Is it a Dead Battery? Reflection 5th Sunday of Easter

Readings

A dead battery is not something you want to have.

In your car, your phone, or your remote control.... The moment you discover you have that dead battery your lost.

If we look around in our churches, we can see a lot of dead batteries.

In our car we can get jump start. Our phones we plug them up to the charger. In our remote control, we can just get up and change the channels.

How do we charge our faith?

Just as Paul did, we need to see the risen Christ, plug back into the vine. Be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, “A branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.”

Jesus spoke in parables understood only by those who were inside a certain circle. But in today’s world I think this is a parable we can understand if we think of Jesus as the charge for our battery.

Today, it is hard to get anything done if your battery is dead. It’s hard to get anything done without transportation. We can’t communicate without that phone. And on the most modern televisions you can’t even change the channels if you have dead batteries in the remote.  

If our battery of faith is not charge in Christ, we can’t get things done in our family, church, or community.. Getting things done in Christ is fruitfulness.

The fruitfulness of the Gospel comes from a connection with Christ. It comes when Christ is in you, and you are in him. The heart of Christian community is the person of Jesus Christ.

Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Jesus is the vine; we are the branches. Living within the vine, we “will produce abundantly.” It is that relationship of vine and branches that we become fully charged in our faith by Christ.

How do we remain braches on the vine? How do we become fruitful? How are we charged with the power of the Holy Spirit? How do we glorify God?

And his commandment is this: believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

Remaining in him, we stay connected. The Holy Spirit in our lives charges our batteries. We become fruitful glorifying God in what we do.

If we look around in our churches, we can see a lot of dead batteries. We preach Jesus, love, the Holy Spirit, and glorifying God. We strive to live in these - we pray for these. But it is up to each and every one of us to stay connected to the vine.

We come to that place in the church that is built up and walks in fear of the Lord, filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit. Don’t let the world preach you anything different. It will drain our battery and  we can become lost. That is where we become like a branch that withers, pruned from the vine.

Believe in Jesus and “love one another as he commanded us,” and in these acts of faith and love, “we are at peace before him.” That is a community with a hot battery. That is a community of Christ.

Be good Be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

The Lead Cow - Reflection 4th Sunday of Easter

(Readings)

This Sunday is Good Shepherd Sunday. It is also Vocation Sunday.

Being a deacon, I know a little about vocation. But to be honest, I don’t know much about sheep. My family raised cattle.

Many years ago my grandfather brought home a full bred Hereford bull calf for my grandmother. In a romantic way only country folks could appreciate, He named it after her. It grew into a 2000 lb. bull named Daisy.

When he brought it home, it was orphaned, abandoned calf - so small. It was not weaned, my grandmother bottle fed it. It loved my grandmother. It followed her around like an overgrown puppy, even as a grown bull.  It would come when she call.

When it was time to feed the cattle, she would yell, D-a-i-s-y!! And, it would come running. But it would not be the first in the line of cattle. That big bull was not the lead cow.

The lead cow was an old black and brown cow with one horn that came down across it face and one curving the same way over the top of her head. She would come running. After her would be the bull and all other cows running to follow the lead cow.

They would only come running when my grandmother called for them.

We tend to be like these cows or sheep.

Sheep live a flock mentality - for protection, for comfort, and for blending-in. Cows live in a herd mentality. Sheep don’t want to stand out in a crowd. Cattle always follow the lead cow. Ain’t that just like us?

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The sheep know the Shepherd’s voice.

Sheep and cows both can fall to the temptation of a greener pasture or cooler water. Chasing temptation one sheep or the lead cow will change direction and the rest follow for protection, comfort, and blending-in.

We’re just like that. Temptation catches an eye of someone influential and we follow. The temptation of greener grass, new things to explore, or something pleasurable leads many astray and it becomes the popular. 

Temptation pulls us from the shepherd and all he offers. We become lost.

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

• Like eating tide pods…. 
• Like our life choices, life styles, and life decisions….

