33 - Love upon love - Homily Holy Trinity Sunday

What a great weekend! This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity. But, there's a couple of other things we celebrate as well.

One is Memorial Day. In honor of all those who gave their life in service to our country we will take a moment for silence and prayer.

Most Holy Trinity, we remember those who gave their life in service for our country. They all served in honor for the love of this country and their families. May all those who died as believers be among the people the Lord has chosen for his own. May they know eternal piece at the foot of your throne. We ask this, in the name of the Father, and the son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The second are all the anniversaries in May and June. Today is Janet and Herbert Breard’s 40th anniversary. How many of the rest of us celebrate our anniversaries during May and June?

Another anniversary celebrated this Friday wass Janet Goss and Deacon Bill’s 33rd. I began my anniversary celebration Friday morning with adoration. Friday Adoration at St. Lawrence begins at 6:30 a.m. Janet misses it because of work. I spent my hour with God praying for my family and thanking God for the past 33 years of life with my wife.

When I returned my wife had left I printout on the significance of the 33rd anniversary. First, the number 33 is the sum of the numbers represented by the letters in the world Amen.  The A is 1. M is 13. E is 5. N is 14 and if you add those numbers 1 + 13 + 5 + 14 they equal 33. It’s probably not true for the word Amen in Greek or Hebrew or Latin or Aramaic; but, it's a nice thought.

Another, 33 is the number of Miracles reported in the Gospels. Yes, scripture says that there were many more miracles not written about, but 33 is the number recorded.

Thirty-three is also the number of years that Jesus was on the earth.

Spiritually, the 33rd anniversary is represented by meditation, contemplation, philosophy, and prayer. It’s appropriate then that I began my day with meditation, contemplation, and prayer at Adoration.

However, not in the printout about the 33rd anniversary is the two 3s. We celebrate and worship a Triune God. One God in three persons, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The 33rd anniversary calls to mind the Holy Trinity, twice.

The mystery of the Triune God is hard to wrap our heads around; one God in three distinct persons. In deacon formation we were told the one thing we can know about the mystery of the Trinity is love. God the father is the lover, the son (Christ the word of God) is the Beloved, and the Holy Spirit is the actual love between the father and the son. The Holy Trinity, the Triune God is love - upon love - upon love.

I'd like to think that my 33rd anniversary was love - upon love - upon love - upon love - upon love - upon love.

This was the God the Moses knew. The one described as “The Lord who is God in Heaven above and Earth below; there is no other.

Moses knew the same God we know. Although Moses may not have been able to articulate the Holy Trinity or a Triune God, he knew God. The scripture that is credit to him tells us that in the very beginning God said let us make man in our own image. God spoke and begat the word  and the Word was God. The Holy Spirit was part of that us, the Ruach, the breath, the spirit of God t was calming the waters of chaos in God’s creation.

Moses was led by the spirit of God. Scripture tells us those led by the spirit of God are sons of God. And in that we can cry “Abba Father.” Led by the Spirit, we become children of God, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.

We are heirs to that love - upon love - upon love that is the Holy Trinity. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

By the Spirit we are led to baptism.

I remember my baptism. Not my first one when I was a two-week-old at the Cathedral Holy Nativity in Biloxi Mississippi. I mean my second baptism.

My father, the baptist minister, preached about the importance of being saved, knowing God, and being born again in baptism. At 12 years old, I made the altar call. I knew God, I knew Jesus, but I wanted to know the Holy Spirit.

So one spring day on the banks of the Bayou Barbue near Emmanuel Community in Natchitoches Parish, I was baptized by the Baptist Church. I opened my eyes to look for the Holy Spirit t my father had preached about so many times. Instead, I saw beautiful. I saw a kaleidoscope of colors. The blue of the sky, the green of the trees, the golden sparkling reflections of the sun shining through the water. But, I did not see the Holy Spirit.

