The Sin of Whatever - Reflection 11th Sunday OT-C

The Sin of Whatever

2 Sam 12:7-10,13;  Ps 32:1-2, 5,7,11; Gal 2:16,19-21;  Lk 7:36-8:3

A teacher trying to teach self-esteem to her students stands in front of her class and asks a question. Does anyone in here think they are dumb? She is happy, when no one immediate stands up. However, slowly in the back of the class one young man stands up. The teacher asks, “Mikey do you really think you're dumb?” Mikey answers “No ma’am, but I didn’t want you to be standing up all by yourself.”

Mikey had empathy, the ability to share and understand the feelings of others. The opposite of empathy is apathy or indifference.

Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel wrote: “The opposite of love is not hate. It’s indifference. …. The opposite of faith is not heresy. It’s indifference. And, the opposite of life is not death. It’s indifference.” Wiesel, an agnostic, was unsure about God: but, he knew about sin.

The greatest commandment is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And  Love your neighbor as yourself.” Apathy or indifference are the opposite of this commandment.

These are the response to love as “whatever.” Indifference is rejecting God. Apathy is turning your heart from God, from others, and towards yourself. It’s rejecting the concern of others.

David was King. He was guilty of indifference. David took Bathsheba, Uriah the Hittite’s wife, and killed Uriah with the sword of the Ammonites. David did this because he could, he was King. David's response to the Laws of God and concern for Bathsheba and Uriah was “whatever.”

In this David realizes he has sinned against God. He begs for the mercy of God. God forgives.

God also forgives in the story of the sinful woman. He forgives even those with the greatest sins; but, who is Jesus talking about in the parable?

Most of us would say it is the sinful woman. She is identified as a sinful woman. But, look at her heart, it was contrite. She knew she was a sinner and threw herself at the mercy of Jesus. She showed great love. She gave her heart and her life to Jesus.

My argument is that the Pharisee was the greatest sinner. He followed the Law, but he seemed to forget the greatest commandment.

The Pharisee did not show love for Jesus, by welcoming him with a kiss, water to wash his feet, and an anointing of oil. The Pharisee was apathetic; he had judged Jesus.

He had done the same with the woman. The Pharisee was dedicated to the Law. He probably walked past her daily, not even acknowledging her existence. To him, she did not exist. And, at the same time, because of the times, because of cultural norms, because men and women, rich and poor were held to different standards, the Pharisee may have knew she was a sinful woman by his sins.

To both Jesus and the woman, the attitude of the Pharisee and those in the room was indifference. They were indifferent to love and the greatest commandment.

Only the woman knew love and in that love the truth Paul would write about, “We are not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.”

The greatest sinner was Simon, the Pharisee who said in reply, "The one who's greater sin was forgiven." Simon did not realize he had the greater sin.

David knew he was a sinner. The woman knew she was a sinner. Paul knew he was a sinner.

The greatest sinner was the Pharisee who was indifferent to his sin.

Look at your life. Examine your conscious with empathy instead of apathy. Sin is not sharing the love and mercy of God. Sin is found at indifference. Sin is not standing up with those who are alone.Sin is not hearing the cry for dignity from the poor, the needy, the sick, and the sinful. 

Now on to confession, but that's another reflection, or is it?

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And  ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

The sin in apathy and indifference is when we cry out from our sin with “Whatever” instead of throwing ourselves at the feet of Jesus and asking for forgiveness and mercy.

Y'all be good, y'all be holy and always preach the gospel by the way your live and love. Amen. 

Homily Reflection - Road to Beautiful - 10th Sunday OT C

Road to Beautiful

1 Kings 17:17-24; Galatians 1:11-14a,15ac,16a,17,19; Luke 7:11-17

Jesus, his disciples, and the multitude that followed him headed towards the city of Nain.  

Nain has two meanings: green pastures and beautiful. Those are images I like. The Lord is my shepherd; he leads me to green pastures. Those who know Jesus are on the road to Beautiful. Amen.

Instead of Nain, I will use the word Beautiful.

