A Secret to Happiness - 1/29/17 (4th Sunday, Year A)

To Listen to this homily, click here.

It was difficult to settle on something to preach about this weekend because the readings contain so many thoughts themes for reflection. However, there is an undercurrent that unites all the scriptures we just heard. That theme is humility, a quality that is often misunderstood and even mocked by the secular world. But the Word of God doesn’t just praise humility, it ties it directly to happiness. Not the happiness of the world which can be here one day and gone the next, but the deep-seated joy that can exist even in the midst of suffering, poverty, and persecution.

The world humility comes from the latin word “humus” which means “grounded” or “from the earth”. The word literally reminds us of where we came from and where we are headed. We hear this sober truth every Ash Wednesday when ashes are put on our forehead and the minister says, “remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” The word and the virtue recall the fact that we were nothing but dust until God created us and breathed his very life into us in the first moments of creation. 

True humility is knowing where we stand before God; in other words remembering that he is the creator and we are the created. Humility moves us to acknowledge our gifts, talents and blessings, to develop and use them to the best of our ability but also to realize that we have them from God, not ourselves. True humility requires a person to be strong, secure, and honest. A humble person is not afraid to say the things he or she may not know or be able to do. A humble person doesn’t feel threatened when someone else is praised. A humble person can accept criticism, even when it is given poorly or by someone who is less than perfect, and still use it to improve and grow. Humility is incredibly freeing. It releases us from the quicksand of trying to maintain the appearance of always being strong, having all the answers or being in control. 

For many, humility seems to be a sort of weakness because our understanding of the virtue is just a caricature. When some people think of humility, they think of downplaying success or accomplishments. For example, if you go up to the lector at Mass and say, “you did a wonderful job proclaiming the readings” we might think the humble thing to do would be for the lector to lower their head, deny that they did anything well, and make some sort of self-deprecating joke. In reality, humility would be to accept the compliment by saying “thank-you” or “praise God” or “this is a way I can give back to others”. Humility is not mediocrity or being timid. It is not denying that we have a gift or can do things well. In fact, true humility challenges us to be excellent in everything we can not for our own glory but for God’s. The humble person has a certain gracefulness that accepts praise and somehow redirects it to God.

The virtue of humility is the key to experiencing the true and lasting happiness laid out for us in the beatitudes of the gospel. It keeps us from fixating on how to be happy and helps us to accept where we are, what we have, and who we are. To be humble is to do the best we can with what we have and trust that God will provide the rest. 

It reminds me of a story of a conversation between a puppy and an older dog. The little puppy noticed that whenever he was happy, his tail wagged, so he thought he had discovered the secret to happiness. He shared the secret of happiness with an older dog. He said, "I have learned that the best thing for a dog is to be happy, and that happiness is in my tail. So I am going to chase my tail; and when I catch it, I shall have happiness. The old dog replied, "I too believe that happiness is a marvelous thing for a dog, and that happiness is in my tail.  But I have noticed that whenever I chase my tail, it keeps running away from me; but when I go about my business, it follows me wherever I go.

Many of us are like the little puppy chasing his tail - trying to find true happiness that is always just out of our reach. What we need to do is learn that if we make humility a central part of our life, going about our business and trusting in the Lord, happiness will follow us wherever we go.

We are not in charge, God is. His foolishness is wiser than our wisdom. He can bring happiness into people and situations the world has given up on. That is the lesson of the readings today, a lesson filled with hope and happiness. If we foster humility in our life, we can be happy in any circumstance because we will let God lead us. How badly do we want to be happy? How strongly do we desire to be blessed? Is it enough to make us want to embrace a humble life? Seek to live with humility and then rejoice and be glad for your reward will be great in heaven! 

Christ Unites Us

To listen to this homily, click here.

The second reading this weekend seems very appropriate for us today, even though it was directed to a growing but fragile Christian community in Corinth some 1960 years ago. At the time, St. Paul was addressing the cliques and divisions that were forming within the Church in that city. Some believers were separating themselves according to who baptized and brought them into the Faith. It was turning into a competition, a pecking order according to which apostle people felt most powerful, prestigious, or holy. Even though everyone belonged to one faith, in a short time, there were at least 4 rival groups. Understandably, he expresses outrage and disappointment over what had happened to their faith, which should have been a source of mutual strength, comfort, and unity.

Paul’s words remind me of one time (not the only time mind you), as kids we did something really stupid. We got our grubby little hands on some old eggs and decided to throw them against our shed in the backyard. We had a great time and thought it was the funniest thing we had ever done. Mom and Dad disagreed. Before sending us out to clean up (and by the way, dried eggshells are like nature’s superglue) we received a well-deserved lecture from the parents. Of course it included a sprinkling of outrage and “how could you do something like this…” But what I remember clearly and what made a lasting impact was when my parents asked how we could have so little respect for something that was not only theirs but ours.

I hear that same question in Paul’s words tonight. This beautiful faith, the gospel, the Good News, Christianity doesn’t just belong to THE CHURCH or the Pope or bishops or priests: it belongs to each of us too. And while no one person owns our Catholic Faith or can take credit for it, we all have a share in it and should take pride in how we act as believers. These days, just like the days when Paul’s audience was working through their issues, it is easy to focus on the things that separate and divide us. Even when we are here in church, it is possible to compare ourselves to other people, other parishioners and try to rank ourselves. That’s how a parish gets divided between Democrats or Republicans, rich or poor, living in the neighborhood or commuting from further away, day-school or public school, new parishioners or been here forever—-you get the picture.

Something we see clearly in the gospels over and over again is how Jesus draws people together. In our passage from Matthew, we hear that he calls some of the apostles to follow him and, amazingly, they leave everything immediately and do it! We might think the apostles were this merry band of brothers with blissful, carefree lives, but they were from very different families and viewpoints. Even in the gospels we hear they fought, argued, and got jealous of each other. Only Jesus could have taken their diversity, their seemingly incompatible backgrounds and made it into something that was both enriching and unified. We see this pattern over and over again, not only in Scripture but also in history. When Christ is at the center of human lives and efforts, the resulting blessings never belong to or benefit one person or group. They end up enriching all people. 

If we apply this pattern to our actions and the activity within the St. Michael parish family, it becomes easy to see where God can be found. His blessing will be on those ministries and groups that bring people together and lead them to focus on the person who unites all of us in the first place, Jesus Christ. On the other hand, if we find ourselves forming groups that isolate others or put people down, then chances are, we are wandering into the same mess the Corinthians were. 

One of the great paradoxes of Christianity is that because it is owned by no one person, it belongs to everyone. It’s ultimately not important who baptized us, what parish we grew up in, or which Catholic high school we graduated from; what matters most is that in all these things, Christ unites. He is the common bond that brings together, even in this relatively small parish, people of very different means, backgrounds, and viewpoints. Jesus is is our claim to fame, our source of pride. He brings unity to our diversity and enables our little gifts and efforts to have outsized effects.

To wrap up, I want to return to the I learned after egging the shed. Jesus didn’t have to share the Church with us. We certainly don’t deserve to help build it and represent it with our lives. In his generosity, he invites us to take ownership and to share in both the blessings and the responsibilities of caring for our Faith and helping it to spread. Let’s never forget the privilege we have been given and make sure our thoughts, words and actions always honor the great spiritual treasure he shares with us through our Catholic faith! It is not only his, it's also ours.

Behold the Lamb of God (2nd Sunday in OT, Year A)

To listen to this homily, click here.

There is a story told of a German artist who, centuries ago, was working on the roof of a monastery chapel in Werden, Germany, which is in the Western part of the nation. While he was working, his safety belt snapped and he began to fall towards his sure and certain death. Due to Murphy’s Law, the area where he was falling was not only far below, but also filled with large, jagged rocks. But this man must have been saying his prayers each night and putting something in the collection every week. As Providence would have it, there was also a lamb, who made the fateful decision to graze on the grass which grew between the rocks. How it happened, nobody knows, but the artist miraculously fell on the lamb, which died instantly, but the artist survived. When he recovered from his shock and bruises, he sculptured a lamb and placed it on the church roof in gratitude. That lamb still stands there to this day. 

This story might help us to understand today’s Gospel reading that speaks about another Lamb. John the Baptist's favorite title for Jesus is "the Lamb of God." It became one of John the Evangelist's favorite titles as well. He uses it in his Gospel and the Book of Revelation some thirty times. It brings together three images that would have been familiar to the Jewish people. By calling Christ the "Lamb of God," St John is telling us that those ancient images are fulfilled in Jesus. 

But what are those three images? The first image takes us back to the Old Covenant and the Book of Exodus where God required the Jews to sacrifice a lamb twice a day to pardon the sins of the people. In this first image, the lamb symbolized the price that had to be paid for sin. It showed the people how awful and deadly sin truly was. It was not something harmless or minor. The second image was found in the holy day of Passover. In the Passover ceremony, each family sacrificed and ate a lamb to recall their liberation from slavery in the days of Moses. On that night, God allowed the death of all the firstborn children and animals of the Egyptians, but spared those of the Hebrews. In order to indicate which households the angel of death was to skip over, God commanded the Hebrews to sacrifice a lamb and mark their doorposts with its blood. Because of this saving act, the Passover lamb signified God's merciful and saving love. The third and final image is found throughout the prophecies and promises of the Messiah. Again and again, the Savior is described as a lamb going silently and obediently to be slaughtered. This Messiah, the Lamb of God, was going to take Israel's sins upon himself and wipe them away through his suffering obedience. His Blood would be the protection from God’s punishment of sin and all who were washed in it would be pleasing to the Lord.

By calling Jesus the "Lamb of God," John reminds us that these Old Testament images had been pointing towards Christ, the world’s one and only Savior. Jesus’ self-sacrificial, self-giving love is so central to our faith that the Church reminds us every time Mass is celebrated by praying: "Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us." In just a few minutes, when we receive Holy Communion, we will be receiving the Lamb of God, just as the Jews of the Old Testament shared in the Passover Lamb. And when we receive the Lamb of God with a lively faith, he strengthens us to follow his example: obediently loving God above things and fearlessly giving our lives in service to others.

So, practically speaking, what can each of us take away from this reminder of the importance of the Lamb of God? First of all, it shows us that absolutely nothing we do can ever extinguish God’s love for us. The Lamb of God loves us even in our sinfulness, no matter how serious or awful, and promises that love for all time. We must never doubt this Divine Love. In those times in our lives when we find ourselves doubting God’s love or goodness, we can be sure that this thought is a temptation from the devil. Even though we might not feel his love or sense His Presence, we can be assured He is there loving and protecting us every moment of every day.

Second, by giving himself up for our salvation, Jesus showed us the path to happiness. We will only be happy by imitating the Lamb of God in our own lives. We were not created to indulge ourselves, but to give ourselves in love to God and neighbor. This is how Christ conquered sin and evil; by loving and giving himself to others. You and I will conquer sin and evil in the same way - by loving, by giving without counting the cost, by forgiving without limits.

At this Eucharist, we are reminded that each and every one of us is like that falling German artist. Each of us has sins and weaknesses that threaten to plunge us towards a spiritual death. How blessed we are, that the Lamb of God has decided to sacrifice himself for our sins! How incredible that God would send his Beloved Son to break our fall and shed his Blood on the Cross so that we might be saved and restored to full spiritual health. All that he asks, is that we receive his love and mercy. And then, having received that amazing love, he asks us to share it with world and become, with his help, lambs of God to the world around us. Let us give thanks for the Lamb of God who takes away our sins and guides us towards everlasting life. Let us make use of the sacraments he gives to the Church to bring us grace and strength. Finally, may we offer ourselves back to God so he might use us to save those who are falling towards the jagged rocks of despair and sin. 

The Art of Giving Gifts (Epiphany, Year A)

To listen to this Homily, click here.

These are the final moments of the Christmas season and on it we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. The word "epiphany" is significant. It is defined as "a moment of sudden revelation or insight.” That is one dimension of what we commemorate today; the fact that wise men from east (Kings, Magi, or whatever else we call them), realized that something extraordinary was happening and journeyed for months to find the newborn king and savior of the world. Another aspect of our celebration is the gifts the Magi brought to the Christ child. Gold for a king, Frankincense for God, and Myrrh to foreshadow his death on the cross. Looking over my homilies from years past, I realized I focussed on these themes in one way or another for the past decade. Why not mix things up and reflect on the Epiphany from a different angle? 

Giving gifts is not an easy thing to do. To be more precise, giving a personal and meaningful gift is not easy. It’s not simply a matter of spending more money, although sometimes that is a factor. It’s not just about surprising someone or wrapping it perfectly, although these can play a role. It’s not even about what the gift might be, whether that be a tangible object, an experience, or even words. What really makes a perfect gift is the mysterious combination of thoughtfulness, self-sacrifice, and love which are all embodied in the gift given, whatever that may be. More often than not, the actual gift is less important than the thought and effort behind it. 

I’ve seen this truth hold up as my family and my parents have gotten older. What matters most to them is not receiving money or other large gifts which we can now afford because we have jobs. Rather, the present they ask for most is to have their children and grandchildren around them to visit, share meals, and just enjoy each other’s company. This quality time together often means more to our loved ones than the new Lexus with the red bow or some other flashy gift because it is the sharing of our self. This sort of gift is irreplaceably personal and sometimes feels more costly than a fat stack of cash because only we can give it; no one, no thing can stand in our place. 

Back to the Epiphany. Even more beautiful, precious, and pleasing to God than the gold, frankincense, and Myrrh of the Wise Men was the fact that they brought it themselves. They were rich and powerful men, they easily could have sent envoys to present these treasures on their behalf. Instead, they personally took the months-long journey, with all the hardship, uncertainty, and inconvenience involved so they could present their gifts with their own hands and see the Christ-Child with their own eyes. That is the true beauty behind their gold, frankincense and myrrh. These material objects represent the more profound gift of their love, reverence, and humility.

How does this apply to our life? First of all, the same principles hold true. God doesn’t need stuff. If there was some item he needed, he could just create it without our help. But there is something he wants, that only we can give. God wants our love and our friendship. When he created us, he gave humanity something no other animal has, the gift of free will. What this means is that we can choose to either give or withhold love from God and each other. No one can force us to love. Each human person has that incredible gift to give and receive but it must be done freely. Not even God will force us to love him. 

Take some time this weekend to think of all the blessings God shares with you, —-with your family and loved ones. Try to think of something good in your life that cannot be traced back to the Lord. It’s not possible because everything, every breath, every heartbeat, every life, every joy, and every happiness originates from Him.  

With a god as good as our God, what gift could we possibly give back to him that would have any meaning or significance?! Amazingly, the possibilities are boundless, but the principles of giving a good gift to another person can guide us. Our gifts to God are perfect when they are characterized by thoughtfulness, self-sacrifice, and love. When you give some of your hard-earned income to support this parish and the many charitable initiatives of the Church and you do so thoughtfully, sacrificially, and with love, then, whether that gift is $5 or $5000, it is pleasing to God. The same is true of how you spend your time on this earth and the talents God has entrusted to your care. If you share them freely, lovingly and deliberately with God and others, then they become a perfect Gift to God and a blessing to those around you.

One last thought. God has actually given us some clues as to what gifts He likes the most. Through the commandments, Scripture and guidance of the Church, we learn he is most pleased by the same gifts that delight our moms and dads. He wants to spend quality time with his children and he loves it when his family comes together for the celebration of a meal. Concrete examples would include adoration and quiet personal prayer. But above all else, what gladdens God’s heart is what we are doing right now, coming to Mass, each and every week, as one spiritual family, to share a meal and spend quality time together. In recent times, we have forgotten this and often look at Mass mainly in terms of what we get out of it and how late can I be for it still to count. We almost feel like God owes us for being here and forget that our weekly worship in church is the one small thing God asks in return for the countless kindnesses he showers on us. Our gathering here at Mass, which seems so simple and almost insignificant, is one of the most meaningful gifts we can ever give to God, so long as we try to participate in ways that are thoughtful, sacrificial, and loving. May this Mass and every Mass we attend gladden the heart of God and imitate the gifts of the Wise Men.