THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH

30 DECEMBER 2018

          A friend recently told me of losing his son.  He was standing in line in the basement of Saint Jude Parish in Fort Wayne with his two year old son, Kevin, waiting to say goodbye to the departing pastor who was being transferred to Saint Pius.  His wife, Laura, was at home with their new born son, David, who was only a few days old.  As he was waiting in line talking to friends about the excitement of being a new dad, Kevin separated from him.  In a moment, he was completely out of sight.  A flood of panic engulfed him.  He said that it was like a punch in the gut.  A thousand thoughts went through his head as he frantically searched for him.  One of those thoughts was that his wife would kill him if he came home without their son.  Even in that short time, he felt that he had been a total failure as a parent.

            Joseph and Mary lost their twelve year old son for more than a few moments!  Only parents can imagine what thoughts must have gone through their heads as they searched for their son for three entire days.  In their frantic search, they too must have felt like complete failures.  The Father had entrusted them with the long awaited Messiah.  Now they have lost him.  When they finally find him after three agonizing days, his response is less than consoling.  His mother asks him why he has done this to her and his father.  Like a typical twelve year old, he wants to know why they have been looking for him.  He tells them that he must be in his Father’s house.

            In this only story told about the childhood of Jesus, parents who have lost children can take consolation that this happened to the Holy Family.  They can identify with the precocious child who eagerly embraces a formal education in the faith.  But there is a much deeper level here.  Some thirty years later, Mary would lose her son again for three days, buried in a borrowed tomb.  She would experience again what she and Joseph experienced in Jerusalem.  Confronted with loss, she would have no idea of how things would turn out.  When she would find him in the Mystery of the resurrection, she would understand better the words he had spoken, not about his step father Joseph, but about his Heavenly Father.  In quoting the response of the twelve year old, Saint Luke deliberately uses ambiguous words.  A literal rendering of the Greek text would be that he must be “about the affairs of my Father” or “in the house of my Father.”  In other words, Jesus understands from a very early age that he has a very intimate relationship with the Father, and that he needs to be trusting and obedient to his Father’s will.

            Saint Luke tells us that Jesus went down with Joseph and Mary to Nazareth and was obedient to them.  He learned to trust and obey his Heavenly Father by trusting and obeying Mary and Joseph in their human family.  They would teach the precocious child and answer his questions as he would continue to grow in wisdom and age and favor.  He would learn to listen to them, much as he had listened to the teachers in the Temple in Jerusalem.

            This is the task facing every one of our families today.  None of our families are perfect, and none of our families are without sin and failure.  But, we all have aspects of holiness in our families.  Like the holy family of Nazareth, we can form our children in the ways of faith and teach them how to be obedient.  Obedience does not mean blindly doing what we are told.  It used to irk me as a kid when I would ask why, and my father would respond, “Because I told you!”  The word “obey” literally means to listen.  As we enter into the New Year, we can all take advantage of new opportunities to listen.  We will listen to the Word of God at Mass and also in the adult education programs we will be offering this year.  If we listen and teach our children to listen, we can learn as a parish family how to trust the mystery of the dying and rising of Jesus.  They can learn that dying to themselves will open the way to rising with Christ to others.

NATIVITY OF THE LORD

25 DECEMBER 2018

            For centuries, the descendants of Abraham looked for an anointed king who would fulfill the promises made to King David.  When David wanted to build a temple for the Lord, the prophet Nathan assured him that the Lord would eventually dwell in his house, in his lineage, and not in a physical building.  On Christmas, the Scriptures remind us that promise was fulfilled in the birth of Christ over two thousand years ago.  At that time, those who saw themselves as the movers and shakers of that day were busy doing what rulers like to do.  The Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, decided to take a census and count how many subjects he had.  King Herod and his cronies were consolidating their rule and marginalizing their enemies. 

            The promised child was not born in a royal palace or in a sacred temple.  He was born in a stable in a tiny village south of Jerusalem.  His birth was not proclaimed by royal decree.  It was announced by angels to shepherds.  When we see this scene acted out in Christmas pageants, we see the shepherds as quaint and innocent people dressed in colorful bathrobes with towels wrapped around their heads.  However, the truth about shepherds is not that romantic.  They lived on the fringes of society.  Without a permanent residence, they moved with their flocks to find green pastures for grazing and sources of water.  The local people did not trust them.  When I was pastor at Saint Paul of the Cross in Columbia City, the parishioners helped me understand the actual status of shepherds.  Every summer, the city closed down the main street for a weeklong celebration.  Carnival workers swarmed into town, turning the main street into a carnival with rides and all kinds of attractions.  During the year, no one in Columbia City ever locked their doors.  I did not lock the doors of the rectory, because people would open the back door and put wonderful produce on top of the washing machine.  But everyone locked their doors during Old Settlers Days, because the carnies were in town, and no one trusted them.

            It was to this group of shifty characters that the birth of the Messiah was announced.  They responded and found the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, the feed trough for cattle.  This encounter profoundly affected them, causing them to leave glorifying and praising God.  What they experienced changed their lives.  We have no idea how long this change lasted.  I may sound cynical.  But I wonder if this transformation quickly wore off, and they returned to their devious ways as quickly as our Christmas trees are thrown on the curb. 

            We gather for Christmas not just to remember what happened a long time ago.  We gather today, because the Mystery of God dwelling in our midst is a present reality.  His birth was just announced to us in the Word of God proclaimed here.  We encounter the Lord in the Eucharist, remembering that Bethlehem means “House of Bread.”  We are like the shepherds in the sense that we can be shifty and devious at times.  We are not always faithful.  We are not worthy of so great a gift.  And yet, we encounter him just as the shepherds did and are drawn into the Mystery of God taking on human flesh.

