18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily

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18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15
Psalm 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54 (24b)
Ephesians 4:17, 20-24
John 6:24-35
August 5, 2018

Last week we hear from the Old Testament of when Elisha fed 100 people with 20 loaves.  This was a small miracle serving as a precursor to the huge miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 people with 5 loaves and two fish.  I spoke last week of how Jesus did this as a sign of God’s power at work in him and to draw the people to what was to come.

Today’s gospel passage happens the next day.  The crowds are following Jesus.  This is a good thing, but Jesus knows they are following because he filled their bellies with physical food rather than seeing the feeding as a sign.  Still, they are following him.  Jesus uses the opportunity to begin to move them from “food that perishes” to “the food that endures for eternal life.”

“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life.””  This is not the first time the Bible refers to God-given his people “bread”.  Our first reading is the story of when, shortly after God freed them from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites in the desert “grumbled against Moses” because they had no food to eat.

Of course, God provided for their needs, raining down “bread from heaven,” giving them “their daily portion.”  In the evening God gave them quail to eat and in the morning their “fill of bread.”

Today bread comes in many kinds.  There is white, wheat, rye, pumpernickel,… the list could go on.  Generally, we buy it in loaves that are already sliced at the store.  We also have bread in the form of rolls.  Maybe you have had fresh baked homemade bread.  All of these are recognizable to us as bread.

None of these was what the Israelites found in the morning.  What they saw “were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground.”    When they saw it they “asked one another, “What is this?” for they did not know what it was.”  Moses had to tell them this was the bread that God gave them.

 I think God gave them bread that looked different to help them realize this was not just ordinary bread but “bread from heaven.”

Going back to Jesus’ statement, “I am the bread of life,” while he begins this statement with “I am”, it is not a statement simply about who he is as what he does.  Bread is necessary for life.  Jesus gives us true life.

Jesus gives us life through the Eucharist we receive.  The bread that we receive in the Eucharist is both like ordinary bread and yet different.  It is like a lot of bread in its color.  It’s different in that it has no yeast and so it hasn’t risen.  The difference should help us realize that it is not simply physical food that we are partaking of.  It is the bread of life.

We will hear more about this “bread of life” in the next three weeks.  Before concluding for today, I just want to take one moment to go back to the first reading where the Lord speaks of giving them “their daily portion.”  In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray “give us this day our daily bread.”  We trust in Jesus to give us what we need each day as he feeds us with the “bread of life.”

 

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily

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17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
2 Kings 4:42-44
Psalm 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18 (16)
Ephesians 4:1-6
John 6:1-15
July 29, 2018

During the time Elisha served as a prophet of the Lord, there was a famine in the land.  So, food was scare.  A man brings twenty barley loaves and Elisha directs that it be given to the people.  The response?  “How can I set this before a hundred people?”

The response indicates it is too little to feed that a hundred people.  If you think about it, twenty loaves could be enough to give a hundred people something but not enough to fill their bellies.  Yet, “when they had eaten, there was some left over.”  Food was scarce but “The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.”

So, I would call this a small miracle.  Now, what we read about in the Old Testament prefigures what we read Jesus does in the gospels.  Elisha, with the grace of the Lord, fed a hundred people with twenty loaves.  Jesus feeds five thousand with just “five barley loaves and two fish.”  This is not a small miracle.  This is a huge miracle.

Why does Jesus do this?  Certainly, the crowd needed physical food to eat but is that all Jesus is about?  No!  We are told that “a large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.”

Hearing the miracles referred to as “signs” tells us they are meant to point to something more.  Jesus doesn’t just feed five thousand people and leave.  He does it in a way to make sure people realize there is something greater going on here.

So, before Jesus feeds them he says “to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”  Jesus wants to make sure they appreciate what is going on.

Philip’s response points to the impossibility of the situation, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.”

Is the situation impossible?  Perhaps for humans but there is hope for nothing is impossible for God.  We find there is hope when “Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish.””

In human terms, this could hardly be called hope, five loaves and two fish for 5,000?  Impossible!  That’s what makes the feeding a sign that God is at work in Jesus.  Jesus feeds the five thousand as a sign to all that his power comes from God.  From God’s power, there is more left over than they started with.  Jesus provides in abundance.

