Spiritual Nutrition (3rd Sunday of Easter, Year B)

To listen to this homily, click here.

    Today's Gospel begins with a reference to the Eucharist; the disciples share how Jesus made himself known in the breaking of the bread, which was the earliest form of the Mass. Even though these followers of Christ walked with Jesus all the way to Emmaus, it wasn’t until he began celebrating that holy Meal that they recognized him. They were filled with such excitement that they immediately ran 7 miles back to Jerusalem to share their great news with the apostles who were hiding in the upper room. They become passionate witnesses to the disciples who were imprisoned by personal fear and doubt. So much so that as they were sharing their testimony, Jesus appeared in their midst and strengthened all of them.

I think of this excitement, wonder, and awe each year as we welcome new members into our Church at the Easter vigil. In the same way, I love seeing the nervous excitement and pure faith of our second graders as they receive the Body and Blood of Jesus for the first time in Holy Communion. Just yesterday this happy moment took place and their lives are forever changed whenever they witness Jesus in the breaking of the bread at Mass. 

As a priest, I pray in a special way for our people going through these milestone moments of faith as new Catholics and first-time communicants. I ask God to protect them and help them grow the spark of Faith into a roaring flame. We need their witness and sometimes it takes their perspective to wake us cradle Catholics from our spiritual slumber. I ask for some of their zeal and reverence, in case some of mine has been lost from being around the sacraments day in and day out. Lastly, I pray they don’t fall out of love with God or with His great gift to us: the Mass, the Breaking of the Bread!

Sometimes people tell me they don’t go to Mass anymore because they found it boring or didn’t get anything out of it. I try not to be defensive but it always hurts my heart. Even when the complaints are not directed at me personally, it's hard not to want to shake that person and say, “do you realize what you are saying?” Even with a boring homily, imperfect music, loud, distracting babies, or whatever human imperfection was observed in one of the ministers at Mass, Jesus is still present in the breaking of the bread. Sometimes we make the Mass about us but it’s always supposed to be about Jesus, offering himself to the Father for the salvation of the world. Sometimes we want instant gratification, entertainment, comfort, and inspiration, all in less than an hour a week, every week, from Mass. But meeting Christ in the Breaking of the Bread is a relationship which takes time and effort to understand and experience. Some days we will look forward to our time with God and the time will fly by. Other times it will be more of a labor of love that we do because we know it is the right thing, even if it isn’t what we feel like doing right now. What’s key is that we are staying connected and engaged with Jesus through the perfect prayer of the Mass. We are allowing him to love us, feed us, and form us.

Many of us understand this struggle as it relates to our physical health. Sometimes it feels great to exercise and eat healthy food. Other times, it is a total bummer and all we want is a burger, fries and Dairy Queen. But staying healthy and in shape is not just a matter of eating well and working out when we feel like it. We only enjoy good health if our efforts are consistent and cover every part of our routines for eating, sleeping, and staying active. 

The same is true with our faith. If we receive the Eucharist worthily at least once a week at Sunday Mass, we will have his life within us. If we make the Eucharist a non-negotiable part of our spiritual diet, our soul will become spiritually healthy. Sometimes we will enjoy Mass and look forward to being present at the breaking of the Bread. Other times it will be a deliberate decision, a labor of love we do because we know it is right. The important thing is that we commit to being present and active every Sunday regardless of what feelings we experience. We don’t choose the emotions we feel but we do choose how we respond to them! Last of all, the act of feeding our soul is not meant to be a rare event but something a Christian does often: weekly, maybe even daily. Many Catholics have put their souls on a starvation diet! Perhaps this is why our wise God made weekly worship one of His 10 commandments. St. John writes in today’s second reading "The way we may be sure we know him is to keep his commandments." Let’s be regulars at Mass. Let’s be present at the Breaking of the Bread every Sunday so that we can recognize the Lord and his Love can be perfected in us.

There are three tried and true ways to make sure our relationship with God never stops moving forward: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Prayer, which includes the Mass but also our daily conversations with God, as well as reading Scripture, praying the rosary, quiet contemplation, and anything else that keeps us in contact with the Lord. 