At the gates of Beautiful, two processions come upon each other. One, a procession of life, follows Jesus. A large crowd does not know Jesus and follows death away from the gates to Beautiful; away from green pastures.

In those days, people avoided the dead. The dead were unclean. Today, if we come upon a funeral procession, we pull to the side of the road and let it pass. It’s a habit. Maybe, the pious among us will offer a prayer.

We don’t know the people. We don’t reach out to them. That’s not Jesus.

Jesus has compassion for the widow. Jesus shows mercy.

The Lord saw the widow and moved in grace and power. He brought life to replace death. He bore hope instead of fear. He gave everything needed to turn that procession around and with joy in their hearts return to the gates to Beautiful!

Jesus’ compassion is the mercy of God, mercy for those trapped in hopeless and helpless situations.

The widow was in a hopeless and helpless situation. She was in a desperate time having buried her husband and burying her only son. She was a wreck.

She’s not alone in being hopeless and helpless. You will be like this. I will be like this. There is going to be sometime we find ourselves in a desperate position. That’s life. We should appreciate this widow.

Jesus comes to her. She doesn’t go to him. The widow doesn’t ask for help. Jesus sees her and comes to her. Jesus didn’t move to the side and let the funeral and this widow pass. Jesus sees her need and goes out of his way to come to her. 

Jesus touched the coffin, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” That’s what Jesus does. He touches dead people and brings them life.

Even though Jesus revitalized that young man from a physical death, He didn’t come to abolish physical death but to abolish spiritual death. Jesus touched so many more than just that young man. The people cried God has visited his people.

Rising from physical death we die again. When we rise from spiritual death, we have eternal life. Jesus brings us out of death into eternal life. The presence of the Lord brings life.  

Just like the presence of Christ brought Paul to new life. Paul wasn’t looking for Jesus. Paul was trying to destroy Christ’s church. The world made Paul spiritually dead and Christ Jesus saved Paul bringing him to new life.

In the same way we are called to be Christians. The world can make us spiritually dead. Christ comes to us, in the mass, in the Eucharist, in his body and blood. He brings eternal life. We are to be like Jesus.

A parent is bringing a child to school. The parent, a doctor, has a stethoscope on the seat of the car. The child picks it up. With pride the parent thinks, my child is on the road to being a doctor. The child puts it on and then using it like a microphone says, “Welcome to McDonalds. May I take your order?”

If we are on the road to beautiful, with Jesus, the disciples and the great multitude, then reach out to those traveling in the opposite way. We are to bring them the life giving presence of Jesus.

The scripture tells us what to do to bring people to new life. Pray like Elijah. Pray fervently for those on the path to death and darkness. Share the gospel like Paul. The gospel will reveal Christ to those who hear it and believe.

Those who know Jesus are on the road to Beautiful.

Y’all be good. Y’all be holy. Preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

Crawfish & Communion - Sunday Reflection - Corpus Christi Sunday

Crawfish & Communion

Genesis 14:18-20; Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 9:11b-17

I saw a meme of Jesus and the apostles at the last supper. The table is covered in newspaper and a batch of fresh boiled crawfish is being poured on the table. It was shared on Facebook by a priest.

In the same light; last week a "Protestant, yet Catholic" denomination showed their protestant side with a Crawfish Communion.

It was a fundraiser. They sold t-shirts and had a great big ole crawfish boil.

This Crawfish Communion was not a sinful event or an intended mockery. There was, in fact, the possibility of a little gluttony. (It was a crawfish boil.) However, they were raising money for the parochial school.  

Yet, both of these brought to mind the events in St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians in this week’s readings.

Paul was not happy with the church in Corinth. They had taken the Holy Communion, the Eucharist, and mocked it with gluttony, drunkenness and greed. Instead of bringing the community together; it was being pushed apart.

St. Paul re-instructs them in the tradition he had earlier shared when they were catechized. Paul wants to shock them in realizing their failure to love one another. He wants them to see how their example of the Lord's Supper defied the meaning of the sacrifice of the Eucharist.

Defying God’s directions is something that humanity does well.

God created the world and us to enter into relationship with him. God knows all of creation and in this He gave creation a personal existence distinct from God. Creation is free; therefore humanity is free. All God wants is for his creation to know God back; to love God in return.

