2nd Sunday of Easter: The Seed

As we continue to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord on this 2nd Sunday of Easter we are reminded of three things from the readings, 1) Our new life in Jesus, 2) The Promise of Jesus, and 3) How do we recognize Jesus now?

Our new life in Jesus consists in this, that even though we must die an earthly death, we have a new life awaiting us. That new life is in heaven and the resurrection. Think of earthly seeds. A seed is not much to look at it, some even look strange and ugly, yet when buried in the earth they undergo a type of dying. The outer shell must give way to that new life that is struggling to burst forth. Eventually we have a new plant or sapling and when we see it we are in awe and we recognize beauty, the beauty of life. Jesus underwent this type of dying so that all of us would not just remain dormant seeds in the ground, but rather we too would burst forth with new life. St. Paul reminds us,

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ . . .(1 Cor. 15:20-23, NAB)

Death is a difficult thing, the ultimate letting go and trusting in God, the ultimate act of love, to give back what belongs to God. Once we do we share in life that is so wonderful, beautiful, and awesome that our words fail to describe it even remotely. Jesus experienced the seed bursting forth first, but he did so in order that what he did we too shall do, hence his promise to us.

Jesus’ new life is his, he allowed himself to be arrested, torutured, and crucified. He also was the first seed to come forth in this new life, the Resurrection. But that new life is also promised to us. As I posted for Easter Sunday about the young girl Akaine who painted that beautiful picture of Jesus in how she remembers him from her visions, a young boy Colton who experienced Jesus and heaven also confirmed Akaine’s painting and pointed out to his dad that is what Jesus looks like after looking through numerous pictures. Colton had no knowledge of Akaine or her painting when he saw it and yet he confirmed it. The book of Colton’s vision is entitled “Heaven is for Real.” Out of all the places I thought I would find inspiration for Easter I found it in the perspective of a five year old boy and his vision of Jesus and heaven. As you read the book you begin to understand Jesus’ promise, I have come so that you may have life and have it to the full.” When he describes heaven part of you wants to go right now, because we get a glimpse of what the seed looks like that bursts through from the ground. Think of what the Apostles felt, saw, and understood when they recognized Jesus in their midst, the Risen Jesus. They must have felt heaven, we know Thomas did.

Jesus wants us to recognize him, not only crucified, and that is important for we bear the crucified Lord on our persons, but also the Risen Jesus. We must recognize him in our midst and we must also recognize the Risen Jesus in our neighbors. You see, what does the promise of life really mean if I don’t see the Lord? You may ask, "where is Jesus I do not see him?" He is with us in the Eucharist, truly present in body, blood, soul, and divinity, the Risen Lord in our presence. Since we all partake of the Risen Lord, then he is also in us. Think of how Thomas responded once he recognized Jesus, “My Lord and my God.” Do I respond the same way when I recognize Jesus?

Even though we must all pass from death to life, we can hold our heads high, because Jesus rose from the dead, he also promises us the same, and finally he never left us as orphans. He sent the Holy Spirit so that his presence would still be recognized so that even though we see the death of others, and we will experience it ourselves, we never really lose heart, because in our presence, always is Our Lord and our God! AMEN

Fr. John

Happy Easter

The face of Christ as confirmed by a young artist who painted this piece as per her experience-visions of heaven and Jesus. Later confirmed by a young boy who also had a vision of Christ and heaven. After the boy began to retell his parents his vision his dad showed him numerous pictures of Christ, none of which he confirmed, until shown this one. Sources for the young girl, http://artakiane.com/home.html. The boy's name is Colton Burpo and the book on his vision is entitled "Heaven is for Real."

An amazing picture! The picture is entitled "The Prince of Peace" What a gift on this Easter Sunday. Could it be true? The answer is a matter of faith!

Good Friday: What Gives us the Strength?

