Pollution Warning - Reflection 12th Sunday OT - C

Readings

The spectacular view of the stars in the night sky is one of my favorite things. The awesome vastness of God’s creation can be experienced even if you never leave the little patch of ground where you were born.

But, something hurts the incredible beauty of the night sky; excessive and inappropriate artificial light (www.darkskiesawareness.org) It’s called light pollution. The invasion by artificial light into the skies; light that trespasses to where it is not wanted or needed; the excessive brightness of glare that decreases visibility; and, the clutter of excessive and confusing light sources that add to the pollution.

All of God’s creation benefits from the natural light of day and dark of night, both are good. Yet, our modern world pollutes the night sky. Creation has become confused with artificial light.

Light pollution touches all of us; but, there is other pollution in our life. It’s pollution of our faith. Faith pollution is from sin which grows a polluted artificial faith and includes: faith in God invaded by the draw of sin, self, and worldly views; worldly ideas that trespass into our faith so sin becomes acceptable; the glare of sinfulness and its acceptance by a worldly culture. It decreases our vision of truth; and, the clutter of confusing ideas and opinions of special groups that adds to the pollution of sin and artificial faith.

All of God’s people benefit from faith. The modern world pollutes with sin and artificial faith. Faith has become confused by artificial faith.

Sin obscures the truth. Faith becomes weak in worldly ideas, acceptance of sinfulness, and the confusing messages the world expects us to accept and normalize.

Sin kills hope. It pollutes and weakens the valor and strength of the human heart and spirit. Even reason fails when faith is displaced by the sinfulness of artificial faith.

The tainting of faith brings struggles to even those of true faith. We hear the whispering of others. “The world cries out terror on every side! Denounce! Denounce those who believe!” It is all around. It has been in all times.

Artificial faith glorifies arrogance, greediness and excess, materialism, immodesty, sex, idleness, and envy with bitterness and resentment. It promotes an abundance of anger in the world. It is the champion of pride, gluttony, avarice, lust, sloth, envy, and anger; seven deadly sins that are the source of artificial faith in self and the world.

The same sin puts our selfish needs in our path to God. It is sin that allows us to forget we are forgiven and that God asks us to sin no more.

The sin of the world moves to shame us, declaring us outcasts for our true faith and belief in God. We often just want to run and hide.

People of good faith, stand strong and bear insult. Even though those who disparage us have the ear of the world, Jesus tells us “Fear no one.” “The Spirit of Truth will testify to me and you also will testify.”

We should fear no one because we are a dwelling place for God and His love. We testify that the faith we have is greater than the faith in the world. It is the spirit of truth, the love from God we share with one another that makes us a people of true faith.

Our modern world pollutes our view of the night sky. The same world pollutes our faith. It began in sin and has been in the world since Adam.

Something extraordinary and outside of us is needed to clean up the pollution. In faith, we can pray and ask for God’s favor. God has not forsaken us. By His grace and the gracious gift of one man Jesus Christ - the pollution of sin is removed - our faith, our hearts, and our spirits revive.

Like the night sky, humanity’s faith in God will never go away. In times to come, the night sky will shine in the splendor of God’s vastness and creation; and, we will stand before God in awe.

Here is a pollution warning for all who live in this world.

Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known - God know us, God knows were our faith lives. Either our life will acknowledge God in a true and pure faith or it will be polluted with an artificial faith that denies God.

The pollution in our lives is cleaned up by surrendering self to God who knows we have fallen.

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

Do You Believe in Miracles? Homily Reflection -The Body and Blood of Christ

Readings

My grandson’s favorite meals are in this order – pizza, chicken nuggets, and hamburgers. He loves French fries but not with ketchup instead ranch dressing. These are not really the best foods for you and probably not a diet that adults should follow.

But there is one meal that each and every believer should eat. This meal is the body and blood of Christ found under the species of bread and wine in the Eucharist. Jesus left us a true meal, Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life…

Many Christians think these words of Jesus are a metaphor. He didn't really mean it. It was symbolic words he used to make a point. He really didn’t mean eat his body and drink his blood.

