Joy of the Gospel: Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter (Acts 18:9-18; Psalm 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7; John 16:20-23)

One of the finest Apostolic Exhortations from Pope Francis was “Evangelii Gaudium”, which means “Joy of the Gospel”. 

In this exhortation, he said, “No one is excluded from the joy of the Lord. The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk, whenever we take a step toward Jesus….Now is the time to say to Jesus, ‘Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you, I need you.  Save me once again.’”

In the same Exhortation, Pope Francis also reminded us that it isn’t just about our salvation.  We truly are our brother’s keeper and we are called to witness to the saving love of Jesus Christ to those around us.  We are called to be missionary disciples within the context of our walk of life.

I have had the opportunity to begin a spiritual walk with our Pro-Life group here at Incarnate Word, as we begin to discern ever new ways to be the love of Christ to those who desperately need it, especially in those situations where human dignity is constantly being undermined.  And, if I was allowed to only pick one group that is weeping and mourning while the world rejoices, it would most definitely be our Pro-Life group…especially in the wake of Amendment 3.

At the same time, I see the Holy Spirit working in our Pro-Life movement.  I am convinced the Pro-Life movement is primed to embrace the Archbishop’s “Disciples Making Disciples” vision in a very profound way to show the rest of the Church what missionary discipleship really looks like.  I know the Pro-life movement has the potential to be an example to the rest of the Church of how to turn grief into joy so that broken hearts may once again rejoice.

The days of moving the needle through simple information saturation are past us.  We as a society are so overwhelmed with constant bombardment of information flow, to the point that bulletin messages, pulpit announcements, and even flyers and other materials in the vestibule no longer convince nor resonate.

To borrow more words from Pope Francis, it is time for us to be bruised, hurting and dirty because we have been out on the streets.  Now that doesn’t mean we need to grab a Bible and go preach on the street corner to the masses as if we are Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila.  But, it does mean that we need to reach out to those in need of the healing light of Christ, those in need of the “Joy of the Gospel”.  We need to be willing to walk with them in their hurts and pains, and ultimately be the love of Christ for them.

I love this paragraph from a book called ‘Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions’: “Even the newest of newcomers finds undreamed rewards as he tries to help his brother alcoholic, the one who is even blinder than he.  This is indeed the kind of giving that actually demands nothing.  He does not expect his brother sufferer to pay him, or even to love him.  And then he discovers that by the divine paradox of this kind of giving he has found his own reward, whether his brother has yet received anything or not.  His own character may still be gravely defective, but he somehow knows that God has enabled him to make a mighty beginning, and he senses that he stands at the edge of new mysteries, joys and experiences of which he had never even dreamed.”

Brothers and sisters, it is through our attempts to help bring healing to others, that the sacramental grace in our lives can be further activated.  It is through our attempts to fulfill God’s will to love our neighbor through our works, that the Holy Spirit can further sanctify us…the “Joy of the Gospel” made manifest in not only in the life of the neighbor with whom we walk with, but also in our own life.

One Pro-Life correlation to this means not just telling someone abortion is evil.  Let’s face it, no one is going to be convinced through an argument that starts with “You are wrong.”  The real key to success is reaching out to someone in a crisis pregnancy, allowing them to tell their story, empathizing with them through love, walking with them on their journey, charitably connecting them to resources and opportunities that would enable them to choose life, but also connecting them to resources that would bring them healing as well.  But, most of all, it means being willing to accept them as they are, being willing to be their friend, being willing to earn their trust, and being willing to get dirty.  

If they ultimately choose to end their pregnancy, can we continue to offer them love and support that they might still find healing and eventual repentance?  If we are being honest, that might be difficult for some of us.

Jesus walked nearly 40 miles to turn the grieving heart of a Samaritan woman into a heart of joy so she could in turn spread that joy to others.  How far are willing to walk to spread the “Joy of the Gospel”?

Thanks be to God.

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13.8 Billion Years Ago: Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter (Acts 15:22-31; Psalm 57:8-9, 10 and 12; John 15:12-17)

Using data from radio telescopes and the Hubble telescope, scientists currently estimate the universe is approximately 13.8 billion years old.  13.8 billion years ago is when it is thought the event known as the Big Bang occurred.  Scripturally, we might say this is could have been the moment God said, “Let there be light.”

