The Friendliest People - Homily Feast of Christ the King

 Daniel 7:13-14, Psalm: 93:1, 1-2, 5, Revelation 1:5-8, John 18:33b-37 

Praise be Jesus Christ, forever and ever. Praise be to Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

This is a wonderful day to celebrate our God and King Jesus Christ.

The LORD God says, I am the Alpha and Omega. He is the beginning and end of all things; the one who is, was, and will be. Remember nothing that God puts in your life is unimportant.

Reflecting back on this week and the things he put in my life, God was there.

Thursday night sitting alone at the Hibachi Super Buffet in Jonesboro AR, and I witnessed the friendliest people. The servers greeted each person with sincere happiness. It was a loving warm friendliness between all the servers and guests. It was genuine. It was the atmosphere. Greetings were full of smiles, handshakes, and many even shared hugs.   

The next morning, the same thing in the hotel lobby. The employees interacting with the guests. The guests smiling and happy, not only interacting with the employees but with the other guests as well.

When I went to my room to pray with my prayer journal, I wrote about the love and friendliness I witnessed.

Then at my appointment, I asked my contact a native of Toronto, Canada, how Jonesboro compared to Toronto. His answer it was friendliest placed he had ever lived. People are nice. They go out of their way to greet you. He said the friendliness was contagious.

I thought about how we see Christ in others and how they see Christ in us. How many will not realize God’s love until we share with them God’s love in us.

The Christ in us is contagious.

However, this is 2021. The world tells us, we do not need Jesus. We do not need Jesus as our King. We do not need Jesus as our leader and hero.

Sadly, in today’s world what is right and just in society often comes from the lies and deceit of the evil one. Many times the things put before us, can be cartoonish.

Some prefer the cartoon heroes (both real and make believe) because the great deceiver uses them to champion his lies. Christians sit, watch, and accept the actions of the enemy as the way it should be in the world.

Big business require employees to ask a person’s preferred pronouns so not to offend. Companies call it tolerance and respect; but it often it does not go both ways. Sharing Christian faith can be upsetting to non-Christians.

The devil changes much by deceit and little by little. The world becomes more secularized, agnostic, and atheistic.

Even the opinion of Christ changes. Christ has moved from King to buddy. Some do not ask Jesus to lead us but accompany us. Lives are not redeemed but socially adjusted.

Instead of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and giving glory to God, too much of popular culture worships at the altar of I, me, or we and might have a little Jesus on the side.   

Both this feast day and the Gospel we share holds the essence and truth about being a follower of Christ. If we proclaim “Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”, we battle the enemy’s lies in the world.

Jesus said, “Mine is not a kingdom that belongs to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be here fighting for me.”

Jesus’ words of hope were “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Those who listen come from all peoples, nations, and languages. His voice is the seed of the kingdom planted in us for it is the way, the truth, and the life.

Believers know the truth that His is a kingdom of God’s presence where justice, love, peace, and goodness exists for all people.

Christ is King and leader who loves so much he does accompany us in our life’s walk. His redeeming kingship saves us and that saving redemption adjusts our lives so we may know and live the truth of his kingdom. By his kingly sacrifice, we have become more than friends. We are his adopted brothers and sisters.

Jesus said that this Kingdom is not of this world. But, His kingdom can exists in us and through us. It is a Kingdom of respect, tolerance, and forgiveness that recognizes the dignity and beauty of all creation. It is hope and tr    uth. It is the seed in every Christian believer to grow the Kingdom of Our Lord Jesus Christ in this world.

For the world to know that kingdom, Christ must be the King that is reigns over our lives.

He must reign in our minds. He must reign in our wills. He must reign in our hearts. He must reign in our bodies. He must reign in our talents, gifts, and abilities. He must reign in our love of God and our love for one another.

Nothing that God puts in your life is unimportant. Think about how we see Christ in others and how they see Christ in us. The Christ in us is contagious when we plant the seed of the kingdom in others. He is the beginning and end of all things.

Friends be good, be holy, and preach the gospel by the way you live your life and love one another; and, His kingship will not be destroyed.

Praise be to Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the universe forever and ever. Amen.

Harsh Words – Reflection 33rd Sunday OTB

 Praise be Jesus Christ fore ever and ever.

Most know, I have three beautiful grandchildren. I love them all, but each is different. Each has their own personality. 

My youngest grandson is a rambunctious 3 year old. There are times, maybe twice or more a week or a day, the daycare calls for someone to come and have a discussion with him about his behavior.

After the second visit, the discussions become a little harsher. When you love someone, a little tough live maybe needed to put them on the right path for their behavior. Put it this way, the 3 year old gets a lot of guided tours to that right path.

Those times are hard on me. Each of my grandchildren are unique and I love them just as they are more than anything.

On that note, what do you think about the scripture readings this morning? I you ask me to describe them in one work – “Yikes!” or even “Scary!”

With those “scary” words, take these comforting thoughts. God loves you more than anything.

But…, I am a sinner.

God still love you more than anything.

But…, I am a little different than other people.

You are God’s creation. You were created for him to love and to love him. God loves us in our difference more than anyone else.

God loves us in our quirks. He loves us in our differences. God loves us even when we sin. Because God loves us, do not be afraid of Jesus’ words.

It is our sin we should fear. Sin hurts us. Sin is the rejection of God’s love for us. Sin is when we fail to love God.

That is even more “scary” than Jesus’ words: The sun will become dark and the moon will no longer shine. The stars will fall and the powers of the sky will be shaken.

Times of greatest sin is when many see these scary things Jesus warned us about. Jesus tell us to not be afraid. Because, Jesus will come again. All things will be made new. All who live holy lives will live forever.

Scripture proclaims, “You shall be Holy for I am Holy.” And, “You are God’s temple and God’s spirit dwells in you. For God’s temple is holy and you are that temple.”

God sent Jesus as an example of how we are to be Holy. He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us so that we should be Holy.

To live a Holy life we should take these simple words from today’s Psalm used in the Children’s liturgy. “You Lord are all I want! You are my choice and keep me safe. I will always look to you as you stand beside me and protect me from fear. With all my heart I can safely rest.”

Being Holy is a loving God. Being Holy is not rejecting God’s love. Being Holy is following Jesus words, his instructions, and following in his footsteps.

Many look at the world and see what Jesus describes in today’s Gospel. It is easy to see violence, hate, injustice, and attacks on the dignity of peoples. There is much confusion as men, women, and leaders of the world think they can be God by opinion and legal rulings. Many times, the result is not Holy.

Sometimes a loving Father has to speak to his children with harsher words; but, He still loves each of them more than anything.

We are shown a path of life in Jesus words, instructions, and way. It is a path that will not change. His words will not pass away. Everyone who listens to him will shine bright in wisdom.

Do not be afraid. Only God the Father knows the timing of his will. It is all in the Father’s hands.

Be good, be holy and go to preach Jesus’ words by the way you live your life and love one another.

Praise be Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Widow’s Trust Homily - 32nd Sunday Ordinary Time

Praise be Jesus Christ, forever and ever.

It is said that a preacher will often preach to themselves. It is true today.

This past week there was a graveside service, a baptism, preparation for All Souls mass on Tuesday, reports on mass attendance for the Diocese, perpetual adoration on Thursday, and the First Friday mass with adoration on Friday. Today is altar server training, PSR, mass, and this afternoon at 3 is blessing of the graves. I had to prepare two homilies and find time for my spiritual direction studies.

People will ask how do you have time for all the things you have to do? The truth is I don’t.

I missed a Holy Day of Obligation, the Feast of All Saints, because I took care of my mother and had work obligations. Because of other things, I missed my holy hour a couple of days this week. Sometimes, I think I rush my prayers.

In these, I see my failures at being holy and giving myself totally to God.

It is because of my riches. My riches are a beautiful and loving family. I have a job. I have a home. I have two wonderful church families - St. Lawrence and Our Lady of Fatima. Sometimes the obligations I have to these keep me from giving all to God. 

I see myself in the scripture readings today, in so many ways, as one of the poor widows or the scribe or those that give from their abundance.

The most obvious point of the readings is the two stories about people who have nothing. Two widows that have no money, little to their name; but, they have faith.

In the first reading, the prophet Elijah meets a poor woman and asks her for a cup of water; and, as she was going to retrieve it he adds, could you also make me a small piece of bread.

When the woman protest, Elijah tells her she will not run out of flour and oil until the famine is over.

Most people would considered Elijah’s request crazy, cruel, or both. This poor woman had only a little flour and oil, enough for one last meal for her son and her self. But this widow, because she had nothing was free from worldly riches. She can easily trust this prophet of God and gives from all that she has. Her only gamble is trusting God, and God does not fail. God recognizes her gift.

The Gospel shares a similar story. There is an extremely poor widow. She has almost nothing. Because of her poverty, she is free enough to give from all that she has. Her only gamble is trusting in God and God does not fail. Jesus recognized her gift.  

These widows’ actions came from their faith and love and trust of God. They gave as they felt they must, sacrificing some or all that they needed. 

But, look also at the other persons Jesus identifies in the gospel. Jesus contrasted the poor widow to the scribe and others who flaunted themselves and paraded around in their importance.

Their worldly importance had become their keeper. They were not free to have a trusting faith in God’s mercy and salvation. The trust and faith they have was not in God but other things. The were not free to give from all they had because their faith and trust was in their appearance, position, and their wealth.

In these readings, the widows, the scribes, and the affluent people are not given names. We can put ourselves in their place. I can see myself in each one of them.

As I shared my week earlier, I can easily see myself as the scribe that Jesus speaks about. Worried about my ties to this world, my job, what people think of me, and making other people happy by what I do.

At the same time, I can see myself as one of the widows. Trusting God and giving to God from the gifts he has given me. Always afraid that what little time I have will run out and I will not be able to do what I need to do.

I can put my own name on the people of these two stories. Can you see yourself or others in those people?

In this world, prudence requires us to take the proper actions and precautions to care for our family and loved ones. That is riches God has given me. Like the widow, what little I have I should give it to God with a trusting faith. What I give from all I have is the hand full of flour and little bit of oil. God always give me more to share. 

These are the things that makes us holy. It is not the activities but the total trust and faith we have in God. It is a trusting faith that comes from freedom. Giving all from what little we have. Ultimately it is God who cares and looks over us.

That is the truth the widows shared in their simple ways. Each had a trusting faith in God. 

It is by the trusting faith we have in God that we are saved.

Be good, be holy, and preach the gospel by the way you live your life and love one another. 

Praise be Jesus Christ fore ever and ever. Amen.