Deacon Larry Jesmer

Readings: 1st – Gen 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
              2nd – Roman 8:31b-34
          Gospel – Mark 9: 2-10

My brothers and sisters: Since we were little children, we have known that God created us. As we matured we realized that each of us is called on to acknowledge that He is our Creator, through our daily prayers and perhaps by some sort of test.

One thing is sure; God created us out of His great love. Needless to say, at points in our lives we are tested in our love and obedience to Him. Just take a look at how each of us handle our sufferings, our illnesses, our losses, all the trials of our every day lives. Do we place our trust and love in God to be there with us? We know He is, but if for some reason we feel He is not, it is because we are pushing Him away!

…

2nd Sunday of LentRead More »

4-5 FEBRUARY, 2012 – YEAR B
SCRIPTURE: 1ST Reading: Job 7:1-4, 6-7
2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23
Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

Do you sometimes find yourself in a conversation that deals with the latest pain you have been experiencing or someone else’s painful experience? I would imagine the conversation would sound something like this: “Well Tom, I saw the doctor today and found out that I have a very severe case of arthritis. That is why I have so much pain when trying to bend my fingers. It hurts all the time.”

Or maybe the conversation sounds like this: “The pain is so great. Losing my spouse is intolerable. I don’t know what I will do.” Then you have the ones who try to calm. “I know you are in pain but your spouse is in a better place.” Or “Just pray to God and all will be O.K.”

…

5th Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

1ST Reading- Isaiah 60:1-6
2ND Reading- Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Gospel: Matthew 2: 1-12

This is the “Epiphany of the Lord”. We celebrate with great joy that our Savior, our Messiah, has come into the world-yes- as a little babe born of a virgin, in a stable laying on a bed of straw and wrapped in swaddling clothes. God has come to us to save us from the slavery of sin.

And so we celebrate on this day, the manifestation of God in Christ and the extension of God’s saving love to all people. God has come into the world manifested in Jesus, the true light of the world, to guide us with a beautiful light that illumines our hearts our minds and our souls.

What an Epiphany – how special humanity is to God the Father, that He would come to us, to seek us, as little babe, in a stall, in Bethlehem, who later would even suffer and die for us, and be raised from the dead, opening the gates of heaven to us. How special we are.

And so, the story goes. The Magi came from the east, about 700-800 miles away prompted by a star they saw “at its rising.” They traveled to Bethlehem where they brought Jesus gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh; gifts fit for a King. They Journeyed far and as they left Bethlehem, they were inspired by a new star, the one whose light had filled their hearts, minds, and souls. Once seeing Jesus, the Magi had an Epiphany in knowing that God had revealed himself to them forever changing their lives.

God revealed himself to the Jews through the scriptures and to the Gentiles through nature. Since the Magi were Gentiles, Matthew’s gospel for today shows them receiving a revelation through astrology, a star.

These “Wise men” represent the former way of thinking, wondering and philosophizing. They come to surrender to this new Epiphany, this “One God” Who is for all and is also known as the God who does the seeking and finding. The Magi are figures of the world who did the seeking and found God. The Light is initiated by God and this Light is meant for the whole world, Jew and Gentile alike.

As with the shepherds, these Wise Men continue in somewhat of a liturgical manner. Can you see us doing the same thing? They arrive having wandered in faith-we have come here today after wandering through our lives in faith.

They have an offertory procession giving precious gifts very important to them-we process bringing gifts of bread and wine that will become Jesus and we bring ourselves. They have a time of adoration-we have the consecration where we come adore. They leave adoring and praising God, a sending if you will- as we leave we are sent adoring and praising God.

Just imagine coming 7–800 miles. The Magi must have come across some obstacles, some difficulties along the way whether it was potential robbers and especially harsh terrain. But they were inspired by that star they saw at its rising. Can you imagine such a star? Can you see the new star as the priest presents the Eucharist and says: “This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world?”