Fasting, is that voluntary choice to give up good things so we can grow in self-control and also remind ourselves that we are not the center of universe. Fasting can involve food, entertainment, sleep, or any other morally good thing and it helps keep us grounded as pilgrims working our way back to heaven.

Finally, Almsgiving, which is prayerfully giving some of our material resources to support the Church and help those who are less fortunate than us. There are many ways to do this, and two immediate ways could be to contribute to Incarnate Word parish and the Annual Catholic Appeal, which together support so many efforts here in St. Louis where we live and work.

We should never forget that we have been give a great treasure in the Eucharist. We are witnesses of an incredible truth: Jesus is risen from the dead and he can never be defeated. Eternal life is offered to anyone who follows his way and is fed by him. Let’s ask God for the grace to never take these gifts for granted. Let’s be inspired to share this good news with others so we can all be spiritually strong and healthy. And whether we are on fire to be here right now or just coming because it’s the right thing to do, let’s encourage and support each other like the early church so Christ can be made present in our midst to take away our fear and doubt! 

Mercy Without Limits (Second Sunday of Easter, Year B)

To listen to this homily, click here.

One of my favorite liturgical celebrations each year is the one we observe today, Divine Mercy Sunday. This feast is sorely-needed medicine for a world that is hurting, restless, and angry. The idea of Divine Mercy is nothing new; it runs wild through the Scriptures and finds its fulfillment in the person of Jesus. Devotion to Divine Mercy really began to spread in the 1930’s, when a Polish nun, St. Faustina received many revelations and visions which were recorded in her diary and published after her death. It continued to spread organically over the next 60 years until it was formally instituted in the Church by Pope St. John Paul II in April of 2000.

Pope John Paul II was the perfect person to promote Divine Mercy. Nineteen years earlier, as he moved among the crowd during a papal audience, Mehmet Ali Agca walked up and shot him multiple times. Suffering from severe blood loss and trauma, the Pope decided to forgive his attacker as he was driven to the hospital. But his forgiveness didn’t stay just in his heart. Several years later, Time Magazine published an issue with a cover photo of John Paul meeting with his assailant in prison. They sat facing one another, up-close and personal. They spoke quietly so others couldn’t hear the conversation. The Pope held the hand that had fired the gun which nearly ended his life. This was a living icon of mercy. John Paul’s forgiveness was deeply Christian. He embraced his enemy and pardoned him. When the Pope left the cell he said, “What we talked about must remain a secret between us. I spoke to him as a brother whom I have pardoned and who has my complete trust.” — This is an example of God’s Divine Mercy, the same Divine Mercy whose message St. Faustina recorded in her diary.

And yet, as extraordinary as this act of forgiveness was, it was only a tiny portion of the mercy God extends to us. God’s mercy is truly limitless and he does not count the cost as he seeks to reunite each and every person to himself. That is the good news of Divine Mercy; God would do anything and everything to save us from sin and death. But in magnifying Divine Mercy, we should be careful not to minimize the evil of sin. Jesus truly hates sin with the same intensity with which he loves us. Reflection on Divine Mercy must always touch on what it saves us from and how dangerous sin truly is. It cost the heavenly Father his son, it cost Jesus every drop of his blood. Humble acknowledgement of our wickedness does not lessen God’s love or our own dignity; in fact, it highlights the gift we have in his mercy. 

This truth flies in the face of so many voices in our society today which seek to justify every decision, identity, and lifestyle. Many times this justification comes from a misguided sense of mercy and compassion which wants to avoid making anyone feel bad about anything. So often we hear that Jesus would accept every person where they are, as they are. However, even a basic knowledge of the gospel shows that Jesus is never indifferent to or tolerant of sin. While he unfailingly loves every single sinner, each trespass is countered with an offer of forgiveness and the command to go and sin no more.

