The Abundant Harvest is Now - Reflection 14th Sunday OTC

Praise God. Praise be to Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.  

Come, Holy Spirit.

Friends, 

Our hearts were created to beat in rhythm with the very heart of God—a heart full of love, mercy, justice, hope, and joy. And this God of ours is not far off. No, He is near—close enough to stir our souls and call each of us to mission.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says something striking:   “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few.”

It’s not just a gentle reminder—it’s a divine summons. The needs of our world are great. People long for healing, compassion, and dignity. But too often, the response is silence. Too often, the laborers are few.

Let me tell you about a woman who heard the call.

For decades in Ethiopia, thousands of women suffered from a condition called obstetric fistula—a childbirth injury that left them in pain and shame. They were isolated and forgotten. But one woman, Dr. Catherine Hamlin, an Australian physician, saw the need. And she didn’t turn away. She built a hospital, dedicated her life to their care, and restored not only their bodies but their dignity. She became a laborer in a forgotten field. And through her, God’s love reached the broken.

Today’s readings reflect that same divine mission.  

From Isaiah, we hear God promise comfort—“as a mother comforts her child.” That’s the kind of love Dr. Hamlin lived. That’s the love God wants from each of us.

In Galatians, Paul proclaims that "his only boast is in the cross of Christ." Why? Because in that cross is the power to make us new—to free us from sin, pride, and fear. Dr. Hamlin didn’t glorify herself. She glorified Christ by lifting up those who had been cast down.

And in the Gospel of Matthew, we see the heart of Jesus. He looks out at the crowds—*“harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”* And what does He do? He sends His disciples out. He gives them authority. He tells them to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, and proclaim: *“The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”*

That’s our call too.

To be laborers who bring:  

• God’s Love, the bedrock of our faith  
• God’s Mercy, reaching into the hidden corners of hurt  
• God’s Justice, lifting up the voiceless and restoring the forgotten  
• God’s Hope, burning like a light in darkness  
• God’s Joy, filling our lives as we serve in His name

Friends, we may not be called to a hospital in Ethiopia—but make no mistake, our mission field is all around us. In our homes. Our parishes. Our neighborhoods. Our schools and workplaces. Wherever there is pain, fear, injustice, or loneliness—there, the harvest is waiting.

So rise up. Be bold. Be good. Be Holy. Be faithful. Love generously. Serve without counting the cost.  

Answer the Lord’s call—not someday, but today.

And may your life, your witness, your everyday choices reflect the magnificent fruits of God’s love, mercy, justice, hope, and joy.

Praise God. Praise be to Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.

“Living for More Than Ourselves” feast of Sts. Peter and Paul

“Living for More Than Ourselves”

Praise God. Praise be to Jesus  Christ, now and forever. Amen

Come Holy Spirit Come. 

Today, we look to  two towering figures of our faith—Saints Peter and Paul. Like us, they weren’t perfect men. They struggled, they failed, they doubted. But they chose to let God take over their stories. And in doing so, they became living witnesses to the transforming power of grace.

My mother is in her middle 80's and despite pain insists on getting her hair fixed, putting on makeup, and dressing well. I ask her, “Why do you go through all this effort when no one’s coming?”

She said, “Today, someone might need me.”

That kind of self-forgetful love is rare. But that’s exactly the kind of readiness Peter and Paul lived. They didn’t wait for a perfect moment to serve—they lived every day as if someone might need the Gospel they carried. Because someone always does.

Peter, the impetuous fisherman, leapt at Christ’s call. When Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?”—Peter didn’t hesitate. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” It was bold. It was raw. And it came from a place of deep conviction, not comfort. Jesus looked into his heart and saw a rock—a foundation on which He would build His Church.

Then there's Paul. A man who once hunted Christians with fury. But a collision with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus shattered that life, and something new broke forth. Paul poured every ounce of himself into proclaiming Christ—because he had come to believe with every fiber of his being that Christ alone was worth everything.

And that’s the crux of it: they lived for something beyond themselves.

In a culture that tells us to follow our hearts, prioritize self-care, and chase personal happiness, Peter and Paul remind us of a radical truth: discipleship is not about us. It's about surrender. It's about love. And love, real love, will cost us something.

Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the Gospel.” That call isn’t just for Peter or Paul. It’s for you. It’s for me. It’s an invitation to break free from lives centered on self and move toward lives that echo Christ.

