THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH

31 DECEMBER 2017

          As we continue to celebrate the Incarnation on this sixth day of the Octave of Christmas, our Scripture readings invite us to consider the ways in which the Word Made Flesh is present in our families.  As observant children of Abraham, Joseph and Mary do not consider themselves merely “spiritual” because they are caring for the infant Messiah and Son of God.  They are also deeply “religious.”  They observe the religious demands of the Law of Moses for women giving birth to a first born son and travel to Jerusalem.  In the Temple, they meet two other children of Abraham.  Both ancient of days, Simeon rejoices that he could hold the Messiah in his arms before he dies.  Prompted by the Holy Spirit, he sings a canticle describing the child’s identity and warns of the dangers of his mission.  Anna too rejoices that God had kept his promise, as he had kept his promise centuries before to Abraham and Sarah. 

            Saint Luke recounts this incident to consider the implications of the Lord’s Nativity.  Even though Jesus Christ is the Second Person of the Trinity and was present at the creation of the world, he has also taken on the fullness of our humanity.  He is a tiny, vulnerable baby who needs the care of parents, as any baby does.  As he grows up, he learns the truth not from angels giving him beatific visions, but from parents sharing their faith through the religious customs they cherish.  In cultivating their love, they prepare him for the mission which Simeon describes.

            The incarnate Lord is present in each one of our families.  He is not present physically as he was to Joseph and Mary.  But, because of the Mystery of the Incarnation, of God taking on human flesh, he dwells in our families, no matter what they look like.  Some of you will go home to a family with two committed parents and children.  Others will go home to a family broken by death or divorce.  Some of you will go home to a dysfunctional family.  Some of you are like Anna the widow, with no one waiting for you.  None of our families are like the Holy Family of Nazareth.  That is the reason I talk about my own family on this feast.  With the death of my very colorful brother in law, my stories are not as dramatic.  But, as we gathered in the rectory at Christmas, we had our own “issues.”  One of my nieces till refuses to come to family gatherings, because she thinks we hate her.  One of my brothers was so sick that he lost his desire to join us for our annual outing to the casino on Wednesday.  One of my nephews and his wife brought their two little children.  They are adorable and precious.  But they also got tired quickly and threw some pretty nice fits (making me more grateful for my gift of celibacy!).

            Be sure to look for aspects of holiness in your family.  Pope Francis says that there are three marks that make a family holy.  They spend time in payer.  They keep the faith.  They experience joy.  Look for these marks, even if they might be marginal.  Be open to conversion – to ways in which the Holy Spirit can help you to change in the New Year.

            We also belong to a larger family – our family constituted by baptism and gathering here on Sunday.  We pray together.  We work to keep the faith, to bring our “spiritual” experiences to this “religious” setting.  We hear God’s word and are nourished by the Eucharist to be formed into a spiritual temple.  We experience joy at parish gatherings.  The Lord challenges us to recognize these marks of holiness and continue to turn more completely to him.  Abraham and Sarah trusted that God would keep his promises.  But it took time, and they had to be patient. That is why we put the Covenant with Abraham (showing the stars in the sky and the sands on the shore).  Simeon and Anna waited in hope.  So did Joseph and Mary.  Their examples encourage us to look for marks of holiness already present in our families and to trust that God always keeps his promises.

NATIVITY OF THE LORD

25 DECEMBER 2017

            In the northern hemisphere, Christmas comes at a dark time of the year.  Even though we suffered through the shortest and darkest day of the year last Thursday, it is still cold and dark.  And it remains dark under our “perma-cloud” here.  Worse, we live in a world filled with darkness.  Far too often, nations and groups resort to violence, hatred, and racism to resolve their disputes.  In our country, we live in a time of deep polarizations.  Instead of listening to each other, we shout at each other and label our opponents as evil.  We also bring with us the darkness of our lives:  the darkness of our sins and failures, the darkness of failing health and sickness, the darkness of grief and loss, and the darkness of so much pain outside of our control.

            When we come to celebrate Christmas, we cannot pretend that all of this darkness disappears in the “Christmas spirit.”  Instead, we dare to celebrate this incredible mystery in the midst of darkness.  The infinite God has decided to reveal himself not as a powerful ruler born in a royal palace.  Instead, God has taken flesh as a tiny, naked, helpless baby born in a stable.  Saint Francis of Assisi was so moved by this epiphany of God that he decided to make the mystery more tangible to the people who came to celebrate Christmas with his community.  He built a stable and placed an ox and a donkey in it.  Then one of the friars set up an Altar and began Mass.  Francis sang the Gospel as a deacon with great emotion.  They held the real presence of the Lord in their hands, as Mary had cradled him in her arms, and were nourished with the Eucharist.  Saint Francis created the first nativity set, a practice that continues.  Be sure to visit our new nativity set in the Parish Life Center to begin to understand why Saint Francis called Christmas the “feast of feasts.”  He was not drawing attention away from Easter, when the Lord emerged triumphant from the tomb to change everything.  Rather, he was pointing out that the Paschal Mystery could not have taken place without the Mystery of the Incarnation.  Francis understood that we have to approach this Mystery with great simplicity and humility.

            Those who visit the Church of the Nativity of the Lord in Bethlehem do that in a very real way.  To enter the Church where tradition says that Christ was born, pilgrims must line up in a single file and bend down to go through a very small and narrow entrance. The original massive entrance has been blocked off to prevent soldiers from riding their horses into church!  (Don’t get on your horse and try to ride through those doors!) 

            That is the attitude we need as we approach our newborn Savior.  We need to get off our horses of pride and arrogance in order to approach the Lord’s Table with simplicity and humility.  We need to imitate the examples of children who love to build forts out of all kinds of materials and bend down to enter.  We need to let go of so many passing trappings of Christmas that can easily distract us from the real Mystery hidden in a tiny child lying in the manger.  Only then can we embrace the true meaning of Christmas.  Once we approach the manger with humility and simplicity, we reinforce our faith that this tiny child will eventually dispel all darkness, in our world and in our lives.  The birth of Jesus Christ reveals that God does not want darkness to prevail.  In the person of Jesus Christ, God shines with hope. 

Christmas reminds us that God emptied himself of the privilege of divinity in the person of Jesus Christ and took on our humanity to transform us into divinity.  If we embrace the Christmas miracle, we will understand that God’s love, revealed by a tiny child born in a stable, has the power to transform us throughout the years.  But it takes time.  The Incarnate Lord will continue to reveal himself in the Sacramental life of the Church and in our daily experiences.  But we have to be alert to his transforming love.  Light will prevail.  Christmas promises that.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

24 DECEMBER 2017

          King David has a pretty good idea.  With Jerusalem at peace, he lives comfortably in a house of cedar.  The ark of God, which had preceded his ancestors in the desert, is housed in a tent.  He wants to build the Lord a proper temple.  Nathan the prophet also thinks that it is a pretty good idea.  However, Nathan discovers in a dream that God’s plan is different.  God does not want David to do something for him.  Instead, God is going to do something for David.  God reminds David of what he has already done for him – lifting him from caring for sheep in Bethlehem to leading a nation.  Instead of David building a house for God, God will establish a house for David.  God promises that he will remain with the house of David and make his house forever.  This is one of the Covenants portrayed in mosaic in the main aisle of our church.

            The kingly line of David lasted for over 400 years, until the Babylonians ended the dynasty with exile.  When the people of Israel returned from exile, they were not successful in restoring the Dynasty of David.  Instead, they kept track of all who had been born into the same tribe that David had been born into.  They never lost hope in the covenant made with David.

            In today’s Gospel, we see the Covenant with David fulfilled in a way that no one could ever have expected.  The angel Gabriel approaches an insignificant teenager betrothed to an insignificant carpenter from David’s tribe in the insignificant village of Nazareth.  The Angel asks Mary to become the mother of the Messiah promised to David.  Even though Mary does not understand, she trusts the Angel’s assurance that the Holy Spirit would overshadow her, as the spirit of God had overshadowed creation in the beginning.  She would become the Ark of the Covenant, carrying the promised Messiah who is also the Son of God.