Whenever we try to minimize or explain away sin, we end up diminishing the mercy and sacrifice of Christ. If sin is no big deal, then we don’t really need conversion or repentance. And if we don’t really need to change our lives or be forgiven, then we don’t need a savior; we can save ourselves by just being ourselves. And if this is the case, the sacrifice of Christ was a nice gesture but not necessary.

The truth is, you and I and every person in this world, we are sinners. God knows our wounds; he knows how sin hurts us and him and everyone else and He could not sit back and do nothing, even though nothing is what we deserved. Our Easter celebration, begun last week, highlighted the fact that God stepped in and stepped up to save us from sin, selfishness, and death. That intervention, that forgiveness, that redemption is what we call Divine Mercy and we need it now more than ever.

Forgiveness is not cheap grace that requires nothing on our part. God does the heavy work of healing and forgiving but only when the person comes to him with a spirit of conversion and a desire to try and sin no more. It requires accepting responsibility, being open to change and a willingness to forgive others unconditionally. If we forgive one another, God will forgive us. As Jesus taught us: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. We offer mercy because we need mercy. We thirst for mercy because without it, life is cruel, exhausting, and brutal. 

Asking God for mercy does not mean going on a guilt trip. It's not a matter of thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. That's a lifelong journey that never ends. None of us have arrived at a point in life where we no longer need God’s forgiveness; if we think we have, we have grown blind to our sinfulness and we are missing out on one of the greatest treasures God wants to give. Many times we get sick of asking for mercy because it can be a messy, humbling process. We would be fine admitting we messed up if we only had to do it once and then could cross it off our list. But sinfulness and mercy don’t work that way. 

Our world, our country, and this parish community, we are sinful: we need God’s mercy. Divine Mercy is the one and only thing that will address the ills that afflict us and cause so much pain, misery, and division. The wonderful news is that he cannot wait to give it. But Jesus never forces us to accept his gift. So, think about the things we carry within us every day that weigh us down and steal our peace and joy. What grudges do we refuse to let go of? What areas of our life remain selfish and self-centered? How might we need to ask the forgiveness of someone we have hurt or ignored? Maybe we struggle with past decisions? Maybe we have a sin we don’t really want to let go of? Perhaps we can’t quite put your finger on what is wrong but we know deep down that we are empty, sad, or unfulfilled. 

    Divine Mercy is fully manifested in the sacrament of confession but it begins with a relationship with God. Open your heart to Jesus, both the parts you like and the areas you’d rather forget. Give him permission to heal you. Ask him for the desire to repent and embrace conversion. Be willing to change. Trust that he wants you to love you more than you could ever imagine. Believe that there is nothing you have done that he cannot undo. Then, whether that is today or someday soon, receive his gift of Divine Mercy in the confessional and experience the freedom that will be prayed over you, “I absolve you of your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” 

Easter Joy Leads Us to an Easter Choice (Easter 2024)

To listen to this homily, click here.

You might have already heard it once or twice already, but on behalf of the Incarnate Word clergy and staff, I want to wish you a “happy Easter!” This greeting will likely be said many more times before this day is done and I hope you can pause and think to yourself, “this is truly a happy easter”. In truth, we all come here in different mindsets and from different places. So, to begin, it might be good to ask, why is Easter such a big deal that so many make it a point to come to church, all dressed up and looking their best? Is there a preferred mindset or mood we are encouraged to have as we gather on this special day? Based on the intense and introspective liturgies of Holy Thursday and Good Friday, we might be led to think that Easter is pretty serious business.

So it might surprise us to realize there has always been a place for joy and laughter in Easter celebrations. The early Christian tradition of risus paschalis – Easter laughter – is alive and well in churches around the world. Historically-minded pastors recall the perspective, first offered by the Church Fathers, that Jesus’s resurrection represents the ultimate practical joke, played by God on the devil: the triumph of life over death, of good over evil. In the Eastern Churches, the day after Easter is dedicated to sharing your best jokes with friends and family, to reinforce the notion that the resurrection is joyful news indeed. 

