Pentecost Sunday

Posted on May 30, 2020May 29, 2020 by Deacon Joe

Acts 2:1-11; Ps. 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34; 1 Cor. 12:3b-7, 12-13; Jn.20:19-23

“Come, Holy Spirit, come” to serve the mighty acts of God in us and through us. This is an invitation for the Spirit to enter our souls and open for us the gates of heaven through the works of God. Pentecost Sunday is a call to life in the Spirit, that is with the foretaste of heaven though not fully yet realized because we remain in a state of purification with the stain of sin. As Jesus appears after the resurrection to the disciples, he breathes on them to give them the Holy Spirit of fire and truth and set them on their mission as a royal priesthood in the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus appears in his glorified body to the disciples in today’s gospel behind locked doors yet he was able to pass through unrestricted by nature though his body was tangible. This property we will all have is known as “subtlety” and is governed by the direction of the soul as one of seven properties of the glorified state described by St. Thomas Aquinas. Jesus is one with the Father in the Spirit and we call on the Holy Spirit to come and be one with us in this mystery of the Trinity. Life in the spirit is the soul’s hunger and restless desire for holiness that is perfection as the Father in heaven is perfect beginning with us calling on the Holy Spirit to “come”.

Jesus first words to the disciples are “peace be with you” showing them his hands and his side to erase all doubt of his physical presence. Jesus then repeats his gift of peace now that the disciples believe and after breathing on them, they receive the Holy Spirit with the call to go forth with their mission “whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained”. This specific spiritual gift is reserved for the disciples though we recognize “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God…To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” There is a path to holiness given to each of us coming from the gifts of the Spirit and our joy is in recognizing our gifts and multiplying them.

The disciples first gift and power from the Spirit is to bring peace and healing through forgiveness of sins. This for many other Christian denominations is a barrier to faith because of the belief “only God can forgive sins”. This is the same issue the Jews had with Jesus boldness when he clearly took action to forgive sins, an apostasy to place himself equal to God. Today we accept Jesus as the second person of the Trinity as one with and in God. Jesus promised the disciples even greater things to come through them and it begins with this gift to forgive sins not on their own but in the person of Christ himself who is with them and acting through them as he does through the priesthood today. What about our gifts, our calling, and service to God?

Today we are called to speak of the “mighty acts of God” through the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to us just as the disciples spoke in different “tongues” we speak through the different gifts of the mighty acts God is doing in our lives. Each gift is connected to a service to fulfill a work of God and bring about a benefit that is a “fruit” of the Spirit. How are we doing with our gifts to bring about this “fruit”? It begins with an act of the will to call on the Holy Spirit to come and be with us as we respond to this day, the challenge of this moment, and to fulfill the benefit waiting to be achieved by our specific gift but it begins with us calling on him, in spirit and truth to come and “take possession of my heart and strengthen me by your grace”.

Pentecost is the Greek name for Shavuot celebrated fifty days after Passover, the spring harvest festival of the Israelites sharing the first fruits of the harvest which was going on when the Holy Spirit came. Many came from different regions and languages to celebrate and share their harvest. Pentecost then is the festival of sharing the gifts of the Holy Spirit with each other bringing the fire of God’s love then going forth with the Good news of the gospel into our world. Fire is transforming and the Holy Spirit is with us to bring transformation to our lives, our relationships, and our world.

Our world is undergoing the “test” of faith as it battles the pandemic of a virus threatening our mortal lives. “Fear” is not the response of faith of a believer nor is withdrawal into seclusion the response of faith. Prudence is right judgement in responding as a people of faith to the crisis. It is not if we are to open the doors of the church but how they are to remain open to the sacramental life. Guided by the fire of the Holy Spirit we are to gather together in celebration to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, in the Holy Spirit, and in the communion with the people. This is an essential service for the people of God and Jesus is calling, the Holy Spirit is waiting, and the Father is at our doors. Let us welcome him into our souls by returning to his temple of love.

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Homily The Deacon Joe

Ascension of the Lord

Posted on May 21, 2020May 20, 2020 by Deacon Joe

Acts 1:1-11; Ps. 47:2-3,6-9; Eph. 1:17-23; Mat.28:16-20

“I am with you always, until the end of the age” is our hope and salvation as Jesus visibly ascends only to remain as the invisible God with us. The disciples went to the mountain of Galilee and “when they saw him, they worshiped but the doubted.” What a contradiction to see, worship what you see and doubt what you see reminds us only in Christ can we do all things through him who strengthens us.

