Holy Trinity Sunday

To begin the homily on this Trinity Sunday, I invite you to join me in making the sign of the cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. This was one of the first prayers I learned as a child. And I use it all of the time: before and after my prayers, when I drive by a church, as I receive the Eucharist, when I dip my finger into holy water, or when I give a blessing. For most of us, this gesture is familiar, so common, I suspect, that sometimes we do it more out of habit and forget that it is a prayer. 

But for all its simplicity, the sign of the cross is a profound prayer because it expresses the central mystery of our faith; the mystery that we are celebrating today, which is the mystery of the most holy Trinity. So, what IS the Trinity? And WHY is it so important to Catholics, that the Catechism calls it the “central mystery of our Faith?” The mystery of the Trinity is the belief that we have one God; the same God who saved and protected Israel but that this God contains three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three persons are equal to each other in every way but they are not the same; in other words, each person is unique. So the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is not the Son, and so on. 

Perhaps most of you remember the mystery of the Trinity from your Catholic education or RCIA and you are simply wondering why it is the central mystery of our Faith. The Trinity is the central mystery of our faith because it reveals who God is. The Trinity helps us to understand the God who has created us, redeemed us, and who continually sustains us and makes us holy. The mystery of the Trinity teaches us, first and foremost, that our God is a God of love.  

The mystery of the Trinity teaches us that within God himself, we see a perfect, loving, relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But this divine love doesn’t just stay within the Trinity. For example, the love of the Trinity is what brings about the creation of the world. And in the fullness of time, this same love will move God to send his only begotten Son into the world, to save it from sin and death. Once again, love will move Jesus to send the Holy Spirit to protect and guide the Church until he returns at the end of time. These examples are just a sampling of the great mystery of the Trinity which teaches us about God who is all-loving and lives in perfect relationship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

This mystery is not meant to be something that remains in our head. The Trinity is meant to transform our lives, our families, and our world. As humans, we are created in the image and likeness of God. As baptized Catholics, the life of the Trinity actually dwells in our souls through grace. 

We might ask ourselves the following questions: does my life reflect the life of the Trinity? Is the perfect relationship of love that exists between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit reflected in the way we live our lives? Within our own hearts, do we acknowledge and truly believe that we are made in God’s image and likeness? Do we embody this truth in the way we act, in the words we speak, in the entertainment we enjoy, in the clothes we wear, and the company we keep? Do people look at us and see an image of God’s love and joy? Or do they see things like self-hate, anger, revenge, lust, greed, or jealousy?

How about our families? It is in the home that the mystery of the Trinity is most powerfully reflected. Do our families imitate the loving relationship seen in our God? Don’t be afraid to ask if  your relationship with your spouse open to communication, correction, and growth? Are you able to make sacrifices for your family in all things? Are you open to the gift of life? Are you making sure that you love the people entrusted to your care? The love of God holds nothing back; he sacrifices everything for those he loves. We are called to love others in the very same way. So what does this mean in our everyday lives?

Children: love your parents and your brothers and sisters. Make it a habit to take care of others and think of them first. You can do this in simple little ways like cleaning off the table after dinner, unloading the dishwasher, sharing your time and toys, cleaning your room, and so on. But see in these little acts of kindness an opportunity to spread the love of God. 

Husbands and wives: love one another with a love that knows no limits. Remind yourselves of the commitment you made to each other on your wedding day. Be patient with each other’s faults and failings. Be willing to listen when your spouse wants to talk about a bad day. Make it a habit to think of the other person first; by doing little acts of kindness every day, you will reflect the love of our triune God.

This is the love of the Trinity, this is the example given to us by our God. Let us use this Trinity Sunday to remind ourselves of who God is and remember we are made in his image and likeness. We are called to worship the God of love and live out this love with our actions.

 I would like to conclude this homily in the same way that I began; with the sign of the cross. Let us be reminded now and every time we make the sign of the cross that we are called to be a people of the trinity, a people who live love and right relationship with ourselves, with our families, and with those we encounter each and every day.  In the name of the Father… 

Solemnity of the Ascension (Cycle B)

Two weeks ago, Marcus Knecht, the seminarian that was with us during the school year, invited the parish staff to Kenrick-Glennon seminary for lunch and a tour of the recently renovated campus. It is really beautiful, both inside and out and you can tell a lot of thought went into the remodeling project. I spent 8 years in that building so it was great to see a place which holds so many great memories brought back to life. 

The first year at Kenrick-Glennon I had no car. This was no big deal during the school year, because I could always bum a ride with another seminarian who was headed to the same place or find someone who also wanted to get out of the building. But that summer was a different story. I lived in my little 10x12 room during June, July, and August and I pretty much had the seminary to myself. It was tough. This magnificent building, which was full of life, learning, faith, and friendship during the academic year, was a like a tomb. I thought I would enjoy living there for the summer. There was plenty of time to read, watch movies, and sleep after work but it was strange to be in that place without my seminary brothers. It was a major letdown. Kind of like you experience when get home after a great vacation with friends and family and reality starts to sink in. Or when you go on an amazing retreat or summer camp with fun people and the time comes to say goodbye and go back home. It is hard to describe this funk, but it is a subtle, nagging emptiness best described as missing someone or something.

I thought of this when I saw the first reading for today’s feast of the Ascension. The ascension is that moment when Jesus returns to heaven. He literally “ascends” from among the apostles to take his place next to God the Father. Our reading tells us that the poor apostles just kept looking up in the sky, even as Jesus disappeared from their sight. After a while, two angels appear and ask them why they are still looking at the heavens. They remind the group that Jesus, although he is gone for now, will return in the same way when the time is right.

I sympathize with the apostles. Much like I felt that sense of loneliness and sadness when I was alone at the seminary and all my buddies were gone. Much like we might feel after those great vacations or school or camps or times with friends come to close, so to are the first followers of Christ. Imagine: for three years you have been with the Son of God, who has also become your teacher, your savior, and your best friend. You have shared birthdays, meals, travels, jokes, and just about everything else in those special days. Suddenly, this divine friend was put to death and after three terrible days, raised. For a little over month, Jesus continues to appear to you and your companions, he explains why everything had to happen this way, he brings you peace, life is starting to look pretty good again…and then he disappears into the sky.

I can only imagine how the apostles must have been feeling. They miss Jesus already! It had to be scary thinking about life without him. Yet, we know Jesus does not truly leave them. In fact, in a few short days, he is going to be present to them forever and always through the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Instead of letting them sit there and feel sorry for themselves, he gives them a mission, a purpose for their lives. As he ascends to heaven he says, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”  

This is the work that remains. This is what Jesus was preparing them for all along. After those three intense years of training and formation, now he is sending them out to be his witnesses not just in their families or towns, but to the whole world. This command, in a word, is what we call evangelization.

This exhortation of Christ, given 2000 years ago to the apostles, is something that is just as urgent today. There are still people who do not know Christ. There are still people who have not heard the saving gospel. Far too many people are still waiting to have Jesus and his loving message explained to them in a way that is compelling and real. And they aren’t all in some distant corner of the world. Many of them are our neighbors and friends and co-workers who have yet to see the gospel witnessed in the believers who surround them. 

One of the terrible misunderstandings in the Catholic Church is the notion that evangelization is something reserved only for priests, bishops, and religious. For most people in the pews, evangelization is something best left to the professionals; it is associated with high-pressure conversations and bible-thumping arguments. But that is not evangelization!

Each and every person who has received baptism is called to evangelize and to do so always. The most effective way to do this is by living our faith with integrity and openness. The best evangelizers are not necessarily the people with the most factual knowledge of Catholicism but rather those who have a personal, living, honest relationship of prayer with Christ the Lord. It does not mean our every action or conversation has to be about God. The essence of evangelization is simple: (To carry God with us) Make God present in our words, our work, our families, and our life. The most compelling argument for or against Christianity is our example. Hopefully, when people think of us or spend time with us, they catch a glimpse of the love, peace, mercy, and hope of Jesus.  

On this celebration of the Ascension, let us thank God for the gift of our faith, which was given to us by those following the Lord’s command. Secondly, let us resolve to share our own faith with those we encounter in life, not in pushy or preachy ways, but by the joyous and peaceful manner in which we act. Finally, let us recommit ourselves to the practice of personal prayer, so our witness to the gospel will not be mere words or empty showmanship but a genuine and passionate display of the life of the Holy Spirit. May each day of our lives here on this earth be filled with the missionary spirit of Ascension and when you leave Church today, may you “go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every person” you encounter. 

Mother's Day

By now, some of you may have noticed that I like to do things according to the book. I am a rule-guy, an oldest child of a chaotic family who craves order, guidelines, a return to his Germanic background. I find rules to be comforting and helpful and I try to follow them. When I was newly-ordained, I called my mom for advice. I said, “Mom, this weekend is Mother’s Day, but it is not a church feast day.” Should I preach about the readings and ignore Mother’s Day or talk about Mother’s Day and break the rules, so to speak. My mom, in her wisdom, was able to clear things up in one sentence. She said: “ Kevin, you have to say something about Mother’s Day otherwise you WILL suffer the wrath of countless women in your parish.” Having ten sisters and a mother, I knew exactly what she meant. So, today, on Mother’s day, I want to do more than simply mention my gratitude to all of you moms out there. I want to devote this homily to thanking you and challenging us all to treat you with even more love and respect. 

This suggestion was just one of many things I learned from my mom, from women over the years. As I have gotten older, I better understand the sacrifices my mom made to bring 14 kids into the world. In the past few years, my mom has shared with us more about the danger, the pain, the strange cravings, the unusual maladies, the physical discomfort, and other hidden details that accompanied the months leading up to each child’s birth. With 17 nieces and nephews, I have also heard my sisters talk about their pregnancies and what they are going through and all this helps me understand the reason this day is so special. There are few things in this world as deep, as beautiful as a mother’s love! What makes this love so unique? The high level of sacrifice, the complete gift of self, the significant emotional, physical, mental, and even spiritual price that is paid to bring new life into the world.

A mother’s love is special and cherished because it is costly! Imagine how different things would be if God designed motherhood to be as easy as picking up a good turkey at the grocery store! What would this day look like then? Would we feel the same way about mom? I don’t think so! When a mother loves her child, she gives the world a glimpse into the very love God has for us! Motherhood is a reflection of God’s Love for us which sacrifices everything so that we might have life, here on earth and in the world to come. God’s love holds nothing back, even sacrificing his only Son, Jesus, so that we might be saved. This is what makes Divine love perfect; it gives everything without hesitation.

On this day where we thank our moms and those women who have loved us without measure, it is a good idea to ask ourselves if we, as a society, are doing our part in returning that love. Is the love we show to women, to our moms, sisters, daughters, true and sacrificial? Is it meaningful and willing to embrace any difficulty? Or is it lazy, looking for what is easy and convenient? Far too often, I believe society is asking women to settle for that lesser love. 

There are many things attacking the dignity and well-being of women in our time. These, sadly, are accepted by many as the way things are. These include pornography, domestic violence, and the objectification of the female body. It is ironic that our society calls us today to honor motherhood while at the same time promoting the very practices that attack the dignity of the women we wish to show our appreciation for. 

Now there are many other evils in our society that are detrimental to women. But I want to focus on one in particular because it is quietly causing incredible damage. It is devastating to all people but it is harming women most deeply. Therefore, on this Day dedicated to moms and women, let’s honor them by considering what we can do make things better.

The evil that I want to approach is also the most difficult because it is considered a good thing by many. It is thought to be off-limits, something the Church shouldn’t talk about. It has been hailed as the liberation of women, the thing that levels the playing field against men. It was seen as the solution for many domestic problems and a new beginning for every female. It would give her control and power, she could be in charge without being subjected to men. This evil is found in the panacea known as artificial contraception. 

Since its introduction in the pill more than 50 years ago, artificial contraception has been touted as the answer to so many problems that plague modern women. It was supposed to improve marriage, marital intimacy, free women from the natural rhythm of their bodies. It promises many good things, it looks so perfect, and yet there continues to be a deep spiritual sadness and the nagging emptiness of being used.  

Why is it that our society has encouraged women to embrace contraception, which attacks the feminine nature or “feminine genius” as St. John Paul II called it? Why is it that so many women have accepted birth control as something that will make them happy, give them control, and make them equal with men? Yet, how often the very opposite comes true. More and more, women are seen as objects for men’s pleasure; things to be had on a whim without consideration for the woman or her body. The very thing that was supposed to empower women has led countless women to be used and hurt. The hallmarks of femininity, such as the reception of new life, a nurturing spirit, and quiet gentleness are being replaced by anger, bitterness, and domination. 

If there is one thing I want every woman, single or married, young or old, to hear, it is this: you deserve better! You deserve the respect of others! You deserve the respect of men for whom you are a daughter of God, a sister in Christ, or a beloved spouse. This respect should be given freely, not based on the pleasure you provide or the ways you measure up against worldly expectations. You deserve to hear from the Church and from a priest, that artificial contraception is a moral evil, it is lie that will only bring sadness, emptiness, and pain. 

As a woman you share the privilege of bringing new life into being. Allow this truth to take root in your life and don’t be afraid to respect yourself enough to demand this dignity from others. As men, we need to honor and cherish women as God created them. As a Church we need to support men and women in bringing forth new life and growing in mutual love and respect. This will strengthen marriages, fortify families, and build up society. On this Mother’s day, let us be thankful for the incredible gift of woman and motherhood, and may we honor and respect them in every situation.

5th Sunday of Easter, Cycle B

There is something wonderful about having a garden and learning the process of farming, even if on a very small scale. I don’t know if it is the smell of the soil, the excitement of seeing little sprouts emerging from the earth, or the satisfaction of eating food that you have cultivated and cared for, but it is thoroughly and uniquely human. It is also something which can be extremely difficult and frustrating.

For these reasons, it is hard to think of a better image to describe the Christian life and our relation to God, than the one Jesus chooses today: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” Anyone who has grown any sort of plant which bears fruit knows exactly what Jesus is saying and what the relation of the branches are to the vine. It reminds us that we die spiritually, that we are incapable of producing fruit, when we are not attached to the vine, or when we are not connected to the roots which nourish us. It also reminds us that when we are attached, the fruit that we produce - the prosperity of the land itself, comes to us naturally, as a gift of God. The gardener does the work and the vine he plants carries the sap and all its nutrition to us, and we, because we are in the right place, prosper and produce for the world the fruit that it needs.

All of us want to do good things, we want to produce good fruit, but many of us - in trying to do good things, often end up feeling burned out, exhausted, resentful, and even despairing. Yet there are others - others who do as much if not more, others who are full of hope and of life, full of care and love for their neighbors and their world, who never seem to fall victim to this plague, but rather go and on, helping those around them by what they do.

How does this happen? Where do they get the energy to continue doing good when others say enough is enough? I think it is because they are connected to the source of hope, to the source of life, to the source of care and love, for their neighbors and their world. All these things are things that God wants us to do, they are part of what Jesus calls the fruit of being in him.

In a plant, fruit is the excess, the overflow of the life that it has taken into itself. The more life a plant takes into itself, the more life it produces. When there is an abundance of sunshine to fuel photosynthesis, and when there is enough water and nutrients in the soil to be passed up the trunk and into the branches, those branches thrive, and grow, and produce, and grow again. The plant and its branches don't have to force themselves to grow, they do not have to make a resolution to bring forth sweeter fruit, nor do they need to remind themselves to be more abundant in their production.

They simply need to be in the place the gardener has prepared, the place where the conditions for growth and fruit-bearing are found. For us the right place to be is in the vine that has been planted by God and which is tended by God - the vine which we call Christ.

