4th Sunday of Lent, Year C – Homily

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4th Sunday of Lent, Year C
Joshua 5:9a, 10-12
Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 (8a)
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
March 27, 2022

The Israelites had been through much.  Now under the leadership of Joshua, they have crossed the Jordan into the land in which the Lord had given them.

They had been slaves in Egypt until the Lord set them free.  God parted the waters of the Red Sea as He led them out from slavery to freedom.  Their passing through the waters of the Red Sea foreshadows the new life that God gives us in Baptism as He sets us free from slavery to sin.

As we struggle to trust God, the Israelites struggled when they had no food or water.  God provided.  He sent down the manna to fed them, not just once but the entire time they spent in the desert. 

Now they have entered the land God is giving them.  They celebrated the same Passover that they had been celebrating annually as a memorial, a perpetual institution since the first Passover.  Then, they eat the produce of the land of which they have entered.  God no longer sends down the manna.  God provides food through the land they have entered.

Rescued from slavery, they became a new people.  In Christ, we become a new creation.  When we commit mortal sin, we break our relationship with God.  We are reconciled through Christ as He gives his life on the Cross.

Receiving forgiveness ourselves, we are to share God’s message of reconciliation.  We are to be “ambassadors for Christ” as we share the good news that Jesus has given his life so that our sins might be forgiven.

In today’s gospel, we hear the parable of the prodigal son.  It is a familiar parable for many.  The message it offers is how eager God is to forgive us.

It starts with the Pharisees and scribes complaining that Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners.  In older times, the Israelites had been taught not to associate with sinners who would pull them into sin.  However, that does not mean forgiveness is not possible.  Jesus comes to rescue us from sin.  We must avoid sin but we are also called to do what we can to bring forgiveness to others.

Generally, most people’s thoughts on this parable focus on the father and the younger son.  The older son is forgotten.  In this understanding, we see God as the forgiving father and ourselves as the younger son who lives a life of sin.  Let’s try and go a little deeper.

The younger son goes to the father and asks for his inheritance.  This is not simply a son asking a father for some money to start a new business or take a vacation.  The younger son is essentially divorcing himself from his father and abandons his family.

Just as God allows us to make our own choices, even if they are bad choices, the father gives the son his inheritance and allows him to leave.

The younger son goes off.  He does not act wisely.  He could have planned ahead in how he spent the money.  He does not.  He squanders it on “a life of dissipation” until “he found himself in dire need.”  How often might we choose to sin without ever thinking of the long-term consequences?

When he finds himself in “dire need,” he comes to his senses and returns home.  He does not expect forgiveness.  He only hopes for a decent job.

What he does not realize is how eager the father is for his return.  As soon as the father sees his son “a long way off,” the father “was filled with compassion.  He ran to his son and embraced him.”  This is God’s response when we repent of our sins.  From the grace offered in Jesus’ death on the Cross for us, when we confess our sins, God puts the “finest robe” on us as we are clothed in Christ. 

When we commit mortal sin, we suffer “death”.  This death is separation from God.  God restores our life when we return with a contrite and repentant heart. 

Yes, we may see something of ourselves in the younger son and his life of sin.  However, we could also choose to be like the father, forgiving others who have wronged us.  We can let go of the hurt and forgive them (for more on forgiveness see my recent webinar at www.renewaloffaith.org/healing2 ).

That’s two of the people in the story.  We might also see something in ourselves of the older son.

The older son had tried to do everything his father asked of him.  However, he was not forgiving of his brother like their father was.  In fact, “He became angry” when he learned their father had welcomed his brother back.  He had no forgiveness in him.

He even “refused to enter the house.”

Did the father reject him?  No, just as the father was “filled with compassion” for his younger son, so too the father “came out and pleaded” with the older son to come in.

Maybe there is someone you do not want to forgive.  Are you jealous of them just as the older son was jealous of his brother for the celebration the father had when he returned?

Forgiveness is not easy.  That’s why we need grace to forgive.  As we ask for forgiveness for our own sins, we ask for the grace to forgive those who trespass against us.