There are Catholics that think the same thing. They don’t understand that the bread and wine is changed by the Holy Spirit. They find it hard to believe in the miracle of transubstantiation; the miracle of the bread and wine becoming the body and blood of Christ.

Still, ask a Christian “Do they believe in Jesus’ miracles?”

They’ll say yes we believe. We believe the Bible.

·       He healed the leper, Lord if you choose, you can make me clean. Jesus touched his hand and said I so choose. 

·       He raised the dead, He told the Jarius’ daughter “Get up little girl!” He commanded Lazarus to “Come out” of the tomb.

·       He cast out demons, because even demons know his name.

·       He walked on water, he multiplied and loaves and fishes and fed thousands.

·       And, they believe He suffered, died, and was buried only to rise again on the 3^rd day.

They believe these miracles. They recognize them as gifts from heaven. Miracles that sustain belief like the manna from heaven and the water from rock which sustained the Israelites.

The miracles of Jesus are the manna He called down from heaven; the bread that changes disbelief to belief; water from the rock that sustains in us the promise of God’s love, God’s word, and God’s grace. Jesus is the manna from heaven and tells us in these words - I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread will live forever

The one miracle Christians have problem believing is the miracle of the Eucharist. It is the miracle of our manna from heaven and our water from rock, the body and blood of Christ.

It was a miracle they could not believe when Jesus first spoke of it and one many cannot believe today. The Jews quarreled among themselves just as believers today disagree, how can He give us his flesh to eat?

Because they dispute this, the true body and blood of Christ is a food unknown to many. Some cannot believe Jesus’ words - Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day, for my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.  

When He said this, it offended many; they found it difficult. Many turned back and did not follow this teaching.

It is the same thing today. People don’t believe in the miracle of the altar. People leave the true Eucharist. They leave the promise of Jesus, Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.

It doesn’t fit their point of view. They don’t like the reference points, the morality, what is right and what is wrong, the admittance of sin, or having to answer to someone other than themselves.

Many are going to be disappointed when they find out God doesn’t need us as a reference point. God is God’s own reference point. God is true to God. That is why Jesus said - the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.

With Jesus words and the writings of the evangelist and apostles, there is still a failure to believe in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, in the fact that it is His body and His blood. Instead of believing our Lord, we believe our selves. That’s a shame.

Even though people fail to believe Jesus’ own testimony, He still loves us. God still loves each and every one of us; because, His love is Divine Love. And Divine Love is not generated by our worthiness but by the total generosity of the God.

That is the secret of the Eucharist. It is the mystery of generosity of divine love of God by sharing in the body and blood of Christ. God so loves us that He gives himself to us over and over and over again in the sacrament of the altar.

About eating his body and drinking his blood, do you believe in miracles?

It brings us out of that place of slavery to this world. It is the manna that sustains us.

For some, pizza, chicken nuggets, and hamburgers are good food. For some grape juice and soda crackers in a plastic cup are a metaphor, a symbolic meal of the body and blood of Christ. It is not true food and it leaves you hungry.

The cup and bread that is blessed by the priest at the altar of God becomes the cup of blessing, the participation in the blood of Christ; the bread we break, becomes the participation in the body of Christ.

Brothers and sisters, true food and true drink are the body and blood of Christ at the Eucharist table.  We should never be afflicted with a hunger for God. Christ who gives his Divine Love to us in the Eucharist is always there for that hunger.

Do you believe in miracles?

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

A Teaspoon at a Time - Homily Reflection - Most Holy Trinity

Readings

The Holy Trinity is hard to explain. St. Patrick used the three leaf clover to explain the Holy Trinity. I've heard people use – ice, water, and steam; the same thing in three forms. These explanations fall short of the mystery of God, the Most Holy Trinity.

To understand the mystery of God is like trying to empty an ocean a teaspoon at a time. You can fill a bucket or maybe a swimming pool; but, in a lifetime you’ll never come close to capturing an ocean. In the same way, we will never come close to understanding the mystery of God.

