Do not be Afraid (30th Sunday, Cycle B)

During this past week, I had a lot of time to think, rest, and pray while on retreat. These are the hallmarks of a traditional retreat. Most of the five days are cloaked in silence; the only time I spoke was at Mass and my daily one-hour meeting with a spiritual director. The rest of the day was meant for listening and unplugging from the rest of the world. This amount of silence isn’t easy but it certainly prepares the heart to hear what God whispers. Going in Sunday night, I really didn’t know what I would focus on, what scriptures to pray with, or what God might say. 

As he often does, God surprised me with an insight right off the bat on Monday morning. In my meeting with my director, he suggested St. Paul, specifically Romans 8:15. In this passage, the Lord reminded me that I am one of his sons, not his slave. Furthermore, he made it clear to me how often I operate out of fear. Honestly, this surprised me; I don’t think of myself as a fearful person. I try to be decisive and rational and steadfast. Instead of getting defensive, I let God explain what he meant. Here are a few things he pointed out: He showed me that I am afraid of failure, of messing up and letting people down. He pointed to the ways that I dread losing control and not having the answers. He kindly illuminated some of the good things that are going on in my life and in my ministry and then helped me understand that they are often driven by some sort of fear rather than love and trust. 

God never points out a problem without offering a solution. The remedy to fear…. is love. Not some sort of cheap, mushy, Hallmark or Lifetime channel sort of stuff! Real, profound, everlasting love that we see displayed on the crucifix. The love our Heavenly Father has for each and every one of us as his children. A love that is freely, completely given before anything is accomplished and after any mistake we might make. To follow God is to be a son or daughter of his. To be his child is to be loved unconditionally. And to be loved unconditionally is to be truly free. I never would have expected this insight for my retreat but it uncovered other areas for the Lord to heal and restore.

Connect this idea of fear and love to the man in today’s gospel. He has been blind since his youth. This blindness would have been considered a consequence of some sin that he or his parents committed. Not a fair judgment, but that was the way these things were viewed back then. This blind man was looked down on, and he would have made his living by begging for food and money. Certainly people would have avoided him if possible and seen him as a nuisance. 

Perhaps these hardships prepared him for this great moment when Jesus was walking by. He starts screaming like a lunatic, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me!” People tell him to be quiet, leave Jesus alone, but he keeps yelling, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus calls him over and Bartimaeus immediately makes his way to the Lord. He doesn’t hesitate at all. When Jesus asks him, “what do you want me to do for you?”, he quickly answers that he wants to see. Because of his faith, Bartimaeus receives his sight and what does he do with this new and awesome gift? He follows Jesus!

How differently the story would have been if Bartimaeus was governed by fear! If he worried about what people would think as he yelled out Jesus’ name. Or afraid of making somebody angry as they told him to stop. What if he gave into the fear that Jesus was too busy to help him or that he didn’t deserve to be healed. These and a thousand other fears would have stopped Bartimaeus and kept him blind if he had given them power. Instead, he destroyed fear and blindness with faith and love of God.

Each and every one of us has fears that influence the way we live our lives. Some we know, others have become so ingrained we think they are just part of life or who we are. Wherever fear motivates us, it leaves us blind, unable to see God’s loving plan. Many times it is fear that makes excuses as to why Jesus can’t help us or doesn’t want to. Fear keeps us from calling out like Bartimaeus, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me!”

Maybe it seems like I am being a little dramatic or stretching this gospel story where it doesn’t apply. Before you come to that conclusion, I invite you to reflect on the following:

What fears am I aware of in my life? How do they control me? Am I consistently acting out of some sort of fear or dread? Like what do people think? Or, will this disappoint someone’s image or expectation of me? Am I afraid that I could do something God wouldn’t forgive? Am I afraid he doesn’t even care about me? Are there things I am ashamed to show the Lord? Does a fear of messing up, looking foolish, or not having control keep me from starting or finishing something that, deep down, I know is good for me. In regards to my relationships, my work, my personal development, and most importantly, my prayer, am I driven or paralyzed by fear?

