Who's Your Daddy? (12th Sunday, Year C)

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+Happy Father’s Day to all our dads!

Share how important dad has been to you, especially in your priesthood. Growing up, Dad was utterly dependable and did anything he had to to provide for the family. For a couple of years he worked 3 jobs and we really only saw him on Saturday evenings and Sundays. Also he taught me to do the right thing no matter what the cost or popular opinion and many practical things like self-denial, humor, and how to handle finances. I notice, the older I get, how much I owe to my parents and how good they really are! More and more, I see the impact my dad has had on my heart, mind, and soul as I live out my own fatherhood spiritually as a priest and pastor.

Perhaps one of the greatest compliments I was ever given in regards to my dad happened when I was in seminary. My parents would invite out-of-town-students, whose families were far away. to come over and have dinner with the family. They could hang out, enjoy time away from their studies, and be in the middle of a family atmosphere. As we were leaving, one of my classmates remarked how strange it was for him to see me interacting with my dad as a friend. He could sense the mutual respect and comfort between the two of us and it was not something he had with his own dad.This relationship with my earthly father, so positive and life-giving has translated directly to the relationship I have with my spiritual father, God Himself! I hope all of you can say the same but more on that in a minute.

One of the things we did often as a family for entertainment was to visit the zoo. Maybe it felt and sometime smelt like home. More than likely it was because it was free and it wore us out. One complaint we all had was that the most magnificent animals were often the most boring. Especially the big cats. As a kid you were hoping to hear roaring and see fangs and other amazing things that lions and tigers are supposed to do. Instead, if you saw them at all, they were lying around trying to stay cool. The word I would use was lame. My dad had a great idea to raise money for the zoo and make it more exciting. Patrons could purchase small hunks of meat and throw them into the enclosure to rile up the creatures. He also had a concept that involved bb guns but neither idea went anywhere.

I bring this up, not to highlight my dad’s strange sense of humor but because, for many Catholics, praying is like going to the zoo. Maybe you will see God, maybe you won’t. Maybe he will do something, maybe he won’t but don’t get your hopes up too high.

The fact is, many, if not most Catholics do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 1/3 of Catholics surveyed in a recent poll said that God was impersonal. In other words they could not have a living, dynamic relationship with Him. Another 19% were undecided. Only 48%, less than half, believed for sure that it was even possible for them to have a personal relationship with the Lord. Many Catholics buy into the myth that only protestants can have a lively personal relationship with God. That somehow we are just stuck with rules and traditions. But Jesus question in the gospel applies to every person who believes. “

Who do you say that I am?” he asks the apostles. He also asks us. How would you respond right now if  the Lord asked you? Would you say friend, father, savior, protector, provider? Or might it be something a little more impersonal like, “nice guy”, friendly, pleasant, non-confrontational, distant?

All people are meant to have a real friendship with God. Jesus has given us his Word in the Scriptures and, even more impressively, His Body and Blood in the Eucharist. It doesn’t get more personal than that.

Jesus wants us to know who he is, what he loves, how he cares for us. He wants to have a relationship with us as a friend, savior, lord, protector, lover, and every other good thing.

If you are wondering how that happens, look to your human relationships. How do you build a friendship with people around you? Just as important, how do you maintain and deepen that relationship? You do so by making time to be with your friend, to both talk and listen, to get to know them better, to share important moments, trials and celebrations, dreams and disappointments. You let down your guard with your friends and even let them see you vulnerable, upset, and afraid. A friend gets to know your heart, the real you, good and bad. The same is true in our friendship with God; prayer is nothing more than building a friendship with God!

It might be helpful to examine our practice of prayer and the way we treat God. Would we have human friends if we treated them the same way? Do we only ask them for things or call when we are in trouble? Do we ask them what is the bare minimum we have to do for them to tolerate us? Do we talk and never listen or go days or even weeks without thinking of them or checking in? I hope not! We wouldn’t treat our friends this way and we should be careful we don’t do these things with God either otherwise it will be no surprise that we feel distant from him.

Going back to where I started, I am incredibly grateful for the friendship I have with my dad. I can talk to him anytime about anything. If I need advice, just want to shoot the breeze, share what’s going on, or even need comfort and reassurance, he is there. Most importantly, he has taught me that a friendship with God works exactly the same way. And as good as my dad is, God has his qualities in even greater perfection to benefit me and get me to heaven. Dare to be personal friends with God. It’s possible for all of us and it will enrich your life in every possible way.