With that tradition in mind, I would begin this homily with a story from the old days about a preacher who used to visit his churches while riding his trusty steed. This pious preacher had trained his horse to go when he said, “Praise the Lord,” and to stop when he said, “Amen.” It was very important to keep those straight but with so much riding, he was a pro in no time! One day, after all his pastor duties were finished, the preacher hopped on his horse, said “Praise the Lord,” and went for a ride in the nearby mountains.

 

When he wanted to stop for lunch by a mountain stream, he said, “Amen.”

 

After a relaxed meal, he took off again, saying “Praise the Lord.”

 

As they went up the mountain, the horse started heading toward the edge of a cliff on the narrow trail. The preacher got excited and said, “Whoa!” Then he remembered and said, “Amen,” and the horse stopped right at the edge. The preacher was so relieved that he looked up to heaven and said, “Praise the Lord!”

It is a wonderful thing to have laughter at Easter Mass! Not simply at a funny story or clever joke but more importantly, because the worst things to befall the human race, namely sin and death, have been defeated by our Risen Savior. That is something that should always put a smile on our face and hope in our hearts. But we would do a terrible disservice to these saving mysteries if we kept our reflection on a superficial level, only hoping to walk out of church today smiling and laughing. Easter Sunday only happened after a cosmic struggle for our souls between good and evil, an epic battle between God and Satan, with innocent Jesus standing in our place. To skip past this and remain on the surface would dishonor what God has done for us. It would also keep us from enjoying the full significance of what we have received from the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Easter means that God is on a collision course with injustice, with violence, with exploitation. God is against the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter and the complicity and corruption of power in Pilate and Herod. He is against Jesus being beaten in jail. He is against the politically-correct judgment of Pilate who judged Jesus innocent of a capital offense but had him killed to keep the mob happy.

Things have not changed today. Our God is still against betrayal, backstabbing, and cowardice. He is still against violence in the family and on the streets of our cities. He is still against corruption in government and on Wall Street. God is against the unholy ways many are treated online and in the media. He is against the moral and physical abuse of spouses, children, the poor, the unborn and the misuse of social, political, and financial power.

The Easter story reminds us in no uncertain terms of where God stands. He raises up Jesus who told us to turn the other cheek. To go the extra mile, to bless those who curse us and pray for our enemies. He told us to go first and be reconciled with our brother or sister before we come and offer our gifts at the altar. He told us never to return evil for evil but cry out with Him on the cross. “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” He said to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty and always remember it profits us nothing to gain the whole world but lose our soul. Jesus’ way of life and way of love, the Father raises up.

In other words, Easter is not simply a tremendous mystery; is also a statement. A divine statement of divine values. It is about life and death, right and wrong.

Last but not least, Easter asks a questions of each and every one of us: which side are we on? Which path will we take in life? Will we seek worldly power, pleasure and riches? Or will we seek Jesus’ way of humble service, mercy, and fidelity to His Father’s Will. 

Easter is the day God announced His choice. By raising His Son from the dead and all He stood for, God made it clear that life and happiness will never come from brute force, violence, anger, lust, worldly power, arrogance, envy, or betrayal. Easter is the day God announced His choice, what is left for you and me is to make ours.

 

Take Your Seat in the Divine Masterpiece (Holy Thursday, 2024)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

One of the most famous and well-known depictions of the Last Supper was painted as a mural by Leonardo da Vinci inside a monastery in Milan. It is a dry fresco but most of us have seen re-creations with vivid color and sharp detail, filled in as a supplement to the original masterpiece, which had faded and sustained damage over the years. One of the many striking characteristics of the piece is that Jesus and the Twelve are seated on one side of a massively-long table. More than one wise-guy has suggested that this was because Jesus wanted to take a group picture and he made everyone get on one side and face the camera! Supposedly, Da Vinci himself said he left one side empty to remind all who pondered the piece that there was plenty of room for each person to become part of the Eucharistic Meal. 