            We have no idea whether or not the shepherds’ lives remained transformed.  Instead, it is now up to us.  We leave this church glorifying and praising God like they did.  We go back into a world filled with darkness – wars, terrorist attacks, bitter divisions in our country and Church and families, natural disasters, human tragedies, and the reality of death.  God has taken on our human nature, so that we can be transformed into God’s divinity.  Once we believe this message, then we can more readily see the signs of God’s love and goodness in a broken world.  Then we can become instruments of that transforming love ourselves and live the Christmas mystery long after our Christmas trees have hit the curb!

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

16 DECEMBER 2018

          At a very basic level, today’s Gospel presents us with a heart-warming scene.  An elderly woman and a young woman have conceived children in unusual circumstances.  The young woman goes in haste on a difficult journey from the backwater village of Nazareth to the hill country north of Jerusalem. When the young mother arrives at the home of the older mother, they embrace and give one another support.  Over the centuries, artists have portrayed this intimate meeting in beautiful ways.  At Saint Pius, we offer the “Elizabeth Ministry” to offer support and help to mothers who are experiencing any difficulty with childbirth.

            At a deeper level, the four characters have much to teach us about faith.  Elizabeth reminds us of the promise made the King David centuries before.  God had promised David that a savior would eventually come from his lineage.  Discouraged by years of not being able to bear a child, Elizabeth realizes that only God can bring new life.  Mary represents God’s amazing grace in doing something completely new.  Within the womb of Mary dwells the child conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit and who fulfills the promise made to David in ways no one could ever have expected.  As King David had danced with joy in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant being carried into Jerusalem, so John the Baptist dances in his mother’s womb in the presence of Mary, the new Ark of the Covenant carrying the eternal Word of God in her womb.

            The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that Christmas is much more than having warm and sentimental feelings about a newborn baby.  The Letter gives us an insight into the divine conversation between the Father and the Son about the nature of sacrifice.  Throughout the Old Testament, human beings initiated ritual sacrifices that attempted to bridge the gap between the holiness of God and the sinfulness of human beings.  People would bring something very valuable to the Temple – a newly born lamb, or a calf, or the first grains at harvest.  They would present them to the priest, who would destroy the gift and burn it.  The believer would then pray that this external offering would represent an internal desire to be in union with God.  The Father points out that he does not want all those sacrifices, initiated by humans.  The Father is not a bloodthirsty tyrant who seeks repayment for sin.  Rather, the Father initiates reconciliation by giving what is most valuable to him:  his only begotten Son.  The Son responds that the Father has prepared a body for him, so that he can do the Father’s will to become the scapegoat that takes upon himself the sins of the world. 

            We celebrate the Mystery of the Incarnation at Christmas, because the Incarnation is the first step toward the other Mystery of the death and resurrection of the Lord later in his life.  The adult John the Baptist will dance again and point to him as the Lamb of God.   Jesus, one with the Father, identifies with the vulnerable and, quite literally, takes on the role of the scapegoat to turn the social shaming system of scapegoating upside down.  As the Lamb of God, he will be sacrificed to accomplish what all previous sacrifices could not accomplish:  union with God.  Both Elizabeth and Mary invite us to trust in God’s plan. They are true disciples.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth recognizes the Lord and tells Mary how blessed she is to carry that child.  Mary, in turn, models for us what we do at every Mass.  She has listened carefully to the Word of God.  She gives praise and thanks for what God has done for her.  She responds in faith to the Word of God and goes in haste to be of humble service.  Imitating the examples of these two incredible women and asking their intercession, we prepare ourselves to renew our faith that God took on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ and dwells among us.

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

16 DECEMBER 2018

          Zephaniah was not a prophet who looked at the world with rose colored glasses.  In his short book, Zephaniah clearly saw the pain and suffering caused when his people turned away from their Covenant with God.  He wrote vividly of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians as the consequence of the sins of his people.  Yet, today Zephaniah tells Mount Zion (on which is built the Temple) and Jerusalem to be glad and exult.  Despite the pain and suffering endured by his people, destruction and desolation are not the last words.  God has forgiven their sins.  God is in their midst, and God will bring them victory.

            There is no doubt that Saint Paul was familiar with the writings of the Prophet Zephaniah.  He too had known the consequences of his sins.  He had been guilty of murdering the earliest followers of Jesus of Nazareth.  As he writes to the Philippians from the darkness of his prison cell, he too knows desolation.  He has come to believe that the prophecy of Zephaniah had been fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.  The body of Jesus had been destroyed on the cross and sown into the grave.  But Paul has come to believe that this crucified Messiah had been raised from the dead and sits at the right hand of the Father.  For that reason, he tells the Philippians to rejoice, because he is convinced that the risen Lord is near.

            That is why we wear rose vestments and light the rose candle today.  Our waiting to celebrate the first coming of the Lord is almost over.  Christmas is just over a week away.  Our waiting for the second coming of the Lord is not over.  We continue to wait for that coming at the end of time and at the end of our lives.  No matter what difficulties we may be facing, the Lord is near and is in our midst, even in the darkest moments of our lives.

            Calling to mind the second coming of the Lord during this Advent Season might cause us to be fearful, because we know neither the day nor the hour of the Lord’s coming to us.  For that reason, the words of Saint John the Baptist are so important.  He is the voice crying out in the wilderness to tell his contemporaries that the Messiah is coming.  His urgent message to them is to repent, to change their lives, so that they can receive him.

            In responding to his call to repentance, the crowds ask questions.  They ask what they should do.  He responds to most of them by telling them to share more generously with those who have nothing.  He responds to the tax collectors by telling them to stop cheating people and collect only what is prescribed.  He responds to the soldiers by telling them to stop bullying people and be satisfied with their salaries.   