Friends, each one of us here are part of the vine of Christ. We are able to produce tremendous quantities of fruit, conditions are perfect for our growth ——because God himself tends us and ensures those conditions are perfect. All we need do to be fruitful is remain a part of the vine, and perform the simple tasks that every branch performs as a means of maintaining a fruitful life in the vine.

Basically there are only two tasks we need to do, just as there are only two tasks that a branch in a vine does.

First - the branch, through its twigs and leaves, receives energy from the sun to fuel its growth.  The leaves, by the miraculous process of photosynthesis, convert light into plant energy which helps to drive the system that produces fruit as its end result. So we too receive energy when we unfold ourselves before God and accept from him the light he offers to us in his Word, both the written word of scripture, and the living word of Jesus Christ.

Secondly - the branch, through its connections to the stem of the plant, receives moisture and nutrients from the soil, it receives the life-giving sap that makes its grow. In the same way we need to be exposed to the word of God, to the sacraments, to the daily graces of prayer, and the many other spiritual nutrients that the Church offers us. We need daily contact with these good things so that we might draw from them the strength and energy we need.

When we do these two things, we become like any healthy plant, which tracks the sun as it moves through the sky. They focus on it, they lean towards its light and turn wherever it is. If we abide in Christ, as branches on the vine, we begin to track the Son of God - when we lean out to receive God's word, when we absorb his words like the plant absorbs the sunlight, then we will have all that we need to get through each and every day. And not only get through the day but also produce good, holy, life-giving spiritual fruit for those around us.

There is indeed profound wisdom in the words of Jesus: “I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remain in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.” Take a moment this week to go outside and look around at the trees and plants that are beginning their cycle of growth once again. God is a good gardener and what he plants and tends is tremendously fertile, incredibly productive.

God has planted the Vine called Christ in our midst, and when we are willing, he grafts us into that vine, and provides to us all things necessary for growth. All we have to do is remain a part of the vine and then we will produce fruit pleasing to Him and good for us and our world. 

Praise be to God, our King, our Gardener, our life-giving Vine. Amen.

4th Sunday of Easter (Good Shepherd Sunday)

            In today’s gospel, we hear Jesus talk about his role as a shepherd, not of sheep but of his faithful followers. For this reason, the Church has traditionally named this Sunday, “Good Shepherd Sunday.” For many generations of Christians, this image of the good shepherd has brought great comfort and consolation. But for those of us who are urban dwellers, and I assume that is most of us, we might not appreciate the full power of this pastoral image until we understand the role of the shepherd in the ancient world, during the time of Jesus.

In the Middle-East, when Jesus was preaching, shepherding was quite different than it is now. Most shepherds who tended their sheep kept them for many, many years for the wool they produced and did not slaughter them for meat. Shepherds led their animals - they did not drive them from behind, and they stayed with their flock both by day and by night, often putting them in a cave at night and blocking the entrance from hungry predators and thieves using their very own body. A shepherd also had a staff with hook on one end which he used for two reasons: to protect the sheep from wild animals and retrieve them from dangerous situations by putting that hook around the animal's body and dragging it to safety. The shepherd went ahead of his sheep to find safe, nourishing places of pasture and every waking hour was spent caring for them.

Because they kept their animals for many years, they came to know them very well and the sheep in turn knew and trusted them. As a matter of fact, most shepherds would name their sheep and all shepherds had a certain call or song the sheep knew. This call or song was the crucial bond between sheep and shepherd; Oftentimes, because places of pasture and shelter could be scarce and hard to find, several flocks might mix together while feeding or sleeping for the night. However, when it was time to sort out the sheep, one of the shepherds would stand some distance away from the group and make the particular call, which his sheep knew. As the sheep of his flock heard him, they would run to him, leaving behind the other shepherd with his sheep who refused to come to the first shepherd because they did not know his voice.