Jesus Himself is a contradiction, or at least that is how some saw and understood Him when they had Him crucified. In some ways nothing has changed. People today still see the Lord as a contradiction. Everything about the world, or at least the part of it that is inherently broken tells us: be successful, obtain happiness, we are the captains of our own destiny, life is everything, death is the loss of everything, find pleasure and avoid pain, we are the masters of morality according to our own benefit when it suites us as individuals and as the group.

If one accepts and lives the principles just stated, whether we like it or not, know it or not we make ourselves gods. Jesus did everything in the opposite.

“Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:6-8)

Jesus successes were the benefits that others received. His concern was to bring people God’s grace. Happiness for Jesus was found in service. He never considered His own destiny, He knew to whom He would return. He occupied and concerned Himself with our destinies. This does not mean that Jesus did not care about his own well being, his life. Life for Jesus was everything as long as one truly understood what that meant, that life is a gift and it’s infinitely precious. Death was not an end, but a final sacrament so-to-speak, our last rite. Pleasure was not a focal point but rather the outcome of what it means to truly love, i.e. sacrifice. Morality for Jesus was always through the Holy Spirit who directs and guides us towards the good and helps us to avoid evil. Good and evil acts were never subject to whim and one’s fancies, but to an understandable reality that was objective, one dictated by love, for God is love. And finally, true divinity is only achieved when we become slaves to God and not to selves or to this world.

The contradictions are many, but the one that stands above the rest is that on the surface and the way the world would judge is that Jesus’ death is really no victory at all, but instead a terrible loss.

We count death as loss, for those left behind really do feel a loss, and it is painful. Nevertheless, something is always won, and that something is love, for love is stronger than death. This is not just a pious saying. For how strong was Jesus’ love? Did death defeat His love? Do we count it as loss only?

Think for a moment what Jesus’ death means?

How many have been moved by His life? Think of all the martyrs, especially the Apostles who suffered at the hands of others, all to remain faithful to their Teacher. Their blood moves us, but their blood only has life because the King of Martyrs went first. Think of all the saints who have given so much of themselves to help the world see God. What gives a tiny Albanian woman the strength to go and pick up dying people out of the gutters in India? What gives a Polish Seminarian during WWII the courage to assist Jews in escaping from Hitler’s regime? What gives a man living in fornication, having a child out of wedlock, join false religions and even dispute against Christianity to become one of the greatest saints and doctors of the Church?

And though these examples are of our heroes, it is also you and I. What gives us the strength to endure whatever may come in life? What gave us the strength to come here today?

The answer is simple really, Jesus Christ. And in particular, Jesus Christ crucified. His death was not loss, but victory. The world would like us to see it as loss, but it is not. Even from Genesis it says, “You will strike at his heel, but he will crush your head!” It seems that Satan won, for Jesus died, but no indeed, for his head was crushed, sin and death was crushed. We now live as free men. Yes, we still suffer earthly death, but we live always in freedom, and more importantly we are endowed with life giving grace.

That grace won for us on the cross gave the Apostles strength to die, it gave Mother Teresa strength to pick up dying people, it gave John Paul II the strength to assist his brothers and sisters, and it gave St. Augustine the strength of conversion, and it gives us the strength to do all they have done, for we too are recipients of the same grace they received.

If we really believe all this then we should never run from the Cross, because in the Cross there is life. To those who do not believe it looks like death, a contradiction. But not for us, so then, let us run to the Cross and embrace it, and never let go, for in it is Eternal life! It is Good Friday!

Fr. John

Palm Sunday: Jesus Enters Jerusalem Even Now

Palm Sunday is a reminder to us of many things. It reminds us that Holy Week begins our highest holy days of the Church heading into Easter Sunday and the Solemnities that follow during the first week of Easter. It reminds us of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and a few brief moments in which the people recognized Him as King, even though they may have saw him as an earthly king only, nevertheless, he was being honored. It reminds also of God’s unimaginable, unfathomable, and in some ways even “unbelievable” plan, in whom He chose to be a mover and shaker of history itself. This would be the Son of God as we know, but come to us as an average person, a carpenter from Nazareth.