            To us, waiting for the second coming of the Lord, he gives the same message.  He also gives us a way to repentance.  The risen Lord is truly present in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and is waiting for us to turn more completely to him now.  Our Advent Penance Service is scheduled for Tuesday evening at 7:00, with seventeen priests available for individual confession of sins and absolution.  I recommend this communal option, because there is strength in numbers.  Besides, you will never see some of these priests again on the side of the second coming.  Later in the week, we will offer many other times for individuals to receive the Sacrament.  In either case, we offer a valuable tool:  a written examination of conscience.  It is sometimes tempting to approach the Sacrament with the attitude that there is no sin in my life.  The examination proposes objective questions to consider in our lives of faith.  Reviewing this examination provides specific ways in which we need to cooperate with the Lord’s grace and make necessary changes to meet the Lord when he comes.  Through the Sacrament, the Lord gives us his mercy, which is a cause for rejoicing always!

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

9 DECEMBER 2018

          Saint Luke has a keen sense of history.  He writes his Gospel to distinguish the period of Jesus Christ from the period of Israel, God’s chosen people.  He writes the Acts of the Apostles to tell about the history of the Church, begun with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  We see his keen sense of history in today’s Gospel, when he cites the timing of this event in the fifteenth year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar.  The seven leaders are the superstars of his day.  The Roman emperor rules with an iron fist, and all citizens understand the consequences if they try to escape his fist.  Pontius Pilate is in charge of the Roman Empire in Galilee, while Herod is in charge of Galilee.  His brother Philip is the wealthy and corrupt leader of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias is enjoying his fame in Abilene.  Annas and Caiaphas are the powerful members of the priestly class who manage the Temple in Jerusalem.  Beginning with the most prominent and ending with the least, he uses the number 7 to say that the time has been fulfilled.

            But the Word of God does not come to these movers and shakers.  The Word of God comes to a strange son of an insignificant priest who takes his turn serving in the Temple.  The Word of God does not come into magnificent palaces.  The Word of God comes in the desert, that barren wasteland where there are few distractions and where everyone can roam freely without being stopped by guards at private palaces.  Having received the Word of God, John does not tell people to trust in the ability of their leaders to make their lives easier.  Instead, he invites them to step into the waters of the Jordan River and repent.  He invites them level the mountains of pride and arrogance and materialism.  He invites them to fill in the age old depths and gorges where there has been a shortage of justice and obedience to God.  He demands a complete change of heart, because the Messiah is coming.

            That same Word of God comes to us today.  Like the crowds who came to listen to John, we have stepped away from the sights and sounds of the “Holiday Season” to enter the barren desert of Advent.  John reminds us that the Lord is coming again – at the end of time and at the end of our lives.  He warns us to be prepared for that coming, because we do not know when it will happen.  Instead of trusting that the promises of the superstars of our day will save us, and instead of embracing the lifestyles of the rich and famous, he calls us to become more intentional members of the Kingdom of God, which is in our midst.  Wealth and status do not determine our worth.  Our worth is determined by our relationship with Christ.     

            John calls us to examine the priorities in our lives to make a path for the Lord’s coming.  We need to level the mountains in our lives.  Mountains can take the shape of accumulating possessions, or building up our good names, or putting obstacles to those who have offended us.  Valleys also need to be filled in.  Valleys can take the form of not putting aside enough time for personal prayer or failing to do the works of mercy or creating divides for enemies. 

            The best way to level mountains and fill in valleys is to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  A good examination of conscience reveals those mountains that need to be leveled and those valleys that need to be filled in.  To quote the Prophet Baruch, all of us have allowed ourselves to be carried away from Christ by embracing the enemies of sinful bad choices.  The Lord’s mercy carries us back, carried aloft in glory as on royal thrones.   G.K. Chesterton noted that humanity has been slowly drifting away from God.  When that happens, we find nothing but “cures that don’t cure, blessings that don’t bless, and solutions that do not solve.”  John the Baptist points to the One who does cure, the One who does bless, and the One who offers the ultimate solution.  He calls us to level the way for his coming.

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

2 DECEMBER 2018

          At Thanksgiving, I spent time with my family in downstate Illinois.  My nephew, Adam, was there with his wife and two children.  Declan is three years old, and Zoey is five.  Lately, Zoey has been interested in the family weddings she had attended.  So, she asked, “Uncle Bill, will you do my wedding when I grow up?”  Before I could reply, her father blurted out, “no, Zoey, he will be dead by that time!”       

            After my initial shock at his blunt response, I had to laugh! To be honest, this is what the Season of Advent tries to teach us.  We think of Advent as a time of preparation for Christmas.  And that is true, because we prepare to celebrate Christ’s first coming.  But, Advent also teaches us how to prepare for Christ’s coming, not only at the end of time, but also at the end of our mortal lives.  That is why darkness is so much a part of Advent.  For us, this is the darkest time of the year, with the permanent clouds of lake effect snow making it worse.  We don’t have to look far to encounter the other kind of darkness:  the darkness of natural disasters, the darkness of a country and Church sharply divided, the darkness of pain in our families, and the darkness that comes from our disturbing habit of continuing to sin with our bad choices.

            Advent is in conflict with our culture’s “holiday season,” which is in full swing by now.  The holiday season tries to distract us with lights and sounds and parties.  Today’s Gospel sets the tone for Advent, because Jesus invites us to face the darkness when he returns again at the end of time.   Jesus uses the image of the sun, the moon, and the stars as a metaphor.  Ancient mariners and travelers used the sun, the moon, and the stars as fixed points of navigation.  They depended on these heavenly bodies to find their way.  When the end comes either in our individual lives or at the end of the world, we can no longer use our accustomed fixed points to navigate our way.  They are gone.

            Advent is not intended to make us morbid, fearful, or paranoid.  Advent focuses on the darkness of our world and the darkness of our lives from the perspective of hope.  The prophet Jeremiah expresses hope to a people devastated by the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.  He assures them that God will be faithful to the promise made to King David and will return his people to their homeland.  Jesus gives hope when he tells us to stand erect and raise our heads.