Even more overwhelming is the fact that our modern world seems to prevent us from knowing God. And many of the voices trying to explain the mystery of the Trinity are lacking the most important things needed to know God - prayer, peace, love, and truth.

These things move a person closer to knowing the mystery of the Trinity. To have them many need to change their lives and their hearts.

This was the first message Jesus proclaimed after his baptism – REPENT. He called metanoia, mend your ways, change, and repent of things that are not of God. We come to the mystery of God, the Trinity, by making the change that Jesus proclaims.

But unfortunately, the words Moses proclaimed over the people of Israel apply to us today “These are indeed a stiff necked people.” Yet God remains with us and receives us as his own; this is the same God who is, who was, and is to come. Our God who so loved the world, he gave his only son so that everyone who believe in him might not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus did not come to change God the Father’s mind about us. It does not need changing. In his lovingkindness, God knows the goodness that He created in us. Jesus is changing our mind about what is real and what is not. Jesus says repent.

As the Father sent his Son, the Son promised the Holy Spirit. In the world today, the message of repentance comes from the Holy Spirit to fill the hearts of believers with love and passion to repeat the gospel to the entire world.

Repent and know that the God of Love and peace is with you. 

The Most Holy Trinity is love. It is love that exists in millions and millions of God’s people. It is the love of God the Father, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

The world doesn't want this. It seems to prevent us from repenting by making it difficult to hear Jesus’ message.

In May 2017, twenty-two young people died in a terrorist bombing in Manchester, England. It was all over the news for weeks; but no mention of God. God was not spoken about in the media, the newspaper, or on television. The media did have voices that deny God calling for peace in the world.  

Two days later, two buses of Christian pilgrims were attacked in Egypt. Passengers were taken one by one from the first bus and told to profess Mohammed and deny Christ, or be shot. Twenty-eight Christians were taken off that bus (men, women, and children as young as 2); and, each one refused to deny Christ. They died for Christ.  

These Christian martyrs know the mystery of God, the Trinity. They were able to pray, If we find favor with you, O Lord, come along in our company. 

This tragedy had only a brief mention in the media. There was no mention of their profession of faith. No mention of their peace and agreement with one another in their faith in God. There was no coverage of those who did not deny Christ; no coverage of their witness. 

To deny Christ is to deny God, the Holy Trinity.

In England or even these United States, terrorist do not ask victims to deny Christ. People would do it. “These are a stiff necked people.” They are too busy trying to capture the ocean a teaspoon at a time that they don’t know God.

Why do so many hold back from the love of God, the grace of Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit? Maybe, they don’t hear Jesus’ words – Repent, because we fail to proclaim those words.

We have failed to share the message that God is love. God is peace. God encourages agreement. We have not shared the love and truth that is the light of God. We can only do this, by trying to understand the mystery of God, the Holy Trinity by our life of prayer, peace, love, and truth. In us, these things are only the beginnings of the mystery of truth and love that is the Holy Trinity.

My brothers and sister, rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

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

Experience Pentecost - Reflection Pentecost Sunday A

Everyone needs to experience Pentecost. Everyone should experience the coming of God’s spirit in your own particular way.

I had a man ask me when I was much younger, “Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit?”

I was young at that time, so I didn’t know the answer. Instead, I said “I didn’t know if I had, had he?”

He said “Yes! The Holy Spirit is alive in my Church, you should come.”

I asked him then, “What it’s like to be in the presence of the Holy Spirit? How do you know?”

His answer “Our preacher can see the Spirit in you. He calls you forward and in front of the entire congregation lays hands upon you. You can hear the Holy Spirit Coming. It begins in a whisper and becomes a mighty wind.”

He continued, “I lose all control, fall to the ground, and speak in tongues.”

I’m telling you this story not to condemn him or his church. He shared with me his full gospel charismatic experience.

Don’t think it is not true because, scripture tells us, "No one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God."

I was 26 years old and that story scared me.

Being told of his experience, I wondered about Pentecost; had I known the fulfillment Christ's promise in experiencing the Holy Spirit. Did I fall short?

