Homily Easter Sunday 2024 - Christ has Risen

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Inspired by Fr. Richard Rohr

Alleluia, Christ has risen. Truly, He is risen indeed! Alleluia!; Alleluia, Christ has risen. Truly, He is risen indeed! Alleluia!; Alleluia, Christ has risen. Truly, He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Last night the Easter Vigil started at sunset. It was dark. Preparing for the mass, I had practiced singing the Easter Proclamation for 2 months. Some of you may recognize that I don’t sing well. 

As I got up there, I incensed the proclamation and looked out at the 300 people at the Vigil Mass. My head started to hurt. My stomach ached. I sang too fast. I forgot all my practice and all the instructions I had been given. It didn’t even sound right in my own head.

After mass, I received so much love. People came up afterwards and said Deacon, you did a wonderful job. It was nice to know that love. 

However, one friend came running up after mass and said – Deacon, you are a great person and I love you; but, you can’t sing.

I laughed and said, not in this life; but, maybe, God will bless me to sing in the heavenly choir.

He said, Sorry Deacon, I don’t think you will make the cut.

It was also dark when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. When she arrived, the stone the had sealed the tomb was rolled away. Fearing what could have happened, she ran to find the disciples.

Simon Peter and the disciple Jesus loved (in case you didn't know the disciple Jesus loved is John’s self identification) were hiding with the rest of Jesus’ followers for fear of the Jews. Mary Magdalene burst into their place of hiding and told them the stone was rolled away. Luke tells us that most of the disciples thought Mary's words were “nonsense”.

The disciples were in the dark.

In that darkness, Peter and the beloved disciple ran to the tomb. They found the tomb empty. Scripture tells us the two disciples saw and believed. But, they did not yet understand the scripture that He had to rise from the dead. 

They were still in the dark. It was darkness created in the world by human sinfulness and a failed relationship with God.

Good Friday was a testimony of that failed relationship of humanity to God. The world did not like what Jesus had to say. People were not ready for the truth of Jesus. In that time and place, the world said it did not want Jesus.

People tend to kill love. In the reality of that moment in history, they killed the love that God sent to the world. Because the world was afraid. Afraid of the freedom, the hope, and even the goodness it would bring. 

The powers of this world rejected Jesus. The world did not just reject Jesus, it tortured God. Humanity tried to drive God away from us.

Friends, even in times of darkness that people of faith can find unreal and even apocalyptic, Easter will come. No matter how dark we think things are, God never abandons us. It is as certain as the dawn.

The two disciples ran to discover an empty tomb. They saw the discarded cloth that had wrapped Jesus’ body. In another place was the head covering neatly folded. To these witnesses, something unprecedented had happened, a miracle. 

They just did not know the totality of the miracle. They did not understand that God raised Christ Jesus up. That morning, the Risen Christ came to the world. God came back to the world that had rejected him. He came back to a world that is not ready for, never expects, and sadly probably does not want the Risen Christ.

But as Christian believers, we understand the Risen Christ is beyond the control of the world. We know the truth. The Risen Christ  is now everywhere and is our guarantee of God’s promise. The Risen Christ energizes us by the power of the Holy Spirit sending us to preach the gospel of Christ testifying He is the Holy one of God. 

As Christian believers, we know Jesus Christ came back into the world, the Risen Christ, for the love of us. In that love we know hope. We know goodness. We know holiness. With the love of Christ in us, preach the good news of the Risen Christ by the way you live your life and love one another.

Praise be Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen. 

Alleluia, Christ has risen. Truly, He is risen indeed! Alleluia!; 

Alleluia, Christ has risen. Truly, He is risen indeed! Alleluia!; 

Alleluia, Christ has risen. Truly, He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Good Friday 2024 Homily Reflection

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Friends, this world is difficult. But Jesus asks us to pick up our cross and follow him. Sometimes in this world, we get scared that because of the fear that in all the hardships and sufferings in life, we may abandon the cross.

Someone recently told me they were full of fear, anxiety, shame, and even sadness. At the root of those emotions was anger. When we identified that anger, I asked, “Did you tell God you were angry?”

You should have seen the look that person gave me!!!

I continued – Don’t be afraid to tell God you are upset with God. The Church is built for screaming. Our prayers can be full of anger and frustrations we bring to God. 

In suffering, even Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When we suffer the most … it is good to cry out to God.

The one we pray to understand us — because he lived a human life. It was a life filled with suffering. God chose to bring us closer to him through his suffering. 

Maybe we don’t realize that suffering. Maybe, living in a mostly protestant community, we fail to realize the sacrifice of this Friday. Instead of seeing the sacrifice of Christ on the cross we only see the promise of empty cross.

To realize that sacrifice, I want to use an exercise from Spiritual Direction called imaginative prayer. Take a moment to remove yourself from everything around you. Focus here before the altar on the crucified Christ. Gaze upon our suffering Lord and savior hanging on the cross. Experience all he experienced. Know Jesus crucified and suffering. Put yourself there on the hill of Golgotha. 

