we must do. When, for example, illness overtakes us and puts us through pain and suffering and doubt about our future, we must still look to Him, place our trust unconditionally in Him, and believe that in our obedience, we shall eventually find our reward. The second message is that though we try in our lives to accomplish certain things, and fail, we must never cease trying, we must never give up. Peter, after working all night, was ready to give up, to surrender to failure. But he did not, thanks to Christ's insistence. Those disposed to give up, especially in their spiritual endeavors, are truly lost should they give in to their impulses. For those who struggle on, despite all, can only triumph at the end. The Evil One never stops trying to tempt us by discouragement. But we must not listen.

Next note that Peter confesses his sinfulness, but Christ, at that moment, seems rather unconcerned, telling him to "fear not."  Christ sees into Peter's heart and He knows each and every sin dwelling there. But Christ also knows, by Peter's own humble confession, that he has already repented and has already resolved to follow a different path. Christ loves us all and regardless of our past sins and offenses, wants us all to turn humbly to Him. As for sins confessed and repented of, Christ is unconcerned. We are taught also by this Gospel passage the power of God. God possesses absolute dominion over all of His creation, and can and does work miracles. The Old and New Testaments are filled with stories of the miracles of God. The lives of the Saints are likewise filled. The history of the Christian peoples also records many miracles. Lives thought lost are saved. Suffering and distress are transformed into peace and abundance. Nations threatened by certain catastrophe are saved by God's intervention. Generally, such miracles are a reward for prayer and faith, but a reward that must correspond to God's plan for mankind as a whole, and for each of us as individual souls. We are not promised rewards, necessarily, in this life but must sometimes wait until the next. Nonetheless, the rewards are given.

In today's Gospel, Christ rewards the faith of the fishermen with an abundant catch. He also rewards them by making them His Apostles, which brings us to the next lesson in this passage from St. Luke. "From Henceforth thou shall catch men," Christ says. Peter, James, and John become Apostles and spend the remainder of their lives winning multitudes to the Church. From an earthly standpoint, this is a questionable blessing. These men are wrenched from a way of life they have known, and with which they are reasonably comfortable, and charged with the task of bringing whole nations to Christ's banner. These are simple men, unrefined men, ignorant of worldly knowledge. Yet, Christ makes them leaders of His Church.

Today's Gospel says that, "having brought their ships to land, leaving all things, they followed Him," they followed Christ. None received material rewards in this life for their trouble. Hardship, toil, hatred, violence, and finally death by martyrdom was the worldly price paid by these men for obedience to Christ. Yet, they obeyed, and they were rewarded with eternal life, adorned with martyr's crowns in the Kingdom of Heaven, and venerated by all the Faithful of the Church as Saints—until the end of time, Christian men and women remember their names, and honor them for, and seek to imitate them in, their absolute fidelity to Christ. Indeed, these men came to catch men, to catch them in Christ's net so that they might be saved. They still catch men.

St. Gregory the Theologian writes that, "The fishermen are Teachers of the Church, who catch us in the net of faith, and, as it were, bring us to the shore, to the land of the living." We too, as simple Catholics, are called to catch men for Christ. Consider, for a moment, the state of the world around us. Consider this city we are in, and the cities and towns nearby. Consider the frightful nature of the world, of the overflowing cup of evil all around us. Consider the huge numbers of confused and frightened people, darting this way and that, like frightened fishes in a great dark sea. Some, though perhaps not all, would doubtless find peace and joy if they could but find Christ, in the fullness in which we find Him in Catholic Christianity.

We need only lower our nets, as Christ bids us, and we can catch them for Him. How do we do this? We can do it by witnessing for Christ through the lives that we lead. If we are kind, patient, and generous towards our neighbors, that in itself is the beginning of our witness. If we are models of Christian piety in our lives, praying, fasting, attending Mass, and remaining close to the Church, that too is a witness and will attract a larger catch.

Finally, we must not be ashamed of Christ's Church by hiding it from those around us. If neighbors or friends or acquaintances have no religious life, or if they are dissatisfied in their current religion, we can invite them to attend Mass and introduce them to the Catholic Church.

Some people believe that Catholicism is not for everyone. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Catholicism is the true church and faith of Jesus Christ, the universal Church, the Church of all mankind. So, let us not be apprehensive in sharing the beauty of our faith and Church with others. Let each of us strive to follow in the footsteps of Sts. Peter, James, and John, by becoming catchers of souls for Christ. Let each of us also put aside all those things that distract us from our real purpose in this life, let us leave those things, as the Gospel says, and, like the Apostles, let us follow Christ.

