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!”

Reflection for March 20, 2016- Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord- Year C

Readings for today:

Luke 19:28-40
Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
Philippians 2:6-11
Luke 22:14–23:56

Today could be considered a day of opposites. We began with joy and celebration, as we commemorated the Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. However, that tone of joy was quickly muted, as we read St. Luke’s account of the Passion of our Lord. We see Jesus at the highest of highs entering into Jerusalem, and at the lowest of lows on the Cross. The same crowd that proclaimed “Hosanna to the Son of David!” shouts out “Crucify Him!” when they realize that Jesus is not the type of Messiah that they want him to be. In earthly matters, Jesus seems to be a failure. He has suffered the most shameful death imaginable- so much so that according to the Book of Deuteronomy, he is cursed, because he was hung on a tree.

            This scandal of the cross had to be explained by the early Church. How could the cursed one be the Messiah, the savior of all? Today’s Second Reading gives us one example of the interpretation of these events. . This hymn, quoted by St. Paul, represents a remarkable understanding of who Christ was- and is.  Already in this hymn, Christ is presented as Divine- yet Jesus does not “grasp” for his own divinity- another translation reads that he did not see it as “something to exploit for selfish gain.” This is a contrast to the Greek and Roman Gods, who were often portrayed as using their Divinity to fulfill their own selfish wants and desires.  Jesus, however, does not do this. As the Divine Son of God, he fully enters into the Human condition. He suffers not only the humiliation of taking on a human existence, but also the humiliation of death on a Cross, in order that he might be obedient to God the Father. And it is out of this earthly failure that God the Father does something new. St. Paul reminds us in the Letter to the Corinthians that “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor 1:18). For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. This is why Christ, who has suffered extreme humiliation, is exalted above all else, and given the Name which causes all who hear it to bend the knee in worship and Adoration.

            This is the great mystery of our Faith. For we know that Christ had to become fully human, and truly suffer and die, in order to win our redemption. We commemorate this mystery every time the Eucharist is celebrated- but this week, we commemorate it in an even more powerful way. This Holy Week is a special time to pause and remember the great sacrifice that Christ made for us, as we prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of the Resurrection. Will you take up your own cross this week, and walk with Christ to Calvary? If you have never been to any of the Triduum Liturgies before, I highly encourage you to go. These three days are the Holiest days of the Church year, and these beautiful Liturgies give the Faith that we celebrate a deeper meaning. If you are unable to attend, I highly encourage you to spend some time reading and reflecting on the Gospel accounts of the Passion of our Lord, so that you may celebrate the Easter Mysteries with a greater Joy for the Redemption that Christ has won for us. 

Reflection for March 13, 2016: 5th Sunday of Lent, Year C

 Readings for the 5th Sunday of Lent:

Isaiah 43:16-21

Psalm 126:1-2,2-3,4-5,6

Philippians 3:8-14

John 8:1-11

This Reflection focuses especially on the Gospel account of the Woman caught in adultery.

           The woman was scared. She had just been dragged out of a house, and  paraded through the streets of the city towards the temple.  Surrounded on all sides, she listened, terrified, as insults and condemnations were hurled at her. The crowd was like a lion, ready to pounce at any second, ready to devour its prey. It was in that instant, that she saw Jesus. He was bent down in the midst of the crowd, drawing in the sand. What was he doing? And how could he be so calm, when the crowd was threatening to devour both of them at any second? Slowly, he raised his head. She couldn’t quite make out the words that came from his mouth, but suddenly, the crowd grew quiet.  One by one, they began to depart. She stood there, trembling, until only she and Jesus remained. He came to her, and as he stared into her eyes, she could feel him staring into the very depths of her soul. She began to turn away, ashamed, but then she felt something in that gaze- not condemnation, but love- a love like she had never known. As he began to speak, this same love was present in his words- a word saying “I do not condemn you. Go, and sin no more.”

            Today’s Gospel shows us a radical encounter with the mercy of God. Looking at the Gospel from the perspective of the woman, we can begin to see how powerful this encounter must have been. But like many Gospel stories, today’s passage is left open ended. Perhaps we would like closure- to hear “and the woman went away changed, and heeded the words of Christ, and did not sin again.” But these words aren’t there. So we are left to wonder: Was the woman’s life truly changed as a result of this radical encounter? Did the crowd who condemned the woman learn anything from their encounter with Jesus? What can we learn from the story of today’s Gospel?

Like the Pharisees in today’s Gospel, it seems that many in the world today are quick to condemn, and slow to forgive.  Jesus’ words to the scribes and Pharisees, then, should be a challenge to us-with these words, Jesus is calling us to be aware of our own faults, before we condemn the faults of others- to realize that we deserve punishment for our sins, just as the other person does. When we recognize this, it changes how we approach the other person. We learn to recognize the plank in our own eye, and not to criticize others for the speck in theirs. We learn to become more and more compassionate and merciful to those we meet. Recognizing our own faults, we learn to walk with others on their journey, and help them to achieve greater holiness, instead of condemning them for their sins.  Becoming aware of our own faults also inspires us to seek God’s mercy ourselves!