In keeping with the feeding of the five thousand as a sign, it is essential that we realize that Jesus does not simply feed the people physically and move on.

You see, this passage is only the beginning of what is known as Jesus’ Bread of Life Discourse that spans all seventy-one verses of the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel.

For most of this year B in our Sunday lectionary cycle, we hear predominantly from Mark’s Gospel but starting this week and for the next four weeks after today, we take a step away from Mark’s Gospel to hear from Jesus’ Bread of Life Discourse.

To understand where our belief of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist comes from, it is vital that we listen to this Bread of Life discourse.  Our belief that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus comes from Jesus’ own words.  In the coming weeks we will hear how we must eat his flesh and drink his blood.

The feeding of the five thousand with physical food is just beginning.  In the coming weeks we will hear Jesus speaks of how the bread he will give is his flesh “for the life of the world.”

 

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily “The Lord is My Shepherd”

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16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 23:1-3, 3, 4, 5, 6 (1)
Ephesians 2:13-18
Mark 6:30-34
July 22, 2018

God has always cared for his people.  He had appointed people as kings and priests to be shepherds over his people but many of them misled and scattered his flock.  Through the prophet Jeremiah, God assures his people that he “will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them” and that he “will raise up a righteous shoot to David.”

This will ultimately be fulfilled in Jesus who is the Good Shepherd, but he won’t come for another 600 years.  Will God leave his people on their own till then?  Of course not.  He will shepherd his people himself.

What is the role of a shepherd?

In one simple sentence, it is watch over their flock.  This includes keeping them safe from attacks.  It means making sure they have food to eat and water to drink.  It means guiding them “in right paths.”

The 23rd psalm is a favorite psalm to many.  It speaks of how God will give us repose, guide us in right paths, always walking at our side, and with the Lord as our shepherd, our cup will overflow.

Our response to our psalm today really sums it up.  “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”

How do we look at this verse today?  What comes to mind when you hear, “there is nothing I shall want”?

How many of you immediately think of something you want but don’t have?  Do you feel like your cup is overflowing?

What types of things are you thinking of?  Are you focused on material things?

If you don’t have enough food, a place to live, money to pay rent, or a car to get to where you need to go, these might be what comes to mind.  Know that God is with you.  He fed the people with quail and manna in the desert.  He cares for you.

For those who have their basic needs met, the phrase, “nothing I shall want” might lead one to think about having more.  How about a new phone, a better car, a bigger home?  Is that what you think this psalm is referring to?

Certainly, we can want these things.  There is nothing wrong with these things as “things” but how important are they to you?  Are they what is most important to you?

While acknowledging the genuine need for basic food, clothing, health care, and shelter, I want to talk about a different perspective on “there is nothing I shall want.”

Think back to what you first thought of today when you heard this phrase.  Did you think of something you truly need or some material thing you desire but don’t really need?

Now, let me say that I don’t believe that this phrase, “there is nothing I shall want” means in any way that we will get everything we want.

Instead, I think it should lead us to think about what it is that we want.  Is it necessary for a good Christian life?  Or do we want it just because it is the newest thing?  Perhaps we see someone else with it and want one for ourselves.  When does this become “envy”, one of the seven deadly sins?

Instead of trying to get everything we want, how about letting go of our desire for the things that we don’t really need.

When Jesus sent out the Twelve, he told them to take no food, sack, or money.  He called them to trust that God would provide through the people they would serve.

How much do you want?  Do we want to a point of excess?  Do we consume to the point of “gluttony”, another one of the seven deadly sins?

When I was a teenager, we had a few farm animals, mostly chickens, ducks, and a few cows.  For a short period, we had a couple of pigs to raise for the meat.

Now, when you go to the store and buy bacon, it generally has a lot of fat.  That’s because the farmers let the pigs eat as much as they want to gain weight as they sell the pig by the pound.  But does the bacon have to have that much fat?

I know for a fact that the answer is no.  When we raised pigs, we didn’t let them eat as much as they wanted.  We feed them more than enough but not to the point of gluttony.  It didn’t hurt the bacon.  In fact, it was the best bacon I ever had.