As I have grown in my faith and my relationship to God through Christ Jesus, I have realized one thing, “God is Love.”

Our God by his love makes known to us Christ, his Word, his living Utterance. The same risen Christ who said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

I can answer that question now, “Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit?” I can answer with, "God is Love."

God is Love and love is His gift. It is His love that is His grace. It is love that contains all His gifts. The gift of God's love is poured into us and our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

The gift of God’s love is forgiveness. As Catholic Christians, we believe it is our communion in the Holy Spirit that restores the baptized to grace as adopted sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father.

Each of us is filled with God’s Love; by this love, each of us can know the Holy Spirit. So my brothers and sisters, when asked have you been baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, say yes!!!

Because, it’s not necessarily speaking in tongues that show we experience the Holy Spirit. It’s speaking in God’s love and God’s love that fills us with the Holy Spirit.  

Everyone should experience the coming of God’s spirit in your own particular way. Here is the truth from the scripture. There were people from every nation under heaven and each one heard them speaking in his own language. The Holy Spirit speaks to us in the language we need to hear, different working but the same God. 

The Holy Spirit is not generic. The Holy Spirit is not a one-size-fits-all force; but it’s a relationship, individual and specific to each one of us.

The Holy Spirit comes inimitably as our comfort in struggles. The Spirit helps us in our weakness. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Heal our wounds our strength renew.

The Catechism gives us this beautiful teaching; if we do not know how to pray as we should, the Spirit for us intercedes with sighs too deep for words.

Our Heavenly Father who loves us sends the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. When God sends his Son, He sends his Spirit. No one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

Experience the Pentecost. Proclaim the Holy Spirit. Proclaim Jesus is Lord. Proclaim God’s love.

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

My Dear Theophilus - Reflection Ascension Sunday/7th Sunday of Easter

Readings: Ascension & 7^th Sunday of Easter

My Dear Theophilus: There are those who say to we live in a post-Christian world and brag the God we love and know in this world is dead. They seemed to be a little confused. He was dead for three days; but, he rose again.

That’s a big shock; for the world, it’s unbelievable. Just like it was that day on Mt. Olivet, “They saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.”

That is what’s wrong in the world, even with many who call themselves Christians. They see Christ in the world all around; they simply refused to accept it! They refuse to give glory to God. Doubt and unbelief robs them of joy.

What is it they are to believe? Maybe, it’s in the power of God’s love in the calamity of this world.

Maybe, its Jesus words, Father, they believe the words you gave to me and that I have given to them. They accepted them and understand I came from you, and they have believed you sent me.

It’s a shame to live in a world where Christ is not the loudest message and is often unheard. Instead all hear the message that God is dead. Sometimes, those calling themselves Christians are not sharing Christ’s love. Non-believers see hidden behind a label of Christian an ideology of bigotry, hate, and fear mongering detrimental to freedom and scientific thought. It’s too bad the world sees jaded ideology not true theology. It’s too bad the truth that is the freedom of God’s love is hidden by false truths.

My dear Theophilus, how do we get the truth to the world? How do we tell a post-Christian world the love of Christ?

He knew that for us to do this, He had to ascend into heaven. 

Jesus commanded us three things: Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

Then Jesus promised, I am with you always, until the end of the age. And in another scripture, Jesus says, I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me…

Terrorism spreads across the world. Violence and death grows on the streets of our city. These portray a world that accepts God is dead as people are killed for hate.

Sadly believers die. By the witness of martyrdom, they bring the love of Christ to our community, our city, and our world. They tell the world God is not dead. Their lives are lived as witnesses to the ends of the earth.

My dear Theophilus, we live in a dangerous world, just like those who first believed. But hear the words of angels, "Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” Lover of God show that we believe.

Start in our neighborhoods. Go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and teach them to observe all Jesus commanded. There should be no doubt by our witness that Christ is alive. There will be no doubt by our teaching that Christ rose from the dead and will come again.

Live in the joyful presence of the Holy Spirit, pray for the world, that the eyes of hearts be enlightened, and all will know the hope that belongs to his call.