In the midst of uncertainty as the disciples found themselves even in seeing the resurrected Jesus, they doubted his real presence. In the midst of uncertainty how often do we doubt the presence of God and promise that Jesus is with us? In receiving the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ in the Eucharist how many remain in doubt to his real presence even after seeing Eucharistic miracles where the host turn into flesh and drips blood? The power of faith to believe is the coming together of our will to the will of the Father to give life in the spirit of truth.

Jesus provided “many proofs” he is alive yet they doubted. The human spirit desires what only the Holy Spirit brings to the soul, the voice of God. God enlightens the soul to truth out of the darkness of doubt through the waters of baptism; it confirms us in faith to the divine will to witness against the passion of idolatry; it feeds the hunger for love out of his own body and blood in the breaking of the bread; it brings conviction of sin to be cleansed in confession against condemnation of the law; it fosters unity in one body with the Trinity and fellowship of humanity against division of relativity; it raises sacrifice for a greater good against indulgence of narcissism; it brings peace and joy where there is fear and confusion; it is God with us and who can be against?

God sees the depth of the heart’s prayer as worship with doubt or worship in faith. Jesus asks Martha, “Do you believe this?”. He was referring to himself as “the resurrection and the life”. Martha responds “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God…” First, Martha came to believe indicating faith is a journey and each of us are on that path with its’ own share of joys and sufferings that bring us to this revelation. Second, Martha arrived at a point of faith that allowed Jesus to perform the miracle of faith in raising Lazarus.

The Spirit is present and active but where are the believers who have arrived without doubting in this power of God present in us and with us? We remain as the people of God in the desert looking beyond for the promise land wandering, waiting, hoping, yet doubting. Jesus is with us yet we must arrive in our faith as he walks beside us while our hearts are burning, wandering and wondering. Believe and receive the promise waiting to be revealed.

There was a radio talk show in which the person interviewed came to believe and converted from atheist to Catholic. The one statement that had a profound impact in her conversion was when they heard “what if you just believed for 30 days what do you have to lose”. She decided to act in faith what she was discerning and see what would happen knowing that if nothing happened the worst thing in the end she would “eat some crow” for her foolishness. The encounter with God was not delayed as after only a few days there was a new profound faith giving birth in her soul that was left with no doubt. Let us come to believe and set doubt aside so God can enter into our faith and make greater miracles of us, through us, and for us.

For forty days Jesus appears to the disciples after the resurrection and before his ascension to bring conviction and instruction as to the kingdom of God. They were to “wait for the promise of the Father…in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit”. This promise is given to us who wait upon the Lord in faith already believing and “shout to God with cries of gladness”. Thank you Lord for receiving me who receives you this day present to manifest power and glory in this humble servant for this I know your promise is everlasting.

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Homily

6th Sunday of Easter

Posted on May 16, 2020May 15, 2020 by Deacon Joe

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; Ps. 66:1-7, 16, 20; 1Peter 3:15-18; Jn. 14:15-21

Faith and works unite love and justice into the one body of Christ. It is the works of the will that reveal faith as the visible sign of invisible grace given to us who seek and ask. This is the testimony of Philip in today’s reading (Acts) who proclaim Christ to the people of Samaria with visible power in the miracles he performed. How do we demonstrate the power of Christ in our daily lives?

1^st Peter in his letter calls us to testify to God’s power in us when we “suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God.” The “if” reminds us not all suffering is the will of God when evil remains in this world. The will of God comes in suffering from keeping his commandments. These works of our will call upon the “Spirit of truth” to be our Advocate when we respond with “gentleness and reverence, keeping our conscience clear”. This is our challenge to call upon the Advocate in our struggle faced with adversity.

How easy it is to fall into a battle of wills with those we love most. The impulse is to return “fire with fire” sometimes aggressively getting loud and demanding or sometimes very passive aggressive with rejection through silence and denial of our love. The human “battlefield” is what the disciples of Jesus hoped for yet Christ followed the righteous path for the sake of the unrighteous”. Our human battlefield begins within for the sake off a greater good.

