BIBLE STUDY #49
JULY 3, 2011
FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Reading 1 Zec 9:9-10
Thus says the LORD:
Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion,
shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king shall come to you;
a just savior is he,
meek, and riding on an ass,
on a colt, the foal of an ass.
He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim,
and the horse from Jerusalem;
the warrior’s bow shall be banished,
and he shall proclaim peace to the nations.
His dominion shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
The Word of the Lord
Reading II Rom 8:9, 11-13
Brothers and sisters:
You are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Consequently, brothers and sisters,
we are not debtors to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die,
but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Mt 11:25-30
At that time Jesus exclaimed:
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to little ones.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Throughout the centuries, God revealed more and more about himself. As we read the Old Testament, we learn more and more about God; in other words, the theology and knowledge of God grows and grows over time.
In the New Testament, part of Jesus mission is to be the revealer of God’s will. We believe that Jesus is the final and definitive revelation of God’s will for us in our lives. Jesus is that bridge that spans the distance between God and us. It is through Jesus that we feel the power and presence of God.
Jesus praises God because God has chosen to reveal “these things’ (i.e. His saving revelation) to the little ones (or childlike, or babes in other translations), but not to the wise and the learned (or the wise and understanding in another translation).
The wise and the learned refer to the religious experts, such as scribes and Pharisees who generally reject Jesus and his teachings.
Why don’t these people believe? They are experts in scripture and the law, why wouldn’t they believe?
Have you ever met someone who thinks they know everything? Like the woman who married ‘Mr. Right’. Unfortunately, she didn’t realize his first name was ‘Always.’ Ever try to convince them of something? It’s impossible, because they think that they are right, and are not open to any other suggestions, opinions, or even facts. They rationalize everything and have a reason why they’re right– a sign of a closed mind.
The religious authorities in Jesus day thought like this – they knew, they were the educated ones, they were the scholars, and no other revelation from God would change their minds
The religious authorities in Jesus day believed in an earthly, Davidic kind of Messiah – a political, religious, economic, earthly style of Messiah. Jesus, however, came as a humble servant who would suffer for our sins, die, and then rise, offering us eternal life. If someone has their mind set on the first type of Messiah, how do you convince him that the second kind is true?
Our first reading from Zechariah is from a section of chapter 9 called ‘Restoration under the Messiah.’ The Messiah will come not as a conquering hero, but as a humble and meek savior (a warrior would ride on a horse, someone meek and humble would ride on an ass), which reminds us of Jesus, meek and lowly, riding into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on an ass. Zechariah tells us that in the time of the Messiah, the chariot, the bow, and the horse will be banished, he will proclaim peace, and rule over all the land, which is much more in line with the Prince of Peace than a warrior king. Another scripture reference to Jesus as the Messiah is the Suffering Servant Songs of Isaiah, which point to suffering as the way to salvation, hardly the glorious victory of a warrior.
The learned and the clever block the avenues of God’s grace by their stubbornness. They refuse God’s revelation through Jesus for a messiah that is a Prince of Peace. It’s not that God does not choose to offer them faith, they turn it down.
On the other hand, the little ones (the childlike), the sinners, the tax collectors, the poor, cannot possible keep, let alone know, all 613 laws and the rabbinical teachings on these laws. They were looked down upon by the learned and the clever. The Law became a heavy burden to them, one almost impossible to keep. They were struggling to survive, and didn’t have the time or the education to study the Law, and were condemned by the religious elite.
We see Jesus trying to make a difference in the lives of these people. We see a high Christology here like in John’s Gospel (high Christology referring to Jesus divinity). We see the direct and unique relationship with the Father and the Son “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son´ (reminds us of last week, Trinity Sunday). There is a mutual knowledge here which puts them on an even level with each other. Jesus is the one who knows the Father and is the revealer of the Father to us.
One translation of the Bible refers to ‘the little’ ones as ‘childlike’. I like this word because it tells us a lot about how we should be before the Father: like a child who has implicit and total trust in their parents, who want everything that is good for their children. God is like that and we need to trust in Him.
Jesus tells us to come to him for rest, that is, to share in his unique and personal relationship with the Father. Receiving God’s grace has a way of changing our lives. It opens our eyes and hearts to the teachings of Jesus, the ultimate revealer of God’s desires for us in our lives. We start to become more like Jesus and are kind, forgiving, sacrificing, virtuous, and al those other things that Jesus taught and practiced in his own life. I find this to be very freeing and restful.
For example, when I am angry with someone, I find it very tiring. This supposed hurt dominates my life and distracts me from my mission. I can’t stop thinking about it and I tire mentally, and even physically. Letting it go, forgiving, resting and trusting in the lord, I find very refreshing and restful.
Coming to the Lord and resting in Him also changes our attitudes and worries in life. I’ve found that most burdens in life are self made, like worrying about a career, how my investments are doing, what other people think about me, how I make this person love me, and the like. Notice that these burdens and worries are very self centered. It’s about me. I tell engaged couples that marriage is not about me – it’s not 50%- 50%, but it’s 100%,-100%. When we think like the former, we worry about what we get out of a marriage, and when we do that, all we do is get out of a marriage. When we think about the latter, we give everything we have to make our marriage work, and more than that – to be a very loving relationship. If both marriage partners lived like this, it would be a beautiful marriage. And they find that even though their marriage may be a struggle, it is not a burden, and all the sacrifice is worthwhile.
Resting in the Lord changes us like that, because in imitating Jesus we become less and less self centered, and become more and more self giving. And we find that’s where true peace and happiness come from. Living like Jesus, regardless of the cost, isn’t a burden, but a blessing.
That’s why Jesus yoke is light – because the proper, holy way to live is not burdensome, but freeing, refreshing, and restful. Jesus carries our burdens with us and gives us the grace and strength in the midst of life’s troubles. Notice that faith doesn’t take away our burdens, but gives us the means to carry them easily. A yoke is a devise attached to oxen that allows them to pull great weights with ease. Jesus yoke allows us to carry our burdens in the same way.
Footprints
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed He was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from His life. For each scene He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to Him and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of His life flashed before Him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of His life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of His life.
This really bothered Him and He questioned the LORD about it. LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.
The LORD replied, my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.
________________________________________
Carolyn Carty, 1963
In the 2nd reading, St Paul tells us that we are not to live by the flesh but to live by the Spirit. For St. Paul, living in the flesh means being closed and hostile to God, while living in the Spirit means to welcome God into our lives and to strive to be the best disciples we can be. He tells us that those who live in the flesh will die, but those who live in the Spirit will have life. The Spirit allows us to live like Christ and to be like Christ.
Let us rest in the Lord and let his Spirit guide us and direct us in our lives. This is the way to true fulfillment and happiness.
Fr. Phil
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
BIBLE STUDY #48
THE MOST HOLY BODY
AND BLOOD OF CHRIST
June 26, 2011
Reading 1 Dt 8:2-3, 14b-16a
Moses said to the people:
"Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God,
has directed all your journeying in the desert,
so as to test you by affliction
and find out whether or not it was your intention
to keep his commandments.
