Reflection for April 24, 2016: 5th Sunday of Easter- Year C

Readings for the Day:
Acts 14:21-27
Psalm 145:8-9,10-11,12-13
Revelation 21:1-5a
John 13:31-33a, 34-35

“Love One Another as I have loved you.” On the surface, this seems like an easy command to follow- especially in today’s society, where the word “love” is thrown around with an almost nonchalant air. “Let’s go to Cheesecake Factory- I love that place!” “I love this new pair of Shoes!” “I just met this girl, and I think I’m in love!!”  These are just a few examples of how “love” gets thrown around and used in today’s society.  However, if we are to truly understand what Jesus is asking us to do, we need to unpack this saying a little bit.

            We can start by asking ourselves What does love mean?  While the English word “love” serves as a sort of “catch-all” for many different feelings, or types of love, the Greek language, which the New Testament was originally written in, uses four distinct words, when speaking of the different aspects of love. C.S. Lewis has given us a wonderful summary of these 4 ideas in his Book “The Four Loves.” A brief summary of each is warranted here.

            First, we have Eros, or erotic love. This love refers to romantic attraction towards another. When many people say that they are “in love” with a person they just met, this is often the type of love they are experiencing.  This type of love can be very profound, but it can also cause a person to act selfishly, to get what they want from the person they are “in love” with. This is especially true when the sexual overtones of eros are considered. 

            Another type of love is Storge, which can also be called affection. This is often used to describe the love between parents and Children- a bond which is present without any coercion, and which presents a real fondness for the other person, due to a level of familiarity which comes from being related to the other person.  In this sense, storge is the most natural type of love, but even this love can be met with imperfections, since it can be easily corrupted by Jealousy

            Philia, or brotherly love, is a strong bond between people who share common interests or activities. Lewis states that it is the least natural of the loves, but at the same time, it represents a higher level of love, because it is freely chosen. But even this type of love is imperfect, because as we can see in so many places in society, friendships are often prone to cliquishness, jealousy, pride, and an unwillingness to allow others to enter into the friendship.

            The last type of love is Agape, or charity. This is the term used to describe the love of man for God, as well as the love of God for man. This is the term most often used for love in the New testament.  Philia and Storge are used rarely, and eros does not appear in the New Testament at all. What can we make of this? C.S. Lewis here states that this emphasis on agape love is specificially Christian- so much so that he views this Agape love as the highest form of love. To achieve this love represents the highest form of Christian Virtue.

So what does this love look like? A development of this type of love can be found in St. Paul’s 1^st letter to the Corinthians.   ]Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated,  it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. In short: Thomas Aquinas explains this type of love as “willing the good of the other.”

This is exactly how Christ loves us. He desires for us the good of eternal life with God, and he brings this about by dying for us on the cross. This is more than just a “general feeling of goodwill” towards another person- It is more than being attracted to a person, or sharing common interests with them. This love is a love which requires us to “lay down our lives” for the other person, by dying to self-interests, and learning to truly serve others, and love them in the same way that Christ loves us. When we get down to it, this command, which on the surface seems to be a simple one, is very difficult to carry out!  But with God’s grace, we can learn to love others, just as Christ has loved us. This gospel gives us a chance to stop and reflect- Have I truly allowed myself to experience Christ’s love, so that I can share that love with others? in what ways can I be more loving in my life? In what areas do I need to let go of selfishness? What people am I excluding, who perhaps need to feel God’s love from others? If you spend even just a few minutes every day reflecting on these questions, I promise that you will find yourself growing in love of others, each and every day. And in this way, all will know that you are a disciple of Christ- Because of your love for others. 

Reflection for April 17, 2016: 4th Sunday of Easter: Year C

Readings for the day:
Acts 13:14,43-52
Psalm 100:1-2,3,5
Revelation 7:9,14b-17
John 10:27-30

            There are many voices which clamor for our attention in the world today. We are constantly bombarded by advertisements on TV, radio, the internet, and various forms of social media, which try to convince us to buy certain products. We hear Politicians giving us long lists of our country’s woes, and telling us that only they can fix the problems we face. We hear voices of people crying out against what they have termed “organized religion,” calling it oppressive and old fashioned. And in the midst of all of these voices, there is the one        still, small voice of Christ, the Good Shepherd. This is the voice of Truth: This is the voice that says “I know you, for you are mine. If we listen for and follow the voice of the Shepherd, we will have eternal Life.

             Today is commonly referred to as “Good Shepherd Sunday,” Since the Gospel Readings in all three cycles come from what is called the Good Shepherd Discourse in Chapter 10 of John’s Gospel. Today, we only hear the tail end of this discourse- but the central theme of the entire passage is present: Christ’s sheep, his followers, hear is voice, and follow after him.  This is not a blind obedience to a far off voice, but rather an intimate relationship of love. Christ knows his sheep by name, and is willing to lay down his life for them. He is also willing to go in search of the lost, as we hear in the Parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke’s Gospel. This selfless love that the Good Shepherd gives is intended for all, but why do so many seem to not hear this message?

            Listening for the voice of the Good Shepherd requires us to listen with ears of Faith, and to believe in God’s ability to speak in and through others. Our Faith, by its very nature, is incarnational, and that means that our experience of God will always be mediated in and through human experience. Do we recognize and accept when this is happening? Or do we, like the Jews described in today’s First Reading, contradict the message being spoken, because it does not fit our own preconceived notions of how things are supposed to be?

            The Many voices of the World also tend to get in the way of truly hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd. The constant bombardment can make it very difficult to discern what is true, and what is going to lead us astray. Some things may appear to be good on the surface, but after a time we realize that the voices of the world cannot bring us true happiness. It is in that moment that we are better able to listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd, calling us back to Truth, to love, and to the place where we will not want- the place of the Heavenly Vision described in the Book of Revelation. Here, the Lamb is both victim and shepherd, who cares for the sheep- not allowing them to hunger or thirst, providing them shade to protect them, and wiping every tear from their eyes.

            While this heavenly vision brings comfort, we are also reminded in the same reading that those who are the recipients of this consolation have “survived the time of great distress.” Here too, the Good Shepherd guides us, and protects us, as it says in Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through dark valley, I fear no evil; for you are at my side, with your rod and your staff that give me courage.” To truly live and believe these words requires trust- trust that the path that the Good Shepherd is leading us on is the right one, that will lead us to Eternal Life with God.  May we seek to listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd, who gave of his life for us, so that we may follow him down the path to Eternal Life. 

Reflection for April 10, 2016- Third Sunday of Easter, Year C

 Readings for the 3rd Sunday of Easter:

Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41

Psalm 30: 2,4,5-6,11-12,13

Revelation 5:11-14

John 21:1-19  

How many of us, when our lives have changed in unexpected ways, find ourselves wishing that we could go back to the way things were before? Some might call this a “crisis of vocation”- and this is exactly where we find the Apostles at the beginning of today’s Gospel.

            The Apostles, who have all had encounters with the risen Lord, seem almost resigned; ready to return to their old way of life- so much so, that Peter decides to go fishing. Why is this? Perhaps it is fear. Perhaps it is unwillingness or unreadiness to accept the mission that Christ had entrusted to the Apostles. Or perhaps, it is because of shame- Shame that comes from deserting the Lord in his hour of need. In Peter’s case, this shame must have stung especially hard, since he had denied Christ not just once, but three times.   

            It is interesting to note that in this encounter with Jesus, Peter’s first fishing journey is unsuccessful, just as it was the first time that Peter encountered Jesus.  And once again, with Jesus’ help, he is able to haul in a large catch of fish.  Why does this occur? Perhaps it serves as a reminder to the Apostles of their call to be “fishers of men.” Perhaps it also serves as a reminder to the Apostles, and to us, that our work bears fruit only when we allow Christ to be present and work in and through our lives.

            Whatever the case may be, Peter seems to express a sense of joy at encountering the Lord again.  He jumps from the boat, and runs to shore to meet Jesus. And it is here, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, that Jesus reminds Peter of what he has been called to do. 

            It may seem strange to us that Jesus asks Peter “Do you love me?” Three times. Perhaps we share in Peter’s increasing frustration with each posing of the question, since it may feel like Jesus does not trust Peter’s answer. But Jesus knows what he is doing.  By asking the question three times, Jesus is effectively giving Peter a chance to “undo” his three-fold denial, and be completely and totally reconciled with Jesus. This is Peter’s own conversion experience- even though he may not recognize it at the time. Simultaneously, Jesus reminds Peter of his call to shepherd the flock of Christ. He also strengthens his faith, so that he may lead the other Apostles to share in this mission as well.

We can see the fruits of this encounter with the Risen Jesus in today’s First Reading. In the Acts of the Apostles, St. Luke shows Peter as having embraced this leadership role, boldly standing up to the Sanhedrin, and proclaiming that he and the other Apostles must obey the command of God, and thus will not stop teaching in the name of Jesus Christ.  The editing of today’s first reading is unfortunate, because it leaves out some details that give greater meaning to the story. Among these are the fact that the Disciples were flogged before they were instructed to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. This is why the Apostles “Rejoiced at suffering dishonor for the sake of the name.”

We also do not hear Gamaliel’s testimony that if “the Way” as the Early Christians were called, was of human origin, it would destroy itself, but that if it were of God, there is nothing that the Sanhedrin could do to destroy it. This helps us to understand how the Apostles could be so emboldened, and continue to preach the Gospel after being rebuked by the Sanhedrin. Their strength to proclaim the Gospel comes from God, and no human power can take it away.  This is what enabled all of the Apostles to endure a martyr’s death, and John to endure his exile to the Isle of Patmos.

These readings today serve as a reminder to us of our own call to Follow Jesus Christ with our whole heart, and trust in his wisdom and guidance to lead us to fullness of life. When we do this, we receive the strength that comes from God to be able to carry out the work that he has called us to do. 

