ASCENSION THURSDAY (ON SUNDAY)

I can recall very clearly my first day of school when my mother and father took me to school and left me there. I watched them as they walked back to their car and drove away. I remember crying great tears of sadness.

It happened again when my parents drove me to college and left me there…I recall watching them drive away…as I carried my luggage to my dorm room. There were both tears of joy and sorrow.

Or what about those of us here who have lost loved ones and when we are at the cemetery and they lower the casket into the ground and after the final prayers the funeral directors announce that “this concludes our service…. you may return to your cars.” Those tears may stream for days or years.

In these situations of transition, moving from one phase of our lives to another, we feel all alone and vulnerable, and ask: “Now what?”

I believe that may indeed have been what the disciples experienced on the day of the Lord’s Ascension into Heaven.

The crucifixion didn’t make sense to the disciples. The resurrection was unbelievable as well when they first heard the news, and were doubly astounded when they witnessed him alive again! And just as they were getting used to him being with them, he informs them that he must ascend to the Father.

The disciples lament: “We were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel.” And the disciples asked, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

The disciples were thick headed. Can you imagine it…the disciples are worried about whether Jesus is going to restore the kingdom of Israel to its former glory! They were still stuck in the old mindset that religion is about power and that the Kingdom is about material wealth or fame.

“Oh, how foolish you are,” Jesus says in Luke’s account. The disciples we’re hoping that he would restore the good ol’ days. Yet is that really what Christ came to do? And can we ever truly recover the good ol’ days? And what are the good ol’ days? And were the good ol’ days all that good?

So on the day of his Ascension, Jesus gathered his scattered flock together and led them out as far as Bethany where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived – perhaps he wanted to bid his dear friends farewell, along with the rest of the Apostles and disciples. I imagine His mother was there as well.

And as He Ascends into Heaven the disciples are still a bit clueless because they are staring at the sky until two angels inform them that they ought to move along. They might as well have said to them: “this concludes our service…. you may return to your cars.”

Now what? In one respect we cannot remain fixated on the clouds above and ignore the plight of our fellow human beings! On the other hand, we cannot allow our entire focus to be here below. We must seek that fine balance of being centered in Christ, with the eyes of our hearts fixed on the things of heaven, yet also our eyes seeking Christ in our neighbor and our ears being open to the cry of the poor and our hands outstretched to all those in need!

The early church community could not remain hidden away living a private religion in the upper room. They could not live in the past, but had to move forward into the future! We have to recognize now more than ever the urgency of the gospel message and that it must be proclaimed!

So the Ascension was a new beginning. The disciples were no longer downhearted but rather full of joy, assured that Christ could no longer be separated from them.
As I attended the college graduation ceremony for my sister-in-law, I was once again reminded of those first days when I was left alone on the campus of college as well as the day of graduation.

I spoke with my sister-in-law, and other graduates about their experience of their first days of college and their graduation. We found that both events brought joy mixed with uncertainty.

In a way we had all been at similar crossroads as were the first disciples and asked: “Now what? “

The graduates have walked across the stage, received their diploma and heard those glorious words: “Graduates: By virtue of the authority and power granted to me, I now confer on you all the "rights, privileges, and responsibilities to which you are entitled."

So “Now what? A graduate can’t let those words go to his head. These “rights, privileges, and responsibilities” are words of great consequence. In the words of Spiderman: “With great power comes great responsibility!

And just as graduates receive their degrees, all of us as disciples will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in order to fulfill our mission as Church!
But let’s face it, coming down the mountain after experiencing Christ’s Ascension is hard, and living the faith, day in, day out, is going to be hard.

It’s tough for children as they adapt to new surroundings in a new school. It’s difficult for college graduates to adapt to a new way of life in the working world. And for us too, it is a great challenge to constantly adapt to the changing circumstances that call us to embrace our faith anew. But this is what we are called to on this feast of the Ascension.

Just as the disciples realize that they could not dwell on the past, we too must work to bring about the kingdom now! The urgent call to repentance must echo through our world. Forgiveness must be extended to all! And tidings of great joy have to be spread far and wide!