For this, we have intellect and will. We have the free act that is love so we can know God.

Melchizedek did; a King and priest that knew and worshiped the most high God. Abraham did and he came for God’s blessing.

But most of humanity has resisted knowing God.

It is easy for those with freedom to not know God, our creator. Saying their unbelief is because of their will and intellect. But, they have either forgotten the important part, love, or, they don’t understand what love is.

So God sent us Jesus, who brought us sacrifice; a sacrifice of bread and wine like Melchizedek. It is a sacrifice in remembrance of His sacrifice. We call it the sacrifice of mass; because, it is a sacrifice. It always has been.

It is a sacrifice that is a miracle that happens at every Eucharistic meal. A miracle foretold in the feeding of the 5000, Jesus took the break, looked to heaven and blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. His disciples brought it to the many.

St. Paul brought it to the many and told them when they had it wrong. In our faith and our communion as Christ’s body of believers we need to do the same.

One way is to support your local parochial schools. Make sure that they bring Christ to our children because some may have no other means to know Him. All or almost all schools usually get some type of federal support. This means the government will be visiting and inviting themselves in. This is made especially apparent in recent judicial rulings and Presidential mandates.

We live in a secular world so worried about personal freedom that it has forgotten love. It encroaches on the freedom and welfare of the many. That is what St. Paul was upset about. They had forgotten love.

Today is the Feast of Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi. Because of humanity’s misuse of freedom, will, and intellect many are hungry for Christ. Many have forgotten love, let us share ours. My friends bring the body and blood of Christ to the world.

Yall be good, Yall be holy. Preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

Confused - Reflection Holy Trinity Sunday

Confused?

Proverbs 8:22-31: Psalms 8:4-5, 6-7,8-9; Romans 5:1-5;  John 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples: "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.”

Jesus continued: the Spirit of truth will guide you to all truth …. He will glorify me, take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; and he will take from what is mine”

Confused?

There’s a saying, “The Holy Trinity is truly the mystery of God. If it was a human invention, we would have figured it out by now.”

Jesus said we wouldn’t understand, even as He gave us the truth of the Holy Trinity; One triune God, three separate persons of God but totally one, a community of love and self-giving.

The Holy Trinity’s self-giving love is unfathomable.

The Spirit speaks from the Son. Everything that is the Father is the Son. Whatever one has the others receive.

Love is from and of God the Father. The beloved is Christ, the Son. And, love exists in the Holy Spirit, the advocate that the Father sent to us.

There is no holding back, no hidden agendas, no manipulation. The completeness of the Holy Trinity is love.

Jesus asked us to be like this. Christ tells us, “love one another as I have loved you.” We are to love like the Holy Trinity.

Radical, but is it really? This love is how it is intended to be – We are created in his image. Yet humanity’s failing covered up that beautiful image. It’s became hard for us to open up our completeness (heart, mind, body) to love

We are created in wisdom. Wisdom has existed with God since the beginning. Wisdom is the word of God. Wisdom is the spirit of God. Proverbs says that wisdom was beside our creator “as his craftsman and his delight day by day.”

Wisdom is to live our life as a Godly experience.

And God “found delight in the human race.” Despite our failings, in delight God comes to us. He came as the Son; He comes to us in the Holy Spirit.

The Son came as a man to us to experienced suffering. In his word made flesh, God came to us, as us, and endure the cross for us. God, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit had endurance for our sins.

The Holy Spirit gives the same gift, endurance.

Endurance in our suffering and afflictions; “Affliction produces endurance; and, endurance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint.” Our suffering is our cross. In the afflictions of this world we look into ourselves and find our faith, hope that does not disappoint. We find God.

With the strength of faith and hope, we live our life as a Godly experience.

The Franciscan Sisters, Poor of Jesus Christ operate a homeless shelter in Kansas City. One young sister in this congregation was asked about her life in hope, joy, and happiness surrounded by poverty and oppression. I am probably not quoting her exactly but her answer, “Happiness is Jesus to love, the cross to carry, and giving love to someone else.” (Three Dogs North Podcast, Episode 31 - threedogsnorth.com)

Her witness is Love as God loves us.