What would you and I have seen that day when Jesus entered Jerusalem? Would we have seen Jesus as King? Would we have seen or understood Jesus as Messiah? Would we have believed in Jesus as Son of God, or even as God? Or would we have seen Jesus as an imposter, a harmless day dreamer, or even as a blasphemer? Who would we have seen?

In some ways the questions are unfair, because it’s already after the fact, nevertheless, they remain good reflection questions not just about Jesus, but about our neighbors as well. And who is my neighbor, well, everyone.

To reflect on the questions posed we need background information to make up our minds. Before examining Jesus’ life I want to delve into whom God chooses to shake up history and how sometimes they would not be the people we would have chosen.

Let’s begin with King David. He is the youngest of seven brothers. His family is not renowned for anything in society, they are average people who work the fields, and they are shepherds. The Prophet Samuel is told to go to Bethlehem and seek out one of Jesse’s sons and anoint him king of Israel. As each son approaches Samuel, he thinks it is that one; for instance, surely it is this one, he looks strong, or surely it is this one, he is handsome, or this one, he has a kingly disposition. But it is not any of the first six. God tells Samuel, “It is none of these, you are judging as human’s judge, call for the youngest.” Finally David the smallest, the youngest, the one doing the most menial of chores is called, and lo and behold, there is the King of Israel. Eventually he takes the throne and becomes one of the most important figures in all of Jewish history, and a man who’s kingship who knows few equals.

If we would have been able to choose the king who would it have been? Maybe the next in line, King Saul’s oldest son. Maybe our own son? Someone who was rich, renowned, prestigious, or would we have chosen the youngest son of Jesse from a family of sheep herders? What if God showed us that David would fall into grave sin before He chose David would we have still chosen him if God gave us the option to chose, or would we rather not have wanted David out of office once we learned of his sins, if not placing him there at all?

Another powerful example is that of Mary, our blessed Mother. Out of all the women whom have ever walked the face of this earth, none are like her, since she is the fairest honor of our race. But who was she back in Nazareth? Was she from a prominent family? Did she come from money, royalty, power or prestige? No, she was a poor girl working hard at daily chores for her mother Ann and her father Joachim. This little poor girl would become the Mother of God! Surely there were other women who may have seemed more beautiful, or who were daughters of powerful families, or who were rich, even educated and refined, but no God chose Mary, for we do not see as God sees.

What if we were one of the 12 apostles and someone told us that Saul from Tarsus, the man who has given his life purpose over to arresting Christians, even having them executed would become the greatest amongst us, that he would write or influence almost half the New Testament. How would we have accepted that? With open arms or with confusion, anger, and even jealousy?

These are stories that happened in the past. Yet they are reminders of the present, because they still occur. Jesus comes to us riding on a donkey quite often, and who do we see? When a person at work receives a promotion instead of you, do you praise God? Us priests and religious when we are passed up for a position within the community or diocese how do we respond? Sometimes not that well. We can’t believe that our superior chose that one over me or that bishop assigned him as pastor. We are just beside ourselves. Or young people when your coach sits you on the bench for someone who has worked harder than you, and parents do you believe that that is possible, that someone may be better than your own child? All of us are guilty of not recognizing who God chooses, because we already made up our minds, it’s supposed to be me or someone whom I have chosen!

Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. You and I were there because he rides into our lives every day. Who do we see? Jesus was the poor carpenter, unrenowned, the man who called himself “YHWH” at least once (c.f. John 8:58) and many times implied it by making himself equal to God. Yes, you and I believe that today the King of Kings enters Jerusalem triumphant; we believe that He is one in being with the Father as we profess every Sunday. I do not doubt this for any of us. But how does Jesus enter Jerusalem today, right now? He entered in each and every person gathered here, as each of you entered this Church and kneeled down to pray Christ entered the Holy City, He entered into a sanctuary not built by human hands, but by our hearts. Take a look around, Jesus is present. You don’t have to go far to look, right in front of you, right behind you, to your left, and to your right. When we accept one another and welcome one another it is Christ we welcome. Yes the palms are for Jesus and we absolutely praise Him as they did 2,000 years ago when He actually entered Jerusalem. But we also extend them to our neighbor for surely Christ has entered their hearts as He has ours. Amen.