This Homily was adapted from a 1999 Homily

by Fr James Thornton



The Annunciation – Mary Our Model and Ultimate Disciple

The Annunciation – Mary Our Model and Ultimate Disciple 

Luke 1: 26-38

When I find myself in times of trouble,

mother Mary comes to me,

speaking words of wisdom:

“Let it be.”

And in my hour of darkness,

she is standing right in front of me,

speaking words of wisdom:

“Let it be.”

Those famous words from a Beatles song are open to many interpretations. But at least one interpretation can serve as a key to unlock today's gospel. Mother Mary comes to us in a scriptural scene which is the greatest moment of her life.As she stands before the Angel Gabriel, Mary changes the course of history by agreeing to become the mother of Jesus.

 

This is Mary's greatest moment

·       greater than giving birth in Bethlehem,

·       greater than standing at the foot of the cross,

·       greater than being assumed into heaven.

For in this moment, Mary utters the greatest prayer ever offered. Her prayer is “Let it be.” “Let it be done to me according to your word.” In this moment, Mary reveals herself as the first and greatest disciple and provides a model that all subsequent disciples must follow. Mary's prayer tells us that the foundation of the Christian life is accepting the will of God.

She is our model because to believe we too must surrender to God's purposes. Now following the example of Mary is not easy, because all of us want to be in control. We want to call our own shots in life. We want to determine how to move from A to B. With the best of reasons, we want to bring about good things for ourselves and for those that we love. Therefore, when things happen that we cannot control, when hurts occur that we cannot heal, when troubles come that we cannot escape, our life is thrown into turmoil and confusion. We loose sleep; our stomach churns; we beat our head against the wall. All because we cannot determine what we should do . Mary tells us that what we should do is surrender, surrender to God.

To follow Jesus we must accept those things in life that we cannot control or change. Surrender is truly the foundation of the Christian life. Yet it is important to understand that surrender is not neglect. Surrender is not “letting God do it” and avoiding our own responsibilities. For whenever in life a clear path is shown to something that is good, we are obliged to follow it.

Whenever there is an opportunity for reconciliation, healing, growth, or understanding, we know that it is God's will for us to act. We must take responsibility and do what is right. But we also know how often things are not clear, that there is no viable option to take, that there is nothing we are able to do. It is in those moments that we must surrender. So surrender is not neglect, nor is it giving up.

Surrender is not throwing in the towel in a desperate act of frustration. Surrender is not giving up, it is handing over, handing over to God. As believers, we understand that there are things that we cannot do, but God can. There are things we do not understand, but God does. There are many times where we are not in control, but God is.

Believers hand over to God; 

·       what is impossible,

·       what is unclear,

·       what is painful, realizing that God will do what we cannot do.

In the end, surrender is trust. So if there are troubles and divisions in your family, which you cannot heal, surrender them to God who can.

If there are people in your life, that you cannot change or protect from harm, entrust them to God who will not abandon them. If you wake up yet another morning, with a pain that you cannot relieve, hand it over to God who will carry that burden with you.

When you find yourself in times of trouble,

mother Mary comes to you,

speaking words of wisdom:

“Let it be.”

And in your hour of darkness,

she is standing right in front of you,

speaking words of wisdom:

“Let it be.”

Mary points to a truth

which only faith can see:

There will be an answer,

Let it be.

The Parable of the "Talents."

Homily – The Parable of the Talents 

33rd Sunday Ordinary Time 

Today’s gospel is one of my favorites because I think it represents a truth that so many of us struggle to understand. In the Gospel each person was given a specific amount of talents, and then they either used them completely, partially, or not at all. 

This parable is a direct reflection of the talents or gifts given to each of us. You have probably noticed that God gave each of the men a different amount of talents, just like how God creates us uniquely and give each of us different gifts and in different quantities. Yet – we often forget about our uniqueness. In many ways we want to be like others, or at least possess their qualities. When we were younger, many of us looked up and admired, and wanted to be like an older brother or sister, or perhaps like that popular person at school. And even as we age, we still often find ourselves looking on to others with some degree of jealousy. 

You know what I mean: 

1. The person who seems so happy, physically fit, and attractive. 

2. The person with such musical talent. 

3. The person with the big beautiful house... and for us guys.... the guy with all the toys. 

4. Or even the person who seems to attract such attention when the walk into a room with their charismatic personality.

Don’t we all find some degree with such struggle? 

