Crawfish & Communion - Sunday Reflection - Corpus Christi Sunday

Crawfish & Communion

Genesis 14:18-20; Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 9:11b-17

I saw a meme of Jesus and the apostles at the last supper. The table is covered in newspaper and a batch of fresh boiled crawfish is being poured on the table. It was shared on Facebook by a priest.

In the same light; last week a "Protestant, yet Catholic" denomination showed their protestant side with a Crawfish Communion.

It was a fundraiser. They sold t-shirts and had a great big ole crawfish boil.

This Crawfish Communion was not a sinful event or an intended mockery. There was, in fact, the possibility of a little gluttony. (It was a crawfish boil.) However, they were raising money for the parochial school.  

Yet, both of these brought to mind the events in St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians in this week’s readings.

Paul was not happy with the church in Corinth. They had taken the Holy Communion, the Eucharist, and mocked it with gluttony, drunkenness and greed. Instead of bringing the community together; it was being pushed apart.

St. Paul re-instructs them in the tradition he had earlier shared when they were catechized. Paul wants to shock them in realizing their failure to love one another. He wants them to see how their example of the Lord's Supper defied the meaning of the sacrifice of the Eucharist.

Defying God’s directions is something that humanity does well.

God created the world and us to enter into relationship with him. God knows all of creation and in this He gave creation a personal existence distinct from God. Creation is free; therefore humanity is free. All God wants is for his creation to know God back; to love God in return.

For this, we have intellect and will. We have the free act that is love so we can know God.

Melchizedek did; a King and priest that knew and worshiped the most high God. Abraham did and he came for God’s blessing.

But most of humanity has resisted knowing God.

It is easy for those with freedom to not know God, our creator. Saying their unbelief is because of their will and intellect. But, they have either forgotten the important part, love, or, they don’t understand what love is.

So God sent us Jesus, who brought us sacrifice; a sacrifice of bread and wine like Melchizedek. It is a sacrifice in remembrance of His sacrifice. We call it the sacrifice of mass; because, it is a sacrifice. It always has been.

It is a sacrifice that is a miracle that happens at every Eucharistic meal. A miracle foretold in the feeding of the 5000, Jesus took the break, looked to heaven and blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. His disciples brought it to the many.

St. Paul brought it to the many and told them when they had it wrong. In our faith and our communion as Christ’s body of believers we need to do the same.

One way is to support your local parochial schools. Make sure that they bring Christ to our children because some may have no other means to know Him. All or almost all schools usually get some type of federal support. This means the government will be visiting and inviting themselves in. This is made especially apparent in recent judicial rulings and Presidential mandates.

We live in a secular world so worried about personal freedom that it has forgotten love. It encroaches on the freedom and welfare of the many. That is what St. Paul was upset about. They had forgotten love.

Today is the Feast of Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi. Because of humanity’s misuse of freedom, will, and intellect many are hungry for Christ. Many have forgotten love, let us share ours. My friends bring the body and blood of Christ to the world.

Yall be good, Yall be holy. Preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

Confused - Reflection Holy Trinity Sunday

Confused?

Proverbs 8:22-31: Psalms 8:4-5, 6-7,8-9; Romans 5:1-5;  John 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples: "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.”

Jesus continued: the Spirit of truth will guide you to all truth …. He will glorify me, take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; and he will take from what is mine”

Confused?

There’s a saying, “The Holy Trinity is truly the mystery of God. If it was a human invention, we would have figured it out by now.”

Jesus said we wouldn’t understand, even as He gave us the truth of the Holy Trinity; One triune God, three separate persons of God but totally one, a community of love and self-giving.

The Holy Trinity’s self-giving love is unfathomable.

The Spirit speaks from the Son. Everything that is the Father is the Son. Whatever one has the others receive.

Love is from and of God the Father. The beloved is Christ, the Son. And, love exists in the Holy Spirit, the advocate that the Father sent to us.

There is no holding back, no hidden agendas, no manipulation. The completeness of the Holy Trinity is love.

Jesus asked us to be like this. Christ tells us, “love one another as I have loved you.” We are to love like the Holy Trinity.

Radical, but is it really? This love is how it is intended to be – We are created in his image. Yet humanity’s failing covered up that beautiful image. It’s became hard for us to open up our completeness (heart, mind, body) to love

We are created in wisdom. Wisdom has existed with God since the beginning. Wisdom is the word of God. Wisdom is the spirit of God. Proverbs says that wisdom was beside our creator “as his craftsman and his delight day by day.”

Wisdom is to live our life as a Godly experience.

And God “found delight in the human race.” Despite our failings, in delight God comes to us. He came as the Son; He comes to us in the Holy Spirit.

The Son came as a man to us to experienced suffering. In his word made flesh, God came to us, as us, and endure the cross for us. God, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit had endurance for our sins.

The Holy Spirit gives the same gift, endurance.

Endurance in our suffering and afflictions; “Affliction produces endurance; and, endurance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint.” Our suffering is our cross. In the afflictions of this world we look into ourselves and find our faith, hope that does not disappoint. We find God.

With the strength of faith and hope, we live our life as a Godly experience.

The Franciscan Sisters, Poor of Jesus Christ operate a homeless shelter in Kansas City. One young sister in this congregation was asked about her life in hope, joy, and happiness surrounded by poverty and oppression. I am probably not quoting her exactly but her answer, “Happiness is Jesus to love, the cross to carry, and giving love to someone else.” (Three Dogs North Podcast, Episode 31 - threedogsnorth.com)

Her witness is Love as God loves us.

Not in this life will we understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity but maybe we can understand its love. Everything the Father has is love. The love of the Father is the love of Christ. This is love the Holy Spirit uses to glorify the Lord.

To love is joy and happiness living in the love of the Father. To love is seeing and loving Christ in others. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, to love is glorifying God by bringing love to the world.  Love is the wisdom and endurance of faith and hope.

The young sister has it right. Love as God loves us. It is a beginning to understanding the mystery.  By love in wisdom and endurance, we live life as a Godly experience.

The Word of God endures and in wisdom reminds us, “I have so much more to tell you.”

Y’all be good. Y’all be holy. Preach the Gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

Live in the Spirit - Reflection - Pentecost Sunday

Live in the Spirit

Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23

The Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of God’s love in our earthly life.

Years ago, a farmer walked every Saturday many miles to town. His little dog always followed him. One Saturday, as they walked, the little dog ran into the brush and weeds along the road. He came back, panting, full of dirt and cockle-burs. Further down the road, the dog chased a rabbit into the thorns and brambles. After a while, he returns to the farmer’s feet, scratched and cut by the thorns. Outside town, the dog runs off again.

At the first stop, the store owner asks “Where’s the little dog that always follows you?”

It is at this time the little dog shows up limping with his tongue hanging out. He was dirty with more cockle-burs than before and bleeding from new cuts and scratches. He comes and lies at his master’s feet.

Seeing the condition of the little dog, the merchant asked, “Was the road dangerous?”

In love and kindness, the farmer takes off his hat, fills it with water, and gives it to the dog. “No,” says the farmer, “the road was good, the distractions were dangerous.”

The Holy Spirit is the love between the Father and the Son. This is where God invites us to live our lives. In the place where we reach out to God and God reaches back to us. The Holy Spirit brings God’s mercy of love and kindness.  Just like the story of the little dog.

Living in the Spirit is not hard. God is faithful. God is constant. God is true. It’s side trips and distractions in life that are dangerous. Despite these, the Holy Spirit is with us because of God’s mercy. God never changes directions. When we run after all those distractions of life the grace of the Holy Spirit justifies us, cleanses us, and brings s back.

The Lord is waiting for us. No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

This is where the Lord wants us; living in God’s mercy, realizing love and kindness. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to be vessels of God’s mercy in this world. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

Living in the Spirit, remember Mercy shown to us, living in the spirit show mercy to others, and remember that we are always in the need of God’s mercy. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit.

Living in the Spirit is sharing God’s mercy by our love, joy, peace, patience, charity, kindness, faith, and endurance. These are our gifts to preach the gospel and proclaim the kingdom of God. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

We do this in everyday life with our distractions, side trips, and wanderings. Believers return. The Holy Spirit enables believers to have access to the Father through Christ in the one Spirit. (Lumen Gentium)

We are like the little dog dirty, full of cockle-burs, cuts and scratches from life. We limp back to our savior. We return to our master because we know God is there. We lie at the master’s feet; we come back to the one who sustains us.  Jesus exclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink.”

Each of us is called to live in grace of the Holy Spirit, which is the love and kindness of God’s mercy. The Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of God’s love in our earthly life.

The words of sequence on the Feast of the Holy Spirit: On our dryness pour your dew; Wash the stains of guilt away.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, Come to the living water of Christ.

Y’all be good. Y’all be holy. Preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

Enlightened - Reflection Ascension Sunday/Mother's Day

Enlightened

Acts 1:1-11;  Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9; Ephesians 1:17-23; Luke 24:46-53

To be enlightened is moving to a higher level of knowledge and understanding. For most of us, mothers, grandmothers, or someone we consider like a mother was the beginning of our enlightenment. We learned the meaning of “No!” and “Hot!” They taught us to pray and gave us unconditional love.

There are other things that can enlighten us. Have you ever been seen a great master piece, like a painting on Christ’s life and passion? Did it move you to the foot of the cross? Art can be enlightening.

Maybe it is music or the words of a poem that brings you closer to God. The realization in your heart there is something more, You know that God is alive in Jesus Christ. In prayer and contemplation, you find yourself in the presence of God, alive in the holy Spirit, and Christ is in you.

Jesus said, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. We find mercy in this promise of hope, joy, love and forgiveness that speaks to our hearts through the beauty of life.

St. Paul writes “May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call.” We are enlightened to Christ who is the heart of love.

It is hard for some people to find this love. “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” They can’t find God; to them God is far off. Jesus has gone to heaven and we are condemned to wait.

“Why are you standing there looking at the sky?”

We know what to do. We have been given all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up.

No special knowledge is needed. We are enlightened by Christ who is in us. It is not something that is far off, it is in you. The power of the Father is in each of us. Stop waiting. Live a life as a Christians in union with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And with each other, God is in us.

Ask, “Why are we standing there looking at the sky?”  

Realize Christ is alive in us. The love of Christ is our strength. God lives in us and this is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe. In Jesus’ own words - I am in them and Father you are in me and the people who believe are in Christ and the Father.

Here we find our mission as Christians to journey as Jesus' followers. We are in the union of Father and Son. Instead of looking at the sky, find Christ in this unity. Instead of waiting, find unity with God, now.

This is the heart of love. This is enlightenment. This is our ascension.

Look into self in prayerful contemplation. Get lost in music or a painting that brings you closer to God. Open hearts to the promise of the Father. Enlightened by his presence bring the hope of the Father which is mercy, love, joy, and forgiveness to the all the world.

Knowing the promise of God, raises us up; it enlightens us. It’s the love our Mothers want for us.

Happy Mother’s day.

Y’all be good; y’all be holy. Preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

"Peace - Just Looking" A Refection forthe 6th Sunday Easter

Peace - Just Looking Acts 15:1-2,22-29; Psalm 67:2-3,5, 6, 8; Rev 21:10-14,22-23; John 14:23-29

Thanks to Fr. John Kennedy for inspiring this reflection.

Peace is something we like to window shop "just looking for peace."

Humanity seems to shop for peace. 

Millions shout to sign a petition and are silent on human trafficking. We fight to define love and fail to bring peace to the abused and neglected. In the U.S., we fight over bathrooms and in other parts of the world people fight to remain alive.

Human peace hasn’t changed the world. 

True peace is in Christ. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

And, Jesus didn’t bring the change people expected.  

Many of Jesus’ disciples left because his teachings were not what they thought they should be.

Those closest to Jesus doubted, locked their doors in fear, huddled in despair and tried to go back to their old life. And, they witnessed the empty tomb.

His death on the cross and resurrection was victory over sin. It was not the overthrow of the tyranny of the Roman Empire. The people wanted revolution, insurgency, upheaval, rebellion and riots in the streets.

Jesus was not the messiah people expected.

Instead, Jesus brought peace. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

It seemed the early Church may have forgotten this. Some who had come down from Judea were telling the Christians at Antioch they could not be saved unless they were circumcised.

Who were the Judeans? How could they say what the Lord requires for salvation? The did not bring peace but unfeeling, hard-hearted and meddling directions. Instructions from their idea of God. A God who wanted a certain amount of flesh from your body before you can be saved.

It sounds hard. It doesn’t sound like peace. (A piece of flesh is not the peace of Jesus.)

Peace is found in the truth of Christ. This peace should be found in the Church. 

Christ’s Church should be a vision of heaven. It should gleam with the splendor of God. It should be radiant in the word of God; jeweled by the Holy Spirit and the sacraments. It does not need the sun or the moon. Its light is God and its lamp is the lamb.  

The Church is not there yet; because, it’s still in this world. Like the Judeans, believers still identify the will of God with the human will. God’s will is tagged to patriotism, hierarchism, capitalism, feminism, legalism, or the (-ism) of financial success. God’s will is given as a reason to leave a spouse, break a promise, and even kill.

We keep telling ourselves, we know the way to peace. We tie peace to the human will and neglect the will of God.

Human nature ignores peace. Believers can fall into the trap of forgetting Christ to worship the temporal and cultural fantasy that exists in humanity’s turmoil. “Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.”

Humanity's idea of peace doesn’t bring change to the world. We're just shopping.

Real peace is the peace Jesus promised. The Father will send an advocate, the Holy Spirit that will give peace “not as the world gives peace.”

On the Epiphany, Pope Francis’ ended his homily with a prayer that all would find “the courage to be liberated from our illusions and our presumptions, and to seek courage in the humility of faith.”

My Brothers and Sisters this is where we find the peace of Christ.