Fr. John

Picture taken from http://www.dst-corp.com/james/PaintingsOfJesus/NoJS.htm

And Jesus Wept

What a tremendous and heart moving story in today’s Gospel of the raising of Lazarus. There is so much to share in this story and it’s never ending well spring of Divine graces that gush forth for us can never be dried up, let alone explained exhaustively in a 10 to 15 minute homily. There are many powerful moments in this Gospel story, but there is one verse in particular that really makes us pause, the verse that says, “And Jesus wept,” moves us in the depths of our being. Here is the Lord and master of the entire created universe, crying. Not just crying but weeping, this signifies being moved deeply and profoundly. It also reminds us of Jesus’ humanity. Think for a moment how awesome that really is, that God Himself would become a human being.

We are talking about the God who is all powerful, all knowing, everywhere, no beginning, no end, holds all creation in existence, and He cries. It is almost too mind boggling to fully understand how and even why God would do this, become one of us and share our nature in every way but sin.

The “how” is very difficult to answer, we know what happened, Jesus was born through the Holy Spirit in a Virgin named Mary, herself Immaculately conceived. Knowing that is much different than knowing how it actually took place, there is definitely Divine mystery at work here. The “why” is a little easier to explain and understand, and the more important to know and believe.

God became one of us for the most simple of reasons, but also for the most important, because of love. Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. (1 John 3:7-11, NAB)

There is something we take for granted in this understanding of God loving us, and that is, we do not fully stop and contemplate what this means – that God loves us. We see it and say, “Well, you know, God is God and that’s what He does, He loves us.” True, but if we truly reflected on that it will shake us at our core.

First, God did not have to come into the world to fix what we broke. Second, He could have fixed it anyway He wanted, but then love itself would have become something less than what it is now. Third, He chose to die for someone else’s faults (sins). Beyond just this theological understanding of the whys and the why not’s is the more practical and the more magical reason why God became one of us. He did it for the simple reason that each and every one of us is precious to Him. Each and every one of us has God shinning through us. Did you ever stop and really look at people? Do you see the image and likeness of God coming forth from them?

I want to share with you a personal story that helped me to understand that God is in all people, the Divine spark if-you-will. For years I would go to the NIT final four at Madison Square Garden. I had a ritual in and that I would arrive in Manhattan quite early. First, I would go to my favorite pizza shop, Rays Pizza on 6^th and 11^th. It can’t be beat! Next, I would go visit some of my favorite record shops, Venus Records, Bleeker Bob’s, and Sullivan Records. I would pick some of my favorite albums, remember those. When I was younger I would stop off at West Fourth Street and get into some pick-up basketball games, some of the best pick-up games in the country. While doing all of this I would try to remain in reflective prayer and people watch, looking for God in them. Hard to do when I was boxing someone out. After all this I would go sit in front of the Garden about an hour or so before tip-off and just pray my Rosary, praying for every person that passed me. As they passed me I would see Jesus in every one of them, I saw their dignity, their value, their beauty, I loved them, and I didn’t even know them.

I would think of how intense it must have been for Jesus to love, for it moved me so deeply it would sometimes bring tears to my eyes, I understood then why Jesus wept for Lazarus. He wept for Lazarus because he was His friend, but also because Lazarus was precious to Him. It was not only Lazarus, but you and I as well.

Often times we do not feel loved, we may be going through a very dark period in our lives. It clouds our understanding of love, of God. I was only able to watch a few people pass me in front of the Garden, for I am only human and cannot see everyone, nor can I see into the depths of their being. But, Jesus can not only see everyone, He also sees into the depths of the heart, and there in your very being – in your heart He says, “I love you.” And when you suffer, Jesus weeps.

