FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

29 NOVEMBER 2015

          During the last few weeks, the horrifying presence of terrorism has again reared its ugly head.  We have seen images of the destruction wrought by the Islamic State in the killings in Lebanon, the downing of the Russian plane in the Sinai, and murderous and random attacks in Paris.  We went into the Thanksgiving Holiday with warnings about possible attacks by terrorists in our country.  We were warned to be vigilant and watchful, lest we fall victim to the murderous acts of terrorists ourselves.

Given what we have seen in these last weeks, the last thing we need to hear is more terror and destruction when we come to Mass on the First Sunday of Advent and the first day of this new Liturgical Year.  But, that seems to be the case.  Jeremiah speaks from the perspective of Jerusalem completely destroyed by Babylonian invaders five centuries before the birth of Christ.  The Babylonians came from the area we now know as Iraq and have already murdered the king, who had been a descendant of David.  In the midst of terror and destruction, Jeremiah encourages his people to remain hopeful.  The days are coming, he says, when the Lord will raise up from the downed tree of Jesse a just shoot to bring safety and security.

            Jesus also speaks about destruction and terrors.  Saint Luke clearly identifies Jesus as the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy.  He is the just shoot, the Son of David.  He is the Son of Man who will come in a cloud with power and great glory.  Jerusalem may have been safe and secure at the time when Jesus speaks these words.  The Temple is being rebuilt.  People are carrying on their business as usual.  But by the time Saint Luke wrote this Gospel, both the city of Jerusalem and the beautifully restored Temple have been destroyed by the Romans.  Using the horrors of that destruction, he records the words of Jesus to warn us to remain alert and watchful for the day when the Lord will come again at the end of the world.

            The media reports about the scourge of modern terrorism cause fear and dread.  That is what the terrorists want.  They want us to lock ourselves behind doors and cower in fear.  But, that is not the intention of today’s Scripture readings.  While both Jeremiah and Jesus speak of frightening realities, both of them promise that God will save us.  We gather to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ at this Mass.  Jesus has already freed us from the power of sin and death.  But we live that Mystery in an imperfect and sinful world.  Jesus uses traditional apocalyptic images and language to speak of the way in which our world will end.  Taking the advice of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians, we can face the end of our world, not by cowering in fear behind locked doors, but by giving of ourselves in active service of God and neighbor.

            This is not the message we receive from our culture.  Our culture tells us that the “Holiday Season” can bring us relief and comfort.  As long as we prepare everything carefully and buy the best gifts, we can create a safe and happy “holiday,” surrounded by comforting music and bright lights.  There is nothing wrong with making preparations and buying gifts for those we love.  There is nothing wrong with the music and lights of the Season.  But, these passing realities cannot bring lasting peace.  Only God can bring a peace that will never end.

            That is why Advent is so important.  Advent invites us to sit in the darkness for a while and face the painful realities of our lives and of our world.  Advent invites us to examine how well we actively love God and neighbor.  Advent gives us time to accept the Lord’s mercy and make important changes in our lives.  Advent reminds us that God came in the person of a tiny baby born into poverty.  Just as no one had expected God to come in that way, Advent helps us to face the end with hope.  Stand erect and raise our heads, because our redemption is at hand.            

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE

22 NOVEMBER 2015

          When Pilate asks Jesus if he is a king, he speaks from the perspective of his kingdom.  In Pilate’s kingdom, privilege, comfort, and prestige are very important.  Pilate enjoys all of these perks, because he has been appointed by Caesar to exercise power and domination over the people under his thumb.  If Jesus answers “yes,” Pilate can have him executed, as a threat to Caesar.  If Jesus answers “no,” Pilate can let him go.

            But the kingdom of Jesus is very different from that of Pilate.  Jesus does not answer Pilate’s question.  Instead, he asks a question:  “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?”  When Pilate responds that he is not a Jew and that Jesus’ own people have handed him over, he wants to know what Jesus has done.  Jesus then explains to Pilate what Saint John had told us at the very beginning of the Gospel.  Jesus has come into the world to testify to God’s truth.  God’s truth establishes a kingdom marked by love, justice, and humble service; not dominion, privilege, power, or prestige. 

            Because Pilate is so immersed in the values of his kingdom, he cannot see the truth standing right before him.  Instead, he sees a bloodied, beaten peasant.  Even though Pilate knows the truth that this man is innocent, he will condemn him to a humiliating and painful death.  From the comfort of his governor’s palace, Pilate will move on to other matters of state in his kingdom.  Pilate does not know that God will transform this dark death into the bright light of the resurrection, revealing the truth of God’s incredible love.