Think about what you want.  Think about what you really need.  What do you ask of the Lord as your shepherd so that you can say, “there is nothing I shall want.”

 

 

 

Homily on “Freedom” for July 2018 Holy Hour

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Homily for July 2018 Holy Hour
Jeremiah 29:8-14
Psalm 123:1-2, 2, 3-4
Phil 2:5-11
John 15:9-17

Two weeks ago, we celebrated the Fourth of July as our national holiday.  As far as I know, we are the only country that celebrates July 4th as a holiday.

That’s because of its significance to us.  Of course, it is the date in which the colonists signed the “Declaration of Independence” that declared our freedom from England.  Perhaps the most famous words from it are “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

They declared independence because of oppression from the king that denied them the “unalienable rights” given by our Creator.  Freedom was an important value in the founding of our country.  Freedom of religion was why many of the early settlers came here.  This freedom is among the freedoms explicitly listed in the first amendment of our nation’s constitution.

Freedom is also an important value in our faith.  We have free will to choose what we want to do.  Freedom is a topic discussed in Gaudium et Spes, one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council.

What is freedom?  The prevailing secular opinion today is that freedom is the ability to act without constraint to do whatever we want with the one possible restriction being “as long as we don’t harm anyone.”

This would be relativism but is it good use of our freedom?

Yes, we are free to choose to do whatever we want.  However, should we do whatever we want?

Look at Jesus’ words, “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”

These words might seem difficult to accept.  If a person tells us that if we love them we will do whatever they ask, we might stop being their friend because we feel like they are taking advantage of our love.  What is the difference with God?

God loves us.  Of course, we might say that our friends love us too.  I hope you do have friends that love you.  Yet, if they start saying something to us with the words, “if you love me,” we might quickly become skeptical.  We anticipate a selfish request from them.  Their love (and our love) is imperfect.

On the other hand, God’s love is perfect.  Based on his perfect love, he gives us commandments that are good for us.  Trusting in God’s love, we are called to keep his commandments.

God is the one who all-knowing.  Trusting in his knowledge and love we hear the words God offers through the prophet Jeremiah, “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you-oracle of the LORD-plans for your welfare and not for woe.”

We are free to do whatever we want.  We are free to do something stupid like stepping in front of a train, but should we?  We are free to choose to engage in immoral acts, but should we?

When Jesus said, “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,” he also spoke of how he keeps the Father’s commandments for him because he trusts the Father.  His will and the will of the Father are one.

Paul’s words of the Philippians in our second reading show us Jesus’ complete surrender to our Father’s will.  Jesus is the one “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.  Rather, he emptied himself,” ultimately laying down his life for us on the Cross.

Seeing this, we should keep our eyes fixed on the Lord.  Seeing this we should keep his commandments.

Many people today (those who follow relativism) believe that the greatest good is the freedom to do whatever we want.  Freedom is good.  In Gaudium et Spes we read, “It is, however, only in freedom that man can turn himself towards what is good” (17).

God gives us free will (freedom) but what is authentic freedom, meaning good use of our freedom?

To answer this, I will use the quote from St. John Paul II on the front of tonight’s program, “FREEDOM consist not in doing we LIKE, but in having the RIGHT to do what we OUGHT.”

In love, we can choose to do what God asks of us.  What is God asking of you?

 

 

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily

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14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Ezekiel 2:2-5
Psalm 123:1-2, 2, 2-4 (2cd)
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Mark 6:1-6
July 8, 2018

One might think that people from Jesus’ “native place” would welcome him with great fanfare as the hometown boy.  If somebody becomes famous today, their hometown often puts up a big welcome sign with the person’s name on it, give them a parade, or give them the key to the town.

Jesus gets none of that.  Instead we hear they are “astonished.”  They think they know him well as the carpenter and as Mary’s son.  Because they think they know him well, they are not open to his full identity or believing in his wisdom or power to do “mighty deeds.”

For us, their disbelief might seem foolish because we know Jesus to be the Messiah.  Yet, do we not sometimes look at people in a similar way?  For example, if we know someone to be heavy drinker, do we believe them if they say they are now sober?  If we know someone to be a quiet person, are we open to them becoming a great public speaker?