Don’t give fear that sort of power over your life! Call out today and every day to the Lord who loves you unconditionally, even before you were born. Don’t hide anything from him but invite him into every nook and cranny of your life, even those things which seem broken and messed up beyond repair. Ignore that voice whispering why you should be quiet, settle for less, and live with it. Be like Bartimaeus and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me!” 

Who Wants to be Pope? (29th Sunday, Cycle B)

One of the best parts of my week is when I get to go over and talk to our students, either in the day school or PSR. No matter how rough my day has been, or how much I may have on my mind, their curiosity and innocence reminds me why I love being a priest. This past Friday, I went over to speak with the third-graders. They had a number of questions for me to answer, one of which was, “how does a person become a deacon, a priest, a bishop, and even the pope”? After explaining the process of formation, education, and evaluation, one of the students exclaimed that he would like to be pope. I had to laugh, because I remember thinking very same thing when I was little. On one hand, it seems like the best job in the world. You get to fly around the world, people go nuts whenever you visit, you get the lots of Italian food, and you even get to ride in the Pope-Mobile. Over the last 100 years, our church has been blessed with incredible men, many of them Saints, who have served as our Popes. Their example has reminded us that with great power comes an even greater responsibility to serve others with humility and generosity.

This is the lesson Jesus must teach his followers in today's Gospel. Jesus has been on a roll lately working miracles, attracting huge crowds, and many people are trying to make him king. James and John can sense the authority Jesus has and they want some of it for themselves. James and John have just asked Jesus for places of honor, one at his right and one at his left. But they want it for the wrong reasons. They want this power so they can be in charge and enjoy the worldly benefits of prestige and rank. Jesus patiently reminds them that his followers must use any power and authority they receive as tools to serve others. This is, naturally, the opposite of what the world believes.

Leadership, of course, is essential. Power is necessary. Power makes decisions and gets things done. But, to quote Lord Acton, “all power eventually corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”, unless it is grounded in the teachings of Jesus Christ. And leaders, remember, include us, not just the high and mighty CEOs, but us: parents, principles, managers, teachers, board members, policemen, scoutmasters, pastors, doctors —- anyone who has charge of or leads the lives of others. In the Christian life all such leaders, including you and me, are servants who are there “not to be served but to serve and to give their lives as a ransom for many.” That radical teaching - and it is outrageously radical if you think about it - is a deep spirituality to live by, a necessary and humble interior balance a Christian must embrace. The more power I have, the more respect I must show, the more service I must render, the more aware of others I must be.

You and I are called to be servant-leaders of whatever power or authority has been given to us. What are some practical ways we can know if we are imitating Christ’s example? First, servant leaders pay attention to the rank-and-file people around them. No person, no matter what their education or occupation, is dismissed or looked down on. How about us? How do we treat the people who work the cash register, prepare our meal, or pick up the trash? Are we kind, polite, and aware of them as people? Do we remember their name or ask how they are doing? Secondly, servant leaders learn to think communally, not selfishly. What goes into our decision-making? Is it only about profit, sales, career, getting ahead, or looking better than others? Are there considerations as to the long-range impact on the family, the community, or the environment? Finally, servant leaders strive for that humility which enables them to ask if they're part of the problem. They are not afraid to be accountable to others and accept constructive criticism, knowing that they are far from perfect. Without feedback, any one of us can become a tyrant. 

Back to James and John who want the privilege, power, and position without the cross; they want his leadership without serving others. It must've been totally embarrassing when, at the end of the day, there were two lowly thieves, one at Jesus’ right and one at His left as he prepared to enter his heavenly kingdom. Not quite what they first imagined, but it made Jesus’ point.

We might wonder: did James and John and the others eventually get the message? Did they get to drink from the same chalice Jesus drank? I think so. About 12 years after Jesus's death, James was the first apostle to suffer martyrdom. Tradition adds that Andrew was tied to a cross, Bartholomew was skinned alive, Peter was crucified upside down in Rome, the other James was thrown from the Temple roof, Thomas was run through with a lance in the East Indies, Jude was pierced with arrows, Philip was hanged; only John escaped a grisly death. Interestingly enough, he was the only apostle present during the crucifixion.  