Video – Finding Peace and Healing in a Troubled World Part II

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Last night I offered Part II in my series of webinars, Finding Peace and Healing in a Troubled World. In this webinar the focus is on our forgiveness. We need to forgive others and we need to be forgiven. I also talk about how people sometimes struggle to feel forgiven. You can see the video and slides at www.renewaloffaith.org/healing2.

If you watch the video in the next couple of days, you can complete an online evaluation at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfStIhj8BrHLc7-LGRDBRjPzanxB2EAadnORKvjC4whrozysA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Registration is now open for the third and final part in this series on April 7th at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0uw-tQBtRJuxqhsXdYq0Cg

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

What Do You Want from Jesus?

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What do you want from Jesus?

Do you come to Mass on Sunday looking for an hour of peace? Mass should bring us “peace” but not simply as an escape from everything else going on in our lives. In faith, we should seek a peace that transcends a moment in time. The peace that God offers is to be in relationship with him and to know that He is always with us.

Do you come to Mass on Sunday looking for something that makes you “feel good” for the hour you are there? Our presence and participation at Mass should help lead us to a deeper joy. The message may be hard to hear in the moment. It may be challenging but the Lord is leading us to something better that lasts for more than one hour on Sunday.

Do you come to Jesus looking for an “easy life”? After all, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Life is easier with Jesus in it but that doesn’t mean life with Jesus is without suffering. Sometimes suffering is exactly what draws us to Jesus.

Yes, in the above passage Jesus says “For my yoke is easy, my burden light.” However we must remember He also says, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Just as Jesus took up his Cross to save us, we must be willing to take up our cross to follow him. In accepting our cross we are uniting our sufferings to his. It is only in taking up our cross that we give it to Jesus.

What do I want from Jesus?

Life.

I don’t simply want an easy physical life in this world. The Lord offers us much more than we see in this world. In Isaiah 25:7 we read, “On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, The web that is woven over all nations. He will destroy death forever.” If we see this world as all that there is, death becomes a veil that hides eternal life in Heaven. Death is the veil that keeps us from seeing what we are created for.

Jesus tells us “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:24). Do you cling to your life in this world or are you willing to let go of earthly things to find the life that the Lord offers us?

What must we do to have the life that Jesus offers? Jesus gives us the answer in his Bread of Life Discourse (John 6) when He says, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you” (John 6:53). It is the flesh and blood of Jesus that we receive in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. It is the source in the grace we receive in the Body and Blood of Jesus. It is the summit in that it is the greatest thing we celebrate.

When we come to Mass, we receive Jesus in the Eucharist. Yet, our participation at Mass is more than just receiving the Body of Christ. We begin with readings from the Bible to us know and understand how God calls us to live. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we are celebrating the sacrifice that Jesus made when He gave up his body and shed his blood for us. We need this every week. (For more the Mass, see my three-part series, Uncovering the Treasures of the Mass).

From hearing God’s Word and celebrating Jesus’ sacrifice in the Eucharist, we are then called to “Go in peace glorifying the Lord by your lives.” We are called to go out in the world, led by the Holy Spirit, praising God with works of mercy and sharing our faith, living our faith as Jesus has taught us. (For more on the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, see my presentation, The Journey to Jesus: Acts of Mercy).

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

The 3rd Sunday of Lent, Year C

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Since I am not preaching this Sunday, rather than offer a “homily” here today, I would like to offer brief thoughts on the meaning behind some of the verses in the readings today (Third Sunday of Lent Year C) , how they relate to other passages in the Bible, and who God is to us.

From the first reading

“Moses was tending the flock…Leading the flock“
Having fled from Egypt, Moses became a shepherd. The flock he cared for was a flock of sheep. He cares for them and they follow him, trusting him to lead them to fertile ground with food to eat and water to drink. This is his job. God takes what Moses did for a job and turns it into a vocation, a calling from God. Moses’ future did not lay in shepherding sheep. God called Moses to become a shepherd of people. God called Moses to lead his people from slavery in Egypt to the promised land. (This parallels how Peter, Andrew, James, and John were fishermen whom God would call to be “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17).

“He came to Horeb, the mountain of God“
Horeb is traditionally understood to be the same mountain as Mount Sinai where Moses would lead the people after they crossed the Red Sea. Mount Sinai is the place where God established a covenant that included the Ten Commandments with his people.

“Though on fire, was not consumed…and see why the bush is not burned“
Moses saw the “fire flaming out of a bush.” This might seem insignificant except that the bush was not being consumed by the fire. This is no ordinary fire. It is God becoming present to Moses. One can think here of God coming down to light on fire the sacrifice of Elijah in his battle with the false prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18 or the fire of the Holy Spirit coming down on the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-5). We do not how the bush was not burned. It remains a “mystery” except to know that it was God.

“The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob“
Why does God identify himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Moses is in a foreign land. In the polytheistic culture of the time, gods were seen as being god only in a limited area. If one moved, one would change the god(s) they worshipped. When a new king came, the people would change to worship whatever god(s) the new king dictated. This is not so with the one true God. The God that Moses sees in the burning bush is the same God that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob worshipped wherever they lived. Over 400 years had passed since the death of Jacob. However, the Israelites still worshipped the same God. We worship the same God today.

“I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry”
Our God is not one who creates and then walks away. Our God is not one who ignores his people. Even today, just as God witnessed the affliction of the Israelites in Egypt, God is with us in our affliction. God even carries us in the most difficult moments. When we cry out in need, God is listening. We trust him to answer in accord with his will.

“And lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Where is the land that God has prepared for us? Jesus prepares a place in his Father’s house for all who believe in him as “the way and the truth and the life” (see John 14:1-6). God has a place for you in Heaven.

“What is his name?“
When Moses said the people will ask the name of the god who sent him to them, it is not just a matter of knowing his name to know what to call him. To know the name of a person is to know who they are. To know God’s name is to be in relationship with him. As Christians, when we hear “God” spoken, we think of our God who loves us so much to send his Son Jesus to die for us on the Cross (see John 15:13).

From the second reading

“And all passed through the sea, and all of them were baptized into Moses.“
When God parted the waters of the Red Sea, the Israelites crossed from slavery to freedom. They began a new life. We begin a new life when we are baptized. We move from slavery to sin to freedom with Christ. We begin a journey to eternal life.

“All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink“
God gave the Israelites the manna as bread from Heaven (see Exodus 16:4). Jesus is the true bread from Heaven (see John 6:31-32).

“Do not grumble as some of them did…they have been written down as a warning to us“
We are not to grumble as the Israelites did at times in the desert. The stories of their grumbling were written down to warn us to not grumble and be punished (for example see Numbers 21:4-9). However, remember, God hears our cry. He wants us to pray to him for our needs. We pray with trust.

From the gospel reading

“But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!“
Jesus says this today not once but twice. The reality is we do sin at times. What are we to do when we have sinned. Repent! Do you then later sin again? Then, repent! God does not want us to perish! If God wanted us to perish He would not have sent Jesus to die for us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16-17).

“When he came in search of fruit on it but found none“
God wants us to bear good fruit from the graces that He has given us. When we do not bear fruit, God does not rush to cut us down. God gives us another chance, hoping that we “bear fruit in the future.“

God has done much for his people. God does much for us because He loves us.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Finding Forgiveness

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Following Part I in my new series of presentations, Finding Peace and Healing in a Troubled World, I was asked about the following. As Catholics, we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation to receive God’s forgiveness, Since Protestants and other religions do not, it would seem they must carry their sins throughout their lives on earth hoping they are forgiven.

First, I would like to offer a clarification. The Episcopal Church does have seven sacraments, including a sacrament of reconciliation. From what I am told, it is not often used but they do have it as an option as part of their beliefs. I do not know if any other Protestant denominations or non-Christian have anything paralleling confession as a formal ritual.

