Category: Homilies

Friday, May 19, 2017

5^th Week of Easter

Mass Readings

Reading 1 – Acts 15:22-31
Psalm – Ps 57:8-9, 10 and 12
Gospel – John 15:12-17

In our first reading, we heard that the early Church was sending messengers to Antioch. You see, other preachers, these judaizers, had gone there and tried to impose Jewish requirements before conversion, such as circumcision. Why was that? Remember at this early stage in the life of the Church, Christians were still part of Judaism, hence the insistence upon compliance with the Law. I suspect the reason they wrote to Antioch is not just because of this contrary message to the Good News, but also because some people were complying with that message of the judaizers. It must have divided the community of believers: those who embraced the requirements for Jewish conversion and those who did not.

Think about those who went along with the elements of Jewish conversion for a minute. Why do think there were people complying with the requests of the judaizers? What must they have thought? Perhaps they didn’t think they were good enough. Maybe they felt they needed the elements of Jewish conversion to be saved. Maybe they thought the Good News was too easy. You see, going through the process of conversion was action. It was doing something – something concrete. Maybe they needed to do something to help themselves feel worthy.

I wonder how many times in our own lives or the lives of our family and friends we’ve believed we weren’t worthy-that we’re not good enough-that we have to do something before Jesus will smile upon us. Have you ever felt like that? Do you know people who feel like that?

I think it’s all too easy, I think, to give in and listen to that ancient evil voice, the same voice that tempted the first humans in the Garden. It was that voice that said to them, “Good? How can you be good? You’re so human. Look at yourselves! You’re filthy! If you want to be good, then you need to be like God. And if you eat the fruit of this tree and you will be God!

That same evil voice must have convinced some of the people in Antioch that they couldn’t be good enough unless they did something tangible – unless the followed the prescriptions of the Law – unless they loaded up their holy roller dance card. Now that doesn’t mean that evil was interested in their salvation. No. But evil wanted them to get bogged down. Evil wanted them to get so busy doing stuff because in the busyness of their they become distracted. Boy, doesn’t that sound familiar?

In the Gospel today, Jesus tells his disciples, “I have called you friends…It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you…” He doesn’t say I chose you after you jumped through all these hoops. He chose them, he chose you and me just as we are. Isn’t that amazing! Wouldn’t it be something if we could see ourselves through Jesus’ eyes as good enough just the way we are? I suspect there would instantly be an end to anxiety and depression in the world. Neither we nor those around us would ever see ourselves with self-doubt or with a negative body image. We wouldn’t be so eager to engage seemingly magical internet cures or late night TV schemes or engage in superstitious religious practices. I think the entire world would change if we could see ourselves through Jesus’ eyes!

Why do you think the leaders of the Church decided to send Judas and Silas to Antioch? They sent them to preach the Good News. What is the Good News? That salvation is offered to all through Christ Jesus, who was born man, who died and rose from the dead, by the grace and the love of God. The Good News is that salvation is offered to all through Jesus by the grace and love of God. You see, faith in God is not about loading up your holy roller dance card. It’s not about doing anything. There is nothing you and I can do to merit salvation. Salvation is offered to us through Jesus solely by the grace and the love of God – not by anything we do!

Maybe if we saw ourselves the way Jesus sees us, we would accept the Good News-we would accept the message that my belief in Jesus Christ, my acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I can be saved and so can those around me.

Home work!

1. After you receive the Eucharist or a blessing, pray, “Jesus I love you. Give me the grace to see myself as you see me.”
2. Share that news with other people: that they need to see themselves through the eyes of Jesus. After all, that’s what missionary discipleship is all about – going outside our comfort zone to tell others that they are loved and they are special no matter what!

Does that make sense? Got it? Get it? Good! Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother, Mary, may we come to know the mercy and the love of Jesus! In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. +Amen!

I had the wonderful honor of preaching at my mother-in-law’s church, Mother of God parish, in Oswego, Kansas this past weekend. It was such a privilege to preach with my wife and mother-in-law and other family members among the congregation over the masses last weekend. Below is the homily I preached. Happy Mother’s Day!