Not in this life will we understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity but maybe we can understand its love. Everything the Father has is love. The love of the Father is the love of Christ. This is love the Holy Spirit uses to glorify the Lord.

To love is joy and happiness living in the love of the Father. To love is seeing and loving Christ in others. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, to love is glorifying God by bringing love to the world.  Love is the wisdom and endurance of faith and hope.

The young sister has it right. Love as God loves us. It is a beginning to understanding the mystery.  By love in wisdom and endurance, we live life as a Godly experience.

The Word of God endures and in wisdom reminds us, “I have so much more to tell you.”

Y’all be good. Y’all be holy. Preach the Gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

Live in the Spirit - Reflection - Pentecost Sunday

Live in the Spirit

Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23

The Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of God’s love in our earthly life.

Years ago, a farmer walked every Saturday many miles to town. His little dog always followed him. One Saturday, as they walked, the little dog ran into the brush and weeds along the road. He came back, panting, full of dirt and cockle-burs. Further down the road, the dog chased a rabbit into the thorns and brambles. After a while, he returns to the farmer’s feet, scratched and cut by the thorns. Outside town, the dog runs off again.

At the first stop, the store owner asks “Where’s the little dog that always follows you?”

It is at this time the little dog shows up limping with his tongue hanging out. He was dirty with more cockle-burs than before and bleeding from new cuts and scratches. He comes and lies at his master’s feet.

Seeing the condition of the little dog, the merchant asked, “Was the road dangerous?”

In love and kindness, the farmer takes off his hat, fills it with water, and gives it to the dog. “No,” says the farmer, “the road was good, the distractions were dangerous.”

The Holy Spirit is the love between the Father and the Son. This is where God invites us to live our lives. In the place where we reach out to God and God reaches back to us. The Holy Spirit brings God’s mercy of love and kindness.  Just like the story of the little dog.

Living in the Spirit is not hard. God is faithful. God is constant. God is true. It’s side trips and distractions in life that are dangerous. Despite these, the Holy Spirit is with us because of God’s mercy. God never changes directions. When we run after all those distractions of life the grace of the Holy Spirit justifies us, cleanses us, and brings s back.

The Lord is waiting for us. No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

This is where the Lord wants us; living in God’s mercy, realizing love and kindness. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to be vessels of God’s mercy in this world. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

Living in the Spirit, remember Mercy shown to us, living in the spirit show mercy to others, and remember that we are always in the need of God’s mercy. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit.

Living in the Spirit is sharing God’s mercy by our love, joy, peace, patience, charity, kindness, faith, and endurance. These are our gifts to preach the gospel and proclaim the kingdom of God. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

We do this in everyday life with our distractions, side trips, and wanderings. Believers return. The Holy Spirit enables believers to have access to the Father through Christ in the one Spirit. (Lumen Gentium)

We are like the little dog dirty, full of cockle-burs, cuts and scratches from life. We limp back to our savior. We return to our master because we know God is there. We lie at the master’s feet; we come back to the one who sustains us.  Jesus exclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink.”

Each of us is called to live in grace of the Holy Spirit, which is the love and kindness of God’s mercy. The Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of God’s love in our earthly life.

The words of sequence on the Feast of the Holy Spirit: On our dryness pour your dew; Wash the stains of guilt away.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, Come to the living water of Christ.

Y’all be good. Y’all be holy. Preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

Enlightened - Reflection Ascension Sunday/Mother's Day

Enlightened

Acts 1:1-11;  Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9; Ephesians 1:17-23; Luke 24:46-53

To be enlightened is moving to a higher level of knowledge and understanding. For most of us, mothers, grandmothers, or someone we consider like a mother was the beginning of our enlightenment. We learned the meaning of “No!” and “Hot!” They taught us to pray and gave us unconditional love.

There are other things that can enlighten us. Have you ever been seen a great master piece, like a painting on Christ’s life and passion? Did it move you to the foot of the cross? Art can be enlightening.