Let not the peace of Christ be disturbed by what comes from without but from within for the evil one is always baiting our souls to fall again into temptation. What is from without is “dis-ease” meaning a lack of ease about what we cannot control and what wants to control us. Our power is to reject all dis-ease as from the evil one and claiming the peace of Christ he offered his disciples at his at his appearance after the resurrection when his first words were “Peace be with you”. Let our hearts not be troubled by pandemics that rise and fall taking innocent lives for even if this suffering comes into our lives the promise of the resurrection is waiting to rescue us.

In listening to a Catholic radio program, the guest was giving his conversion story from Protestant to Catholic. He concluded his story recalling how his father a Baptist “died” from a heart attack but was brought back to life in the ambulance. Later that year he asked his Father what his death experience was like. His father said it was not what he expected. To his surprise instead of seeing heaven he went to this “intermediary” place where he had to give account of his life. As Catholics we identify this intermediary place as purgatory and also the Church suffering. It suffers as it waits for justice and heaven. We fail to speak more on purgatory as is needed in our call to repentance while we battle in our time as the Church militant. This is our battlefield for justice in heaven and earth.

The battlefield is fought and won within our souls with the help of the Advocate bringing us the spirit of truth. Our battle is a sacrificial offering of our day living in the Spirit of truth called to pick up our cross and follow the spirit in faith to victory. Jesus is waiting to claim victory for us when we unite our will to his we become one body in Christ with the power of the unseen God.

In the human existence we often confuse love as forgiveness with an avoidance of consequence. Love and justice in God are both present and justice is his. A child says “I’m sorry” and expects the parent to not impose justice. Children don’t understand the value of justice and if it is not fair justice may even lose faith in love. As children of God we often come to expect forgiveness without justice but justice belongs to God and it comes with love. Dante described purgatory as the place we go to wash our baptismal robes. The “place” is a process of cleansing of sin that remains as we leave our mortal bodies and claim our promise of heaven. It is not a denial of God’s love but a perfection of our love to receive his glory as an unblemished tabernacle of our souls. It is the unity of love and justice as one. Faith unites to love as works unites to justice for faith without works is a call to death eternal. We are a people of the resurrection in faith and works for the greater good.

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Homily

5th Sunday of Easter

Posted on May 9, 2020May 8, 2020 by Deacon Joe

Acts 6:1-7; Ps. 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; 1Peter 2:4-9; Jn. 14:1-12

The church is born in the one priesthood of Jesus Christ! Ecclesiology is the study of the nature of the “church” and traditionally Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension as the birth of the church. Recently I heard the argument for the Last Supper as the birth of the church when Jesus by the breaking of the bread and giving of the wine instructs his disciples thereby instituting the priesthood of the church. Thus, the church is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist which we become when we receive the Eucharist at Mass. The unity in the one body the church comes to its’ fullness in the Eucharist. We could say the descent of the Holy Spirit is the “Confirmation” of the church.

In our times it is often repeated “the church is the people” who share in the one priesthood by baptism. This focus on the people is meaningful to the extent the source and summit of the church remains in the Eucharist and is not lost. Unfortunately, too many people identify as Christian without unity to the Eucharist becoming “churches” of their own body. The people are called to “follow” in the body of Christ which they receive in the Eucharist and in the sacramental life of the church. Can there be church without the Eucharist? If history is a sign then we see the multiplication of “churches” into isolated cells when people separate from the Eucharist only to rise and fall.

Easter season is a renewal of the Church as we celebrate its formation in the early church. Today’s first reading in Acts is the birth of the diaconate into the church. “Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom…They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them”. The origins for the call to the diaconate was to serve the needs of the people. In being “reputable”, they were trusted with the resources of the church and not prone to scandal. In being filled with the Spirit and wisdom they served as a channel of grace to minister to the needs of the people as the hands of the church. Deacons called apart out from the people but not to the priesthood become the bridge living “in the world but not of the world” uniting church and people as a visible Christ. The diaconate is to be Jesus as a voice for our times in our homes, work places, and in the community.

Jesus is our cornerstone present in the Eucharist. In the gospel he reminds Philip, “The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.” Today Jesus who dwells in us in the Eucharist is doing the works of the Father “and will do greater ones than these because I am going to the Father.” These are the works of salvation through evangelization as the church fulfills its mission of adding to the house of the Lord many more dwelling places prepared for us. This is our Easter hope and victory as we wait to gather together after this pandemic crisis is won.