They Love More, Who Are Forgiven More (11th Sunday, Year C)

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What is the greatest, most significant thing that has been forgiven for you?

I’m a little embarrassed to say when I was thinking about this question for myself, the first two things that came to mind had to do with money. Once I bumped a car driving during my seminary days. The person, who could have filed a claim, simply told me not worry about. I also thought of the several times I have been pulled over and the officer, who could have given me a ticket, let me go with just a warning to slow down. 

Maybe some of you have similar experiences and stories. Hopefully all of us have been the beneficiaries of mercy and forgiveness. But as great as it is to be absolved of a potential traffic violation or a minor fender bender, these are debts, as painful as they can be, that we can repay on our own. The most meaningful moments of forgiveness in my life have come in areas I was powerless to resolve. Some of these have been with other people: families or friends, who I offended or took for granted. They could have chosen to withhold their mercy and make me suffer and yet they didn’t. The most profound experiences have come from God, who has been willing to forgive my sins, whenever I have been humble and courageous enough to ask. Without going into the gory details, I have and continue to need the mercy of God. I cannot repay him for the good he has done for me and I certainly cannot fix the hurt and wrong caused by my sins. Fortunately, the Lord doesn't put that on us!

The gospel today is all about the mercy of God, which is truly a mystery and an undeserved gift. On one hand you have the sinful woman who knows how broken and fallen she is. She believes in the power of Jesus to restore her to spiritual health and take away her sins. She is not proud, she doesn't worry what others might think, she doesn’t make excuses for why she should stay away or come back later or rationalize that her past really isn't that bad. Instead she boldly puts herself at the feet of the Lord and confidently begs for his mercy and forgiveness. As she receives the gift that only God can grant, the forgiveness that brings the deepest peace and joy we can experience this side of heaven, she can’t help but be full of love for Christ. The more a person is forgiven, the greater the love feel towards the one forgiving us. 

Simon the Pharisee, on the other hand, is disgusted by the woman. He is repulsed by her sinful reputation, he thinks her acts of devotion to Christ are over the top, and he self-righteously thinks to himself, “if this Jesus-guy was so great, he would realize what a terrible person is at his feet and kick her out.” Too bad Jesus could read hearts and minds! Jesus knows what is in this man’s heart, just as he knew what faith was in the sinful woman and he calls him out. Simon doesn’t think he is a sinner; he doesn’t need God’s mercy because he believes he has reached holiness by himself. Even if he isn’t perfect, at least he is not as bad as those other people, like the woman asking the Lord for mercy. Because, in his mind, he doesn't need forgiveness, because in reality, he hasn’t asked God to forgive his sins, his love is little. He doesn’t realize his debt so there is no way to be grateful to the one who wants to take it away.

You and I, we are sinners. Anyone who thinks of themselves as otherwise is in danger of thinking like Simon the pharisee. Whatever our sins may be, however large or small, they are a debt we can never repay. Yet Jesus, first on the cross and now in the sacrament of confession, offers to wipe them away. As often as we come to him, he will do it, without exception. The more we come to him for mercy and forgiveness, the more we realize our debt and the incredible gift we have in him. In short, the more we acknowledge our sinfulness before God, the more we grow in love for him. It may seem counter-intuitive but it’s true. When I think of any exceptionally holy person I have ever met, every single one of them, without exception, openly acknowledged their sins and weakness. Not to call attention to themselves nor as a display of false humility. It was a sign of their love for God. They were not afraid of their past sins because it simply manifested how much God loved them, that he would forgive their offenses so completely and without cost. Our love for God is directly proportional to how often we receive his forgiveness and mercy.

The same is true in the opposite way. Ever notice how people who are focused on themselves and moving away from God, how they are never wrong, how it is always someone else’s fault?! If we don’t think that we are sinners, if we think we are ok because we are at least not as bad as those other people, if fail to ask for  our spiritual debts to be forgiven, especially in confession, our love for God will be small. And if our Love for God is small, we will not have compassion for the faults and failings of other people. Those who do not acknowledge their need for mercy tend to be the harshest of critics.