Where do we go to encounter this mercy? We can find it most easily in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Do we take advantage of this wonderful Sacrament of God’s mercy?  Have we remained away from this sacrament because of fear, or shame, or a belief that God will not forgive us for our sins? In this Holy Year of Mercy, Pope Francis has called us to be especially mindful of God’s willingness to forgive. If we truly desire to turn our lives back to God, we will find his Mercy in Abundance. And what is this mercy that is found? It is Christ, knowing full well that we deserve the punishment for our sins, loving us enough to take away the punishment for our sins, and take it upon himself. This is what the message of the Cross is about. This is what we are preparing to celebrate in two weeks time.

God’s mercy knows no limit- but the last line of the Gospel reminds us that with mercy comes the call to conversion. Truly encountering the mercy of Christ means realizing that we cannot keep living our lives the same way. We are called to become more and more like Christ each and every single day.  This is a monumental task- and it can only be accomplished with God’s grace.  Conversion is not a one-shot deal: It is a life long process, in which we are called to continually recognize our need for God’s mercy and forgiveness. Even when we struggle with the same sins repeatedly, Pope Francis reminds us that “God never tires of forgiving us. We are the ones who tire of seeking God’s mercy.” Indeed, so long as we are making an effort to draw closer to God, we will always know his mercy and love in our lives. We will know that we are not condemned for our actions, but that we are met with the gaze of God’s loving mercy.

So, my challenge to you this week is this: If you have not been to Confession in a while- Go. Allow yourself to experience God’s mercy, and be forgiven, so that you may celebrate the coming Easter mysteries with your heart and soul made new. And know that no matter how long you have been away, you can always come home. Then, like the woman in today’s Gospel, you can walk away from the radical encounter with God’s mercy, and live a changed life.

Scripture Reflection for March 3, 2016

Today's Readings:

Jeremiah 7:23-28

Psalm 95: 1-2, 6-7, 8-9

Luke 11:14-23

            “This is a nation that does not listen to the voice of the Lord, its God.” One might wonder if these words from today’s first reading might have crossed Jesus’ mind at some point during the events of today’s Gospel reading. Jesus, who continues the saving mission of God, and brings it to its fulfillment, meets with the same rejection that God faced from the people of Israel. The crowds reject his power, either by attributing it to Beelzebul, or by demanding that he perform another sign “from heaven”. They refuse to accept the presence of God’s grace, and in doing so, their hearts become hardened to the truth of God’s presence among them in the person of Jesus Christ.

            It might be easy for us to look at today’s Gospel, and laugh about how the people just didn’t get it. However, Jesus’ words to the crowds at the end of the Gospel should give us pause for further reflection. They are a reminder to us that there is no middle ground when it comes to following Jesus-There can be no half-hearted attempts at Discipleship, no lukewarm recognitions of his message- we are either with him, or we are against him. The choice is ours to make- Do we accept the power and Grace of God present in our lives, and allow it to work in us and through us? Or do we reject this power, and choose instead to turn our backs to God, allowing our hearts to become hardened?

            Truly listening to God’s voice can be hard, because God calls us to do things and go places that we might not like to go. It is in these moments that we need the reminder of today’s Psalm response: “If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” In keeping these words in mind, we might be truly able to respond to that voice in Love, and not reject God’s word. 

            This message to not allow our hearts to be hardened is especially timely, since we are roughly halfway through our Lenten Journey. This “halfway point” gives us a chance to stop and reflect on how our journey has gone thus far. Perhaps things have gone well, but If things have not been going as well as you had hoped, don’t give up! it is not too late. Make the most out of the time you have left, and ask God to help you soften your heart, so that you may become more open to hearing his voice each day.  

Reflection for February 18, 2016: Thursday of the First Week of Lent

            For many of us, today’s Gospel may seem to run contrary to our experiences. How many of us have prayed for something, and seemingly gotten no answer? Does this mean that God has not heard our prayers- that he has not answered us, or we are somehow not praying hard enough? How do we reconcile what seems to happen in our prayers with today’s Gospel?

            God answers all prayers- however, he does not always answer them in the way we expect.  Sometimes the answer is no, or not yet. Sometimes the answer is “I have something better in store for you, if you trust me.” Jesus reminds us in the Gospel that our Heavenly Father will bestow “good things” on those who ask for them. God, who knows us better than we know ourselves, knows what our needs truly are- and is waiting to give us these good things- if we only ask for them.

            In order for our prayer to bear more fruit, it is important to recognize that God is not a divine “genie,” whose only purpose is to grant the wishes of humankind. Prayers of petition are  important, but unless we are also willing to pray for knowledge of God’s will, these prayers of petition can only take us so far. As St. Paul says in his letter to the Colossians, The goal of our prayer is to “attain full knowledge of God’s will through perfect wisdom and spiritual insight,” in order that we may “lead a life worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way.”

            Praying for and accepting God’s will is difficult, because it requires us to let go of our selfish wants and desires, and accept God’s will as our own.  This requires great trust.  Trust that God will indeed provide us with good things, which will help us to grow closer to Him, and seek after the life which is to come. 