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

The Orphanage - Reflection 6th Sunday Easter

Readings

Charles Dickens wrote the classic Oliver Twist. If you’ve read the book or seen the movie, you know how the hungry young orphan, spoon in hand comes forward at the orphanage workhouse and asks, “Please sir can I have some more.”

Think about the disciples, Jesus is telling them he is going away. They have not had their fill. “Please give us some more.”

Jesus promises I will not leave you orphans.

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you.

People of the world say they believe in God; but, they don’t need religion. They proclaim that they have faith, but they don’t live it. They are spiritual but they don’t believe in the Holy Spirit.They do not know him.

We create our own orphanage by starving ourselves of true spiritual food, by forgetting God.

The Father does not forget us, His adopted children. Christ does not abandon us. We were sent the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. This is the truth of the Christian faith, One God, the Holy Trinity.

Jesus tells us that those of the world cannot accept this because they don’t see him and they don’t know him. For worldly reasons, we forget our heavenly Father. We abandon Christ. We don’t know the Holy Spirit. One reason is the worldly do not understand God.  

I met a Muslim person that told me Jesus couldn’t be the son of God, because God did not have relations with Mary. This is an anthropomorphic opinion of the creator of all things. It is not just Muslims that have this opinion.

Anthropomorphic means that we as humans give human characteristics to things that are not human. Why do we make God like us? God is not human. We cannot understand the mystery of God. It is only humanity that we think we understand. It is an easy reality for us. We see it. We touch it. It does not require faith.We try to understand God in the same way.

Because of the absence of faith and the lack of the Lord Jesus Christ in their hearts, the worldly ask those who believe for explanations. Why do you believe? How is it that you believe? Why do you have faith? Why do you do good things?

Believers celebrate the resurrection. The resurrection is the reason we believe. It was Jesus promise and He fulfilled that promise. So we trust his words and believe His promises. This is faith.

But worldly don’t believe what they can’t see. They put human limitations on Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father. They forget God. The worldly know only the reality of human existence.

The worldly say they are spiritual, but they don’t know the Holy Spirit. If truly spiritual, they would know the one the world does not see. They would know the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is in the Christ. Christ is in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is in the Father. The Father is in the Holy Spirit. Christ is in the Father. The Father is in Christ.

If the worldly were spiritual they would know the Church Christ left for us. If spiritual, they would know those sent by the Holy Spirit, proclaiming the Christ. They would know the Church of Peter, John, and Phillip guided by the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. Christ promised He would be with the Church always.  

The worldly do not want to accept these truths of God. Running away from God and the Church, the worldly make the world they live in an orphanage.

In the story of Oliver Twist, we learn that good will survive against the evil of the world. Jesus promised, I will not leave your orphans.

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

Living Stones - Reflection 5th Sunday Easter

(Readings)

I knew God was calling me. I felt it in my heart; but, it was not me who said I should be a deacon. It was the members of my faith community who chose me, calling me to this ministry. Brothers, select from among you reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom. I’m working on the wisdom.

I prostrated myself in front of the altar with 15 other men to give my life to God and his church. Family and friends were there with me. The voices in the Cathedral rose in the litany of the saints. The people sang - “Pray for us.” I knew I would not be in this journey alone.

We come to him, the living stone rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. He will build us like living stone into a spiritual house.

God is calling us - all different with human weakness and imperfect. In these faults, we are to be like Christ Jesus, living stone built up into a spiritual temple to praise God in all we do.

We do this by being obedient to the faith.

Like Jesus, as living stones we are to bring God’s good lovingkindness to the world. We do this by living the beatitudes. We bring God’s good lovingkindness in the corporal works of mercy: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit prisoners, bury the dead, and give alms to the poor. This is good lovingkindness.

Like Jesus, as living stones we are to proclaim the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said as you come to a town: Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ And another time, As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'

Heaven is near us. The Kingdom of God is in what we do in the world today. We do this in faith by giving our lives to God, living every day in his presence, and living a holy life by the example Jesus gave us. I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

To be a living stone remember these words of Jesus "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. Because I am in the Father and the Father is in me. People should see Christ in us in the world; living the gospel and sharing the love of Christ with all those we meet.