            When Mary says “yes,” she is responding to an invitation to enter into an infinite union with an infinite God. She has three important attitudes that opened her to enter into this union.  First, she is detached.  She is willing to be detached from the gossip of the neighbors and even the possibility of being stoned to death because of her perceived adultery.  She trusts completely in God.  She has become the handmaid of the Lord.  Second, she knows that she cannot do this on her own.  She trusts that all things are possible with God.  That trust enables her to say, “Be it done to me according to your word.”  Third, she counts on God to help her through her upcoming ordeal, even to standing at the foot of the cross when he is crucified.  She trusts the Angel’s promise that the Lord is with her and will not abandon her.

            Those three attitudes can serve us well as we prepare to celebrate Christmas tomorrow.  Christmas invites each one of us to an infinite union with an infinite God in the person of Jesus Christ.  If we can detach ourselves from so many of our concerns and worries, we can trust that our encounter with then newborn Christ can have the power to change us in ways we might not expect.  If we are humble enough to admit that we cannot create the spirit of Christmas on our own, we open ourselves to trusting that God will grace us with a love we can never earn.  If we can count on God to help us in celebrating the birth of his Son, we can grow in confidence that God will be with us well beyond Christmas and throughout the New Year. 

            Saint Paul speaks of the Mystery of the Incarnation in his Letter to the Romans.  He tells them that the best response to this Mystery is to be obedient.  The root meaning of the word “obedience” is “to listen.”  Mary listened carefully, detached herself, counted on God to help her, and trusted that God is with her.  Listen carefully to the Christmas Mystery that we celebrate and imitate Mary’s example.

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

17 DECEMBER 2017

          The son of Zechariah and Elizabeth was attracting a lot of attention in his day.  We met him last Sunday when we heard the beginning of the Gospel of Saint Mark.  Instead of preaching in the Temple, he is drawing crowds to the desert.  Instead of wearing the priestly vestments of his father, he is clothed in the camel’s hair garment of the Prophet Elijah.  Instead of eating fine food at the table with the other priests in Jerusalem, he easts locusts and honey, the food eaten by his ancestors as they left Egypt for the Promised Land.  He attracts so much attention that the authorities in Jerusalem send priests and Levites to find out who does he think he is!

            He responds by saying who he is not.  At a time of heightened expectations of the coming of the messiah, he insists that he is not the Christ.  He is not Elijah, the prophet who returned to God in a fiery chariot.  He is not the Prophet who would equal Moses.  Instead, he defines himself in the words of Isaiah the Prophet:  “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord.”  Responding to the Pharisees, the lay leaders of the people, he explains why he baptizes.  He is inviting people to immerse themselves in a river of repentance to make a straight path for the true Messiah, Jesus Christ.

            The Gospel of Saint John clarifies his identity.  While the priests and Levites were sent by the religious authorities in Jerusalem, John was sent from God.  The Greek word for “sent” comes from the root word for “apostle.”  John knows exactly who he is:  the first Apostle whose role is to point the way to the light.  He is to give testimony to the true Messiah, because he is a witness who is not worthy to untie the sandal strap of the light that has come into the world. 

            John the Baptist invites us to be witnesses to the light of Christ dispelling the darkness of our world.  Each of us knows who we are not.  We may not have the loving kindness of a Mother Teresa.  We may not have the moral courage of a Nelson Mandela.  We may not have the preaching skills of Martin Luther King.  But, like John the Baptist, each of us has a calling from God.  Each of us is called to make people aware of God’s love.  Each of us is called to live a life that points to God’s amazing grace.

            As we prepare to celebrate the Lord’s First Coming in the Flesh, all three Scripture readings call us to be authentic witnesses of the power of God’s love in the world.  Isaiah says that authentic witnesses are mindful of the needs of the brokenhearted, captives, and those imprisoned in any way.  Saint Paul insists that authentic witnesses must have the ability to test what appears to be the will of God.  Once we have done that, then we must embrace it fully to make us blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul understands from his own experience when as Saul of Tarsus he was breathing murderous threats against the Christian community.  He did not see himself as evil.  He saw himself as right, only to discern later that he was dead wrong.  John the Baptist shows that authentic witnesses do not point to themselves and boast about their accomplishments.  They point beyond themselves.

            On this Gaudete Sunday, we can sense a real joyful spirit in all of these readings from the Word of God.  In particular, Saint Paul tells us to rejoice always.  He is not talking about a feeling of happiness or of pleasure rooted in our senses.  It is impossible to have a feeling of happiness or pleasure all the time.  In fact, there are times when we have feelings of great sadness, grief, or disappointment.  Instead, he is talking about a state of our souls.  The Incarnation of Jesus Christ which we celebrate at Christmas and his death and resurrection which we celebrate at Easter display the power of God’s love to give meaning to everything in our life.  So, rejoice always!  Pray without ceasing!  In all circumstances, give thanks!

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

10 DECEMBER 2017

          The words of the Prophet Isaiah are addressed to a people who are suffering greatly.  Those few remaining children of Abraham had witnessed the execution of their leaders, the complete destruction of Jerusalem, and the dismantling of their Temple.  Now they are languishing in exile in Babylon.  Isaiah is honest with them.  They have brought this destruction upon themselves.  But he also tells them that God has not abandoned them.  With tenderness, he tells them that their time of suffering is about to end.  He promises that God will lead them through the wilderness back to their own land.  Just as God had filled in the valleys and leveled the hills for their ancestors in the desert between Egypt and the Promised Land, God would now accompany them in their return to Jerusalem.  In the desert, God is giving them a new beginning.

            Saint Mark remembers those words as he sits down to write his Gospel, which literally means “the proclamation of joyful tidings.”  Mark echoes the words of the Book of Genesis:  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  In the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God is beginning something new.  John the Baptist is not proclaiming these joyful tidings in the sacred Temple, where his father serves as a priest.  He proclaims them in the desert, in that barren wilderness where God walks with his people and calls them to pursue new beginnings.  He is not wearing the sacred vestments that were his as a member of the tribe of Levi.  He is wearing the rough garments of Elijah the prophet, who called his people to repent of walking away from God.  He is not eating the rich foods in Jerusalem.  He is eating the locusts and honey consumed by his ancestors in their 40 day journey through the desert to the Promised Land.

            John the Baptist speaks to us in the darkness of our world.  We live at a time where there are so many deep divisions between groups of people.  Not only are there dangerous tensions between nations, but there are steep mountains of arrogance and deep valleys of distrust dividing so many in our country.  If we are to embrace his glad tidings of a new beginning, we must enter the desert.  We must repent.  The Greek word for repentance is metanoia, which implies a complete change of mind and heart.  In other words, we need to take a good look at the ways in which we have dug valleys that separate us from people we don’t like or don’t agree with.  We need to admit that we have built up mountains of pride that focus our attention on ourselves and our own needs, forgetting the needs of those around us.  It is the Holy Spirit who can help us to fill in these valleys and level these mountains – the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead an in whom we have been baptized.  Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed!

            This Second Sunday of Advent is surrounded by two feasts honoring Mary, the Mother of God.  On Friday, we celebrated the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  We recalled that the Virgin Mary became the new Eve by recognizing that she was truly free when she trusted the Word of the angel and agreed to do God’s will.  On Tuesday, we will celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a feast central to the experience of so many of our brothers and sisters in our sister parish of Saint Adalbert.  Our Lady had entered into the culture of Saint Juan Diego, and she remains in the mess of our culture as the Patroness of the Americas, pointing to her Son.