My favorite story as it relates to this masterpiece involves one of the people chosen to sit as a sort of model as DaVinci painted. In all of his works, he tried to find someone to pose who fit the face of the particular character he was painting. Out of hundreds of possibilities he chose a 19-year old to portray Jesus. It took him six months to paint the face of the Savior. Several years later, DaVinci started hunting for just the right face for Judas. Where could he find one that would portray that image? He looked high and low. Down in a dark Roman dungeon he found a wretched, unkempt prisoner who could strike the perfect pose. The prisoner was released to his care and when the portrait of Judas was complete the prisoner said to the great artist, “You don’t recognize me, do you? I am the man you painted years ago as the face of Christ. May God have mercy on me; I have fallen so low!”

Holy Thursday is a powerful celebration of the institution of  the Eucharist, which serves as a heavenly remedy for our human sinfulness. Holy Thursday is a joyful celebration of the institution of the ministerial priesthood, through which the sacraments are made available to Catholics of every age until Jesus returns to rule heaven and earth. Holy Thursday is a poignant reminder that each and every person who proclaims Jesus as Lord must find greatness in service and strive to be last and least of all. Finally, Holy Thursday is a stark reminder that our faithfulness to Jesus is not something we choose once and then put on autopilot. In the fear and failure of the apostles, we recognize we too can easily profess loyalty and love to the Lord, only to deny and betray him with shocking ease. This holy night, this invitation to intimacy as we take our own places at the Lord’s table, reminds us of how possible it is for us to be like the young man posing for Da Vinci: one day the face of Christ, the next day the face of his betrayer! Because Our Savior is so good, so loving, so generous, he gives us a path to remain close to him. We never need betray him or abandon him in his hour of need if we follow his example, modeled in tonight’s liturgy.

First, we need to offer humble service to others. Living a Eucharistic lifestyle requires that we imitate Jesus as servant leaders, reverencing Christ’s presence in each person, especially the forgotten, irritating, and inconvenient. To wash the feet of others is to love them, especially when they don’t deserve our love, and to do good for them, even when they don’t return the favor. It is to consider others’ needs to be as important as our own. It is to forgive others from the heart, even though they don’t always apologize. It is to serve them, even when the task is unpleasant. It is to let others know we care, when they feel downtrodden or burdened. It is to be generous with what we have. It is to turn the other cheek, instead of retaliating when we’re treated unfairly. It is to make adjustments in our plans in order to serve others’ needs, without expecting any reward or letting everyone know about our good deeds. By living this way, we love and serve Jesus Himself, as He has loved and served us and has commanded us to do in memory of him.

Secondly, we need to practice sacrificial sharing and self-giving love. Although we can never match the perfect and complete gift shown to us in the Eucharist, we are called to imitate the selfless model of Jesus who holds nothing back by sharing his own Body and Blood. It is by sharing our blessings of talent, time, health and wealth with others that we become true disciples of Christ and obey his new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you”. It is this spirit of love and service which ought to be the common characteristic of each Christian disciple and every Catholic parish.

Thirdly, we need to show our solidarity with those who are suffering in mind, body, or spirit. How interesting that Jesus did not ask the apostles to defeat the forces of evil that fought against him; he simply wanted their prayerful company as he suffered for our sake. The same holds true for us. Jesus does not ask us to fix all of the troubles we see in the world and in His Church. But he does ask us to be near to those who brokenhearted, alone, and afflicted. The Bread we eat is produced by the pounding of many grains of wheat, and the Wine we drink is the result of the crushing of many grapes.  Both are symbols of solidarity in suffering. They invite us to help, console, support, and pray for all who suffer in any way rather than compete, criticize, condemn, or judge.

Finally, we need to become Christ-bearers to the world. We must not keep the blessing of Holy Thursday to ourselves!! One of the exhortations at the end of Mass is “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.” In other words, carry Jesus to our homes, places of work, schools and communities, conveying to others around us the love, mercy, forgiveness, and spirit of Jesus’ humble service which we carry with us. That message is meant for each person who replies, “Thanks be to God.”

