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Homily

Seventh Sunday Ordinary Time

Posted on by Deacon Joe

1 Sm 26: 2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23; Ps. 103: 1-4, 8,10, 12-13; 1 Cor. 15: 45-49; Lk. 6: 27-38

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”.  Mercy is love and love is God.  “We have borne the image of the earthly one (first man, Adam, became a living being) we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one”.  The image of the heavenly one is borne in the earthly life by the fruits of their love.  The first man was tempted into taking the fruit to be like God and received mercy and judgment in the same act of fallen nature.  Mercy and love from the “last Adam” Jesus Christ redeems us with the image of the “life giving spirit”.  The fall of the first Adam came from disobedience.  The second call for obedience is for mercy.   “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”. 

“God has delivered your enemy into your grasp this day” David was told.  It was the moment of decision for David.  Saul had been tracking him down with the intent of killing David.  David was filled with the life giving spirit to proclaim, “Do not harm him, for who can lay hands on the Lord’s anointed and remain unpunished?”  Had David chosen to kill Saul at the moment he had the opportunity it is possible the other soldiers would have woken and obtained revenge.  The “deep slumber” the soldiers were in as “a good measure” of a gift in return for the mercy of David.  David’s mercy leads to Saul’s conversion of heart and a new brotherhood.  David’s mercy brings about the future overflowing gifts inheriting the earthly kingdom of God. 

We ask ourselves do we have that trust in God to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us or even bless those who curse us?  Perhaps we may pray for those who mistreat us but how far does our mercy extend?  We live in times where the vitriol in the public square calls for “hate” and “death”.  It is hate to those who stand for values that are in opposition of one societal group over another.  It calls for death of any ideology that is not in line with the secular views intent to leave God out of the public square.  As Christians we are not outside the public square, we are members who participate and contribute to its growth.  Christianity is lived in the public square. 

Those who reject us find fault in Christianity for taking a stand on moral principles, values and God’s commandments.  The charge is we are not inclusive, not tolerant, and not open to alternative views or life-styles.  Ultimately, we are condemned as hypocrites for not “loving”.  It is not enough to love the sinner if we cannot accept the sin.  Who are we to judge is the claim?  The image of Christ brought condemnation to the sin not the sinner. The image of Christ brought the call to conversion for the sinner not tolerance for the sin. The image of Christ brought the call to a unity of truth not inclusiveness to a diversity of truth.  In the end we believe in one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. 

In times of hate, death, cursing and the festering of evil it can tempt a good soul to fall once again into “an eye for an eye” judgment.  If this remains the standard then “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you” and we bring judgment upon ourselves.  This is the last attempt of the evil one to grab souls for itself before to final coming of Christ, the Parousia.  Our Father is merciful, may this be our prayer, “Lord in your mercy give me the grace to be merciful”. 

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The Deacon Joe

Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Jer. 17: 5-8; Ps. 1: 1-4, 6; 1Cor. 15: 12, 16-20; Lk. 6: 17, 20-26

Freedom of religion is not free.  Recently in a number of judicial appointments we have witnessed Congress take the adversarial position to appointees who profess to be Catholic.  In one case the appointee’s history as a member of a group in support of the Catholic Church was compared to a secret suspicious cult.  The group he belonged to was the Knights of Columbus with a long history of supporting many worthy causes of charity locally, nationally, and internationally for the Catholic Church.  Woe to you from the secular view who dare to represent causes that pose an existential threat to the mainstream view of the times. 

The struggle of today is for the soul of the person to put their “trusts in human beings”.  Humans claim the right to choose the appropriate social norms and the freedom to be ever changing.  “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord” who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  This is the “tree planted beside the waters…in the year of drought it shows no distress but still bears fruit.” 

The seed besides restful waters is given at the waters of baptism.  The tree is to grow in the image of God always fruitful.  The fruit comes in a variety of types, feeding the hungry, sheltering the poor, giving alms, visiting the sick and many more endless ways of caring for others.  It also comes when we stand as a witness for truth knowing “people will hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man” we rejoice because it is the fruit of the “Blessed”. 