Discipleship means recognizing that every situation, every struggle, every moment of beauty and pain is an invitation—a chance to love deeper, forgive more freely, and serve more fully. It’s waking up each morning and asking, “Lord, not what I want, but what You will. Not what makes me comfortable, but what brings You glory.”

It’s not easy. We will carry crosses. We will meet resistance. But Saint Paul reminds us, “The sufferings of this present time are nothing compared to the glory to be revealed in us.” That promise lights the fire of our endurance.

So the question becomes: are we content with speaking about the Gospel from a distance? Or are we, like Peter and Paul, willing to burn with it—enough to change our plans, our comforts, and even our reputation for the sake of someone else’s soul?

Being Catholic isn’t about having the right opinions. It’s about becoming the kind of person whose very life speaks, “Jesus is Lord.” Not halfway. Not someday. But all-in, right now.

Let us pray for the courage to live that way—to set our comfort aside and step into the adventure of self-giving love. Because in the end, when we give our lives fully to Christ, we don't lose ourselves. We find our true selves.

Be good, be holy. Fully give yourself, proclaiming the “Good News” of Jesus Christ, By the way, you live your life and love one another.

Praise God. Praise be to Jesus  Christ, now and forever. Amen.

Spy Wednesday - Homily for OLF Elementary School

We all want to make God happy, but sometimes, we do things we should not. Sometimes we listen to other people and lose our way. Sometimes things happen and we ask why did God let that happen?

Have you ever heard the story of the little tree that wanted to grow tall and point to God in heaven?

The tree and its friends would talk about what they wanted to be. Some said they wanted to be made into a treasure chest that held the king’s wealth. Others said, they would like to be great ships that sailed the sea and showed the kings strength.

But the tree said, it was happy to grow tall and point towards God in heaven.

One day, men with axes cut the trees down. Some were made into treasure chests and great ships. Some became garbage cans or fishing poles.

The tree that wanted to point towards God was cut into beams and thrown into a pile. the tree was sad, it no longer pointed to God in heaven. 

One Friday, soldiers pulled the tree cut into beams out of the pile. They placed them on the back of a man who was forced to carried them through the streets. 

People laughed and pointed and spit. The soldiers nailed the man’s hands and feet to the beams. The tree felt ugly, harsh, and cruel. That man died hanging on its wood.

However, on Sunday morning, God’s love changed everything. The tree stood there as a cross strong enough to point the whole world towards God and heaven.

Sometimes when bad things happen, God uses them for his glory.

Today is SPY Wednesday. The day Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus. Judas betrayed Jesus by selling information about him for 30 pieces of silver.  

As they ate the Passover meal, Jesus told his disciples one of them would betray him. All the disciples said they would not do anything like that, "Not me, Lord."  Judas denied it even more strongly, “Surely, it is not I.”  

Jesus knew Judas and answered, “that is what you say.” Judas did betray Jesus. 

We betray Jesus too, even if we don't mean to, by not being good, by not loving God, and not loving our neighbor. We betray Jesus in the things we say and do that doesn’t point towards God and heaven. We betray Jesus with sin.

Have you ever wondered why, some people are bad and some people are good; some people do good things then bad things then good things.  Why is that? Surely, Jesus only wants us to be good. 

We can be good or bad because God gives us freedom to be good or bad. God wants us as we are. He wants a real relationship with us, not just good deeds.

That is why our freedom allows us to be good or bad. Freedom allows us to choose to sin and ask for forgiveness. It is why we love Jesus or betray Jesus. 

Each and everyone of us is born with freedom to make choices everyday. God wants you as the person that you are. Every choice is our own not what God makes us do. God knows us, loves us, and knows what we will choose.

God loves you in all the choices you make. He loves you in all the good things and bad things that happen. 

Jesus knew Judas would betray him. Judas made his own choices, and God used them as part of His plan to save the world.

Even if we do bad things, God can use it for his glory.

God used the bad thing Judas did for the salvation of the world. Because of that salvation, Jesus is always ready to forgive us if we turn back to Him. 

We have a choice to turn back to Jesus and seek forgiveness when we fail. Freedom would have allowed Judas to repent and turned back to Jesus, but he did not. 

This doesn't mean we should sin on purpose, but it's comforting to know we can be forgiven. By God’s love, we are made strong enough to point towards God and heaven. By freedom, we can chose to do so.