This reminds me of some wise words once shared with me regarding the awful trap of comparing oneself to others. These wise words, simple in concept, have changed so many lives. It goes something like this: Beware of the trap of comparing yourself with others. Because what we see in others is not the complete person, usually only seeing what the other wants you to see. We are all pretty good at hiding our faults, especially our really bad ones. What we often see in others is the best of their qualities, yet what we know of ourselves includes what I like to say is the “Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” And if you continually compare yourself, your entire self, only against the visibly good qualities of another, it doesn’t take long and you are feeling pretty unsubstantial. You see, this is not a fair or true comparison, comparing all of you against only the good of another. And what makes this worse; many of us are continually comparing ourselves against ten or even hundreds of others in such a manner. Yet, so many us do this, some of us are doing this right now. No wonder why so many people take anti-depressant medication. No wonder why so many people constantly work through gossip trying to destroy reputations and create scandle... they want others to look less perfect so they can feel better about themselves. 

Yet, they miss the whole point. None of us were created to share the exact same qualities, and not in the same amounts. We are not to look externally and try to identify who we are, but we are to look internally, deeply, identifying our unique gifts, then grow and nurture those gifts, and then share those gifts with others. That is how we are to find our purpose in life, to find peace and comfort. It isn’t difficult to see our faults.... we all have them... and we all know them very well. 

1. Some of us have difficulty with moderation. 

2. Some of us are quick to anger and slow to forgive. 

3. Some of us are prideful 

4. Some of us have physical disabilities 

5. Some of us are shorter than we would like to be, or have less hair than we would like 

6. Some of us struggle with learning 

7. And some of us have difficulty being around people. 

But God isn’t concerned with these faults, he often gives them to us to keep us humble and they help us develop virtue and character. God is more concerned with the personal identification of our gifts and talents. 

1. Some of us are especially kind and compassionate. 

2. Some of us have the ability to develop and maintain deep and meaningful relationships. 

3. Some of us are intelligent and can teach others. 

4. Some of us are healthy and can physically work hard. 

5. Some of us are creative. 

6. Some of us are healers: physically and spiritually. 

God doesn’t care about status, popularity, or external characteristics. He cares about your heart and your soul, and how you serve others to the best of your ability with the gifts he has given to you. He wants you to use them for the good of others, not to just burry them or keep them to yourselves. Unlike the misguided saying that “You can be anything you want to be,” this is not necessarily true. God has a special purpose for you and if you only look deeply within yourself, you will see that you were created specifically to be something and someone. Not everyone is destined to be the president, an astronaut, nor a doctor or lawyer. Not everyone has the gift to be a beautiful singer, poet, or artist. But each of us can be something much greater.... A Saint! 

All we have to do is use what God has given to us, our unique gift, to develop that gift, and then constantly share it with others. You will quickly find that you are not like anyone else in this world, beautifully unique and special, and have been given a special role to play unlike anyone else on earth. This is the truth, the Gospel and the Good news, shared amongst us today!

Persevering Faith and the Lord's Mercy - 20th Sunday Ordinary Time (Year A)

Do you have strong faith, strong enough to persevere? Strong enough to persevere in spite of obstacles? Or is it a faith that easily gives up? Faith in what? Chance, Fate, God?

The message today really has to do with: “What kind of faith do we possess, and in what kind of God.”

Today’s Gospel begins with Jesus going to the districts of Tyre and Sidon. These cities are outside the boundaries of Israel – they are up North, along the coast. The people who lived there were not Jews like Jesus, they did not follow the religion of Israel. They were Gentiles, “Pagans”! The woman from that region came to Jesus. She was a Canaanite. As I mentioned, The Canaanites were Gentiles, Pagans, outside the covenant the Lord had made with Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. Yet they lived close enough to have some knowledge about the religion of Israel, and this woman apparently did. For she comes to Jesus, crying out “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David.”

Notice the title she uses, “Son of David.” That is a messianic term. The messiah whom God had promised would be the “Son of David” – a physical descendant of the great King David, and the greatest one of all, even greater than David himself. The Lord had promised David that one of his sons would reign on his throne forever. And this son of David, this Messiah, this Christ, would usher in a glorious reign of blessings for Israel and---- a glorious reign of blessing for all the other nations as well.

This woman must have known the prophecies about the coming Messiah, the Son of David. She knew something of those promises, and it gave her faith. She was waiting and looking for the coming of the Christ. And she recognized in Jesus the one who was fulfilling those prophesies. She saw in him the promised Son of David. The Canaanite woman must have heard what Jesus was doing, his healings, his miracles, his acts of mercy. And knowing of this emboldened her to come forward with her request. As she states “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. Lord have Mercy.”

Several times in the Gospels we hear people crying out to Jesus with those words. Blind men asking for their sight. A father seeking help for his demonized son. And this woman, a mother, seeking help for her daughter who was suffering terribly.