Maybe it is music or the words of a poem that brings you closer to God. The realization in your heart there is something more, You know that God is alive in Jesus Christ. In prayer and contemplation, you find yourself in the presence of God, alive in the holy Spirit, and Christ is in you.

Jesus said, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. We find mercy in this promise of hope, joy, love and forgiveness that speaks to our hearts through the beauty of life.

St. Paul writes “May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call.” We are enlightened to Christ who is the heart of love.

It is hard for some people to find this love. “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” They can’t find God; to them God is far off. Jesus has gone to heaven and we are condemned to wait.

“Why are you standing there looking at the sky?”

We know what to do. We have been given all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up.

No special knowledge is needed. We are enlightened by Christ who is in us. It is not something that is far off, it is in you. The power of the Father is in each of us. Stop waiting. Live a life as a Christians in union with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And with each other, God is in us.

Ask, “Why are we standing there looking at the sky?”  

Realize Christ is alive in us. The love of Christ is our strength. God lives in us and this is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe. In Jesus’ own words - I am in them and Father you are in me and the people who believe are in Christ and the Father.

Here we find our mission as Christians to journey as Jesus' followers. We are in the union of Father and Son. Instead of looking at the sky, find Christ in this unity. Instead of waiting, find unity with God, now.

This is the heart of love. This is enlightenment. This is our ascension.

Look into self in prayerful contemplation. Get lost in music or a painting that brings you closer to God. Open hearts to the promise of the Father. Enlightened by his presence bring the hope of the Father which is mercy, love, joy, and forgiveness to the all the world.

Knowing the promise of God, raises us up; it enlightens us. It’s the love our Mothers want for us.

Happy Mother’s day.

Y’all be good; y’all be holy. Preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

"Peace - Just Looking" A Refection forthe 6th Sunday Easter

Peace - Just Looking Acts 15:1-2,22-29; Psalm 67:2-3,5, 6, 8; Rev 21:10-14,22-23; John 14:23-29

Thanks to Fr. John Kennedy for inspiring this reflection.

Peace is something we like to window shop "just looking for peace."

Humanity seems to shop for peace. 

Millions shout to sign a petition and are silent on human trafficking. We fight to define love and fail to bring peace to the abused and neglected. In the U.S., we fight over bathrooms and in other parts of the world people fight to remain alive.

Human peace hasn’t changed the world. 

True peace is in Christ. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

And, Jesus didn’t bring the change people expected.  

Many of Jesus’ disciples left because his teachings were not what they thought they should be.

Those closest to Jesus doubted, locked their doors in fear, huddled in despair and tried to go back to their old life. And, they witnessed the empty tomb.

His death on the cross and resurrection was victory over sin. It was not the overthrow of the tyranny of the Roman Empire. The people wanted revolution, insurgency, upheaval, rebellion and riots in the streets.

Jesus was not the messiah people expected.

Instead, Jesus brought peace. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

It seemed the early Church may have forgotten this. Some who had come down from Judea were telling the Christians at Antioch they could not be saved unless they were circumcised.

Who were the Judeans? How could they say what the Lord requires for salvation? The did not bring peace but unfeeling, hard-hearted and meddling directions. Instructions from their idea of God. A God who wanted a certain amount of flesh from your body before you can be saved.

It sounds hard. It doesn’t sound like peace. (A piece of flesh is not the peace of Jesus.)

Peace is found in the truth of Christ. This peace should be found in the Church. 

Christ’s Church should be a vision of heaven. It should gleam with the splendor of God. It should be radiant in the word of God; jeweled by the Holy Spirit and the sacraments. It does not need the sun or the moon. Its light is God and its lamp is the lamb.  

The Church is not there yet; because, it’s still in this world. Like the Judeans, believers still identify the will of God with the human will. God’s will is tagged to patriotism, hierarchism, capitalism, feminism, legalism, or the (-ism) of financial success. God’s will is given as a reason to leave a spouse, break a promise, and even kill.

We keep telling ourselves, we know the way to peace. We tie peace to the human will and neglect the will of God.