It wasn't until I made my first communion in my mid thirties that I experienced the Triune God in my life. As I received Christ on my tongue, it was like nothing I had ever experience. I truly knew Christ was part of me. I truly felt the presence and fire of the Holy Spirit. I knew what it meant to cry “Abba, Father.”

Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

We began speaking about anniversaries. Many, for one reason or another, may not celebrate this type of anniversary; but, remember, we are all chosen in love by one so much greater than any person. Each and every one of us is chosen by God. Chosen to be his own. Chosen to answer the call of Jesus Christ. Chosen to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We are called in baptism to share the love upon love upon love that is the Holy Trinity.

In being chosen, we are to go and make disciples of the whole world.

Be good, be holy and preach the gospel of Christ. Living as one God has chosen to be his own; sharing the love - upon love by the way you live and love one another. Amen.

I have never heard that Wind.... A homily for the Feast of Pentecost

My first charismatic worship experience was when my father left the Baptist church and attended a Pentecostal Church. He asked me to go with him.

I knew Mass and the Baptist service; both, quiet reverent services. Mass had standing and kneeling. The Baptist had the Amen or occasional Hallelujah.

But, I had heard things. I didn’t know what to expect. When I got there, people were shouting, speaking in tongues, dancing, waving their arms, and falling to the floor. I was about 13 and it scared me.

Think about the apostles. Maybe they were scared as they waited for the one the Father would send. They didn’t know what to expect. Jesus promised the Paraclete would come, so, they waited. The time they waited between the ascension and Pentecost is known as the in-between time.

We all have in-between times in our lives; time in-between the big events. Times we are scared or don't know what to expect. What do we do with them? Let me suggest this, pray.

We as believers pray…., Come Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Then, we wait.  

I have an in-between time on the altar each week. Before I proclaim the gospel, I ask for a blessing.  “Bless me, Father.” Then with the Book of the Gospel I proceed to the ambo to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord. In that in-between time, I pray.

I pray and ask for the Holy Spirit to come make my words loud and strong so that all may hear. I pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that the Gospel will fill all those who hear it with the Holy Spirit so they may go forth and live a life that proclaims the Gospel of the Lord.

If I give the homily, I pray that the Lord fills my meager words with the power of the Holy Spirit to touch hearts and souls for the Lord. In that in-between time, I pray and give myself over to the Holy Spirit.

That’s what the apostles did. They came together in the upper room and prayed. They prepared to proclaim the Gospel. They prepared for the coming of the Holy Spirit. 

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house…

I once asked a friend who attended a Charismatic Holiness Church and who experienced the Holy Spirit by falling on the floor in ecstasy and speaking in tongues if he knew it was going to happen.

Maybe, I asked because I wanted the experience. Maybe, I doubted.

He said the Spirit comes with the sound of a driving wind, when you hear that, make yourself ready.

I have never heard this wind…. But what he said was so true.

We cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit unless we make ourselves ready. God does not impose himself on anyone. We must make ourselves ready by being open to the coming of God’s love.

To receive the gifts of Christ, to receive the Holy Spirit, to open up to the charisms or charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit, we have to open up to the coming of God’s love.

All the things the apostles experienced at the coming of the Holy Spirit is theophany; the visible manifestation of God to man. The theophany of the Holy Spirit robed in the mystery, majesty, and mighty power that is God yet made visible so those present could experience it.

What does that in-between time have to do with this? People want to know the presence of the Holy Spirit. They want to be restored to paradise that is the Kingdom of God. Yet, they are afraid to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit.

But, they are in the in-between waiting for something to happen: A driving wind, tongues of fire, and speaking in tongues. 

I have never heard this wind….

Let me suggest this - Pray. Prayers don’t have to be poetry or eloquent words. Just pray with heart that is true. Pray the prayers learned as a child. Pray with an earnest heart.

Pray, for the Gospel tells us:  No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit …, 

Jesus told us that “when the Advocate comes, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, will testify to me. And you also testify….

No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit….  If we give ourselves over to the Holy Spirit, we will testify Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.