Suffering can either drive us to despair, or drive us to our Lord. One of the benefits of suffering, strange as it may seem, is that it can lead us to seek the Lord and his mercy. When life is going smoothly and all is well, we might forget about the Lord and take his blessings for granted. But when suffering comes, and we have no one else to turn to, nowhere else to go – that is what it may take to get our eyes focused again on God. But when trouble comes, God says “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” That is what this woman is doing when she comes to Jesus. It is her day of trouble, and she is calling on God for help. She cries out “Lord have Mercy.”

Don’t we all carry some trouble, some misery, some pain with us as we come before the Lord here at mass? We come before God with all kinds of suffering and misery that finds a place in our lives and in the world. All the misery we pile up in this world through Contraception, Abortion, our sinfulness rooted in pride and self pleasure, a guilty conscience, the answer to all of it, ultimately, is in the mercy that took Christ to the cross. By his all-availing death, you and I will be delivered, finally, from all the misery that there is in our world.

Returning to the Gospel, did you notice Jesus’ initial response to the Canaanite woman – or should I say, his lack of response! As the gospel states “But he did not answer her a word.” Isn’t that surprising, not what one would expect. “He did not answer her a word.” What is going on here? Is Jesus being rude, or cold hearted? How do we explain his silence?

Come to think of it, how do we explain God’s silence in our own lives? How many times have we prayed to God in our distress, and we didn’t get the answer we were looking for, nor the relief. And we are met, so it seems, with the silence of God. This silence is a mystery to us. But we must remind ourselves, sometimes God moves and acts in a mysterious way. The seeming silence of God in not his cold-heartedness, but rather our inability to see and hear what God is doing. Just Maybe, He has a better plan in store than the one we have in mind. Just Maybe, He sees a need for humility. Just maybe, He sees a need for developing compassion, forgiveness, and understanding.

At first the Canaanite woman is met with silence. “He did not answer her a word.” Jesus is waiting….. He wants this woman to exercise her faith… But in spite of this seeming rebuff, the Canaanite woman persists. She perseveres. She kneels before Jesus and says “Lord Help Me.” But again, another obstacle is placed in her way. Jesus replies, “It in not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” That is to say, “It is not right to take the blessings promised to the children of Israel and give it to the gentiles.” In other words, “the dogs.” The woman came, not claiming anything as her right, but simply throwing herself on the Lord’s mercy. She was willing to be a dog that eats the scraps off the table. The Canaanite woman is not deterred.

Think of the obstacles that her God-given faith fought through: She was not deterred by Jesus’ initial silence, when he did not answer her a word. She was not deterred by the comment of the disciples, “Send her away.” She was not deterred by Jesus’ comment about being sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. Nor by his remark about the dogs eating the bread of the children. This woman simply does not give up. She perserveres. Her faith, her God-given faith, overcomes all these obstacles.

God wants to give you that same kind of faith – persevering faith in a merciful Lord. God wants you to come to Jesus, time and time again, in spite of the obstacles in your lives. It is so easy to give up. People do it all the time. When there is suffering in their life, they give up and think that God is uncaring. When something goes wrong in their lives, people just give up and stop coming to Jesus. When something at church doesn’t go the way they like, people give up and stop coming to Mass or quit ministries. But God does not want you to give up. He wants you to persevere, in faith, like the Canaanite woman did, and to seek—and to find—his mercy and blessing. The Canaanite woman did not give up. And Jesus commends her faith: “O woman, great is your faith!” Jesus grants her request and Her daughter is healed.

In closing, and returning to my initial questions:

1. Do you have strong faith, strong enough to persevere? Strong enough to persevere in spite of obstacles? Or is it a faith that easily gives up?

2. How do you view God? Do you see him as someone holding out on you? As being stingy with his gifts? Unwilling to help? Or do you see him, rather, as rich in mercy, ready and willing to help you?

3. How do you approach him? Are you willing to humble yourself as low as a dog, if that means being at the Lord’s table….. or are we just too proud!

The final question that we must ask of ourselves:

“What kind of faith do I possess? And in what kind of God do I believe in?” (Repeat)



Homily - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Mt 13: 1-23)

Along with my family, I and a few other catholic families from the local parishes just returned from San Lucas Toliman, a small town in Guatemala, located within a tropical forest, high in the mountains. We spent 15 days working with the Mayan people through a Catholic Mission. This was the fourth visit to the mission for my wife, kids, and me; but it was the first visit for the families who joined us. After a few days of settling in, and the fears of existing in a 3^rd world country settled in the minds and hearts of the families who joined us, we began to clearly see God’s hand in the lives of the people around us.

Each day began with a new adventure and project, often traveling to a new village and meeting new people. 

As we worked, at times pounding large boulders with hammers to make gravel that would be used in building with cement, 

or preparing soil for the planting of seedlings, 

later to be transplanted to prevent further mudslides that had devastated so many villages, we were  blessed with working side by side with the local people. What I enjoyed the most about the trip was getting to know the local people as we worked with them.