Human nature ignores peace. Believers can fall into the trap of forgetting Christ to worship the temporal and cultural fantasy that exists in humanity’s turmoil. “Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.”

Humanity's idea of peace doesn’t bring change to the world. We're just shopping.

Real peace is the peace Jesus promised. The Father will send an advocate, the Holy Spirit that will give peace “not as the world gives peace.”

On the Epiphany, Pope Francis’ ended his homily with a prayer that all would find “the courage to be liberated from our illusions and our presumptions, and to seek courage in the humility of faith.”

My Brothers and Sisters this is where we find the peace of Christ.

Love: Follow Me - Homily Reflection 5th Sunday Easter

Love: Follow Me

Acts 14:21-27; Psalm 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13; Revelation 21:1-5a; John 13:31-33a, 34-35

They will know you are my disciples; by the love you have for one another.

During formation, the Bishop asks each deacon candidate “What is your theology? What will you preach?” I gave the only answer I knew “God is Love.” That’s what my daddy told me and that’s what my momma told me.

It’s the motto of my ministry. Y’all be good. Y’all be holy. Preach the Gospel by the way you live and love.

Love is Jesus ministry. Love is glorifying God. It’s in the directions Jesus gives, “Follow me.”

To follow Jesus is to love. It is the identity at the core of our Christian faith. Love in the humanity of Jesus, son of Mary, and love in the divine relationship with God the Father.

This is Love that most people have not found yet; even those who say they are “saved.” They are not "saved" from themselves.

We live in the world that tells us what to love. It tells us success is the most important thing. So our pride and self-centeredness closes the door to God’s love and opens the door for sin. The world can even fool us to mistake sin as love. This is the worldliness we need to be saved from.

The greatness of God’s love is that He doesn’t give up on us. God seeks us even in our imperfections. God’s love is who and why we are.

God’s love is at the deepest core of our identity. It is the reason we were created. For many, our own ego hides this love.

But, God is dwelling in us; you are the temple of God and scripture promises God will always be present. The presence of God is love and grace. We know these following the commandment Christ gave us.

Love one another. --- Love is not about us.

To know love, we must change and grow by faith and love in Him that is something more than ourselves.

God opens the door to faith. To knowing that you belong to Christ and are in His love and grace; turning to the love in you and away from sin.

Christian singer Matthew West has a song “Do Something.”  He sings about troubled world. He knows there needs to be a change. He sees poverty, abuse, and hate in the world. Disgusted he shakes his fist at heaven. “God, why don’t You do something?” God answered, “I did, I created you”

He created us from love, He created us for love, and our destiny is his eternal love. (Ilia Delio, "Love at the Heart of the Universe," Oneing, Vol. 1 No. 1 (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2013), 22.)

Fight the sin of our pride and open your hearts to the love of Christ.

Work hard to keep it, fight the distractions of the world. And the Holy Spirit and grace will bring us to heart, mind, and love beyond our own.

This is conversion. This is being saved. This is being born again. No matter what you call it, this is the love in which God makes all things new.

Jesus invites us to God that is love.

We’re created for God and his love. God’s there, love’s there; keep looking.

Tell everyone about God’s love. Go out to the world and make disciples.

Love others enough to want them to find the love of Christ.

Never give up God’s love, even when others are trying to pull you away.

The truth of our faith is sharing the love that is Christ and his words,

Follow me.   

Follow Jesus. We’re never going to change the world by standing still. (Do Something by Matthew West)

That’s love. 

Our Particular Way - Homily Reflection 4th Sunday Easter

Our Particular Way

Acts 13:14, 43-52; Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5; Revelation 7:9, 14b-17; John 10:27-30

I’m telling on myself. Last week we had a visiting priest.  He said when he was growing up; the priest in his parish considered it a mortal sin to wear blue jeans to church. They were work clothes not church clothes.

I had blue jeans on under my vestments. I said “When the Lord calls us he takes us with all our particularities.”

Then this week, I found this wisdom in the Catechism. By our Baptism, we are incorporated into Christ and are made to be sharers in our particular way in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly office of Christ.

Jesus told us, “You are to be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.” We are called to witness our own particular way.