Lazarus’ story is ours as well. For when we all died in sin, we cried out to the Lord, “If only you would have been here we would have lived,” God wept then, even though He was not to blame, but nevertheless in His love He would raise us up. “Thus says the Lord God: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them . . . (because) no one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends. (Ez 37:12, Jn 15:13-14, NAB, emphasis mine)

Fr. John

For the Greater Glory of God

Are we punished by God? God does not punish for punishment sake, but for the building up of character and virtue, tough love if you will. The same applies to good parents. They do not let their children get away with wrong doing, but they correct firmly and always with compassion. Sometimes a difficult balance to achieve, being firm but also compassionate, since the person who has made the mistake (the sin) knows (for the most part) that they have done wrong, therefore we do not kick people when they are down, for all of us have fallen.

So when God does correct us, does He do so through nature, i.e. allow physical suffering, such as a person becoming ill through various disease, going deaf, or blind. What about people born with handicaps are these people being punished by God for some offense they committed or possibly their parents?

This second question is answered by Jesus himself in today’s Gospel, “As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “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 9:1-3, NAB)

Part of our very makeup is a wounded nature, in that wounded nature it is part of our humanness that we become sick, old, suffer, and eventually die. And yet, through all the little pains and the big ones in our lives it is never in vain, but always for some greater purpose. That purpose always involves the greatest of the theological virtues, love. When we go through suffering either ourselves or with another it is hard to accept. We ask God, “Why?” It seems very unfair. I am sure the man born blind in today’s Gospel felt the same way and probably on some occasions also asked, “Why?”

Our blind man from the Gospel is blessed, however, since he is healed by Jesus and his sight is given to him. Yet, his healing was not simply for him, but for many. It was for his parents so that they would have more trust in God’s mercy, since they threw their own son under the bus when asked to explain how he was healed. It was for Jesus’ disciples, in order that they may witness God’s work when done in trust and with no expectations for anything in return. It was also done for all those who questioned the man’s healing, so that they may see the glory of God. In a nut shell it was done for love, for the blind man, his parents, the apostles, and all the rest who witnessed it.

Grace was poured out. The same happens today, there are still miracles and profound ones, ones in which people with cancer and who are terminal are healed, cripples walk, etc.

(I find it odd that some, even Christians will try to explain miracles away through nature alone, i.e. when Jesus multiplied the bread and fishes that it was really the people who shared what they had with one another, food stuffs they brought with them. For our purposes here, it is suffice to say that that interpretation goes beyond the text, I will reflect on this in the near future.)

There are also miracles of a different sort, not everyone is healed like the blind man, but others through their suffering bring about their own spiritual healing as well as those around them.

One may ask, “Well why not just make it all perfect from the start this way we could have avoided such suffering?” It was that way - it was perfect, we botched it up. Some people don’t want to hear that, but it’s true. One may rebut and ask, “In that case why doesn’t God fix it and make it like it was? He has fixed it; the greater suffering would have been to die in that wound not being healed. Jesus came to heal that wound, the one that kept us apart from God. The effects of the wound which we still feel and experience now will finally be healed when Jesus returns. Why do you think the Apostles longed so much for Jesus’ return believing they would witness it in their own lives? They witnessed what the healed life would be like, everyone made whole and perfect and they wanted it, they longed for it, they were in the midst of perfection for three years.

We may feel that it is not fair that we must wait so long for God to finally fix everything. But there is a reason for that, one which we may not fully understand until we see God face to face, but faith tells me it must be a good one, since Jesus has already begun the process, and if He has begun it He will also complete it.

So we do not go through anything in life because God zaps us from somewhere up there, we go through suffering for His greater glory and the salvation of souls, it may sound pious but it is true. We are more connected to another than we realize sometimes and that connection finds its center piece in God who holds it altogether and He is perfecting it even now, we just have to believe it, but we must also accept it. The blind man did and when he did, “He said, "I do believe, Lord," and he worshiped him.” (John 9:38, NAB)

Fr. John