            These main figures of the Advent Season speak to us.  The Prophets Isaiah and John the Baptist call us to look for a new beginning, as Mary had the courage to do.  Take some time to listen to these figures.  Retreat for a few moments from the noise and sounds of the “Holiday Season and spend some time alone in the desert which is known as Advent.  Make a really good Confession sometime before Christmas.  The Lord invites us to travel through repentance to meet him, not only as a child born in a stable, but as the Lord who returns to set us free.

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

3 DECEMBER 2017

          In this new Liturgical Year, we hear from the Gospel according to Saint Mark.  His audience would have been very interested in the subject of the Second Coming of the Lord.  Even more, they wanted to know when he would come again.  In response, Mark records this parable of the gatekeeper.  The master who has traveled abroad is Jesus himself.  The servants whom he left in charge are his disciples.  No one knows the time when the Lord will come again.  Instead of knowing the time of the Second Coming, the disciples need to be alert and watchful.

            Jesus tells this parable just before the Passover which will begin his passion.  The master who left on the journey gives each of the servants a task to be accomplished, according to each one’s abilities.  The gatekeeper is to be watchful for his return, alert that he may return during the non-working hours:  dinner, midnight, pre-dawn, and early morning.  Ironically, these are the precise hours when the important events of Jesus’ passion would take place.  Just a few days later, he would share a final meal with his disciples and give himself to them in the form of bread and wine.  At midnight, he would ask Peter, James, and John to watch and pray during his agony.  Instead of being alert, they will fall asleep.  When Jesus would be betrayed by one of his closest friends in the garden, most of them would run away in fear.  At cockcrow, Peter would abandon any idea of being alert to Jesus and deny knowing him three times.  In the morning, Jesus would be handed over to Pontius Pilate to be condemned to death.  Instead of being alert to these crucial moments in their master’s passion, they would be hiding.

            We are the servants whom the Lord has put in charge.  He has given each of us talents to be invested in his Kingdom.  We do not know the time of his Second Coming, either at the end of time or at the end of our lives.  But he will come again, and he tells us that we must be alert and watchful, especially at those times when we want to run away from the implications of his passion.  We listen to him and feast on his Body and Blood at this Eucharist, the Memorial of the Last Supper.  We are sent from this Eucharist to be watchful, especially in those dark moments when we share in Christ’s agony and passion.  We must remain alert, even when we deny knowing Christ by our sinful actions.  We remain alert when we are handed over to carry some heavy cross that seems to crush us.

            This is why the Church gives us the Season of Advent.  It is easy to fall into a spiritual stupor and become so self-indulgent that we do not consider the Lord’s presence in our daily lives.  Advent reminds us that the Lord will come again, and that we need to be alert and watchful.  Being alert and watchful does not mean that we lock ourselves up and huddle together in fear, worrying that some crazy person will break in and start shooting at us.  Instead, we need to be attentive to one another during those darkest times of our lives.

            This Advent is the shortest possible Season with only 22 days.  The Fourth Sunday of Advent falls on Christmas Eve.  Ironically, we can miss the opportunities to become more alert and watchful with our frantic efforts to prepare to celebrate the Lord’s first coming at Christmas.  Please take advantage of Advent.  Take one of the books we offer for private prayer.  Come to Lessons and Carols on Tuesday night.  Go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation sometime during this Season to confess those times we have fallen into a spiritual stupor and focused only on ourselves.  The Lord is coming again at some time which we do not know.  We need to be alert and watchful, not living in fear and dread, but giving ourselves in prayer and humble service. Even those who hid experienced another morning – the morning of the Lord’s resurrection.

SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING

26 NOVEMBER 2017

          During November, as the farmers are harvesting their crops, we have been praying for our loved ones whom the Lord has harvested through death.  But in remembering them, the Lord has also been speaking to us through the Sunday readings.  He has reminded us that sooner or later, that same harvest awaits us.

            Jesus has been using parables to prepare us for that unknown time in the future when he will come for us, not only at the end of our lives, but also at the end of time.  These parables are not intended to frighten us or to fill us with dread.  They express the Lord’s loving concern for us.  He wants us to be like the five wise bridesmaids, making sure that we have enough oil to accomplish the works of righteousness and invited to the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb.  Like the first two servants in last Sunday’s parable, we need to take risks and invest the talents entrusted to us to build up the Kingdom of God here, and participate in it fully after he comes.

Today, we hear the parable of the risen Christ separating sheep from goats at the end of time.  The image of the Good Shepherd seated on his throne on our Triumphal Arch helps us understand.  The Good Shepherd is drawing all of his sheep from Bethlehem on the left and Jerusalem on the right, and not a select few.  However, unlike sheep, we can make choice.  We are sheep when we choose to respond to those in need:  when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit those in prison.  We are goats when we fail to respond to those in need.

            When George Lucas first produced Star Wars, he gave an interesting interview about a common theme in so many accounts of good defeating evil.  In those classic tales, the hero encounters someone who appears to be the least.  However, the person who appears to be least is the powerful one who helps the hero to succeed.  In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker encounters Yoda.  That small, quirky character helps Luke to become a true hero. In a sense, this is the point of today’s parable.  Jesus wants all of us to be heroes by recognizing in those least ones who come to us in need the Good Shepherd inviting us to be seated on his right side for eternity.

            If we are to be the heroes of this parable, then we need to become more aware of Christ’s presence in those who come to us in need.  To be honest, both the sheep and the goats were unaware that they were serving Christ.  Like the sheep, we may not recognize Christ in those people who need our assistance.  But, if we respond to them, we respond to Christ.

            If we are to be heroes, then we need to be generous.  The parable calls us to stop worrying about ourselves, our own comfort, and our own needs.  Jesus calls us to be generous in sharing those gifts he has generously given us.  He invites us to trust his example to seek out the lost, to bring back the strays, to bind up the injured, and to heal the sick.  He invites us to trust that we can accomplish these tasks in small ways and in daily efforts.

            If we are to be heroes, we will also know the joy of serving those in need.  Charles Dickens reminds us that Scrooge was a miserable miser who dwelt in the darkness of tending to his own needs.  It was only in responding to a poor, crippled boy that he found the joy of sharing himself.  There is a definite joy in being good and humble servants.  You know that joy when you take a meal to a sick neighbor or prepare a casserole for the Homeless Shelter.  You know that joy when you deliver gifts from the giving tree or welcome a family to safety when they have escaped persecution in another country.  You know that joy when you made sacrifices to build this new church.  The Lord does not want sour superheroes.  He wants joyful heroes who recognize him in the ordinary situations of life.      

THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

19 NOVEMBER 2017

          When we hear this parable, we tend to sympathize with the third servant.  He only received one talent, unlike the seven other talents given to the first two servants.  We become even more sympathetic when the master calls him “useless” and throws him into the darkness outside.  But before we begin to feel too sorry for this guy, we need to take a closer look at the parable.  In the ancient world, a talent weighed between 57-74 pounds in pure silver.  That one talent would have afforded him a comfortable existence for the rest of his life.

            A closer look also reveals that the parable is not about money or material possessions.  The parable is about how to maintain a relationship in faith.  Saint Matthew uses the word kyrios for the master.  In the Liturgy, we use that Greek word at the beginning of Mass during Lent to ask the Lord to have mercy on us.  Our Lord Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead and has ascended to the right hand of the Father.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, he shares his life with us and invites us to be humble servants in sharing that life with others.  He will come again, both at the end of our lives and at the end of the world.  He wants us to share fully in the richness of his risen life, not only in this world, but in the new and eternal Jerusalem.

            The first two servants understand that the master is the Incarnation of the love of the Trinitarian God – three Divine Persons giving themselves totally out of love to one another.  They also understand that he has given himself totally in love for them when he died on the cross.  To use the words from the Gospel of Saint Matthew that we have been hearing all year, they accept the paradox of the cross.  If we want to truly live with Christ, we must die to ourselves and our own selfish interests.  That is what those two servants do when they take the risk of investing the divine life they have been given.  When their Lord returns, he calls each of them “my good and faithful servant” and doubles the life he shares with them.