We are assured that Christ is seated at the right Hand of the Glory of God. We have a heavenly intercessor in Heaven who hears our prayer as we head back to school or work or home each day.

Now What? When we walk out of here, will be dumbly looking to the sky, - or will we get on with the job of spreading the word? We cannot live in the past, but must move forward into the future, by being clothed from the power from on high, the Holy Spirit!

And on the Last Day we too will ascend to Heaven and hear the Words of Christ: “By virtue of the authority and power granted to me, I now confer on you all the "rights, privileges, and responsibilities to which you are entitled as my disciples. Come into the presence of my Father where there will be great joy, where every tear will be wiped away.”

PALM SUNDAY YEAR C 2010

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem is a foreshadowing of his coming again in glory. But first there must be the Cross.

The humility of Jesus riding a donkey also reminds us of his mother birth in Bethlehem…
Even the song of the crowd reminds us of the angels’ song at Jesus’ nativity –

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

At the Passover meal, Jesus said to his disciples: “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you.” Then an argument broke out among them
about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.

The disciples then encouraged Jesus to put up a fight:
“Look, here are two swords!”

Jesus said. “Enough of this!” They had missed his message of mercy completely.

When Jesus asked his disciples to pray, they fell asleep.

When Judas came with the cohort, his disciples asked,
“Lord, shall we strike with a sword?” but before Jesus could answer, one of them struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear.
But Jesus touched the servant’s ear and healed him.

Peter abandons Jesus and warms himself by a lesser light, then he denies he even knew him, then the Lord turned and looked at Peter….

(Pause)

We know how fickle public opinion can be. The same crowds hailing Jesus as the messiah on Palm Sunday, are against him on Good Friday.

Jesus was too political for Rome and too religious for the Jews.

The crowds chanted “away with this man,” release Barabbas!
Pontius Pilate found Jesus innocent, but to placate the crowds allowed him to be crucified anyway.

As they led Jesus away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian; and made him carry the cross behind Jesus. (The chief Apostle Simon-Peter was nowhere to be found)

A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. But Jesus comforted them in their grief and sorrow.

As Jesus was crucified he prayed: “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” In fact, theologians agree that Jesus likely prayed this prayer over and over, “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.”
In his death upon the cross Christ puts an end to all human sacrifice. He does not demand a pound of flesh for our sins! Christ is the final sacrifice that saves us from sin! His task was to save the world, “For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son….”
(pause)

One of the criminals hanging next to our Lord said: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Jesus replied, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

(pause)

The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent beyond doubt.”

Meanwhile all his acquaintances stood at a distance.

(Pause)

Jesus always gives, reassures, heals, and calms others – even in the midst of his own pain and suffering.

Where do we see ourselves in the gospel story today? [pause]

I imagine that all the disciples needed the Sabbath rest to pause and reflect upon such a shocking end to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, but more importantly they needed the Sabbath rest in order to prepare for the greatest shock the world has ever experienced! The empty tomb on the Third Day!

[pause]

What will be our Easter response?

WIPE AWAY OUR TEARS AND OUR FEARS - 3rd sunday of Lent Year C

In Luke’s gospel account today, a recent act of violence and death is on the crowds’ mind. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, had killed some Galilean worshipers upon the very altar that they had offered their sacrifices upon. Jesus himself then reminds the crowd about a recent tragedy in the village of Siloam – a water tower had collapsed, crushing eighteen men to death.

The people of Jesus' day had an easy explanation for the horrific deaths of the Galileans and the eighteen men under the tower: they were "worse sinners" and "more guilty" than those who were not killed.

This idea of God smiting humans for their sins was popular theology in Jesus’ day, so it was plausible for the crowd and the disciples to think that God had smote the Galileans and the villagers of Siloam.

This was a harsh teaching that Jesus rejected. We know that some of the greatest saints have suffered and human experience shows us that bad things can happen and do happen to good people; Jesus is the greatest example.

Jesus is challenging his hearers to think about their image of God. His words challenge us to think of our image of God as well.

I recall after the deadly tornado 6 November 2005, there were some Christians who claimed it was God’s punishment upon the States of Indiana and Kentucky for allowing everything from casino gambling and horse-racing to homosexuality and abortion. In some ways it may be tempting to believe such things.

And there are still Christians who think that God is angry at us and even say that God cursed the poor people of Haiti with an earthquake. This philosophy of believing that human suffering is always caused by sin is a dangerous theology.

On the problem of evil, Thomas Aquinas wrote, [God does not directly will evil, but] "God allows or permits evil” and can draw forth some greater good out of suffering and death.

But often tragedy, earthquake, disaster, illness, and disease can cause us to question our faith in God’s mercy.

* * * * *

In John’s gospel when Jesus met the man blind from birth, the disciples ask Jesus: "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents? That he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. (John 9:2).

In Luke’s gospel James and John were upset that a particular group of Samaritans had not accepted Jesus’ message, so James and John ask Jesus if they can call fire down from heaven to consume those Samaritans (which would have undoubtedly killed them), but Jesus turns and reprimands the disciples for even having such intentions.
Jesus does not wish for us to talk or think this way. If we do we are in the wrong state of mind; we are living in the state of sin and the kingdom of fear, not the kingdom of God.

God’s love is not the kind that says “I’ll love you if you’re good”; or “I’ll love you if you prove what a great person you are”; or “I’ll love you as long as you don’t disappoint me.”

This image of God is based on dread and fear that God is more apt to curse than forgive. Yet we know that true love casts out all fear!

For our God is NOT in heaven at his computer screen ready to delete us with the first sign of disobedience. We know that Christ came to forgive us and call us to act with mercy, compassion, love, and service. This was Jesus’ Mission, his Message, His Person.

In his death upon the cross Christ puts an end to all human sacrifice. He does not demand a pound of flesh for our sins! Christ is the final sacrifice that saves us from sin! His task was to save the world, “For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son….”

Nothing we can do can make God love us! He already loves us! That is why God sent His son! And God is so madly in love with each one of us that he longs for us to share that love with whomsoever we meet! And all our works, our prayers, our acts of love and charity are all done in response to God’s gracious love and mercy!! So we rejoice in the mercy of our God! Mercy! Mercy! Mercy! Jesus is our Mercy!
THIS IS THE GOOD NEWS!!! We can never repeat it enough!

* * * * *

Yet many of us do have fears of failure or rejection, fears of violence or not meeting other peoples’ expectations of us, fears of being used or taken advantage of, or even fear of natural disasters or war.

Perhaps our fear is not of anything specific – just an overall dread, a feeling that life could fall apart on us at any moment and we wouldn’t be able to cope.
But the good news is that we can respond to our fears with a deepened trust in the love of God – whether it is a fear of violence or a tragic accident such as the stories in today’s gospel.

Saint Paul wrote that we, as children of God, “did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,” but that we are “joint heirs with Christ,” and if we unite our sufferings with His we will “also be glorified with him.” For the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us” (Rom 8.14-18).

The example of Jesus shows us that when we do suffer we can suffer redemptively; suffering can be transformed into new life. And the foundation of our Christian hope is our belief in the Resurrection of Christ!

Then as we who grow closer to Christ, we come to trust God more deeply over time. Little by little the fears that grip our hearts lose their power over us. We can let go of fear because we know that God is with us – in and through suffering, death, and destruction, and that despite it all, new Life CAN come forth - for not even suffering and death can crush us completely or destroy God’s love for us!
Again, Saint Paul wrote: “If God is for us, who can be against us? What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish or distress or persecution or disaster? No!” he says, “[f]or I am convinced that neither death, nor life… nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:31, 35-38).

God will raise us up, turning our “little crucifixions”, rejections, failures, and losses into new life.

Then, whenever the time of our physical death comes, we will not be caught by surprise or locked in the grip of fear, but we will be living the Kingdom message;
God will give us new life, life in union with Him, a life beyond anything we could ever dream of or ever imagine, where He will wipe away every tear – and every fear –!

WHO YOU GONNA LOVE?

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C Deacon John McMullen

From a personal point of view, if anyone wants to know the secret to our marriage, here’s what works for us.