He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger,
and then fed you with manna,
a food unknown to you and your fathers,
in order to show you that not by bread alone does one live,
but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD.
"Do not forget the LORD, your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
that place of slavery;
who guided you through the vast and terrible desert
with its saraph serpents and scorpions,
its parched and waterless ground;
who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock
and fed you in the desert with manna,
a food unknown to your fathers."
The Word of the Lord
Reading II 1 Cor 10:16-17
Brothers and sisters:
The cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?
The bread that we break,
is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
Because the loaf of bread is one,
we, though many, are one body,
for we all partake of the one loaf.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Jn 6:51-58
Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world."
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Today’s feast day, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, dates from the 13th century. It’s had many names over the course of time, but you probably remember it as Corpus Christi. It was celebrated on the Thursday after the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity (Trinity Sunday). It has since been moved to the Sunday after Trinity Sunday.
This feast is largely due to Blessed Juliana of Mount Cornillon, who was born near Liege, Belgium in 1192. She was an orphan at an early age and was educated by Augustinian nuns. She later joined this order and became prioress. She had a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament from an early age and always wanted a feast in its honor. She had a recurring vision since age 16: the appearance of a bright moon streaked by a dark band. In a dream, our Lord told her the black band denoted the absence of a feast for the Blessed Sacrament.
After she became prioress in 1225, she began to speak to John of Lausanne, a learned canon, and asked him to consult theologians about the feasibility of this feast. One of the men he consulted with was James Panteleon who later became Pope Urban IV who promulgated the Bull Transiturus on September 8, 1264 ordering this feast to be celebrated. Pope Clement V confirmed the Bull in 1312, and since then this has been a feast throughout the Roman Church. Blessed Juliana did not see this feast come into existence since she died in 1258. (Thanks to Butlers Lives of the Saints for this information).
Today’s feast celebrates the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. As Catholics, we believe that the Eucharist contains the “body and blood, soul and divinity” of Jesus, that Jesus is truly present in the substance of bread and wine.
The opening prayer and the alternative opening prayer give us three themes for today’s mass: 1) Christ gave us “the eucharist as the memorial of (his) suffering and death”. It’s a reminder of God’s great love, that he will never abandon us, but will always be with us to guide, direct, and inspire us along our way through life; 2) the eucharist will “help us to experience the salvation you won for us”; that by being faithful followers we will inherit eternal life; and 3) we are to evangelize: “may we offer to our brothers and sisters a life poured out in loving service.”
The first reading from Deuteronomy reminds us how God led Israel through the desert for forty years and fed them along the way. As important as the food was for them to survive physically, more important is the Word of God that sustained them spiritually. They began taking the manna for granted and complained about it’s ordinariness. Does that sound familiar? How many people go to Mass on Sunday and ‘sleep walk’ through the service, not paying attention to or hearing what is going on? How many people complain that they get nothing out of it? How can you if you don’t pay attention or participate? How can you if you’re texting (you should sit in my chair – you’d be astonished what I see every week).We are not here to entertain you. If you want to be entertained, go to the movies. We are here to help you worship God, learn more about God, and receive His presence to guide us along our journey.
God comes to us in the proclaimed Word – we believe that God is present in the proclamation and the hearing of the Word. We hope that God comes to people through a well written and pertinent homily. Our full, active, and conscious participation in singing, listening to the prayers, and praying together should be a way God comes to us. And the reception of Holy Communion is the nourishment we need to be the best disciples we can be.
Today’s Gospel is the heart of the bread of life discourse in John’s Gospel and is about faith and eucharist. Flesh and blood is a Hebrew idiom for the whole person. When we receive the eucharist, we receive the whole person of Jesus Christ: his body and blood, soul and divinity. Receiving the eucharist is a personal encounter with Jesus. Jesus is the bridge, the connection between us and the Father., through which we gain life.
As St. Paul says in the second reading, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” The eucharist brings us a share in the life of Jesus who communicates what he received from the Father, namely mission and grace,
Jesus, who gave his life for the world, ascended to the Father but left us his body and blood, soul and divinity in the sacrament of the eucharist to strengthen, nourish and guide us on our way.
However, this sacramental food that Jesus gives us does not give instant and automatic immortality, but only to those who have faith. Faith and eucharist cannot be separated. The gift of faith is given freely by God to whomever he chooses, and it is the eucharist that brings us God’s grace to grow in faith. The two can’t be separated.
The eucharist is a great gift from God and if we really appreciated its significance, wouldn’t we take every chance to encounter Jesus in the eucharist? I think if we had a better understanding of the eucharist, we would go out of our way, do whatever is necessary, to attend mass at least weekly, if not more.
The Second Vatican Council called for full, active and conscious participation in the eucharist. If we did this, we would never have to say that we can’t find God because we would be overwhelmed with all the ways God comes to us at Mass.
The eucharist is not just a symbol, it is not just a representation, but it is actually the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, the savior of the world. I invite everyone to make a conscious decision to attend mass at least on Sundays (if not at least once during the wee). Let the Word of God and the Body and Blood of Christ change you, let it nurture you, let it inspire you to be saints and to share your faith with others.
Fr. Phil
THE MOST HOLY BODY
AND BLOOD OF CHRIST
June 26, 2011
Reading 1 Dt 8:2-3, 14b-16a
Moses said to the people:
"Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God,
has directed all your journeying in the desert,
so as to test you by affliction
and find out whether or not it was your intention
to keep his commandments.
He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger,
and then fed you with manna,
a food unknown to you and your fathers,
in order to show you that not by bread alone does one live,
but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD.
"Do not forget the LORD, your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
that place of slavery;
who guided you through the vast and terrible desert
with its saraph serpents and scorpions,
its parched and waterless ground;
who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock
and fed you in the desert with manna,
a food unknown to your fathers."
The Word of the Lord
Reading II 1 Cor 10:16-17
Brothers and sisters:
The cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?
The bread that we break,
is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
Because the loaf of bread is one,
we, though many, are one body,
for we all partake of the one loaf.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Jn 6:51-58
Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world."
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Today’s feast day, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, dates from the 13th century. It’s had many names over the course of time, but you probably remember it as Corpus Christi. It was celebrated on the Thursday after the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity (Trinity Sunday). It has since been moved to the Sunday after Trinity Sunday.
This feast is largely due to Blessed Juliana of Mount Cornillon, who was born near Liege, Belgium in 1192. She was an orphan at an early age and was educated by Augustinian nuns. She later joined this order and became prioress. She had a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament from an early age and always wanted a feast in its honor. She had a recurring vision since age 16: the appearance of a bright moon streaked by a dark band. In a dream, our Lord told her the black band denoted the absence of a feast for the Blessed Sacrament.