            Throughout this Liturgical Year, the Scripture readings have invited us to reflect on the truth of Jesus Christ.  They have revealed him as the Way, the Truth, and the Light.  On this final Sunday, the Book of Revelation reminds us that Jesus Christ loves us now.  Saint John had originally written these words to Christians facing death and persecution by a kingdom which Pontius Pilate would recognize immediately.  He has atoned for our sins by his death on the cross.  He has redeemed us through the mystery of the resurrection.        

That kingdom is still alive and well in our world.  The recent scourge of terrorist attacks reminds us that there are still ruthless individuals who will use any means for power and domination.  The fear generated by these violent acts can cloud our vision of the truth of the victory already won for us by Jesus Christ, our King.  That same fear can also cause us to abandon our care and concern for vulnerable people who need our help.  As we enter the “holiday season,” the materialism of our culture can prevent us from seeing the truth about Jesus.  Instead of focusing on the Lord’s presence in our families gathered for Thanksgiving, we might be drawn instead to the good deals of Black Friday.  Instead of recognizing the truth of seeing the Lord in the people we might serve, we can think only of our own comfort and security.

            Next Sunday, we begin a new Liturgical Year and enter into the Season of Advent, to begin again our annual preparation to look for the ways in which our Lord comes to us in truth.  Just as these years come and go, so will the kingdom of Pontius Pilate.  His particular kingdom ended a long time ago, and the values of that kingdom will end for us also.  Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all existence.  When we were baptized, we were incorporated into his Body as priests, prophets, and kings.  Sharing the kingship of Jesus Christ, we can renew our efforts to see the truth standing right before our eyes.  It is that truth which enables us to separate those things that pass away from those things that last.  It is that truth which enables us to live in a dangerous and violent world without fear.

            

THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

8 NOVEMBER 2015

          The Scripture readings today offer two unlikely teachers in the ways of faith.  We have no idea of their names.  Both are widows.  Both lived in poverty at the bottom of society.  In a male dominated society, life was difficult for a woman not attached to a man providing for his family.  There was no safety net in ancient Israel.  Psalm 146 (the appointed psalm today) mentions widows as those who are in special need of God’s help.

The widow of Zarephath is not even Jewish.  In fact, she would regard Elijah as her enemy.  Elijah was blamed for the extreme famine that hit the northern kingdom.  He had spoken strongly against King Ahab and his pagan wife Jezebel, because they had turned against the God of the Covenant and built shrines to gods whom they claimed could bring fertility.  Instead, the God of the Covenant brought drought.  In a desert like atmosphere, Elijah asks the widow for a cup of water.  Even though he may have been her enemy, she offers the water, as she would to any stranger entering her village.  Then he asks for some food.  Even though she is about to use up her last bit of food supplies, she responds to the request of this man who speaks for his God.  She makes him a cake first and trusts his word that God would provide food for her and her son.  Her trust is rewarded, and she has enough for all three to eat for an entire year.

The widow in the Temple is Jewish.  Like the scribes who have important positions in the magnificent Temple being rebuilt by Herod, she understands the importance of the Temple as the dwelling place of God and the center of prayer.  Like the wealthy scribes who deposit coins into the thirteen trumpet shaped containers for the restoration and upkeep of the Temple, she also deposits coins.  Unlike the wealthy scribes whose large coins attract lots of attention, she deposits two tiny coins that most people would not even notice.

But Jesus does.  He has just entered into Jerusalem to the shouts of “Hosanna to the Son of David,” the title used by blind Bartimaeus in Jericho.  He uses the example of this poor widow to teach his disciples how the Son of David should behave.  The Son of David will not draw attention to himself with long robes, seats of honor, and the fancy titles of the scribes.  Instead, the Son of David will be stripped of his robes, nailed to a horrible instrument of death, and mocked by those who pass by.  Using the language of the Letter to the Hebrews, he will give himself as a sacrifice once for all.  He will give us life by losing his.

This is the paradox that both widows teach us about faith, and especially about being good stewards.  Like the widows, we believe that all that we have is a gift from God.  Like the widows, we can continue to keep giving of ourselves and not be afraid that we will run dry.  God cannot be outdone in generosity.  God does not measure the amount of time, talent, or treasure that we give away.  God measures our willingness.  That is why we have decided not to list specific names in our current capital campaign.  Of course, we cannot build this new church without large gifts, and we are grateful for them.  We are not asking for equal gifts, but for equal sacrifice.  As we sign the beam that will be part of a physical structure of a church built of stone, we know that God is forming us as living stones into a remarkable temple to reflect his glory.