What about ourselves?  If someone asks us to do something new, are we open to the possibility of it?  If someone asks us to do something outside our comfort zone, would we even consider it?

What if the someone asking is God?

We see it in Moses and prophets.  If you read the stories of many of the prophets, you will see that when they receive a calling from God, many, if not all of them, immediately offer a reason as to why they can’t do it.

Speaking to Ezekiel at his calling, God even tells Ezekiel how hard it will be because the people to whom he is sending Ezekiel are “hard of face and obstinate of heart.”

When we are asked to do something new or more challenging, we might rush to come up with a list of weaknesses that keep us from being able to do.  Some of those weaknesses can be real.  For these, we must be honest with the person asking us to do it.

On the other hand, if it is God asking us, then we can trust that God will give us what we need.  God chooses to work through the weak that we might know it is by God’s grace that good things happen.  If the person is able to do it on their own, we might fail to see God’s presence in it.  On the other hand, if we see them do something we don’t think they are capable of, then we know it comes from God.

We might also think about what it means to succeed in doing what is asked of us.  If someone asks us to help them move something, success is achieved when the object is in its new place.  If the object ways 100 lbs., we might know it is too heavy for us to move.  Then success for our part might come not in moving it ourselves but in helping them find someone who can move it for them.

If God calls us to move an object, if we can move it ourselves, we do.  If we can’t move it ourselves, then we look for someone who can and the object gets moved.

What about if God asks us to share what he says to us with people who don’t come to church?  Here we might think that success is achieved when the person begins coming to church regularly.  That would signify success but is it the only way success is achieved?

What did I say God asked of us?  To share what he has said to us with others.  While the ultimate goal is to get them to belief, that wasn’t what I said God asked of us.

It is our role to tell them what God means for us in our lives.  It is our role to tell them anything God directs us to say to them but then we are to leave it in God’s hands.  If God asks us to do more, then we do more.

We are not to give up if people don’t start coming to church.  We share what we have to offer about our faith.  It is their free will to choose how to respond.

Some Insights on Our Catholic Understanding of Mary

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Today, July 4th, I used my “independence” to do some spiritual reading.  The insights I am about to share are not my own but come from Dr. Edward Sri.  I had the opportunity to attend a presentation by him in March.  I enjoyed his presentation so I picked up two or three of his books.

I am currently reading his book Love Unveiled: The Catholic Faith Explained (Ignatius Press: San Francisco, 2015).  I just read chapter 8, which is entitled “Mary and the Saints.”  There are two areas in this chapter that gave me new insight into our Catholic beliefs about Mary.

The first is found on pages 138-141 in a section he entitled, “Treat her like a Queen?”.  We call Mary Queen of Heaven.  I have always accepted the title of “queen” for Mary without understanding why we would call her “Queen.”  I have always thought that the queen was the wife of the king.

Dr. Sri explains how in the culture of the Old Testament, it was not the wife of the king that was called Queen.  It was the king’s mother.  Dr. Sri first points to 2 Kings 24:12 and Jeremiah 13:18-20 to where we can find “mother as queen” in the Bible.  He also tells us about people going to the “queen mother” for her intercession.  Does this not point to Mary?  She is mother of Jesus our King so she is queen.  In her role as queen and mother we ask for her intercession.

To develop this identity of the mother of the king as queen and the authority that goes with it, Dr. Sri then points to the first and second chapter in the First Book of Kings.  In chapter 1, King David is still alive and Bathsheba is his wife.  The passage shows how, even as the king’s wife, Bathsheba has to bow and give homage to King David before approaching him.

In chapter 2, King David has died and his son Solomon is now king.  This means Bathsheba is now the mother of the king.  The passage goes on to explain the role and authority she has as queen.

Now, I turn to the second insight I received from Dr. Sri’s book today.  As Catholics, we call Mary the “Blessed Virgin.”  Our Catholic faith teaches that Mary was virgin before Jesus was born and after.  Many of our Protestant brothers and sisters agree that Mary was a virgin until Jesus’ birth but not after.  One of the places they turn to for this are the passages in the gospels that refer to Jesus’ brothers and sisters.