Feel the hot air, smell the sweat of bodies, taste the metallic irony mist of blood blown about you by the hot dry wind.  

You see this man Jesus stumbling and falling as he walks up the hill to be crucified. It is easy to tell he has been tortured by his captors. They have a crown of thorns on his head, blood and sweat runs into his eyes. You can now feel the stinging of the sweat and blood in your own eyes. Blood has soaked his clothes. You can see the marks of whip on his beaten body through the tatters of clothes they have left him in. 

Do you feel his suffering? Does your heart ache for this innocent man?

He reaches the top of the hill and the soldiers push  him to the ground. His body hits the hard dusty earth and rock. His head bangs against the cross thrown upon the ground. THis executioners pulled and rip the garments off his body. Tearing the skin and ripping the scabbing drying blood so that his wounds bleed anew.. The soldiers laugh.  His accusers smile in conspiracy. They point and whisper.

The soldiers take their hammers and long metal spikes to nail the Son of God to the beam of wood.

Where is your heart at this moment? Are there tears in your eyes? Do you feel his pain?

Then his arms are spread wide. Large hard metal spikes are pounded into his hands. Hands that fed the hungry. Hands that healed the sick, touched the outcasts. Those wonderful healing hands were violently pierced by the nails and smashed by blows from the hammer that drove those nails. Those beaten and defiled hands are the hands of God that touch the world.

Look to his hands and look at yours. Do you see the nail holes? Would you take his place?

Then they poured on more anguish as the nails were pounded into his feet. The feet that took the same first steps we all took after a loving mother. The feet that walked the land of Galilee. Feet that carried him into the water of a baptism by John the Baptist. The feet that walked on the water. The feet carried Jesus to those in need. Feet that lead the world on a path to salvation. These pierced and broken feet were the feet of God that walked this world.

Then they lifted Him up on that wooden pole and dropped it into a hole in the ground bringing more jarring pain to an already suffering victim. Jesus whose life was love, compassion, healing, grace, peace, and miracles; hangs on the cross.

Jesus speaks his first words, forgiveness - “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” In his suffering He forgives these people. Jesus said that they did not know what they were doing.

Would your heart still be that open? Would you have love and compassion if you were in Jesus’ place?

Between his nail pierced hands and feet was the ravage body of our savior. His head was abused by blows and strikes, pierced by thorns. The blood of our salvation pours down his face. A face, a visage that is a complete and total expression of love. A face full of compassion, love, and understanding. A face full of grace. The human face of God.

His body was scourged and flailed by a whip which had its thong and bolsters studded in metal balls, spikes, and bones. These multiplied the pain and damage of each strike. Splinters driven deep into the skin of his shoulders and back from carrying the cross. His body bruised greatly from the abuse. Ribs broken fram the beating caused him to struggle for each breath of air. He was barely able to breathe.

Do your feel his pain? Do you know his agony? Do you weep for him?

The ones who followed him and said that they loved him had mostly run away. Now those nearest to him mocked him, cursed him, hurled insults, and spat upon him.

Those hard nails fastening his legs and feet in place. He hung there beaten, tortured, and dying. The weight of his body and his wounds made it hard to breath. Yet, Jesus did not hang in silence. Push up on the nails driven through his feet to capture enough air in his lungs to speak,he cried out in his suffering.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  

Do you find it hard to breathe? Is your heart aching? Do you feel the pangs that Jesus felt? Are you crying? Is your heart breaking? Do you understand that God knows the pangs of suffering?

Friends, come back now. 

It is ok for our hearts to hurt for all that he suffered for us. There is suffering in this world that we must face. In those times of suffering and anguish. It is alright to be angry with God. Bring your troubles to him, cry out to him. 

Jesus did. He did it for us.

Praise be Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.

Create in me the Clean Heart of a Child - Homily 5th Sunday of Lent

 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031724-YearB.cfm

Praise be Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.

My daughter Jennifer showed be a video of my 4-year-old granddaughter Scarlett, reading her book about Jesus and his Daddy. She told her mommy, “Jesus loves his daddy.”

It was so sweet and reminded me of what should be in our hearts this Lent.

The book about Jesus and his Daddy is her children’s illustrated Bible. She opened the book to the illustration of Jesus’ baptism. Here is Jesus at the river during the summer with his daddy. When Jesus calms the sea. This is the story of Jesus in a windy boat. Scarlett loves the stories about Jesus and his daddy. She tells her mommy she loves Jesus and God.

A 4-year-old sees and explains Jesus, as she understands. Her heart is open to the story of Jesus and his daddy. She shares her experience of Jesus and God’s love with the boldness and courage only a child can have.

A child is open to understand and accept the story that centers on Jesus and his Father. That openness is greater than that of adults. The child does not worry about what others think; and not held back by the restraints of those around her. A child has such a clean heart they are comfortable telling you what they believe.