We are blessed to find ourselves in the Year of Mercy, where the Church has opened up the floodgates of Christ’s forgiveness. Do not be afraid to acknowledge the sins of your past, whether they be large or small. If you have stayed away from confession for a while in the name of embarrassment, fear, or busyness, now is a very good time to encounter his love in this sacrament. If you feel like you don’t really need forgiveness or that it can wait, please re-evaluate based on what we just heard in the gospel. All of us are in debt because of our sins; none of us can repay it on our own. Ask for mercy today, tomorrow, and the next day. Acknowledge your sins and grow in love. That’s the key to peace, joy, and happiness, both in this life and in the life to come.

God Cares for You (Year C)

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How dark the world had become for the two women in our readings today, the widow of Zeraphath in the first reading and the widow of Nain in the Gospel. Because they were widows, they had no way to support themselves other than what living they could scratch out, perhaps doing some weaving or working in the fields during the harvest time. But they had one great joy: they had sons. Not only were these the lights of the their lives, but their sons would be the ones who would care for them when they could no longer provide for themselves. Then suddenly, their sons died. There is no greater grief than to lose a child and nothing the world throws at us can be worse than the death of a child. The widows’ grief had to be unfathomable. But God was aware of their grief. In the first reading God heard the prayers of Elijah for the widow of Zeraphath and restored her son’s life. In the Gospel Jesus brought the widow of Nain’s son back to life. 

God transformed their grief into complete joy. We are all tempted to be bound by the negatives of life. We certainly hear enough about the horrible things that happen in the world. We should be aware of the suffering of other people so we can reach out to them, but life is not negative. It is wonderful. It is full of joy and laughter. Our world is beautiful. Consider the magnificence of our country, the canyon lands, the mountains, the lakes and oceans. Look at our children. How can we not help but recognize how wonderful the world is when we see our students excel not just in their academics, but take their first steps to becoming productive members of our faith and our country? How can we not be positive when we see our college people giving a summer or a year to serve the Lord in his poorest people, and then taking leadership positions in the faith? How can we not be positive when we see so many of our families taking their Catholicism so seriously? How can we not be full of joy when we look at the faces of our little children? There are so many positives in the world. We have been given a tremendous gift, Jesus Christ. The Victor has conquered the negatives of life. Jesus Christ has conquered death. The waters of our baptism have immersed us into beauty. "The Word of the Lord truly comes from your mouth,” the widow of the first reading exclaimed. "A great prophet has risen from our midst,” the people of the Gospel added. You can feel the excitement and joy in the people who proclaimed these statements. Prophecy and life are linked together. The way of the Lord is the way of life. 

Perhaps the greatest argument for hope comes when we look at Jesus’ reaction to the widow’s grief. The word St. Luke uses suggests the Lord was profoundly moved, down to the core of his being. In this moment, we can’t help but see Jesus’ compassion towards those who are suffering. It’s interesting to note that the initiative to raise up the son of the widow is taken by Christ; no one asks him to do it. Everyone had already accepted the young man’s death as the final word. He could have passed by this funeral procession or waited quietly until they begged him to do something. But his heart is stirred by this mother’s suffering. Perhaps he had his own mother in mind, knowing what she went through with the death of St. Joseph and what she would go through with his passion and death. He know this widow had lost everything, she lost her son. It is more than just another miracle; it is almost as if Jesus can’t help himself when he sees people hurting. It is in his nature to console and connect with the broken hearted. So he goes up to her and says, “Do not weep.” We can almost hear Jesus continue explaining to the confused and grieving woman, ‘I don’t want to see you crying; I’ve come to earth to bring joy and peace.’ 

This compassion and empathy did not disappear when Jesus ascended into heaven. His care for those who are hurting continues today for every human heart that is broken, confused, lost, or lonely. Jesus identifies closely with the grieving parent, the grieving spouse, the grieving sibling, the grieving child, and the grieving friend. If you are one of these people, if you are hurting, lonely, confused, lost, or broken-hearted, be encouraged, because at this very moment, Jesus is near to you, he knows your pain and suffering, he shares it with you, and he is loving you tremendously and personally. He is not indifferent in any way!

In many cases, Jesus cares for the suffering through us. You and I are called to be his ambassadors of consolation and strength for those who are lost, grieving, lonely, and hurting. Our prayers, support, and thoughtfulness can shine a ray of Christ’s hope into the darkness that sickness and death casts over individuals and families. Many people get uncomfortable around those who are in the midst of suffering and death. Some of that is understandable but more often than not, it’s because we feel we need to have answers for what is happening or we need to fix their problems. That is not our job! Who can understand the ways of God and the mysteries of sickness and death? 