            The third servant does not understand the intense love of the master.  He sees his master’s example of giving himself to others as too demanding.  He is afraid of the master.  In fear, he refuses to take any risk and buries the life that has been shared with him.  Upon his return, the master refers to him as “you wicked, lazy servant” and casts him into the darkness outside.  The Lord is not being cruel or unfair.  The servant has refused to enter into a relationship of love.  In being afraid to die to himself, he has enclosed himself in the darkness of living only for himself.

            As we approach the end of this liturgical year, Jesus addresses this parable to us.  When we were baptized, we became servants of the humble Lord who washed the feet of his disciples and died for them.  We already share in the richness of that love.  The parable challenges us to be good, faithful servants and to trust that dying to ourselves will increase the love relationship we have with the Lord and with others.  If anything keeps us from dying to ourselves, it is fear.  Fear can keep a couple from honestly confronting the problems in their marriage.  What if we fail and end up living miserable lives?  Fear causes a parent from spending more time with the family.  What might happen to my career?  Fear keeps us from giving our gifts of time, talent, and treasure to the parish.  What if my investment in the parish depletes what I already have?

            Saint Paul reminds us that we do not know on what day the Lord will come for us, either at the end of our lives or at the end of the world.  So, he reprises the message of the parable.  We do not live in darkness.  We know the Mystery of the Lord’s dying and rising.  We can best prepare for his coming by embracing that Mystery and die to ourselves on a daily basis, without fear and with a great amount of love.

THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

12 NOVEMBER 2017

          When Saint Paul brought the Gospel to the Thessalonians, they responded well.  Many were baptized and trusted Paul’s words that the Lord had died, that he had been raised from the dead, and that he would come again.  They had expected the Lord’s Second Coming to occur in their lifetimes.  Many had quit their day jobs.  But, because the Lord had not come back again, they worried about their loved ones had died.  They wanted to know what would happen to them.  What we heard in the second reading is Paul’s response.  He tells them to trust in the Mystery of the Lord’s death and resurrection.  Because of that Mystery, they could illumine the darkness of their lives and world with the bright light they received at their Baptism, especially if they got back to work and stopped gossiping.  That same Mystery applied to those who had died in Christ.  Using standard apocalyptic terms involving angels and clouds, Saint Paul assures them that they can grieve with hope, because their loved ones are in the presence of that light.

            Thirty years later, Saint Matthew recorded this parable of Jesus to his community of believers.  By this time, it had become clear that the Second Coming of the Lord would be delayed.  So, this parable helps them to understand how they are to wait for the coming of the Lord, while allowing his light to shine through them at the present moment.

            In his parable, Jesus borrows details from the wedding customs of his time.  When the time of being espoused was ended, the groom would go to the home of the family of the bride.  After negotiating the final details, the bridesmaids would lead the procession through dark streets with bright torches to the home of his parents, where the wedding would be held.  Jesus’ point is clear.  He is the faithful bridegroom.  We, the Church, are his bride.  Even though he has delayed his coming, he will come at some time to invite us to the eternal wedding banquet.  He expects us to use our oil to allow the light of our baptism to shine in our darkened lives and worlds now.

            When we received the Sacrament of Confirmation, we were anointed with Chrism, the sacred oil blessed by the Bishop, to give us the Holy Spirit to strengthen us to keep the flame of faith alive in our lives.  Our acts of righteousness are primary ingredients of the oil as we wait for the Lord’s coming.  Our light shines brightly when we participate in the spiritual and corporal acts of mercy.  We have plenty of oil when we participate in the Sacramental life of the Church, especially when we refuel ourselves at Sunday Mass.  When the oil supply runs low, we can refill it in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  We keep our oil ready when we spend time in personal and family prayer, when we involve ourselves in study, and when we actively pursue anything that will help us grow in faith.  With the oil of these spiritual activities, we allow the light of Christ’s presence to shine through us.  Whenever he comes, we will be ready.

            In the parable, the wise virgins seem to be selfish when they refuse to share their oil with the foolish virgins.  In truth, developing those spiritual habits is a deeply personal activity that cannot be shared.  That is why we need to do everything in our power to continue these habits, so that those who do not regard these activities as important might take a step in faith.  I am convinced that the Lord is calling us to be evangelists, especially now that we are becoming more accustomed to our new church and improved facilities.  We do not always live that light.  Even the wise virgins fell asleep.  We sometimes put off the Lord’s invitation to take a step in faith.  “I can go on Christ Renews His Parish” next year.  Or I can get involved when I have more time.  And the list goes on.  The Lord calls us to keep our oil strong, so that his light can shine through us.  There is still time for conversion, for real change for us and for those we love now.  The parable is pretty clear.  When the Lord comes, it will be too late.

THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

5 NOVEMBER 2017

          Jesus tells those of us who are religious leaders that we cannot bring attention to ourselves.  Our efforts have to focus on God our heavenly Father.  During my recent trip to Poland and Italy with Fathers Dan Scheidt and Andy Budzinski, we visited many beautiful churches and shrines built for the glory of God.  As we marveled at their beauty, we also called to mind the many sacrifices made by countless people to build them. 

            On Sunday morning, we went to a beautiful church in Venice for Sunday Mass.  Unlike so many other beautiful churches, this church is an active parish run by the Franciscans.  We concelebrated with the pastor and marveled at the active participation of the congregation.  There were at least ten boys and girls serving.  One little boy sitting next to Father Andy kept admiring his stole.  When he caught Father Andy’s attention, he gave him “thumbs up”.  Then he noticed two boys in the first pew messing around.  So, he snapped his fingers at them to stop them.

            Concelebrating in that church in Venice reminded me of Saint Pius.  Thanks to the incredible sacrifice of so many, we now celebrate Mass in a beautiful church.  All your sacrifices have been made for the benefit of our parish community.  We have come a long way, and now we are in the home stretch of our campaign, Behold I Make All Things New.  All that needs to be done is to expand our Parish Education Center on the south side of our campus.  We need six new classrooms, two new sets of bathrooms, a multi-purpose room, and permanent space for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.  This added space will complete our project and allow so many to continue their work in ministries, faith formation, and service to those in need.

            Today we share three stories with you.  These are just three families, representing hundreds of stories of faith and dedication to our parish.  These stories will show how our community and the work of this parish directly impacted their lives.

            Video:  https://notredame.box.com/s/tp2ss83gasannennd8vu4r61auxsgep7

            As Jack Rodriquez pointed out, you represent the beauty and love of this parish.  We agree with Theresa Vasquez that children are so important in our faith.  They are our future.  This final stretch of the campaign will allow us to serve them better with programs like Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a flourishing Catholic School and Religious Education Programs for children attending public schools, and the Saint Angela Merici Religious Education Program for families like the Mannors.  So, please take time to reacquaint yourself with the details of our plan.  You can find them in today’s bulletin and on our project website.  Please join us in the Parish Life Center after Mass for a reception, where we can answer your questions.

            This is the concluding stretch of our campaign.  Please prayerfully consider giving a gift.  You can extend your pledge for one more year (or longer).  Or you can make a new pledge.  This invitation is for all members of the parish, both new and old, both with and without children at this time.  With this project completed, I am convinced that Saint Pius X will more adequately provide outreach opportunities through our faith formation programs.  Your gift to the campaign is a tangible expression of what our patron saint dedicated himself to do at the beginning of the 20^th century:  to renew all things in Christ in the 21^st century.

            Thank you for considering this special request and all your sacrifices for the good of our parish community.  I am grateful for you, our parish formed out of living stones.

THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

29 OCTOBER 2017

          The commandments given by the Lord in the first reading from the Book of Genesis reflect the experience of God’s chosen people.  They had been aliens in the land of Egypt.  Like widows and orphans, they had no one to protect them, and the Egyptians enslaved them and took advantage of their helplessness.  As they traveled through the desert in their forty day trek to the Promised Land, they were completely stripped of everything.  Unlike extortionists who took advantage of desperately poor people, God had embraced them and clothed them with his Covenant at Mount Sinai as his own chosen people.