Because of their poverty, the widows also teach us how to trust when things go badly for us.  They are both at the bottom of their worlds.  When we hit bottom, we too can look for an Elijah to tell us not to be afraid and to trust that God will provide what we need.  We can trust that Jesus notices our dilemma and gives us strength to see that in our lowliness, we are worthy in the sight of God.  It is this trust that enables us to live the Paschal Mystery that we celebrate at every Mass.  In losing ourselves, we gain the fullness of life beyond our imagining.

ALL SAINTS

1 NOVEMBER 2015

          When Jesus chooses eight different groups of people to be called “blessed,” or “happy,” or “holy,” we might scratch our heads.  What are you telling us, Lord?  In order to be truly holy, do we have to be dirt poor, or go around with sorrowful faces all the time, or allow bullies to kick us around, or make ourselves so obnoxious that other people will automatically hate us?  Is that what constitutes true holiness?

            The answer, of course, is NO!  The world already has too many grumpy, obnoxious people!  Instead, we need to look at the beatitudes from the perspective of the second reading.  Saint John says that God is love.  Four of the eight beatitudes reflect God’s love.  If we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we imitate the right judgment of God and behave according to God’s will.  If we are merciful, we mirror the great mercy of God that will be the theme of the coming Year of Mercy.  If we are clean of heart, we have a single-minded focus on Jesus and his teachings that reveal God’s face to us.  If we act as peacemakers, we radiate the peace that comes from God’s abiding presence in our lives.  Because the essence of love is to seek the good of the other, living these four beatitudes will free us to love others as God has loved us.  We are truly blessed.  We know authentic happiness and holiness.

            The other four beatitudes warn of dangers that distract us from the love of God.  If we are addicted to material goods, we will give all our attention to those things that ultimately cannot last.  If we are addicted to pleasure, we will do whatever we can to protect ourselves from the pain and sorrow that are part of life.  If we are addicted to power, we will never learn how to depend on God’s providence.  If we are addicted to honor, we will not have the courage to speak the truth, especially when it makes us unpopular.  If we find ourselves making ends of any of these means, then we will be less likely to love others as God has loved us.

            Saint John tells us that we have become children of God through the waters of Baptism, allowing the grace of the Sacrament to guide us in living the Gospel beatitudes.  The Book of Revelation gives us an image of what we shall be.  Because the essence of heaven is beyond our human experience, Saint John uses symbolic language to convey what heaven is like.  To give a sense of how many people are saved, he comes up with the symbolic number 144,000, using 12 squared to speak of the 12 tribes of Israel and the Church built on the foundation of the 12 Apostles.  The number 1,000 symbolizes perfection.  Clothed in the robes of salvation made white through the Blood of the Lamb, this immense throng comes from every nation, race, people, and tongue.  And the best thing of all is that they are interceding for us.  They know from their own experience that they have failed in living the beatitudes.  They know from their own experience that they needed God’s mercy.  Most importantly, they know from their own experience how difficult it is to share in Christ’s dying in order to share in his rising. 

            Becoming a saint is not reserved for those who are spiritual giants or for those whom the Church officially recognizes as saints by canonizing them.  We celebrate their feast days throughout the Liturgical Year.  Today, we remember all those people who have learned to embrace the middle four of the beatitudes, and who have learned to see the dangers of being addicted to material goods, or pleasure, or power, or honor.  We know them, because they have been members of our families and loved ones.  Having fully died in the Lord, they want us to join them and to trust that our sharing in the fullness of the Lord’s dying will not destroy us.  We are God’s children now.  Even if the world does not always know us, God knows what we can be.  We can be saints!  There is a great crowd cheering us on!

THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

25 OCTOBER 2015

          The disciples of Jesus do not seem to have trouble seeing with their physical eyes.  They must have seen something attractive in the itinerant preacher from Nazareth that caused them to follow him.  On the way, they saw him cure many and draw huge crowds to listen to him.  But their eyesight was limited.  They could not see that little children are first in the Kingdom of God and tried to keep them away from Jesus.  Peter could not see suffering as part of the Messiah’s job description, because he could only see victory.  James and John could not see that greatness lies in being humble servants, because they were too ambitious for power and prestige.