Once a week we take time to go to a nice restaurant where we can be alone: a Candlelight dinner, soft music, and a slow drive home. (pause). I go on Tuesdays, MG goes on Thursdays.

Last year I asked MG, "Where do you want to go for our anniversary?"
She said, "Somewhere I haven’t been in a while."
I answered, "How about the kitchen?"
I wound up in the emergency room.

During our engagement Mary Grace and I got into a tiff on our way to Cincinnati about her driving skills. I was being helpful and she thought otherwise. We had gone about 100 miles and neither one of us had said a word. As we passed a farm I saw some pigs, and I asked her, "Are those relatives of yours?" "Yes," she replied. "I’m marrying into the family."]

Seriously, this weekend we are given plenty to reflect upon on how we live our lives; how we love; what we love; who we love, and who we are going to love.
For those of us old enough to remember Telly Salvales’ character in the old TV show KOJAK, you will recall that he used to say, “Who loves ya, baby?”
Well, today I ask all of you, “Who do you love?”

Our scripture readings this week make it clear there are really only two ways to live your life: a blessing of life to others or a woe-full curse of death unto oneself.

In two of the earliest Christian writings, called The Didache, the teachings of the Twelve Apostles, and The Epistle of Barnabas, both writers begin their texts much in the same way of today’s first reading and psalm.

The Didache begins: There are two ways, one of life and one of death, but a great difference between the two ways.

The way of death consists of: greediness, arrogance; persecuting the good, hating truth… Those on this path lack meekness, patience, and kindness and pursue revenge;
Barnabas adds that: the way of death is crooked, and full of cursing; for it is the way of eternal death… and especially evil are those who do not attend to the needs of the widow and orphan, who do not care for the needy and do not pity the poor, who oppress the afflicted, who are only advocates of the rich, who are unjust, failing to come to the aid of the heavily-burdened and turn away those in want of necessities, and who are in every respect utterly sunk in sin. This is the way of Death.

Yet the way of Life leads to eternal life. The Didache reads: The way of life, then, is this: First, you shall love God who made you; second, love your neighbor as yourself, and do not do to another what you would not want done to you. Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those who persecute you. Love those who hate you, and you shall not have an enemy.

If someone takes from you what is yours, ask it not back, for indeed it was never yours in the first place. Give to everyone who asks you, and ask it not back; for the Father wills that all should be given of our blessings. Happy are they who give according to this commandment.

You shall bear no grudge. You shall not hate anyone…and do not murmur. Be patient, compassionate, gentle, and good. And in all prayer you shall acknowledge your sins, and you shall not come near to God in prayer or to the altar as long as you bear ill will in your conscience.

Barnabas reiterates this theme. You shall be simple in heart, and rich in spirit. You shall be meek and peaceable. Love your neighbor more than yourself.
Thou shall share in all things with your neighbor; you shall not call things your own; for if we all partake of the incorruptible, eternal things in common, then how much more should we share in earthly things which are corruptible!

Be always ready to stretch forth your hands to give. Do not hesitate to give, nor murmur when you give. "Give to every one that ask of you," and great shall be your reward. Do not be the cause of a rift among believers or be the cause of schism. This is the way of light.

Wow! Talk about a strange way to live Christianity! Or is it the way things ought to be? What does the Gospel teach us? Better yet, what does Jesus command? Today’s Beatitudes from Luke are often called the Sermon on the Plain….Plain and simple – the gospel is meant to lift the lowly and bring down the high and mighty arrogant.

* * * * *

One of my favorite Saints is Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. In his marvelous Spiritual Exercises –which he wrote while dwelling among the Benedictine Monastery at Montserrat - in the second week of meditations he asks the retreatant to ponder the two ways of the Kingdom and calls them the TWO STANDARDS.
The one is Christ, our Commander-in-chief and Lord; the other is Lucifer, the mortal enemy of our human nature.

Christ calls and wants all under His standard, his flag of allegiance; and Lucifer, on the contrary, wants us under his.

Ignatius has us imagine seeing the place; a great field of all that region of Jerusalem, where the supreme Commander-in-chief of the good is Christ our Lord; another field in the region of Babylon, where the chief of the enemy is Lucifer. (if we have ever been on a high mountain or even a great hillside one can see the valley below for miles in either direction . This is the idea.