He calls us. He knows us. And we follow him as we are. Revelation describes “a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue.”

This multitude is us; but, it’s everyone. It is the poor, hungry, and homeless. He loves the unloved, abused and neglected. His sacrifice was for victims of war and the masses of refugees.

How do they hear his voice? How do they know the Gospel? It’s up us to “go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel.”  

The apostles, the disciples, and those who followed Him would do as Jesus asked. Paul and Barnabas continued on to Antioch in Pisidia and almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 

Paul preached and people believed; but, things didn’t go well. Preaching the Good News upset the world view of the leaders. They argued against Paul and Barnabas. They stirred up a persecution against them. It was a messy situation for those preachers.

Life is messy. It is from the messiness of our own particular way we are called to proclaim the gospel.

It’s not going to be perfect. Preachers aren’t perfect. Preaching isn’t perfect words. Preaching is being good and it’s being holy. It’s the way we love others. Real preaching is done in the messy particulars of life.

We are called in our particular way, some to stand up to proclaim the gospel in front of the people; but, all are called by the way they live. We are to live and preach what we believe.

Share the good news in our particular way in this world. Live the gospel and people will hear His voice through our lives.

Every believer will witnesses to someone. Hearts are opened by love, even in the simplest way. Preachers have parents. Saints live in the world. Maybe your witness will be to a future saint.

Amen. We are all called to be preachers. We’re called to be an instrument of salvation; bringing His voice to the poor, the hungry, and the homeless; witnessing His love to the abused and the neglected; and speaking His peace to those who do not know peace.

Preach salvation and those who hear His voice will believe.

The world needs voices like St. John Paul II, Pope Francis, Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta, and Mother Angelica. They were called; lambs who heard His voice. Pray for those discerning vocation.

Pray we listen with joy to the Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts. The world needs voices like yours and mine.

The word of the Lord continues to spread.

This week two laypeople stood before an audience including Bishop Duca, most of the priests, and many deacons from the Diocese. Two beautiful people proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ to a room full of preachers. This is one of the stories they shared.

A Bishop wished to have dinner with a Catechumen’s family before the Easter celebration. The Bishop arrived for dinner and was escorted to the dining room by the young son. Hanging on the wall was a painting of the Last Supper.

The Bishop complimented the painting. He tells the boy how the painting is a symbol of the family’s faith that preaches the gospel and witnesses to all who come to their table.

The boy says, “So you like the painting that’s going to make momma real happy. She brought it just for you when she heard you were coming for dinner.”

Preach the Gospel in our particular way.

The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. May each of you be filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit in preaching the good news of Jesus Christ in your own particular way.

Y’all be good, y’all be holy. Preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

Best Friends - Reflection for 3rd Sunday Easter

Best Friends

Acts 5:27-32,40b-41; Psalm 30:2,4, 5-6,11-12,13;Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19

I heard a preacher on the radio this week say, “Jesus is my best friend.”

It brought memories of Gorum Baptist Church where we sang, “What a friend we have in Jesus; all our sins and grief to bear! What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer!”

Alleluia and amen.

Every Christian should have Jesus as a best friend; but, how good of a friend are we?

Think about our lives and how good a friend we are to Jesus. It can be disheartening. We remember Jesus when we need. We pray when our sins become too great. We seek him in our grief. The rest of the time, most of us live our regular lives.

Peter and the apostles, they were Jesus best friends.

One betrayed him.

The others went fishing.

Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.”

After discovering the empty tomb, Peter and the apostles went fishing.

They knew he was the messiah and the Son of God. They heard him prophesy and found the tomb empty. Jesus was their best friend and they went back to everyday life.

Everyday life has a tendency to keep us from Jesus. It’s the same problem most of us have; life in this world!

We want so much. We want to make an impact on the world, friends, or family. But, the world sees us as points on the timeline of forever; a moment in history’s existence. 

That’s not how God sees us. He knows us and sees our greatness.

“Do you love me?” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

Something happened at that point in the timeline of history by the Sea of Tiberias.

Maybe the apostles sang “I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me” as they rowed to the shore. This was a point of conversion.