After she became prioress in 1225, she began to speak to John of Lausanne, a learned canon, and asked him to consult theologians about the feasibility of this feast. One of the men he consulted with was James Panteleon who later became Pope Urban IV who promulgated the Bull Transiturus on September 8, 1264 ordering this feast to be celebrated. Pope Clement V confirmed the Bull in 1312, and since then this has been a feast throughout the Roman Church. Blessed Juliana did not see this feast come into existence since she died in 1258. (Thanks to Butlers Lives of the Saints for this information).
Today’s feast celebrates the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. As Catholics, we believe that the Eucharist contains the “body and blood, soul and divinity” of Jesus, that Jesus is truly present in the substance of bread and wine.
The opening prayer and the alternative opening prayer give us three themes for today’s mass: 1) Christ gave us “the eucharist as the memorial of (his) suffering and death”. It’s a reminder of God’s great love, that he will never abandon us, but will always be with us to guide, direct, and inspire us along our way through life; 2) the eucharist will “help us to experience the salvation you won for us”; that by being faithful followers we will inherit eternal life; and 3) we are to evangelize: “may we offer to our brothers and sisters a life poured out in loving service.”
The first reading from Deuteronomy reminds us how God led Israel through the desert for forty years and fed them along the way. As important as the food was for them to survive physically, more important is the Word of God that sustained them spiritually. They began taking the manna for granted and complained about it’s ordinariness. Does that sound familiar? How many people go to Mass on Sunday and ‘sleep walk’ through the service, not paying attention to or hearing what is going on? How many people complain that they get nothing out of it? How can you if you don’t pay attention or participate? How can you if you’re texting (you should sit in my chair – you’d be astonished what I see every week).We are not here to entertain you. If you want to be entertained, go to the movies. We are here to help you worship God, learn more about God, and receive His presence to guide us along our journey.
God comes to us in the proclaimed Word – we believe that God is present in the proclamation and the hearing of the Word. We hope that God comes to people through a well written and pertinent homily. Our full, active, and conscious participation in singing, listening to the prayers, and praying together should be a way God comes to us. And the reception of Holy Communion is the nourishment we need to be the best disciples we can be.
Today’s Gospel is the heart of the bread of life discourse in John’s Gospel and is about faith and eucharist. Flesh and blood is a Hebrew idiom for the whole person. When we receive the eucharist, we receive the whole person of Jesus Christ: his body and blood, soul and divinity. Receiving the eucharist is a personal encounter with Jesus. Jesus is the bridge, the connection between us and the Father., through which we gain life.
As St. Paul says in the second reading, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” The eucharist brings us a share in the life of Jesus who communicates what he received from the Father, namely mission and grace,
Jesus, who gave his life for the world, ascended to the Father but left us his body and blood, soul and divinity in the sacrament of the eucharist to strengthen, nourish and guide us on our way.
However, this sacramental food that Jesus gives us does not give instant and automatic immortality, but only to those who have faith. Faith and eucharist cannot be separated. The gift of faith is given freely by God to whomever he chooses, and it is the eucharist that brings us God’s grace to grow in faith. The two can’t be separated.
The eucharist is a great gift from God and if we really appreciated its significance, wouldn’t we take every chance to encounter Jesus in the eucharist? I think if we had a better understanding of the eucharist, we would go out of our way, do whatever is necessary, to attend mass at least weekly, if not more.
The Second Vatican Council called for full, active and conscious participation in the eucharist. If we did this, we would never have to say that we can’t find God because we would be overwhelmed with all the ways God comes to us at Mass.
The eucharist is not just a symbol, it is not just a representation, but it is actually the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, the savior of the world. I invite everyone to make a conscious decision to attend mass at least on Sundays (if not at least once during the wee). Let the Word of God and the Body and Blood of Christ change you, let it nurture you, let it inspire you to be saints and to share your faith with others.
Fr. Phil
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
BIBLE STUDY #47
SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
June 19, 2011
Reading 1 Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9
Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai
as the LORD had commanded him,
taking along the two stone tablets.
Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with Moses there
and proclaimed his name, "LORD."
Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
"The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity."
Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.
Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord,
do come along in our company.
This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins,
and receive us as your own."
The Word of the Lord
Reading II 2 Cor 13:11-13
Brothers and sisters, rejoice.
Mend your ways, encourage one another,
agree with one another, live in peace,
and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the holy ones greet you.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Jn 3:16-18
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
This Sunday we celebrate the central mystery of our faith and of our Christian life: The mystery of the Trinity. While it is impossible to understand this mystery, the very essence of God, we do know what God has revealed to us about this mystery.
Every Sunday after the homily we recite the Nicene Creed, a basic statement about our faith which tells us about the Trinity.
Nicene Creed (from the Catechism of the Catholic Church)
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, one in
Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in fulfillment of the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
New Nicene Creed from Revised Roman Missal (effective Nov. 2011)
I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and became man,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
I’ve reproduced the Nicene Creed, including the new one effective later this year, for your reflection. We recite it often enough, but do we really listen to what we’re saying? Below is a short reflection on the Trinity so we know some of the basics. I refer you to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 232 to 267 for a more in depth treatment of this sacred mystery. Paragraph numbers below refer to paragraphs in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
We believe that there is only one God, not three, but that there are three persons in the Blessed Trinity; namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They do not ‘share’ divinity, but are whole and complete God’s in themselves. This is called being consubstantial, so the trinity can also be referred to as the consubstantial trinity (paragraph 253).
The divine persons are really distinct from each other. The Father, Son, and Spirit are not just different modes of being divine; each is separate from each other. (paragraph 254). But in the unity of the Trinity, the Father is wholly in the Son and wholly in the Holy Spirit; the Son is wholly in the Father and in the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is wholly in the Father and wholly in the Son (paragraph 255).
We believe that Jesus was ‘begotten’ by God; God did not create Jesus, he always was, he is true God, and is also a creator since he was present at, and participated in, the creation of the universe.
The Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son and is also a giver of life (see Creed above) and is also worshipped as God. It was also this same Spirit that inspired the prophets.
I would like you to notice that God lives in community, that the very essence of God incorporates community. That tells us that, since we are made in the image and likeness of God, we too must be a part of a community. There is no such thing as a solitary Christian. Even Christian hermits are still part of a larger community. A solitary Christian is an oxymoron. Christianity by its very nature is communal. Those who say that they don’t need to go church because they can go in the woods and pray don’t understand what Christianity is about: and I find it is an excuse not to pray at all (who goes regularly into the woods to pray? I’ve never met anyone).
Whenever you are confronted with a group that claims to be Christian and you’ve never heard of them, the first test is whether they believe in the Trinity. Every Christian believes in this dogma. If they don’t, they’re not Christian.
There was a time in the not to distant past where some people wanted to change the sign of the cross to be “In the name of the Creator, and of the Redeemer, and of the Sanctifier” instead of “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” What we have to remember is that creator, redeemer, and sanctifier are not meant to limit each person of the Trinity’s power or role, but a way to understand something about each person of the Trinity. For example, the Son is much more than a redeemer; he is also a creator, since he was present at the creation of the world. In our feeble attempts to understand what God is trying to reveal to us, we should never put a limit on God. The Trinity is much greater than the sum of it’s’ parts.