On one side we can see the chief of the enemy army seated in that great field of Babylon, as in a great chair of fire and smoke, horrible and terrifying.

He then issues a summons to innumerable demons and scatters them, some to one city and others to another, and so through all the world, not omitting any places, states, or any person.

He tells them to cast out nets and chains; that they have first to tempt with a longing for riches - as he is accustomed to do in most cases -that humans may more easily come to vain honor of the world, and then to vast pride. So that the first step shall be that of riches and worldly goods; the second, that of honor and fame; the third, that of power and pride; and from these three steps he draws on to all the other vices.

Then we behold the supreme and true Captain, Who is Christ our Lord at the other end of the valley. Our Lord puts Himself in a great field of that region of Jerusalem, in lowly place, beautiful and attractive. He then chooses so many persons - Apostles, Disciples, teachers, care-givers, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, children – and sends them through all the world spreading His sacred doctrine through all states and conditions of persons.

Christ our Lord then asks all of His servants and friends whom He sends on this expedition, to want to help all people.

By having them embrace spiritual poverty, disregard for worldly honor, and humility against pride. And from these three all the other virtues flow.

We are in that valley. The battle is raging – who standard will we choose?

* * * * * *

Finally, in the Book of Revelation, the Lord speaks to the Church Community at Ephesus: "I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors. Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary.”

In other words, the church community of Ephesus knows the truth of God, they know the faith, they understand the doctrine, they have it clear in their minds, and they have suffered for being faithful to the gospel message and the truths of the faith, BUT – and this is an important conjunction - after praising them for their faith, he then says: “Yet I hold this against you: you have lost your first love!”
And who is the first love? Is it not Christ Jesus Himself?! And not only must we love truth in the mind, but we must love with the heart. We must love the truth with our minds, but love the Person of Christ with all of our heart, and serve Christ by serving one another with our hands.

We still read letters today written by St. Paul to the Ephesians, but sadly, the Church community at Ephesus faltered in its faith and did not hearken to the words of Christ or of Saint Paul, for there is no church at Ephesus today.

We are about to embark upon the Penitential Season of Lent, the desert of abandonment when we fast and pray. What will we learn to fast from? Whatever keeps us away from God and serving – and communicating with – our neighbor. TV, I-pod, cell phone, halo, guitar hero? Whatever it is –whatever we spend most of our time and money on can become our god.

Yet the greatest commandment is the same yesterday, today, and forever: Love God with all our mind, all our heart, all our soul, and with all our strength; and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

* * * * *

May we, the Church of Nativity, aye, the Church of the Diocese of Evansville, and indeed all Catholics and Christians everywhere, never forget our first love.
And take the path of Light, Life, and Blessing!

[Who are you going to love?]

Who ya gonna love?

WHERE IS THE LOVE?

4th Sunday of Ordinary Time Deacon McMullen Jan 30-31, 2010

Where is the Love?

[The homily begins with me hitting a trash can lid with a ball bat. After which I ask:

Where’s the love? [pause]

Imagine that week after week at Mass, the preacher, in order to not offend anyone, really says nothing of substance. He doesn’t proclaim the Word of God and allow it to challenge the congregation to grow in faith or develop a more personal relationship with the Lord nor does he call the people to look within themselves and see where God is calling them to share their time and talents.

Instead, the preacher continually encourages the people to keep their religion to themselves, reinforcing the old saw that only Catholics go to heaven, women shouldn’t be allowed in the sanctuary, and that everyone ought to focus on their sinfulness and faults, and never stop repeating to themselves how unworthy they are of God’s love!

Unfortunately, there are those who have embraced a warped, frustrated view of Catholicism that I have just described.

But what a completely upside down disturbing view of the gospel message! Yet that is sort of the kind of a mentality Jesus was confronted with when he returned to his hometown of Nazareth.

Jesus proclaims a passage of the prophet Isaiah and announces: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

The Nazareth crowd initially responds positively to him and his words. But then they begin to question him and his authority. Isn’t this the son of Joseph? He was a stonecutter, a mere carpenter. Who does he think he is? Once again, there is no room at the inn for Jesus, even in his hometown!