“Come to him, a living stone…built into a spiritual house…to offer spiritual sacrifices”. This pandemic is our invitation to offer spiritual sacrifices for the recovery of this nation and the world. It is also a time for renewal of the “church” into a spiritual vessel of faith, hope and love, and prayer is the sacrifice needed. Prayer Matters!! As the nation celebrates the National Day of Prayer bringing people of all faiths we join in prayer for healing, the end of the virus, a return to a healthy work environment, and an opening of our houses of worship.

A spiritual house recognizes we are all created equal but not equally gifted for the same purpose. Each is called by name for a given purpose in the house of the Lord yet all serve the same greater good. As the early church quickly grew in number it realized the need for a house of God united in order of service just as all parts of the human body all come together to create a functioning human. The homeostasis of the human body is in care for its physical, psychological and spiritual needs and as such the body of the church must be cared for also.

The living stone is the Eucharist inviting us to a transformation of our body into his body and our souls into his spiritual vessel each called by name to our place of order within God’s house. Let us enter into it in body, soul, and spirit and our transformation will transform our world into a house of worship with many rooms to serve each purpose in the mystery of faith.

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Homily

4th Sunday of Easter

Posted on May 2, 2020April 29, 2020 by Deacon Joe

Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Ps. 23:1-3a, 3b-6; 1Peter 2:20b-25; Jn. 10:1-10

The Good Shepherd has called us by name to “Save yourself from this corrupt generation…which does not enter the sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.” When Peter stood up and proclaimed to his generation “this Jesus whom you crucified…they were cut to the heart”. Salvation come through repentance and baptism but first the word of God must cut to the heart and reveal our sin before us. Sin is the thief and robber that climbs into our lives unsuspectingly to steal our hearts with temptation until we become “normalized” by a corrupt generation.

The sin of each generation is a thief and robber in search of souls for a self-indulgence trying to feed on the pleasure principle, “if it feels good then indulge” until it becomes toxic but by then the heart is compromised and it stands at the gate holding us in bondage to “steal, slaughter and destroy”. The thief lays the “feel good bag of goodies” to savor but it is our response that is the sin we possess. Fault always is personal to be rejected with virtue. Corruption came from the beginning, the genesis of sin after creation by free will and it remains “mia culpa” by our choice. “For you have gone astray as sheep” but now we hear the voice of truth to lead us back.

Truth leads to wisdom of a greater understanding beyond ourselves. It is not about “me” it is about salvation for “us”. Easter is this gift of salvation in Jesus giving of himself for us in his passion, death and resurrection that all may be saved through the “good shepherd”. Jesus proclaims “I know my sheep, and mine know me.” How does Jesus recognize his “sheep” and how do we recognize our Lord? We are recognized in being “patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God”. Jesus is the example we should follow that he may see himself in us. In this Jesus recognizes his own who are responding to evil with good. How then do we know Jesus? Jesus revelation comes in the voice of truth that cuts to our hearts “and the sheep follow him”. The voice of the shepherd burns in the hearts of his sheep, it cannot be denied.

“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want”. The people of Israel sought freedom he gave them salvation. They sought a king for this earth and he gave them a kingdom in heaven. They wanted someone to rule over them and he gave them a shepherd to follow. They wanted to conquer other people and he gave them the power to conquer their own corruption. What do we “want” from the Lord? We seek freedom from disease and pandemics he gives us salvation from sin. We want to preserve our kingdoms we have built and he promises one in heaven. We want leaders for nations to rule and he gives us himself calling us to follow his example. We want to conquer in this world all our enemies and we are given the power to conquer the enemy of the world and victory over death. Jesus is the promise of life more abundantly.

The abundant life in Jesus Christ is the good news! In him is our courage to “walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil”. The corruption of each generation remains in a kingdom not our own but the Lord has called us by name and if “today you hear his voice harden not your hearts” salvation is at your doorstep. Our heads are anointed with oil of salvation at baptism and we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to keep our hearts burning for truth, goodness, beauty and unity in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Open the doors of our hearts to “dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come”. Today we pray for the doors to the church to be opened and a return to the banquet of the Lord in the Eucharist until we enter the heavenly banquet closer to us than we recognize in the mystery of faith. The call of the Good Shepherd is “follow me”.

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6th Sunday of Easter

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