Reflection for Ascension Sunday/7th Sunday of Easter - A Work in Progress

A Work in Progress

ACTS 1:1-11; EPH 4:1-7, 11-13; MK 16:15-20

Jesus told his disciples, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” How do we do that in a world where more and more people are saying they have no faith? By ascending to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Two mothers are on a play date. One child was rambunctious, a little more aggressive and bossy than the other children. The mother, exasperated says, “That child’s a work in progress.”

The other mother smiled, “We are all works in progress.”

That’s something we all need to realize. In the Father's eyes, we’re all works in progress - not finished, still far from being perfected. Even the disciples were a work in progress. Jesus taught them, gave direction, change their thinking, and they still got it wrong. Jesus’ work in progress, he never quit on them (or us) sending the Holy Spirit to continue that work

St. Paul says “Live in a manner worthy of the calling.” To get to the point where we can live the way Jesus wants us is another continuous work in progress. We have to constantly strive to live the Christian virtues Paul describes: patience, kindness, love, humility, and peace. These will always be a work in progress.

It’s like tuning a guitar. You practice constantly to be able to sit down to play. You want beautiful music, but something is wrong. The music is not right, the notes and chords are out of tune. To play beautifully, you have to tune the guitar by putting the strings ia a perfect position. It must be done over and over, because playing will stretch the strings from a perfect. You have to re-tune.

That’s what living a Christian life is about. Many practice. We know what we need to do. We act a certain way; but, we get out of whack. Living a virtuous Christian life is not a habit, but something to always work at, correct, and tune. It’s always a work in progress.

Maybe this is why so many have no faith. We live more and more in a world becoming a broken place; a work in progress that's been abandoned. Brokenness is a song never to be played; it’s a life that will never know fullness.

Living life in a manner worthy of our calling is no longer important. This has broken individuals, families, and communities. This brokenness is outlined in an article about why people are leaving the Church found here. People identify themselves as "None", a person without faith. 

A “None” is a person searching for healing. They look to churches and find broken communities living a misunderstanding of Christian virtues. And, those that identify as "None” find no healing. Brokenness creates more brokenness. To often these broken communities express Christ's message and God’s love in vessels of fear and eternal threats.

This is not what God wants. It's not the Gospel of Jesus. Only God can recreate the broken. Love, acceptance, and forgiveness heals and creates something out of a “None.”

The readings are about moving closer to the perfection of Christ, bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth. It is how to heal the broken and finish the work in progress. Taking the tools Christ gives us to live a life worthy of our calling in love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

The Lord works in us to build up the body of Christ, the Church. Until we all attain ultimate unity in our faith, each one of us is a work in progress. On the Feast of the Ascension, all of us, the unfinished works in progress should work ourselves a little closer to perfect through Christ Jesus.

Sunday Reflection 6th Sunday of Easter - The Story of You

The Story of You

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48;  1 John 4:7-10;  John 15:9-17

Several things influenced my reflection this week, all different. First, today is Mother’s day. The second thing was a movie. Third was a friend’s death. Last was words spoken in a personal introduction. These focused my thoughts on Jesus’ words of love, “Remain in me as I remain in you.”

Mother’s day is about unconditional love. We hear unconditional love in the Acts of the Apostles. Unconditional love John says is “not that we love him, but that he loved us.” Unconditional love usually associated with a mother’s love, based on nothing but us. It’s the love God has for us. God the Father loves us like a mother. Let’s look at the two.

Mother · Always there for her children · Defends children against all, die for them · Fixes scraps, kisses hurts, mends broken heart · Loves children even if they hurt/neglect her · Loves children with unconditional love

God · Always there for us, · Jesus died for us, for our sins · Forgives us - fixes us no matter what we do · Loves us when we hurt/neglect him by sin · Loves us with unconditional love

The movie told the story of a mother. She’s talked into going on an adventure. Self-conscious of scars and stretch marks, she sees ugly and is overwhelmed when asked to go for a swim. Then, one who loves her says she’s beautiful. He sees beauty in the scars and stretch marks; they’re part of her. He says “These scars are the story of your life.”

God knows from beginning of time, the story of you; a story that carries scars of sin and mistake. God looks at these and thinks you're beautiful. He still wants to be part of the story, “Remain in me as I remain in you.”

A friend died; he was younger than me. I remember him as a teenager sleeping on the floor of my parent’s house. His was a story with let’s say – adventure; so, he picked up lots of scars. He shared these adventures and scars with my brother. Growing older, facing illness and his mortality, his story changed. A lawyer, he worked with the poor, often without charge. He taught Sunday school to kindergartners and lived a life with prayer. The story of his earthly life ended at 50.