Even 2000 years after that first Eucharist, Jesus still labors as the Divine Artist who wishes to use you and me and every one of his children to portray his face to the world. Jesus gives us the grace and the example of how to do so, each in our unique but interconnected ways. May we be a Eucharistic people: grateful, humble, faithful, and courageous who serve others with joy and bring many to the Lord’s table.

Extravagance in Love (Palm Sunday, 2024)

To listen to this homily, click here.

In the opening scene of St. Mark's Passion, a woman pours a jar of perfumed oil over Jesus. Because of its great value, some asked, "why this waste?" That is precisely the question for Holy Week: why did God go to such extremes to save us? By our human way of thinking it could have been accomplished more simply, with a lot less pain, suffering, and mess. So much needless trouble and misunderstanding could have been avoided.

Yet when we consider the world God created, it becomes clear that He does things on an extravagant scale. Scientists often look at the immensity of the universe and speculate there must be other planets where intelligent life developed. But even after so many years of searching for signs of life, some are saying the precise conditions are so narrow, the odds of life on other planets seems unlikely. If that is true, the billions of galaxies are a magnificent gift which God created for the angels and us!

Such extravagance fits what we ourselves experience: Love moves people to do things which outsiders consider crazy, even scandalous. Time and time again, there are stories of people who have no savings and are barely getting by, who make sure their children have a special gift for their birthday or the holidays. Love is not always practical, looking to do the bare minimum, or preoccupied with balancing the budget. Love asks the question, “what is the most I can do for the one I love, even if it requires tremendous sacrifice from me?” So it is with God.

I recently stumbled across a podcast highlighting seven of America’s forgotten heroes. These stories are taken from a number of our Nation’s conflicts and they highlight the incredible valor, loyalty, strength, virtue, and single-mindedness of these incredible warriors who sacrificed so much for their country and the people they loved. Each of them went above and beyond what they were expected to do out of love. Their stories are truly amazing and inspiring. How sad that the average American might only know the name of only one or two, if at all! It reminds me that it is very possible to forget and no longer acknowledge someone who has given so much for our sakes.

During Holy Week we see the extent of God's love and the Church begs us to never forget or minimize what Jesus did for us. These sacred days, if we enter into them prayerfully, help us avoid sliding into indifference. No one can look at Jesus on the cross and say that God did the bare minimum or took the easy road. I invite you to participate deeply in these mysteries, especially during the Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. Experience the extravagance of God's personal love for you - and ask him in what way you are to pour yourself out in response to such grace. 

As Clean As Coldwater Can Get Them (4th Sunday of Lent, Year B)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

Some misunderstandings are funny. Like the case of John, who travelled to a secluded part of Georgia to visit his 90 year-old grandpa. After spending a great evening talking and catching up, John woke up to a delicious breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast, all prepared with love by his grandfather. The only thing that seemed slightly wrong was a film-like coating on his plate. So John asked his grandpa, “Are these plates clean?”

Grandpa replied, “They are as clean as cold water can get them. Just go ahead and finish your meal, young man!” For lunch, the old man made thick, juicy hamburgers. Again, John was concerned about the plates since his appeared to have tiny specks around the edge that looked like dried egg. So he asked, “Are you sure these plates are clean?” Without looking up, the old man said, “I told you before Sonny, those dishes are as clean as cold water can get them. Now don’t you worry, I don’t want to hear another word about it!”

Later that afternoon, John was on his way to a nearby town and as he was leaving, his grandfather’s dog started to growl and wouldn’t let him pass. John yelled, “Grandpa, your dog won’t let me get to my car.” Without turning his attention away from the football game he was watching, the old man shouted, “Dang it Coldwater, leave that boy alone and go lay down!” 

The humor of this story lies in the misunderstanding, in the delightful confusion of the words and their meaning. The same sort of misunderstanding can be offensive and tragic when it deals with the Word of God, especially the passage of today’s gospel, John 3:16. This is perhaps one of the best known lines of the entire Bible, certainly one of the most profound and moving, “that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that those who believe in him might not perish but have eternal life.” How odd that many people would know this verse as the scripture to be found on signs at sport venues and playoff games. Not quite the appropriate setting for a scripture so solemn and profound! Even more hurtful and sad are those that simply refer to this passage in order to condemn others. Perhaps they should read the rest of the passage that states, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through him.” 

