January 26, 2014

Bulletin January 26, 2014

3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time A

Isaiah 8:23 - 9:3; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17; Matthew 4:12-23
Isaiah said, “...there is no gloom...the people have seen a great light...You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing.” Sounds like a wonderful place and time to be living in. The Psalm Response today echoes Isaiah saying that “The Lord is my light and salvation.” I am safe, I am secure, and my life situation is at peace.
Paul is saying that there are to be no divisions and that all are to have the same mind set and the same purpose in life. And it’s the crucified Christ that is the center of the life of every Christian and the cross of Christ is what brings all together.
Then Jesus comes on the scene and preaches, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And He immediately saw Peter and Andrew and told them to follow Him; they did. A short distance from them, He called James and his brother John. Jesus didn’t mince any words; His time has come and He was set for action. He didn’t beat around the bush. His message was similar to John the Baptist’s but with a difference: the kingdom of heaven has arrived with His own preaching and ministry and repentance was required to enter the kingdom. Jesus was not going to do this alone, He had a shared ministry from the very beginning; He never worked alone. Jesus issued the call to follow and the response came immediately; there is no period of time for discernment. You heard...you received the call ‘COME!’ These four responded ‘YES’ right then and there. Matthew never says if these four had ever seen or heard Jesus before this moment. So I wonder why did they just go and follow Him; people just don’t act that spontaneously. There must have been something about the person of Jesus that drew them to Himself and let them see that ‘Yes’ was the only way to respond. Jesus is asking me to respond immediately. What is this call of Jesus all about? Is it for everyone or just the ‘holier’ people?
Jesus calls each and every person; there is no exception. Every person has a vocation and for all it’s the same: it’s the call to live as Jesus did... it’s the call to base our lives on love. Is this call to be responded to immediately? Yes, that’s the message of the Gospel.
I love the passage from the Old Testament prophet Micah where the Lord is portrayed as the plaintiff who has maintained faithfulness to the covenant. “Hear, then, what the Lord says: Arise, present your plea before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice...For the Lord has a plea against His people, and He enters into trial with Israel. O my people, what have I done to you, or how have I wearied you? Answer me! For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, from the place of slavery I released you...that you may know the just deeds of the Lord. With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow before God most high? Shall I come before Him with holocausts, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams with myriad streams of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my crime, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? You have been told, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.”
I don’t like the Gospel to be so direct...it’s much more convenient when it is vague; when I can claim confusion or tiredness to Jesus’ call and to His command to love. Jesus never said, ‘Well go home, think about it, and come back when you feel more comfortable in listening and loving as I teach. St. Paul showed exasperation when some Christians in Corinth viewed their membership narrowly wanting to go to the preacher that they liked, that gave an ‘easier’ teaching. Paul responded that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His message is the same; His call is to all.
Connections, The newsletter of ideas, resources and information for homilists and preachers says, “At first we may not see ourselves as ‘fishers’ of men and women as Jesus calls His first disciples to become. But the reality is we all possess ‘nets’ that can catch the falling, rescue the endangered, gather in the lost and forgotten. Christ calls each one of us to be ‘fishers of men’ using whatever ‘nets’ we possess, in whatever oceans and seas we find ourselves: to employ our talents and expertise to ‘fish’ for those who are working hard to build fulfilling and meaningful lives for their families; to dedicate our time and treasure to ‘fish’ for those who are struggling to survive; to ‘fish’ for those have lost all hope. Our baptisms were our acceptances of that invitation to take on the work of discipleship in the homes and classrooms and work places where we live our lives.”
I find it most interesting that the words from Matthew’s gospel are the last verses in the 4^th chapter. What follows immediately is the Sermon on the Mount which is contained in chapters 5-7; and it starts out with the Beatitudes. These are the focal point on what it means to follow Jesus; so I ask myself how I am doing. More importantly what areas of the Beatitudes am I lacking? Where am I wishy-washy with Jesus’ teachings? The threefold mission of Jesus: preaching, teaching, healing is the responsibility of the Church and my responsibility and that of every Christians. I can’t wait and say that I don’t have to be a Christian today, it’s my day off; I can’t say, it’s too hard. I cannot allow fear, complacency, or doubts block me from becoming a ‘vessel of the grace of God.’ So I reflect on:

• What has discipleship cost me so far? What might Jesus be asking of me today or for the immediate future?
  
• What ‘light of Christ’ have I been blessed with, gifted with? Do I allow this to ‘shine’ in all sorts of weather and storms?
  
• Jesus told these ‘future’ apostles to leave their nets because there was work to do NOW! I’m never not working for Jesus or am I?
  
• I am my own person, each person is and that’s how Jesus calls me...am I listening? Sacred Space 2014 shares this:

“Jesus must have watched Simon and Andrew, noticing how they cast their nets. I take some time with this image, letting it speak to be about what Jesus valued in them.

I might imagine Jesus watching me in my daily life, allowing Him to value what I do and letting Him call me to serve Him in my particular way.”

A Prayer: “”Lord Jesus, help us to be ready to answer Your call to be Your disciples. Let us count the cost of following You, but not delay too long. Amen.”

January 19, 2014

Bulletin January 19, 2014

2^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time A

Isaiah 49:3, 5-6; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3; John 1:29-34
What comes before today’s passage from Isaiah is that the Israelite’s exile in Babylon is over. That great empire is in decline; it is time for God’s chosen people to return because God has important plans for them. AND I think and reflect on what plans does God have for me? So very often in my life I have not even reflected on this: why does God have plans for me...I am just an insignificant clog in the wheel. NOW I cannot maintain that belief if I take some serious time and reflect on today’s message. Even when I just take the words out of context they have an important meaning. Isaiah says, “The Lord, said to me: You are my servant...through whom I whom I show My glory. Now the Lord has spoken who formed me as His servant from the womb...and I am made glorious in the sight of the Lord and my God is now my strength...I will make you a light to the nations that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” The reading identifies the ‘Ideal Servant’ with the ideal personification of an obedient and faithful Israel who will become a light to the nations. This servant or perhaps the futuristic Messiah will show the WAY...God’s way...the way out of the darkness of sin and ignorance. It’s hard for me to envision that “I am to be a light to the nations.”‘ But I look at the number of people who have been ‘my light’: encouraging me...giving me confidence...telling me not to give up...telling me that the gifts I have been given are the only gifts I need to help others. These countless ones have touched me and continue to direct me to God’s message in the Scriptures. I cannot in any way from any part of the Old or New Testament see that my life is insignificant. Jesus continually reaffirmed and honored every person He was with; He showed total love and in His teaching said that every person is to be love. So my love is an important part of God’s plan and a necessary part because if I do not give it...someone is lacking in love.
Paul confirmed this when he told the Corinthians today that it was his firm conviction that he was called to be an apostle. And he said that the church of Corinth, the people were called to be holy because of their status as members of the body of Christ. It was evident that the different factions among the Corinthians had forgotten that. Paul said that each peoples is: “called to be holy.” That certainly seems to be an impossible task but it is the constant call from God. There is no way that Paul or Jesus said that I will arrive at a point in my life that I am holy...I must work on it each day. Which means I try...I grow...I fall...I pick myself up...I continue on...I ask for help...I get discouraged...I fail...God touches me Himself or through others...I continue on...ALL the time feeling that I’m ‘not making it.’ The bottom line is that I will never know until I get to heaven how God has worked through my inadequacies to touch others with the love God knew they needed at that time which was His love delivered through me. This is what it means to be Christ...As Alice Camille in Exploring the Sunday readings says: “What does it mean to be Christ? It’s not about telling people what to do or how to behave. It’s about showing compassion, being a healing presence, forgiving trespassers, and feeding the hungry. Sometimes it means being a truth-teller, but stories and personal example work better than condemnation and criticism. Being Christ for others also involves sacrifice, and it can even mean laying down your life for a friend. Every time we receive communion, we are renewing our pledge to share Christ life in these ways.”

In the Gospel, John presents John the Baptist’s encounter with Jesus. He says that he doesn’t know Jesus until a divine sign shows Jesus’ identity. He sees the Spirit come down like a dove and rest on Jesus confirming what John had been told by the Holy Spirit. He calls Jesus, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”

These beautiful words invite us to Communion each time we come to the Eucharist and we respond: Lord I am not worthy that you should come under my roof but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”
God is the one who has called each person...God is the one who has chosen each person...God is the one who has gifted each person with the gifts necessary for them to touch the people God has placed in their lives...God is the one who continues to pick me up and everyone when we are so down on ourselves that we are unaware of God and instead too aware of our ‘unworthiness’, which is never from God....Unworthiness and love do not compute together.
St. Cyril of Alexandria who died in 444 wrote a commentary of St. John’s Gospel that receiving the Eucharist makes us well fortified spiritually: “He will deliver us from corruptibility foreign to our nature; He will secure eternal life for us, reconcile us with God, teach us to revere God and to live upright lives, and be our way to the kingdom of heaven.” Do I allow God to do this for me?
So I reflect on:

• “How should I live my life differently if I believe that Jesus has taken my sins away?”
  
• What challenges do I face at this point in my life? Do I ask for help?
  
• What blessings have come to me as a result of my saying ‘yes’ to God’s call?
  
• Isaiah, Paul, John the Baptist all responded to God’s call to be a witness. The Psalm response today is from Psalm 40: “Here I am Lord; I come to do Your will.” Do I understand what I am saying? Do I ask daily for help in being God’s servant?
  

Sacred Space 2014 offers this advice:

“Although he prepared the way for Jesus, John acknowledges that he did not know who to expect. As I do my best, in my way, to prepare the way for Jesus, I cannot always know just what to be ready for.

John remained active and vigilant. I pray that I may keep occupied in God’s service without letting my occupations overwhelm me.”

Prayer: “Jesus, You Yourself were baptized at the beginning of Your ministry. I know that my role, as a result of baptism, is to carry out your ministry. Help me to live a life of service to others, and to follow Your example in all I say and do. Amen.”

January 12, 2014

Bulletin January 12, 2014

Baptism of the Lord A readings

Isaiah 42: 1-4; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17
My baptism...Jesus’ Baptism is there any connection? Matthew shares how when Jesus went to John the Baptist to be baptized, John said, “I need to be baptized by You and yet You are coming to me?” Scholars say that this question arose from Matthew’s community wondering how could the sinless Jesus need a baptism for the forgiveness of sins? Jesus had no need to be forgiven; I did and do but Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of His public ministry of preaching, healing, bringing God’s love to all people. I could easily say ‘that was Jesus’ ministry but not mine’; but it is mine not because I am a priest but because, as all Christians I received God’s call at Baptism. What call...the call to participate in the ongoing mission of salvation, and that’s a lifelong commitment. It’s a call to be Jesus each and every day in and through the gifts that God has given me and in and through the grace of the Church’s sacraments that bring me grace and life.
Often I end with reflections from Sacred Space 2014, today I begin with them:

“The grace of my Baptism is alive and evident whenever I am humble enough to yield to the Spirit of God. I pray for the humility that Jesus shows.

I give thanks for my Baptism. I am a child of God and set in the world to give glory to God, to serve those around me, and to grow in the image of God.”

With this in mind I ask questions from Exploring the Sunday Readings, ‘What does God want from me? What am I supposed to be doing? What am I uniquely called to do? “ Why do I ask these? My life is a gift...a unique gift...I come once into this world...and it makes absolute sense that my life is to make a difference, there is nothing random or insignificant about my life. I was never intended to live just for myself; too many people have been blessed because of me and me because of them. Isaiah’s oracle in the first reading announces the appearance of God’s chosen and faithful servant and this Servant will ‘teach’ other nations that serving God is the only way to bring about lasting justice and peace...God’s world. He says, “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit...” This is God’s message to me and to every person...am I living up to this commitment?
In the gospel Matthew’s community would have understood John’s reluctance to baptize Jesus since they saw baptism only as a ‘rite of repentance’ and since Jesus never sinned, why ask for forgiveness. One of the great Scripture Scholars, Fr. Demetrius Dumm, a Benedictine priest and one of my teachers wrote that repentance “...was only one aspect of the Jewish baptismal practice. It was indeed an act that expressed regret and repentance for sin but, on the positive side, it was a plea for the coming of the Lord. Sins were renounced because they were seen as obstacles to that coming. When Jesus insisted on being baptized, He was not renouncing sinfulness but was taking His place with all those in Israel who were saying: ‘We are ready, Lord; please make this the moment of your Messianic salvation.’” So this meant that the ‘arrival of the Messiah’ was ushering in a ‘new age’ of spiritual awareness. This is seen in the words spoken to Jesus from heaven, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Fr. Dumm continues, “This is the mysterious Suffering Servant who will atone for the sins of his people. But these words take on dramatic fresh meaning in this new context. The new creation is centered in a powerful influx of creative love which reveals God as Father, as loving parent, in a way that had never been imagined before. God’s love is now available to create free and loving sons and daughters, to give the kind of confidence that was given to Jesus in this first moment of his public ministry. Of course, our relationship to God cannot be exactly like that of his only-begotten Son but it is closer to it than most of us dare believe.”
This means that my baptism as does everyone’s contains a renunciation of sinfulness but most of all an affirmation by God. It tells me that I am loved...it tells me that I am important...it tells me that I have not only been gifted but that I have been chosen...I have been chosen to share the Good News that God is love and loves all and wants all to be with Him forever. It tells me that God is constantly in my life giving me identity and confidence that enables me to follow Jesus in love and service. Hearing the Good News is not just hearing the Gospel read or preached; it is experiencing love for one’s own sake ‘I am loved and needed to love.’ So in a real sense the words to Jesus from the heavens are the words to me and each follower, ‘You are my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased...you are my beloved daughter with whom I am well pleased.’ NOW am I living this....do I hide from this...do I feel that I am not worthy. It is not about worthiness it is about realizing that I am loved even when I am not crazy about myself....but God is.

In following my baptismal commitment, I am called to share Christ’s healing, love and presence. Wherever I am is where I am called to be Christ for others. Faith Catholic writes, “How do we know this is to be true? Because it was at our own Baptism that Christ first shared His light with us, when He opened our eyes that were blinded by sinfulness and selfishness, when he freed us from our enslavement to self-entitlement and greed, and when He brought us out of the darkness and loneliness of our separation from God and others so that we might live in communion with Him and will all of our sisters and brothers in Christ.”

So I reflect on:

• With this in mind I contemplate why baptism should be celebrated as a community event rather than a private experience?
• I ask how important the Holy Spirit is in my life. What are the characteristics of a person filled with the Holy Spirit?
• Where do I find the strength and courage to live a life based on my baptism?
• How have I experienced God’s favor? Do I share this with others?
• How can I share that I am God’s beloved child?
• Do I live as though God shows no partiality but loves each person equally and unconditionally?
• Do I ask myself, ‘Did I grow closer to Christ today?’ Did I hear His message to and for me?

January 5, 2014

Bulletin January 5, 2014

Epiphany of The Lord A readings

Isaiah 60: 1-6; Ephesians 3: 2-3, 5-6; Matthew 2: 1-12
Do I see God in the world today? Do I see God in my world today? Do I realize that the feast of the Epiphany is the ‘star shining’ to show God’s saving power continually at work to bring all people to Him? Do I feel that since I am a Catholic and a Christian and a priest that I have it made with God that my journey to be with the Lord is assured? I and each person are on a journey, a journey to heaven where each person meets the Lord face to face and are with the God forever. Each person is ‘guided’ but not by the star the magi followed but by the light of faith. Do I realize that my faith is a gift...that it can be deeply hindered by my foolishness and could definitely be lost by my preferring ‘me’ to God? Today’s feast puts my journey more into light.
The word Epiphany means a manifestation or revelation. Literally it is a ‘drawing back of the veil’ of the great mystery of the universe that Jesus, the Christ and Savior came not only to the Jews but to the Gentiles. So who are the Gentiles and for whom is the message meant?
Today’s passage from Isaiah comes near the end of his book and his message has reached its high point. Isaiah has been emphasizing that the people must have a deep faith in God. The people resisted; the kingdom had collapsed and Jerusalem was in ruins. Now the people were returning to Jerusalem, deliverance has come, there is hope. God has renewed the covenant with His people and they are to be God’s light to all the nations.
Now from the Jewish perspective the word that is translated as ‘Gentiles’ means both ‘nations’ and ‘non-Jews’. To them one was either a Jew or a ‘gentile’. Paul is saying that the Spirit has revealed a great mystery: “It is God’s will that all people should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. This is the theological meaning of the feast. God invites all, Jew and Gentile, to share on an equal footing the benefits of the salvation won by Christ. It stresses the perfect equality of all men and women. In Christ all have become part of the one body.” (Flor McCarthy-- New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies). So am I special...yes; are all people special...yes; are all loved in an individual special way by God...yes! So what am I doing with this love?
The gospel from Matthew brings out an urgent message for my ‘cockiness’: the manifestation of Jesus as the newborn king of the Jews is rejected by those for whom it was intended, but accepted by foreign Persian astrologers for whom it was not intended. Matthew wants to know why this happened. He shows the ignorance of King Herod and the wisdom of these foreigners. Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience (a group that should ‘know better’) and this theme continues throughout: the people who should rejoice over the presence of Jesus will reject Him; while those who seemingly are ignorant of Jesus will accept Him.

The Jews were very privileged...I am been very privileged. God revealed Himself to them through the Scriptures...God has revealed Himself to me through the Scriptures, Jesus and the Catholic Church. Matthew contrasts the faith of today’s pagan visitors and the unbelief of the Jewish leaders both civil and religious. So as Jesus said to Thomas, ‘Be not unbelieving, but believe.’ Fr. Flor McCarthy gives a wonderful reflection for me to ponder: “The story of the Magi has great relevance for us because we too are on a journey—a journey of life. We too are following a vision. As the Magi were guided by the light of a star, we are guided by the light of faith. Their journey can serve as a model for our journey of faith.

However, we have one great advantage over them. We already know Christ, and have encountered Him in faith. Christ, the light of the world, is the ‘star’ we are following. Nevertheless, the fact that we haven’t seen Him face to face means we haven’t yet arrived at our final destination. The fact that we have faith doesn’t mean we know all the answers. We are still searching, still travelling onwards.

We must not be surprised if we have doubts, and if we encounter difficulties. Faith doesn’t guarantee an easy journey, only a meaningful one. The Magi’s journey was one of searching and questioning, of pain and joy, of fear and hope. The faith journey contains elements of all of these.

The Magi did not journey as individuals. They had each other. They formed a little community of believers. We too have a community to support us in our faith journey.

May the lamp of faith never fail us. May its light see us thought the darkness of this world, until we reach the heavenly Bethlehem where we shall see Christ in glory.”
I see this feast as a reminder to continue to grow this gift of faith. Long ago I was told that faith grows: ‘through prayer, study and action;’ three simple words but each one containing a powerful message. I can say ‘tomorrow I can work on these’ but tomorrow (heaven) only comes about if I work on these today. John Dunne once said, “No man ever saw God and lived. And yet, I shall not live till I see God; and when I have seen Him, I shall never die.” Beautiful but still there is my work that I have to do. I read a sign on a church billboard:

“MEMO:

Gone to the Father’s home to prepare a place for you.

Will be back soon to pick you up.

Jesus
So I reflect on the urgency of the above message and the work set out before me:

• What changes do I hope to see in my world this year? What changes would I like to see in myself?
  
• Do I search for Jesus in my life each day? What happens when I find Him where I least expect?
  
• The Magi trusted the star to guide them...am I as trusting in the Lord and journeying with Him?
  
• God’s plan for me is to be in heaven with Him; do I have the same plan as I look back on my day today?
  

Sacred Space 2014 shares:
“The Magi, three pilgrim astrologers of the East, follow a star in search of the divine. God chooses to reveal Himself to outsiders, strangers, and foreigners. I learn that in the kingdom of God there are no outsiders. There is no discrimination.
What star am I being called to follow this year? What gifts from my treasure chest will I offer Him in service of His mission? Lord send me out each day to be a bearer of Your love to all whom I encounter.”

The three magi gave the best gifts they could possibly give to the infant Jesus. If Jesus were born today, what gift would I bring? In my life today, Jesus was there a lot, did I give any presents or not, did I hoard any?