Whether it was Elde, a construction worker, who was 26 years old, had two children, and a wife who ran away from them. He explained that he made 30 Quetzales a day, about $4 and used every cent to provide food and shelter for his children and his mother who also lived with them. Even thought life was difficult, he still possessed a smile on his face and with such kindness corrected our mistakes.

Or Chona who described that at a young age, her husband, working for the mission was mistaken for a supporter of the anti-military gorillas, vanished from her and her children’s lives without notice. She never remarried, and it took 20 years for her to finally find out that her husband was indeed murdered by the military. Yet, there were to be no repercussions.

Almost everyone we met had a story that represented such pain and horror.... We began to see and hear tragedy like never before, and were able to put a face with each story.

As we walked the street, returning to the mission after a hard day of physical work, we witnessed an older lady dressed in ragged woven traditional clothing, down on her knees gathering one by one, corn kernels that must have fallen off a cart and nestled into the cracks of the cobble stone road. It was at that moment, I could see in the eyes of the kids and adults of our group that they realized starvation and desperation still existed.

But what was so remarkable was that as we visited and communicated with different people from the communities, not one conversation finished without some mention of God, their thanfulness, and how he was the center of their lives.....

He wasn’t just a concept, or an invisible being...... They knew him, recognized him, and experienced him each and every day. I couldn’t help but see the contrast, the spiritual contrast with our lives here in America and what I was experiencing in the small towns and villages of Guatemala.

Maybe that is why I keep coming back, year after year. We have so much, and they have so little, yet they possessed such great inner happiness and joy..... such generosity, such peace. I couldn’t help but think about God’s grace, and how we either accept it.... or just let it float on by like the clouds in the sky, unnoticed. I couldn’t help but think about our connection and relationship with God.

Today’s Gospel states:

“You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see.... they have closed their eyes.....”

Something unexpected happened while we were in San Lucas on the Feast of Corpus Christi. I have heard of the magnificent processions in Central America where the streets are carpeted with beautiful, elaborate and colorful carpets. The carpets are created with colored saw dust, tropical flowers, and fruit. The monstrance containing Jesus if then carried for miles over these beautiful and elaborate works of art.

I had always wanted to see one of these processions in person. Well, not only did my dream come true, but I was asked by the Local Pastor, Father Fito, to carry Jesus, and lead the procession. 

I, followed by the whole town, walked for 2 hours upon the most beautiful carpets I had ever seen. The local town people had been preparing for weeks for this procession and awoke at 3 in the morning to begin building the carpets. There were hundreds, if not a thousand people working together to prepare the road for Jesus. As we walked, we would often stop by a home that had prepared a resting place for Jesus. 

As we entered the home to place the monstrance on a living room alter, the people in the home, just as we entered the room, would immediately fall to their knees and weep. As I witnessed their humble and pure faith.....The feeling was overpowering. They knew who had just entered their home. They recognized Jesus in the Eucharist.... They recognized Him, because they knew Him. We would then pray together, and then bless the home, and then each family member would embrace Jesus with a kiss.

The whole town patiently waited outside the home for this personal encounter, then we would return to the streets and the journey would continue. As we stopped at a variety of homes along the way, the same response occurred. The people inside the home would immediately drop to their knees and weep as Jesus entered, not tears of sadness, but joy and humility. 

As we walked the streets of San Lucas, it was Jesus leading the way.... I cannot adequately describe the feelings and emotions that I experienced.... It was beyond words.

I know that many of you do not have easy lives, and many of you have endured tragedy as well. But the experience in San Lucas has shown me that it is through trials, tragedy, and discomfort that God’s hand and his grace can often be seen most clearly. And for you who can see Him, the gospel says: “Blessed are your eyes, because they see and your ears because they hear. Amen I say to you, may prophets and righteous people longed  to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Let us take a moment and reflect upon our own lives.

Let us think about the spiritual soil within us, the place prepared for and cultivated for Christ to grow within us. What is our relationship with God? Do we talk to him everyday? Are we able to experience Christ in the people around us? Can we see how he is using all the situations of our lives to grow closer to him?

We must ask ourselves, What are we doing to cultivate the spiritual soil within us, the soil that can accept God’s grace, his spiritual seeds, and that will allow deep roots to grow within us.

The seed sown on rich soil in the one who hears the word of God, understands it, and who bears fruit.

As I was leaving Guatemala, Father Fito explained that the Guatemalan people live in a reality different that ours. And that even if we wanted to, we cannot live in their reality, and they cannot live in ours..... that is just a fact!

But what is our reality...... Does it contain Jesus within the center..... and do we see him, hear him, and experience him everyday? Blessed are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear....... We might not be searching the cracks in the road for spilt corn..... But are we searching for God, His Voice, and His Grace in the people and circumstances around us?

