"How Big are They in There?" - Homily 3rd Sunday of Lend "C"

Reading I: Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15   Responsorial Psalm:103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11  Reading II: 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12  Gospel: Luke 13:1-9

Praise be Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen

At Friday's fish fry, I was asked if my homily was ready. No, it wasn't, in fact I was studying the scripture as I ate fish. But, God would send me the message he wanted. As most of you know, God sends me messages through the eyes of a child.

Walking to my truck with my grandson, I explained to him about good choices and listening. "Liam, Poppy can't keep coming to school because you do not listen to your teachers." 

He answered, I don't know how to listen. So I told him, "Use your ears to hear what people say. Use your head to understand what they say. Use your heart to know the right thing to do."

Then he says “that’s because Jesus lives in your heart.” Then he asks “Does God live in there too?.”  

I said "yes, God and Jesus are both in your heart." 

Then he asks, “Well how big are they in there?”

God spoke to my heart, go with it.  

Moses sees fire flaming out of a bush; and, though on fire, was not consumed. Moses decided – I must go and look at this remarkable sight.

Moses asks God “‘What’s your name?” God replied, “I am who am.” If any one asks who sent you tell them “I am that I am.”  God tells Moses - I will be what I will be. I will create what I create. I am being itself. I am the alpha and omega. I am eternal.

God is the flaming fire of goodness that does not consume us but makes us more. God is in creation all around us. God is in each of us. We are his creation.

God tells Moses this is how big “I am.”

There is Christ, the spiritual rock that sustains us. He was with the Israelites as they came out of Egypt. He is with us now. We all drink from the same spiritual rock.

Jesus comes to search for our fruitfulness. The fruits of faith, love, joy, and hope we share with others. Many times, he finds none. We let bad things, suffering, and fear stand between the God and us.  It keeps us from listening to the one we need to hear.

Jesus came to rescue us from that fear and suffering. He knew fear and suffering more than most of us will know. From that, He preached hope, peace, forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life realized in the heavenly kingdom to come. 

Then He left to his disciples the responsibility to cultivate the ground. He gave them the gospel and instructions on how to make it fertile. 

We have Christ in us. Christ is in others. That is how great the love of  Christ is. 

In Christ's love, love we are to be fruitful.

And yet, St. Paul warns many proclaim and profess this; yet, God is not pleased with most of them. Many think they are secure in what they believe; but, they grumble or desire evil things. To all those, take care.

Bad things are going to happen in this world. We are afraid of those bad things. We are afraid of the suffering that happens. To avoid bad things and suffering, people make bad choices failing to listen for what they need to hear with their ears, their heads, and their hearts. 

But, a 3 yo would probably not understand any of these things. So, I answered him like a grandfather not a deacon.

God and Jesus both live in you. When you breathe air you do not get bigger right then; but, you need air to grow and become a big boy. God made the air. God made our food. God made us. God is in all that makes you grow to become a big boy. God is even in the choices you make because Jesus lives in the goodness and love we have. He helps you make the right choices.

He answered, “Ooo-kay, I going to ride my scooter now."

This is the 3^rd Sunday of lent – Scrutiny Sunday. Friends, today do an examine. Look at the choices we make. Use our ears, heads, and hearts to listen to the goodness and love of Christ that is in all of us.  

Most will fail to listen to Jesus speaking to them from the goodness and love in their hearts. Never fail to follow him. When we fail to follow the Jesus in us, we crucify him again and again.

Be good, be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live your life and love one another. May Jesus Christ be praised, forever and ever. Amen.

Because, I Don't Want to Be Bad - Homily Reflection - 1st Sunday of Lent "C"

 Reading I: Deuteronomy 26:4-10     Responsorial Psalm: 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15     Reading II: Romans 10:8-13     Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

May Jesus Christ be praised –forever and ever. Amen

Welcome to Lent. At St. Lawrence, we had Ash Wednesday service. It was well attended. People came to receive ashes and were told “remember that we are dust and to dust we shall return” or to “repent and believe in the gospel.”

Fridays, we prayed the Way of the Cross. We pray the Way of the Cross for love of Jesus. We take Lent seriously and at the end of Lent, we pray we will be closer to Jesus.

However, the temptations of this world make it hard to grow closer to Jesus. There was a good number of people for Ash Wednesday service, but there could have been more. We had faithful believers praying the way of the cross, but the Church was mostly empty.

Even today, temptations keep the pews from filling. We are all tested and we all fail. My 3-year-old grandson expresses the dilemma of this world best when asked why he misbehaves. He answers truthfully, “Because, I don’t want to be bad!”

God knows us. Jesus knows what it is to be tempted. He came to experience things we experience. Look at our temptations and look at Jesus’. They are close to the same.

We live in a world so full of evil. It is constantly around us. People and countries with power can be spiteful, vindictive, and greedy. Our neighborhoods and communities can be the same. People in their own little circle of influence want power through being spiteful, vindictive, and greedy.

Because of the consequences these things bring upon others – war, crime, fear, and tragedy, people can find themselves tempted to be defeated or tempted to feel unworthy, or tempted to not  even start.

That was something Jesus knew as well. Jesus baptized by John heard God say this is my beloved Son. Then Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days of trials, test, hunger, and to face the temptations of the devil.

That is our life. We are baptized and become clean adopted children of God. Then we face the wilderness of this world full of violence, illness, suffering, and just plain bad.

Evil in the world tells us there is no God. It becomes easy for the hurt to question how God could let horrible things happen. Even in bad times, God is always present. “He brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders”

The devil does not want you to realize that truth. He works against all that is good. He even tempted Jesus. If you are hungry, command these stones to become bread. He showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and said all of this is yours - if you worship me.

Then the devil came after Jesus with this temptation, if you are truly the son of God, test him, throw yourself off this temple parapet and see if he saves you. Satan tested Jesus’ faith in God - if there is a God he will save you.

Instead of turning against God, Jesus avows fidelity in God by faith, worship, and scripture. Jesus did not forget who he was and withstood the temptations.

Jesus tells the devil, “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”

This is Jesus’ example of how we must overcome the temptations and worldly evil by faith, worship, and scripture. Be with us, Lord, when we are in trouble.

Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame. There is no distinction between people; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

If we believe in God, we don’t want to be bad. Repent and believe the gospel.

We adore you O Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world. At the end of Lent, we pray we will closer to Jesus.

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.