Jesus said “Follow me,” Peter’s and the apostles’ lives changed. Later, at Pentecost embolden by the Holy Spirit, they left their lives as fisherman to become a fishers of men.

Being a point on the timeline of history is not a bad thing, if we do as Jesus asks “Follow me.” 

A line starts at a single point. The middle is a single point. The end is a single point. An arrow is shot from a single point on the bow. A moment is a single point. The single points make a difference. 

To make a difference, our point must point towards Jesus Christ.

Jesus consistently asks us "follow me.” Hearts are changed in those who say yes.

Follow Jesus and hearts are changed. They go from mourning to dancing. Changed men, led by Peter, stood up and said, “We must obey God rather than men.”

Get out of the boat. Stop being a non-discreet point in history. Be the point that is the arrow pointing to God.  Be one that shows the way to a divine relationship with Christ. Every point is a new beginning of something.

What happened on that seashore was the point the apostles opened themselves to a new relationship with Christ. It was the apex of a new friendship with Jesus and a union with God.

As Jesus’ friends, why do we only go to Him in grief and despair? Why are we afraid to be identified with his name? It’s easier to go back to our non-discreet timeline of everyday life in this world.

Jesus asks "Do you love me?" That's the point friendship with Jesus goes both ways. 

Our friendship with Jesus dances as part of everything in the universe that cries out: “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb - blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever.”

Pointing others to God is the greatest point to make on the timeline of history. Our friendship with Jesus is what points to the divine.

Instead of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” a new song - “What a friend Jesus has in me; I sing his love and charity! I praise His salvation and redemption. What a friend Jesus has in me.”

Y’all be good, y’all be holy. Preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.

"The Question" Reflection for 2nd Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday

The Question

Acts 5:12-16;  Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19;  John 20:19-31

In the Acts of the Apostles we read, “Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles.”

Signs and wonders are not things of the past.

A friend told me about his friend’s sister. His friend is a Baptist preacher; and, the preacher’s sister converted to Catholicism. It began with a question to a priest about the Catholic faith. Signs and wonders are still working through Christ’s apostles.

My friend then asked me the question, “What do Catholic’s believed?”

My reply, “I believe in God the Father….” He was amazed, it was what he believed.

He asked about the Blessed Virgin Mary, it's the question you’ve all heard in one way or another. “Do Catholics worship Mary?” Then we discussed the real presence. He liked my answers.

My greatest failure was that I didn't tell him about Mercy. This is the Year of Mercy. This is Divine Mercy Sunday and I failed to talk about mercy.

I should have explained how we are justified by faith through God’s Divine Mercy. This is grace. We do not receive Grace by our performance, works, or future plans. Grace is the source of mercy. Grace, the source of our faith which is a deep confidence in a loving God, comes to us as Divine Mercy from our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the truth of Jesus. This is the good news the apostles preached. It is the gospel that attracts believers like the sister of a friend of my friend. “More than ever, believers in the Lord, great numbers of men and women were added to them.”

Today believers have lost their way, but many returned to their faith and home to the Lord. 

Believers come from Christian churches outside our faith. These are believers who have discovered the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

There are believers who came to believe from unbelief. Think of the courage it takes to leave family and friends to follow Christ.

They come to believe because Christ has touched them. Their hearts have reached out to God, The Holy Spirit has thrust their hands into the side of Christ. They believe, “Do not be afraid…. I am alive forever and ever.”

They are believers. They no longer doubt, praying “My Lord and my God.”

Remember, I was hard pressed and was falling, but the LORD helped me, when someone asked you the question, “What do you believe?”

Have confidence in the Lord’s words, “Do not be afraid….” The nail marks of Christ are in the hearts of believers. It is our faith. Believe and testify with life; don’t hide behind locked doors. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and through this belief you have life in his name.

“Many signs and wonders will be done.” They are not things of the past. Live out loud in the signs and wonders of your faith and belief in Jesus Christ.

When someone comes with the question, by God’s grace and the Divine Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord speaks for us. He removes our fears and doubts with “Peace be with you....”

Y’all be good, y’all be holy. Preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen