Why We Wander (4th Sunday of Easter, Year B)

 To listen to this homily, go to 23:30 of the Livestream here.

This weekend the Church celebrates the fourth Sunday of Easter, often called "Good Shepherd Sunday." This nickname is given because every year, the 4th Sunday of Easter highlights the passages in the gospel where Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd and his followers as his Sheep. The shepherd analogy has been used long before the coming of Christ. The Greek poet Homer used the image to describe the hero of the Iliad and the Egyptian Pharaohs have been depicted in exactly the same way, watching over their people with care and concern. For thousands of years, people have known the devotion and selfless concern a good shepherd has for his flock and this behavior is seen as the ideal for any leader to strive for. 

As Christians, we believe Christ fulfilled the role of Good Shepherd perfectly in every way. He laid down his life for his sheep, he led and continues to lead them to abundant pastures and gives them the food of eternal life in the gift of the Eucharist. That Christ is the Good Shepherd is not in question; because of that, let's take a closer look, not at the shepherd, but at the sheep, specifically at why do they wander when they have such an indisputably perfect protector watching over them?

I believe there are three basic reasons that account for every lost sheep out there. 

The first and least common reason for why we wander from God and run away from the path of life is that we are psychopathic. In this condition, we recognize good and evil, right and wrong, and we have have made a deliberate choice to embrace evil as our goal. In this state, a person is fundamentally changed for the worse and whatever is good, pure, innocent, and gentle becomes repulsive and even offensive. The more someone or something reflects the image of God, the further away this particular sheep runs. Such a person is marked by a deep cynicism, anger, and lack of joy.

The second, and perhaps most common, reason for wandering away from God is that we place some basic good above God. We try to find happiness, safety, and fulfillment in things like wealth, pleasure, power, or success and it separates us from God. We sincerely believe once we achieve these things, we will be happy and satisfied. But no matter what we have, fulfillment is just out of reach, new problems rise up, and we find ourselves frustrated and chasing the “next best thing”. In most of these cases, we are taking a gift from God, something that is fundamentally good, but we are trying to have it in the wrong way, at the wrong time, or without moderation. We are making something good into a god. An example might make more sense. Many of us have played sports at some point in our life. Sports are good and teach us teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship, and many other virtues. But if my playing sports begins to crowd out doing my homework, spending time with family, or going to Sunday Mass, then it has become disordered and a source of separation from the shepherd and his flock. A person wandering for this reason is a generally good person who experiences mysterious sadness, boredom, and frustration. They will sometimes question why they are unhappy. They will also find themselves both intrigued and irritated at times by Jesus and the teachings of his Church.

Last of all, is the person who has wandered away from Christ the Good Shepherd and knows they have made a mistake. They thought the grass was greener on the other side and now they realize that’s not the case. They realize the pastures they pursued cannot fulfill them or make them happy. Intellectually, instinctively, they sense the good as it really is, they see where and how Christ is calling them back. But they aren’t quite ready to return. They stay lost and apart, not because they believe where they are is good. No, they stay lost because they feel like the price of being found and returned to the flock is a little too high, Perhaps, there is part of them that wonders if Jesus can fully make them happy. Such sheep tend to emphasize the happy moments of sin and forget the heartbreak and separation that accompanies it. Other roadblocks at this stage include the humbling experiences of apologizing, admitting one was wrong, and the messy business of reconciliation. Some might even believe that God couldn’t possibly forgive their past or want them back. A person separated from Jesus in this stage, is very close to returning! They think about it often but are afflicted with a sort of spiritual procrastination. There is always an excuse that gets in the way of letting the Good Shepherd scoop them up and bring them home. They can hear his voice calling for them and with the right encouragement or a personal invitation from a trusted family member or compassionate friend, they will often take that final step!

With these reasons for wandering in mind and acknowledging that many of us have been separated from the Lord at various points of our lives, listen again to the words of our gospel, “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me. I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Jesus will stop at nothing to bring each and every one of us back. He does not want multiple flocks and he does not accept the notion that some will just have to be lost. He values every single soul. As we prepare to enter into the liturgy of the Eucharist, pause for a moment, close your eyes, and sense his presence in this place...Take comfort in knowing that God knows where we are and will answer our call... He knows each of us by name and is ready to give us all we need...Jesus is the good shepherd, who lays down his life for us; there is nothing that you and I shall want if we cease wandering, follow him, and trust in his care.

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.