            We can stand erect and raise our heads, because we are disciples of Jesus Christ.  If we are authentic disciples, then Jesus has become our fixed point.  As he becomes our fixed point for navigating our lives, then the other fixed points of our lives must be adjusted.  Making enough money to raise a family and live a comfortable life is not a bad thing.  Nor is the desire to be well liked or have a good repetition inherently bad.  However, these fixed points must give way to the fixed point of Jesus Christ in our lives to allow us to stand erect and raise our heads.

            No amount of darkness can rob us of our relationship with Jesus Christ as the fixed point in our lives.  Advent challenges us to make adjustments, if other interests or attachments have replaced Jesus Christ as fixed points.  The darkness of Advent reminds us that we have time to change and turn more completely to Christ.  The distractions of the “Holiday Season” make those changes more difficult.  Facing darkness squarely with courage and with hope provides space to make those changes.  Having dwelt in darkness for four weeks, the bright light of Christmas when we celebrate the First Coming of the Lord in the flesh will make more sense and provide incredible joy.  I may be in a wheel chair when Zoey gets marrieds.  My nephew may be right.  Either way, I’m here now, trying, like you, to make Jesus Christ the fixed point of my life, waiting in joyful hope for the coming of our God.

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE

25 NOVEMBER 2018

          When Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the crowds welcomed him with great joy, waved palm branches, laid their cloaks on the ground, and hailed him as king of Israel.  In giving him that title, they expressed their belief that he was the Messiah promised to Israel.  They had remembered the victories won by King David, when he defeated their enemies and established Jerusalem as the city of peace.  In calling Jesus the king of Israel, they voiced their hopes that this son of David would save them from the Romans, the current foreign occupiers of the land given originally to Abraham. 

            A few days later, Jesus stands before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.  Pilate does not ask him if he is king of Israel. Instead, he asks him if he is king of the Jews.  He asks this question, because Jesus had threatened the religious authorities with his preaching, teaching, and miracles.  So, they bring him to Pilate and accuse him of trying to become a king to challenge the authority of Caesar, and his puppet King Herod.  Pilate has no understanding of the religious questions of the people he is oppressing in Caesar’s name.  All he cares about is keeping them from rebelling. Jesus becomes a threat, if he truly wants to be the king of the Jews.  

Jesus does not answer Pilate’s question.  However, their conversation reveals that Jesus Christ and Pontius Pilate inhabit very different kingdoms.  Pilate’s kingdom revolves around power, prestige, and wealth.  Pilate is interested in keeping this portion of the Roman Empire under Caesar’s control.  He is willing to use any means, including military force and execution, to maintain the status quo.  He is even willing to ignore the truth that this Galilean peasant is innocent of the charges brought against him.

            The kingdom of Jesus Christ revolves around love.  He knows the truth that this governor stands before the Son of God who was present at the creation of the world.  With true humility, he has emptied himself of the privileges of divinity and has spent the last three years revealing the truth about his nature.  His mission is not to defeat the power of the Romans at that time in history, but to defeat the power of the evil one for all ages.

Because of his cowardice and fear, Pontius Pilate condemns Jesus to die a painful death on the cross.  He mocks Jesus by placing above his cross the Latin words:  Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews.  Saint Catherine of Siena points out that as King, Jesus behaves like a true knight who perseveres in battle until his enemies are defeated.  His breastplate is made of Mary’s flesh that will bear the blows to make up for our wickedness.  The helmet on his head becomes the painful crown of thorns, driven into his brain.  The sword at his side will be the wound caused by the soldier’s lance, revealing the incredible love that he has for us.  The gloves on his hands and the spurs on his feet will be the scarlet wounds of his blood poured out for us.

Today is the last Sunday of this Liturgical Year.  Throughout this year we have reflected on the incredible love that the Word made flesh expressed by his miracles, the truth that he preached with his mouth, and the compassion and mercy shown to the suffering.  Now he will give himself totally out of love on the cross.  From his wounded side will flow the water of baptism and the blood representing the Eucharist.  Through baptism, we have become his Body, the Church.  Raised from the dead, he has fed us with the Eucharist.  Today, he stands before us and challenges us to make a choice.  As we begin another Liturgical Year next Sunday, which kingdom will we choose?  Will we choose the kingdom of Pontius Pilate and pursue privilege, wealth, power, and control?  Or will we choose the kingdom of Jesus Christ to live our baptismal promises to die to ourselves and trust that we will rise with Christ when he comes again in glory? 

THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

18 NOVEMBER 2018

          Those who have children know their questions when they travel with the family by car.  It is the same question I asked my Dad when he drove the family to holidays at his parents’ home in Lebanon, Indiana:  “when we will get there?”  My Dad’s stock answer was always:  “it is just around the corner.”  When he retired and joined my brother’s family and me on a hiking trip, I got even with him.  He wanted to get to the end of the hike.  Hearing the same response from me, he was not amused!  Today, parents can use their GPS devices to give accurate information.  Since little children do not understand those terms, parents still say: “It is just around the corner.”

            In a sense, this is the response Jesus gives to his disciples.  He has already told them that the magnificent temple, which had been under restoration for 40 years, would be destroyed.  He is trying to prepare them for his own death, when the sun will be darkened.  He tells them that the world as we know it will pass away, and that he will come again in glory to gather his elect to himself.  Like children in their parents’ car, they want to know when these things will happen.  Because he himself does not know that time, and because his disciples cannot understand God’s time, he uses the same kind of apocalyptic language used in the Book of Daniel to say, “It is just around the corner.”

            Throughout this month of November, we have been praying for those whom God has harvested through death.  With the Solemnity of Christ the King next Sunday, we will come to the end this liturgical year.  So, naturally, with our prayers for our deceased loved ones and our focus on the end, we ask when the world as we know it will end.  Jesus gives the same response to us that he gave to his first disciples: “It is just around the corner.”

            He speaks this truth to us, not to make us anxious or to cause us to be consumed with worry about death.  He speaks this truth to reinforce our faith.  As the Letter to the Hebrews tells us, Jesus Christ has already made the perfect sacrifice on the cross to defeat the power of the enemy.  He has been raised from the dead and has ascended to the right hand of the Father.  We live in that time between his victory and his return in glory. 