On that ordination day, I prostrated myself on the floor with living stones in Christ around me. Living stones were praying to build me up my spiritual temple. Living stones were singing to the saints and to Christ –“Pray for us.”

Each of you is a living stone, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people announcing the praises of the One who calls us out of darkness into His wonderful light. Living stones built on the foundation of the living stone the world rejected.

Living stones made by being a person of good lovingkindness, being holy and preaching the gospel by the way they live and love. Amen.

Follow Me - Homily Reflection 4th Sunday Easter

(Readings)

To live life is not a static thing, it’s dynamic. Being dynamic, we get off track. Let me give an example.

This week, there was a Tri-Council Leadership meeting with Our Lady of Fatima, St. Lawrence, and Christ the King. The president of the OLF council said, “Let’s go around the table and introduce ourselves and ministries.”

Then, he looked at me. I was sitting at the head of the table, I thought he wanted me to speak, so I jumped in and introduced myself.

But, that’s not what he wanted, he just looked at me.

I think back on it, I was like a young sheep, the gate was opened, I ran through it jumping and kicking in excitement, away from where I should be. But, our good pastor pulled me back in.

Picture all 6'3", 300+ pounds of me running, jumping, and kicking like a young sheep.

Don’t take this as an insult but you’re all sheep. Sometimes, sheep won’t make good choices. Sheep are stubborn. Sheep follow the crowd. Sheep become lost.

People are like sheep, I know that I am. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has patience with all my sheep like faults. That’s why I need the Good Shepherd.

A shepherd calls to his sheep “follow me.” Jesus called his disciples with the same words: “follow me”

That’s what a good shepherd does. He leads. The flock follows. They follow with faith, totally trusting their safety to His care.

As for me, Jesus is my shepherd and I follow where my shepherd leads. My faith knows the Good Shepherd is totally on my side. My faith trusts where the Good Shepherd leads and knows that where He leads is good. He gives peacefulness inside me. He restores by soul. He guides me in right paths and gives me courage so that I fear no evil. The Lord is my shepherd.

He leads us to the waters of baptism.  Repent and be baptized, every one of you, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Baptism and the Holy Spirit allow us to hear the shepherd’s voice as he calls his sheep. We will recognize his voice because we are his sheep.

He calls each by name. The shepherd recognizes us and we recognize him.  

We may still misunderstand His voice, ignore it, resist it, fight against it, and get lost in the stubbornness of sin. Yet, in moments of wholeness or in times of trouble, we hear His voice. It rises within us.

Jesus said, “I am the gate for the sheep.” No matter how many times we butt our stubborn heads against the gate, the gate does not go away. By its protection, we have the chance to learn and change. We come to Jesus.

The gate is there to protect us and the good shepherd to watch over us.

Jesus said, “I am the gate,” the gate that protected us by his own life. Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd,” the Good Shepherd that defended us by his own life.

For our sake, He gave his own life. The Father has made both Lord and Christ this Jesus whom you crucified. We had gone astray like sheep because of sin; but, we return to the Good Shepherd. By his wounds we are healed and made free from sin, to live for righteousness.

To live life is not a static thing, but dynamic. Because it is dynamic, we get off track. We go astray like sheep. Like young sheep when someone leaves the gate open, we want to jump and kick and have fun. We can be like sheep that think they see better grass on the horizon, go to it, and become lost.

Sheep need a good shepherd:

•  A shepherd with a strong constant voice;
•  A shepherd concerned with what’s best for his sheep; and
•  A shepherd that seeks out the lost.  

Each of us needs a good shepherd --The Lord is my shepherd.

It’s not an insult to be called sheep, when Jesus is our Good Shepherd. If I learn to recognize his voice and follow where he leads then goodness and mercy shall “follow me” all the days of my life.

My brothers and sisters, if you know Christ, it will be the same for you.