When we start out on a journey going down some road (whether it is in following a vocation-Christian or other) we too are attracted by something bright-an ideal, a vision, a hope. But this initial “star” does not remain forever above us. It grows dim, clouds get in the way and blocks it from us.

We do expect to encounter on our journey difficulties and even doubts. Some people think or feel like they are losing their faith when they experience doubt. This should not bother us too much. Doubt brings questions and questions bring knowledge and even fills our mind and heart with wisdom. We must believe that the darkness of our trials will pass and once again we will see the initial star beckoning to us as the Magi saw the star over Bethlehem.

The Magi are models for us on our faith journey. They were single minded. They did not let difficulties and hardships get in the way of their journey to Bethlehem and their journey to spread to others what they had found there. When they had found Christ, they offered Him gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. This shows how ones life is changed when finding Christ.

Hearts are awakened and they burst into life. When we find and encounter Christ and offer our gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, in the form of our love for Him, he will always help us open up the treasures of goodness and charity that lie within each of us, so that we can offer gifts of time, talent and treasure to our brothers and sisters, especially those who are poor and vulnerable.

I can’t help but remember something I heard last week at Church. I am sure this happens to you at some point in time during each week or even every day. What I remember and that has stuck in my memory is what Father Rick said in his homily. “Things of the past enlighten the present”.

How can we not be affected, in a very profound way, with our encounter with God? How can we not be affected every time we come to this altar to receive Him?

I can’t help but think that because of what we encounter here does effect us at this present time. After we leave this Church, after we have encountered God in the Eucharist, how can we not go out of here praising and glorifying our loving God? How can we not emanate his Love wherever we are, wherever we go? Does the things of the past enlighten the present? You know the answer, and it also enlightens the future.

Can we use the Magi as an example? Having worshiped Christ, the Magi returned to their own country by another route. This suggests not just a new geographical route, but a new mentality. Having met Christ and heard his gospel, we too will travel through life by a different route. We will have different attitudes, different values,

different goals. It is impossible to encounter Christ without it affecting the way we live our lives.

As we go from here to start another week, let our focus be on God’s presence around us: Could be a beautiful sunrise, a beautiful sunset, a streak of lightening, the roar of thunder, the beauty of the sun’s rays on wet grass, the beauty of a new born babe, and the Epiphany that God presents himself to us in the Sacraments.

My sisters and brothers, Let us go from here with our hearts, minds, and souls ever transformed with the light of the new star, Jesus Christ. Let us go from here as the Magi left Bethlehem, praising and adoring Him.

Recently I was reading a book by Arthur Simon titled; “How Much is Enough?” “Hungering for God in an affluent culture”. In chapter four subtitled “Rushing to nowhere”, the message fit so well especially in this time of year, with all the commercialism around us leading up to Christmas day and what lay under the tree. This time of year we move so fast that we miss what this Advent Season is all about!

Chapter four of the book starts off with a story that goes like this: “They were running hand in hand, and the queen went so fast that is was all Alice could do to keep up with her. And still the queen kept saying, Faster, Faster!”….The most curious part about the thing, is that….however fast they went, they never seemed to pass anything.

“In our country”, said Alice… “You’d generally get to somewhere else— if you ran very fast for a longtime as we’ve been doing.”

“A slow sort of country!” said the queen. “Now here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!”

Ours is a restless culture. Life has become excessively busy for a large portion of the population. We start moving so fast that we do forget to stop and smell the roses, we fail to stop and reflect on what Advent is all about. We create stress in our lives that becomes part of our body’s clock.

What happens when we drive up to another vehicle on the highway that is going 50 MPH in the 55MPH speed zone? Anxiety sets in,

We look for a spot to pass even though the destination is only 2 miles away. Let me give you another scenario: It is already half way through Advent but I haven’t got half the presents I need to get. I haven’t sent half the cards I need to send. Panic starts to set in. I start to run faster and faster going nowhere, I start to go down in flames, CHRISTMAS BURN OUT!