We probably won’t have to go so far as martyrdom, but we do have to recognize that the gospel message clearly is that power and position are on the other side of servant leadership: followers of Jesus do not sit. They stand in solidarity with the world's most famous foot-washer and they serve everyone regardless of social status.

Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (28th Sunday, Cycle B)

Do you remember the tv show, “Who wants to be a millionaire?” It was a dramatic game show where a contestant had a chance to win one million dollars by correctly answering a series of questions. As a player moved toward the final prize, he or she reached certain dollar amounts where they could choose to take the lesser prize and walk away. But if they wanted to win it all, if they wanted to be a millionaire, they had to be willing to risk it all and let go of everything they had won so far.

The man in today’s gospel had a life anyone would want. He was young, rich, well-educated, highly-regarded, and religious. He had kept the commandments his whole life; he was a good person, probably even great. Yet, something was missing. Deep down, he knew there was something more he could do, something more he could be. That is what brings him to Jesus; the desire to be fulfilled, perfected, and challenged. Instinctively this young man knows that all the good things in his life find their meaning and goodness in God. Jesus identifies one thing the young man is missing. If he wants to be perfect, then he needs to trust God completely by selling what he has, giving it to the poor and following Christ. This would be putting it all on the line, risking everything to win the grand prize. 

We know his decision and it is haunting even today. The man goes away, as the gospel says, sad, because he had many possessions. Deep down he knew he had the chance to follow God in an exceptional way. He could have it all if he was willing first to let go of everything. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do it. His possessions, his riches, the comforts of his life owned him and kept him from the perfection Jesus offered. 

We don’t know what this man did with the rest of his life. Did he realize he was missing out on true greatness and come back to Christ? Did he change his mind and become an incredible saint? Or did he live the rest of his life in mournful regret? Knowing that he had been offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by God and he had turned it down? 

This encounter between the young man and Christ provides a powerful lesson for us as well. We have been raised in a society that values wealth above all else. We know that is not true. We know that the love of people, manifested in our families, in children, and most especially through God, are our real values, but we sometimes fall for the lie that happiness can be purchased. We easily confuse our wants with our needs. We want too much but we actually need very little. We want the big house, the expensive car, the exclusive vacation and the comfortable life. But we don't need all of that. In fact, these might be the very things which hold us back from complete happiness. 

To be honest, I am not just speaking to you. I am also speaking to myself. My car is about 5 years old and I have been looking at possible replacements. Let’s just say I don’t have Pope Francis preferences. There is nothing wrong with my car, in fact, it runs perfect, looks good, and has tags for another year and a half. I’m just itching for something new and exciting and I catch myself saying, “I need this”. I think there is a part of me that thinks a new car will make me happy. But it won’t! All I need is the Love of God. And it is there for me in so many ways, none of which have to do with the wheels I am driving.

How about you? Is there something that would destroy you if you lost it? I am sure that there is plenty that would upset you if some disaster struck, and you lost it. That's reasonable. But would you be destroyed if your house burned to the ground? Would you wonder if life was worth living if your car was totaled or you lost your job, or your phone shattered? Hopefully that would not be the case. You love your family far more than your stuff. Your main concern would be with them. You love God more than anything the world can come up with. As long as you have him, you have all you need. 

Solomon asked for wisdom. So do we. We need wisdom to allow our lives to be centered on Jesus so no matter what challenges and crises life throws at us, we will keep growing in His Love. Wisdom will help us know when we are standing before God with an opportunity to follow him more perfectly. Wisdom will ensure that we don’t walk away sad like the rich, young man, prisoners to our possessions and the desire for a comfortable life. It will allow us to keep the right priorities and remember what is truly important. May God give us wisdom today so that we can put it all on the line and follow Him wherever he invites us.