            As they enter Jericho, they could see the throngs of pilgrims getting ready to make their final ascent from the lowest place on the earth to Jerusalem.  They could see Herod’s fancy palace and the residences of the wealthy in this city that was the Palm Springs of the time.  Odds are pretty good that they do not see the blind beggar sitting by the side of the road.

            But they certainly could hear him!  Without physical sight, the blind beggar probably heard the gossip about Jesus and the speculation about whether he might be the Messiah.  When he hears that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, he yells at the top of his lungs and calls Jesus by a messianic title:  son of David.  He yells for Jesus to have pity on him.  Even when the crowd tries to silence him, he yells louder.  When Jesus calls him over, his reaction is very different from the rich young man who went away sad.  He leaves behind his only possession, a cloak, to run to Jesus and responds to the same question that Jesus had asked James and John, “What do you want me to do for you?”  Bartimaeus is not interested in wealth or power or prestige.  He simply wants to see.  Once Jesus graces him with the gift of physical sight, he follows him on the way to his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, to his death, and ultimately to his resurrection. 

            Bartimaeus has a lot to teach us about being good disciples.  Like Peter, we have trouble seeing the Lord’s presence at difficult times in our lives, especially when we are confronted with our own weakness and sinfulness.  We find that we cannot rely on our own talents and strengths to get us through.  Bartimaeus teaches us how to be humble enough to ask for the Lord’s help.

            Bartimaeus teaches us to be persistent. He does not give up when Jesus does not immediately respond to his yelling.  He keeps calling out, even when the crowd hassles him.  In our world of instant gratification, we want answers to our prayers NOW.  When things go badly for us, we tend to give up and think that our prayers will not be answered.  Bartimaeus teaches us to continue to call out in prayer and trust that God will provide what we need. 

Once he becomes aware of the Lord’s grace, Bartimaeus abandons his only possession and runs toward Jesus.  That cloak had been his protection against the blazing sun in the day and the bitter cold at night.  When we become more aware of the Lord’s graced presence in our lives, we need to respond quickly.  Bartimaeus teaches us to let go of whatever is holding us back and become a more vital part of the community of believers gathered here every Sunday.

            Bartimaeus follows Jesus on the way to Jerusalem, because he is a changed man.  There are times in our lives when we see the Lord’s graced presence in a more profound way.  It can happen on a Christ Renews His Parish weekend, or at the First Communion of our children, or at unexpected times when the Lord gets our undivided attention.  When we see the grace of the Lord working in our lives, we are changed and see life very differently.  We cannot go back to sitting by the side of the road and watch as everyone else go by.  We join our fellow pilgrims and walk with the Son of David to the New and Eternal Jerusalem, always trusting that the Lord can heal our blind spots and keep our eyes fixed on his presence.

TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

18 OCTOBER 2015

          An avowed atheist visiting Saint Pius would feel vindicated by the first reading. Isaiah the prophet announced that the Lord was pleased to crush his faithful servant in infirmity.   The atheist’s response would be something like:  “See, you crazy people worship a God who acts more like Darth Vader hammering Luke Skywalker with a light saber than a loving Father who loves and cares for each person!”  We might also wonder what Isaiah is talking about!

            To understand, we need to listen to the other two assigned readings for this Sunday.  Through the Scriptures, the Lord is trying to help us to understand the nature of true greatness.  The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that God so loved the world that he emptied himself and took on our human form.  The Letter recalls the image of the high priest who entered the Holy of Holies in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem each year on the Day of Atonement.  Our high priest, Jesus Christ, offered the perfect sacrifice to atone for the sins of humanity.  He offered himself on the cross, trusting that his loving Father would accept his sacrifice, raise him from the dead, and ascend him to the heavens, the eternal Holy of Holies.  Our high priest knows the ways in which life continually crushes us, because he shares the weakness of our human condition.

            In the Gospel, Jesus is trying to explain this concept of greatness to his disciples.  For the third time, he says that he will conquer the power of sin and death through his sacrifice on the cross.  He has been trying to teach that his true greatness will come from suffering and death.  But, they are not listening.  Instead, James and John want to be named Monsignors and wear their fancy cassocks with cool magenta buttons and sit on either side of the great presider’s chair of Jesus in the Kingdom of God.  And the other ten don’t get it either.  They are angry, because James and John beat them in seeking their share of power, honor, wealth, and pleasure.

            Jesus is very patient.  He asks if they can drink the cup that he will drink.  Even though they do not understand that this cup is the cup of suffering, they agree.  He asks if they can be baptized.  Even though they do not understand that this is a baptism in the floodwaters of pain, torture, and death, they agree again.  He tries to explain again that true greatness comes not from the perks of power and control over the lives of other people, but from humble service.  Just as a person would pay a financial ransom to free a slave, Jesus will pay the ransom of his own life to free us from our slavery to sin and death. 

            The disciples will eventually learn this lesson after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Fourteen years after this exchange, Herod would behead James, who would become the head of the Church of Jerusalem, just as he had beheaded John the Baptist.  The disciples will learn from the risen Lord the meaning of true greatness.  They would see their humble service cause the infant church to grow and expand beyond their wildest dreams.

            The Lord is teaching us the meaning of true greatness.  Being great does not involve piling up wealth, titles, privileges, and pleasure.  Even though these things are not bad in themselves, we can use them in selfish ways.  Rather, the Lord is calling us to use them in service of other people. When a gunman murdered nine people at Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston earlier this year, the members looked at the painful way in which the Lord seemed to be crushing them in their infirmity.  Instead of realizing the gunman’s vision of creating a race riot, they publicly forgave him and prayed that God would have mercy on him.  Their example displayed extraordinary humble service that can inspire and motivate us to understand what it means to be great.  Our greatness comes from humble service to our brothers and sisters, not from acquiring wealth, titles, privileges, and pleasure for ourselves.

TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

11 OCTOBER 2015

          We know very little about this man who approaches Jesus today.  Many Scripture scholars have called him a young man, because he runs to Jesus (unlike old guys with hip replacements!)  As the story unfolds, we learn that he has many possessions.  And yet, despite the obvious security that comes from his wealth, he senses a desire for more.  Like all of us, he senses that only eternal life – life with God – can fully satisfy him.  And he comes to the right person.  He could have knelt before Caesar, looking for power; or before Herod, looking for more favors; or before the keeper of the royal treasure, looking for more riches.  In kneeling before Jesus, he asks what he needs to do to inherit eternal life.

            In response, Jesus quotes the Law of Moses and tells him to cut out those things that separate a person from God.  He lists a few of the commandments dealing with relationships with other people.  He must avoid killing, committing adultery, stealing, bearing false witness, defrauding other people, and disrespecting parents.  The man responds that these egregious sins have not been part of his life.  Hungering for something more, he wants to take the next step.

            Jesus looks at the man with love.  He sees this man’s desire to take that next step in his spiritual growth.  So he tells him the truth:  you need to move out of your comfort zone.  You need to sell what you have, give it to the poor, and follow me.  But the man goes away sad, because he cannot rely on anything for security other than his many possessions.  He cannot embrace this cross and put complete trust in the power of Jesus to give him eternal life.

            As the disciples of Jesus watch this man walks away sadly, they are blown away.  They live in a culture that regards wealth as a sign of God’s favor.  Jesus is turning the cultural norm upside down, as he has been turning so many other expectations upside down.  The Messiah will win the victory through suffering and death.  The last will be first.  Wealth can be an obstacle to membership in God’s Kingdom.  Only through the power of God can anyone be saved.

            We became disciples of Jesus Christ when we passed through the waters of Baptism.  Like the man in today’s Gospel, we have a desire for something more – to share in eternal life.  We have come to the right place, encountering Jesus Christ in his Word and in his Sacraments.  Each of us is at a different place in removing those things that separate us from God.  When we have failed, we have received the Lord’s mercy, especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Today, Jesus looks at every single one of us with love and invites us to take another step in faith and trust in his power to save us.  The Letter to the Hebrews describes that Word well:  it can cut through us like a two edged sword, penetrating into the depths of our being.

            For some of us, wealth may be the obstacle.  It is tempting to put too much trust in that fancy car or lake house or extra stuff that we do not need.  Jesus calls us to loosen our grip and share our blessings.  Some may be holding too tightly to their free time.  To those, Jesus asks for a sacrifice of time alone and to give more time in humble service to others.  Others may trust too much in power or prestige.  Jesus calls us to let go of that need to control other people.

            We may ask the same question that the disciples asked:  what is in it for us if we give up these things?  Jesus gives the same answer – a supportive community, and eternal life (along with some possible persecutions).  I have been reflecting on his answer during these last three weeks.  Years ago, I took a pretty scary step in faith and committed myself to a life of celibacy.  In my recovery from surgery, in the absence of a spouse and biological children, I have clearly seen the outpouring of love from this parish family.  In humility, I understand better the Lord’s promise of eternal life better.  Take a step in faith to embrace the Lord’s promise in your life!