“Roller-coaster” Homily Palm Sunday - Passion Sunday

Praise God. Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice and passion.

You notice I began my homily a little different today. But today is different. Today is a day of contrast. It is a day we realize the emotional roller-coaster of our life and the life of Jesus. It is a ride we all must experience as Pilgrims of Hope on our journey to eternity.

 Do you like roller coasters? I do. I have been on several. I've been on small ones, big ones, ones that are fun to ride and ones that are scary. 

There was a small one at the City Park in Alexandria where I grew up. My bothers and I would love to go and ride, when it was working. The fair will usually have a kiddie coaster when it comes to town. Those are not scary or unexpected.

 I've been on big ones like the Space Mountain at Disney World. It was dark, there were flashing lights, and music was blasting. It was fun because you couldn't see what was coming. I’ve been on several roller coasters with no anxiety or worry and I enjoyed it.

 But, I was scared when I rode the Arkansas Twister at Magic Springs in Arkansas. That was a wooden roller coaster hat shook and groan as you rode on it. I rode it with my then 9-year-old daughter. I wasn't scared for the ride. I was scared that my 320 lb self was going to be thrown against my 65 lb daughter and she would be hurt.

 My wife said she could see the fear in my eyes.

 Today, on this Palm - Passion Sunday, we brief experience of the emotional roller-coaster that was part Jesus' life here on earth. It began at his birth when the angels in a song of praise proclaimed “Glory to God in the highest.” 

It started slow. There was no room in the inn. He was born in the stable and laid in a manger beside sheep, oxen, and beasts of burden. Only later to be visited by wise men and declared a king. In danger for their lives, his family fled to Egypt. 

At one moment he healed the sick and cast out demons. In the next moment, the scribes and Pharisees accused him of being a demon. Other times they tried to throw him off the cliffs. Thousands followed him to hear him preach or receive a miracle. He fed them all with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. He walked on water, calmed the storm, and raised the dead.

His earthly life was full of ups and downs. It was filled with rushes of excitement and danger? His family, his friends, and the community were on the ride with him. You could see the fear in their eyes. That is why the scribes and Pharisees accused him. That is why his family said he was crazy and his friends denied him.

But, there was no fear in Jesus’ eyes.

Because he had no fear, people saw him as something they wanted. They saw him as a political and military savior. But they did not know Jesus. He did not come to usher in a kingdom of man; Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God. The Lord called for a revolution of the heart not the sword.

But that is not the way people are. They see what they want to see. Some saw a political king. Some saw a miracle worker. Some saw a free meal.

As this emotional roller-coaster of Jesus’ earthly life comes near to the end, again we hear the exclamation, “Glory to God in the highest.” The people were caught up in the excitement of the moment. They lined the streets to welcome him. They laid down their cloaks and cut branches from the trees. They praised God with joy, shouting Hosanna - “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.” Hosanna in the highest.

But people are a fickle bunch. 

Before the end of the week, it all changed. Some decided that Jesus wasn't the messiah the people wanted. Jesus did not come to conquer an empire; he came to transform hearts. That is not what the masses wanted. So, at the end of the week, instead of shouting praise, they shouted - crucify him, crucify him.

One moment they hailed him king with “Hosanna” but after they demanded his crucifixion. Instead of a crown of gold, they crowned him with thorns. Instead of placing a royal cloak on his back, they scarred his back with scourges and beat him. Instead of a throne of silver, they gave him a cross of wood.

From shouts of hosanna to demands to crucify him shows the complex relationship between Jesus and the people around him. It is also a mirror of our relationship with Jesus.

Just like the people who lined the streets almost 2000 years ago, we are fickle and erratic in our life of faith. Sometimes we love Jesus. Sometimes we are mad at God. Sometimes we run to him. Other times we run away. We either seek Jesus crying Hosanna or seek Jesus to see what we can get from him. If we don't get what we want, we cry out crucify him. This is the emotional roller-coaster that is our life in this world. 

No matter our faults – no matter how sidetracked and preoccupied by up and downs, dullness or excitement, joy or anguish of life we become. Jesus remains unwavering. When we feel the most forsaken and abandoned that is when the Lord is closest of all. He is beside us without any fear in His eyes, only love. Not just to us - but to all people. Even those who would crucify him.