How do we do this? How do we learn what Jesus is calling us to do? The answer, just as it was for the Apostles, is through an encounter with the Risen Lord.  Knowledge of God’s will comes to us through prayer and silence, through frequent reception of the Sacraments, and through listening to and reading God’s word, the Sacred Scriptures.  Do you take the time to “be still” and have personal alone time with God?  Do you truly seek this encounter, or do things of the world get in the way?  As we continue to celebrate this joyous Easter season, my Challenge to you is to spend some time alone in private prayer with God. It can be small- start with 5 or 10 minutes a day to just be still, or to sit and pray with a short passage of Scripture. In this way, you can begin to make space for this encounter with the Risen Lord in your life, and begin to receive the strength that comes from seeking after knowledge of God’s will. 

Reflection for April 3, 2016: Second Sunday of Easter, or Divine Mercy Sunday

Readings for today:

Acts 5:12-16

Psalm 118:2-4,13-15,22-24

Revelation 1:9-11a,12-13,17-19

John 20:19-31

Seeing is believing. In this day and age, this saying is especially true.  An all too common occurrence when a person tells a story about an exciting event, is for another person to exclaim “pics or it didn’t happen!” People want proof- firm evidence that the event did in fact take place. Only then will they believe the story.

            But sometimes, even seeing is not enough- this was often true of the Disciples when Jesus appeared to them after the Resurrection. Mary Magdalene did not recognize Jesus in the garden until he called her by name. The Disciples on the road to Emmaus did not recognize him until he broke bread with them. St. Matthew’s Gospel states that when the 11 disciples saw Jesus, they “worshiped, but they doubted.” Even St. Luke paints a drastically different picture of the events that we read in today’s Gospel. St. Luke’s account states that the disciples “were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” Even after all of this, the Disciples were still “incredulous for joy and amazed.” In the Bible, when someone is amazed, that means that they don’t get it- they don’t understand what is going on. Or perhaps they were still unable, or perhaps unwilling to believe that he was risen.

So what about Thomas in today’s Gospel? “Doubting Thomas” as he is often called, gets a bad rap for not believing in the Resurrection after the others had seen the Risen Lord. But Thomas no doubt knew how violent of a death crucifixion was. He, like the other disciples, would have found it very difficult to believe that a person who had suffered such a violent death could be alive again. He wants to touch Jesus, to see that he is real, just as the others have. Can we blame him for this, knowing from St. Luke’s account that the other Disciples too were slow to believe that Jesus had risen, even when he was standing right in front of them?

Thomas’ reaction to seeing the Risen Lord is what makes him different from all the rest. for him, seeing IS enough- he has no need to touch the wounds of Christ, but instead exclaims “My Lord and my God!” giving us the strongest profession of Faith in Christ out of any of the Disciples. Thomas is the only one who recognizes Christ as God- a powerful confession that hearkens back to the prologue of John’s Gospel

What then are we to make of Jesus’ response to Thomas? “blessed are those who have not seen, and still believe,” it may seem that Jesus is downplaying Thomas’ faith, or rebuking him since he did not believe the testimony of others. But given the fact that all of the Disciples struggled to believe when they first saw the risen Lord, there may be a deeper message here.  Jesus could very well be reminding the disciples that those to whom they will go out and preach will not be able to see the Risen Lord as they have seen him. Their challenge then, is to be able to lead people to belief in the Risen Lord, and give them the faith that does not need sight to believe that He is Risen from the dead. These people will be blessed by accepting the testimony of the first witnesses to the Resurrection, who have seen the Risen Lord.

We, the Followers of Christ 2000 years after the Resurrection, are both the recipients of this blessing, and challenged by it, just as the disciples were.  We may not be able to see Jesus’ physical body, but we can still make Thomas’ profession of Faith our own every time we encounter the Risen Lord in the Eucharist. And just as the Disciples were sent to preach to all nations, we too are called to bring the message of the Risen Lord to others, and to help lead them to Faith.

These encounters with the Risen Lord are also encounters with God’s mercy. On this Sunday of Divine Mercy, and especially as we continue to celebrate the Holy Jubilee Year of Mercy, we continue to be mindful of this “mercy which endures forever.” This is the same mercy that the disciples encountered when Jesus came to them with the greeting of “Peace be with you.” This is the mercy that we encounter in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which Jesus institutes in today’s Gospel when he breathed the Holy Spirit onto his disciples. We are called to trust in this mercy, and to remember the words of Pope Francis, which remind us time and time again that God never tires of forgiving us. May we never tire of seeking this mercy, and have the courage to ask forgiveness for our sins. As we continue this Easter Season, we give thanks to God for his great mercy, and we continue to celebrate his victory over sin and death. We pray that our faith may be strengthened, so that we are able to see the Risen Lord with eyes of faith, so that we too may be able to exclaim with Thomas- “My Lord, and my God!”