Honestly.... We must ask ourselves..... are we truly looking for God in the people and circumstances of our lives..... or are we allowing him to just float on by, unnoticed, like the clouds in the sky....

The Church - The Holy Spirit - And Relationships

Pentecost Sunday

Year A – Catholic Relationships

Today is the celebration of Pentecost, the beginning of our church. In preparing for this homily I began to think:

What does the word “church” actually mean?

What really is the purpose of a church?

Some might say that it is a place to feel nourished, loved, respected, and even forgiven. But as I pondered the readings from today, I began to see more clearly what the early church was, and what it is also to be today. It is a place where we gather together as a family.

A place to be formed and taught.

A place that inspires and motivates us to go out into the world on a mission.

A church isn’t just a building. It’s the people who gather and belong to the community that make a church. It’s not the structure, it’s the relationships. In fact, to be a Christian means that we all have a relationship with Christ. And to be Catholic means that we have a relationship with others. And what sets us apart from many Protestants denominations is our understanding that our faith is, not just a “Me and Him” relationship, but a “He and Us” relationship. The relationship isn’t self-oriented, but rather community-oriented, an outward focus.

To be Catholic means being: helpful, loving, prayerful, selfless, faithful, obedient, respectful, and forgiving.

These are all qualities of being “in” a relationship.

Not unlike the early church, we gather here today, a family, to share in the word of God, to learn something new about what it means to be a catholic, to experience Christ in the Eucharist, to receive the Holy Spirit, and then strengthened and nourished by this encounter, we are then sent out into the world as the body of Christ, sharing him in relationships.

Pope Benedict recently said:

“It is important to make them understand that being Christian is not a type of outfit that one wears in private or on special occasions, but something living and totalizing, capable of taking all that is good in modern times.”

What a profound understanding of what it means to be catholic.

So what or how does this apply to us, our world, our community, our lives?

The world around us is full of hurting souls, just look around us in our own community. It is full of people who feel hopeless, worthless, inferior, ugly, fat, and crippled.

Where do we see these people?

We see them in the poor, the neglected, the addicted, those with chronic illness, the unemployed, the old, the young, and those in jail.

So really, who are these people?

They are our parents, our friends, our neighbors, our brothers and sisters, our children.

They just want to feel loved. They just want to feel as if someone in this world actually cares if they live or die.

I can remember a part of my Mom’s life that to this day has such a meaningful effect. To many, my mom probably didn’t seem to be anything but ordinary. To some, they knew her for her mental illness and at times her erratic behavior. Some might have even of known of the emotional scars that she possessed.

But there were many who knew her differently.

My Mom lived in Marysville, and after my Father died, she proudly participated in a ministry through her church, St. Joseph’s, that they called the “Sandwich Shop.” This ministry consisted of making sandwiches each day and handing them out at the rectory to the poor and the homeless. Each day had a designated sandwich……

Monday was bologna day.

Tuesday was egg salad.

Wednesday was Peanut butter….. You get the idea.

My Mom knew almost every homeless man and woman by name, and greeted each of them by name every day as they came to see her. They would visit with her and she treated them the same way she treated everyone….. She had established a relationship and friendship with each one of them. She knew what they liked, what they didn’t. She even knew that one of the homeless men, Jeff, really only liked bologna sandwiches, so even if it was “egg salad day” she had a bologna sandwich made especially for him. It wasn’t the sandwiches that brought these people back to the rectory each day; it was the relationship that each one of them had with my mom. It was knowing that they were someone, that they were loved, wanted, and cared for that made them feel so good.

She was Christ to them….. She was able to bring peace to them!

  I often reflect on my life and the relationships in my life.

 I often wonder if I am Christ to those around me? To anyone?

Are you Christ to those around you? To anyone?

I was once asked if I wanted to see and feel Christ in my life.

Of course I replied “Yes”!

Then I was instructed to examine the unique gifts that God had given to me. And then to find a way to personally share that gift with someone else. I was told that if I could share my talent with someone who was in need, specifically a person who could truly benefit from the gift God had bestowed upon me, that was when I would meet and see Christ…. In that charitable and loving action, Christ would be present!

It doesn’t matter how much you have, what you think you have or don’t have to offer….. There is always someone who has less!

I can remember the words of Blessed Mother Theresa:

“None of you can do what I am doing, but I can’t do what you can do!”

Meaning that God has a unique plan for each one of us and has created us with unique gifts, and will put those people in our lives who he wants those gifts shared with.

Are we sharing our gifts with others? And I don’t just mean possessions…… Do you share yourself with others?

So where do we start? Returning to the wisdom of Blessed Mother Theresa;

“Start with the person who is right in front of you.”

Today we celebrate Pentecost, the beginning of our church and an example that we are still to follow today. We are to gather together as a family. We are to come here to be formed in the faith, to be nourished, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to meet and be absorbed by Christ, and then we are sent out into the world to spread the good news and share ourselves with others. This good news, and acts of kindness are passed on through relationships….. Relationship by relationship.

Returning to the words of our Holy Pope:

“It is important to make them understand that being Christian is not a type of outfit that one wears in private or on special occasions, but something living and totalizing, capable of taking all that is good in modern times.”

And we are to start by looking at who God has placed right in front of us!

Is this the end of the world as we know it?

Pentecost (Vigil Service) - Homily - Year A

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Many today believe that we are about to begin one of the darkest periods of American History. Some believe that the darkness has already begun, and can site example after example of why they believe this be true. There is a feeling among many of you that there has been a progressive destruction of morales and values over the last 40 years in this country, and if fact… the world.

Is this true? Especially in regard to the suggestion of us venturing into darkness?

Only God knows for sure. But I do know that there is great struggle for many and that we do live in a world that in many ways has become deaf to the word of God, and is especially void of his Spirit.

The reading today from the prophet Ezekiel can shed some light on dark times and how we are to respond to such a time. Ezekiel‘s experience of the “dry bones” occurred during the middle of the darkest chapter of Jewish history.

The Jews were in exile in Babylon. The temple was destroyed, and the Babylon exile directly challenged all of the ways that people thought about God.

The exile did away with the simple notion that God would protect his people. It seemed to suggest that God had no people, that God had broken His promise to the chosen ones. All the history of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and David appeared to have been simply swept away.

It was the end of the world as they knew it, and things definitely did not “Feel Fine.” These days of exile were ominous days, empty days, and hopeless days.

So when the Spirit of God took Ezekiel to a valley that was full of bones, God wanted to send a perfectly clear message. These were not bones of the newly dead with flesh still upon them, but old, dry bones. They had been there for sometime. This must have been a frightful sight!

And God made Ezekiel walk amongst the bones in every direction. Then God asked him “can these bones come to life?”

I don’t know about you, but my answer would have been “Are you kidding!”

But Ezekiel answered “Lord God, you alone know that.”

Good Answer!

Then God tells Ezekiel to prophesy over the bones. God is asking Ezekiel to preach to this hopeless situation, to preach to something that cannot hear, to preach in the face of utter hopelessness.

So what does Ezekiel do…. He does as he is asked and begins to preach. And upon doing so, the bones begin to reassemble, he saw them come-together, bone joining bone, flesh actually formed upon them and skin covered them right in front of his eyes.

And as he continued to preach, as he did what God had asked of him, the Spirit came into them and they came alive and stood upright, a vast army.

God then revealed that these bones were an example of the whole house of Israel, who had been saying that their lives and their future had become hopeless, that despair had already set in, and that they already knew that they had been abandoned.

· How many of us today can only see a negative future?

· How many of us today have had despair take root in our lives?

· How many of us today feel abandoned by others and by God?

Yet what does God say?

“I will rescue you. I will put my Spirit in you that you may live… and you will know that I am the Lord. I have promised, and I will do it!”

So as Christians – We are to always believe in the promises of Christ and of God.

Even thought God may allow our lives and maybe even our world to experience struggle, sadness, pain, and difficulties, we are never to give up.

Like Ezekiel, we are to continue to speak the Good News to others. We are to speak the Christian message of turning away from sin and sinful lives, seeking forgiveness, and then continue the journey toward eternal life.

And like Ezekiel, as we preach the Christian message, the Holy Spirit will come upon us, will make us and others alive, and will turn us and many around us into an Army of Believers.

Being a Christian doesn’t mean that our lives, or our world will always be joyful, or that we won’t experience from time to time some darkness.

But, we as Christians are to be the light in that darkness.

We are to renew the face of the earth.

So to answer that frightening question….. Is this the beginning to the end of the world as we know it?

Our answer is: “Lord God, you alone know that.”

Our focus shouldn’t be on things of this world, but rather on the things of the heavenly world. It is often found that when this world becomes somewhat uncomfortable, that our gaze then begins to refocus on the spiritual world, and then we can see with greater clarity the need to alter our journeys.

God’s ways are not always our ways, and as Jesus proclaimed: “let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink.”

Let us allow, on this eve of Pentecost, His Spirit to fill us, to transform us, and just as Peter was transformed on the day of Pentecost, let us be that same witness of truth - that will not only bring peace, comfort, and Joy…… but will give everlasting life.

Where is Your Emmaus?