Even the hymn Paul gave the Philippians reminds us of the ups and downs Christ went through. “though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself… and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.”

Palm Sunday / Passion Sunday is an emotional roller-coaster ride. Life is an emotional roller-coaster ride; and, even our faith is part of that emotional roller-coaster ride - ups and down, slow crawls, sharp curves, and rushes of excitement. No matter where our life journey with its twists and turns may take us, as followers of Christ our voyage of faith leads us to the one who will be next to us with no fear in His eyes.

That is the message of Jesus’ Passion and death.

My fellow Pilgrims of Hope be good, be holy and preach the gospel on the emotional roller-coaster of life we experience on our journey to eternity.

Praise God, Thank you Jesus for being beside with no fear in your eyes. Amen

In Christ Every Sinner has a Future - Reflection 5th Sunday of Lent "C"

Praise God, Praise be to Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.

Can we all be saints?  Yes, of course…we can!

WE CAN ALL BE SAINTS. WE ARE PILGRIMS OF HOPE. WE ARE BELIEVERS. WE ARE SAINTS. We are all called to be holy; but, we must acknowledge we are sinners on a path toward eternity. We must admit the need for God’s mercy and that we need Jesus. And, God in his mercy and love makes a way.

I have had many people tell me that “God could never forgive them for the things they have done.” Those are words without hope. They are an excuse given for misery. They are an excuse for not coming to mass. Soon, they believe their excuse.

Every saint has a past and in Christ every sinner has a future. (Oscar Wilde) Friends we all have the capacity to become saints.  No one is so good that he hasn’t failed at some point, and no one is so bad that he cannot be saved. 

 In our gospel today, Jesus would show us that his mercy is greater than our sins.

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. But they were not really concerned about this woman. They were concerned on how to bring Jesus down.

So they took advantage of the woman’s vulnerability and weakness in order to further their self-interest and their plot to get rid of Jesus.

They thought in their case about the woman Jesus would certainly be trapped. If, Jesus gave either a “YES or NO;” they already have an accusation against him.

If Jesus said “NO”, they would accuse him of breaking the law of Moses which commanded that a woman committing the sin of adultery had to be stoned to death. If He said “YES, stone her to death”, then they would accuse him of not living out what he preached, (forgiving 70 times 7 times, or that God is loving and forgiving God.”

If that would have been someone else there would probably be no way out of that situation.

Jesus knew better. He could see the bigger picture. If the path ended, Jesus blazes a new trail. By his answer, Jesus showed he is the Way. By his answer, Jesus’ truth and holiness was shown to be above the law.

Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. The original Greek word used translates that Jesus was writing accusation in the dirts. Instead of writing with a stick, he was pointing at them with his finger.

Yet, they continued to ask.  He stood up to answer them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. Jesus does not only comfort the afflicted, he would also afflicts the comfortable.

Sometimes to become Saints, we have become uncomfortable. Paul tells us that in his letter to the Philippians,

”For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God,… I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.”

Never say, never let a friend say, “God will never forgive me for the things I have done.” Those are words without hope. We are Pilgrims of Hope. We bring that hope to many.

God tells us through the words of the prophet Isaiah, “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new! “The Lord has done great things for me.

Friends, sinners we may be, but we have the capacity to become saints. Paul attest that with and through Jesus we can achieve this potential. “Holiness is a gift, sharing in Christ is utter trust.“

Every saint has a past, but in Christ every sinner has a future. Friends we all have the capacity to become saints. Pilgrims of Hope on our journey to eternity.

Can we all be saints? Yes, and that is the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. We are pilgrims of hope. We are believers.

Be good, be holy, and always preach the Gospel of God’s mercy and hope by the way you live your life and love one another.

Praise God, Praise be to Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.

Twinkle Twnkle Little Star - Be Proud of who you are - OLF Elementary Service 4-2-2025

The first reading this morning said “Sing out Heavens and let the earth rejoice. Mountains break forth in song!”

Does everyone know “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?” Can everyone sing it with me?

Twinkle Twinkle little star, 

How I wonder what you are?

Up above the world so high, 

Like a diamond in the sky

Twinkle Twinkle little star, 

How I wonder what you are?

This song was written many years ago. People would look at the stars and not know what they were. A lot of people were not able to go to school. People could not read. So, they looked at the stars and would say “I wonder what they are?”

People asked the same question about Jesus.

In times when there was no hospitals and few doctors, He healed the sick. People who could not see, he touched them and they could see. People who could not walk, he told to stand up and they walked.

He fed thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread and fishes from a little boys lunch. He did many many amazing things.

People saw all these and thought - Jesus, Jesus how I wonder who you are?

He knew people were asking his question and Jesus asked his friends “who do people say I am?” They had a lot of guesses. Peter answered correctly, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.”

People did not like this. Especially, the people who thought they knew everything about God. These were the scribes, the Pharisees, and the Priests. They thought they were the only ones who knew what God wanted.

These people asked Jesus, “Who are you to do all these things you do?”

Jesus says “I do nothing on my own, I do the will of the one who sent me. The son does the will of the Father. The Father loves the Son.”

Jesus was telling them he was the Son of God. He was God.

And, they he says, “They should believe in Him.” Because, “You think what you have seen is special, wait you will something greater and be amazed.”

If Jesus is in us, we are something greater and amazing. We love like Jesus. We bring something greater to the world. We do the will of God’s work. 

Our dignity, our goodness, our love, and all the gifts we share with others are diamonds for the world to see.  

Jesus is the light that shines in each one of us. Twinkle Twinkle little stars. We give thanks to God for all that you are.

Amen

Reflection: The Prodigal Son - A Pilgrim of Hope’s Journey

Praise God, Praise be to Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.

Good morning, Friends my fellow Pilgrims of Hope.

Do you remember the young seminarian, Brother Michael Mongare who visited St. Lawrence a couple of years ago. He is from Kenya but in seminary at St. Meinrad, Indiana. 

He called me earlier this week and said he would be near for Easter. I said, call me and I will take you out to dinner.

He asked, “Deacon can you make me some Mtuzi Wa Samaki (M’too-zee wah sah-mah-kee)? 

My reply, “I don’t know what that is?

He said, “It is a fish stew from my country. Can your wife make it?”

I laughed, “Sorry, Michael. We’ll kill the fatted calf for you; but, it’s got to be fried or barbecued.

Today, we hear the parable of the prodigal son. What a great parable. It’s lessons are many and the truths are powerful. 

It is about the youngest son. It is about the oldest son. It is about a loving father. It is all these and all the truths that touch us individually every time we hear it.

That is why it is a difficult parable to preach. Not, because of God’s truth but there is so much this country boy deacon can get overwhelmed preaching it. 

But, considering this the Jubilee Year of Hope we visit this parable as a Pilgrim of Hope on a journey to eternity. It is one of the truths of this parable. 

This story of hope begins with a youngest son not happy with his life. He wanted more! The youngest son wanted to embrace life and live in the world. 

He asked for his inheritance, took the riches promised him, and left his father’s house. He left those who truly loved him and went to a faraway country. This young man with plenty of money squandered it all on loose living and things of the world.

Things got worse. A famine came so there was little food for many hungry people. He had no money or possessions. He had nothing. So he went to work feeding swine. 

Swine was considered unclean, sinful; but, the young man was desperate. He had no other option to make a living. 

Hunger took hold of him. He would have gladly eaten the pigs food if offered to him. But, no one did. The world did not care about him. His employer did not care. Those he worked with did not care. No one cared enough to even give him the refuse they fed pigs. 

The life he wanted to love did not loved him. 

The young man who once had everything now had nothing. He ran to sin experiencing the world. He squander everything he had. 

In desperation, the young man desired the pig’s food. Sin reduces truths we have learned. Sin makes us slaves to the world. 

It pervades our mind and heart. It pervades our being. The young man lost his morals. He lost his faith and all he learned from his family.

Yet, there was still hope. God used the young man’s troubles and trials to bring about a deep hunger. Through this hunger, the young man came to himself.

Friends, we fast during Lent because we need to become hungry. The gospels teach to fast. Jesus taught us that fasting can awaken a deep and profound spiritual hunger.

Although, the youngest son fasted involuntarily, he came to the truth. His heart was opened. He understood his reality. He missed his father, his father’s house, and all he took for granted. 

He began a journey back to his fathers house as a Pilgrim of hope.

Hope manifest, when the young man neared the house. Hope, his father saw him and ran towards him. 

Friends, everyone of us should recognize ourselves in that young man. He is all who has ever left their heavenly Father’s house, the Church. 