Now that in itself could be a whole series of homilies, but what is important today is to know that when God created the universe 13.8 billion years ago, He chose you.

He chose you to be His beloved child in Christ.  He chose you with a plan for you to prosper.  He chose you with a plan to go out and bear fruit, to give you hope, to give you peace, and to give you a future that is happy, joyous, and free. 

Life events have convinced me, the more we can discern His plan for us and live it out to the fullest extent possible, the more our life will be happy, joyous, and free.  Life events have given me confidence that He knows what is right for us.  And He knows what is good for us.  And He always tries to give it to us, if we would just choose Him in return.

Furthermore, God chose you to be with Him forever in heaven.  Out of love, God chose you to live with Him for eternity.  That is the ultimate end of the Divine Plan.  Of course, living the sacramental life of the Catholic Church to the fullest extent possible is an enormous part of that plan, but there is more. 

Every day, sometimes every moment, is a choice.  A choice to discern God’s will for you, the plan God has for you, and follow it to the best of your ability.  The alternative is a choice to follow your own plan. 

Some of you might be like me.  If so, you weren’t always very good at discerning God’s plan for you and you weren’t necessarily interested in saying “yes” to God.  You weren’t very interested in surrendering to His will.  Perhaps you have even made some life decisions that make it feel like it is now impossible to fulfill God’s will for your life.

If that is how you feel, just remember that is a message from the father of lies.  The reality is that all things are possible for God.  While some of us may have turned down the “plan A” God had for our lives, He has never stopped choosing us. His mercy truly towers to the heavens, and His faithfulness truly towers to the skies. He keeps coming back, meeting us where we are, giving us another opportunity to follow Him.

Even if it is plan B, plan C, or even plan ZZ, God can lead us to Himself through the Sacramental life.  If this day forward, we endeavor to follow His lead in all things, especially love, we will one day hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Come, share your master’s joy.”

So today, ask the Father in the name of Jesus Christ to give you insight into the plan He has for you.  And everyday, ask Him for the clarity and courage to discern His will for your life and strength to carry it out.

He has been looking forward to giving these things to you since He chose you13.8 billion years ago.

Thanks be to God!

The Council of Jerusalem: Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter (Acts 15:7-21; Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 10; John 15:9-11)

Our readings yesterday, today, and tomorrow give us a glimpse into the very first council of the Catholic Church, the Council of Jerusalem.  Through this glimpse, we see exactly why we need an authoritative Church that we can appeal to in matters of faith and morals.  As opposed to an invisible “church” of loosely gathered believers, we need an actual body that can teach infallibly.

The Council of Jerusalem was convened to address important questions related to faith and salvation; questions that could not be answered by Scripture alone.  Namely, the Council addressed questions about the role of circumcision and Mosaic Law in salvation within the New Covenant.

Many leaders in the early Church thought Christians needed to observe the Mosaic Law.  Paul and Barnabas, among others, disagreed.

The debate and ultimate consensus of the Council was then ratified by Peter, the first Roman Pontiff.  Peter’s statement consisted of a doctrinal declaration, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to authoritatively settle the disputed matter for all time.

In many ways, the Council of Jerusalem became the model for all future ecumenical councils.  The process of an ecumenical council became the way to definitively settle theological controversies and stop the spread of heresy.  At the completion of a council, the decrees of the council are generally promulgated via encyclical (or letter), as we will hear in the reading tomorrow.

Ecumenical councils are meant to address important issues applicable to the Universal Church.  There have been 21 ecumenical councils in the history of the Catholic Church, starting, of course, with the Council of Jerusalem.  A council is not technically considered ecumenical (and therefore infallible) until its decrees have been ratified by the Roman Pontiff, just as Peter ratified the Council of Jerusalem in our reading today.