            Because God had compassion on their ancestors in their distress, the Lord tells his people that they must do the same.  They must treat the aliens in their midst with compassion and care.  They must be attentive to the most vulnerable people of their society – widows and orphans who had not social nets to protect them.  They must not take advantage of desperately poor people who need their help.  If they take their cloaks as a pledge of repayment, they must take care to return those cloaks at night, so that the poor will not freeze at night without protection. 

            When the Pharisees test Jesus in today’s Gospel, they know that they had developed 613 commandments of the Law.  If he really is an authentic teacher, which commandment would be the greatest?  In response, Jesus quotes Scripture:  Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  He quoted the “Shema,” which our Jewish brothers and sisters recited every day.  But then he immediately quotes Leviticus 19:18:  “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Like the commandments in the first reading, neither of these commandments is new.  However, Jesus joins them so radically that they can never be separated. 

            That is the real challenge for us, as disciples of Jesus Christ.  Like the Israelites in their exodus in the desert from Egypt to the Promised Land, we sometimes experience the love of God when we are at the lowest point in our lives.  We have just lost a loved one, or we have been diagnosed with a life threatening disease, or we have made some catastrophic choices.  In those moments, God searches us out, not as a warm feeling, but as presence that accompanies us in the darkness.  It is in those moments that we realize that we are created in the image of God.  Thomas Merton once wrote:  “To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is love.  Love is my true identity.  Selflessness is my true self.  Love is my true character.  Love is my name.”

            That is why Jesus links love of God so intimately with love of neighbor.  Once I am convinced that God loves me, I can reach out to love my neighbor.  Loving a neighbor does not necessary mean that I have warm feelings about my neighbor.  Love means that I want the best for that person, no matter how I feel about that person.

            During this month of October, we have been focusing the ways in which these commandments affect the most vulnerable of our society.  The most vulnerable include babies within their mothers’ wombs, the poor who depend on our generosity, the disabled and the elderly, and the aliens in our midst.  During this month, we have explored specific ways in which we can love those most vulnerable in our society.  We have also been praying for refugees and immigrants.  In our politically divided culture, there is much controversy on this issue.  It is complicated with no easy solution.  But, it is also important that we consider the Word of God, commanding us to love our neighbor as ourselves.

TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

15 OCTOBER 2017

          Jesus tells this parable to the religious leaders in Jerusalem during the last few weeks of his life, just before they bring him to Pontius Pilate and have him executed.  So, there is a certain sense of urgency and a great deal of violence.  By the time Saint Matthew had recorded this parable in his Gospel, the Romans had destroyed the holy city, set on Mount Zion.  The original readers of this parable would have read it in the light of the prophecy of Isaiah.  Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the veil that had veiled all peoples had been removed.  Death was destroyed by the death of the Son of God.  Clothed with a white garment as they had emerged from the waters of Baptism, they feasted on the rich food of the Eucharist on the holy mountain of faith in Jesus Christ.  Even though their Jewish brothers and sisters had all been invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb, many had ignored the invitation.  With Jerusalem and the temple destroyed, the Gentiles had responded and had taken the seats at the table of the Lord.

            In hearing this parable today, we might be tempted to judge those who had rejected the message of Jesus Christ.  We can become smug and brag that we have not made the same mistake. We have responded to the Lord’s invitation and have passed through the waters of Baptism.  We are seated here on God’s Holy Mountain, sharing in the Supper of the Lamb who was slain (pictured on the front of our Altar).  However, this is the living Word of God addressed to us today.  That web of death has certainly been destroyed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  In telling this parable to us, the Lord invites us to take a good look at the veils that we place around ourselves, and the webs that we weave in our lives.

            The parable says that the king went out and invited everyone, both good and bad, to his son’s wedding feast.  The Lord has chosen us, not because we have been better than anyone else, or not because we have earned his invitation.  He called us to faith because he loves us and wants us to join him in the heavenly banquet.  Jesus Christ may have destroyed the ultimate veil of death.  We have to remove the veil that convinces us that there is no need to share in his dying on a daily basis.  We have to die to ourselves, to our own selfish interests, to our own destructive habits, so that we can share in rising to be one with Christ and with our brothers and sisters.  The warning is clear.  If we do not share in his dying, then we will not share in his rising.

            That is how we can understand what happened to the man who is kicked out of the wedding banquet.  There is no secret dress code in the Kingdom of God!  Instead, we were clothed with a white garment on the day we were baptized.  That exterior garment signified that the internal relationship we have in Jesus Christ.  We continue to wear that garment when we participate in the daily task of dying to ourselves.  Just calling ourselves Catholics and sitting here at Mass will not suffice.  The Lord calls us to stop making excuses and take steps to remove those veils and webs that separate us from him and each other. 

            In hearing this parable, we have to be careful not to interpret it too literally.  God is not an angry king who destroys people who do not respond.  God does not get angry in the same sense that king in the parable becomes angry.  God’s invites everyone and wants everyone to share in his banquet.  But he respects our fee will to refuse and walk away from his banquet.  His “anger” represents his passionate desire for everyone to respond.  That is why we held our 8^th graders “captive” all day today.  We want to help them to understand God’s desire for them to be part of his Kingdom.  We want to do everything possible to help them prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation.  We want to help them to dust off the white garment given to them at their Baptism and wear it proudly today.  In helping them, we must respond ourselves.

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

8 OCTOBER 2017

          Because Saint Matthew wrote his Gospel to Christians who had been converts from Judaism, his earliest readers would have immediately understood the imagery he uses.  As the Responsorial Psalm proclaims, the people of ancient Israel saw themselves as a vine transplanted by God from Egypt into the Promised Land.  With this image, Isaiah reminds his people that they had become his vineyard not because of their own efforts, but because of God’s choosing them as his people.  It was God had terraced the fertile hillside, spaded it and removed the stones, planted the choicest wines, and set up a watchtower to protect the vineyard from animals and thieves.  He had even hewed out a wine press, to transform the grapes into the choicest wine.

            Isaiah tried to warn God’s Chosen People that they would be overrun, not because of any defect on God’s part, but because they had chosen to ignore the terms of the Covenant made through Moses.  But they did not listen, and the Assyrians destroyed their kingdom.  Jesus speaks a similar warning to the religious leaders of his day.  His Father had sent prophets to warn their ancestors to remain faithful to the Covenant.  They had rejected them.  Now they are about to take God’s Only Son outside the city walls and kill him.  They think that the produce belongs to them, instead of God.  Like the brothers of Joseph who sell him into slavery out of greed and jealousy, they resort to violence. 

            It is easy to judge the mistakes of the religious leaders and congratulate ourselves for being the new tenants of the Kingdom of God.  This parable of Jesus is not only directed to them.  It is directed to us.  As the current tenants of God’s vineyard, we cannot make the same mistake and think that everything belongs to us.  That happens when a young man makes his final car payment and thinks, “Now it’s all mine.”  He forgets that his father had cosigned for the car loan and made the first payments when he was in college.  A mother asks her two year old to share his cookie with his younger brother.  The child forgets that his mother had given him the cookie in the first place.  A football player is enshrined in the Hall of Fame and talks about how hard work got him this far.  He forgot all the unsung linemen who opened the way for him to run for touchdowns.  A man looks at his huge portfolio and boasts that he has worked hard to become wealthy.  He forgot the blessings he enjoyed being born into a family of means and intelligence.

            Whenever we forget that we are tenants of the Kingdom of God and not the owners, we can easily fall into the violence of the tenants in the parable.  In thinking everything is ours, we can become very greedy and go to any lengths to protect what we think is ours.  However, when we recognize that everything is a gift from God, we give thanks for the abilities that God has given us and work together with the Lord to produce much fruit in our world.