            But, the enemy, the devil continues to prowl about the world seeking the ruin of our souls.  We live in this in-between time, when we are stretched between Christ’s victory and his return in glory.  The forces of sin and evil are very much in evidence, and we experience them in our own lives and in the images of war and terror from around the world.  Last year, I traveled with Margaret and Joseph Derbiszewski to Poland, where we visited the Nazi concentration and extermination camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau.  It was a stark and powerful reminder of the existence of sin and evil in our world.  But as moving as it was, we went to lunch afterward.  We did not smell the horrible smells or see the horrific sights of the camps when they were in operation.  The visit caused me to see the importance of confronting my own sins and the damage we do by the sinful choices we make that affect ourselves and others.

            In this in-between time, God remains in charge.  Knowing that our lives and the life of the world will come to an end, we can take great hope in the Lord’s presence, not only in the sacramental life of the Church, but also in our daily efforts to die to ourselves and turn more completely to Christ.  The Scriptures remind us of our mortality not to oppress us and make us fearful, but to encourage us to hope.  The Letter to the Hebrews makes one final point.  Having won the victory with his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus now is seated at the right hand of God and waits until his enemies are made his footstool.  That will happen when the Lord comes again.  For now, God is the parent driving the car.  Our destination is just around the corner. 

THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

11 NOVEMBER 2018

          Widows in the Ancient Near East lived at the bottom of society.  Without any social safety net in a world where men earned their living, widows were extremely vulnerable.  This would have been especially true of the widow of Zarephath in the first reading.  Her situation was even worse, because she lived in an area where there had been a severe drought for years.

            Into her life walks Elijah.  The widow would regard him as the enemy.  He was the one who announced the drought as a punishment for the sins of King Ahab and his wife Jezebel.  Yet, the widow still offers him hospitality – a small cupful of water.  Amazingly, she trusts his word that his God would provide for her and her son when she makes a small cake out of the little oil and water that she has left.  She puts herself into the flow of God’s giving by giving the little she has.  God rewards her trust by providing food for her and her son for an entire year.

            Centuries later, Jesus encounters another widow in the Temple.  Like the widow of Zarephath, she too is at the bottom.  Jesus criticizes the learned theologians who are at the top.  They enjoy the benefits of their positions:  their long robes, their seats of honor in synagogues, and the best places at banquets.  They are the ones who serve as trustees for impoverished widows, keeping too much from their meager resources in payment for their services.  In sharp contrast, Jesus points out the poor widow who puts two small coins into the Temple treasury.  Unlike the large coins that would have made a lot of noise going down the trumpet shaped containers, her small coins would not have been noticed.  But Jesus notices her.  She gives of her substance, trusting the God will give back more than she could have given herself.

            These two widows have much to teach us as we advance in the spiritual life.  When we become too comfortable and accustomed to relying on our own resources, we tend to fill our lives with more stuff.  Those who have gone through twelve step programs know this truth.  It is only when they have hit rock bottom that they can begin to trust that God will provide what they need to confront their addictions.  Those who adopt the attitude of the widows can actually grow in trusting that God will provide.  That is why so many in our parish have embraced stewardship as a way of life.  Stewardship teaches the lessons that the widows already knew – that God gives back more than we give.  Good stewards set aside a first and generous time for personal prayer, especially the hour at Mass on Sunday when we give thanks to God for all God has given.  Good stewards set aside a first portion of their busy schedule to give time in humble service.  Good stewards sacrifice a first portion of their treasure, instead of tossing in whatever is left over.

            Jesus notices this widow in the Temple just days before he is stripped of everything and gives his life completely for us on the cross.  The widow points to what he will do.  He will contribute all that he has for our salvation.  His trust in the Father will be returned when he will be raised from the dead and share that resurrection with those who die with him.

            It takes a lot of courage to take those first steps in embracing stewardship as a way of life, because we fear that we will not have enough.  But those who have taken that first step begin to experience the reality that they receive much more back than they ever give.  As we pray for the courage to embrace the faith of those two widows, we also pray for our bishops, who will meet this week to confront the damage done by certain religious leaders of our time have used their positions to enrich themselves to the detriment of Christ’s Body, the Church.  We pray that they will have the courage to listen carefully to the promptings of the Holy Spirit to introduce reforms to the Church and healing to those who have been harmed.  Our prayer is based on the experience of the widows that God will always give back more than we can ever offer.

THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

4 NOVEMBER 2018

          When the scribe asks Jesus about which is the greatest of the commandments, the question is much more difficult and complicated than we might think.  At the time, there were 614 Commandments just in the first five books of the Bible – the Torah.  And for each of these commands, scribes and teachers would develop ways to interpret each of the commandments.  For example, there were 39 different categories of work that must be avoided just on the third commandment to observe the Lord’s Day!  Despite these well intentioned efforts to help people follow the law, law-abiding Jews were crushed under the burden of laws and interpretations.

            Jesus responds by quoting from the Book of Deuteronomy:  you shall love the Lord your God with every fiber of your being.  This commandment is at the heart of both the Old and New Testaments.  If we love God, then God will come before anything else we might hope for:  power, wealth, success, security, comfort, prosperity, control, or prestige.  Then he quotes a second passage from the Book of Leviticus:  you shall love your neighbor as yourself.  Jesus so radically combines these two commandments that they cannot be separated.  We cannot love our neighbor if we do not love God.  We cannot love God if we do not love our neighbor.

            This love has little to do with emotions or warm feelings.  Jesus has already shown the depth of God’s love by taking on human flesh and identifying with us in every way except sin, as the Letter to the Hebrews insists.  In just a few days after this exchange with the scribe, he will demonstrate his love for neighbor by offering himself as a sacrifice on the cross.  This love has no limits, and this love cannot be defined by rules or laws.  We live the Great Commandment when we imitate the love of Jesus Christ – placing God above every other reality and giving ourselves in humble service to others.