I’m sure Jesus could have asked: Where’s the love? Where’s the love!

Jesus recognizes that he is being rejected – but he knew it would be this way – you and I know that the good news of the gospel is often shunned in favor of the bad news of gossip, people’s personal failures, and the latest scandal.

Jesus jogs their memory and rekindles the story of Elijah who went to the widow of Zarapheth rather than any of the widows of Israel; he also recalls the story of Naaman the Syrian who was the only leper cleansed by the Prophet Elisha. God will not be outdone in generosity nor will he be confined to our ridiculous boundary lines. But the people did not want to hear how God loved their enemies, so Jesus is rejected! Jesus’ God was bigger than what they were used to, greater than what they could accept, so he is rejected!
They wanted a god who was only on their side, so he is rejected!

And by his rejection he is letting us know that we can expect rejection as well. In fact, it seems to be a calling card for Catholics and Christians around the world, even now.

We too will encounter opposition and a lack of faith – even among our fellow believers – people with preconceived notions of God that limit grace - but we must not allow their cynicism and doubt to crush our faith!

The Nazareth crowd was filled with religious intolerance and holy anger – often the worst kind! And they sought to kill Jesus by throwing him off a cliff headfirst!

But Jesus passed through their midst and went away. He went away!!! He went away. Where did he go?

He went to those who have open hearts and willing minds to embrace his vision of the kingdom! Do we see him in our midst? What are going to do with Jesus and his message, his mission, and his vision of the kingdom?

Should we beat a trash can lid, telling people what great Christians we are? Where is the Love in that? Or should we live the love?

Jeremiah, Elijah, Elisha, and Jesus all knew their God to be bigger than any of our ridiculous categories or boxes in which we want to keep God. But God cannot be contained. God cannot be limited. God’s love is overflowing.

Being sent to your own people and telling them something that might be hard for them to accept can get you into hot water just like the kind of trouble Jesus got into! Those who think they know all there is to know about the faith are often the scariest people to deal with. Those who should know that we are forever on a journey with and to the Lord are often the least interested in truly hearing the Word of God!

Yet if we take the gospel seriously, we are also called to be prophets! Not to foretell the future, but to speak and do God’s Word in our World! Jesus calls us all to be prophets, speaking the Word of God in and out of season and putting it into action!

As prophets, you and I have business outside these walls of worship. These walls are never to confine God’s Word or action in the world!

So, how can we be prophets today? Saint Paul describes our role very well in today’s epistle. We are to love. And what does love look like?

“Love is patient, love is kind. Love is not jealous, love is not pompous…” and all that…

We are the love in the world. And if we are not love to the world, then we are hypocrites, actors dressed as Christians.

Paraphrasing Saint Paul, if I have the tongues of angels and human and have no love, then I am nothing more than a trash can lid being hammered with a ball bat.

If I had the faith to move a mountain but do not put that faith into practice through acts of love and mercy, then I am as useless as an earthmover without a shovel!

These are strong words. Yet the gospel is strong medicine for a disease ridden world!

Therefore what should move us more than anything is what happens to us when we hear the Word proclaimed and then gather around this altar! When we comprehend the Word of God with our minds and receive the Word into our hearts, we are transformed; then as we approach the altar and receive the Body of Christ, the Eucharist, then we become the very Body of Christ, the Church!

So what happens to us once we hear the words, “Mass is ended, go in peace to love and serve the Lord!”?
Are those merely words? Or do we not realize that we are given a command! We are to boldly go forth as prophets to the nations! We become the sanctuary to the world! We are the Church and we take Christ to the world! We are God’s bread given as manna to the needy! We are God’s love poured out to a thirsty world!

What would the world be like if we practiced the virtues of patience, kindness, hope & love?!

[Ball bat on trash can lid again.] Where’s the love? Where is the Love? Where is our love? Where is the Lord?

EPIPHANY ANYONE?

There is a fairly forgettable film with Will Farrell called Talladega Nights, - trust me, I am not recommending the film – though I am sure many of you have already seen it – but four years ago one of my freshmen students placed the DVD box in my hand, so I watched it. It took me three nights to get all the way through the banal attempt at humor.