Perhaps worst of all are those who are unaffected by the power of these verses from St. John’s gospel. How can it be that some people are indifferent to those beautiful words of hope and salvation written with the guidance of the Holy Spirit? For many Christians, there is the subconscious thought that Jesus was sent by his father to save the human race in some sort of vague, general way. As if God said to his son, “why don’t you go down there and fix that problem and I will see you when you get back.” This indifference to John 3:16 reminds me of an old story told by a Rabbi.

A Jewish father in the U.S. was concerned about his son.  He had not truly raised him in the faith of Judaism. Hoping to strengthen his son’s Faith, the father sent him to Israel so that the boy could experience his heritage.  A year later the young man returned home.  He said, “Father, thank you for sending me to the land of our Fathers.  It was wonderful and enlightening.  However, I must confess that while in Israel I converted to Christianity.”

“Oh, no, what have I done?” the father thought.  So, in the tradition of the patriarchs, he went to his best friend and sought his advice and solace. “It is amazing that you should come to me,” stated his friend. “I, too, sent my son to Israel and he returned a Christian.” So, in the tradition of the Patriarchs, they went to the Rabbi.  “It is amazing that you should come to me,” stated the Rabbi. “I, too, sent my son to Israel and he returned a Christian.  What is happening to our sons? Brothers, we must take this to the Lord,” said the Rabbi.  They fell to their knees and began to wail and pour out their hearts to the Almighty.

As they prayed, the clouds above opened, and a mighty voice stated, “Amazing that you should come to Me.  I, too, sent My Son to Israel and he started Christianity”

Of course, the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus was no surprise to God the Father. Nor was the fact that Jesus instituted a Church to carry on his saving work until the time when history will cease and eternity reign. God knew all of it. God saw each and every one of us when he made the decision to redeem the human race. With the love and knowledge of each human soul, he asked Jesus to become one of us so we could be saved and restored to the divine friendship we had squandered in sin. To drive that home, I’d like to re-read the gospel passage we heard but with my name filled in so that you realize how personal this salvation is. As you listen, and fill in your name as well! John 3:16 takes on a whole new meaning when we realize God did all of this, not just for us as a human collective but for you, for me, by name. All that is left is to choose him, to respond, to run to the light, and remain in it!

For God so loved Kevin that he gave his only Son, 

so that Kevin who believes in him might not perish 
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son to Kevin to condemn him, 
but that Kevin might be saved through him.
 

But this passage can cut the other way too! When we sin and reject God, it too is very personal!

And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world, 
but Kevin preferred darkness to light,
because his works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light, 
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, 
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

May we consider these profound words as an invitation to trust him completely, an invitation to thank him for his ongoing patience, and a reminder to repent of the times we have been indifferent to this gift which will provide all we ever need. Let us live in the light of Christ and joyfully invite others to join us!

Fix It From the Inside Out! (3rd Sunday of Lent, Year B)

 To listen to this homily, click here.

I acknowledge I was a somewhat-unusual child growing up. There were things that bothered me; things most children probably didn’t even notice. One example was the cast iron stack in my family’s house. Nowadays, these pipes, which carry all of the wastewater out of the home, are made from PVC plastic. But years ago, they were made out of heavy cast iron. The stack in my childhood home started to rust all over and it drove me crazy. With my parents’ permission, I took a wire brush and scraped all the rust spots off the pipe and then applied a slick coat of black spray paint. It looked as good as new. For about a month. Then the rust spots reappeared, right through the new paint, again and again, no matter how many coats of paint I put on. I was frustrated until my dad explained that the pipe was rusting from the inside out and could never be fixed from the outside. The water had slowly compromised the inside of the pipe over several decades and that damage was finally starting to show on the outside. Only replacing the pipe would fix the problem.