Dr. Sri addresses this on pages 150-151 in a section he entitled, “Jesus’ Brothers?”  He provides two answers to how Mary can be ever-virgin while Jesus’ has brothers and sisters.  Before presenting his two answers, I will offer briefly another response I have heard regarding Jesus having brothers and sisters.

Some speculate that it is a reference to step-siblings that Jesus had from a previous marriage of Joseph.  This is not in the Bible but both of Dr. Sri’s answers are biblical.  The first I learned in seminary.  The Greek word used for “brother” in these passages is not restricted to “brother” as having the same biological father and mother.  It is often used (he gives examples) for cousins and other extended relatives.

I fully accept these as valid responses to the question of Mary remaining a virgin while Jesus has brothers and sisters.  However, Protestants are not likely to embrace this alone.  How are we to know whether the relatives of Jesus are brothers or cousins or other relatives?

What Dr. Sri does next is a great answer to show that Jesus did not have brothers and sisters as we think of them (not extended family).  He turns to John 19:25-27 where Mary and the beloved disciple are at the foot of the Cross as Jesus is crucified.  It is there that Jesus says to the disciple, “Behold your mother.”  In doing so, he is telling the beloved disciple to care for Mary as his own mother.  If Jesus had had brothers and sisters, they would have been the ones responsible for caring for Mary.  Thus, Dr. Sri presents this as evidence that Jesus did not have brothers and sisters.

I am grateful for these insights.  It shows the importance of continuing to learn more about our faith.  I am at my best when I can find time to learn more about what our faith teaches to share it with others and to grow in my own faith.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily

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13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24
Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13 (2a)
2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15
Mark 5:21-43
July 1, 2018

Today we hear of Jesus doing two great healings.  One is for a twelve-year-old girl who, by the time Jesus’ arrives at the home, has “died”.  The other is for the woman suffering hemorrhaging for twelve years.

In both cases we see great faith.  In the case of the girl, her father, Jairus, has shown a great faith in coming to Jesus.  He is a synagogue official, many of whom have rejected Jesus but he went and fell at the feet of Jesus to plead for his help.  He believed if Jesus laid his hands on her, she would be healed.

Likewise, the woman has faith that if she just touched Jesus’ clothes, she would be healed.  They are both right.  In both cases, Jesus touches them at the time of their healing.

Touch is a powerful thing.  For the woman who had been hemorrhaging, she would have been considered unclean so it would not have been permitted to touch her.  Imagine being that way for twelve years.

Now, some people are very affectionate and love to hug.  Others are more shy or quiet and not eager to touch.  Yet, with people we know closely, most people like physical signs that show people care for them.

Jesus healed many people of physical ailments.  We hear of these miracles in the gospels.  I suspect most of us today have not experienced or witnessed a great physical healing but it does happen.  Whenever a saint is canonized two miracles (one when they are declared blessed and one for their canonization) must be attributed to their intercession.  Most of these miracles are physical healings that are carefully investigated to make sure they are not cured by medical treatment and, thus, truly are a miracle.

When we are seriously ill, our Catholic faith offers us a sacrament that includes touch.  It is the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.  For centuries it was known as Extreme Unction or Last Rites.  With that understanding, it was administered only when death was thought to be very near.

In the 20th century, even before the Second Vatican Council, archeology and recovering of ancient documents revealed that the early understanding was that this sacrament was not just for the dying but all those who were seriously ill.  We see this in James 5:14, “Is anyone among you sick?  He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with the oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up.” (presbyters = priests).

So, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick was again opened to those who are seriously ill.  (There are specific prayers that can still be done when death is near).  This includes any terminal diagnosis or serious surgeries, especially when there is risk for life or further serious complications.

The Sacrament includes the anointing with oil blessed by the bishop.  The oil serves as a sign of God strengthening the person.  It also involves the priest touching the person, reminding us of Jesus’ touch.

Every person anointed by the priest does not receive a physical healing but people have spoken to me about it easing their pain and/or given them a great sense of peace.  That’s God’s grace.  That’s the grace of the sacrament.

Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist – Homily

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Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist
Vigil                                                                            Day
Jeremiah 1:4-10                                                          Isaiah 49:1-6
Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17 (6b)                             Psalm 139:1-3, 13-14, 14-15 (14a)
1 Peter 1:8-12                                                              Acts 13:22-26
Luke 1:5-17                                                                 Luke 1:57-66, 80
June 24, 2018

Today would normally be the 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time in Year B of our liturgical calendar.  Ordinary Time would be signified by green as the color of the vestments but you will note that I am wearing white vestments.

This is because June 24th is the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.  When a solemnity falls on a Sunday in Ordinary Time, it takes precedence over the Sunday.  So, white is the color for this solemnity and our readings are those of this solemnity.

It is the Nativity of the John the Baptist.  When you heard the word “nativity”, I suspect most of you immediately thought of Christmas.  When we use the word “nativity”, it is generally to refer to the birth of Jesus but “nativity” simply means “birth.”

Today’s solemnity commemorates the birth of John the Baptist.  We celebrate this recognizing John as a precursor to Jesus.

Generally, we hear most about John the Baptist in the readings of Advent as we prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus.  John came to “prepare the way of the Lord.”

So, why celebrate this solemnity on June 24th?  The answer is simple.  If you remember the story of the Annunciation when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus, Gabriel also told her that her relative Elizabeth had also conceived “and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren.”  That would mean that John the Baptist was born sixth months before Jesus.  That brings us to June 24th.

We like to celebrate birthdays.  It is a way of recognizing the gift that the person is to us.  Births mark a beginning.

You may have noted that in our hymnal books that there are two sets of readings for this solemnity.  The first is a set for the vigil Mass to be used if this solemnity is celebrated on the evening on June 23rd.  The second set are the readings to be used on June 24th.

There are some commonalities between the two sets of readings.  In both sets, the first reading speaks of those called by God.  The first reading for the vigil tells the story of the calling of the prophet Jeremiah.  The first reading of the day speaks of the suffering servant.  In both cases, we hear of the mother’s womb, being called from birth, or in Jeremiah’s case, how the Lord knew him even before He formed him in the womb.

Both responsorial psalms continue with this theme of the time in the “mother’s womb.”

Looking at the two gospels we can see that the gospel of the day continues the story begun in the gospel reading for the vigil.  The vigil reading tells of the time when John the Baptist was conceived in the womb of his mother Elizabeth’s womb.  The gospel for the day tells of the time when John the Baptist was born.

Generally, when we think about the beginning of a person’s life, we think of it in terms of the day they were born, meaning the day they emerged from their mother’s womb.

I think this is because this is when we can first see them with our physical eyes as a unique individual apart from their mother’s womb.  We can put an exact date to it.  It is the date that is put on their birth certificate.

But is it really the beginning of their life?  In terms of their life separate from their mother’s womb, yes, it is.

However, all those references I mentioned in the readings to the time spent in our mother’s womb should tell us something.  The readings do not refer to the “thing” in the woman’s womb.  Please note that this time, I said “woman’s womb.”  Note the readings say, “mother’s womb.”

“Mother” signifies that there is a child, a child “formed in the womb” by God.  A child “wonderfully made” by the Lord.  It is the Lord who forms our “inmost being.”

Yes, we celebrate birth dates as the day we know we came forth from our mother’s womb.  It is a good day to celebrate but to think back to life in the womb.

Think of the story of Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth.  After the Annunciation, Mary goes to celebrate with Elizabeth the news that they both conceived.  When Mary arrived at Elizabeth’s house, John the Baptist leapt for joy in his own mother’s womb at the presence of Jesus in Mary’s womb.  One child in the womb reacting, filled with the Holy Spirit, to life of the other in the womb.

One last thought – when did the angel Gabriel appear in the stories of John and Jesus?  Was it at their births?  No, in both cases it was at their conceptions.  We do well to celebrate birthdays as a way of celebrating the gift that the person is to us, the gift of their life that begins in the womb.

St. John Fisher, Patron of Our Diocese

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Homily for June 2018 Holy Hour
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15
1 Peter 4:12-19
Matthew 10:34-39

On the general saints’ calendar, June 22nd, which is this Friday, is an optional memorial of Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More who were both beheaded in 1535 by King Henry VIII.  St. John Fisher was beheaded on June 22nd and St. Thomas More a few days later on July 6th.

St. John Fisher is the patron saint of our diocese.  So, June 22nd is raised from being an optional memorial for us to a feast.  (Tonight’s second reading and gospel are the ones used for the feast day.)  One might want to ask why St. John Fisher was chosen to be the patron saint of our diocese.  To answer this here’s a little history lesson.

He was born in 1469 and became an intellectual.  He became a bishop at the age of 35.  He was named the Bishop of Rochester in England.  Hence, when our diocese was formed in 1868 and named the Diocese of Rochester, the choice was made to name Fisher as the patron saint of our diocese.

As a bishop, St. John Fisher was asked to study the validity of King Henry VIII’s marriage to Catharine of Aragon.  You might remember from English history that Henry VIII was married several times but never had a male heir to succeed him on the throne.

He had some of his wives killed for not giving him a son.  In Catherine’s case, he sought an annulment.  St. John Fisher found the marriage to be valid and, hence, the Catholic Church denied Henry VIII’s request for an annulment.

From this, Henry VIII would ultimately split the church in England from the Catholic Church and declared himself to be the head of the church in England so he could give himself an annulment.

All the bishops and government officials were ordered to sign an “Act of Succession” supporting Henry VIII’s splitting of the church and accepting him as the head of the church in England along with recognizing the annulment.

St. John Fisher and Thomas More both refused to sign it.  St. John Fisher was arrested on false charges and imprisoned for months without a trial.  When Henry VIII learned that Fisher had been named a cardinal, he had him tried and executed for treason.

St. John Fisher (and St. Thomas More) were given multiple chances to change their stance and support the Act of Succession by Henry VIII.  They did not.

Why?  Because their faith was more important to them than what the king wanted.  St. Thomas More was a friend of the king and hand-picked by the king as chancellor of England.  Still St. Thomas More chose his faith over his friendship and allegiance to the king.

St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More are official martyrs of our Catholic Church.  The original meaning of the word “martyr” is “witness.”  Without a doubt, Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More truly witnessed to how important the Catholic faith was to them.

Our responsorial psalm tonight says in the second stanza, “No evil shall snare you, no harm come upon your home.”  One can readily say that earthly harm came to Sts. John Fisher and Sts. Thomas More.  Bad things were done to them but instead of leaving it as something evil, God turned it into a powerful witness.

They faced a “trial by fire.”  They were free to choose to face the fire or to run away, giving into what the king wanted.  They took the Lord as their shelter and refuge.  Rather than run, they chose to accept martyr to share in the sufferings of Christ.  For this, they know the joy of Heaven rather than the evil of Hell.

In our country we are not likely to be martyred for our faith but living our faith does not come without its difficulties.  One would want to think that the faith should bring peace but instead it can bring the sword.  As Jesus says, it can even bring division within families, just as it brought division to the friendship between St. Thomas More and King Henry VIII.

Do we proudly embrace our faith or do we hide our faith?  Do we choose to keep the peace among our family and friends by remaining silent about our faith or do we take up our Cross, speaking openly and boldly about faith?

This is not an easy decision.  If all we do is make our family and friends mad and drive them away, then we have done nothing to evangelize them.  On the other hand, if we simply keep silent, we still have done nothing to bear witness to our faith.

Confusing, isn’t it?

Each situation is different.  If we are being coerced into doing something that goes against our faith, we must say no and let them know our decision is based on our faith.  There might be other times when we are called to speak up for our faith but then to leave it in God’s hands without causing a “war.”

What we need to do is to allow God to place his words in our mouths.  So, let us now take some time in silence to listen to the Lord to allow him to know when to speak up, how to act, and that the Lord give us the words we are to speak.

 

 

Reflection for Baccalaureate

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Tonight I have the honor of offering a reflection during the Newark High School Baccalaureate. It is addressed to this year’s graduating class. Here is my reflection for them:

To our graduating seniors, you are about to celebrate a milestone in your lives, graduation. At graduation, you will receive a diploma that signifies you have satisfactorily completed all the requirements to be called a high school graduate. You have been working towards this moment for at least the last 13 years.

When you started school, you were very dependent on others, primarily your parents and teachers. In more recent years, you have been becoming more independent and not so reliant on your parents. Yet, your parents are still here for you just as God is always with you.