So, what do Protestants do for forgiveness? It is my understanding that Protestants have at least two perspectives on the forgiveness of sins. (Please note that I have not studied this in any formal way so I speak only in very general terms.) In the first perspective, in accepting Jesus Christ as one’s Lord and Savior, one’s sins are completely “covered” up. Jesus died for their sins and they will be forgiven. In faith, they trust in God’s forgiveness, knowing that Jesus died for them. In this perspective, I don’t think there is any ritual for forgiveness (beyond what is included in their understanding of baptism). It is a matter of faith.

In the second perspective, Protestants say they confess their sins directly to God. They believe there is no need for a human intermediary. Forgiveness comes from God alone. As I said in Part I of my current series, Finding Peace and Healing in a Troubled World, the Old Testament understanding was that God alone forgives sins. However, in Matthew 9:1-8, Jesus teaches us that He has the power to forgive sins (cf. Mark 2:1-12). Then, in John 20:23, Jesus gives this power to the Apostles. Why does Jesus give the power to forgive sins to priests today? Because He knows that in our humanness, we need a tangible way to experience receiving the forgiveness.

For Protestants who confess their sins directly to God, it is a matter of faith. I leave this in God’s hands.

The person who offered the comment about Protestants carrying their guilt with them also asked about Catholics who do not go to confession. I think there at least a couple of perspectives to consider here.

First, there are Catholics who do not practice their faith and, hence, do not go to confession. The issue here really is not practicing their faith. So, this is beyond the scope of this article.

Secondly, there are Catholics who think going to Mass is enough. Regarding the forgiveness of sins, in our participation in celebrating the Eucharist, we are celebrating the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. In our celebration of the Eucharist, our venial sins are forgiven. Here one can reflect on the meaning of the Penitential Rite at the beginning of Mass (Lord have mercy…) and the prayer just before Communion, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” However, if one has committed mortal sin, one needs to go the Sacrament of Reconciliation before receiving Communion.

For mortal sin, there are Catholics who say that they confess their sins directly to God. I think some people do this not understanding what the Catholic Church teaches and what is offered in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. They do not mean to reject church teaching. They simply do not have a proper understanding. We leave them to the mercy of God.

For those who more consciously reject the idea of confessing their sins to a priest, I suspect their belief is not in defiance of church teaching. It is still rooted in an incomplete understanding of the Sacraments. In both of these cases, we need to pray for the people to open their hearts and receive teaching to help them understand what our faith teaches.

While perhaps not in the scope of the person’s question, I feel it appropriate to mention here Catholics who regularly practice their faith but do not go to Confession because they believe they have committed no sins. We pray that this be true. However, I think many have lost the sense of what sin is. Pre-Vatican many Catholics went to confession at least monthly, if not weekly. Those who didn’t go to Confession regularly, didn’t receive Communion. With the Second Vatican Council, the pendulum swung. Unfortunately it swung too far and now many people seldom go, if at all, because they see very little as mortal sin. So, they don’t think about it. I offer the same advice to them that I offer to anyone who asks how often they should go to Confession. You should regularly examine your conscience for sins. Ask God to help you see “wooden beam” in your own eye (see Luke 6:42). If you find you have committed sin, then go to confession. (You can find a printable Examination of Conscience on my website at http://nebula.wsimg.com/1f230be8589f626f0a601a60e3944af6?AccessKeyId=F465FCE598BCE1CD661B&disposition=0&alloworigin=1.)

Lastly, I would like to briefly mention those who do truly seek God’s forgiveness but struggle to feel forgiven. Know that God loves you and eagerly forgives you when you ask. I will attempt to address why one might not feel forgiven in Part II in my series, Finding Peace and Healing in a Troubled World, on March 24th. You can register for this webinar at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XWi3eGc2T3-20MoxwqaY6w .

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

2nd Sunday of Lent, Year C – Homily

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2nd Sunday of Lent, Year C
Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18
Psalm 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14 (1a)
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Luke 9:28b-36
March 13, 2022

Peter, James, and John “saw his glory.”  Imagine getting to see Jesus transfigured into glory as we will see him in Heaven.  It was an incredible experience.

Seeing Jesus in his glory, Peter said, “Master, it is good that we are here.”  Indeed it was.  Peter was so overcome by the experience such that “he did not know what he was saying.”  He just knew it was incredible and did not want the experience to end.  Hence, his words, “let us make three tents.”  He wanted this to last.

As the Transfiguration ended, Peter, James, and John simply “fell silent.”  It was an experience that they did not yet know how to put into words.

Let’s reflect on what happened.  Jesus took them up on “the mountain to pray.”  Going up on the mountain symbolized getting closer to God.  Praying indicates dialogue with God.

Jesus’ face changing and his clothes becoming “dazzling white” are an image of his glory.

The presence of Moses signifies that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law that God delivered to his people through Moses.  Jesus does not come to abolish the Law but rather to fulfill it (see Matthew 5:17).

The presence of Elijah, one of the great prophets, symbolizes that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies of a Messiah.  Jesus is the one they have been waiting for.

The voice from the cloud confirms this, “This is my chosen Son, listen to him.”

We should also not lose sight of the fact that when Moses and Elijah appeared, they too “appeared in glory.”  As Paul writes, “He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body.”  In the Resurrection we will share in his glory.

We hear the story of Jesus’ Transfiguration every year on the Second Sunday of Lent.  Why?

Lent is a season of conversion.  Are we open to letting God change us?  Now, we won’t be transfigured to glory until the Resurrection but even now, God wants to work in us to help become what we are meant to be.

To change, we need grace.

We also need models to follow.  Here Paul writes, “Join with others in being imitators of me.  Paul is not boasting of how great he is.  He has strived to follow Jesus and thus serves as a model to follow.

Who do you follow as your model?

  •  Is it some sports star?
  •  Is it a politician?
  •  Is it a business leader?
  •  Is it a kind-hearted person?
  •  Is it a faithful practicing Catholic?

Do you seek to conform yourself to the world or to conform your life to Christ?  Do you see that our true “citizenship is in heaven”?

Do you remember how the story of the Transfiguration began?  “Jesus took Peter, John, and John and went up the mountain to pray.”  This was not the initiative of Peter, James, and/or John.  It happened on Jesus’ initiative.  Jesus was the one taking the lead.

Likewise, “the Lord God took Abram outside…”  It was God’s initiative.  Do you let the Lord take the lead in your life? 

Abraham did.  “Abram put his faith in the LORD who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.” 

Do you put your faith in the Lord?

We need conversion from sin and we need God’s help.  When we say an Act of Contrition, we say we firmly intend….to sin no more.  Do we do this on our one?  Not successfully.  We need help.

God will help.

That’s why we say, I firmly intend with the help of your grace to sin no more.  We need God’s help.

Are you open to God changing you?

Video – “Finding Peace and Healing in a Troubled World, Part I”

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I started my new series of presentations, Finding Peace and Healing in a Troubled World, last night with Part I. You can find the video recording and slides on my website at www.renewaloffaith.org/healing1.

If you watch the video, for the next few days you can complete an evaluation online at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSddXBSvh4witJHuxT-pdUJLsz5nHRSNMzcJySJuahfRnMcR6w/viewform?usp=sf_link.

Registration is now open for Part II at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XWi3eGc2T3-20MoxwqaY6w

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Forward or Backward?

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We are a full two years into the Coronavirus pandemic. Many of us have been worn out by the pandemic. We are tired of shutdowns, social distancing, and facemasks as well as the polarization over these. Presently, there is good news! The number of cases has dropped significantly. We give thanks for this and we continue to pray for an end to the pandemic. In the meantime, we pray for people to persevere in taking wise precautions when appropriate to mitigate the spread of the virus.

This brings me to a question I would like to pose as we look to move from pandemic to endemic. Do we want to go back to the way things were or do we want to find a new way forward?

Yes, we are tired of the pandemic. However, that doesn’t mean that we mean we should rush to go back to the way things were. Were things perfect before? Is it always better to back to the way things were? Isn’t this one of the arguments that has been discussed in the news as to why Russia has invaded the Ukraine? Apparently, Russia has said that since the Ukraine was once part of Russia, it should be again. We don’t always want to go back to the way things were.

To simply go back to the way things were also ignores the value of what has been learned through the pandemic. Unfortunately, it seems to me that the longer the pandemic goes on, the less we have learned. The more tired of the pandemic we become, the more we just want to go back to the way things were.

What have we learned from the pandemic? Whether we like the precautions of wearing facemasks and social distancing or not, we have learned that we can do it. We pray that we never again face such a health crisis but this pandemic has shown us we can do it. The pandemic also reminds us that the modern world is not immune to the pandemics of the past.

Hopefully, the pandemic has also brought new light to the simple things like hand sanitizing. Hand sanitizing is nothing new with the pandemic. However, how much did we do it before? My experience with hand sanitizing from a number of years ago was that it left my hands wet and sticky for a bit. So, I didn’t use them (I did wash my hands with soap and water). Through the pandemic, I have learned the sanitizers of today are better. Thus, I will continue to sanitize my hands when appropriate even after the pandemic.

I also think of how we have learned new ways to share the faith. Livestreaming of Masses was not new with the pandemic. However, it took on new life. Attending Mass in person is always preferred. In person we can receive Communion. We can more fully participate as part of the community. However, for those who are homebound, livestreaming connects them in ways they were not before.

I also learned how to do presentations via webinar (I have one this Thursday – here is the link to find out more – https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1xTGgPgoR6eSf-b7LPds5A). Again, webinars, as well as online meetings, were not created because of the pandemic but they can help us reach more people in effective ways. When I do a presentation in person, I reach people from one or two parishes. When I do a webinar, I have people attending from at least four different parishes and reaching people in seven counties. Some of these people would have to drive two hours to attend the presentation in person.

While some people have stopped going to church (we pray for them) during the pandemic and show no signs of returning, other people have found them faith made stronger during the pandemic? How is your faith?

It is no secret that opinions are divided on the pandemic. For instance, the issue of mask and vaccine mandates can be controversial. The Coronavirus has shown how polarized we can be. However, the pandemic did not cause the polarization. Unfortunately, we were already becoming polarized, without true dialogue. The pandemic just makes it more obvious. So, again, we shouldn’t want to just go back to the way things were. We pray that God helps us find the way forward. Yes, there are things where maybe we can go back to the way things were. On the other hand, we need to find new ways forward to reconcile the polarization. We need to find ways to deal with the issues behind rioting and protests.

Do I have all the answers?

No.

But I know who does. God. He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the Lord—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.” I have used this verse before and I will keep using it because I know God has a plan. It is an awesome plan. We ask God to help know what his plan is for us and that we may carry out our part as we pray thy will be done.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Living Our Faith in a Secular World

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Our first reading today is taken from the Book of Deuteronomy. The Israelites were preparing to cross into the promised land. It has been a long time since Jacob brought his family to Egypt in a time of drought. They lived there as an alien people. It was not home for them but over time they “became a nation, great, strong, and numerous.“

As “aliens”, they did not practice the same faith as the Egyptians. They kept their faith in the one true God. When Joseph came to Egypt, he gained a great status with the Pharaoh. So, when Jacob came with the rest of the family, the Israelites were treated very well.

That was a few centuries before Moses. By the time of Moses, the Egyptians had come to despise the Jews. The Egyptians “maltreated and oppressed” the Israelites. Thus, the Israelites “cried to the LORD” and He heard their cry and brought them out of Egypt to a “land flowing with milk and honey.“

Sometimes I feel like an “alien” in our world today. Western society was long rooted in Christianity. The period was known as “Christendom” for the place Christianity held in the morals and values of the people. Now,…now society has shifted away from our Christian values. The conflict between our Christian values and those of the secular world is becoming more like that of the Apostolic Age before Christianity was widely accepted (For more on this see my article reflecting on the book From Christendom to Apostolic Mission: Pastoral Strategies for an Apostolic Age. Bismark, ND: University of Mary Press. 2020.).

The struggle to live our faith in the 21st century world is not an easy one. We cry out to God for help. He will lead us home to a “land flowing with milk and honey” if we surrender the way we live our lives to him as we “bow down in his presence.“

It is difficult. We struggle against temptations that are prevalent in our society. Is it possible to succeed against temptation?

Jesus did.

Jesus faced the direct temptation of the devil. It was God’s will as Jesus “was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days.” In the desert Jesus “ate nothing.” Thus, by the end of the forty days Jesus was hungry. Who won’t be? The devil knows Jesus is hungry. The devil knows the power that Jesus has and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” It might seem natural for Jesus to turn the stone into bread. He is hungry. He will feed the great multitude. Why shouldn’t He use his power to feed himself? Because He knows that his Father did not give him this power to use for himself. Jesus knows there is something more as He says, “One does not live on bread alone.”

Do you use what God has given you for your own gain or in service to others?

The devil is not ready to give up. He continues to tempt Jesus by offering him “power and glory” if Jesus will worship him. Jesus is not interested in worldly power. Are you? Are you motivated by pride?

The devil continues with a third temptation. This time, the devil cites Scripture to speak of God’s promise to guard his people. Jesus responds with another verse, “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” How often do you run off and do whatever you want and then expect God to guard you? God does want to protect us. He gives us a guardian angel. Do we ever listen before we act?

Finding himself unsuccessful in tempting Jesus, the devil “departed from him for a time.” “For a time“…the devil will be back.

The devil repeatedly tempts us. The devil began with Adam and Eve and has been tempting people ever since. The devil does not show his face to us. Instead, he works through others. Relativism says you are free to do whatever you want. The devil loves this. The devil wants us to think it is okay to not go to church. The devil wants us to think that the Commandments are outdated. The devil is happy when we think he doesn’t exist so that we let our guard down.

It is not enough to say we believe in Jesus. As Paul writes to the Romans, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord AND believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

It is important to realize that Paul does not say that we simply need to “say” we believe. First, he uses the word “confess”, not “say.” The definition of “confess” here is to give evidence for what we are saying. Our actions need to show that we “believe” what we are saying. There, I turn to the second part of my quote from Paul, “and believe.” Believe is a verb. A verb signifies action. How does believing in Jesus shape your life? How does knowing that Jesus died for you shape your choices?

Today’s psalm calls us to acknowledge the name of Jesus. His name signifies who Jesus is for us (see Philippians 2:5-11).

Temptation is real. We cannot beat it on our own. We don’t have to for “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.“

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Some Preliminary Thoughts on the Situation in Ukraine

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In my homily this Sunday I included what is going on in the Ukraine as among the tribulations we face in the world today. Now I would like to offer some preliminary thoughts on Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. I stress what follows are my preliminary thoughts as it is still less than one week since Russia began the invasion.

I find it very difficult to make any sense of what is going on. However, it only seems appropriate to offer some thoughts on what is going on in the light of Catholic Just War Theory. You can find more information about just war theory in an article, “Just War Theory,” I wrote a few years ago on my website at http://www.renewaloffaith.org/just-war-theory.html (I also discuss Just War Theory as part of the fourth presentation in my series, Treating Life with Dignity and Love).

Now, I offer some preliminary thoughts, first on what Russia is doing. Then, I will reflect on how the world is and could choose to respond in light of Just War Theory. Please note that my references to “Russia” should not be taken as against all of the Russian people. It is the Russian leadership that I speak of here.

Russia’s Actions

The first criteria of Just War Theory is having a “just cause.” For today’s reflection I will include the fourth criteria, “right intention,” in unison with “just cause.” Honestly, I don’t understand why Russia is doing this. There seems to be two possible reasons. The first is that Putin seems to think that since the Ukraine was once part of what Russia had been under the U.S.S.R., it should also be now. This would seem to me to be based on a selfish interpretation of history based on power and pride. While this is one motive that the news has reported as spoken by Putin, it does not fit with the news reporting that Russia has said that once the Ukraine is demilitarized, that they will allow the Ukrainian people to decide their future.

The other positive motive for Russia might be concern for the people with Russian heritage that live in eastern Ukraine. Russia is correct in being concerned for them. The world should be concerned. However, I am not sure what evidence there is to prove those people are being attacked by Ukraine forces.

The next criteria of Just War Theory is “comparative justice.” For this criteria to apply, first there needs to be a wrong that has been done. Following what I have said above in regards to “just cause” and “right intention”, I am not sure there has been anything that Russia is responding to. Even if there is, the present invasion by Russia does not appear to a “proportionate response” (the fifth criteria) or “comparative” to the initial “wrong”. Rather, it seems to me that Russia is taken an offensive action, not defensive.

The third criteria of Just War Theory is “legitimate authority.” Does Russia have the authority to take this action unilaterally? This criteria was an important part of the discussion when we joined other countries in attacking in Iraq both in 1991 and 2003. Those who acted first built at least some consensus among nations that action was needed. To this day some would argue against what was done in Iraq. However, it was not a unilateral action by one country. Russia has not attempted to work with the rest of the world here. It has acted on its own.

The next criteria of “Just War Theory” is “probability of success.” Will Russia be successful? One cannot begin to answer that question without knowing what they consider success to be. If Russia’s idea of success is to take over Ukraine, they are alone in that.

The last criteria of “Just War Theory” is that it must be a last resort. Even if one agrees that Russia has a just cause/right intention in invading Ukraine, it does not seem that we are at the point of “last resort”. What efforts at diplomacy have they made? Have they tried to build a worldwide consensus? If they have, I have not heard of it.

The Response of the Rest of the World

Before considering the response of the rest of the world, I want to first say that Ukraine has a right to defend itself. Their response needs to a proportionate response” (for example, they should not seek to wipe out the entire Russia people) but they can defend themselves. Now for the rest of the world.

Again, we begin with the Just War criteria of “just cause”/”right intention”. The rest of the world responds with a just cause as long as it based on the good of the Ukraine people. It cannot be motivated by a desire to strike Russia for other motives. It cannot be motivated by any quest for power. It must be for the good of the Ukrainian people as children of God and as a sovereign nation.

Now, we look at the criteria of “comparative justice”/”proportionate response” in the response of the world. It is a fact that Russia has invaded Ukraine. That is undeniable. A clear example of an over-response would be to launch a nuclear attack against Russia. The response of the nations must not be greater than the force of Russia’s invasion.

Next, we consider the criteria of “legitimate authority.” As I already indicated, the Ukraine has a right, even a duty, to defend its people with a proportionate response. However, beyond that, it is not for any one nation to strike Russia for this. It must be a joint effort of the world together. We already some efforts in this area at the United Nations, among NATO allies, and the European Union. This is good. Still, the “right intention” remains the good of the Ukrainian people, not any of these groups acting in their own interest.

Then comes the criteria of the “probability of success” for the response of the world. For me this might be the hardest criteria to evaluate at this point. Certainly “success” is rooted in the good of the Ukrainian people. What is it going to take to do that remains very uncertain at this point in time.

That brings us to the last criteria in considering the response of the world. War must be a “last resort.” Have diplomatic options been exhausted? I don’t know how to respond to this question because it seems that Russia lacks a genuine openness to diplomatic dialogue. There is also the options of “sanctions.” Sanctions are only beginning at this point. How long we allow for sanctions against Russia to work before taking a next step? What would a next step even be? What options beside war are there?

We are in very difficult times. We face a great tribulation. We don’t have all the facts. We only know what is reported in the news. What can we do?

For the average person, I see two courses of actions. The first is to pray. Pray for the safety of the Ukrainian people and their leadership. Pray for the Russian leadership to seek a better path forward. Pray for all world leaders who are part of the response. Pray for everyone to have good information to determine future actions.

The second course of action for the average person to consider is the possible need for humanitarian aid. What will be the needs of the Ukrainian people? Will they need a new home? Will they need food, clothing, medicine, or other humanitarian aid? How might we be called to response to their need?

I end by repeating what I said at the beginning, these are only preliminary thoughts that I offer (thoughtful comments welcome). It is too soon to understand all that is going on. I don’t know if we will ever understand it. I do know we must pray to God “thy will be done.”

Peace,

Fr. Jeff