I think of this experience as I reflect on the state of our society and even sometimes, our Church.  It is sadly too common to hear discouraging stories of corruption, hypocrisy, and selfishness from civil and religious leaders. But the damage isn’t just limited to leaders. Do we ever go a week without some headline of crimes against the innocent? Places that have traditionally been off-limits as safe havens for learning, leisure, and worship frequently become ground-zero for the next human tragedy. Now, more than ever, there is an outcry to fix the problem by passing more laws, increasing punishments, widening background checks, or focusing on mental health. All understandable measures and perhaps some will help but none get to the source of the rot, which is coming from the inside.  

The answers we seek, the safety we crave, the peace and respect we long for will not be a quick fix and won’t come about simply through the actions of congress, meeting with a doctor, or pure human effort. That is like me scraping and painting the old pipe in our house. That is trying to fix a problem from outside. It might make us feel better for a while but the rottenness is much deeper.

The deeper problem is the moral health of our nation, most especially in the fundamental building block of human society: the family. Our families are under constant attack from many forms of anger, violence, indifference, selfishness, and efforts to re-define it in ways that are contrary to God’s plan; many children breathe this poisonous air, day after day. Over the course of years and generations, this begins to affect the whole fabric of society and becomes a sort of incubator for violent acting-out and disorder.

You and I live in a nation that has, in the last half-century, sanctioned the murder of tens of millions of unborn children through abortion in what is supposed to be the safest of all places, their mother’s womb. Even now, in Missouri, there is effort to gather signatures so that our state constitution can be amended to include abortion as a so-called human right. As Christians, we believe that rights come from God; would God defend and promote the slaughter of innocents. Scripture gives a very clear answer! If a society allows its most defenseless members to be dispatched under the pretense of law and freedom, is it so shocking that troubled individuals feel entitled to snatch that so-called right for themselves as they callously injure or end the lives of others without regret? 

The connection between the breakdown of the family and the serious social issues that plague us is well-researched and well-established. But many people don’t want to talk about it it because it means confronting something that is very personal to each of us: how we choose to live our lives and what our priorities are.

As our society increasingly glorifies sin and seizes powers that belong to God alone, it is up to Christians and people of good will to stand up and recapture the culture. We have a responsibility to prayerfully and purposefully push back against those who are promoting the culture of death; not simply bury our heads in the sand or shake our fists in outrage. We are fortunate to still live in a nation where we get to choose our leaders and practice our faith openly but we can lose those gifts by indifference or laziness. We must demand more from those who lead us but we also must demand more from ourselves. This lenten season is an opportunity to do just that, to recommit ourselves to a deeper friendship with God, by giving him more of our lives. We do this practically by more faithfully observing the commandments we heard in the first reading and allowing Jesus to cleanse us from the inside out as we heard in the gospel. This purification can be painful and uncomfortable at times, and it is always easier to see evil in others instead of acknowledging it in ourselves. But if we declare parts of our lives and hearts off limits, if we never look inward, we are just painting over the rust.

As always, our faith gives us hope and strength to do what must be done. Following Christ each day gives us the courage to challenge and cleanse the parts of our culture that have become selfish, dangerous, and hostile to life, family, and human dignity. The example of Jesus in the temple reminds us that we cannot just sit by and throw up our hands in despair. Zeal for God’s plan of salvation, zeal for the dignity of every human person, zeal for the flourishing of our families must consume us and move us to action. 

No one and no thing is beyond redemption. Our culture can still be redeemed and returned to the glory God intends. This will only happen when we show mutual respect for each other and value the life and rights of our neighbors as much as our own. This lesson begins in the home and is strengthened by faith. Strong families —— and individuals with virtue and integrity are the foundation of a strong and prosperous society. Take this week to prayerfully reflect on the state of your soul and the spiritual health of your family. Make sure both are a place of virtue, generosity, service, and respect. Make it clear that each person in your home is appreciated and loved. Be accountable to others and take responsibility for your actions. Allow God to purify you from the inside out. This is the way of peace. This is the way that leads to eternal life.