            When the Lord comes to claim the produce of the vineyard, he will not care about wealth or fame or pleasure or any of those things that we define as success.  The Lord will be looking for fruit.  Saint Paul makes a list of the fruits which are part of the Kingdom of God.:  peace, truth, honor, justice, purity, loveliness, graciousness, and union with God.  He writes to the Philippians (and to us) from his prison cell.  As the Apostle to the Gentiles and a faithful tenant, he has worked tirelessly for God’s Kingdom.  In facing his own execution, he encourages the Philippians to have no anxiety, knowing that they face persecution from the Romans and hatred from their Jewish brothers and sisters.  They can be free of any anxiety, because God is in charge, and they are the tenants.  The same is true of us, if we take today’s parable to heart and work as faithful tenants of God’s Kingdom in our midst.

            

TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

1 OCTOBER 2017

          When Saint Paul wrote to the Church at Philippi, he encouraged them to live in harmony with one another.  Because this is the living Word of God, he is writing to us, the Church of Saint Pius X in Granger.  To live in harmony with one another, we must avoid selfishness and vainglory.  When we are selfish, we think only of our own wants and needs and ignore the needs of others.  Because Saint Paul defines vainglory as “empty glory,” we must avoid trying to act like God, bringing glory to ourselves.  In acting like God, then we make our own rules.  Instead of conforming ourselves to God’s standards, we make up our own and do what we want.

            In contrast to acting out of empty glory, Saint Paul gives the example of Jesus Christ, who is God.  He emptied himself and became one of us, taking on every part of our human condition, except for sin.  Not only that, but he submitted himself to enter into that dark cloud that hangs over each one of us – the cloud of death.  He endured a humiliating and painful death, trusting that the Father would raise him up and reveal his true identity.

            Saint Paul calls us to live that same self-emptying love in the way we work and live together as a parish.  Unlike Jesus Christ, we are not sinless.  That is why today’s parable can be so helpful.  Both sons are guilty of sin.  The first son refuses to go into the vineyard.  In the honor and shame culture of his day, he shows great disrespect for his father and shames him in public.  But, he changes his mind and goes.  The second son honors his father by agreeing in public to obey him.  But in the end, he does not go, and he does not obey.

            If we are honest, we can see ourselves in both sons.  Sometimes, we are like the second son.  We have a positive attitude and are filled with enthusiasm.  We hear the call to be good stewards and offer service to the parish and sign up for several ministries.  But, when the time comes, we find ourselves too busy with other things and neglect to bring the food for a funeral dinner or show up to be trained as a liturgical minister.  At other times, we are like the first son.  We complain when another parishioner gets up to talk about stewardship of service.  It is easier to go to the Mass in another parish, rather than listening to another talk on stewardship.  But, then we see the needs of a neighbor in trouble and go to the next Saint Vincent de Paul meeting, or we realize the importance of teaching the faith to our children and volunteer as a catechist.

            When we entered into this Mass, we honestly admitted that we are sinners in need of God’s mercy.  But then we heard the Lord speaking to us through his Word, calling us to a self- emptying love that impels us to be servants living in harmony in our parish.  On this first Sunday in October, known as Right to Life Sunday, we are given some specific ways to be servants of the culture of life.  Like the second son, we often talk about respecting the dignity of life from the moment of conception through natural death with action.  The first son encourages us to do more than talk.  For example, the Women’s Care Center welcomes pregnant women who come to them and offers specific ways to help them carry their babies to term.  Hannah’s House provides housing and support to young women who are expecting.  Those who serve the needs of the elderly either in nursing homes or in their own homes need more help.  The Creation Care Team explores ways in which we can respect and preserve God’s gift of creation.  The Social Justice Committee is studying the sin of racism and ways to heal that divide in our country.

            When we open our hearts and minds to the needs of those around us, we can imitate the example of the first son and put into action what we talk about as the second son.  When we combine the best qualities of both sons, we model ourselves on the example of Jesus Christ.  Even though he is God, he did not regard equality with God something to be grasped at.

TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

24 SEPTEMBER 2017

          This parable of Jesus grabs our attention, as it grabbed the attention of his original listeners.  It was not easy to make a living in that world.  A father who wanted to feed his family had to show up at the marketplace early in the morning.  With luck, a landowner would hire him to begin working at 6:00.  He would work all day under the hot sun until 6:00 that evening.  In return for his hard work, he would receive one denarius – enough to feed his family for one day.  He would have to repeat this every day, except for the Sabbath.

            The parable does explain why there are more workers showing up in the marketplace throughout the day.  Maybe they have difficulties that keep them from coming earlier, or maybe they do not have a good work ethic.  Whatever the reason, the landowner invites the latecomers to work in his vineyard at 9:00, at noon, at 3:00, and even one hour before quitting time.  That is when Jesus gets their attention.  The landowner hands out the daily wage – beginning with the last ones hired.  They receive the usual wage of one denarius.  The word spreads quickly through the line of those waiting to be paid.  Those at the end of the pay line are shocked to hear that those who had labored only one hour receive the same wage as they who had worked all day.  It is not fair, they complain.  And we have to shake our heads in agreement.  It is not fair.

            But Jesus is not talking about fair labor practices.  He is talking about the kingdom of heaven.  Like the landowner, the Lord is more interested in calling people to work in his vineyard than what their labor can produce.  At this Mass, we thank God for calling us to labor in his vineyard, in this parish community.  It is not always easy, but we are learning how to work together, to worship together, and to enter into a community of faith together. 

            For whatever reason, there are still lots of folks out there who are still waiting to be invited to work in the Lord’s vineyard.  Maybe they live in the same cul-de-sac and surprised us when they showed up at church with their second grader for First Communion. Maybe they are so busy with travel teams that they can’t find time to join us.  Maybe they are members of our family who have lost interest in any kind of organized religion.  Maybe they were hurt by someone or something in the parish and stay away because they are angry. 

            Whatever the reason their reason for staying away, the Lord is inviting us to be landlords going out into the marketplace searching for workers in the vineyard, because we are the Body of Christ in this time and in this place.  The Lord has given us some important tools.  The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is a wonderful way for people to take a step in faith and begin the process of inquiring whether the Catholic Church is the right place for them.  We have found that Christ Renews His Parish has been an effective tool in renewing the faith of lots of people in this parish and connecting them more firmly with the parish community.  If you have participated in one of these processes or another ministry that has drawn you more closely into the mystery of Christ’s love, go into the marketplace, go to what Pope Francis calls the peripheries.  To do that, we have to go beyond our comfort zones and risk rejection.  Don’t yell at them.  Don’t preach to them.  Don’t judge them.  Just tell them what a great joy it is to be in relationship with Jesus Christ.  Invite them to come and see for themselves, as the Samaritan woman at the well did after her encounter with Jesus Christ.  Maybe they have been waiting to be invited.

            The prophet Isaiah is correct.  God’s ways are not our ways.  We can proclaim God’s ways and help people understand that laboring in the Lord’s vineyard is a wonderful opportunity. It does not matter when they respond to the invitation.  When they do, they learn that putting themselves last will allow the Lord to put us first in the kingdom of heaven.

TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

17 SEPTEMBER 2017

          Last Sunday, Jesus taught how to respond when someone in our community sins against us.  Instead of putting the offense on Facebook for everyone to see, he tells us to confront the person.  Once we move past our emotions of anger, a loving confrontation with that person might resolve the issue.  If that doesn’t work, we should gather two others to attempt a negotiation.  We do this when someone we love is in denial about a destructive behavior, and we hope that the person will respond to treatment.  If that does not work, Jesus says that we should go to the Church – talk to the pastor or call the Bishop.  If that does not work, we need to treat the person as a Gentile or tax collector –someone outside our community of faith.  Even this most drastic step is intended to bring reconciliation, because Jesus welcomed Gentiles and tax collectors into his company.  As difficult as these steps may be, Jesus tells us to take them, because we trust that the risen Christ is in our midst, wherever two or three are gathered.