At the funeral, my brother asked about forgiveness. God knows the things we did were bad. Will God forgive him? I told him God’s unconditional love is forgiveness no matter how bad we’ve been. This is the salvation of Jesus. I told my brother to be happy, our friend’s story ended in Christ. “Remain in me as I remain in you.”

Friday, at a meeting with our Priest, I was introduced to the new student vice-president at Catholic Campus Ministries. Father said, “She is a beautiful soul.”

It all came together. We are beautiful souls; Christ remains in us. We live an adventure picking up the scars of sin. We see ourselves as ugly, unworthy of being loved, but that’s not what God sees. God sees the beautiful soul he created living the story of you. 

God loves us like a mother, unconditionally, scars and all. God sees beautiful, forgiven by the Christ in us. God desires for us to remain in him through Jesus Christ. The truth to be found is that the story of you begins in God and through grace, ends in God. “Remain in me as I remain in you.”

On this Mother’s day, remember the beautiful story of the soul found in your mother. Mothers see a beautiful story of you; just as God does.  

Homily Reflection: 5th Sunday Easter - Hot Biscuits and Muscadine Jelly

Hot Biscuits and Muscadine Jelly

 Acts 9:26-31;  Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32; 1 John 3:18-24;  John 15:1-8

Years ago, across the street from my house was an old pecan grove, abandoned and wild; the trees branches were full of grape vines. I just knew that I would have a natural source of grapes in the fall. I thought of this fruit was comforting with memories of hot biscuits and muscadine jelly. But no luck, there were grapes, but, they were tiny, hard, and bitter.

Then, I learned about growing good grapes and there’s nothing natural about it. Grape vines grow in the woods. They climb trees and bushes. Left alone with plenty of water, grape vines go wild, sending fast-growing tendrils to capture everything in reach; so, it can climb.

If the vine is left alone, it makes small tart grapes. They aren’t good fruit.

The vine likes the wild. It will make beautiful leaves and long reaching branches, growing bigger. The nature of the vine says, “What a good place to be a vine.” It doesn’t put too much into making grapes.

To make good fruit, the vine must struggle.

If water’s restricted and nutrients scarce, if pruning’s hard and it’s crowed by other vines, nature says, “This is not a good place to be a vine.” So, instead growing big leaves and sprawling tendrils, it focuses on survival. Roots grow deeper. It must find a better place to be a vine. The plant makes its fruit more desirable so its seeds will be spread. To insure this, the grape vine makes bigger, better grapes. In this struggle, the branches on the vine make much good fruit. This is the way the best vine grower cares for his vines.  

God planted a vine in the human heart. It either grows in the care of the vine grower or grows in sin. Growing it sin, the vine in our heart goes wild overtaking our lives, producing little fruit. The fruit it does produce are the hard and bitter things found in the human heart: sin, shame, hate, pettiness, greed, selfishness, pride, resentment.

An unusual source for theological inspiration is Saints TE, Benjamin Watson. He wrote this about the violence in Baltimore:

"Our problems are holistic and common to the human heart. Hatred, prejudice, exploitation, pride, self-righteousness, secrecy, and rebellion, manifest itself in the explosions we've seen over the last year, the last century, and the last millennia."

Watson is telling us, the world is full of wild vines growing in sin. A world tempted by evil.  This is the same evil that tempted Jesus in the desert.

Wild vines are trying to overtake the vineyard; but that’s not what God the Father wants.

God sent the good and true vine in Jesus Christ. By God’s grace, we are part of that vine. The true vine made strong in the struggles found in those temptations, "the way of the cross," and his death on the cross.. God’s love prunes the good vine, breaking away the dead branches and bitter fruit. So in Christ, we bear the good fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Look at your life, what fruits do you bring to the world? 

Benjamin Watson, a true witness for Christ who happens to be a pro-athlete, brings abundant fruit to the world in a message shared on CNN,

"Be the example.... Show the world that hearts can be changed, not just through peace but also through the love of Christ."

These words are a testament to his confidence in God, the vine grower. I find this fruit truly comforting way better than hot biscuits and muscadine jelly.

Reflection - 4th Sunday Easter - Sheep Making Informed Decisions

Sheep Making Informed Decisions 

Acts 4:8-12; Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29; 1 John 3:1-2; Gospel: John 10:11-18

From today’s readings we learn that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and Jesus is the Cornerstone. The parable of the Good Shepherd and the reading from Acts are put together for a reason. The overall message is that Jesus will not abandon us and he will not be moved.