            The Gospels also make it clear that Jesus defines the word “neighbor” in a much wider context than would the scribe.  A neighbor is not just someone in my clan or class or tribe or race.  A neighbor (as we learn from the parable of the Good Samaritan) is anyone we encounter who is in need.  We show our love in many diverse and challenging ways.

            That is why the Diocesan Office of the Propagation of the Faith assigns a mission preacher to each parish every year.  That office connects one mission from a struggling area to a parish in our Diocese, giving us a chance to share our resources with our neighbors.  Most mission speakers stand up here to present the needs of their missions.  This year, the office has allowed us to respond to the needs of someone we know very well.  Father Larry Kanyike has been to Saint Pius often to present the needs of his people.  Through our response, he has been able to build a health clinic, a new church, and most recently a new school.  Now he is asking for our help in furnishing a convent to house the sisters who teach in his school.  He emailed me last week, saying that the Archbishop of Kampala is celebrating Mass in his parish this Sunday to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the founding of his parish.  Remembering his hour-long homily at the dedication of the new church, I wonder how long he is talking today!

            The mission preachers in the past have asked us to trust their word about their needs.  I have been to Father Larry’s parish and have seen their needs myself.  Since his “day job” keeps him at his parish this weekend, I am asking for your help in his name.  The image of Saint Charles Lwanga, one of the Ugandan martyrs on our triumphant arch underscores our connection with Father Larry and his parish.  You will find pictures of the church and the school in today’s bulletin.  You can place your donation in one of the envelopes in the pew.  I can assure you that Father Larry puts our gifts at the service of his people, who are most grateful for our help.

THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

28 OCTOBER 2018

          For the past few Sundays in the Gospel of Saint Mark, Jesus has been walking with his disciples on the way to Jerusalem.  On the way, he has called people to follow him.  One young man responded with enthusiasm and asked what he needed to do to belong to the Kingdom.  Jesus looked at him with love.  But, when Jesus told him to give away all his wealth, the young man went away sad.  He could not see the benefits of giving his wealth away and trusting the spiritual riches open to him through Jesus Christ.   

            Those disciples who had left everything continued to follow Jesus. On the way, he has been teaching them that the promised Messiah would not be a conquering hero bringing great honor and prestige and power.  Instead, he is the Suffering Servant promised by the Prophet Isaiah.  Once they reach Jerusalem, he would be rejected, betrayed, and crucified like a criminal.  The disciples could not hear this message.  In fact, James and John displayed their blind ambition by asking him to sit on his right and left in the Kingdom     

            Today, Jesus and his disciples reach Jericho to begin their ascent to the Holy City of Jerusalem.  As they leave town, a blind beggar starts yelling.  He has obviously heard of Jesus, because he calls him the son of David, a title indicating his true nature.   He asks for mercy, much as we asked the Lord for mercy at the beginning of Mass.  Just as the disciples had tried to silence the children who were drawn to Jesus, they try to silence Bartimaeus.  Just as Jesus had called the children and used them as examples of how to trust, he calls Bartimaeus and asks what he wants.  Unlike James and John, Bartimaeus does not want power and prestige and honor.  He just wants to see.  Unlike the wealthy young man, he trusts so much in the Son of David that he leaves his only possession, the cloak which kept him warm at night, to run toward Jesus.  Bartimaeus becomes a true disciple and follows Jesus on the way to Jerusalem.

            Bartimaeus has much to teach us about being intentional disciples of Jesus Christ.  We may not be physically blind, but we all have plenty of blind spots.  The divisions in our Church and our country can close our eyes to the person of Jesus Christ in the pain of other people, in those most vulnerable members of our society, or even in those who drive us crazy.  We may not be in the 1% of the nation’s wealthy people, but we tend to cling tightly to our possessions and status.  Bartimaeus teaches us to acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves.  We need to cry out to the Son of David for mercy.  He teaches us that we can see more clearly with the eyes of faith.  He teaches us to let go of what we think will save and protect us and follow him on the way.

            At the 10:00 Mass this morning, we celebrate the Rite of Acceptance for a number of people who have never been baptized and the Rite of Welcome for those who have been baptized in another Christian community and want to be in full communion with the Catholic Church.  Each person has heard the Lord Jesus calling them.  Each of them have let go of their free time on Tuesday evenings to join us for prayer, catechesis, and formation.  Today, they take the first formal step toward encountering Jesus Christ in the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil.  We pray for them, support them, and join them in learning the lessons of Bartimaeus.  He followed Jesus to the cross and experienced the resurrection.  Together with our Catechumens and Candidates for Full Communion, we continue to walk the way of discipleship through our crosses to share in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

21 OCTOBER 2018

          James and John enjoy a privileged position among the Apostles.  Jesus has taken them aside many times at critical times in his ministry, along with Peter.  They had been with Peter when Jesus had been transformed on Mount Tabor.  They had enjoyed a glimpse of his true nature and future glory.  They already know that Jesus has given Peter a position of primacy in the Church to be established.  So, it is completely understandable that they would approach Jesus and ask for places of power and honor and prestige when Jesus comes into his glory.  They are following their natural instincts.

            However, their timing is horrible.  On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus has been teaching them that as Messiah, he is the suffering servant of Isaiah.  When Isaiah said that God was pleased to crush his servant in infirmity, he was not talking about a blood thirsty tyrant who can only be appeased by suffering.  The suffering servant willingly takes the place of a guilty Israel to suffer the consequences of their sinfulness in a redemptive way.  As the promised suffering servant, Jesus would take upon himself all the effects of human sin, hatred, rejection, and betrayal.  For the third time, Jesus clearly tells his apostles that their journey on the road to Jerusalem will result in his sacrificial death on a cross.  He will drink the cup that represents the Father’s will for him in his mission of salvation.  He will pay the ransom for the consequences which humankind deserves for our embrace of sin.