We can also be tempted to wonder if God cares for us in moments of loss. Why doesn’t he do something? Why does he raise the widow’s son while my child, my spouse, my family member suffered and died? I wondered this myself when my baby sister died 19 years ago. It may not console us in the moment of death, but the truth is that Jesus has actually raised all of us from the dead. With his passion and death, he resurrected the human race from the clutches of sin. As difficult as it is to accept, he allows death in this life to make way for eternal life. Every person who was healed or brought back to life by Jesus in the gospel eventually died. On the other hand, every single person he has redeemed and brought into heaven will never die or suffer again.  

Let us stay close to Christ in our moments of trial and suffering. Let us never forget that he is right next to us, loving us, supporting us, and even hurting with us. We have a God who empathizes, who cares for us personally, a God with a heart the world can’t contain. Let’s believe this Good News and make sure we share it with others who are suffering!

Prepare to be Amazed (Corpus Christi, Year C)

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Idea of little kids who are easily filled with wonder. When you are little, everything is amazing.

Car keys with a baby or making noises or faces. Children playing with a simple toy for hours, air vent at previous parish entertaining kids for a good part of mass or until their parents busted them, story of playing with the bathroom sink as kids.

Notice how that wonder and awe can dissipate with time and familiarity. Example of first time parents vs veteran ones. How protective new parents are vs. how laid back moms and dads of 3, 4, 5,6 or more tend to be. My parents have the beginning of a scrapbook from when I was a baby. Numerous professional pics as I grew older. There might be a few photos somewhere of my baby sister of her 18 years of life but I am not really sure. There is definitely no scrapbook.

It’s important that we grow up and mature. I’m not advocating that we turn into simpletons who laugh hysterically at every little thing or that we stop in amazement every time we walk near an air vent. I promise I will not be running around the parish with a sink over my head. But there is something to be said for retaining the ability to be amazed by little things, simple things. It’s not always good that we require more and more to keep our attention, hold our interest or amuse us. A lot can be lost in day to day living when we dismiss and overlook what is familiar and ordinary.

Think of the Eucharist. God takes something commonplace in bread and wine and he transforms it into the body and blood of his son. When I talk to kids about this, they are amazed and usually a little troubled. They have many questions and they want to know why and how God does this. Most importantly, they take God at his Word; they believe and let themselves be astonished, even though it is impossible for them to comprehend completely. When they make their 1st communion, there is awe and excitement.  We celebrate (as we should) with a big party and gifts. But after a while, receiving the Eucharist becomes another thing we do, it becomes a habit. Sometimes our youngsters and even our adults forget what a privilege it is to receive communion and Mass becomes “boring”. It no longer fills us with awe and excitement. The fact that Jesus turns bread and wine into his Body and blood no longer amazes us. We want him to do something more “impressive”, different, or shocking in exchange for our belief and attention.

What has changed? Is it the Eucharist? No! It is us! We have lost that ability to be astonished by God and the simple ways he manifests his infinite power. 

The Feast of Corpus Christi is a chance for us to recapture that child-like simplicity. It is an opportunity to see with new eyes the little ways that God is doing incredible things for us , for our families, for the Church, and for the world. I can tell you that he is. In my own life, when I take the time to appreciate the little miracles, I am humbled and surprised by how near God is to my daily life. When I slow down and stop asking just for the big miracles, I realize that the Lord cares about every part of my life and he is answering prayers and desires constantly.

If we think the only proof of God hearing our prayers will be winning the lottery we are going to overlook His blessings which helped us pay all the bills for this month and I have what I need once again, even if it is not everything I wanted.

We have the potential to be amazed every time we come to church, every time the Eucharist is celebrated if we allow God to wow us on his terms. Corpus Christi is a feast that reminds us of that and encourages us to open our eyes to the way God works 99% of the time: in little things and in simple ways. With bread and wine, one day at a time. 

When you receive communion today, keep that in mind and allow yourself to be filled with wonder and awe!