But despite how I feel, I speed up only to miss all that is passing me by, and still the big day, Christmas, is only a few days away. I frantically go from place to place, to fill my list of presents. Will I even make it? Will I have enough time even to enjoy the season? Dose this sound familiar to some of you?

What is so special, even in the midst of all this panic and stress, the Church sends us the third Sunday of Advent which is called Gaudete Sunday, a name meaning Rejoice, a name derived from the ancient entrance antiphon; “Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say Rejoice!”

One might say, why should I rejoice? The day was long and hard, and I’m tired. A crazy person tried to run me off the road. Another was following so close to my rear bumper I thought that person was a passenger in my rear seat. I battled the crowds to fill my list of presents. I don’t need someone with a smiling face telling me that I should be happy!!

But we also know that there is a reason why centuries of tradition have focused this 3rd Sunday of Advent on the need to rejoice!!!

As we in the Church wait for the coming of the Lord in his full glory, we can get just a little bit tired. After all, we have been waiting for over 2000 years.

We can forget that even though the Lord is not with us yet in his Glory, He is still with us. John the Baptist had to tell the people that: “There stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming”.

And you know, it is the same for us today, even though we can so easily forget it. However, Gaudete Sunday is a reminder of why we should be rejoicing.

As we dig through the crowds at K-Mart and Wal-mart, as we shop till we drop, as we stand in the long lines at the Post Office the to mail those last minute cards, as we go to work, as we go to bed at night, the Lord is with us.

We may have forgotten who it is that gives us the strength to face another day, we may have forgotten who it is that gives us the grace to experience every little joy and happiness that comes our way.

Most of you can remember the days when the pews were over half full during the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Now days we are very lucky to see 2 or 3 in the pew at any given time. We even forget that Jesus is among us over there in the Tabernacle. Do you feel he deserves at least a bow as we walk by?

The Lord is always here with us, every moment of our lives, no matter where we are, where we go. He himself, is the one who sustains us. Doesn’t this give us a reason to Rejoice? You bet it does. And here in the Mass we are given the clearest expression of our Lord’s presence – because he comes to us in Holy Communion. This is so evident in the revised translation especially when we say; “Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof–yes, Jesus is coming to us. He has not and never will wait for us. He is always coming to us.

Very soon the bread and wine will be changed so that they are no longer bread and wine but are the Lord’s body and blood, soul and divinity. And even now, at this very moment he is present in our tabernacle, present in his physical reality.

Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist is not an isolated event in our lives. His perfect unsurpassed presence here is also a reminder that He is continually present to us in many other ways in our lives.

In the homily I gave just a couple of weeks ago, I talked about how we could see Jesus in others, in the sick, the imprisoned, in the homeless, and in the one sitting next to you this very moment. And He lives in us if we allow him to do so. He comes to live under our roof, to live in us and through us. If we would only remember- Rejoice, I say again Rejoice. John the Baptist does not want us to forget and neither does Jesus.

As we go forward to complete our shopping lists, as we go forward to get those Christmas cards mailed in time, as we continue to prepare ourselves for that special day on the 25th of December, as we contemplate what those presents are under the tree, let us not forget that we are celebrating the birth of Jesus and also preparing ourselves for when He will come in His full glory.

But let also remember that Jesus is with us now. Let us give Him thanks and praise and let us “Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say Rejoice!!!!

1st Reading: Ezekiel 34: 11-12, 15-17
2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 15: 20-26, 28
Gospel: Matthew 25: 31-46

It is a blessing to see all the children here this morning. It is a blessing also to see all these families here together with their children especially on this Feast of Christ the King. It is for all a blessing to be able to come to this table where the King of Kings offers himself up for us.

I would like to start off by talking with the children here this morning. I would like to tell you a story children about a little girl named Isabelle.