Much of what you studied in school so far has focused on general requirements. As you graduate, you make what likely to date is the biggest decision of your lives so far. Some of you will find full-time jobs right away. Others will be going to college for more education but get a little more freedom to choose what you study. Still others will be entering the military. Lastly, perhaps there are some of you who just want to take some time to sort things out as you move to the next stage of your life. As long as you let him, God will guide you to use the gifts you have been given to make our world a better place.

Each of you have your reasons for your choice. It might be long-time dream. On the other hand, it might not be a profound decision. Thirty-one years ago, I graduated high school (which makes me older than some of your parents). I went to college to study engineering. I chose engineering because I loved math and science.

Since then, I made a career shift to ministry. What you think you want to do for the rest of your life may or may not change. I invite you to do two things. The first is to realize you never stop learning. The classroom studies might end but new things will always come your way. Secondly, never stop believing.

I don’t know what your relationship with God is. I know some of you are in church every week, even if it is just because your parents make you. Others may not go to church much.

I will admit to you that when I was your age, I didn’t go to church. Before you all start thinking that means it is okay to skip church, don’t! It might sound cliché but I can honestly say that if I knew then what I know now I would never have stopped going to church. It feeds me. I need my faith.

The world can be a difficult place. There are all kinds of people in the world. For some, they are only interested in their own wealth and notoriety. Many reject that there is a god. They choose to be atheists. Others choose to be agnostic, meaning they don’t reject but doubt God exists.

The poem “Do It Anyway” by Mother Teresa that we heard a few minutes ago, when you are kind, people may accuse of ulterior motives, “be kind anyway.” If you are honest, they make take advantage of your honesty. No matter what others do, be kind, be honest. Be who God calls you to be.

Think not of yourself first. It’s okay to have fun but not at the expense of others. In the gospel that we just heard, Jesus tells us “Blessed are the poor in spirit…blessed are the meek.” This is not a call to cower. It is a call to love, to love God and to love our neighbor.

It is the love that Jesus speaks of when he says that no one has a greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend (John 15:13). Jesus is Son of God but he humbled himself to come and lay down his life for us.

I encourage you to be people who “hunger and thirst for righteousness.” If the conflict in the world is to end, we need people who are willing to be peacemakers. Somebody has to be the first to be merciful.

Right now, some of you might feel on top of the world. Others might feel small and insignificant. Let me tell you that God has a place for each and every one of you, of us, in his plan.

Whatever God’s plan for you is, he will always give you what you need to be the best person you can be. Pray that you come to see the world as God sees it. You see, it isn’t just about what you “do”. It is about what you choose to be on the inside. It is the attitude you live with.

Do your best. Everyone matters. We need people to perform all sorts of tasks. As I said before, I studied engineering in college based on my love for math and science. I spent seven years designing and building roads and bridges. I believe that it was important work. After all, where would we be if the bridges all fell down?

What about the people who clean our buildings? If they did a lousy job and left dirt and germs behind, we would all be sick. We count on them.

We need accountants to help manage our resources well. We need secretaries and administrative assistants to keep things running well. We need medical people to care for our physical health. We need people in police work, firefighters, and the military to keep us safe.

In a moment, we will hear “A New Beginning” by Joanna Fuchs. As you face this new beginning in your life, think about your faith. Think about God. Know that God loves you. God will help you in whatever comes your way as long as you open your heart to him.

Baccalaureate Blessing

Let us pray:

Lord, as these seniors prepare to celebrate their graduation
And embark on the next stage of their lives,
We ask your blessing upon them.
Help them to find your direction in their lives,
To know that you have a plan for each and every one of them
As you love each and every one of them.
Help them to look beyond themselves,
To be poor in spirit and meek,
setting aside any selfish desire,
that they may also hunger and thirst for what is good in your eyes.
Help them to be peacemakers,
To find an end to the conflict in our world.
Help them to bring forth a brighter future,
where acts of violence are no longer common.
We ask that you always watch over and protect them.
Help them to know your presence and your love.
Give them hope,
Give them a loving heart,
Fill them with gladness
And a life filled with joy.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.