            Each day at Mass, when we pray the Our Father, I challenge you to truly think about the meaning of the words “thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” This is just one example of a way in which we pray every day for knowledge of God’s will for our lives. Do we take this part of the prayer seriously? Or do we gloss over it as we say it, because it has become routine? When we truly make this prayer our own, and begin to accept God’s will, we are better able to see how God does answer prayer, and we will be able to recognize that His answers to our prayers are continually guiding us to knowledge of his will.

Reflection for February 11, 2016

February 11, 2016

Thursday After Ash Wednesday

            “Choose Life.” These words from today’s first reading form the basis of Moses’ instructions to the Israelites before they take possession of the Holy Land. But what does it mean for us to choose life? and how does this relate to our Lenten observance?

            In today’s first reading, Moses equates choosing life with fidelity to God’s law. If the Israelites are faithful in observing the Law of God, then they will enjoy life and prosperity in the Land of Israel. If they are not, they will suffer the death of exile, and be cut off from the land, their promised heritage.  This instruction is very much focused on earthly realities- especially true since the Israelites at the time did not have a concept of heaven or an afterlife. In their view, earthly prosperity was a sign of God’s favor.

            In today’s Gospel, Jesus also instructs his disciples to “choose life”, albeit in a more implicit manner. but this time there are eternal implications. And perhaps most strikingly, Jesus hints that earthly prosperity is not part of the deal- in fact, he tells his disciples that earthly prosperity can be a hindrance to entering the kingdom of heaven! Jesus’ words are clear- “whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”  If yesterday’s readings issued a call to repentance, and gave us a model for our Lenten observance, today’s readings issue a call to action, and remind us that our journey cannot end with mere sorrow for our sins. Jesus calls us to daily conversion- to a daily denial of self wants and interests, in order to take up the cross of discipleship, and faithfully follow in the footsteps of Christ. In this way, we save our life by losing it- we deny ourselves of earthly treasure, power, and prestige, in order that we might store up treasure in heaven

.

And this is the key to eternal life. But this does not mean that everyone here must completely divest themselves of all possessions- we have a right to ensure that our basic needs are met, and we would be foolish to deprive ourselves of the resources to do so. Rather, we are called to be good stewards of the gifts that have been entrusted to us, and to use those gifts to serve those in need, and build up treasure in heaven. Pope Francis, especially in this year of Mercy, has spoken extensively about the need to care for the poor- saying that the Year of mercy is not complete unless we are willing to give to the poor. This is also a part of our Lenten observance of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, and our experience of lent will be richer if we heed Pope Francis’ words - even if all we do is give up one cup of coffee at starbucks a day, and give that money to the poor.

              As we continue this Lenten Journey, Let us ask God for the grace to take up our own cross in order to follow Christ- not allowing the desire for earthly power, wealth and prestige to hinder us, but striving to be faithful witnesses to the Gospel, and faithful servants of Christ. In this way, we will be able to “choose life” every single day- not the passing life of this world, but the eternal life that is to come.  

Gospel Reflection for February 4, 2016

As I begin my studies in Homiletics this Semester, I am going to start posting my reflections here, for people to read.

Gospel: Mark 6:7-13

How many of us, when preparing for a journey, spend many hours packing suitcases, making sure our finances are in order, arranging transportation, hotels, planning activities, and many other tasks- before we even step out the door?  Often in our preparations, we pack too much for the journey, wanting to be prepared for all possible situations. And often, we find that the items we packed “Just in case” were not necessary- they only cause us more trouble, because we must lug them around with us until we return home.

Now imagine if you were told to go on a journey, and were told to leave immediately, taking nothing with you. How would you feel then? anxious? Scared? Afraid?

The disciples in today’s Gospel must have felt some of these feelings when they heard the instructions of Jesus telling them how they were to go out and preach the Gospel to the villages and towns. It seems strange to us that Jesus would tell his disciples to go out to preach without basic necessities, and basic means of providing for their own survival. Jesus, however, knew what he was doing.

By commanding the disciples to bring no food, money, or extra clothing, Jesus is telling the disciples that their own personal needs are to take second place to the proclamation of the Kingdom of God. He does not want them to be worried about where they are going to buy lunch, or whether they have enough money to pay the innkeeper- rather Jesus wants their sole focus to be on proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, trusting that if they faithfully proclaim the message, God will take care of everything else.  Jesus doesn’t want “extra baggage” to get in the way of proclaiming the Gospel. In fact, the faithfulness of the disciples to these instructions will begin to make the reality of the Kingdom of God manifest.

Too often, our “extra baggage” weighs us down, and keeps us from authentically proclaiming the Gospel Message through word and deed. Jesus’ instructions to the disciples challenge us to examine our own lives, and ask “What can I leave behind so that I am better able to make the Gospel known through my life? Do I truly trust that God will take care of me?” Learning to leave aside our extra baggage will help us to focus on our own needs less and less, and increasingly focus on the needs of others. It will help us to build relationships, and better communities. It will make us authentic witnesses to the Gospel. and in the end, we too, will make the Kingdom of God manifest.