In these readings, let’s look at us. People don’t know the Shepherd’s voice or they’ve rejected the cornerstone.  It’s because we tend to be like sheep.

Sheep live a flock mentality - for protection, for comfort, and for blending-in. Sheep don’t want to stand out in a crowd. Most of us don’t want to either.

Temptation can make sheep wander. A lead sheep will see greener grass to eat, a hillside to explore, or the promising pleasure of a shady spot. The lead sheep follows this temptation and the flock follows for protection, comfort, and blending-in.

That’s why the shepherd is important. He is the cornerstone of the flock. It’s built around him. He keeps them together, on the right path, in the right pasture, and in his protection. Sheep know the shepherd by his voice and presence. They want the comfort of the shepherd’s protection; but, they still wander away and can become lost.

We’re sheep for the same reason. Temptation catches an eye of someone influential and we follow. The temptation of greener grass, new things to explore, or something pleasurable leads them astray and it becomes the popular trend.  Temptation pulls us from the shepherd and all he offers. When temptation pulls us from the cornerstone; we are lost.

There are three sources of temptation: the world, the flesh, and the devil. But, we don’t recognize temptation. We’re not sheep. We are intelligent educated beings. We make mature informed decisions, like: 

• We don’t believe all the Church tells us; we decide what we believe.
•  All Churches are the same.
•  It’s not really the body of Christ.
• I want a church that doesn’t offend me.
•  I don’t get anything from Church; I want to be entertained.
•  Why believe the bible, it just stories. 
• My life style isn’t hurting anyone. 
• It’s my body; I’ll do what I please.
• It’s a fetus, a lump of cells, it’s not a baby.
• They’re not like us - they’re old - they’re poor- they’re not relevant

Adam and Eve made an informed decision. Pontius Pilate made an informed decision. Hitler and the Nazi’s made informed decision. Terrorist make informed decisions to kill and persecute Christians, enslave and rape the innocent. The devil is informing the sheep.  

In the desert, Satan tempted Jesus with an informed decision. He informed Jesus about the world, the flesh, and with lies in temptation. Satan informed Jesus of his authority in the world; but, Jesus had the strength to resist temptations.

We don’t have the strength of Jesus. We’re just sheep that hear the empty promises of the world, see the desires of the flesh, and the lies and information of the devil. We go astray.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd and cornerstone. He gave his life for all of our salvation, so that we know him.  No matter how lost, how tempted, or how much we have strayed; deep inside, we still know his voice. We still know he is our salvation.  We just need to be the lead sheep and follow him.

Reflection 3rd Sunday Easter - Peace be with You

Peace be with You -  Acts 3:13-15, 17-19; Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9; 1 John 2:1-5a;  Luke 24:35-48

A man and God are having a conversation. The man says “Lord what is a million years like for you?” God answers, “A million years is but a second to me.” The man thinks about it and then asks, “Lord, what then is a million dollars to you?” God answers, “That is like a penny to me.”  The man smiled and asks one more question “Then Lord, May I have a penny?” God answered him, “Of course my child, in just a second.”

I thought about this story during my reflection on these readings. Not thinking about what is time or about what is money; but, what is peace to God? Look at the world we live in.

The Bible tells us that from the beginning, Jesus brought peace. “Peace be with you,” the greeting to Mary. “Peace be with you,” the greeting to the shepherds in the field. Last week, the Gospel told how the resurrected Christ appeared in the room behind closed doors with, “Peace be with you.” Today, the Gospel tells the same.

Can you imagine that room? Two disciples had just seen Jesus and ran as fast as they could from Emmaus to Jerusalem to the eleven. It was a room full of excitement, anxious chatter, and probably confusion. Then Christ Jesus comes and soothes them saying simply, “Peace be with you.”

The word Jesus used would have been “shalom.” It means “peace be with you.” Shalom is peace. It’s welcome. It’s hello and goodbye. But Jesus’ shalom is so much more.

Shalom from Jesus brings well-being and wholeness. It’s a blessing of completeness and prosperity. It is shalom that came from the peace and love Jesus taught.

The resurrected Christ brings shalom (well-being, wholeness, and completeness) between humanity and God. He brings it to a humanity that denied him; humanity that ran when trouble came and a humanity that didn’t understand. And Christ brings shalom to the humanity that Peter preached to at the temple; the ones who chose another and put Jesus to death on the cross.