The young man is everyone who has felt they did not need God or the church. Everyone who thinks they can live their own rules and own ways in a world that does not love them. 

Everyone who never physically leave the Church, yet their hearts and minds left long ago. It’s not about things of God. They aren’t interested in prayer or speaking with God. It’s not about living a godly life or obeying Christ’s commandments.

Our heavenly Father loves us; but, he also gives us freedom. Freedom that allows us to take all He has given us and use it as we wish. He doesn’t force us to stay in His house, unhappy or miserable. We are free to pursue our hearts desire. 

In some way, each of us has drifted away. All of us need to return to Our Father’s house. 

We are blessed to be able to reawaken and come to ourselves. We are blessed to hunger for God and see the depth of our own fall. We are blessed that we can turn back towards home and run with haste towards the One who loves us unconditionally. 

God longs to see us come home! God longs to embrace us and forgive us and restore us. God is waiting for each of us.

We can not really comprehend how much God loves us. This love is the image of the father who sees his son at a distance and yet he comes running, not walking, running! God’s mercy and forgiveness is open wide to embrace those who will repent and return.

That is us, Pilgrims of Hope on our journey to eternal life.

Brother Michael Mongare has adopted Monroe as a home away from home. He sees us as family. Coming home for Easter, he wants some Mtuzi Wa Samaki. I will try to prepare him some.

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

Praise God, Praise be to Jesus Christ fore ever and ever. Amen.

Pilgrims of Hope - The Fish Fry Question - 3/28/2025

Here we are this morning, Pilgrims of Hope, preparing for a day of giving, sharing, and memories as volunteers and supporters of Christ the King/Catholic Campus Ministries Lenten fish fry.

Most of us are here for a reason. Maybe, the reason is this community of good loving people. Maybe, it is the importance of this ministry to the university and all those that it serves. Maybe, today is for the time you spent at this ministry and the university. 

You could be here for all these reasons or maybe you have another.

When I remember my here that started over 46 years ago and continues still today, I remember friends. I remember dorm & campus life. I remember the fun times. I remember searching for answers about my faith. 

But the thing I remember most were the test. There was a lot of them. Some I passed. Some, I didn’t. There were classroom tests. There were tests in life, faith, and right choices. 

Some were easier than others; a pop quiz for extra points that was a short T/F or multiple choice questions. Then, there were the tests I feared the most. The ones with essay questions. These were on the topics the professors thought the most important.  

In that time of a young person’s life the hardest test were not always in the classroom. It was tests about right and wrong; and sinfulness or righteousness. The ways I answered those questions were more important than the ways I answered the essay questions.

I failed a lot of classroom test. But the university stood by me, it took a while; but, I graduated. 

I failed a lot of test in life. But, Jesus stands by me. God loves me. One day hopefully, I’ll graduate to something better. 

We still face tests everyday. Test found in the choices we make in our lives, our faith, and our love. Test that ask us to make the right choices. The most important questions are the ones we want to get right.  

It has always been the case. That is why this man came to Jesus. “Teacher, tell me, what is the greatest commandment of all?”

This man was a scribe, a pharisee, a Bible scholar, a teacher of the law. He was a professor of theology. And he asked Jesus “What is the most important thing I should know. Tell me which command is the most important of all the commands? Tell me the one I should do?”

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 

In my mind, I hear this professor voice say to Jesus, “Well said, teacher. You are right.” Then I hear the voice of his heart. “To love God and to love your neighbor is worth more than all the burnt offerings of the temple.”

Jesus hearing him answering wisely and from the heart said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” 

In the gospel passage, this man came to Jesus wanting to know more, and he brings an honest question. 

Jesus answered him.

That is what CCM is about. That is what this ministry and this fish fry is about. Jesus used fish a lot.

We are here in this fish fry so that this ministry will be here for those who want to know God’s love though Jesus Christ. It is about us loving God in all we are and all we do and loving others so much we give ourselves in that love. 

As a community of believers, we share our love on our journey to the Kingdom of Heaven. We tell others of God’s lovingkindness, justice, compassion, mercy, and grace. We help others experience it in their lives. In that good news is found hope. We are Pilgrims of hope.

Jesus taught all who would hear the comprehensive love that God requires. This is what Jesus said and what the questioning professor understood. 

Jesus quoted the Shema (Dt 6:4-5), Israel’s confession about God and their life before God. Shema means to hear.