Adam and Eve made an informed decision. Judas Iscariot made an informed decision. Pontius Pilate made an informed decision.

Information found in the empty promises of the world, desires of the flesh, and the lies of the devil.  Lies we are too weak to resist.

We don’t have the strength of Jesus. That’s why he is the Good Shepherd. His flock is built around him. He will not abandon us. He keeps us together, on the right path, in the right pasture, and in his protection. We know his voice and presence.

Even though we want Jesus so much, like sheep we still wander away in the temptation of sin and become lost. Or like cattle, we can follow the wrong lead cow. We go astray.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd.  He says I know mine and mine know me. His life was our salvation, so that we would know him.  Jesus is the cornerstone on which out salvation is achieved. He gave his life for our salvation so that we know him. So we will follow where he leads.

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. Everyone who believes in him has forgiveness of sins through his name.

On this vocation Sunday, (take this in the best way) pray for more good lead cows that run to the master voice and bring us with them.

Pray for those called to a religious life. Pray for vocations where more hear the master voice and run to it. Pray that the rest of the flock or the heard will follow them.

Be good, be holy, and be a lead cow running to the master voice, preaching the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

Expiation of Our Sins

(Readings)

Fr. Job is in the process of receiving his doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy (M&FT). And, I was helping him prepare for his comprehensive finals. He said to me “Deacon, in M&FT, truth is relative to the dynamics of the relationship.”

Since that time, I have been pondering, “Could I, a person of faith, participate in relative truth when it contradicts the ultimate truth of God?”

The accidental characterization of an individual or specific group’s truth does not change the substance of real truth. Our relative truth can still be a life of sin. 

You can paint a white wall red but it still remains a wall.

A white lie or a half truth is still a lie. 

Fish swim.

Lions and tigers are hunters.

I am a sinner.

And, I find the answer to my contemplation, “Could I, a person of faith, participate in a relative truth when it contradicts the ultimate truth of God?” We struggle over the nature of truth; but, by my sin, I confirm my relative truths every day. We live in relative truths out of ignorance of God who is the truth and wills the truth.

Christ Jesus will lead us to the truth. "Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?”

Christ is expiation for our sins and not for our sins only; but, for those of the whole world.

The reason Christ Jesus died for sins…, was that he might lead you to God. (1 Peter 3:18)

In Jesus Christ, the whole of God's truth has been made manifest. The Living Word of God is truth. By him we are forgiven the sins of the relative dynamic truths of everyday life.  

Fr. Job always witnesses the love of God and forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. As he moves to become Fr. Job Ph.D. in M&FT, like all good priest, he brings the presence of real truth to the truth of everyday lives.

Scripture instructs us that the forgiveness of sins is to be preached in his name to all the nations…,

Be good, be holy and preach the gospel of forgiveness by the way you live and love. Amen.

Trying to be Better Christians - 2nd Sunday of Easter/Divine Mercy Sunday

Readings

I am terrible at being a Christian, but I am trying to do better. Maybe a lot of us are terrible at being a Christian.

A couple of weeks ago, a woman came up to me after mass at OLF and said I liked your message.  I know her. She often asks me for help.

 She is homeless and shows up for the coffee and donuts before mass and will stay for mass. She is not Catholic.

I have helped her find places to stay. I have helped her find something to eat. I have given her a few dollars to help her out. That day she did not ask for anything.  She was speaking to others and was gone by the time I had closed up the church.

That evening it was cold and started raining.

On the news that Monday, they reported an arrest of that same woman for breaking into what she thought was a vacant house to get out of the rain.

I am terrible at being a Christian, but I am trying to do better.

Northeast Louisiana needs more services for those in need. Our community is reaching out; but, there is still a shortage of beds, food, and safety for those on the street. The Christian community supports many in need. We are a community trying to do better, but so much more is needed.

The community of believers was of one mind and heart and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own. There was no needy person among them.

If that is what it means to be a Christian, I am probably terrible at it.  The call to community is not a political idea. It’s a call to love and mercy has everything to do with it

The community of believers was of one mind and heart.