            James and John have not been listening to his words.  Instead of yelling at them for not paying attention, he asks if they can drink of that cup.  They glibly say that they can.  But Jesus knows that they have no idea of what they are talking about.  In time, they will understand that the crucified Lord is surrounded by two thieves on as he dies on the cross on Mount Calvary. He gives himself as a humble servant.   After the resurrection, they too will understand that their privileged leadership in the Christian community will involve humble service, and not power and honor and prestige.  In being humble servants, they will eventually drink of that same cup and show the world a different style of leadership.  They too will share in the redemptive suffering of the one who has taken upon himself the sins of the world.

            If we study the history of our Church over the past 2,000 years, we can see many examples of privileged leaders who have understood their roles as humble servants.  When leaders have shared in the redemptive suffering of Jesus Christ, the Church has flourished.  But, when privileged leaders have repeated the mistake of James and John and have put their desires for power and honor and prestige ahead of the needs of the faithful, the Church has suffered.  We are living in such a time now.  We see the incredible damage done when certain priests and bishops have put their own pleasure and interests ahead of the people they should have been serving as humble servants.  They have done great damage to the Body of Christ.

            Jesus speaks directly to us who have the privileged position of being leaders.  He reminds us that we are called to be humble servants, putting the needs of the people ahead of our own desires and needs for recognition.  He reminds all of us who have become his disciples to imitate his example and trust in his redemptive suffering to triumph over the power of sin and death. 

            Bishop Rhoades has asked us to pray the Prayer of Saint Michael the Archangel at the end of all Masses.  The enemies of the Church are having a field day over our current situation.  We will ask for the intercession of Saint Michael the Archangel to aid us in our battle with Satan.  In praying this prayer, we will also express our trust that the Lord’s redemptive suffering will guide us out of this time and triumph over the powers of hell.

TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

14 OCTOBER 2018

          The young man in today’s Gospel was definitely attracted to Jesus.  He did not stroll up to greet him.  He ran and knelt before him.  He has listened to Jesus proclaiming the Kingdom of God and wants to be part of it.  He even calls Jesus good, recognizing his share in the goodness of God.  The young man is sincere in following a moral life.  The commandments were part of his daily life.  But, he also senses that something is lacking.  Jesus looks at him with love and tells him that is one thing getting into his way, preventing him from becoming an intentional disciple:  his wealth.  This young walks away with great sadness, because he cannot bring himself to remove the many possessions keeping him from the Kingdom of God.

            The disciples of Jesus had already left everything to follow him.  Yet, they are also amazed at his words.  In their culture, wealth was seen as a positive sign of God’s favor.  Peter speaks for the rest when he reminds Jesus that they had already given up everything to follow him.  Jesus points out that giving everything away opened them to the richness of God’s gifts in ways that they could never imagine.  It will not be until after his resurrection that they would understand what Jesus is promising.  By proclaiming the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, these intentional disciples would attract many more people willing to embrace the kingdom of God in their midst.  Even more, they would be part of an eternal kingdom without end.

            We are like this young man, because we too have approached the Lord Jesus in his real presence at this Mass.  We are also doing our best to keep the commandments.  When we fail, we have access to the Lord’s mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  We who are blessed with many possessions want to be part of the Kingdom of God.  We also want eternal life.

            The Lord looks at us with love, just as he looked at the young man with love.  Without judgment and with love, he speaks the same word to us.  He wants us to take the next step in becoming more intentional disciples and invites us to remove whatever is holding us back from becoming more intentional disciples.  Could it be that we pray only at Mass on Sunday, without setting aside time during the week with our family?  Could it be that we cannot find time in our busy schedules to give ourselves in humble service?  Could it be that we cling so tightly to our possessions that we cannot see the need to share a portion of them with others? 

            Each of us must answer these questions in our own unique way.  Over the years, I have found the message of stewardship to be a structured way of becoming a more intentional disciple.  If we regard stewardship as a way of life, and not just a fund raiser, we can understand the importance of setting aside time during the week for prayer, becoming more aware that everything is a gift from God.  We can take another look at our busy schedules and carve out time for humble service.  We offer many opportunities to share, not just within the context of our parish, but also to serve the needs of those who do not have the blessings that we have.  We can take another look at our possessions and realize that we can set aside a first and generous portion to give back in gratitude.  As a parish, we set aside a first 8 ½ % of our income to support our sister parish of Saint Adalbert and those who come to us in need.  Our new church is a testament to those who have been willing to make financial sacrifices for the good of the community.

            When Jesus challenges us in these ways, we can see the truth of the Letter to the Hebrews.  God’s word is living and effective.  It cuts through us like a two-edged sword.  Don’t be afraid of that sword cutting through us today.  Jesus Christ loves us and wants us to become more intentional disciples.  He will keep his promise and give back more to us than we can ever give ourselves in terms of prayer, service, and sacrificial giving.

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

7 OCTOBER 2018

          When the Pharisees ask Jesus their question about divorce, they already know the answer.  The Law of Moses allowed a husband to divorce his wife.  They are trying to trap Jesus into taking sides on the issue of what constitutes the reason for the divorce.  Those who interpreted the law strictly argued that infidelity would be the only reason.  Those who interpreted the law loosely argued that any reason would suffice.  A husband could divorce his wife if he did not like her cooking.  Filing for divorce was the husband’s right.  The wife had absolutely no rights.

            Jesus knows the hardness of their hearts and that they are trying to justify their actions by appealing to the law.  He appeals to God’s original plan in Genesis.  God created us in his image.  God made us male and female.  God intended the union of husband and wife to be a relationship that can only be broken by death.  Pictured as the first of the mosaics in the main aisle of our church, this covenant of marriage reflects God’s unconditional love for us. 