            Peter had been with Jesus long enough to know his teachings on mercy and forgiveness.  Now, he asks how many times he needs to forgive.  Peter thinks he is being generous when he suggests seven times: a Biblical number implying a large number.  But Jesus doubles down and insists that we need to forgive seventy times seven: a limitless number of times.  And to help Peter understand, he tells the parable of the king who forgives the debt of his servant who owes him a huge amount – 100,000 talents.  A talent was the weight that a soldier could carry on his back – 100 pounds.  It would take an army of 100,000 soldiers to pay off this guy’s debt!  The servant could never have paid him back.  But having been forgiven of a debt he could never have paid back, this same servant confronts a fellow servant who owes him 100 denarii.  Instead of forgiving that debt, he throws him into prison.  Because of his lack of mercy, the king responds by handing him over to be tortured.  His lack of mercy becomes his undoing.

            The point of the parable is clear.  As Saint Paul tells us, Jesus Christ gave us his entire life and died on a cross to forgive our debts, to reconcile us with the Father.  We could never pay off the debt of our sins.  He forgave those who murdered him with his last breath and extends that mercy to us.  Saint Paul encourages us to live and die for the Lord.  If we have the courage to forgive another person, then we experience with the Lord a taste of his death, letting go of resentment and anger.  But in dying to our resentment and anger, we also experience a taste of his resurrection, rising to move on without being hindered by bitterness, hatred, and anger.

            We often misunderstand what Jesus means by forgiveness.  In forgiving someone who has hurt us badly, we are not nullifying the damage done.  Nor are we required to be best buddies and continue to allow that person to harm us.  Maybe forgiving that person might mean avoiding any contact.  The act of forgiving moves us past the anger and resentment resulting from the harm done to us.  It may take a very long time, but we know we have forgiven when we can move forward without harboring those angry, hurtful feelings that make us bitter people with chips on our shoulders.

            As a confessor, I have learned a lot about mercy and forgiveness.  If you were ever concerned that the priest may judge the sin of a penitent, there is no need to worry.  We’ve heard just about everything.  In addition, we priests are also sinners in need of God’s mercy.  As a confessor, I think of the mercy that the Lord has given to me in so many times and ways.  And that is the grace of a truly good Confession.  We cannot make the mistake of the servant whose debt was forgiven.  Knowing the mercy we have received, we must move forward and extend that mercy to those who have harmed us, trusting in the Lord’s dying and rising.

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

10 SEPTEMBER 2017

          If we can put the words of Jesus in modern terms, we can understand his words when someone sins against us:  don’t post it on Face Book!  If someone in the parish community does great harm to himself or herself or to other members of the community, Jesus tells us to approach that person with love and in private.  That is much more difficult than posting it on Face Book for all to see!  This approach allows the person to change.  If that does not work, then Jesus tells us to bring two or three witnesses to attempt an “intervention.”  If that does not work, then Jesus tells us to take it to the Church.  Today, that probably means going to the Bishop if the pastor does something stupid!

            However, today we go in the opposite direction.  Please turn your attention to the screen and listen to Bishop Rhoades, as he asks for our support for the Annual Bishop’s Appeal and explains how our funds are used.

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

3 SEPTEMBER 2017

            Last Sunday, Simon Peter correctly identified the true identity of Jesus.  He is the Christ, the Messiah for whom his people had waited for centuries.  In response, Jesus pointed out that Simon Peter did not have a lucky guess.  He had been open to this inspiration from the heavenly Father.  It was a transforming moment for Peter, so transforming that Jesus changes his name to Peter (Petrus, or rock).  On the rock (Petra) of Peter’s faith, Jesus would build his Church.  Firmly established on that rock, the Church would stand firm and weather any storms.

            Today, Jesus explains what kind of Messiah he is called to be.  He is not the Messiah of the popular imagination.  He is the suffering servant.  He turns his face toward Jerusalem, to the city which had rejected the authentic prophets who spoke for God, and announces that he will save his people not by power or force, but by dying on a cross and being raised from the dead. 

Because we are so accustomed to artwork which depicts Jesus dying on a cross, it is difficult for us to imagine what this statement meant to Peter and the other disciples.  They had seen the horror of criminals and insurgents being executed in this most cruel and humiliating fashion.  They knew how the Romans had controlled rebellious people by perfecting this horrible way of dying.  Peter cannot imagine that this kind of death would befall the true Messiah for whom they had waited for so long.  So, Peter rebukes Jesus, “God forbid, Lord!  No such thing shall ever happen to you.”

            Jesus responds to him with anger and firmness.  He calls Peter “Satan,” because the “Rock” has become an obstacle, a “stumbling stone.”  After his forty day fast in the desert, Satan had urged Jesus to satisfy his hunger by changing rocks into bread.  He had offered to Jesus all the power and kingdoms of the earth without going through the cross.  Jesus had come to know that this is not the will of his Father.  He rejects this same temptation from Peter and tells him to get behind him.  In other words, he is offering Peter the chance to change.  He wants Peter and the other disciples to get behind him, to continue to follow him on his way to Jerusalem, to learn the truth of his mission, and to share in the life that will come from the resurrection.  Those who follow Jesus will have to share in his cross, trusting that self-sacrificing love will bring life.

            Jesus is not just speaking to a group of disciples a long time ago.  Because this is the living Word of God, he speaks to us.  He tells us that we too must embrace the cross and deny ourselves, even to the point of losing our lives.  Embracing the cross of Jesus Christ comes in many forms.  We experience the cross when a family member is diagnosed with cancer, or when we lose our job, or when we are confronted with so many of life’s disasters.  We see Christians in Africa and the Middle East literally embracing the cross of martyrdom.  But no matter what form the cross may be, embracing it is always a commitment to give ourselves in sacrificial love and putting that sacrificial love at the center of all of our efforts.

            That is not the message of our culture.  So much of our culture urges us to put ourselves first as number one, to surround ourselves with as many possessions as possible, and to use whatever violence we need to protect ourselves.  Saint Paul had tried that path, until he encountered the risen Christ on the road to Damascus.  That is why he tells us not to conform ourselves to this age.  He insists that following Jesus Christ and embracing the cross of sacrificial love will transform us.  Like Jeremiah the prophet, we may suffer hardship and even opposition.  But like Peter and the other disciples, we will also learn that embracing the cross of Jesus Christ brings a life that we could never imagine.

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

FEAST OF SAINT PIUS X

27 AUGUST 2017

          Jesus leads his disciples to Caesarea Philippi, a regional center of the Roman Empire.  The city was built beside a dramatic cliff face.  A famous spring emerged from the base of the cliff.  Before Roman occupation, the spring had been known as Panias, because it was the center of worship of pagan gods, especially the god Pan.  To this day, visitors can see carved niches which held the images of the pagan gods.  The city also had political significance.  Herod the Great named it after his patron, Caesar, who regarded himself as a god.  Herod’s son, Philip, changed the name to Caesarea Philippi, to bring attention to his power and control over the area.

            It is here, where civil governments and pagan gods competed for attention that Jesus asks his disciples his famous question, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  They give him their Gallup Poll findings, each one identifying him with a dead prophet from the past.  But Jesus is more interested in their opinion, who they think he is. Simon Peter blurts out the correct answer, identifying him as the Christ, which literally means “the anointed one.”  In other words, Peter asserts that they cannot depend on the pagan gods to save them.  Nor will Caesar or any of his regional allies save them.  When Simon Peter adds to that title “the Son of the living God,” he identifies the true nature of the teacher to whom he has dedicated his life.