God Dwelling With Us (Trinity Sunday)

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Receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost, Year C Vigil)

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Today is a very special day. It is Pentecost Sunday, which is also known as the “birthday of the Church.” This may seem a little odd at first, but think about what has been going on in these fifty days since the resurrection. The apostles are still struggling to be brave and keep their faith in the Risen Lord. Even though time and time again Jesus has appeared to them, reassured them, and even scolded them for their lack of faith. Then, just as they were getting used to the idea of Jesus, risen from the dead, they witness His ascension into heaven. So here they are, feeling alone again. Locked in the upper room not quite certain what to do. Not quite ready to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the whole world.

As they were sitting in one room, hiding, there was a loud noise, like a strong wind, and the sound caused the people of Jerusalem to gather around the house to see what was going on. What happens next should be amazing to us. This noise is the sound of the Holy Spirit, who comes down upon the Apostles and completely transforms them! These are the same men who were frightened, confused and in hiding for the last 50 days but look at what they do! They proclaim the message of the gospel to all the Jews who have gathered around the house. Remember, these are the same men who fled in fear when Jesus was arrested. One of them denied Jesus three times!! All of them hid in the upper room for many days after the death and resurrection of Christ. But now here they are right in the midst of the people that had frightened them, fearlessly proclaiming the gospel and telling everyone about the mighty acts of God through his Son, Jesus Christ. They suddenly speak different languages. They are convincing and courageous. This coming of the Spirit, this gift at Pentecost is truly powerful!!

There could be a danger to read this scripture and think, “this is a nice story, but it doesn’t have much to do with me and my faith.” Far too often, we  see Pentecost simply as a one-time historical event. We fail to realize that Christ has given the gift of the Holy Spirit to each of us, to the entire Church when we were baptized. All of the gifts, all of the power we celebrate this Pentecost Weekend is also available to us. While it might not be as dramatic as tongues of fire or a mighty wind, the Holy Spirit is here; working and waiting to be called upon in our everyday lives. Far too often, we are unaware of the presence of this third person of the Trinity and we leave the gifts of the Holy Spirit unused, untapped in our lives. And this reminds me of an interesting story that took place in this country about 80 years ago.

In West Texas, there is a famous oil field known as the Yates Pool. During the Depression, this field was a sheep ranch owned by a man named Ira Yates. Mr. Yates was not able to make enough money on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. With little money for clothes or food, his family, like many others, had to live on welfare.

Day after day, as he grazed his sheep on the rolling West Texas hills, he must have worried about how he would pay his bills. Then a crew from an oil company came into the area and told Mr. Yates that there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill a wildcat well, and he signed a lease contract. At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. The following wells were more than twice as large. In fact, thirty years after the discovery, a test on one of the wells showed that it still had the potential of 125,000 barrels of oil a day.

Mr. Yates owned it all! The day he purchased the land he received the oil and mineral rights. Yet, he had been living on government subsidies. A multi-millionaire living in poverty! The problem? He didn't know the oil was there. He owned it, but he did not possess it.

Oftentimes we Christians are similar to Ira Yates in regards to the Holy Spirit. From the moment we were baptized we were given the rights to all the spiritual riches that were showered on the Church at Pentecost. We have access to all of the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit has to offer. Instead, how often we stay on the surface, using the Holy Spirit like the traffic Law Center, only asking him to get us out of trouble or get us through something difficult? How often do we ask the Spirit for something positive in our daily lives, like to do our work for God's glory or to say the words that will build people up or bring them closer to God? Are we, like Mr. Yates, living in spiritual poverty because we are unaware or unwilling to dig deeper for those divine riches that are waiting beneath our feet?!

People of St. Michael, if someone told you that there was limitless oil under your backyard, you wouldn’t hesitate to start drilling, even if it is only trading at $45 a barrel. As a matter of fact, if you decided to leave that oil untapped and unused I would have to say you would be downright foolish. How much more with the Holy Spirit! We have an immeasurable treasure under our very noses! The Holy Spirit is like spiritual oil that is waiting underneath the ground of our everyday lives. It is inexhaustible, free, and waiting for us. If we are willing to dig a little deeper in our prayer; if we are willing to drill the depths of our hearts, we can become incredibly rich with the grace, joy, and peace that only God can offer us. May we become a people of Pentecost; people who are full of the Holy Spirit, just like the Apostles. May we be fearless, generous, and loving and may our lives be a constant prayer that says “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and renew the face of the Earth.”

My Peace I Give You (6th Sunday of Easter, Year C)

There is no text for this week's homily but you can listen to it here.