Homily 3rd Sunday of Easter – Year A

The disciples were heading to Emmaus. Where is Emmaus, you might ask? It is a place just 7 miles from Jerusalem. Why were they going to Emmaus? Because it is just 7 miles from Jerusalem, and if you were walking, it is just far enough to get away from the misery and confusion of Jerusalem.

The writer Frederick Buechner describes Emmaus well:

            Emmaus is whatever we do, or wherever we go to make ourselves forget that the world holds nothing sacred: that even the wisest, bravest, and loveliest, decay and die; that even the noblest ideas that we have had – ideas about love and freedom and justice – have always in time been twisted out of shape by selfish men for selfish ends.

We all have an Emmaus!

-                     For some it is the Adoration room.

-                     For some it is being absorbed into a good novel.

-                     For some, it is spending time with grandchildren

-                     For me, it is the outdoors

Whether hiking a trail, kayaking the river, or camping in the forest, I can escape the misery and confusion often found in this world.

And that is where Jesus found these two disciples: going to a place where they could sort through the pain of Christ’s death, and the confusion of the rumors floating around that maybe he wasn’t dead after all.

Then Jesus approached the disciples as a stranger, and his mood didn’t match their own. He was informal and maybe even a little chatty, stating:

           

            “Whatch  y’all talking about?

The disciples looked at him, filled with several kinds of sadness, apparently also a little irritated at the ignorance of the stranger, and responded:

            “What hole did you just crawl out of?

Everyone knows what has been happening in Jerusalem.”

Then the disciples began to tell the stranger all about Jesus, his death, and the rumors of his resurrection. But Jesus rebuked them for being so reluctant to believe, and to prove his point, he began explaining the scriptures. How they pointed toward that very moment in time, and even though they listened, they didn’t hear him. And even though he was at their side, walking with them, they didn’t see him.

As the travelers approached their destination, Jesus, who always seemed to be several steps ahead of the disciples, walked on as if to continue his journey. He didn’t want to impose on the hospitality of the disciples, or to force himself into their still-mourning hearts. But the disciples urged him to stay.

Now the scene begins to change.

The strange traveler, their honored guest, had been given a spot at the head of the table. As they prepared to eat, he followed a formula that he had used before, and that we have been using in the church ever since. He took the bread, broke it, blessed it, and gave it to the disciples. That was what they needed, and with that, their eyes were opened. And when the disciples finally realized and recognized Jesus,  He disappeared!

Surely the disciples would have wanted him to stay with them: they wanted to understand the mystery of his resurrection.

They still had more questions, and they wanted him in their midst because there was something so wonderful and indescribable about him, something that filled the empty places within their hearts. So what can we glean from this message? Jesus is always present in our lives, but we often fail to see him.

It is often looking back on the past events of our day, or week, even our year that we can begin to see that he has touched us….. He will reveal himself in different ways to different people. But he does reveal himself.

We do not have the power or the ability to force this revelation, but we can search for ways to feel his presence and to celebrate him.

And that is what we are doing today.

“Do this in remembrance of me.”

When we take the bread, give thanks to God, break it, and share it as Disciples of Christ, we aren’t just doing something that reminds us of Jesus.

We are doing what he commanded of us, something that moves us into a spiritual reality, yet a mystery, but actually makes him present to us, and unites him to us.

Can you see him?

Can you feel him?

Can you hear him?

If we answered No!

Then we must ask ourselves….. Why Not?

Not unlike the disciples, He is often present in our midst, yet unnoticeable!

Are we even looking for him?

Do we look for Christ amongst the strangers?

Do we listen for Christ in the scriptures?

Do we honestly prepare ourselves for meeting him face-to-face at Mass?

Unfortunately, How many of us just go through the motions and casually pop a wafer into our mouths, sip a sip of wine, and then sit down unaware of his presence?

It isn’t that he’s not present, we just don’t recognize him.

But that can change!

As we come to the table today, and take the bread that Christ has offered to us, let us realize what it is that is being placed onto our tongues, or reverently laid upon our palms.

It is the most precious substance on earth.

And as we consume his body, blood, soul and divinity, we are to open our hearts, surrendering our will, and allow his grace to fill our soul. As we return to the pews, kneeling in awe of what has just occurred, Mystically united with heaven, we are given the opportunity to feel his presence within us.

Take a moment and think about this……

As you worship – so you believe

And

As you believe – so you worship.

The way we act and carry ourselves at Mass, tells a great deal about what we believe to be true.

As you worship – so you believe

And

As you believe – so you worship.

Let this holy place be your Emmaus. A place that is Holy and Sacred, a place where we meet, face-to-face Christ. Our Lord,   Our Savior,    Our Hope,    Our Joy,   Our Life!