The Holy Spirit is everywhere in history. It breaks through in critical moments, moments when the universe needs, moments when humanity needs, and moments when you and I need. The Holy Spirit never ceases to come into the world.

Give yourself completely to the Holy Spirit. Live by the Spirit. Follow the Spirit.  Be open for the coming of the Holy Spirit, because, the mystery, majesty, and mighty power of God is proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Savior. It is a true anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Many are living in the in-between times, waiting for the sound of a driving wind, tongues of fire, or the ecstasy the Holy Spirit brings. They wait for an anointing of the Holy Spirit. 

I have never heard that wind …, but, I know the presence of the Holy Spirit.

I know the presence of the Holy Spirit that never ceases coming into the world and our lives. The theophany, the visible manifestation of God to the world is this: No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit…,

Come Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth.

Be good, be holy, pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit to proclaim that Jesus is my Lord and savior; by the way you live and love. Amen.

Real & Tangible - Homily for Solemnity of the Ascension/Mother's Day

(Readings)

We celebrate three things this week. You can probably guess two very easy.  Some of you may know the third. First, we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord.  Second, we celebrate Mother’s Day. The third we’ll save for later.

One of my favorite lines from the Bible “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?”

Today, over 2000 years later, we can ask Christians the same question. “Christians, why are you standing there looking at the sky?”

Christians are supposed to be doing more than just waiting around. Faith must be in our everyday life. It must be in our heart, our hands, our feet, and in our labor. Don’t let your faith be all in your head (Rohr), looking at the sky, and waiting for something to happen.

Jesus final words to his disciples before he ascended into heaven: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” After Jesus spoke to them, he was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.

The apostles then went forth and preached everywhere. And, the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs. We are to do the same by bringing the Gospel to the world in real and tangible instances. (Rohr)

Each of us will go according to the measure of Christ's gift with some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers in the work of ministry, building up the body of Christ…,

He gave a special gift to many. That gift is being a good Christian mother; Happy Mother’s Day.

Not all mothers are perfect mothers; but, for most of us, we truly love our mother. St. Paul’s words can be used perfectly to describe most mothers.  You live in a manner worthy of the calling, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity through the bond of peace.

All of us are sitting here today because of someone who is a mother. A mother is not just the person who gave birth to us; but, the person who made us who we are in this life.

Most of us are here in this holy space today because of our mother. She made sure we were at mass. She taught us our prayers. She prayed over us at night as we slept. She prayed for us when we strayed away from the Lord. In these, the mother is the heart and spiritual strength of families.  

Mothers are can even be the reason some Dads come to mass. Children and Dads remember this grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.  Loving Christian mothers are definitely a gift from the grace of God.

Just as Paul urged the Ephesians to live in a manner worthy of the calling you have received. That is what our Mothers urge us to do with our lives.

Our mothers are our first ministers, our first teachers, and our first evangelist. It is by her example we bring the Gospel of Christ to the world; as parents, as single persons, as families, as Catholic Christians.

The way our Mothers (and Dads) raised us is the way we live, love, and preach the gospel. Mothers bring us to the Gospel in the real and tangible.

Can anyone think of the third thing we have to celebrate this weekend?

Luke writes the book of Acts to Theophilus. He writes to one who is a lover of God. We have many Theophilus here are St. Lawrence. But, fifteen years ago, on Mother’s Day, St. Lawrence was introduced to a true Theophilus.

A young man, dark hair, with a beautiful beaming smile was introduced to us as our new priest. Fifteen years ago, a Theophilus, a Lover of God came into the lives of all of us here at St. Lawrence. That was Fr. Job.

He came to our community to build up the body of Christ. He did not just come to preach to this one little community. He came to evangelize to many.

Fr. Job brings the love of Christ that is in him to the whole world. He is a true evangelist that has brought unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God to all of the Northeast Louisiana Community and in his ministry at the Catholic Campus Ministry has touched people throughout the world.

Fr. Job truly preaches the Gospel in the real and tangible. Fifteen years ago, I said Father you are going to have to have to come out of your shell, who would have thought.

Today we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord. We celebrate Mother’s Day. We celebrate Fr. Job’s anniversary in our community. And, we also celebrate his birthday, Monday.

Fr. Job, and I wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers and those who are like mothers to us.

In closing, I remember my mother would often say to me, “Billy don’t just stand there looking at the sky, daydreaming. Get out there and do something.”

My friends don’t just stand there looking at the sky, be good, be holy and preach the gospel in the real and tangible ways you live and love. Amen

Big Bang - Homily 6th Sunday of Easter

Readings

I was sitting in my recliner, contemplating scripture when a commercial came on for the “The Big Bang” television show. It got me thinking.

Scientists say that the universe was created by the big bang. It was originally the theory of a Belgian astronomer, physicist, and Catholic priest, Monsignor Fr. Georges Lemaître.

His primeval atom hypothesis examined the origin of the universe. He proposed that the universe is in an ever expanding state that started with a specific event.

Sarcastically, his critics called his hypothesis “the Big Bang Theory.” The description of his idea as the Big Bang Theory stuck.

He had plenty of critics. Scientific critics said his theory was too religious. Religious critics said it was too scientific and contrary to God.

Lemaitre had insight that his critics failed to acknowledge. Faith and reason are complementary. Faith and reason are the ways God interacts with the world. Pope Benedict XVI said, “Not to act reasonable is contrary to the nature of God.”

God created everything out of nothingness. The big bang actually seems a reasonable description of the impact of God’s word on total nothingness. Sing to the LORD a new song, he has done wondrous deeds.

By faith, we know the divine mystery that is God spoke. God’s word begot Christ and God’s word begot love. Creation began. God’s act of creation and God’s act of love set everything in motion. The universe was created.

By faith we know these first words of the Bible, “In the beginning, God created.” Reason calls the event of creation the big bang.

As the universe is ever expanding, so is God’s love. God’s love is infinite, but God’s love ever expands and is revealed through creation.

This is the way the love of God was revealed to us, God sent his only Son into the world. Jesus is God’s love. The big bang was manifest on earth by his sacrifice on the cross, the ultimate act of love for our salvation. It changed the world.

Jesus commands us to be part of the ever increasing expansion of God’s love. This is my commandment love one another as I love you.

Monsignor Lemaître said the Holy Spirit knew perfectly the Universe. God in all his omnipotence knew what the big bang started. It started love. It is a love that has no partiality. It is not restricted to a nation, a people, a race, or a group.

God’s love is infinite and knows no partiality. But it is up to us to be the continuing expansion of the realization of God’s love in the world. Bearing witness by calling each other friends; being fruitful; and doing all we do in the name of Jesus Christ.

It is total self-sacrificing love. This is the love Christ asks of us.

God’s love is the big bang that starts our life of expanding and encompassing love for the rest of eternity. Everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

Everything starts with our own personal big bang. The truth we must realize to have that happen is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us.

Realizing God loves us changes everything. It changes us to live the command he gave us: Love one another. Pope Francis wrote - We are all called to live our lives with love; bearing witness in everything we do; wherever we find ourselves.

Jesus said “remain in my love.” Giving praise and thanksgiving to God anchors us to Christ’s love. The Eucharist anchors us to Christ’s love. Prayer anchors us to Christ’s love. “Whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.”

I read Albert Einstein said Fr. Lemaitre’s Big Bang “…is the most beautiful and satisfactory explanation of creation….” Maybe, Einstein understood faith and reason.

Faith and reason are complimentary. “Not to act reasonable is contrary to the nature of God.” God knows perfectly his work.

Friends, truth is the beginning of everything and all truth is God's truth. Truth is found in God’s love.

Live your life loving one another because love is of God. Live in the truth of God’s love.

Be good, be holy and make a big bang in the world by preaching the gospel in the way you live and love. Amen.