Our reading reminds us that the Apostles had authority to call a council, to teach in the name of Jesus Christ, and to guard the deposit of faith.  This authority continues to be passed down to the successors of the Apostles through the Apostolic Succession of Holy Orders.  Licit authority is contingent upon appointment by the Roman Pontiff and continued communion with the Roman Pontiff.

This authority is precisely what makes the Catholic Church the pillar and bulwark of truth, as later described by Paul.  We continue to see this today as the college of bishops exercise Apostolic authority in communion with the Roman Pontiff.

On the other hand, this is what makes dissension and division so dangerous.  There can be disagreements and squabbles, like those we heard in the reading yesterday; however, the Church cannot be the pillar and bulwark of truth without unity. The Church cannot be the pillar and bulwark of truth if the bishops cannot speak of one accord and cannot convey agreement with the whole Church.

While non-Catholic communities often struggle in this area, we can rest easy knowing that in the midst of the noise of disagreement we often hear, the Catholic Church is ultimately protected by the promises of Christ.  We can rest easy knowing that Jesus promised at the Last Supper to give the Apostles (and therefore their successors) the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, to teach them.  We can trust the Holy Spirit to remind the college of bishops of the truth and to guide them to all truth.

As new circumstances come into existence that didn’t exist 2,000 years ago, we can clearly know what the will of God is in these matters.  Think of all the complex issues that we have today that didn’t exist when Jesus walked the earth:  in vitro fertilization, cloning and DNA resequencing, artificial intelligence, and the list goes on.  

Unlike many of our separated brothers and sisters, we do not have to guess about the morality of these issues.  We can know the will of God through the teachings of His One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

So rejoice brothers and sisters that the Lord is King.  Rejoice that He continues to work through His Church to make the world firm, and through His Church, He governs His people with equity.  Go, proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Thanks be to God!

The Peace of Christ: Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter (Acts 14:19-28; Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 21; John 14:27-31a)

It seems to me a true sense of peace comes when we accept the circumstances of life for what they are, giving up our attempts to control them, and surrendering them to the Lord.  Peace comes in understanding God will provide what is good for us in spite of how things may seem or how the world may try to give it to you.  Peace comes in trusting God in all things.

I don’t recommend going out to study other religions, but there is a story from Taoism that I think illustrates the trust that we should have in the Lord as the circumstances of our life change.

Once upon a time there was a farmer whose horse ran away. That evening, all of his neighbors visited him to commiserate, saying, “We’re so sorry to hear your horse has run away.  This is most unfortunate.” To which the farmer simply replied, “Maybe yes, maybe no.”   

The next day the horse came back bringing seven wild horses with it, and in the evening, everybody came back and said, “Oh, how fortunate!  What a great turn of events. You now have eight horses!”  The farmer again simply said, “Maybe yes, maybe no.”  

The following day the man’s son tried to break one of the wild horses, and while riding it, he was thrown and broke his leg. The neighbors came again and said, “Oh dear, we’re so sorry to hear about your son’s leg.  That’s truly unfortunate.”  The farmer simply responded, “Maybe yes, maybe no.”  

The next day a military officer came to the farm looking to draft young men into the army, and upon seeing the boy’s broken leg, he left the farm allowing the boy to stay with his father.  Again all the neighbors came around and said, “How fortunate you are that you can keep your son!  Isn’t that great!” Again, the farmer simply said, “Maybe yes, maybe no.”

We see in this parable a way that we can approach the circumstances of our life, trusting in Divine Providence.  As the seemingly endless tango of “fortunate” and “unfortunate” circumstances come our way, how do we react?

Do we react out of pride and perhaps even gluttony when we come into “fortunate” circumstances?  Do we react out of fear, anxiety, and anger when we encounter “unfortunate” circumstances?

In the “fortunate” circumstances, I suggest we try to respond with “Thy will be done” through a sentiment of gratitude.  For the “unfortunate” circumstances, we can still endeavour to respond with “They will be done”, perhaps through the lens of acceptance.  We can simply trust in God’s Divine Plan to run its course.  Trust in God’s plan that it will all turn out for the good, for the fulfillment of His will.  We can still try to have an attitude of gratitude for the “fortune” that can come out of the “unfortunate” circumstance, God willing.