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

Cookie Walk, The Road to Emmaus - 3rd Sunday of Easter

(Readings)

Someone gave my daughter a cookie. She thanked the person for their kindness. But, she’s on a diet, watching what she eats, exercising, and really didn’t need a cookie.

With pure innocence the young cookie giver suggested this solution. “Then just walk while you’re eating the cookie!”

Walk while you’re eating a cookie and it goes away. It doesn’t.

Maybe that was the purpose of the walk to Emmaus: walk and talk the Jesus experience away.  He didn’t go away. Christ Jesus was resurrected and He will come again.

“We had hoped,” they said on the road to Emmaus. They had hoped but had lost hope. They did not understand what happened. So they walked to Emmaus trying to reason it out.

Life is a journey. It is not static but the continuously changing event of our existence, a walk on the road of life from birth to death. The greatest thing, we are joined by Christ Jesus on the journey. By the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, the resurrected living God walks with us.

He walks with us during good times, those times are easy for us to see. But even more, Jesus walks with us during our loss of hope and in times of lack of understanding. He is with us when we are weak in our faith; at times we doubt and find it hard to believe. Jesus is walking with us when we don’t recognize He is right there beside us. 

Because of their expectations of a Messiah, the two travelers on the road to Emmaus did not realize Jesus’ true purpose. “We had hoped,” He would have met our expectations.

Just like them, something is happening in our journey that we are not able to realize. What we expect of God is not what God has planned for this world and for us. So we doubt and find it hard to believe. But, Jesus is with us.

“We had hoped,” He would be who we wanted him to be. How foolish they are.

Even today, many study the Scriptures. They study Christ and his works. They talk to prove Him, to teach of Him, and to preach of Him, but they preach him the way they want Him to be. They walk away from Jerusalem and the cross. They don’t live a life of Jesus’ works or His words. They don’t know the true Christ that walks with them.

Scripture tells that God is known in the breaking of bread. “Their eyes were opened, and they knew Him when He broke the bread.” There will be surprises at the true table of Christ. The bread of life will change many.

Hope is in the breaking of the bread. We realize He is always with us. “We had hoped … our hearts would burn within us.“ Transforming our frustration; giving us a passion to share our hope, our belief, and our love. In the breaking of the bread we realize a passion to share Christ with the world.

Recognize that God is with us on our journey. With God with us, the feelings of loss and longing are hope. With God with us, the desire to believe is believing. In God’s presence, longing to love is love.  

The breaking of the bread is the best cookie we can receive.  

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

Have Mercy - Reflection Sunday of Divine Mercy

(Readings) & (Divine Mercy Chaplet)

In today’s gospel we read, “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciple were, for fear of the Jews.”

Maybe, the doors were locked for more than fear of the Jews.

We‘ve been there. We’ve believed in something and it does not come to be like we wanted. We're disappointed and sit back, close our hearts and sulk.

Jesus’ followers believed He was the messiah.They were disappointed because they didn’t know what that meant.

They were disappointed and doubted. They doubted they would be able to continue without their master. They lacked a leader. Their purpose was gone. They doubted they could stand up to non-believers. They doubted they could answer believers who had questions. They huddled behind a lock door and hid behind their doubt.

In the Chaplet of Divine Mercy we pray. “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” Those behind that locked door were in need of God’s mercy. Just like you and I are in need of God’s mercy.

Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” He then breathed upon them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” And the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.

By the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit, they no longer doubted.

We forget everyone behind that locked door had some doubt; but we remember Thomas. We remember Thomas because he gave voice to the doubt. “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Thomas asked to see the wounds where the Blood and Water gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us.

When Jesus told Thomas to put his hands in the wound, Thomas cried out, “My Lord and my God!” Thomas prayed “Jesus, I trust in You!”

After this, Jesus said “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” 

Acts and Peter describe those who have not seen and believed. They have a strong faith even when they suffer through various trials. They have a pure and precious faith tested by fire. They give praise, glorify and honor his name. They believe and come together in Church and Eucharist table.

These are true for those who believe today. So, let us give thanks to God, His love is everlasting.