            When the disciples find themselves alone with Jesus in the house, they also question him about his teaching.  They find it difficult.  He rebukes them and invites the children to come to him.  Children have a way of being vulnerable and putting their trust in those who love them.  We see this type of trust when we offer Penance Services in Advent and Lent to our children.  They come rushing to the priests who are seated for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  They display a trust in the Lord who will forgive them.  Those who enter the permanent covenant of marriage can have the same trust that the Lord will give them the strength to die to themselves so that they can rise with the Lord and their spouse and children.

            We find this teaching as difficult today as the first disciples of Jesus did.  In fact, this Gospel is the basis for the Church’s teaching on the indissolubility of marriage.  We believe that once a couple has entered into a valid bond of marriage, only death can end that bond, and not a legal decree of divorce.  Unfortunately, divorce is part of the fabric of our culture, as it was at the time of Jesus.  Every one of us has been touched by divorce, in one way or another.

            At Saint Pius, we work to help parishioners to uphold this difficult teaching.  Our parish team works with couples preparing for marriage.  We have developed programs to assist married couples.  We have offered “date night” for married couples, giving them a chance to join other couples in reflecting on the Lord’s presence in their marriage.  Lou and Lori Giovannini are currently offering their seminar, Married in Christ.  We provide resources for those in troubled marriages, giving recommendations for professional therapists who believe in marriage.  We offer the services of the Marriage Tribunal to those who have experienced the scourge of divorce.  Going through the Marriage Tribunal is challenging.  It asks the question whether the marriage under study truly had everything needed to be considered a valid bond of marriage that can only be ended by death.  We offer a special ministry to those going through the process.

            Jesus’ teaching on marriage is indeed difficult.  Those of you who have made that permanent commitment know the crosses that you must carry to continue to live that Sacrament.  But you also need to know the graces that come from your sacrifices.  The month of October is dedicated to our conviction that we are made in God’s image and that we must safeguard the right to life from conception through natural death.  Please visit our website and the display in the Parish Life Center for ways to be involved.  But also know that if you are struggling to live the Sacrament of Marriage, you are already involved as you trust in the Lord’s presence in your marriage, as children trust those who love them.

TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

23 SEPTEMBER 2018

          When Jesus takes a child into his arms, he tells his disciples that whoever welcomes this child welcomes him.  Tragically, we have heard too many horrific reports of priests who have done great harm to children, and by extension, to Christ and to his Church.  If you are outraged, scandalized, ashamed, and confused, please know that you are not alone.  Bishop Rhoades, Father Eric, I, and our staff share these feelings. 

            However, we also need to remember that the holiness of the Church relies not on the leaders of the Church, but on the total self-giving love of Jesus Christ.  That is what he says to his disciples and us today.  He invites us to respond to his total gift of selfless love by imitating him and dying to ourselves.  As we rely on his total gift of selfless-love, it is important that we express our feelings.  We also need to look to the future and trust that Christ will heal his Church as she is now being purified.  Trust is hard, because trust has been lost.

            Saint James says that conflicts arise when our passions are disordered.  While we need to express our passionate feelings, we have to be careful not to allow our anger and fear to do any further harm to the Body of Christ.  We need to remember that under the leadership of both Bishops D’Arcy and Rhoades, successful reforms have been put in place to ensure the safety of our children.  As time goes on, we will find ways of dealing with this situation.  But, they must be positive ways that bring about healing and renewal. 

In just a moment, Bishop Rhoades will explain the good work done in our Diocese through the Annual Bishop’s Appeal.  Please listen with an open heart and prayerfully consider what is being asked of us.  Also, remember that our parish is so accustomed to the generous response of so many that we rely on the funds which come back to us once we go over our goal.

 To be honest, those of us on staff questioned whether it is wise to do the Bishop’s Appeal video after the names of the credibly accused priests was listed last week.  But, it really provides an opportunity for reflection.  A good friend told me that he had considered withholding his contribution as a way of sending a message.  But he prayed over it and talked to his wife.  He was able to let go of his anger and choose love instead, and love changed him.  He recognized that he was being tempted by Satan to lose faith in the core of the holiness of the Church: the total self-gift of Jesus Christ.  As you will hear from Saint Paul in the video, “The love of Christ urges us on.”

TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

16 SEPTEMBER 2018

          Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”  They respond that the gossip circles are saying that he might be Elijah, or John the Baptist, or one of the prophets.  The expectation is that he will be a powerful leader who will overcome the Romans, their current oppressors.  Peter blurts out the correct answer:  “You are the Christ.”  However, Peter has the same expectation about a messiah.  He rebukes Jesus when he defines his role in terms of suffering and death.  In turn, Jesus rebukes Peter and says to him, “Get behind me, Satan.”

            Even those Jesus rebukes Peter harshly and says that he is tempting him to disobey his Father’s will, he tells Peter to get behind him.  In other words, he wants Peter to continue to follow him and to learn the difficult lessons of the cross.

            As followers of Jesus Christ, we have also chosen to “get behind” and follow him.  Like Peter, we find the message of the cross to be very difficult.  That is why I have come to embrace stewardship as a way of life, as a structured way of getting behind Jesus Christ.  Good stewards spend generous amounts of time in prayer, with the Eucharist as the source and summit of our lives of faith.  Good stewards give themselves in humble service, as our Lord washed the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper.  Good stewards share a generous portion of their treasure with the Body of Christ, and not just what is left over.  Jesus clearly said that it is by your love for one another that everyone will recognize you as my disciples.  Stewardship, simply, is love in action.

            We renewed our stewardship of prayer at Lent and our stewardship of service during the Easter Season.  This weekend, we invite you to make a commitment to sharing a sacrificial gift with the parish.  Please read the information in your stewardship of sacrificial giving packet and pray over your decision.  Currently, Saint Pius tithes 5% of our income to Saint Adalbert and another 3 ½% to those who come to us in need.  Pray over your decision and set aside a portion for the Annual Bishop’s Appeal.

            You would expect me to say these things.  But, please listen to Brian Jacobs, as he tells his story of coming to embrace stewardship as a way of life.