I say this knowing full well it isn’t easy to put into practice.  Some of us are facing very real situations.  I know some in this parish are facing unexpected career loss.  I know some in this parish are facing cancer and other serious illnesses and injuries.  I know some in this parish are facing major grief over the loss of a spouse, another family member, or a close friend.  I know some in this parish are facing serious, serious relationship issues.

Jesus knows this.  In the midst of this, He encourages you today to not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.  He wants to meet you where you hurt.  He wants to give you His peace.  Do you trust God is present in the “unfortunate” circumstance of your life?  Do you trust God can bring a greater “fortune” out of any “unfortunate” circumstance?

Whatever the “unfortunate” circumstance is in your life that the evil one is using to rob you of your peace, surrender it now.  Surrender it to the Lord as part of the offertory of this Mass.  Surrender it to the Lord and do not give it a second thought.  It is through the Paschal Mystery that all things are restored, including the peace Jesus gives to us.

When you receive the Eucharist today, receive the peace of Christ.  Receive the peace of Christ that brings you to completeness, that brings you to wholeness, that brings you to holiness.  Accept the peace of Christ.  Accept the love of Christ.

For truly, the glorious splendor of the Kingdom of the Sacred Heart is before you in the peace of Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God!

The Way, the Truth, and the Life: Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter (Acts 13:26-33; Psalm 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab; John 14:1-6)

Jesus exhorts us to trust Him in the Gospel reading.  It is ironic that He is saying this to the Apostles literally hours before He will be betrayed, denied, and abandoned by these same men. 

In a way, I guess that can be a source of comfort for us.  If the Apostles had difficulty trusting as He walked in their midst,  I guess it should be of no surprise that we will sometimes have difficulty trusting as we carry our crosses in this life. 

Think about it.  We're told to walk by faith, not by sight.   We're told to eat flesh we can't see and drink blood we can't taste.   We're told we have to be reborn by water and spirit... spirit that exists beyond our five senses.   We're told to confess our sins, confess in a way that goes against the prideful currents of human nature.

It seems to me that it takes a tremendous amount of trust in the Lord to believe these things that remain unseen. At the same time, how often do we direct that trust to something else, to something more tangible?  Perhaps even an easier or softer way to live?

Are there times when we are tempted to trust the government more than the Church?  Do we find ourselves more reliant on and more pursuant of material goods such as wealth, power, pleasure, and honor compared to the spiritual gifts of Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord?

When we have free time,  do we try to fill it with things of God or do we turn to things of the world.

For me, it brings to mind one of the warnings of the prophet Jeremiah: "Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD." (Jer 17:5)

That said,  there will certainly be times we are tempted to doubt, to not trust, to deny, or to even outright reject.

We must always remember that at the time Jesus instituted the Eucharist, for all intents and purposes, He established the Sacramental life of the Church.  In doing so, He tells the Apostles that He is the way, the truth, and the life.  

As Jesus said, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him." (John 6:56)

On a separate, but related note: 134 years ago, Leo XIII wrote an encyclical called Rerum Novarum.  Among other things,  this encyclical served as a manifesto for human dignity within the sacramental life in contrast to the commodity of human capital within the industrial revolution.  It formed a line of demarcation between God's plan for mankind's fulfillment in the sacramental life and the secular movement acting to isolate mankind from God.  It served as the dividing line between trusting in God or trusting in human beings.

Today, Leo XIV reminds us of a similar temptation, a similar danger, a similar decision that must be made in the face of the revolution of artificial intelligence that is upon us.  The temptation to treat each other as just another expendable cog in the wheel,  as opposed to an invaluable member of the body of Christ.  The temptation to care more about politicians and politics,  than how the Holy Spirit is trying to lead us through the bishops.  The temptation to focus more on our own ambition and the temptation to rate life through the gauge of material goods as opposed to love of neighbor.

We are so privileged, as Catholics, that as we fully live the Sacramental life of the Church...as we are fortified with the Sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ on a regular basis...receiving the grace of the Sacraments with faith and trust, then we are truly thriving in the way, the truth, and the life.

Thanks be to God!