To be in this world is a journey constantly wandering though the stages of life in search of itself.  “Woe to you who are rich” seeking “strength in the flesh” and “all speak well of you”.  This is the fruit that poisons the soul to reject the “I Am” for an identity of slavery in the image of this world.   I am created in the image of God where my identity and freedom lie.  Woe to you who choose slavery to the “politically correct” norms for you “laugh now, for you will grieve and weep” when they betray you left behind to “experience an empty earth”. 

The human search of itself is discovered in the one raised from the dead.  The reward of the “Blessed” is the joy of eternal life in Christ.  Often the focus of faith in some believers is limited to the nirvana of an earthly kingdom of social justice and an elimination of all disparities.  “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.”  Christ came and gave witness “the kingdom of God is at hand”.  It is now with us and does not belong to this world.  It resides in the souls of his children to live out the kingdom as brothers and sisters of the King who is raised from the dead. 

“Blessed are they who hope in the Lord…the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep”.  Many have “fallen” into the “weeping of an empty earth…hungry as salt”.  It is seen in actions that reflect faith in the flesh “for this life only.”  If your soul is for this life only, “your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.”  Seek first the kingdom of the resurrected Christ.  Where will you spend eternity?  

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Homily

Friday 4th Week of Ordinary Time

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Heb. 13: 1-8; Mk. 6: 14-29

“It is John whom I beheaded.  He has been raised up”.  With these words King Herod demonstrates he was a man of faith, misguided believer but a man of faith.  Herod was ministered to by John and “he liked to listen to him” though he “feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man”.  The people were saying of Jesus he is John, he is Elijah, or a prophet.  Herod understood in his heart the sin he had committed. He confessed it by claiming it was John whom he beheaded.

Herod was misguided because he had not had an encounter with Jesus yet he believed him to be John. He believed “He has been raised up” from the dead.  Perhaps John preached to him of the resurrection of the dead and the one to come. This lead him to make such a bold statement.  Herod “feared John” a wanderer in the desert who had no army, no wealth, no recognition only the power of the “word”.  The word from John against the sin of Herod marrying his brother’s wife was understood as a violation of the “law” of God.

Today the word speaks to our hearts not only from the gospel word but from our baptism through the Holy Spirit. This word is planted into our hearts. The word resonates when we sin against the law of God.  The moral conscience stands guard and watchful of our actions.  It is protected by an army of virtues given by the Holy Spirit. From our baptism we not only receive faith, hope, and love but also fortitude, justice, prudence, and temperance.

It is one thing to know what is right and another to have the fortitude to stand for what is right. This is a world that claims to have the entitlement to dictate what is right.  Do we have the courage to be a voice in the desert. It is one thing to believe in justice and another to act justly when confronted with injustice.  It is one thing to make the best judgement under the circumstances and another to be prudent in God’s right judgment.  It is one thing to seek right balance in our life and another to live in temperance with God’s call this day being the best God created us to be.

The word now resides within but not for all.  Like Herod some are drawn only from the outside. They hear the word and are “very much perplexed” but have not had an encounter with the word made flesh, Jesus.  They have listened to many prophets, philosophers, ideologist and come away with their own eclectic views of the world.  Some misguided by their love for one person have called for the head of another.  Others for the pride of their word have sworn to deliver the head of the innocent. 

Today we are reminded “not to neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.”  We are not alone in the kingdom of God.  The angels of God are with us and they come to guide us to God’s perfection in an encounter with the suffering, imprisoned, and the stranger.  The words, “Let your life be free from love of money” can be extended to love of any attachment that separates us from the love of God.  We become attached to money, alcohol, drugs, television, social media, the internet and even food or any number of bad habits.  The number one attachment we all suffer from today is our phone and our youth are beginning early in life conditioned to this lifestyle. 