God reveals a little about himself so that we may become more like him. The very essence of God is love, as we hear in 1John 4:8, “Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.” When we are baptized “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” we are brought into God’s love, we share in the divine life of love.
This is the most important part of understanding the Trinity: that God is love and we need to be loving people, also. The Father, Son and Spirit have an eternal exchange of love of boundless measure, and we participate in, as well as share, that love with each other as Christians. It’s nice to be able to understand and speak about all the various theologies about the Trinity, but if we don’t love, we’ve missed the point. The great commandment is to love God and each other, not to be able to plumb the depths of Trinitarian theology.
Loving is harder than reading theology, though, isn’t it. Love makes demands, sometimes great ones, on our time, talent, and even our resources. Theology describes; love acts, because love in its most basic and truest sense is an action, something that we do. If someone said they loved you, but never did loving things for you, would you believe they loved you? I doubt it.
God shows his love by what he does for us. Today’s first reading is from that great Old Testament book called Exodus. After God creates humans in Exodus, then forms his people and calls them to be his own, he never abandons them. When in slavery in Egypt, God sends Moses to free them. When Pharaoh refuses, God sends 10 plagues. The Israelites were spared the final plague of the death of the first born because they placed the blood of an innocent lamb of the wood of the doorpost and the angel of death passed over their houses, and they were subsequently freed by Pharaoh.
God then leads them through the desert, feeds them, gives them water, gives them the Law, and brings them to the promised land, a land of milk and honey. When they stray, God sends prophets to tell them where they went wrong. God is very intimately involved in the lives of his people and cares for them very much.
God loves us so much that in the fullness of time He sends His Son as the final and definitive revelation of His will. It’s as if He’s saying, “This is what I really mean, listen to him!” Faith is founded on the person of Jesus because he is the one who brings God’s will. He is the one who reveals God’s desires for us
Jesus shows us God’s love because it shows us how far God goes to offer us salvation. In theory, God could have chosen any number of ways to offer us salvation, but he chose to send his Son to suffer terribly, die, and rise to offer us eternal life. Isn’t the depth of God’s love incredible? It shows what great lengths God has gone to bring us to eternal life.
We know from our lives that anything worthwhile has a cost. We don’t value something that comes easy. The more valuable, the more it costs. What could be more valuable than eternal life? Has anything ever cost more than that?
The Gospel says that Jesus came to save, not to condemn. Salvation comes through believing in the Son, and that those who don’t believe aren’t saved because they refuse to believe. What does it mean to believe?
Believing is more than professing a creed; it is more than ritual actions; it is more than fulfilling obligations; it is more than knowing things about Jesus; it is knowing Jesus and having him in our hearts. It is turning ourselves over to Jesus as our lord and master and letting him direct and control our lives. It is letting ourselves have a personal experience of the risen Lord. If we do that, he will change our lives forever.
Believing is on ongoing relationship with Jesus that is life transforming. However, believing doesn’t mean we become perfect. It means that we are trying our best to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. We will make mistakes; when we do, we ask forgiveness. I believe that all God can ask us to do is to do our best every day, given our limitations and our circumstances. i don’t think we risk eternal life by failing in our discipleship, but I do think we risk it by not trying.
God loves us unconditionally and immensely. He gives our lives meaning and purpose. We feel blessed with the peace and love that come from living in the Kingdom. Thank you Lord! I know I don’t deserve it, but I certainly appreciate it. May we all have the strength and grace to share God’s love with others.
Fr. Phil
SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
June 19, 2011
Reading 1 Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9
Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai
as the LORD had commanded him,
taking along the two stone tablets.
Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with Moses there
and proclaimed his name, "LORD."
Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
"The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity."
Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.
Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord,
do come along in our company.
This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins,
and receive us as your own."
The Word of the Lord
Reading II 2 Cor 13:11-13
Brothers and sisters, rejoice.
Mend your ways, encourage one another,
agree with one another, live in peace,
and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the holy ones greet you.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Jn 3:16-18
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
This Sunday we celebrate the central mystery of our faith and of our Christian life: The mystery of the Trinity. While it is impossible to understand this mystery, the very essence of God, we do know what God has revealed to us about this mystery.
Every Sunday after the homily we recite the Nicene Creed, a basic statement about our faith which tells us about the Trinity.
Nicene Creed (from the Catechism of the Catholic Church)
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, one in
Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in fulfillment of the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
New Nicene Creed from Revised Roman Missal (effective Nov. 2011)
I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and became man,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
I’ve reproduced the Nicene Creed, including the new one effective later this year, for your reflection. We recite it often enough, but do we really listen to what we’re saying? Below is a short reflection on the Trinity so we know some of the basics. I refer you to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 232 to 267 for a more in depth treatment of this sacred mystery. Paragraph numbers below refer to paragraphs in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
We believe that there is only one God, not three, but that there are three persons in the Blessed Trinity; namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They do not ‘share’ divinity, but are whole and complete God’s in themselves. This is called being consubstantial, so the trinity can also be referred to as the consubstantial trinity (paragraph 253).
The divine persons are really distinct from each other. The Father, Son, and Spirit are not just different modes of being divine; each is separate from each other. (paragraph 254). But in the unity of the Trinity, the Father is wholly in the Son and wholly in the Holy Spirit; the Son is wholly in the Father and in the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is wholly in the Father and wholly in the Son (paragraph 255).
We believe that Jesus was ‘begotten’ by God; God did not create Jesus, he always was, he is true God, and is also a creator since he was present at, and participated in, the creation of the universe.
The Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son and is also a giver of life (see Creed above) and is also worshipped as God. It was also this same Spirit that inspired the prophets.
I would like you to notice that God lives in community, that the very essence of God incorporates community. That tells us that, since we are made in the image and likeness of God, we too must be a part of a community. There is no such thing as a solitary Christian. Even Christian hermits are still part of a larger community. A solitary Christian is an oxymoron. Christianity by its very nature is communal. Those who say that they don’t need to go church because they can go in the woods and pray don’t understand what Christianity is about: and I find it is an excuse not to pray at all (who goes regularly into the woods to pray? I’ve never met anyone).
Whenever you are confronted with a group that claims to be Christian and you’ve never heard of them, the first test is whether they believe in the Trinity. Every Christian believes in this dogma. If they don’t, they’re not Christian.
There was a time in the not to distant past where some people wanted to change the sign of the cross to be “In the name of the Creator, and of the Redeemer, and of the Sanctifier” instead of “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” What we have to remember is that creator, redeemer, and sanctifier are not meant to limit each person of the Trinity’s power or role, but a way to understand something about each person of the Trinity. For example, the Son is much more than a redeemer; he is also a creator, since he was present at the creation of the world. In our feeble attempts to understand what God is trying to reveal to us, we should never put a limit on God. The Trinity is much greater than the sum of it’s’ parts.
God reveals a little about himself so that we may become more like him. The very essence of God is love, as we hear in 1John 4:8, “Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.” When we are baptized “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” we are brought into God’s love, we share in the divine life of love.
This is the most important part of understanding the Trinity: that God is love and we need to be loving people, also. The Father, Son and Spirit have an eternal exchange of love of boundless measure, and we participate in, as well as share, that love with each other as Christians. It’s nice to be able to understand and speak about all the various theologies about the Trinity, but if we don’t love, we’ve missed the point. The great commandment is to love God and each other, not to be able to plumb the depths of Trinitarian theology.
Loving is harder than reading theology, though, isn’t it. Love makes demands, sometimes great ones, on our time, talent, and even our resources. Theology describes; love acts, because love in its most basic and truest sense is an action, something that we do. If someone said they loved you, but never did loving things for you, would you believe they loved you? I doubt it.
God shows his love by what he does for us. Today’s first reading is from that great Old Testament book called Exodus. After God creates humans in Exodus, then forms his people and calls them to be his own, he never abandons them. When in slavery in Egypt, God sends Moses to free them. When Pharaoh refuses, God sends 10 plagues. The Israelites were spared the final plague of the death of the first born because they placed the blood of an innocent lamb of the wood of the doorpost and the angel of death passed over their houses, and they were subsequently freed by Pharaoh.
God then leads them through the desert, feeds them, gives them water, gives them the Law, and brings them to the promised land, a land of milk and honey. When they stray, God sends prophets to tell them where they went wrong. God is very intimately involved in the lives of his people and cares for them very much.
God loves us so much that in the fullness of time He sends His Son as the final and definitive revelation of His will. It’s as if He’s saying, “This is what I really mean, listen to him!” Faith is founded on the person of Jesus because he is the one who brings God’s will. He is the one who reveals God’s desires for us
Jesus shows us God’s love because it shows us how far God goes to offer us salvation. In theory, God could have chosen any number of ways to offer us salvation, but he chose to send his Son to suffer terribly, die, and rise to offer us eternal life. Isn’t the depth of God’s love incredible? It shows what great lengths God has gone to bring us to eternal life.
We know from our lives that anything worthwhile has a cost. We don’t value something that comes easy. The more valuable, the more it costs. What could be more valuable than eternal life? Has anything ever cost more than that?
The Gospel says that Jesus came to save, not to condemn. Salvation comes through believing in the Son, and that those who don’t believe aren’t saved because they refuse to believe. What does it mean to believe?
Believing is more than professing a creed; it is more than ritual actions; it is more than fulfilling obligations; it is more than knowing things about Jesus; it is knowing Jesus and having him in our hearts. It is turning ourselves over to Jesus as our lord and master and letting him direct and control our lives. It is letting ourselves have a personal experience of the risen Lord. If we do that, he will change our lives forever.
Believing is on ongoing relationship with Jesus that is life transforming. However, believing doesn’t mean we become perfect. It means that we are trying our best to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. We will make mistakes; when we do, we ask forgiveness. I believe that all God can ask us to do is to do our best every day, given our limitations and our circumstances. i don’t think we risk eternal life by failing in our discipleship, but I do think we risk it by not trying.
God loves us unconditionally and immensely. He gives our lives meaning and purpose. We feel blessed with the peace and love that come from living in the Kingdom. Thank you Lord! I know I don’t deserve it, but I certainly appreciate it. May we all have the strength and grace to share God’s love with others.
Fr. Phil
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
BIBLE STUDY #46
PENTECOST SUNDAY
June 12, 2011
Reading 1 Acts 2:1-11
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were.
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.
At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,
“Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?
Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,
inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
as well as travelers from Rome,
both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,
yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God.”
The Word of the Lord
Reading II 1Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13
Brothers and sisters:
No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
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
who produces all of them in everyone.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel John 20:19-23
On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
This Sunday is the Feast of Pentecost, which marks the end of the Easter season. Ordinary time begins on Monday, June 13th. The liturgical color switches from white to green and we will be in the 11th week in ordinary time. For weekday masses, we are in cycle 1. Ordinary time continues until the evening of November 26, 2011, the evening before the First Sunday of Advent.
The color for Pentecost, however, is red. We will have red on the altar, as part of our decorations, and I will be wearing red vestments. As a sign of our acceptance of the gift of the Holy Spirit and as a rededication to ministry, I ask everyone to wear red on Sunday. Please spread the word so everyone knows.
There is a different set of readings for the vigil mass of Pentecost, but I have chosen to reflect on the readings for the mass of Pentecost during the day.
In John’s Gospel, there is no 40 days to the Ascension, there is no 10 days from the Ascension to Pentecost; in fact, there is no Ascension or Pentecost as we celebrate it today. Our Gospel passage today begins, “On the evening of that first day of the week” referring to the day Jesus rose from the dead, or Easter Sunday. The disciples (only 10 because Judas hung himself and Thomas was absent) were behind locked doors because they were afraid that what happened to Jesus would happen to them.
As they were hiding in the upper room (same room as the Last Supper?), Jesus appears to them. Imagine how scary that must have been. No wonder they didn’t say anything! Probably afraid that he would ask them where they were last Friday. They see the risen Jesus with a resurrected body that is not bound by space and time, but still is flesh and blood. They are fearful, but when Jesus shows him his hands and his side, they recognize him and are overjoyed.
But instead of admonishing them, he says, “Peace be with you,” both before and after they recognize him. This peace is a divine gift promised by God when the Messiah arrives; this peace is an awareness of the presence of Jesus who has overcome sin and death. It is also an experience of the risen Lord who forgives our sins and offers us eternal life that brings us peace, or joy, which is a similar term.
After offering them peace, he sends them out on a mission. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Our mission as a church and as individual members of the church is to continue the mission and ministry of Jesus. We are commissioned for this task because of the conferral of the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them. In Genesis 2:7 God created man by breathing life into him: “the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.” Just as the breath of the Father gave life to humans, the breath of the Son gives us the Spirit of redemption and forgiveness.
I think it is interesting that God does not create man out of nothing, but out of earthly matter, which gives great dignity to material things. I can’t recall Jesus ever saying that material things are bad, but he does say that people can be good or bad. In fact, our whole sacramental system is based on God’s presence being mediated to us through material things such as bread, wine, water, and oil. It is when material things come to so dominate our lives that our spiritual life gets ignored that we have a problem.
The disciples become apostles after they are sent, which is the meaning of the name apostle, one that is sent. It is a general sending (“As the Father has sent me, so I send you”) except for one specific task, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
I find it fascinating that of all the specific things that Jesus could have said as part of the apostles commissioning, he only specifies forgiveness, the one sacrament that, of all the others, has fallen into great non-use.
Look at it this way: if we don’t need forgiveness, we don’t need Jesus or the Church. What is the one thing that keeps us from eternal life? Unforgiven sin. Our whole system of faith revolves around forgiveness, and it collapses without it. It is so important that it is mentioned over 100 times in the Old Testament and over 100 times in the New Testament.
We can’t atone for our sins, but Jesus has done that for us. He has paid the price and he offers it to us freely, without any charge. It is there for the asking. If God feels distant, seek forgiveness. If you want to grow spiritually, seek forgiveness. If you feel like you are regressing spiritually, seek forgiveness.
Do you know the phrase, “get it off your chest?” I’m sure you do. When something is burdening us, weighing us down, we feel much better when we can tell someone. Forgiveness is like that. It weighs us down and puts a great burden on us. Confessing our sins can be like getting a great weight off our shoulders. I have felt it many times, as I’m sure many of you have, too.
Sin and evil have a way of worming themselves into our lives until they become a habit that’s very difficult to break. The good news is that Jesus has broken the hold of sin and evil. They don’t have to dominate our lives anymore. We will give in to sin and temptation, but there is an out: forgiveness.
Some people think talking about sin and forgiveness is a negative thing, but I don’t. I think it is a great gift from God that we undervalue and under appreciate. In fact, it is one of the greatest gifts we have from God. It is only when I feel God’s forgiveness that I can feel his peace.
In the first reading from Acts of the Apostles, there is a very dramatic coming of the Spirit. “And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.” The wind reminds us of Jesus’ breath on the Apostles and the breath of life from God in Genesis. This wind is the Holy Spirit, enabling the Apostles for ministry. Notice that they went from scared people hiding in an upper room to fearless proclaimers of God’s saving actions in Jesus because of this gift of the Spirit. The fire reminds us of being on fire with God’s love and having a desire to share that love, which the Apostles certainly did.
Notice that everyone heard the proclamation by the Apostles about Jesus in their own tongue. This was a gift of the Spirit allowing them to minister to the people at hand. We should never think that we are unqualified to share our faith. God will equip us with what we need. Sometimes talent can get in the way because we rely more on perspiration than on inspiration. Reliance on self in ministry can block the movement of the Spirit.
After everyone heard the proclamation concerning Jesus by the Apostles, their question in Acts 2:37 is “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter’s response in Acts 2:38 is “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”(italics added). What is the first public statement of Jesus as he begins his public ministry in Mark’s Gospel? “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel (Mk1:15).” Since the word repent comes before believe, I take that to me that we can’t believe in the gospel unless we repent. Do you see the importance of forgiveness?
After we are forgiven and receive the gift of the Spirit, what does that mean to us? Not every one can do everything, nor should they desire to. We all receive the same Spirit, but this Spirit brings out different gifts in each of us. We continue Jesus mission and ministry when we bring our gifts and talents to the altar and let Jesus transform them and us into Church. Sometimes we try a ministry, and we might not like it, or we might not feel we have a talent for it. Every year a small percentage of men leave the seminary, either because they were dropped by the seminary or the diocese, or because it isn’t for them. When we are really Church, every one is welcome to pray and participate as much (or as little) as they want. The Church is not only the hierarchy, but also all the things that all the people in all the parishes, schools, catholic agencies and families do for the love of God. It is all of us together that make up the Body of Christ.
One thing I’d like to emphasize: having a bigger role doesn’t make one a better or a holier person. Holiness is accomplished by God’s grace, not our actions. Holiness, like salvation, is a free gift of God, given to whom He desires.
Being Church means that all people are accepted, no restrictions or limitations. All are called to feast at God’s table of grace. We can’t tell sinners to stay out because then our churches would be empty of people and clergy (talk about a priest shortage!) I hope, though, that while every one is welcomed, every one is also transformed into holiness.
Let us all work together to build up the Body of Christ in Lincoln Park.
Fr. Phil
PENTECOST SUNDAY
June 12, 2011
Reading 1 Acts 2:1-11
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were.
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.
At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,
“Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?
Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,
inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
as well as travelers from Rome,
both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,
yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God.”
The Word of the Lord
Reading II 1Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13
Brothers and sisters:
No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
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
who produces all of them in everyone.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel John 20:19-23
On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
This Sunday is the Feast of Pentecost, which marks the end of the Easter season. Ordinary time begins on Monday, June 13th. The liturgical color switches from white to green and we will be in the 11th week in ordinary time. For weekday masses, we are in cycle 1. Ordinary time continues until the evening of November 26, 2011, the evening before the First Sunday of Advent.
The color for Pentecost, however, is red. We will have red on the altar, as part of our decorations, and I will be wearing red vestments. As a sign of our acceptance of the gift of the Holy Spirit and as a rededication to ministry, I ask everyone to wear red on Sunday. Please spread the word so everyone knows.
There is a different set of readings for the vigil mass of Pentecost, but I have chosen to reflect on the readings for the mass of Pentecost during the day.
In John’s Gospel, there is no 40 days to the Ascension, there is no 10 days from the Ascension to Pentecost; in fact, there is no Ascension or Pentecost as we celebrate it today. Our Gospel passage today begins, “On the evening of that first day of the week” referring to the day Jesus rose from the dead, or Easter Sunday. The disciples (only 10 because Judas hung himself and Thomas was absent) were behind locked doors because they were afraid that what happened to Jesus would happen to them.
As they were hiding in the upper room (same room as the Last Supper?), Jesus appears to them. Imagine how scary that must have been. No wonder they didn’t say anything! Probably afraid that he would ask them where they were last Friday. They see the risen Jesus with a resurrected body that is not bound by space and time, but still is flesh and blood. They are fearful, but when Jesus shows him his hands and his side, they recognize him and are overjoyed.
But instead of admonishing them, he says, “Peace be with you,” both before and after they recognize him. This peace is a divine gift promised by God when the Messiah arrives; this peace is an awareness of the presence of Jesus who has overcome sin and death. It is also an experience of the risen Lord who forgives our sins and offers us eternal life that brings us peace, or joy, which is a similar term.
After offering them peace, he sends them out on a mission. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Our mission as a church and as individual members of the church is to continue the mission and ministry of Jesus. We are commissioned for this task because of the conferral of the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them. In Genesis 2:7 God created man by breathing life into him: “the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.” Just as the breath of the Father gave life to humans, the breath of the Son gives us the Spirit of redemption and forgiveness.
I think it is interesting that God does not create man out of nothing, but out of earthly matter, which gives great dignity to material things. I can’t recall Jesus ever saying that material things are bad, but he does say that people can be good or bad. In fact, our whole sacramental system is based on God’s presence being mediated to us through material things such as bread, wine, water, and oil. It is when material things come to so dominate our lives that our spiritual life gets ignored that we have a problem.
The disciples become apostles after they are sent, which is the meaning of the name apostle, one that is sent. It is a general sending (“As the Father has sent me, so I send you”) except for one specific task, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
I find it fascinating that of all the specific things that Jesus could have said as part of the apostles commissioning, he only specifies forgiveness, the one sacrament that, of all the others, has fallen into great non-use.
Look at it this way: if we don’t need forgiveness, we don’t need Jesus or the Church. What is the one thing that keeps us from eternal life? Unforgiven sin. Our whole system of faith revolves around forgiveness, and it collapses without it. It is so important that it is mentioned over 100 times in the Old Testament and over 100 times in the New Testament.
We can’t atone for our sins, but Jesus has done that for us. He has paid the price and he offers it to us freely, without any charge. It is there for the asking. If God feels distant, seek forgiveness. If you want to grow spiritually, seek forgiveness. If you feel like you are regressing spiritually, seek forgiveness.
Do you know the phrase, “get it off your chest?” I’m sure you do. When something is burdening us, weighing us down, we feel much better when we can tell someone. Forgiveness is like that. It weighs us down and puts a great burden on us. Confessing our sins can be like getting a great weight off our shoulders. I have felt it many times, as I’m sure many of you have, too.
Sin and evil have a way of worming themselves into our lives until they become a habit that’s very difficult to break. The good news is that Jesus has broken the hold of sin and evil. They don’t have to dominate our lives anymore. We will give in to sin and temptation, but there is an out: forgiveness.
Some people think talking about sin and forgiveness is a negative thing, but I don’t. I think it is a great gift from God that we undervalue and under appreciate. In fact, it is one of the greatest gifts we have from God. It is only when I feel God’s forgiveness that I can feel his peace.
In the first reading from Acts of the Apostles, there is a very dramatic coming of the Spirit. “And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.” The wind reminds us of Jesus’ breath on the Apostles and the breath of life from God in Genesis. This wind is the Holy Spirit, enabling the Apostles for ministry. Notice that they went from scared people hiding in an upper room to fearless proclaimers of God’s saving actions in Jesus because of this gift of the Spirit. The fire reminds us of being on fire with God’s love and having a desire to share that love, which the Apostles certainly did.
Notice that everyone heard the proclamation by the Apostles about Jesus in their own tongue. This was a gift of the Spirit allowing them to minister to the people at hand. We should never think that we are unqualified to share our faith. God will equip us with what we need. Sometimes talent can get in the way because we rely more on perspiration than on inspiration. Reliance on self in ministry can block the movement of the Spirit.
After everyone heard the proclamation concerning Jesus by the Apostles, their question in Acts 2:37 is “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter’s response in Acts 2:38 is “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”(italics added). What is the first public statement of Jesus as he begins his public ministry in Mark’s Gospel? “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel (Mk1:15).” Since the word repent comes before believe, I take that to me that we can’t believe in the gospel unless we repent. Do you see the importance of forgiveness?
After we are forgiven and receive the gift of the Spirit, what does that mean to us? Not every one can do everything, nor should they desire to. We all receive the same Spirit, but this Spirit brings out different gifts in each of us. We continue Jesus mission and ministry when we bring our gifts and talents to the altar and let Jesus transform them and us into Church. Sometimes we try a ministry, and we might not like it, or we might not feel we have a talent for it. Every year a small percentage of men leave the seminary, either because they were dropped by the seminary or the diocese, or because it isn’t for them. When we are really Church, every one is welcome to pray and participate as much (or as little) as they want. The Church is not only the hierarchy, but also all the things that all the people in all the parishes, schools, catholic agencies and families do for the love of God. It is all of us together that make up the Body of Christ.
One thing I’d like to emphasize: having a bigger role doesn’t make one a better or a holier person. Holiness is accomplished by God’s grace, not our actions. Holiness, like salvation, is a free gift of God, given to whom He desires.
Being Church means that all people are accepted, no restrictions or limitations. All are called to feast at God’s table of grace. We can’t tell sinners to stay out because then our churches would be empty of people and clergy (talk about a priest shortage!) I hope, though, that while every one is welcomed, every one is also transformed into holiness.
Let us all work together to build up the Body of Christ in Lincoln Park.
Fr. Phil
Thursday, June 2, 2011
BIBLE STUDY #45
SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
June 5, 2011
Reading 1 Acts 1:12-14
After Jesus had been taken up to heaven the apostles
returned to Jerusalem
from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem,
a sabbath day’s journey away.
When they entered the city
they went to the upper room where they were staying,
Peter and John and James and Andrew,
Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,
James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,
and Judas son of James.
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer,
together with some women,
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
The Word of the Lord
Reading II 1 Pt 4:13-16
Beloved:
Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ,
so that when his glory is revealed
you may also rejoice exultantly.
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you,
for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
But let no one among you be made to suffer
as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as an intriguer.
But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed
but glorify God because of the name.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Jn 17:1-11a
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come.
Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
just as you gave him authority over all people,
so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth
by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you,
with the glory that I had with you before the world began.
“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,
because the words you gave to me I have given to them,
and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,
and they have believed that you sent me.
I pray for them.
I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,
because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours
and everything of yours is mine,
and I have been glorified in them.
And now I will no longer be in the world,
but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Today we have part of the Prayer of Jesus, also called the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus. This prayer takes place immediately prior to Jesus’ arrest. He is about to die, and he prays to the Father for himself and for us. The end of this prayer, not included today, Jesus prays for all those who follow him because of the efforts of his followers.
He begins by stating that his ‘hour’ has come. What is this hour? It’s not a particular time, but an event – the saving event of his passion, death, and resurrection. In John’s gospel, this hour is glory, it is source and summit of his life, the purpose and the end result of the incarnation, the reason why his Father sent him.
The Father glorifies the Son through the Sons’ passion, death and resurrection, and the Son glorifies the Father through his obedience and being that connection to God that reveals the will of the Father. Jesus doesn’t let anyone or anything deflect him from his mission.
The purpose of this glory, this hour, is so “that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him. Eternal life is described as knowing God, which means that we have a relationship with the Father and the Son; we share in the intimate relationship between the Father and the Son. It is more than knowing things about the Father and the Son, it is about having an experience of the risen Christ who brings the Father to us. Jesus saving actions forgives our sins, conquers death, and brings the indwelling of the trinity to those with faith.
Notice that Jesus’ glory is about suffering, not glory as the world sees it. Jesus glory is not about praise, or honor, or riches or adulation; it is about being faithful to God’s will, no matter the suffering. It is about being a witness to God’s love regardless of how it is received by others.
Why does Jesus pray for us? For 3 reasons: 1) we are precious to Jesus because the Father has given us to him; 2) because we acknowledge Jesus for who he is; and 3) he is concerned about our welfare after he ascends to his Father.
Jesus knows that living a life dedicated to God’s will is not easy. We are pulled in many directions and we often fail. It is not easy to sacrifice in a world that is self indulgent; or to be forgiving in a world that demands vengeance; or to love in a world that can be hateful.
We don’t talk much nowadays about living a virtuous life. According to paragraph 1833 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do good.” It is both reason and faith that help us be virtuous. God gave us all a conscience, and we know when we have done wrong. We feel guilty, for example, when we have hurt someone: no one needs to tell us that it is wrong to do this. Our faith teaches us such virtues such as morals, faith, hope and love.
When we look at what it takes to be a disciple, no wonder Jesus prays for us! How are we supposed to do all these things on our own? The answer is: we can’t. We need prayer to not only persevere, but to grow in faith.
In Acts of the Apostles, right before Jesus ascends to heaven, he tells his disciples that he will send the Holy Spirit and they will be his witnesses. Until that time, our first reading has the disciples return to Jerusalem and gather in prayer. It is the beginning of a good habit: they will need prayer many times during their ministry. They will gather weekly for the breaking of the bread and will depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to guide, lead, inspire and direct them.