All of these are the same people I am today when I deny him by looking away; not seeing the poor, the hungry, the sick, or those in prison. The same people I am today, when I choose another by finding it convenient to miss mass; but, inconvenient to stay past the hour. The same people who crucify with time to text or gossip; but, no time to stop and pray.

Shalom “peace be with you,” is what Jesus brings. He brought its promise to the world as a child. “Peace be with you” was the promise and blessing to the Virgin Mary. Shalom a promise and blessing to poor outcast shepherds.

The risen Christ brings shalom to the world. He brings it to those behind closed doors like scared, hiding, and persecuted disciples. He brings shalom to those trying to understand and know his truth.  

The risen Christ brings shalom of restoration, completeness, and goodness. He brings shalom “peace be with you” as God’s grace and righteousness. Shalom is in our justification and redemption. Shalom is the forgiveness of sins. These bring wholeness, soundness, tranquility, fullness, rest, perfection and harmony. Shalom of Christ is peace. It is a complete peace.

We really cannot find adequate words for the divine; because what Christ brought to that room and to us is all these words I have used and much, much, more. Like the man who asks God for just a penny, a little bit of God’s peace is more than we could hope for in our lifetime. The difference is God does not say, in second, because he has already given us peace. Christ brings divine shalom of God; Christ Jesus is God and He brings the peace of God to each and every one of us who believes in him.

The coming of Christ Jesus to our lives, brings shalom, great peace and blessing; just like to Mary or the shepherds, just like to those first disciples. He brings shalom in the Eucharist; found by the two disciples in the breaking of the bread. He brings great peace in the forgiveness of reconciliation. He brings peace in quietness of prayer, adoration, and reflection.

Our Lord always brings shalom “peace be with you.” We are told by our faith that if we seek Him, He will come to us. Shalom, May you find the Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ and may He be with you always.

Scripture Reflection Divine Mercy Sunday - For Us and for the Whole World

For Us and For the Whole World

Acts 4:32-35;  Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 John 5:1-6;  John 20:19-31

Today, we celebrate the Mercy of God - Divine Mercy Sunday. God’s Mercy is found in the lovingkindness that He gives to us in a bad situation, like sin.

And people ask, what does Divine Mercy have to do with today’s readings? Everything, from 1 John “Whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.” Our faith, belief in Jesus the Son of God, is the fount of God’s mercy?

From the Acts of the Apostles, we learn about the first Christian community. It was a community where mercy truly existed and where each and every person shared in God’s merciful love. It was a community of equals; a community where everyone was taken care of by their neighbors. “There was no needy person among them.” The way we treat other people is a manifestation of God’s mercy through our lives.

I try to share God's mercy in my job. Part of my job is to do safety training. I do this training for several reasons. 

One, some people don’t care about other people, like the foreman who tells a person to risk their life when they know that a job or task is unsafe. It's not necessarily the company; but, it may be the culture that rewards unsafe acts. The foremen believe making a bonus is more important than the safety of the employee.

Scripture tells us you cannot serve both God and mammon. 

Two, the government says that companies have to provide the training. Training helps to provide a safe workplace and gives instructions on how to have a safe workplace.

We live in a time were the government wants to control and make rules for even for the Church. It is behind political ideals. The government wants control over Church run institutions. Politicians want to be seen as saviors to the masses. Government can never master charity, which is the love of our neighbor and based on the love of God. God’s mercy is the ultimate lovingkindness. Sharing God’s mercy is the ultimate charity. Our government will never have God’s mercy or true charity.

Three, I teach because it is part of my ministry to the workplace.

In all I do, I try to teach Jesus. I witness and I share what I have with by brothers and sisters in that work place. Many say we are there to teach because the insurance company doesn’t want them to get hurt. I tell each and every person I teach, I don’t want them to get hurt. I want them to return to their family. I share in mercy what God has given me.

Christ gave the apostles the gift of bestowing his mercy. “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” The sacrament of reconciliation is the mercy of God given through forgiveness. Most of us are not priest, so we do have this charism of mercy.  But we can still forgive, still bring God’s mercy to others through our gifts and talents. Still bring the victory of Christ to others through our faith.

Each and every one of you has something that you can give to the community. Christians bestow God’s mercy in the love of neighbor. This is the mercy found in out faith. The mercy given so that no one knows need. We bring mercy helping others find God, know Christ, and know love.

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Let us pray for God’s mercy on us and on the whole world.

Homily Easter Day - Do We Understand?

My friends Happy Easter and as we sang in the Psalms - This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.  Remember this Psalm for later.