However there was one very telling scene where Will Farrell’s character Ricky decides to lead a prayer before a meal and he prays to the Baby Jesus because, in his words, “I like the Baby Jesus best.”

On this solemn feast of Epiphany and as we continue to celebrate the Christmas Season - while the rest of the world forgot about Christ 10 days ago – we savor the sweetness of the Savior’s birth.

However, we do not remain fixated upon the infant in the manger. We cannot. In fact, in Matthew’s gospel the Magi do not visit Jesus in a manger. Mary and Joseph and the child Jesus are dwelling in a house by the time the magi arrive. Jesus does not stay in one place for long. So if we only recognize Christ in the manger, then our faith would never grow beyond that of the likes of a Ricky Bobby.

Could it be that the reason some people may be more comfortable with the Baby Jesus is because they only come to Mass on Christmas? Then the next time these folks show up for church is on Easter Sunday after all the hard work has been done and the tomb is empty! But Catholics or Christians who treat their faith that way miss the whole story!

Many people do want Jesus in their own image… and for Ricky Bobby, Jesus is a little 8lb 6 oz., perfect newborn baby Jesus, in perfect golden-fleece diapers…”

He is the Jesus of his own imagination. He fashions Jesus according to an image that he prefers and is comfortable with and then pictures Jesus showering him with money, success, and power. But is this the true Jesus?

Ricky Bobby was so immature that the only way he could relate to Jesus was on the level of baby and God was the great gumball machine in the sky ready to grant his every desire.

We know that Jesus grew to manhood and began his public ministry. But even in the midst of Christmas we sing: “What child is this, who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping? The king of kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone him. And then the next verse reads: Nails, spear, shall pierce him through, the cross be borne for me, for you; Hail, hail, the Word made flesh, the Babe, the Son of Mary!”


So even in the manger the shadow of the cross is there. Jesus is born in Bethlehem which means “little house of bread” and is placed in a manger – a wooden feeding trough for animals; then in his ministry he proclaims that he is “The Bread of Life” and gives his flesh as “our daily bread” and is eventually placed on the wood of the cross, nailed to it and lifted on high.

Therefore , note that the feast of epiphany is threefold – yes, we recall the Magi, the strange visitors from the east who come to worship the Christ child and offer gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh;

But we also recall the adult Jesus’ baptism where he begins his public ministry where God the Father announces, “This is my Beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.

And thirdly we recall Jesus first public miracle where he changes the water into wine at the wedding at Cana.

No child stays a child forever. Ask any parent or grandparent and they will all agree – they grow up so fast. So it was with Jesus! He didn’t just come as a sweet baby but as a sweet Savior!

He grows up and in his public ministry he challenges us in many ways.

Being a Christian is not for wimps. Jesus calls us to show mercy even when no one else is showing mercy; he calls us to be peacemakers even in the midst of war and oppression; he calls us to forgive one another if we desire God to forgive us. He calls us to love others as God loves each of us. This is an epiphany for many – perhaps even some of us here this morning.

Epiphany is a moveable feast – in more ways than one. Every day we are called to experience epiphany.

May we experience the epiphany of recognition that Christ comes to transform our ordinary existence into extraordinary grace-filled lives; that the same Father calls to us in the silence of our hearts that we are God’s Beloved Sons and Daughters!

May our celebration of epiphany leads us to the epiphany that we are God’s beloved children and we are to be Christ to one another.

Now imagine how glorious, how awesome our celebration of Christmas will be now that we know the rest of the story?!!!

GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY

"In the fullness of time, chosen in the unfathomable depths of God's wisdom, the Son of God took for himself our common humanity in order to reconcile it with its creator. He came to overthrow the devil, the origin of death, in that very nature by which he had overthrown mankind. And so at the birth of our Lord the ang...els sing in joy: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth!

"So good Christian, remember your dignity, that you share in God's own nature; through the sacrament of baptism you have become a temple of the Holy Spirit, for your liberty was bought by the blood of Christ." - Pope Leo the Great (Pope from 440-461 A.D.)