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Mass Readings

Cycle A Easter Week 5

Reading 1 – Acts 6:1-7
Psalm – Psalm 33:1-19
Reading 2 – 1 Peter 2:4-9
Gospel – John 14:1-12

I want to ask you a question. How many of you have a mom? Everybody should be raising their hands right now. Everybody has a mom. What a beautiful set of readings today to reflect upon as we celebrate Mother’s Day. We heard in the Gospel today, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” We heard in that second reading that Jesus is the cornerstone – the foundation. And we heard in the psalm an echo of that beautiful prayer of St. Faustina, Jesus, I trust in you. Really, it’s a prayer we should always be praying. Jesus, I trust in you.

And then we have that first reading in Acts. Do you know what’s going on in Acts? So the Church was getting so big and so busy that the apostles couldn’t keep up with everything that needed to be done. So they called forward the first deacons of the church. That scripture we heard in Acts is the scriptural basis for deacons. They are called to a life of service.

Deacons are not mini priests. We’re not substitute priests. We’re not replacement priests. We’re not priests at all. We’re deacons. We help our bishops and our priests carry out their work in serving the people of God. That can be very challenging because in most of the country and in most of the world, deacons are not employed by the Church. We are ordained clergy, but we work for free. So we have to work outside of the Church. It can be very challenging to balance our work, our ministry and our family life. Quite a challenge indeed!

So what deacons do and really priests also is that we look to our blessed mother, Mary, for inspiration in our lives. If you recall that story when the angel appeared to Mary, she was probably very young – probably a teenager. The angel came to her and asked her to be the mother of Jesus. Now I don’t know about you, but when I was a teenager, if the angel of the Lord came to me and asked for my help I would have freaked out! But that didn’t bother her. Also knowing that if she presented herself to Joseph pregnant before the wedding, in her culture she could have been killed. Her very life was on the line. But that didn’t stop her from saying yes because of her faith and love of God.

She’s a great model for deacons and priests because in her yes, we see our yes. If she could do it, we can do it. She’s our spiritual mother. But we also have a real role model around us in real life. I can look to my own wife who works outside of the home and has a ministry of her own and serves the family. I can look to my mother and to my mother-in-law and all of the moms around me. I see people who act out of loving service.

It amazes me that moms, whether single moms or moms in a two-parent family, how busy family life can be. We’re constantly running and running and running. And suddenly as if by magic, children are enrolled in school. Children are enrolled in sacramental classes. There’s dinner on the table. Often as a dad I feel like I’m running just to catch up to where ever mom is. It’s beautiful that mom can accomplish so much.

Now that doesn’t mean that moms are always happy about the work in front of them. Sometimes I’m sure they’re not happy at all that someone threw up or someone is sick and they might complain a little bit, but it still gets done because of the love that moms have – a loving service that we see in the Acts of the Apostles in the calling of the first deacons because they love their families and hopefully because of their faith and love of God.

But we also know that there are lots of people who’ve fallen away from the church. You may know them. You may have some in your own families or among your friends. It’s important for because of our love for Jesus Christ for all of us to act in loving service too and go out to them. That’s what Pope Francis is constantly calling us to do – to reach out to others.

Now it’s not very helpful to call that family member and say, “I see you weren’t in church today. What’s the problem?” That’s not very helpful, but we can still reach out of our own love and say, “do you need something? Can I come over and drop off dinner sometime this week? Or help you with the laundry or the lawn?” And maybe living our faith in Christ Jesus, we might draw people back to His church, because they see the love in our lives and our hearts and they want some of that too.

How beautiful the ministry of moms. It’s an inspiration to all of us: men, priests, deacons. We too can live a life of love and service just like mom can.

Homework. First, I want you to turn to mom around you and say, “thank you.” So go ahead, turn and say thank you to mom. Alright! Now, when you come to the Eucharist, whether to receive or to receive a blessing, go back to your pew and include in your prayers a thank you to God for the moms in your life. Next, ask how does your service in the world compare to mom? Can  you live up to the example of mom in your life? If not, ask God for the grace to do better. Does everyone understand the homework? Thank God for the moms in your life. Compare yourself to mom’s service in the world and pray for the grace to do better.

Do you got it? Do you get it? Are you going to do it?

Well good!

Through the intercession of Mary our Mother, may we all come to know the mercy and the love of Jesus. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. +Amen!