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. We celebrate faith that overcomes the doubt that stands behind the locked doors of our hearts.  We celebrate the sacrament of penance and Jesus' forgiveness found in these words, “Receive the Holy Spirit, Whose sin you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained. “

In His Divine Mercy, Jesus is never disappointed in those who believe. That is the mercy we seek when we pray the final Divine Mercy prayer, Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

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

A Little Blue Chicken - Homily Holy Saturday - Easter Vigil

(Readings)

When I was a little boy, the Easter Bunny would bring baby chickens. These chicks would be yellow or pink or green or blue.  When I was 3 or 4 years old, I got a blue one.

My brother and I both got one. That’s the only part of the story I remember: getting that little chicken on Easter and how happy I was. The whole story comes from mom and dad.

We lived in apartments in New Orleans which frowned on chickens; so, after a couple of weeks, my parents brought the baby chickens to my great uncle and aunt’s house is the woods of Mississippi.

It was an old house high up off the ground; the animals would go up under it in the heat of the summer to cool off. Every time we’d visit, I’d run under the house looking for my chicken.

My great uncle would tease me, “Boy how’d you like to see your chicken today, baked or fried?”  I was afraid I’d eat my pet chicken. My aunt would fuss at him for teasing me.

Years later, I asked Dad, did we eat my chicken. He’d say “That’s what chickens are for.”

I’m fifty-six; I’d like to have some chickens. Deep inside a part misses that little blue chicken.

I tell this story as a parable of humanity. In the beginning God created us. He looked at all He created and said it was good. We were happy when we were young and God was with us in the garden.

Humanity ruined it.  We forget that.

It was long ago and humanity was young. As humanity grew older, happiness in the Garden became a memory.  We remember parts of it. Even though we don’t remember exactly, we long for the part that’s missing. There is a God-size hole in us. We just don’t remember how to fill it.

We look to someone older to know the whole story. The story is that God is always with us even though we think differently.

God spoke to Moses, Why are you crying out to me? I am with you, I will protect you, I will lead you through the waters.

Isaiah writes those who are thirsty come to the water. Ezekiel says I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities….

The scripture from Romans says we were baptized into Christ Jesus… so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.

The whole story points to the waters of baptism. The same baptisms most of us share, the baptisms we remember tonight; the baptism that brings us to God. Baptism brings Christ to the God size hole inside us.

Because of that hole, we long for God. We will never truly be happy until we fill that missing part of us.  

But my brothers and sisters here is the problem. Evil and meanness exists in the world. It tells us that the hole is not the absence of God. It’s the absence of self, of the world, of things we can get or buy or steal. Or maybe, the hole is something as simple as a little blue chicken.

This world tells us anything and everything will fill that hole. This world changes anything and everything to the acceptable; the thing that will make right; and the thing that will fill that longing in our heart. The world asks “How do we want to fill that hole inside us?”

Do we want to be baked of fried?

Nothing that comes from man or the world can fill that hole.

Things the world puts forward can never fill the hole that only God can fill. The world can change but the hole inside does not change. God does not change. Many will never acknowledge it: but, our longing for God is always there.

After the crucifixion, Jesus’ disciples and the apostles knew what caused the hole inside them.  But they forgot, He is always with us, even when we think differently.

The Gospel tells us, that Mary Magdalen and the other Mary came to see the tomb. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid! You are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, he has been raised … They went away quickly, fearful, yet overjoyed…

Christ Jesus meets us and tells us - Do not be afraid. Jesus came to change us.  And by that, Christ fills that God-size hole.

I look at everyone here: those who live in Christ, those about to be baptized, those to be confirmed and about to make a first holy communion. Your faces show the joy of people who seek Jesus and your hearts want Jesus more than anything.

By our baptism, we open that hole inside us so Jesus can fill it. By partaking in the Holy Eucharist, the risen Christ becomes part of us and fills that God-size hole in us.

That‘s what Jesus came for and what He died for. That’s what Christ’s resurrection was for.

Have a Holy and Happy Easter. Amen.