Reflection - 4th Sunday Easter - Sheep Making Informed Decisions

Sheep Making Informed Decisions 

Acts 4:8-12; Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29; 1 John 3:1-2; Gospel: John 10:11-18

From today’s readings we learn that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and Jesus is the Cornerstone. The parable of the Good Shepherd and the reading from Acts are put together for a reason. The overall message is that Jesus will not abandon us and he will not be moved.

In these readings, let’s look at us. People don’t know the Shepherd’s voice or they’ve rejected the cornerstone.  It’s because we tend to be like sheep.

Sheep live a flock mentality - for protection, for comfort, and for blending-in. Sheep don’t want to stand out in a crowd. Most of us don’t want to either.

Temptation can make sheep wander. A lead sheep will see greener grass to eat, a hillside to explore, or the promising pleasure of a shady spot. The lead sheep follows this temptation and the flock follows for protection, comfort, and blending-in.

That’s why the shepherd is important. He is the cornerstone of the flock. It’s built around him. He keeps them together, on the right path, in the right pasture, and in his protection. Sheep know the shepherd by his voice and presence. They want the comfort of the shepherd’s protection; but, they still wander away and can become lost.

We’re sheep for the same reason. Temptation catches an eye of someone influential and we follow. The temptation of greener grass, new things to explore, or something pleasurable leads them astray and it becomes the popular trend.  Temptation pulls us from the shepherd and all he offers. When temptation pulls us from the cornerstone; we are lost.

There are three sources of temptation: the world, the flesh, and the devil. But, we don’t recognize temptation. We’re not sheep. We are intelligent educated beings. We make mature informed decisions, like: 

• We don’t believe all the Church tells us; we decide what we believe.
•  All Churches are the same.
•  It’s not really the body of Christ.
• I want a church that doesn’t offend me.
•  I don’t get anything from Church; I want to be entertained.
•  Why believe the bible, it just stories. 
• My life style isn’t hurting anyone. 
• It’s my body; I’ll do what I please.
• It’s a fetus, a lump of cells, it’s not a baby.
• They’re not like us - they’re old - they’re poor- they’re not relevant

Adam and Eve made an informed decision. Pontius Pilate made an informed decision. Hitler and the Nazi’s made informed decision. Terrorist make informed decisions to kill and persecute Christians, enslave and rape the innocent. The devil is informing the sheep.  

In the desert, Satan tempted Jesus with an informed decision. He informed Jesus about the world, the flesh, and with lies in temptation. Satan informed Jesus of his authority in the world; but, Jesus had the strength to resist temptations.

We don’t have the strength of Jesus. We’re just sheep that hear the empty promises of the world, see the desires of the flesh, and the lies and information of the devil. We go astray.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd and cornerstone. He gave his life for all of our salvation, so that we know him.  No matter how lost, how tempted, or how much we have strayed; deep inside, we still know his voice. We still know he is our salvation.  We just need to be the lead sheep and follow him.

Reflection 3rd Sunday Easter - Peace be with You

Peace be with You -  Acts 3:13-15, 17-19; Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9; 1 John 2:1-5a;  Luke 24:35-48

A man and God are having a conversation. The man says “Lord what is a million years like for you?” God answers, “A million years is but a second to me.” The man thinks about it and then asks, “Lord, what then is a million dollars to you?” God answers, “That is like a penny to me.”  The man smiled and asks one more question “Then Lord, May I have a penny?” God answered him, “Of course my child, in just a second.”

I thought about this story during my reflection on these readings. Not thinking about what is time or about what is money; but, what is peace to God? Look at the world we live in.

The Bible tells us that from the beginning, Jesus brought peace. “Peace be with you,” the greeting to Mary. “Peace be with you,” the greeting to the shepherds in the field. Last week, the Gospel told how the resurrected Christ appeared in the room behind closed doors with, “Peace be with you.” Today, the Gospel tells the same.

Can you imagine that room? Two disciples had just seen Jesus and ran as fast as they could from Emmaus to Jerusalem to the eleven. It was a room full of excitement, anxious chatter, and probably confusion. Then Christ Jesus comes and soothes them saying simply, “Peace be with you.”

The word Jesus used would have been “shalom.” It means “peace be with you.” Shalom is peace. It’s welcome. It’s hello and goodbye. But Jesus’ shalom is so much more.

Shalom from Jesus brings well-being and wholeness. It’s a blessing of completeness and prosperity. It is shalom that came from the peace and love Jesus taught.

The resurrected Christ brings shalom (well-being, wholeness, and completeness) between humanity and God. He brings it to a humanity that denied him; humanity that ran when trouble came and a humanity that didn’t understand. And Christ brings shalom to the humanity that Peter preached to at the temple; the ones who chose another and put Jesus to death on the cross.

All of these are the same people I am today when I deny him by looking away; not seeing the poor, the hungry, the sick, or those in prison. The same people I am today, when I choose another by finding it convenient to miss mass; but, inconvenient to stay past the hour. The same people who crucify with time to text or gossip; but, no time to stop and pray.

Shalom “peace be with you,” is what Jesus brings. He brought its promise to the world as a child. “Peace be with you” was the promise and blessing to the Virgin Mary. Shalom a promise and blessing to poor outcast shepherds.

The risen Christ brings shalom to the world. He brings it to those behind closed doors like scared, hiding, and persecuted disciples. He brings shalom to those trying to understand and know his truth.  

The risen Christ brings shalom of restoration, completeness, and goodness. He brings shalom “peace be with you” as God’s grace and righteousness. Shalom is in our justification and redemption. Shalom is the forgiveness of sins. These bring wholeness, soundness, tranquility, fullness, rest, perfection and harmony. Shalom of Christ is peace. It is a complete peace.

We really cannot find adequate words for the divine; because what Christ brought to that room and to us is all these words I have used and much, much, more. Like the man who asks God for just a penny, a little bit of God’s peace is more than we could hope for in our lifetime. The difference is God does not say, in second, because he has already given us peace. Christ brings divine shalom of God; Christ Jesus is God and He brings the peace of God to each and every one of us who believes in him.

The coming of Christ Jesus to our lives, brings shalom, great peace and blessing; just like to Mary or the shepherds, just like to those first disciples. He brings shalom in the Eucharist; found by the two disciples in the breaking of the bread. He brings great peace in the forgiveness of reconciliation. He brings peace in quietness of prayer, adoration, and reflection.

Our Lord always brings shalom “peace be with you.” We are told by our faith that if we seek Him, He will come to us. Shalom, May you find the Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ and may He be with you always.

Scripture Reflection Divine Mercy Sunday - For Us and for the Whole World

For Us and For the Whole World

Acts 4:32-35;  Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 John 5:1-6;  John 20:19-31

Today, we celebrate the Mercy of God - Divine Mercy Sunday. God’s Mercy is found in the lovingkindness that He gives to us in a bad situation, like sin.

And people ask, what does Divine Mercy have to do with today’s readings? Everything, from 1 John “Whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.” Our faith, belief in Jesus the Son of God, is the fount of God’s mercy?

From the Acts of the Apostles, we learn about the first Christian community. It was a community where mercy truly existed and where each and every person shared in God’s merciful love. It was a community of equals; a community where everyone was taken care of by their neighbors. “There was no needy person among them.” The way we treat other people is a manifestation of God’s mercy through our lives.

I try to share God's mercy in my job. Part of my job is to do safety training. I do this training for several reasons. 

One, some people don’t care about other people, like the foreman who tells a person to risk their life when they know that a job or task is unsafe. It's not necessarily the company; but, it may be the culture that rewards unsafe acts. The foremen believe making a bonus is more important than the safety of the employee.

Scripture tells us you cannot serve both God and mammon. 

Two, the government says that companies have to provide the training. Training helps to provide a safe workplace and gives instructions on how to have a safe workplace.

We live in a time were the government wants to control and make rules for even for the Church. It is behind political ideals. The government wants control over Church run institutions. Politicians want to be seen as saviors to the masses. Government can never master charity, which is the love of our neighbor and based on the love of God. God’s mercy is the ultimate lovingkindness. Sharing God’s mercy is the ultimate charity. Our government will never have God’s mercy or true charity.

Three, I teach because it is part of my ministry to the workplace.

In all I do, I try to teach Jesus. I witness and I share what I have with by brothers and sisters in that work place. Many say we are there to teach because the insurance company doesn’t want them to get hurt. I tell each and every person I teach, I don’t want them to get hurt. I want them to return to their family. I share in mercy what God has given me.

Christ gave the apostles the gift of bestowing his mercy. “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” The sacrament of reconciliation is the mercy of God given through forgiveness. Most of us are not priest, so we do have this charism of mercy.  But we can still forgive, still bring God’s mercy to others through our gifts and talents. Still bring the victory of Christ to others through our faith.

Each and every one of you has something that you can give to the community. Christians bestow God’s mercy in the love of neighbor. This is the mercy found in out faith. The mercy given so that no one knows need. We bring mercy helping others find God, know Christ, and know love.

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Let us pray for God’s mercy on us and on the whole world.

Homily Easter Day - Do We Understand?

My friends Happy Easter and as we sang in the Psalms - This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.  Remember this Psalm for later.

First I’d like to recap today’s Gospel: It was still dark and they ran to the tomb - Mary, Peter, and the disciple Jesus loved. Peter was old and fat and didnt get there first. When Peter got there he went in and found the tomb empty, the burial cloths rolled up. Then the other disciple went in: he saw and believed but they didn’t understand.

This is from the Gospel of John 20:1-9. I think it should have also included the next verse, John 20:10,  “Then the disciples returned home.”

I’m not exactly sure what that disciple saw and believed. They just returned home. Did he believe that the body of Jesus was gone or did he believe that Jesus had risen? This is the Gospel of John, the disciple Jesus loved. He was first to reach the tomb. John saw and believed and then he writes, they did not understand at that time. They just returned home.

If you study the scriptures you will find one thing.  The disciples loved Jesus. They followed him and hung on every word, every miracle, and teaching. But most of the time, they just didn’t get it.  They believed in him but they didn’t always understand him.

We have an advantage and something in common with the disciples.

The advantage, we don’t have to see to believe. We’re here today on Easter Sunday because we do believe. We believe because we have the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s life. We know what he experienced: celebrations, betrayal, abandonment, pain, suffering and death. From this week, we know the passion of Christ from Palm Sunday to His crucifixion on Good Friday. We do believe because we know what’s after the empty tomb. So today, Easter Sunday, we celebrate His resurrection.

Now, the part we have in common - so many don’t understand. This Sunday morning, Christians throughout the world celebrate is resurrection then simply return home.

We do believe! Do we understand? Do we simply return home? 

Returning home is not always a good thing. I’m not talking about the house of wood or bricks but the interior home our ego. I’m about to say ugly words about that home; some are built with anger, prejudice, bias, and the self-centered aspects of human life.

I can find myself there sometimes - We can find ourselves there sometimes. St. Paul calls it in Corinthians - old yeast and we are to get rid of it.

We find it in those lukewarm in faith. They believe but don’t understand. They’ve gone back home.

Those who ask if you are saved – just say this sinner’s prayer. They believe but don’t understand. They’ve gone back home.

Those who say God spoke to them and everyone else is wrong. They believe but don’t understand. They’ve gone back home.

Those who say, God doesn’t love Muslims or Hindus or Buddhist or Atheist or Homosexuals or anyone who is different. They believe but don’t understand. They’ve gone back home.

People don’t understand, Jesus died for all of us.

People don’t understand, for all of us, he had to rise from the dead.

People don’t understand, the tomb being empty means He is alive in the world, for all of us.

Christ is not distant and impersonal. Christ does not judge us on if we have said the sinner’s prayer. All our prayers are a sinner’s prayers.

We do believe but do we understand that Christ is with us and loves us no matter who our priest or preacher is; or, how we live our lives; or, what sins we have.  

How do we understand: know your faith. How do we understand: know Jesus. How do we understand: know His love.

Believe and understand, prepare for your new home:

Today and every day, Christ lives and He cares for us.

Today and every day, Christ lives and He is close to us.

Today and every day, Christ lives and He offers us a relationship real and personal.  

Pope Francis explains it in words I love, “Christ, the everlasting today of God.” Remember that Psalm we started with? My friends, this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.

Homily Easter Vigil - Tell a Story

Most of you know I like stories.  I write short stories and enter them in contests. I tie stories to scriptures in homilies to build a message. At this Easter Vigil, I won’t.

I’m not, because we heard in the readings an outline the greatest story: the story of God’s work in the world.

A story beginning at creation when God looked at everything found it very good. It goes on to the words of the prophets in Exodus, Ezekiel, and Isaiah that describe God’s protection, goodness, and promises. The it tells us of the ultimate good news of Jesus Christ in Romans.

The climax of this story is the gospel, where we find the empty tomb and the promise that, His is risen, Christ is Alive, and “He is going before us.”

My friends this is the best part of the story. This is where we find the excitement of the risen Christ. 

The excitement is in this new promise of the empty tomb. The tomb is not our final destiny.

The excitement is in the promise of our salvation. A salvation where we are forgiven not matter what our sins.

Pope Francis calls it “the excitement of Christ, the everlasting today of God.”

Tonight, three other people will stand before us telling a story. One story is through baptism and two stories through confirmation. These are the stories of the excitement of the risen Christ – the empty tomb, the promise of salvation, and the joy Christ - the everlasting today of God.

No, I am not going to tell you a story, but, I am asking you to tell a story. Tell a story with your lives.  Each of you be a witness; tell your story in Christ to the world.