The Goods of Marriage (27th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B)

“The union of man and woman in marriage [is] a unique, natural, fundamental and beautiful good for persons, communities, and whole societies.”

Pope Francis spoke these words last year to highlight the importance of healthy families and healthy marriages for the good of the world. The family is the basic building block of society and serves as the most accurate barometer of how a nation is holding up. If families are generally happy, wholesome, and functional then the country will move in the same direction. On the other hand, if families are broken, dysfunctional, and sources of conflict, then it is only a matter of time before the society begins to mirror those wounds and problems. The same is true about the institution of marriage. Healthy, holy marriages make for a better society. 

So what is going on in our world today??!! If marriage and family life are beneficial to society, why does our culture often undermine these crucial institutions? There is no one person or problem to blame. It is a perfect storm of many factors that have converged to make an environment that is often hostile towards married life. The truth is, God’s plan for marriage and family has been under attack from the very beginning of creation. The problems we see today such as domestic violence, rampant divorce, casual infidelity, abortion, contraception, and same-sex unions are all rooted in the human desire to re-define God’s plan for marriage and family. 

But rather than dwell on the problems that face married couples and families, I think it is more helpful to consider the many positive things Christian marriage has to offer our world. This holy sacrament provides future generations for the world. It offers a safe and stable place for children to grow and develop so they can be healthy, productive members of society. Marriage strengthens the spouses in every aspect of life and allows them to be more than they could be by themselves. It multiplies joy in good times and gives strength and comfort in the midst of adversity. At its best, holy matrimony brings husband and wife closer to God and to each other and helps both get to heaven. It allows Jesus to be present throughout all of married life. The sacrament of marriage is not just a prayer during the wedding, it is not just a blessing of a union, it is far more. It is the partnership of God with two people as they establish a new unit of his Church. The sacrament of matrimony establishes the Christian home with Christ at the center.  It is a bold, public pledge to live according to God’s plan. It is a solemn vow to work with God to build up His Church and serve as a living portrait of his Divine Love. That is why people get married in the Church. That is the ideal. 

However, we live in a world that often gives up on ideals. We live in a world where people, good people, suffer the result of sin. "But there is disorder”, the Pharisees say to Jesus in the Gospel reading. The Law of Moses, after all, permitted a bill of divorce. "This was not the Father's intention”, Jesus replies. Disharmony in homes, among people, is a result of generations of sin. We have many wonderful people in our parish whose marriages have suffered. It may not be their fault; it may not even be their former spouse's fault. Many good people suffer the destruction of their marriage and the inability to form a sacred lasting union due to the effects of sin in the world. It’s not so simple as to blame it on one spouse or the other. Therefore, we need to have a special place in our hearts and in our charity for those who have suffered the loss of their marriages. They have been pulled away from the intention of the Creator by the forces of the world. They need our support and our love. As for sin and suffering, it was never in God's plan for evil to enter the world. 

God never meant for people to be widowed, divorced or without a loving spouse. In God's original plan there would be no need for people to work so hard to establish and preserve their marriages. It is tragic how evil is able to distort something that is so good. The divinely created attraction of men and women to image God has been deformed into a drive to selfish gratification. Sexual intimacy is portrayed by the world as having less to do with love and more to do with pleasure. But people know better. People know the ideal of marriage exists. But they need more than the ideal. People need a living, breathing example of what this looks like. 

They need the witness of your marriages as a union with God, imaging the Creator's Love for the world, making real what is often talked about as theory. They need the witness of your marriage, your sacrament. Your marriages are infinitely more than natural unions. You are not animals who mate for life. You are human beings, made in the image and likeness of God, who are called to make God real to the world by reflecting His Love in your love for each other. The world needs the Sacrament of Matrimony. It needs you to be married in the Church and it needs you to live this sacrament. 

How important you are to us all! We the single, the celibate, the separated, the divorced, the widowed, need you the married to embrace and live the ideal of marriage. We ask God's blessing today on all in our parish who celebrate the sacrament of matrimony. May you have the courage and strength to give witness to the presence of God in your marriage and your family.