If we are to be true disciples, we need to be people of prayer and sacraments. We need to devote ourselves to a minimum of weekly mass, daily prayer and occasional confession (the quickest way to lapse in our faith is to assure ourselves that we don’t sin or need God’s forgiveness). If we think that we can get away with anything less then we are fooling ourselves. If we try to do less there will come a time when our spiritual lives will founder, God will seem far away and we will be tempted to give up the Christian life.
But be warned: following Jesus may lead to suffering. Peter warns us in the second reading, “Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ.” Christ has given us the job of continuing his mission and ministry. If he suffered and was persecuted, can we expect less?
In this country, we don’t expect to suffer physically for our faith, but there are plenty of other types of suffering that can sometimes be worse. Do we stand up for our catholic values when questioned? Do people even know that we are catholic and affiliated with a church? Do we go out of our way to attend mass and pray? Or are these things dropped when it is inconvenient? On vacation do we look for a church on Sunday or make excuses? Are we Catholics when it is convenient or do we continually practice our faith?
Personally, when our Church is ridiculed in the media, I take it as a badge of honor. It is said that anti-Catholicism is the last acceptable prejudice. We must be doing something right! I would worry more if we went unnoticed in secular society. I hope we can continue to be the conscience of our culture, regardless of the cost.
Jesus prayed for you to remain faithful, and I do the same. I pray that you may open your hearts to the forgiving, life giving, healing, and saving presence of the Lord and to let the Holy Spirit guide, nurture, inspire, and direct you to be virtuous people. Whatever it costs, the Lord is worth it. God will not be outdone in generosity. Please pray for me, too.
Fr. Phil
SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
June 5, 2011
Reading 1 Acts 1:12-14
After Jesus had been taken up to heaven the apostles
returned to Jerusalem
from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem,
a sabbath day’s journey away.
When they entered the city
they went to the upper room where they were staying,
Peter and John and James and Andrew,
Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,
James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,
and Judas son of James.
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer,
together with some women,
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
The Word of the Lord
Reading II 1 Pt 4:13-16
Beloved:
Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ,
so that when his glory is revealed
you may also rejoice exultantly.
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you,
for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
But let no one among you be made to suffer
as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as an intriguer.
But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed
but glorify God because of the name.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Jn 17:1-11a
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come.
Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
just as you gave him authority over all people,
so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth
by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you,
with the glory that I had with you before the world began.
“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,
because the words you gave to me I have given to them,
and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,
and they have believed that you sent me.
I pray for them.
I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,
because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours
and everything of yours is mine,
and I have been glorified in them.
And now I will no longer be in the world,
but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Today we have part of the Prayer of Jesus, also called the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus. This prayer takes place immediately prior to Jesus’ arrest. He is about to die, and he prays to the Father for himself and for us. The end of this prayer, not included today, Jesus prays for all those who follow him because of the efforts of his followers.
He begins by stating that his ‘hour’ has come. What is this hour? It’s not a particular time, but an event – the saving event of his passion, death, and resurrection. In John’s gospel, this hour is glory, it is source and summit of his life, the purpose and the end result of the incarnation, the reason why his Father sent him.
The Father glorifies the Son through the Sons’ passion, death and resurrection, and the Son glorifies the Father through his obedience and being that connection to God that reveals the will of the Father. Jesus doesn’t let anyone or anything deflect him from his mission.
The purpose of this glory, this hour, is so “that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him. Eternal life is described as knowing God, which means that we have a relationship with the Father and the Son; we share in the intimate relationship between the Father and the Son. It is more than knowing things about the Father and the Son, it is about having an experience of the risen Christ who brings the Father to us. Jesus saving actions forgives our sins, conquers death, and brings the indwelling of the trinity to those with faith.
Notice that Jesus’ glory is about suffering, not glory as the world sees it. Jesus glory is not about praise, or honor, or riches or adulation; it is about being faithful to God’s will, no matter the suffering. It is about being a witness to God’s love regardless of how it is received by others.
Why does Jesus pray for us? For 3 reasons: 1) we are precious to Jesus because the Father has given us to him; 2) because we acknowledge Jesus for who he is; and 3) he is concerned about our welfare after he ascends to his Father.
Jesus knows that living a life dedicated to God’s will is not easy. We are pulled in many directions and we often fail. It is not easy to sacrifice in a world that is self indulgent; or to be forgiving in a world that demands vengeance; or to love in a world that can be hateful.
We don’t talk much nowadays about living a virtuous life. According to paragraph 1833 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do good.” It is both reason and faith that help us be virtuous. God gave us all a conscience, and we know when we have done wrong. We feel guilty, for example, when we have hurt someone: no one needs to tell us that it is wrong to do this. Our faith teaches us such virtues such as morals, faith, hope and love.
When we look at what it takes to be a disciple, no wonder Jesus prays for us! How are we supposed to do all these things on our own? The answer is: we can’t. We need prayer to not only persevere, but to grow in faith.
In Acts of the Apostles, right before Jesus ascends to heaven, he tells his disciples that he will send the Holy Spirit and they will be his witnesses. Until that time, our first reading has the disciples return to Jerusalem and gather in prayer. It is the beginning of a good habit: they will need prayer many times during their ministry. They will gather weekly for the breaking of the bread and will depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to guide, lead, inspire and direct them.
If we are to be true disciples, we need to be people of prayer and sacraments. We need to devote ourselves to a minimum of weekly mass, daily prayer and occasional confession (the quickest way to lapse in our faith is to assure ourselves that we don’t sin or need God’s forgiveness). If we think that we can get away with anything less then we are fooling ourselves. If we try to do less there will come a time when our spiritual lives will founder, God will seem far away and we will be tempted to give up the Christian life.
But be warned: following Jesus may lead to suffering. Peter warns us in the second reading, “Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ.” Christ has given us the job of continuing his mission and ministry. If he suffered and was persecuted, can we expect less?
In this country, we don’t expect to suffer physically for our faith, but there are plenty of other types of suffering that can sometimes be worse. Do we stand up for our catholic values when questioned? Do people even know that we are catholic and affiliated with a church? Do we go out of our way to attend mass and pray? Or are these things dropped when it is inconvenient? On vacation do we look for a church on Sunday or make excuses? Are we Catholics when it is convenient or do we continually practice our faith?
Personally, when our Church is ridiculed in the media, I take it as a badge of honor. It is said that anti-Catholicism is the last acceptable prejudice. We must be doing something right! I would worry more if we went unnoticed in secular society. I hope we can continue to be the conscience of our culture, regardless of the cost.
Jesus prayed for you to remain faithful, and I do the same. I pray that you may open your hearts to the forgiving, life giving, healing, and saving presence of the Lord and to let the Holy Spirit guide, nurture, inspire, and direct you to be virtuous people. Whatever it costs, the Lord is worth it. God will not be outdone in generosity. Please pray for me, too.
Fr. Phil
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