Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Divine Mercy Sunday (2nd Sunday of Easter) homily

This past weekend we just celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday instituted by our late Holy Father Pope John Paul The Great! This is a devotion that started to spread back in the 1930's based on the revelations given to St. Faustina Kowalska and for further information on Divine Mercy Sunday please visit: www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/index.htm

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY HOMILY:

You may recall, (if old enough), in the early 1980s there was this mystery illness that started to gain attention and caused medical professionals to take notice. No one really knew how it was spread, what caused it, who was vulnerable, what was the best course of treatment, was there even any treatment, etc. so needless to say, there was a lot of fear, questions, stigma, misjudgments, and mystery surrounding this illness we now know to be HIV/AIDS. As you continue to read, remember the cultural climate of this situation, if you cannot recall this time period or were not alive then, imagine the fears associated with H1N1 Flu; multiply that by at least 10x! At least with H1N1 we know it is a form of the flu, with HIV/AIDS in the early 1980s it was a complete unknown in almost every way shape and form.

At the same time, a true story mind you, there was a young Franciscan priest residing at a parish in New York City along with three other parochial vicars (a.k.a. associate pastor) and a very prim and proper Monsignor who was the pastor. The Monsignor was a very well kept person, not a hair out of place, cuff links, the whole nine yards.

One day at dinner the Monsignor informed the other priests that a parishioner had called explaining that her son was in a local hospital dying of this mystery illness and was wondering if someone would visit him. The Monsignor proceeded to ask the parochial vicars if they would be free to visit this gentleman. One by one however, they politely excused themselves, perhaps for legitimate reasons or perhaps motivated by fear, who knows. Then the Monsignor looked at the Franciscan priest in residence and asked him, if he would be interested in going. The young Franciscan priest didn't say no but did acknowledge that he wasn't sure what he would say. Then the Monsignor asked, "Will you go if I go with you?"

The next day the two priests departed for the hospital. Before they entered the hospital room of the dying man, shrouded in in the mystery of this illness, they shrouded themselves in all sorts of protective gear, gloves, masks, hazard suits, etc. Then upon entering the room, the Monsignor seeing the dying gentleman, did something very uncharacteristic. Despite all the fears and implications it could have for him and/or his future ministry he took off his protective gear, his hazard suit, mask, gloves, everything and hugged the dying man. At this the dying man was in tears explaining this was the first time in a long time that anyone had embraced him, period! The Monsignor was also in tears and very touched explained to the young Franciscan priest, "I have been able to be for someone what Jesus has been for me everyday."

The dying man in the story was bound by the circumstances of his situation. Sometimes we too are bound by the circumstances of our own life situations or by our sins, or by own judgments, struggles, or sense of worthlessness. Whatever the case is, let us be clear, that the God's Divine Mercy, and what we celebrate today is about much more than going to the sacraments of Reconciliation, receiving the Eucharist, and the other prescribed prayers of the devotion. Divine Mercy Sunday is about coming to a deeper realization of the presence of God's mercy and just how much in love and in mercy God is reaching out to us.

The celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday stands in testimony to the very fact that God is and continues to reach out to us. God reaches out to us despite our past short comings, despite what we may or may not think of ourselves, despite any sense of worthlessness; God is reaches out to us!

In the sacraments God give us His complete and total forgiveness in the sacrament of Reconciliation and reminds us how much he reaches out us in the Eucharist. It is the Eucharist that we understand how much God loves us. AND this is why it is so good to be Catholic! For it is all well and good to give praise to God, to read and reflect upon the Sacred Scripture, but it is so much more to receive our Lord in the Eucharist. For it is in the Eucharist that, as we receive our Lord, we become ONE WITH HIM. Our God reaches out to us and loves so much that it is not good enough for Him to just receive our praise and worship but He gives Himself to us in His Body and Blood so that we may become one with Him.

In the cross we see the Lord reaching out to us. Yes, Jesus' arms were stretched wide on the cross for obvious reasons due to the shape of the cross. However, let us be clear, Jesus' posture on the cross is not simply a matter of circumstance but a matter of LOVE. Jesus' stretched arms on the cross remind us that He is always there to embrace us with arms wide open.

In our brothers and sisters the Lord also makes His mercy known. In the case of the Monsignor the dying man was able to know God's mercy and love. In the way we receive the embrace of others we can experience God's mercy and the way in which we reach out to others we can extend that mercy too.

And as we look to the scriptures this Sunday and in particular the Gospel, (Jn. 20:19-31 ). In the Gospel we see that despite their circumstances and fears that even a locked door was not going to keep Jesus out of the lives of the disciples. Jesus came and reached out to them, and said, "Peace be with you," despite their uncertainty and anxieties. This tells us that nothing will or can keep Christ away from us not even the locked doors of our hearts. We only need to embrace the mercy God is extending to us.

Furthermore, even when we are rooted more in struggle and doubt than faith as was Thomas, we see in what Christ did for him that our Lord will never stop reaching out to us and never stop doing what it takes to reach out to us in Word, Sacrament, or deed. As if to say, 'fine, if it takes you putting your fingers in my hands and your hand into my side to know that I am here, to know that I am very much alive, and to know that I LOVE YOU, then do it!'