We are called to be of one mind. In the Gospel it says we are called “to live in the Spirit.” He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

To live in the Spirit is not being super religious, super pious, a charismatic zealot, or theological savant. It is to be alive with the gifts of Holy Spirit.

The Spirit is present when charity, joy, peace, patience, endurance, kindness, generosity, faith, mildness, and chastity are deeply in our lives.

When these gifts are present, the Holy Spirit permeates the air around us. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth.

We are called to be of one heart – we know we love the children of God when we love God. Let’s put it another way - When we love each other, we love God.

Isn’t that a hard thing to do? When people get together, there is always a difference of opinion, thoughts, and politics. Why do you think every time Jesus showed up he called out “Peace be with you."

On this Divine Mercy Sunday when we contemplate God’s Divine Mercy remember our call to mercy. Acts of love in which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities.

Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently are spiritual works of mercy.

The corporal works of mercy are feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead.

Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God:

The community of believers was of one mind and heart. The community is not perfect and bears in its hands and side the wounds of the homeless, the abused, the forgotten, and the struggling.  "Put your finger here and see my hands, put your hand into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe."

Yet, when there is community, Jesus shows up and says – see me, touch me, receive the Holy Spirit.

The call to be a community calls us to love. Pope Francis tweeted on this Divine Mercy Sunday- God covers us with His Mercy. He enfolds us in Christ, so that we can become instruments of his goodness. In that goodness, we become a community called together by Christ, begotten by God to conquer the world through love.

 I am terrible at being a Christian, but I am trying to get better in God’s Divine Mercy.

We should all try to be a better Christian, be good, be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

Fisher's of Men - Homily - 1st Friday April Mass & Adoration

Readings

Christ reveals himself to Simon Peter and the other disciples when they went fishing. With the guidance of one they did not recognize they caught many fish.

Standing on the shore, Jesus tells them “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”

At that time, they realized it was the Lord. They didn’t need to ask, “Who are you?” It was the same Jesus who told them, “follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

The net had 153 large fish. Even though there were so many fish, the net was not torn. The number is very specific and there is a reason.

One reason is the 154^th fish got away.

The 153 represented all the known species of fish. Since the apostles are to be fishers of men, the catch became a symbol of a fruitful mission as fishers of men. The apostles were to fish from all the nations of men.

The Lord then fed them breakfast. He broke bread. He gave them food to have the strength to go out as fishers of men.

That strength is seen in the Acts of the Apostles. When asked by whose authority did they heal the crippled man? The apostles proclaim "all of you and all the people of Israel should know it is in the name of Jesus Christ this man stands before you healed."

Few are called to be fishers of men. They are true believers who bring the gospel. It is through this Church of believers that Christ reveals himself. In that we too can become fishers of men.

Jesus feeds us what we need. He feeds us in the Eucharist, and by faith, and through prayer. In these we have the strength be fishers of men. Christ makes us fishers of men to witness to the world but starting right beside our boat.

Christ wants us to bring him that 154^th fish, the ones that have gotten away.  The net that is Christ will not tear.

So, in goodness and holiness, be fishers of men.

A Journey - Homily Easter Vigil 2018

Tonight we heard the story of salvation history from the beginning to the empty tomb. All of it is pointing to Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.

We, also, come tonight to witness three more stories in salvation history. Tonight, we introduced to the stories of Taylor, Desirae, and Scott, three young people that come seeking baptism or communion and confirmation. Their stories will add to salvation history despite a world where more and more people are turning away from God and religion. 

These young people found a relationship with the risen Christ when others say they can no longer believe. These in disbelief give three reasons: science, apathy for God/faith, and suffering.

Salvation history is the unfolding of God’s inspired telling of His perfect plan so an imperfect humanity can understand. People argue they cannot find God in science and there is no science in this history.