This then was the relationship that existed between sheep and shepherd. The shepherd was devoted entirely to the care, comfort, and protection of his sheep and the sheep were completely obedient to shepherd trusting in him for all of their needs. With this background information, we begin to truly appreciate the power of Jesus’ statement when he states: “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.”

 These wonderful, beautiful words spoken by our Lord should give us great comfort. We need to remember that God, like a shepherd, helps his sheep; he helps us. There is nothing we need to do to deserve that help. Because of Christ’s immeasurable love, it is always there for us. It was won for us on the cross of Jesus, and secured for us forever by his resurrection.

Like a good shepherd, God watches over and protects his flock. When we cry out, he comes to us, when we search for him, he is there to assist us, and when we are in danger, he is there to protect us. But the most marvelous thing of all is this: when we wander off and stray away from him, he seeks us out and calls us back to him. Through the Eucharist and the other sacraments he continues to nourishes and bring us back to the safety and the comfort of his fold.

It is so easy to get lost in our world, to run around doing all the things that must be done, losing track of where we are, and where we should be. It is so easy to be busy, that we get tired, discouraged, and find ourselves hungering for peace, but not knowing how we can find it. It is so easy to stray from the Lord’s voice and end up in need of help. Far too often you and I spend too much time wandering around, unaware that we are lost, hungry, and without the Shepherd. When we finally realize our need for his helping hand, when we realize that we cannot see the shepherd, and we cannot see the other members of our fold, then we need to call out to him. We know the good shepherd is looking out for us at all times, and when he hears our cry for help he will find us in our hour of need.

It is so important for us to allow ourselves time to be still. Stop doing things for a moment. Stop and listen for that comforting and life-giving voice of our divine shepherd. He will lead us to a place of peace, spiritual nourishment, and life, where our souls can be refreshed. This beautiful church is such a place. God has led you here today, and here at this Mass there is food for your journey, here there is water to refresh your soul, here you will find what your soul needs: a time of rest, a time of strengthening, a time of healing, in the presence of the Lord and his people.

Now I know this is a very busy time for all of us: this is the season of weddings, graduations, confirmations, ordinations, installations, first communions, exams, baseball, and so many other things. Yes, it is a busy time for many of us, and much, if not all, of what we are doing needs to be done. But these times of activity will not drain or discourage us if we stay close to Christ, our good shepherd, and remember that he is here to comfort, nourish, and restore our souls.

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 you are and will answer your call... He knows each one 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 follow him and trust in his care.

3rd Sunday of Easter

"Peace be with you." These four words were spoken by Jesus as he appeared to his apostles and followers after the resurrection. As today's gospel tells us, when they first saw Jesus they were afraid; they thought he was a ghost. So he tells them, "Peace be with you." I love these comforting words that Christ utters but they are somewhat surprising. Surprising because it seems like he should have scolded the apostles for abandoning him in his hour of need. It would have made a lot more sense for Jesus to take them to task for forgetting everything he had taught them. To reprimand them for their fear and unbelief which led them to hide in a locked room somewhere in Jerusalem. That would have made sense and I am pretty sure that is what I would have done if I were in the Lord's shoes. But instead he says "Peace be with you."

            Growing up, as the oldest of fourteen children, I learned to value peace a great deal. The reason of course, was that it was a rare commodity. Having ten girls and four boys in a small, crowded house meant there was no shortage of conflict between siblings. Peace was something that my parents, and even us kids really enjoyed, even if it was rare. Peace meant that everything was in order, that everyone was behaving respectfully, and that people's priorities were in order.

            Without a doubt, Jesus' favorite word after his resurrection is "peace." It is almost always the first word on his lips when he appears to his apostles. But this divine peace was not just meant for the apostles and friends who Jesus visited after his resurrection. No. Jesus wants all of us to experience peace. Today at this Mass and at each Mass that is celebrated, we hear these same words, spoken to us in the here-and-now of our lives. Right before we receive the Eucharist the I will say: "Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you.” Christ's peace is the antidote to most problems of modern society: stress, discouragement, anger, competition, and anxiety. We have all been affected by these problems. As our friendship with the resurrected Lord grows deeper, we are gradually healed of those problems, because he brings us his three-fold peace.