My brothers and sisters in Christ, this weekend we celebrate God's Divine Mercy, reminding us that God continually reaches out to us in love. Despite our circumstances or what we can or cannot see, God is reaching out to us. May we embrace His mercy and offer that others in return.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Easter Mission

As we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday and throughout this Easter Season it is a time filled with joy, hope, and at times confusion. Yes, that's right, I said confusion. What do I mean by this???

Well, if we take a moment to think about it, how can we say that we believe in the resurrection which was meant to bring peace, joy, and hope and at the same time we see a world filled with violence, anger, famine, war, and other strife? While this negativity and certainly influence us or take the wind out of sails at times let us be clear that while down we are not down and out, while down we are not down for the count!!!

We always carry at least two things with us.

First is the hope we gain from the renewal of our baptismal promises. In this Easter Season we reclaim who we are, what we believe and what we are about!

Second is a sense of mission. Just as we were on a mission during our Lenten journey to grow closer to the Lord, we carry the same sense of mission into our Easter celebration. Armed with the faith we have renewed we are called to take that with us and share it everywhere we go!

Sort of like Kashi has 7 whole grains on a mission for a healthy life, WE the CHURCH have 7 Sacraments and 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit on a mission for the life of the world!

May we take the grace we receive by faith and the sacraments and bring that to where there is hatred, strife, despair, and by doing so, be the light and live the resurrection the world so desperately needs! By living out this Easter joy and taking it wherever we go we will help others to witness the resurrection in their midst!!! It will help others to take the resurrection from something that we not only believe but we experience too!

Peace be with you!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

PICK UP THE BABY - A Christmas Homily

About a month ago I had the opportunity to hold my cousin's new born daughter Madison. Holding a new born baby is in many was so awesome it is indescribable at least of which we know that it is a blessing beyond our wildest imaginations. For myself, it had been a while in my life since I had held a newborn and so in some ways I had forgotten this blessing. Since the moment I held Madison, I was inspired by the Spirit to think about the great feast of Christmas. I found myself marveling at the miracle of new life and what the future held for little Madison. I also thought about the similarities between holding Madison and the baby we all embrace at Christmas, Jesus our Lord, our Savior, our Brother.

The image of a baby, the newborn Jesus to some is considered a "weak" image but that view could not be further from the truth. In a newborn lies one of the most powerful images possible; an image capable of transcending so much. For in holding a newborn who isn't in awe of the miracle of life? Who is not thankful for new life? Who is not filled with hope? Who does not stop and ponder the future and possibilities ahead for this new one? Who doesn't for even just a moment, sense all is just as it should be in our world? Really, no matter what may come, above and beyond all within us, when we hold a baby this also this innate sense that it must protected, nurtured, and encouraged to grow to it's fullest potential. AND! Cannot all of what we just said of a newborn can be translated to our faith?

Our faith is life in Christ, our faith allows Christ to be incarnated within. Our faith too must be protected, nurtured, and fostered. In addition, we must also ponder the future and allow our faith to help us discern God's will!

As we rejoice in the newborn baby Jesus may we take time to pick up the baby. When anger takes hold may we lay it down and pick up the baby. When pride, jealousy, and envy weigh heavy on our hearts may we lay it down and pick up the baby. When we are filled with doubt, anxiety, and fear may we lay it down and pick up the baby. When we feel we are loosing hope and all patience, may we lay it down and pick up the baby. When the world rejects us because of our faith, may we pick up the baby.

In picking up the baby we become the heralds of God's profound love proclaiming great joy for all people. In picking up the baby we become light to those walking in darkness who tell of our God-Hero, Wonder-Counselor, Father-Forever, our Prince of Peace. In picking up the baby we draw ourselves to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately and justly as we await in blessed hope, the return of Jesus to earth.

May we: pick up the baby!

What shall we celebrate?

What do you anticipate celebrating at Christmas? The joy of the birth of Christ? Joy of the season? The love of God, family, and friends? Christmas is a special time of the year which evokes many special things in all of us. One of the things that can get lost amidst the hustle and bustle of the season and often goes unsung is the celebration of the incarnation of Christ in all of us! With everything that goes on during the Christmas season, it is definitely hard to focus on the very fact that Christ is within us! The gospel of the 4th Sunday of Advent calls us to do just that; that is: to celebrate the incarnation of Christ within. However, it is at times, hard to take hold of this realization. In fact, sometimes it is easier to image far off sci-fy lands of Avatar then it is to increase an awareness of the Christ in each of us. Us who bear the image of Christ, who as Christians, are called to be little Christs!

The previous weeks of Advent have been preparing us to deepen our awareness of the incarnation Christ within; let us note the pattern! First week of Advent: Vigilance - cleaning out the junk in our lives, aware of what needs to change. Second week of Advent - make straight the paths, putting aside the twisted muck we place in our lives that draw us away from Christ. Third week of Advent: a renewal of the call to faith and duty as children of God that we called to fulfill daily! NOW, the 4th Sunday of Advent show us through Mary and Elizabeth that if we are completely open to God's will that God will work with us and be incarnated within. Mary by way of her yes literally incarnated Christ into her very being; we do spiritually. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit because of her openness.

If we desire the same for us then we too must seek to grow in giving ourselves completely to God and being completely open to His will. Amen.