2012

Today we put aside what would have been the 12th Sunday of Ordinary time to celebrate the birth of John the Baptist. The church does so for good reason for his birth marks the dawning of God’s salvation. Now, you might be thinking, “Didn’t that begin with Jesus?” On the other hand, you could be thinking, “Of course, I just heard Paul say, ‘John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.'” Perhaps you are even humming to yourself, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord,” which was the focus of John’s ministry and life.

We celebrate his birth at the summer solstice when the sun is at its highest point in the sky and we celebrate the birth of Jesus at the winter solstice. Pointing to Jesus, John says elsewhere in scripture, “I must decrease so that he may increase.” The dynamic of decrease and increase can be considered the mission of all Christians. The vocation of every Christian in fact is to let the light of Christ shine forth to all the world and to bear witness to the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us. But that is a mission we are not always inclined to accept.

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Nativity of John the BaptistRead More »

A few years after I was ordained, I had the opportunity to serve as a spiritual chaplain on a pilgrimage to Medjugorie, a town in southern Yugoslavia, where the Blessed Mother had been appearing to several young adults on a daily basis. She often encouraged the visionaries, as they were called, to pray for peace. Little did anyone realize that she didn’t mean peace between worldly superpowers, but peace in their community.

A few years later, Yugoslavia was splintered into new countries including Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia, the outcome of a devastating civil war between the different ethnic groups. This past April, the people of Sarajevo, Bosnia, marked the 20th anniversary of the horrific siege on their beautiful city during that war. The anniversary was marked by many events, exhibitions and concerts—but by far the most moving part of their observance was the chairs. 11,541 red chairs.

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11th Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

On Easter Sunday we celebrated an event that defied the laws of nature. Jesus of Nazareth who had been crucified days before had risen from the dead. This was no ghost as the disciples later recounted. Without warning, Jesus appeared behind locked doors and dined with them. They recognized him yet they knew that physically what they were touching and seeing was not the human Jesus whom they had known. His risen body possessed qualities they had never seen before.

Two weeks ago, we celebrated the ascension, another event that defied the laws of nature, for this time, Jesus ascended into heaven, leaving the apostles spell bound. No person before or since has done what Jesus did during that first Easter season.

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Corpus ChristiRead More »

THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
Scripture:
1st Reading: Deut 4:32-34, 39-40
2nd Reading: Romans 8:14-17
Gospel; Matthew 28:16-20

I recently read a story about Mary Weaver, a protestant lady, who lived some 74 years ago. She had been a Baptist, a Methodist, a Christian Scientist, and a Holy Roller, professing that she believed in “Jesus only”.

One day she noticed a Catholic Catechism in the home of a friend. Here was her chance to find out what Catholics believe and do, and then hold all of it up in ridicule of the Church. She began to read. Slowly her hatred turned to curiosity, then to surprise, then to a desire to learn. She blurted out, “If this is what the Catholic Church teaches, then I want to be a Catholic”.

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Trinity SundayRead More »

Marriage, as many of you know, is a roller coaster of joys and sorrows, of triumphs and tragedies. Job losses, illnesses, and the myriad of raising children are all part of the adventure. Just about every spouse faces some kind of complication sooner or later that confounds them with their own inadequacies and doubts. I can’t do this. I can’t be the husband or wife or parent I need to be. And yet, they manage to find within themselves the compassion, the forgiveness, the love to be the spouse and parent their family needs them to be in such moments.

On that first Easter evening, before Jesus appeared to the apostles in the upper room, imagine how inadequate they felt, yet when Jesus breathed on them, empowering them with the Holy Spirit, whatever fears they had then disappeared. That moment, the Church was born. As any student of history can tell you, the Church is a product of human struggle, disagreements, and crisis. Yet with the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit, the Church has weathered the test of time and continues to do so.

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PentecostRead More »