            First, peace for our mind. When we look at his wounds, which he still bears in his glorified body, we know that his forgiveness is everlasting; once he forgives our sins, we are truly forgiven; our conscience can be at rest. Second, peace for our heart. When we see the spike marks in his hands and feet, we know that we are loved with an undying, unconditional, personal, determined love - Christ's love. Third, peace for our soul. Christ is alive, and he is ruling and expanding an everlasting Kingdom, and he has invited each one of us to help him by building up the Church. We have work to do that matters. We have work to do that is worthwhile and will satisfy our thirst for a meaningful life. The peace of the resurrected Christ is what we really need in our lives.

           We all want to experience this peace more deeply - peace of mind, peace of heart, and peace of soul. Christ wants the same thing for us - that's why he suffered, died, and rose from the dead. But if peace is what we want, why do we still find ourselves so easily overrun by stress, discouragement, anger, competition, and anxiety? Many obstacles can block the flow of Christ's peace in our lives; the most obvious obstacle is sin. Sometimes we fall into sin out of weakness. Those falls are easy to confess and repent of. But other times we allow subtle habits of sin to take root in our lives. For example, we refuse to accept some part of Church teaching on faith or morals - like Christ's real presence in the Eucharist, abortion, or artificial contraception. Sure, we find plenty of reasons to justify this resistance - all the arguments we hear on the news or prevailing popular opinion. But in reality, to reject official Church teaching on these issues and others is to reject Christ's saving truth. Subtle habits of sin can also take other forms; like slacking off in our personal responsibilities - doing just enough to get by, but not really giving our best; or wasting inordinate amounts of time on hobbies, entertainment, or gossip.

But I believe, in our day, one of the greatest dangers to our souls is our mouth. St John reminds us in today's Second Reading that unless we are following Christ's commandments, God's truth cannot take root in our souls. And Christ's main commandment was that we love our neighbors as ourselves. Far too often we break that commandment with our words. Our mass media culture encourages us to be careless with what we say - whether face to face, with cell phones, or through email, texting, or tweeting. Since our newscasters and bloggers spend much of their time judging and criticizing people, our popular culture has come to accept that as normal.

            But while this behavior may be normal in our society, it is not acceptable for those who call themselves Christians. We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves, and our neighbors include politicians, clergy, movie stars, relatives or the person one office over. And that means we should not go around talking carelessly about their struggles, failings, faults, and sins. We certainly wouldn't want someone to do that to us! As Christians, we are called to a higher standard.

            We all desire peace; in our hearts, in our homes, and in our world. Even though the goal of promoting and attaining peace on earth may seem impossible in today's society, it is not beyond the power of God's grace. We must pray for this grace and make use of it to fix ourselves first. Each and every one of us in Church today must work to eliminate sin and hypocrisy from our own lives so that we can experience that same peace offered to the apostles by the risen Christ.  Once we have felt that peace and lived it, then we can share it with others. Unlock those parts of your hearts that are closed to Christ through sin and indifference and allow yourself to hear those beautiful words of the gospel today, "Peace be with you."

Easter Sunday

I saw a short movie this weekend which was produced in the Czech Republic. It is called “Most”, which means bridge in Czech and is based on the true story of John Griffith, a young man in his prime during the 1920’s. He was newly married and full of optimism. Along with his lovely wife, he had been blessed with a beautiful baby. He was living the American dream. But then came 1929—the Great Depression, which devastated the American economy and John’s ambitions. In order to care for his young family, he was forced take a low-paying job operating one of the massive railroad bridges spanning the Mississippi River.

Each day, John would sit at the controls of the drawbridge and make sure the bridge was raised for river traffic, like barges and steamboats. He would lower bridge for the many trains that would cross on their exact schedules, carrying freight and passengers. This sort of monotonous job would have been meaningless and unfulfilling if it wasn’t serving a greater purpose.

This greater purpose was providing for John’s family, especially his eight year-old son, Greg. The pain of the Great Depression was slowly starting to fade and now the hope of a new life, a life in which his young son, would someday work alongside him, was something that helped him make it through the boredom of his work. One day, John invited his son to spend a day with him, working on the bridge. Greg looked on in wide-eyed amazement as his Dad pressed down the huge lever that raised and lowered the vast bridge. He marveled that his Dad could so easily control the movements of such an incredible structure.

Before they knew it, it was time for lunch. They crossed over the catwalks onto the observation deck of the bridge and ate lunch. Greg’s father was telling him all sorts of exciting stories about the trains and ships that passed by every day. 

Suddenly a train whistle destroyed the peace of the moment. John had lost track of time and had to hurry to lower the bridge for the train to pass safely. He told his son to stay put on the catwalk while he set the bridge in motion. As long as Greg stayed where he was, he was safe. When John reached the control room he checked the river for any ships and looked down one more time at the catwalk, expecting to see Greg right where he had left him. 

But something had gone terribly wrong. Instead of staying where his father told him, Greg had tried to follow his father back to the control room. Along the way he had fallen off the catwalk and into the mechanism that moved the bridge. He could not free himself without help, and John could not get to him and return to control room in time to lower the bridge. 

This was a terrible quandary: either save his injured son from the mechanical teeth of the bridge or sacrifice his son to save 400 people on a train that was flying towards a raised bridge, oblivious to this awful situation. After looking at his son, then the incoming train, then back to his son and then the train, John made the heartbreaking choice to save the 400 on the train. He pulled the lever and the bridge lowered, taking the life of his beloved son. John’s anguish intensified as the train passed the control room and he saw the passengers laughing, napping, oblivious to his loss the sacrifice of his son Greg. Almost more painful than his son’s death was the thought that, for many on the train, this ultimate sacrifice would be unknown and meaningless.   

We have just finished seven intense days, Holy Week we call it, in which the most profound sacrifice, that of the Divine Father and His Divine Son, took place. We have just relived the betrayal of Jesus on Wednesday, the Last Supper and agony in the garden on Thursday, the horrific and brutal death on Friday, the stillness, emptiness and grieving on Saturday. But then the lifeless Son rose anew on Sunday, the one we call Easter, the one that has brought us here today in all of our finery, because we are spiritually rejoicing over the opportunity for the newness of life. We are all, or at least should be, grateful because Jesus,,,, who bore our infirmities, demonstrates that death is no longer the final word. This is the gospel, the good news indeed, and alleluia is the only response. This celebration, which began with the Easter vigil last night, will continue unbroken for the next fifty days, as we try to absorb a life-changing truth: death has been defeated, sin has lost its sting, Jesus’ grave is now empty.

  

The price of this victory wasn’t cheap. It cost a father his son; as a matter of fact, it cost our heavenly Father his Perfect Son! As we gather today on this Easter Sunday and every day of this Easter season, we should thank Him for allowing His only begotten Son to become man, to suffer and to die for our sins. We should adore Him for the new life we have, that the despair of death and grave has now been transformed by the power of Christ’s resurrection. 

This truth should change our lives! Humanity no longer has to be defined by its limits and failings. You and I are now adopted sons and daughters of God. We are meant to live forever with our Heavenly Father in heaven. Death is no longer the end; it is the beginning of eternal life for those who believe in Christ.This is the truth proclaimed by Easter, this is the good news we celebrate this morning and every Sunday throughout the year. We are free, we are alive, we have been given a divine power over sin and death.

So let us celebrate this divine life. Let’s not be oblivious to the Father’s sacrifice! Do not allow this supreme act of love be meaningless or forgotten! May we allow it to transform our daily living, making us live not for ourselves or the things of this world but rather for others and for God. Let us set aside our sinful ways and never forget that before time began, a father looked at his only begotten Son and knew that he would have to die so all might live. Don’t let a day go by without thanking God for this Easter gift. Amen, Alleluia.