            Jesus points out that Peter could never have figured out his identity on his own.  He says that his heavenly Father has revealed his identity to Peter.  And so, he changes his name.  He is no longer Simon, but Peter (Petrus – rock).  On this rock (Petra), he will build his church.  And he gives to Peter the keys to the kingdom.  Peter will use those keys for the good of the Church. We see those keys pictured in the image of Saint Peter on our triumphal arch.  Those keys will open the gates to eternity.  The way to eternity will not be through the cave at Caesarea Philippi, but through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

            Today we celebrate our patronal feast, who was one of the successors of Saint Peter (pictured on the other side).  Unlike Shebna, who used the keys to the king’s palace for his own good, Pope Saint Pius X used the keys of his office for the good of the Church over a hundred years ago.  In fact, he complained to his friends about how they fussed over him and dressed him up with finery after he was elected Pope.  Today we ask his intercession, as we answer that same question of Jesus, which is addressed to us.  Like the disciples who gathered at Caesarea Philippi, we also live with forces competing for our allegiance.  The false gods today are more subtle than the pagan god, Pan.  Those gods might be wealth, or fame, or glamour, or pleasure.  All pagan gods promise ultimate happiness or success.  Political leaders make all kinds of promises, telling us that our complete allegiance to them will bring happiness or success.

            Just by gathering here at Mass on our feast day, we are acknowledging that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.  Some of us had a great time at Casino Night, and we will enjoy each other’s company at the picnic this afternoon.  The real challenge for us is to proclaim the identity of Jesus Christ outside of this church building.  We don’t have to carry signs or stand on street corners and harangue people.  All we have to do is to live our faith – to show others by our actions that love is stronger than hate, that putting ourselves last is the way to become first, and that dying to ourselves will give us a share in the rising of Jesus Christ.  Now that we are becoming accustomed to our new church, now is the time for us to realize our status as the Church of Jesus Christ and engage people to join us.  We remain as members of his Church, because we trust his promise that the gates of the netherworld will not prevail against us.

TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

20 AUGUST 2017

            A careful reading of the Sacred Scriptures reveals God’s habit of calling certain people over others.  God chose Abel instead of Cain, and Abraham instead of Lot.  God chose David instead of Saul.  God chose the Israelites instead of the Egyptians.  The history of those choices is seen in the mosaics in the center aisle.  God made the first covenant with Adam, promising our first parents that he would never abandon them, even though they had abandoned him.  God promised Noah that he would never again flood the earth, and Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sands on the shores of the earth.  God promised Moses that he would remain faithful to his people, no matter what.  To David he promised that the messiah would come from his house, and he entered into the New Covenant with us through his Son, the Lamb of God pictured on the mosaic on the Altar.

            God did not choose any of these people because they deserved it or earned it.  In fact, all who have been chosen by God have sinned and not kept the covenant.  That is why Matthew begins his Gospel with Jesus calling the chosen people to repent.  Jesus calls them to conversion, so that they can respond better to God’s choice and be part of the Kingdom of Heaven.

            That is also why Jesus responds to this Canaanite woman in such a shocking and rude way.  After arguing with the Pharisees about what is clean and unclean, Jesus travels to an unclean territory – Tyre and Sidon.  God’s chosen people considered these pagan residents as dogs because of their cruel treatment.  When this pagan woman approaches him and begs him to help her daughter, she addresses him with the words any good Jew would have understood, calling him Lord, Son of David.  Not only does he ignore her, but he insists that he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  When she persists, he says that it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.  With her sense of humor intact, she points out that even dogs get scraps.  Finally, Jesus responds with compassion and heals her daughter. 

            In healing this woman’s daughter, Jesus follows the insights of the prophet, Isaiah.  Isaiah had spoken to his people in Babylon centuries earlier.  In their captivity, members of God’s chosen people had interacted with their pagan neighbors, and some of those neighbors accepted their faith and joined them.  Isaiah points out that God did not choose people so they could be better than anyone else.  Instead, God chose people to be instruments of his mercy, to share God’s love with people different from them.  That is what Jesus does in the Gospel.  He recognizes the woman’s deep faith.  He admires her perseverance and her humility to admit that she did not deserve to be chosen, any more than God’s chosen people had deserved to be chosen.

            We hear this message at time of great division in our country.  Instead of promoting hate, racism, and division, Jesus provides a very different message.  Instead of isolating ourselves from those who are different from us, he pushes us to look at those of different races or ethnic backgrounds as people created in the image of God.  Instead of acting out of fear, he challenges us to get to know them.  Instead of yelling and screaming at each other, he wants us to enter into an honest dialogue.  That is what Saint Paul did.  As a Pharisee, he regarded all non-Jews as dogs.  But after he had encountered Jesus Christ and was rejected by his own people, he got to know the Gentiles on a personal level.  Instead of condemning them, he proclaimed the Gospel to them and welcomed them as God’s chosen people in the New Covenant.  God has chosen us, not because we have earned his choice or deserved it.  He has chosen us to move beyond our comfort zone, to get to know those different from ourselves, and to enter into a personal dialogue inviting conversion and the Kingdom of heaven.  

NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

13 AUGUST 2017

          The 14^th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel gives us some valuable lessons about faith.  The chapter begins with Jesus hearing the news of the murder of John the Baptist.  Trusting in his Father and knowing that he will meet the same fate, Jesus triesto go off by himself to mourn the loss of his cousin and pray for strength.  But, he encounters a vast crowd, and he takes pity on them.  He leads them to a deserted place, proclaims the Good News to them, and feeds the five thousand with five loaves and two fish.  Resuming his original intention to pray by himself, he retreats to a mountain and sends his disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee in a boat.  That is where we meet them today.  The disciples are caught in a raging storm.  Jesus waits until the fourth watch of the night to walk toward them on the water.  Peter wants to walk on the same watery surface, only to sink into the sea.  Jesus pulls him up, and calms the waters.

            In his unwavering trust in his Father’s presence, Jesus provides a model for our faith.  But we need to look at the faith of others in this chapter.  The crowd must have had some degree of faith, because they followed him into the deserted place, trusting that he would not leave them to starve.  The disciples had already committed themselves to following him.  But their faith wavers in the raging storm, causing them to think that Jesus is a ghost.  Peter demands further proof, only to sink into the water when fear causes him to take his eyes off Jesus.  After chiding them for their lack of faith, he accepts their profession of faith that he is truly the Son of God, the message that had been announced at the Baptism of Jesus and on the Mount of Transfiguration.

            We want to model our faith on that of Jesus Christ.  However, our lived faith is closer to of the rest of the people in chapter 14.  Like them, we follow him into deserted places, because we have a basic trust that he will not leave us to starve.  But like the Israelites who had followed Moses into the desert for forty years, we often complain and look for signs of his presence.  Like the disciples, we have committed ourselves to Jesus Christ.  But like them, we can easily despair when stormy waters toss us about – either the stormy waters of our personal lives or the stormy waters that toss the barque of Peter (the Church) about.  Like Peter, we think that we can walk on any surface that the Lord Jesus walked on.  But, we become terrified very easily, take our eyes off the Lord, and sink into the waters of doubt and despair.

            More than likely, the disciples thought that Jesus had abandoned them.  Why did he make them enter the boat, especially when there was always a chance of a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee?  Why did he wait so long before walking on the water to save them?  Why did he allow Peter to take those wary steps outside the boat, even when he knew the weakness of his faith?

            Centuries before, Elijah the Prophet asked those same questions.  After most of his people had abandoned their faith, Elijah proved God’s power when he defeated the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel.  His expression of faith in God caused Queen Jezebel to send her soldiers to kill him.  After walking forty days to Mount Horeb (Mount Sinai), he expected to find God in the spectacular signs that Moses and his people had experienced.  But God was not in any of those spectacular signs.  Instead, Elijah encountered God in a tiny, whispering sound (in silence).

            We too have our own expectations of how we can encounter God, especially when life tosses us about like that boat on the Sea of Galilee.  Our Scripture readings invite us to be open to the many ways in which we encounter the Risen Christ.  They also invite us to spend time in silence.  Jesus Christ will not abandon us, any more than he abandoned those people the 14^th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel.  Instead, he will calm the storms of life and raise us from the depths of our despair and doubt.  We have to be patient and keep our faith.