For a child, love is simple. They love those around them; their parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, and pets. If a family’s love centers on Jesus and God the Father, a child will know and love Jesus and his Daddy.

Jesus told those who would hear, “unless you change your heart and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

That is a hard thing to do, as we grow older; as adults, we tend to make love more challenging.

What do you love the most? Is the love of your life your car, house, hunting camp, jewelry, or something else? For some hunting, fishing, shopping, or traveling the world may be the love of their life.

Whom do you love the most? Is it your spouse, children, or parents? Is God and Jesus in the mix of the things you love? Where are they on that list?  

Love is the center of Christianity; but love must be in the right order.

The truth of our love is revealed by sacrifice. Jesus tells Andrew and Peter, “Whoever loves his life loses it.”

We are here on this earth for such a short time. The experiences of our lives and love in this world are precious. It is so precious, we justify our time and prioritize what we love by what we consider treasured and cherished. We only have a limited time in this world - we have to get it right.

Many consider their time hunting or fishing their loves so the sacrifice their time with Jesus at mass, at prayer, and contemplation. Parents feel sports tournaments, trips to the beach, or vacations to Disney are the ways to show their love to their children so they sacrifice taking them to mass and teaching them about Jesus. People would rather stand in line for Space Mountain than stand in line to receive Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

We need to ask ourselves, do we have our love in the right order? Do we love God more than we love the material things that are part of our lives?

Since love is revealed by sacrifice, realize how much God loves us. God loves us enough to sacrifice the life of his son! Jesus tells us “It was for this purpose that I came.” 

Jesus knew life on this world was precious! He saw death approaching and his soul was troubled. In distress, Jesus exclaimed, “I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?”

God could have removed Jesus from this trial. He could have sent him to the equivalent of Disney World for that time and place. Jesus could have walked away and went fishing or to the beach. He is God.

Yet, Jesus faced all that was to come because of His love for us. His sacrifice manifested God’s love for the whole world. A sacrifice God made and Jesus accepted and experienced.

For Jesus, it was a painful struggle. Instead of loving himself, Jesus loved us more. He took on the absolute pain of human nature uniting himself to our pain and earthly struggle. “Now the hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified.”

In that hour, Jesus gave up his precious life on this earth for love of us. Friends, no matter how bad we are at love or how misplaced our love is, Jesus loves us! He is the grain of wheat that died to bring us the promise of precious eternal life.  It is a promise for all, from least to greatest.

Yes, Jesus’ life on earth was precious just as our life on earth is precious. As Christians, take that precious gift of life and make it wonderful. Give thanks to Jesus for his love for us!

Follow Him! Glorify God!

Create clean hearts in us, O God, so we can become like little children. May our hearts be open to love that centers on Jesus and his Father, placing love for God above all other love.

This should be in our hearts this Lent.

Be good, be holy and preach the Gospel by the way you live your life and your love for God.

Praise be Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.

Walking our Path to the Cross - 1st Friday Homily March 2024

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030224.cfm 

Praise be Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen.

In our Lenten journey and every day be aware of the themes of today’s scripture. Be wary of evil and sin all around us. Evil and sin will lead us away from the path the Lord has given us.

We’ve all experienced it. Scriptures show it is nothing new. The experiences in our everyday lives are the same evils used against God’s people for all times. The evil one uses our families and us just as it did with the sons of Jacob, the brothers of Joseph.

How many people in your sphere of friends, acquaintances, and even family’s are experiencing the evil of scheming and division? Desires kindled by jealousy and envy can lead us to malicious wants and wicked ambitions. Ego and greed can easily get out of hand.

Be careful and vigilant with how we live our lives.

In my large family, there are siblings who won’t talk to each other. Children who have turned away from their parents. Some think they are too good to associate with family and others don’t think they are good enough.

Be careful and vigilant of the worldly ambitions, pressures, and desires that tempt us to the path of wickedness against God and our brothers and sisters. The detachment of these places pulls our hearts from the path of God’s grace and salvation. Instead of following a path to God, we fall to the path of sin. We cannot follow the path of God and avoid the suffering of Christ present in the wounds of our brothers and sisters.  (Pope Francis)

The evil one uses our families and us. Because sin exists in the family. Sin is in our community. It is in our country. It is in the humanity of us all that is Jesus Christ’s Church. The evil one fights to keep the master from his vineyard.

Brothers and sisters, fight back by living a life truly full of faith in God. Strive against the allures and temptations of this world. Pray to be able to avoid the sinfulness of pride and greed. 

We all walk our path to the cross. Follow the One who frees us from the sin of our downfall. During lent and everyday focus on Jesus, not on the worldly distractions, concerns, ambitions and desires all around and within us. Focus on him to not fall away from the path of God’s grace and salvation.

Open the gates of your heart. Welcome the Lord. Come to Him and ask for the grace, strength, and courage to be able to do His will, at all times.

Praise be Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen.