What Do You Do With Your Fear? (12th Sunday, Year A)

To listen to this homily, click here.

In our readings today, we hear quite a bit about fear. The prophet Jeremiah, speaks about those around him who are plotting his downfall and looking for ways to kill him. Not even his friends can be trusted any longer. Our psalm speaks of bearing shame and insult for the sake of God. The suffering of the psalmist is more than mere insults. As a result of his witness to God, he has becoming an outcast from his own family. But our Lord tells us to fear no one, except the one who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna.

 So what are we supposed to think about all of this talk about fear? Certainly, throughout human history, it is one thing that has never been in short supply. I am sure that we have all experienced fear in our lives.  Perhaps when we were young, we found ourselves afraid of the dark, afraid of leaving our parents, or even frightened by clowns, chores, or getting sick. As we grew older, our fears may have changed. As young people, we may be afraid of public speaking, standing out from the crowd, or making our friends angry. Even as adults, we still struggle with fear. Perhaps your fear is related to your job and the economy. Or a rocky marriage or an abusive relationship. Many of us are frightened by health problems, struggles in our society, difficulties in our families, and our own personal shortcomings and insecurities. Even though our specific fears may change, the notion of fear is a constant presence in our life. We never quite grow out of it.

Fear, however, is not always entirely bad. While it can make us helpless and paralyzed; it can also move us to perform great acts of courage. Take Jeremiah in our first reading. He was a man who had a lot to be afraid of. He was called by God to be a prophet at a very young age. His countrymen and king turned against him because his message was unpopular and challenging. He was put into prison for proclaiming the message of God and his life was threatened. This didn’t just happen once but a number of times.

The truth is, Jeremiah was afraid. In chapter 1:6, when God asks him to proclaim his word, Jeremiah says, “Ah, Lord, I know not how to speak; I am too young.” And the Lord simply says, “to whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you.” That is all the Lord promised. He didn’t say it would be easy, glorious, or fun. But he did promise to be with Jeremiah as he proclaimed the message of the Lord. And Jeremiah responded in faith and trust in the power of God to protect him. He didn’t let his fear, as natural and understandable as it was, keep him from becoming an instrument of God’s word to the people of Jerusalem. His fear of being inadequate, persecuted, and too young, ended up deepening Jeremiah’s faith in God and enabled him to do great things in the name of the Lord.

The same is true for us. (I can tell you that the last few months have been full of fears and apprehension as I get ready to say goodbye to all of you and wonder what the next parish will think of me and my corny jokes!) Just as he did with the apostles in the gospel, the Lord sends us out each and every day to proclaim his saving truth to our friends, family, and those we encounter in our daily business. And his advice to us is very, very, simple. So simple in fact, that it is only three words: “fear no one.” But it is often difficult to witness to the teachings of Christ and his Church in our everyday lives. How often we fail because of our fears!! Perhaps it is the fear of speaking up when someone says or does something that is wrong. Maybe we are afraid offending someone with the gospel or we fear what the repercussions might be in our friendships, our careers, or our reputations. These fears are perfectly natural. But if we allow them to keep us from witnessing to the Gospel of Christ, then we will fail to be instruments of God. And we will not play a part in spreading his saving message of joy and peace to a world profoundly affected by fear and suffering. 

Our Lord knew the power that fear can hold over us. He knew its ability to overtake and paralyze his followers. He assures us, his disciples, not to be afraid. He makes it clear that we are cared for and protected by our heavenly Father. Our God is mindful of each and every one of his creatures; he even cares for the lives of sparrows. He knows us inside and out; he has counted the hairs of our heads. He is aware of the things that frighten us and he will protect us, but we must have faith. 

As we celebrate the Eucharist once again, let us present our fears to the Lord honestly and openly, just as Jeremiah did. But once we have done this, let’s be a people of faith, who take God at his word that he will protect and care for us even when things are difficult, dangerous, or uncomfortable. May we resolve to witness to Christ and his gospel with our lives; never allowing our fears to keep us from becoming instruments of God’s saving message. Let us be a people of faith, a people of courage who does not fail to proclaim the truth of Christ Jesus, even in those circumstances when it is hard, frightening, or painful.

How Careful Are We? (Feast of Corpus Christi, Year A)

To listen to this homily, click here.

I want to take a moment to wish all of the dads present today a very happy Father’s day! Selfless Fatherhood is becoming increasingly rare in our world today but for all of you who have loved, guided, protected, and provided for your families as dads, thank you and God bless you!

Humans have a natural appreciation for things we believe are valuable or precious. When we encounter someone or something of great value, we are cautious, careful, taking whatever precautions are necessary. Consider a few examples: before a doctor goes in for surgery, what does he do? He changes out of his street clothes into clean scrubs, his arms and hands are thoroughly washed, special covers go over his shoes, and a mask goes over his face. The instruments to be used are sterilized, gloves are put on, and only then is the procedure begun.

Or what about the case of a newborn baby? Have you noticed how carefully people prepare to hold the newest bundle of joy? How they make sure their hands are clean and that they are not sick? How they cradle the child securely against their body and support the weight of the baby’s head? 

And how about a fine painting in a museum or private collection? No one in their right mind would walk up to a priceless masterpiece and drag their hands across it, or poke their finger through the canvas. And when you take your nice new car in to a good shop for maintenance or repairs, if the mechanic is considerate, he might put those protective mats on the floor to prevent the oil on his shoes from staining the inside of the car. 

I could give more examples but you get the point; when we are around precious and delicate things, we are careful, thoughtful, and deliberate. We pay attention to every detail of what what we are doing and how we will proceed out of respect for the beauty or value of what what we are encountering. Keep this principle in mind as we reflect on today’s beautiful feast of Corpus Christi, which is Latin for the “Body of Christ”. The Church gives us this feast as an opportunity to remember what a gift we have in the Eucharist. 

In the Eucharist, we are given the greatest privilege and honor we could imagine. Every time we come to Mass and receive Holy Communion, God says to us: “here is my precious Child, my only begotten Son, I am going to let you hold him, touch him, receive him so that you can become my child too and have the strength to follow me and love your neighbor.” In the Eucharist, God becomes vulnerable for us. How do we respond? Do we have the same care and concern for the Body and Blood of Christ as we do for a newborn infant? Can people see in us that same tenderness, awe, and attention to detail? Is it fair to say that we are at least as careful, diligent, respectful, and awestruck to the Body and Blood of Christ as we might be to an artistic masterpiece, celebrity, or exotic sports car? 

Fortunately for us, the Catholic Church gives us many traditions and procedures to help us maintain our piety and love for Jesus in Eucharist. For example, that is why we are asked to fast from all food or drink, except water or medicine, one hour before we take holy Communion. Our respect for the Eucharist is why we genuflect towards the tabernacle when we come into church. The same is true when we come forward to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus; we should bow as the person before us is receiving: when it is our turn we raise our hands before us, one on top of the other as a throne for the King of Kings. We should also feel comfortable receiving the Eucharist on our tongue, as this is still the normative way to receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church. If we choose to receive the Precious Blood, the same reverence applies as we take a small sip of the Blood that was shed for us on Calvary. If we are aware of some serious sin that we have committed since our last confession, we should not receive the Eucharist until we have gone to confession. We should also pay attention to other details, like taking some time to prepare to receive the Lord, perhaps as we are driving or walking here to church, or even getting here a few minutes early so that we can set aside any distractions or worries that we brought with us. Finally, we should make sure that we never do things that appear disrespectful or careless when it comes to the Body and Blood of Jesus. We should never be chewing gum in church, playing on our phone, or taking Holy Communion without consuming it immediately.

Speaking again to our dads here in church, I believe the Eucharist, which we highlight today, is the perfect inspiration for all fathers. At every Mass, our spiritual father, the priest, repeats the words of Jesus at the last supper: “this is my body, given up for you”, “this is the chalice of my blood, poured out for you”. When I think of the fathers, both spiritual and natural who have impressed and inspired me, they have all imitated Jesus’ example of giving up and pouring out for the good of others. They did not focus on getting what they wanted or being the center of attention. Instead, they made and make tremendous sacrifices so that the ones they love and care for have what they need to be safe and flourish. What Jesus does in the Eucharist, every father is called to emulate. It’s certainly not easy but imagine the blessings that will come to our church and world as more and more men live out their fatherhood inspired by the Eucharist! 

In just a few minutes, we will be entrusted with God’s Son in the Eucharist. Let us be careful, let us be filled with awe, let our piety radiate as we receive this precious gift. May the Body and Blood of Jesus transform our lives and help us to grow even more in love with him!

Unity in Diversity ( 6/4/17, Pentecost, Year A)

To listen to this homily, click here.

One of my favorite parts of having lots of siblings is getting to see how each of them has their own unique personality and talents. Even though we might be part of the same family, with the same parents and upbringing, all of us are very different. From an early age, you could see hints as to the type of person my siblings would grow up to be. Some are caregivers and peacemakers, others are gregarious and outgoing, a few are reflective and quiet, and several are fighters, ready to stick up for anyone they feel has been wronged. I see the same diverse patterns as an uncle and I love it! Some of my nieces and nephews are orderly and disciplined. Others are the life of the party and have to be disciplined. Some are open hearts, where tears and laughs come easily while others are stoic and leave you guessing at what they might be thinking. Many of them are laid back and happy to go with the flow while a few are the leaders of the pack, deciding which game will be played and who-sits-where at the kids’ table.  

This is not a unique human experience. Certainly all of you know what I am talking about as you think of similar instances with your friends and families. Even though different personalities might sometimes drive us crazy at home, in social circles or at work, it is that very diversity that makes life exciting, enriching, and enjoyable. It is one of the things I love most about my family. Imagine a home, a world, a church where everyone was exactly the same?! It would be terrible on so many levels! The most dynamic marriages, friendships, families, and parishes tend to be composed of very different personalities united by a shared goal or outlook. That is the bond which unifies two or more people who might seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum.

As a spiritual family here at St. Michael, we have that same wonderful mix of personalities, gifts, and talents. Some of you are naturally more outgoing, funny, emotive, or leadership-minded. Others tend to be serious, rational, level-headed, or easy going. Some of you are great planners, have the gift of hospitality, or can see the big picture. Others are detail-oriented, prefer to do things behind the scenes, or are not afraid to speak your mind. However, without something incredible in common, without something significant to unite us, we would be a disaster. Our different personalities and backgrounds would end up being a source of conflict rather than something we celebrate and enjoy. Of course, what brings and keeps us together is not just the fact that we live in Shrewsbury or grew up in the area or happen to love St. Michael parish. What really unites us and makes this little parish dynamic is Jesus Christ and his gift of the Holy Spirit, who blesses our individual gifts and personalities and transforms them into something purposeful. 

As we say goodbye to another Easter Season and prepare to enter ordinary time for the next 5 or so months, it is good for us to reflect on the birthday of the Church, the feast of Pentecost. For more than a billion people around the world, the Catholic Church is the bond that unites people of every race and nation. Today is the day when we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit, which was poured out on the Apostles, empowering them to go out and gather people together in Christ. After they received the Holy Spirit, the apostles came to life. They begin to fire on all cylinders, their personalities and gifts were on display for the whole world to see. From this point on, they each go their separate ways with their unique talents but united by that one crucial message: “Jesus is risen; death and sin are defeated. Everyone deserves to hear this Good News so they can be saved.”

Each of the apostles would live out their faith in a slightly different way. Some would teach, others would heal and work miracles, while a few would write letters and gospels that we still reflect on today. All of them proclaimed the Good News in their own style, guided by the Holy Spirit but also true to their own personality and life experience. They didn’t become different people after Pentecost, they became transformed people. Their families and friends would have recognized them but would have noticed something new, deeper, more alive. 

The same is true here at St. Michael. God wants to bless the individual characteristics that make you who you are. He wants to transform them into the strengths that will enable you to proclaim the gospel in ways that no one else can or has before! He will do this through the gift of His Holy Spirit, first given in baptism and then more fully when we are confirmed. For our part we have two simple things to do. 

1)The first task is to invite the Holy Spirit to make his home in our heart. Even though he is God, the Holy Spirit is gentle and respectful when when it comes to us. He wants to be our welcomed guest and his gifts only work when they are received into a life that is docile and inviting. He won’t force his way into our hearts. So, please, say that simple, ancient prayer often, “come Holy Spirit.” That is all He needs, nothing fancy, just a heartfelt invitation to make his home in your soul. If you ask, he will answer, guaranteed!

2) The second responsibility we have is to develop the personality and gifts we were born with. Becoming a saint does not mean getting rid of these things; it just means we let God use them. If you have a sense of humor, if you are organized, if you love to lead, or study or take care of people or listen, or whatever your talent and disposition is, use it, refine it, and know that, more than likely it will be the way you live out your faith. There is no one way to be holy or serve God and others. In fact each of us will do it in a slightly different manner. That is why it is so important to discover and develop who we are humanly and spiritually.

If the twelve apostles were able to go out, with the help of the Holy Spirit, and change the world as we know it, imagine what the community of St. Michael could do?! As long as we remain friends of God, homes of the Holy Spirit, there is no limit to how He can use us to renew the face of the earth!