Now, Isabelle’s mother helped with the big kids at the church they attend. One Saturday, Isabelle’s mother said; “Would you like to go with me and the youth group to Samaritan House to help the boys and girls there?”

Now kids, this is a good place where children are helped to heal from an accident.

“Oh yes” said Isabelle. She wanted to do what the big kids do. When they got to Samaritan House, Isabelle asked her mother, “Why are all the children in wheelchairs?”

“Because they can’t walk”, said her mother.

“Why”, asked Isabelle.

“Because they have been hurt”, said her mother.

“Why don’t they talk right”, asked Isabelle.

“They are trying to talk right, but it’s hard for them”, said her mother.

Isabelle was scared in that place and stayed right next to her mother.

She watched the big kids. They weren’t scared. They sang songs for the children. They played with them and talked with them.

But despite what she saw the big kids doing,Isabelle wanted to go home.

That night when Isabelle and her parents were getting ready to say prayers, she said, “Why did we go to that place with all the weird children?”

“Isabelle,” said her mother, “Those children aren’t weird. On the outside they look different, but on the inside they think about things just like you do.”

“Just like me?” said Isabelle.

“Just like you. If you got hurt like that, if you ran out into the street and didn’t look both ways and a car hit you, you’d still be you,” said her mother.

That made Isabelle feel scared. “I don’t want to look at them,” she said.

“If you don’t want to look at them, you can look at Jesus in them,” said her mother.

“What do you mean?” asked Isabelle.

“You know how we pray for you when you are sick, how we ask Jesus to come and be inside you and make you well?’ said her mother.

“Yes”, said Isabelle.

“Well, if Jesus wants to be inside you to make you well, don’t you think that Jesus also wants to be inside those children too,” said her mother.

“I guess so,” said Isabelle.

“So, the next time we go to Samaritan House, look at Jesus inside them. Then they won’t look weird any more.”

“Is that the way the big kinds do?” asked Isabelle.

“That is,” said her mother.

Then they prayed a prayer and they ask us to pray with them like this:

Dear God, Help us to see Jesus inside us and inside everyone, Amen. Thank you Children for listening.

All of us can get something out of this story. Isabelle’s fear of the unknown is what got to her and our fear is what gets to us. How many times have we passed by someone who acts different because of a disability and not really looked at them? Do we look away or do we make eye contact? Were we afraid of saying anything or did we say hello in friendship?

Remember what Jesus said in today’s gospel? “Whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Yes, we can see Jesus in others if we really look; not a quick glance but a real look like you look at one another.

Jesus goes on to say that when “I was hungry, thirsty, sick, a stranger. Christ makes himself one with those in need. Our King is in the hungry, our King is in the thirsty, our King is in a stranger, our King is in the sick, our King is in those in prison. Can you see Jesus in them?

We need to see Jesus all in all. Everything that is good comes from God through Jesus Christ. And in the final day, all of humanity will be assembled in front of the King of Kings on His throne and in hope ready to be judged by Him. Will he say to us “Depart”, or will He say to us “Come?” That is up to each one of us.

Let us all be like Isabelle our story. Let us pray to our Father in heaven to help us see Jesus in others. Let us pray to God to help us be open and ready to receive Jesus in us through his body and blood in the Eucharist. Let us come to this altar ready to sacrifice ourselves for His kingdom on earth.

God will reach out to us when we become lost in the dark. He will tend his flock, yes-you and I, and in the end of time, he will judge us accordingly through His son, the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.

In Advent, which starts next Sunday along with the changes in the Roman Missal, the new Church year will begin with a focus on the final restoration of all creation to its original glory. In preparation, on this last Sunday of this Church year, we proclaim the expected advent of the Lord of lords and King of kings . But until he comes, we can and will experience a glimpse of His Kingdom when we see Him in others.

Pray this prayer daily and live it out daily and you will be happy and joyful when the time of judgement comes:

“Teach me, my God and King,
In all things thee to see,
And what I do in any thing
to do it as for thee.” Amen!