First I’d like to recap today’s Gospel: It was still dark and they ran to the tomb - Mary, Peter, and the disciple Jesus loved. Peter was old and fat and didnt get there first. When Peter got there he went in and found the tomb empty, the burial cloths rolled up. Then the other disciple went in: he saw and believed but they didn’t understand.

This is from the Gospel of John 20:1-9. I think it should have also included the next verse, John 20:10,  “Then the disciples returned home.”

I’m not exactly sure what that disciple saw and believed. They just returned home. Did he believe that the body of Jesus was gone or did he believe that Jesus had risen? This is the Gospel of John, the disciple Jesus loved. He was first to reach the tomb. John saw and believed and then he writes, they did not understand at that time. They just returned home.

If you study the scriptures you will find one thing.  The disciples loved Jesus. They followed him and hung on every word, every miracle, and teaching. But most of the time, they just didn’t get it.  They believed in him but they didn’t always understand him.

We have an advantage and something in common with the disciples.

The advantage, we don’t have to see to believe. We’re here today on Easter Sunday because we do believe. We believe because we have the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s life. We know what he experienced: celebrations, betrayal, abandonment, pain, suffering and death. From this week, we know the passion of Christ from Palm Sunday to His crucifixion on Good Friday. We do believe because we know what’s after the empty tomb. So today, Easter Sunday, we celebrate His resurrection.

Now, the part we have in common - so many don’t understand. This Sunday morning, Christians throughout the world celebrate is resurrection then simply return home.

We do believe! Do we understand? Do we simply return home? 

Returning home is not always a good thing. I’m not talking about the house of wood or bricks but the interior home our ego. I’m about to say ugly words about that home; some are built with anger, prejudice, bias, and the self-centered aspects of human life.

I can find myself there sometimes - We can find ourselves there sometimes. St. Paul calls it in Corinthians - old yeast and we are to get rid of it.

We find it in those lukewarm in faith. They believe but don’t understand. They’ve gone back home.

Those who ask if you are saved – just say this sinner’s prayer. They believe but don’t understand. They’ve gone back home.

Those who say God spoke to them and everyone else is wrong. They believe but don’t understand. They’ve gone back home.

Those who say, God doesn’t love Muslims or Hindus or Buddhist or Atheist or Homosexuals or anyone who is different. They believe but don’t understand. They’ve gone back home.

People don’t understand, Jesus died for all of us.

People don’t understand, for all of us, he had to rise from the dead.

People don’t understand, the tomb being empty means He is alive in the world, for all of us.

Christ is not distant and impersonal. Christ does not judge us on if we have said the sinner’s prayer. All our prayers are a sinner’s prayers.

We do believe but do we understand that Christ is with us and loves us no matter who our priest or preacher is; or, how we live our lives; or, what sins we have.  

How do we understand: know your faith. How do we understand: know Jesus. How do we understand: know His love.

Believe and understand, prepare for your new home:

Today and every day, Christ lives and He cares for us.

Today and every day, Christ lives and He is close to us.

Today and every day, Christ lives and He offers us a relationship real and personal.  

Pope Francis explains it in words I love, “Christ, the everlasting today of God.” Remember that Psalm we started with? My friends, this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.

Homily Easter Vigil - Tell a Story

Most of you know I like stories.  I write short stories and enter them in contests. I tie stories to scriptures in homilies to build a message. At this Easter Vigil, I won’t.

I’m not, because we heard in the readings an outline the greatest story: the story of God’s work in the world.

A story beginning at creation when God looked at everything found it very good. It goes on to the words of the prophets in Exodus, Ezekiel, and Isaiah that describe God’s protection, goodness, and promises. The it tells us of the ultimate good news of Jesus Christ in Romans.

The climax of this story is the gospel, where we find the empty tomb and the promise that, His is risen, Christ is Alive, and “He is going before us.”

My friends this is the best part of the story. This is where we find the excitement of the risen Christ. 

The excitement is in this new promise of the empty tomb. The tomb is not our final destiny.

The excitement is in the promise of our salvation. A salvation where we are forgiven not matter what our sins.

Pope Francis calls it “the excitement of Christ, the everlasting today of God.”

Tonight, three other people will stand before us telling a story. One story is through baptism and two stories through confirmation. These are the stories of the excitement of the risen Christ – the empty tomb, the promise of salvation, and the joy Christ - the everlasting today of God.

No, I am not going to tell you a story, but, I am asking you to tell a story. Tell a story with your lives.  Each of you be a witness; tell your story in Christ to the world.