Hear, O Israel: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with your whole being, and with all your strength.

Then he quotes Lv 19:18. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself, I am the LORD.”

The test for the people of Israel was to teach God’s greatest commandment to their children. It was to be recited every morning and evening, when at home or away. The people were to bind themselves to this commandment, literally tie it to your arms and your foreheads and write on the doorpost of your homes.

How many of us are passing that test? 

In this greatest commandments, God is asking us for complete undiluted love. Loving God with every ounce of our being. As you love God; love your neighbor. You cannot divide the two things.

To love as Jesus loved is the most comprehensive love God requires. He loved God with His whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Jesus loved God so much He did what God asked. Jesus loved us so much, He did what God asked. In the freedom of his humanity and in the freedom of his divinity, Jesus gave His life as a ransom for many. He loved God and He loved us much more than we could never do.

We know the most important commandment. It is a difficult test. How do we answer? Will Jesus say to us, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” 

Here is today’s fish fry question: How close am I to the kingdom of God? 

Answer wisely and answer from the heart as a Pilgrim of Hope journeying to our eternal home.

My Wayward Self - A Pilgrim of Hope - 3rd Sunday Lent Year C

Praise God. Praise be to Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.

 

People can be stubborn. Have you heard the story about the family getting on the plane for vacation. The father was upset because one of his children was being stubborn. So he asked the gate attendant if he could check his little boy with his luggage? Or the father asked, “will I have to ‘carry on my wayward son?’”

 

If you are a fan of the group Kansas from the late 1970’s then you probably get the joke. 

 

The song’s writer, Kerry Livgren was the bands guitarist and keyboardist had just become a Christian when he wrote that song. As a Christian, he felt a profound urge to “Carry on” in his search for relationship with God.

 

The message of the chorus is “there will be peace” at the end of the journey. The last verse of “Carry on my Wayward Son” is “surely heaven waits for you.”

 

I often wonder how many people that song gave hope and were moved to seek a relationship with God. 

My friends, we are called to be Pilgrims of hope. But some of us are stubborn. 

Moses was out tending the flocks. He saw a bush on fire, yet it was not burning. Moses said to himself – This I got to see.

From that burning bush, God called out to Moses, "Moses! Moses!" 

Moses answered, "Here I am."

God sent him out as a Pilgrim of Hope. But, even though God spoke directly to Moses, he was kind of a reluctant pilgrim- stubborn. 

Moses said to God, "But when I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' if they ask me, 'What is His name?' What am I to tell them?" 

God replied, "I am who am. This is my name forever; thus am I to be remembered through all generations."

 

It seems that in both examples the men embraced God and not the world. It’s like St. Paul says, “They drank from a spiritual rock and that rock was the Christ.”

 

They both had the choice like we all have a choice. We can chose to come closer to Him. We can chose to experience the love that is God reaching out to us and open our self to that love. Or we can go our own way, separate ourselves from Him to wallow in the cesspools of life.  

Despite what most believe, God is not going to punish us for our bad behavior or choices; but, He will not save us if we do not want to be saved or do not cooperate. God never directly punishes individuals or the world around them. Yet, people see the results of their behavior and the choices in their life that is of this world and they blame God. 

Their understanding of God is too much influenced by the world and the great deceiver. So people grumble about God. Instead of loving God, trusting God, and following God, most people in the world turn away from Him. Those who have chosen the world over God are suffering death by the destroyer. If you think you are standing secure take care not to fall to the influences and lies of this world. We in the modern world are no more guilty or innocent than those who came before us. 

One of the greatest sins and the biggest obstacle for repentance is people really don't want to believe God loves them.  God's love is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. Thus He is to be remembered through all generations." 

That is the message of hope we are to bring. But, too many of us are like the fig tree in Jesus’ parable. We are alive but bear not fruit. 

Christ is the one who cultivates us. The Holy Spirit gives us strength to grow strong in our faith and bear fruit. The fruit is hope. The fruit is the message that God loves us. It is the fruit that redeems our life from destruction and crowns us with kindness and compassion. 

Our faith, the sacraments, scripture, prayer, and grace allows us be more fruitful. The fruit the world needs is hope. We are called to be Pilgrims of Hope. The choice is for each person. God's love calls to the stubborn child and the wayward son.

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

 

Praise God. Praise be to Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.