By trying to stay connected to the world we become disconnected to the present moment around us and miss the presence of Christ with us.  We must learn to step aside from the bondage we create for ourselves and trust “The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid.”  Christ is the one constant in this world. He will not abandon or forsake us when we turn back to him.  Are we ready to encounter Jesus or will we fear a righteous and holy man?  We must first listen “for him” before we can listen to him and then follow.

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Homily The Deacon Joe

Fourth Week in Ordinary Time “God’s way”

Posted on by Deacon Joe

Jer. 1:4-5, 17-19; Ps. 71: 1-6, 15, 17; 1 Cor. 12: 31 – 13:13; Lk. 4: 21-30

God’s way is a “still more excellent way.”  God’s way is not the way of a fallen nature but one that offers the gift of God himself, the gift of love.  Jesus on the cross came to show us the more excellent way that lasts for an eternity, God’s way.  God’s way is not simply from the womb to the tomb but “before I formed you in the womb I knew you”.  God fashioned who he is sending into this world with a divine purpose and “before you were born I dedicated you”.  We are not just a unique creation of our DNA we are an inspired creation of the divine creator.  The “Right to choose” belongs to God who dedicated us to come into this world for a greater purpose. 

“The Right to choose” in a fallen nature separates oneself from the divine purpose for the personal freedom to choose sin, death, and destruction.  The battle for life of the unborn child is once again making news with recent developments of laws that allow late term abortions with the option now to decide after birth the fate of a child.  The wolf in sheep’s clothing covers itself with the veil of “compassion” while the evil within is revealed as “infanticide”.  In abortion not only does the infant die but what is revealed in the soul of the woman is that with the death of the child a part of her dies with it.  It is a slow death, the death of love within of our own humanity.  We become objectified not humanized, less compassionate and merciful, and more restless and isolated separated from the peace only God can offer. 

God’s way is “a still more excellent way”, the way of forgiveness, redemption, and salvation.  God’s way is the way back to freedom from the bondage of sin, death, and destruction.  God is love and love is patient and kind, not jealous but generous, not pompous or rude but humble and meek, not seeking its own interests but the good of other from the womb to the tomb.  Love does not brood over injury but is merciful in forgiveness of self and others bearing the wounds of our sins and the injury of others and never fails to trust in the divine purpose often veiled but never lost.  Who can be God?  Jesus came to show us the more excellent way and lead us into his image. 

Our nature fails us but God’s grace is greater than our nature for “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)  In humility and meekness we surrender to Him to receive his grace and his grace works to fulfill our dedicated purpose.  In today’s gospel, Jesus returns to “his native place” and the expectation is that if he is the messiah he should do for his people what he has done for other people.  The Jewish people looked to a messiah who would elevate his people above others in a new kingdom.  To perform great wonders for Gentiles raised jealousy, seeking its own interests and quick-tempered reactions.  He reminded them Elijah was sent to the widow in the land of Sidon not the widows in Israel and Elisha cured Naaman the Syrian a Gentile among the many lepers.  How could this be a messiah coming to save Gentiles?  This did not fit into the vision of a Jewish messiah and was worthy of death, driving him onto “the brow of the hill” at the edge of the cliff. 

Having visited Nazareth in the Holy Land and stood at the brow of the cliff of rock formation one can sense the anger and threat Jesus created when his compassion was revealed as a universal love.  He revealed a God of all the people, Jews and Gentiles, children and widows, sinners and righteous with unbounded love.  This God was something to rejoice in but the fallen nature of humanity rejected this love in search of a God of death, destruction, and division. 

When we speak for life from the womb to the tomb there is an anger brewing that wishes to chase us away to the brow of the cliff to hurl us down headlong and silence our voices.  If God is with us who can be against us?  Stand firm and pass through their midst.  Today we are fulfilling the scripture passage “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me (us), because he has anointed me (us) to bring glad tidings to the poor.  He has sent me (us) to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”  God’s way is to be our way and we are now the ones sent. Amen. 

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