Homily Reflection Palm Sunday- Carrying Crosses

Carrying Crosses

(At the Procession with Palms: Mark 11:1-10; Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24;  Philippians 2:6-11; Mark 14:1-15:47)

If we look at the passion of Jesus we can see ourselves in so many places. We find similarities in our relationships with Jesus Christ with the ones of those who witnessed his passion.  

As Christians we want to celebrate be people waving palm branches as he rode into Jerusalem or give Him our best like the woman with the alabaster jar of perfume. Then maybe becoming so comfortable in our faith and relationship with Jesus, we fall asleep. If you fall asleep in this world, things begin to happen.

Maybe, we start to become like Judas and money becomes important. Or Pilate, who was obvious to what was right; but let others change his mind. We can fall into jealously like those who accused Jesus. Like the crowds, we blindly follow the world; a world that makes it easy to ridicule faith and even deny it. Peter denied Jesus. All the disciples said “Surely not I” before they ran away.

Even in all these similarities, I still see in each and every one of us that Roman Centurion, who looked into Jesus’ face and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”

We look to Jesus and realize the truth of Christ - we the Church - you and I. The Church made of all gathered together in the name of Christ. A Church that is today living in the same world people have always lived in. Just like all those people in the passion. And, Jesus was in their midst. Today, Christ Jesus is in our midst. Now just like then, He was in the midst of sinners.

Jesus went through the suffering and pain and carrying that cross for the sins of the people we find in his passion: those who spit on him and beat him, those who ridiculed, those who mocked, those who betrayed, those who ran away, and even those who denied him. Jesus took the cross of sin from each ones shoulder and put it on his own.

Jesus carried that cross for them and he carries it for us. Jesus hung on the cross between two broken and sinful men; but, no matter how broken, being God’s creation; they had the potential for good. The Gospel of Luke tells us one does find goodness. He asks Jesus, Remember me. 

The sinner and centurion both realize the truth of Jesus and the meaning of the cross. 

Jesus’ cross is every cross; the cross on my shoulders and your shoulders. We all carry crosses; some are more visible than others. We carry crosses like Judas and Pilate made by our lack of respect of others, our greed, pride and selfishness. His cross is for these. His cross is for crosses of brokenness and sinfulness of those like the men who hung beside him.

But Jesus’ cross is also for the crosses we carry in our worry for loved ones, waiting for lab results, coping with loss, a job loss or financial catastrophe, as we become burdened by frailties of age.

Through our crosses, we can realize that Jesus is “Truly the son of God” and we ask Jesus to remember us as we pray to be better than we are and receive better than we deserve. We pray to be full of the goodness of God’s creation.

Christ is in our midst in a Church full of crosses carried by broken people and sinners. Each of us has a cross and because of the promise of His cross, we will be remembered in paradise. 

Homily Reflection - 5th Sunday Lent - Hour Treasure

Hour Treasure

Readings: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15;  Hebrews 5:7-9; Gospel: John 12:20-33

I have a friend of mine who calls himself a treasure hunter. He is a metal detector enthusiast. His job requires daily driving and during this he discovers places that look like they hold treasure. Returning to them after work he asks to treasure hunt. What he finds he gives to the owner.  

He finds treasure all the time. At his house are rows old coffee or shortening cans of treasure – small metal toys, door hinges, old tools, pocket knives, all types of odds and ends. Most of the time people look at what he’s found and says “keep it.” It’s not treasure to them.

His greatest treasure is an old leather coin purse and a large copper penny. One day he asked permission to hunt in a yard. He had about an hour until dark. Hunting for almost the entire hour, he hadn’t found anything.  As he left, the detector went off next to the gate. There he found the purse with silver coins and a copper penny from the 1800’s. The property owner was happy and shared the treasure with my friend in the purse & penny.

Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”

It was at this hour some Greeks came to Phillip and Andrew, “We would like to see Jesus.” They were treasure hunting, they had heard about this rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, who was teaching something different and they wanted to experience him themselves.

Greek culture was built on idea that an unexamined life is not worth living. The Greek’s came to examine their lives by the teaching of this new rabbi. They came to experience and know Jesus as deeply as they could. They heard of miracles, healings, and casting out demons. They heard of a new teaching, the gospel Jesus taught.

More than that, they symbolized the whole world coming to Jesus. They were the fulfillment of what was written by Jeremiah, “The world no longer has to be taught how to know the Lord.”

Because of Jesus, God no longer has to take us by the hand as he did with the people of the Exodus. We are drawn to Jesus and his hour came. The hour changes us. The hour lets us freely come to the Lord.

From the least to the greatest we are promised a relationship with God. Jesus asked in the garden “Can you give me one hour?”  Time we are to examine our lives, to know and experience Jesus. This is where we find treasures. One treasure is the covenant of the Lord written in our hearts and in this we meet God in our reality. Another is that the Psalmist sings, the treasure of a clean heart

Jesus offered himself on the cross as a treasure not to pay a debt to God but to reveal the treasure that is God to the world. Jesus’ hour came. The hour not come to reveal the treasure of humanity to God, but revealed the treasure that is God to us.

Sadly, the world finds these things; unimportant. So it ignores them.

And that brings us back to the story of my friend. In the last hour of the day, he’ll stop at somebody’s yard; many say “yes look.” Most people don’t want what he finds. My friend puts it in a can and labels it with person name and the place that it was found; just in case they change their mind.

Jesus tells that this hour is but tiny seed that will be fruitful. A tiny treasure that becomes abundant and fruitful by our salvation. A salvation that reveals God:

• God, the father, in his grace and mercy;
• God the Son, in Jesus who taught us how to love - each other, strangers, all of God’s creations, and most importantly how to love God;
• God the Holy Spirit who brings wisdom, brings healing, and reveals our gifts that we plant as seeds. 

Through our salvation, we find the treasure of Christ that reveals God.

Are we overlooking the treasure Jesus showed us? Are we examining our lives finding those treasures? Do we give thanks for the small treasures that can grow so abundantly? Are we planting seeds; being fruitful in both small and large things and sharing them?

My friends, the big treasure is yet to be found. It’ll be there when our Hour comes, when we’re leaving the yard of the earthly life. It’s the treasure of eternal salvation and Jesus has it, ready to give it to us.

His hour prepares for the treasure of our hour.  When our hour comes, Christ Jesus, our treasure will be there.

Homily reflection: 4th Sunday Lent - Light and Darkness

Light and Darkness - Get Rid of the Darkness

Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23; Psalm 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6; Ephesians 2:4-10; John 3:14-21

At our weekly Bible Study, each of us chose a parable from Mark chapter 4 to discuss.

Jeanne chose the parable of the sower and explained it beautifully. She suggested that we are the ground. We are hard, rocky, thorny, or fertile soil during different times of our lives. We can become better soil or stay as we are. She offered that prayer changes us and our lives. Changing the type of soil we are and who we are; this is the power of prayer. Then Jeanne apologized for not being a good teacher.

Daniel led the discussion on the parable of the lamp that is put under the bushel basket. In his teaching on the parable, Daniel said that the light is in us and that we hide that light. The light reflects in us and we are to let it shine.  

We can find Christ’s light in our life, if we get rid of the darkness.

These were great things to think about when considering Jesus’ words to Nicodemus. “The light came into the world, but people preferred darkness.”  Jesus is telling Nicodemus that despite the light of God’s presence in the world, people forget God.

In human imperfection, people tend to prefer the darkness. We live in our selves and seek darkness to cover imperfection. In the darkness we ignore the light of Christ and His miracles in our life. Miracles that are everywhere but so many can’t see them because of the darkness. Jesus explained it simply, “. . . people prefer darkness.” 

In darkness people live forgetting about God. Look at our first readings; this is how the people were living in exile; living in darkness. They stopped listening to God. Yet, God’s grace was with them and came through an unexpected source - King Cyrus. King Cyrus told them go home and worship God.

Today people live exiled from God. People go through the motions of faith. People rarely pray because they don’t think it will do any good. They take care of their needs rather than depending on God to take care of them. If they get sick they may pray but they go to the doctor. If they need money, they might pray, but they’ll look for a second job. If good things happen they give credit to people not God.  

People don't see that good things happen by the grace of God. The see it as a result of their own actions. So people put more faith in the stock market than anything Jesus said about money. And so many people in this country will call themselves Christian but they put more allegiance to the United States than in loyalty to Christ.

Yet even with all this, Paul tells us we are blessed, “In the ages to come He might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”  Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world, is God’s presence and God’s grace.

And God works in extraordinary ways. God came to the exiles in the command of the Persian King. In the same extraordinary way, He does things in our lives. His grace is the source of miracles. It is through grace that the physician can heal us; it is through grace that are needs are met and we are then able to share our excess with those who need. And Jesus Christ is God’s light and grace manifest in the world.

But, it’s in our everyday life that miracles are most abundant. His light comes to us is in the everyday things; like that every other Monday night bible study. Maybe the everyday miracle is just waking up; the hug of a child; the hello from a stranger; or just getting to work or school safe. So many people don’t see these as the work of the light that comes into the world, because, they prefer the darkness.

Now what does this have to do with the parable teachings of Daniel and Jeanne.

Daniel says that the light is in us. As soon as we take that basket off the light of Christ that is in each of us, he will dispel the darkness in us and in others.

Jeanne humbly taught that we don’t have to stay the same. We can rid ourselves of the darkness that causes us to be poor soil through prayer. Jeanne who so humbly felt she was not a teacher taught this, It is those of us who strive to live our lives in the grace of His light find God in our ordinary experiences.

We can find Christ’s light in our life, if we get rid of the darkness.

That's what Lent is all about, leaving the darkness and finding Christ in our life. We are God’s handiwork created in Jesus Christ. We will receive the good works created for us. These are the everyday miracles found in His light. And as St. Paul says – We should live in them.

Sunday Reflection 3rd Sunday of Lent "I Helped Build That"

I Helped Build That 

Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11;  1 Corinthians 1:22-25;  John 2:13-25

God speaks to us in what we observe everyday. I study the mass readings and look how they apply to my life. Many times I find this meaning at work. This week, work was in Ft. Lauderdale, FL at the ABC National Craft Championships. Young people come from all over the country to compete in skills like welding, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and many others.

During the day, it’s about the workers. The keynote speaker’s address was about working for a living. He celebrated workers that roll up their sleeves and get dirty, describing them as the strong and silent backbone of society. These are people with no pretense. They can point to a building, a car, a ship, or a road and say “I helped build that!”

The speaker was once a carpenter but is now a famous actor. He criticized actors, athletes, musicians, and entertainers who are often full of their self importance because the public worships celebrity. In reality they offer little to society. The speaker finished by saying, “No matter how successful an actor he was, his greatest pride was to l bring his kids to a house he worked on as a carpenter and say, I helped build that!”

Thursday night was different, I saw a whole different world. It was the Excellence in Construction Awards Gala. It was a fundraiser for the event. People who attended this had wealth. They dressed in tuxedos and evening dresses adorned with diamonds and jewels. Dinner was $250 a plate. It was not for the workers but the business owners.  

I saw all this; but, the speaker's words, "I helped build that," is what stuck with me. In these words the Holy Spirit touched my heart.

In the first reading from Exodus we learn of God’s covenant with the people of Israel. Through Moses, the Israelites got the tools to fulfill and build on their part of the covenant. These basic tools were the 10 Commandments; the instructions for a covenant relationship with God. They were the tools that would bring the people closer to God and to one another. But the people failed; they turned these tools into the Law. In the Law, many lost sight of God’s plan and followed their plans instead. The law became more important than building their covenant with God.

So God sent the One who would build, Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John tells how Jesus challenged those in the temple, “Tear this temple down and in three days I will rebuild it.” Christ is the new covenant on which is built a new relationship with God. A new covenant relationship, not built on the law. A relationship with God built in Christ.

I saw signs and wisdom of modern society during my trip. I saw money and wealth.  At the airport, there was a grown man in footed bunny pajamas and a young lady dressed in all black, black makeup and thigh high Frankenstein boots. I heard about the people in Hollywood and their agenda. These are the signs and wisdom of a noisy world. 

But, the Holy Spirit brings us to God often in the quietest of ways.

On the flight back to Monroe, I sat with the Texas State men’s basketball team. Through one of these young men, God sent me a simple quiet message. A 6”7” young man squeezed himself into the seat next to me. He was polite, but spoke mainly with his teammates as the plane prepared to take-off. During the flight, in his cramped lap, he open a bible to 1 Corinthians. I don’t know the verses he was reading, but we read from the same letter of St. Paul today these words, “To those who are called…Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

I thought about my week and how the Holy Spirit had spoken to me. People who work to help build the Kingdom of God are the strong and silent backbone of our faith. They help to build quietly through the power and wisdom of God witnessing Christ, the new covenant.

We witness by not being ashamed to read God’s word. We help build God’s Kingdom when we are kind to someone or pray for others or feed the hungry; bringing Christ without seeking fame. We are the backbone of our faith when we set a positive example for a child or respect our parents or bring a friend to church. We show God’s love when we love and are not jealous of others. We help build the Kingdom of God using the simple tools God gave us.

Maybe one day, we will stand before the Kingdom of God and say - through Christ, I helped build that! 

(Thanks Gary G. for the picture)