God’s building blocks is what we imperfect human call science. The clay that God created us from is all that came before us. The argument against religion and church is often by science. But, it is the church that has always maintained knowledge. It was the church that established universities when there was none. It was the church that began hospitals.

Most great scientific discoveries began as a search by religious believers (priests, monks, and other religious) into the mystery of life and God.  Scientist and priest like Copernicus, Mendel, Grimaldi, Conye, and others developed theories and made discoveries in genetics, heat, light, electricity, volcanoes, and fossils. They studied the stars and proposed the big bang. These people of faith trying to understand God brought the world science..

Do not dumb down your faith. The division between science and faith is made by people who say God cannot be proven by science. But, my brothers and Sisters, the mystery of God is what has proven science.

In these readings are arguments for God and Jesus Christ. The Bible points to Christ and salvation from the very first words. If you believe in the risen Christ, God the Father, and the Church shout it to the world. 

But, many fail to bring the story outside the walls of the Church. That is apathy to God and faith. It is the “whatever” attitude that infects the world. In that attitude, most have lost everything but a vague and jaded understanding of God. 

People are not apathetic on politics, sexuality, thoughts on marriage, and life choices. In expressing those ideas, society is not quiet. However, most lack debate and argument; instead proselytize these issues with profanity, name calling, and bully tactics.

Believers are called to witness God to the world. For Christians, this witness is the goodness and love realized in the Christian life. It is a witness that can get the attention of the world. With a Christian heart, preach the Gospel by the way you live and love.

A third reason people question God is suffering. The experience of illness, violence, catastrophe, and all types of tribulation in the world makes people ask why. They say “I pray to God and God does not answer my prayers!”

Atheists argue against God saying that there is no magic genie in the sky that grants wishes. I agree. I hope that is not the God any of us believe.

Our prayers are not a magic incantation to make God perform for us. Prayer draws us closer to God. That is where healing happens. That is where our suffering is given to our God who suffered for us.

Jesus on the cross cried out “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.” It is a cry of all who suffer. Jesus did not cry out from a physical pain. It was a cry from the sin, hurt and suffering of all humanity and all time that flooded onto him.

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, does know our pain and suffering. He died for us.

Why does suffering exist? Created in the image and likeness of God, we are given freedom. Like all of creation in freedom is our nature. It was in that freedom Jesus was crucified. Those who crucified him were created in the image and likeness of God.

Freedom is the opportunity to discover our image and develop our likeness. We will stumble and fall.  Yet, throughout the suffering, crisis, and tribulations of life, we are always held inside of Love. Love is the very nature and shape of God.

Taylor, Desirae, and Scott and this entire family in Christ must always remember that our lives will be filled with challenges like science, apathy, and suffering. At the same time, our journey of faith will have mountains of awe, valleys of surrender, and paths of prayer. It is a journey that leads us to the empty tomb. The empty tomb that proved Jesus Christ is who he said he was; and, proves who we are.

Go into the world, be good, be holy and preach the Gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

Spring Cleaning - Homily Easter Sunrise Service

John 20:1-10

“Christ is the everlasting today of God.” (Pope Francis) And, this is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad.

The Gospel tells us, Mary, Peter, and the disciple Jesus loved ran and discovered an empty tomb with the burial cloths lay neatly aside.

They saw and believed; but, didn’t understand. Do you know what they did next? “They went home.”

Father asked me what Easter means to me. It’s about home. Today, as we renew our baptismal vows, think about some spring cleaning.   

Not your house; instead, the home that is your heart. The heart is where we don’t understand; because, it can be full of anger, prejudice, and bias.

Deacon, not me, I’m not like that. That is called pride.

Sometimes, we go there. Our hearts can become polluted by self-centeredness. St. Paul calls that - old yeast and we are to get rid of it.

So, seek what is above. Think of what is above. Understand his glory.

With a clean heart, maybe we can understand. Jesus died for all of us; rose from the dead for all of us. The tomb was empty and He is alive in the world, for all of us. “Christ is the everlasting today of God.”

 This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad. Alleluia, alleluia