2016

We begin every liturgy invoking the name of the Trinity and we are sent forth from here with a blessing from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God, yet three persons, shapes every aspect of our faith from liturgy to concerns about social justice. God’s presence as Trinity is meant to remind us that there is much more to God than we can ever know.

This brings to mind the story of six blind men. They had never encountered an elephant before, so when one came into their village, they were very curious. When they had surrounded the elephant, each blind man spent time feeling a particular section of the huge elephant.

The first blind man felt the elephant’s side. Broad and very solid. “This feels like a wall!” The second blind man stepped forward and felt a tusk. Round, smooth, hard and pointed. “Ouch! Why this feels like a spear!” The third blind man approached the elephant from the front and immediately bumped into the trunk. As he handled it, the trunk squirmed. He jumped back since he was very afraid of snakes.

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The name and timing of Pentecost is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition. The Jewish Feast of Pentecost was a celebration of the harvest of the first fruits. In the Book of Leviticus, we are told that Pentecost fell fifty days after the Sabbath following the Passover. It was a festival celebrating the harvest and thanking God for providing them with food. The Jewish Feast of Pentecost was a time when crowds would flock to Jerusalem and the Temple.

It was on this Jewish Feast of Pentecost that God did something totally unexpected and new for the followers of Jesus. On the day of his Ascension Jesus instructed the Apostles to go back to Jerusalem and wait and pray, where they would “be clothed with power from on high,” and would receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus didn’t tell them how long they were to wait and pray. I wonder what thoughts they had as they gathered each day in the upper room to pray, when nothing extraordinary seemed to happen. Most likely there was some uncertainty, but their experience of being with the risen Lord the previous forty days undoubtedly strengthened their faith and gave them a new confidence in listening to the Lord’s words.

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PentecostRead More »

This weekend we reflect on the joy and burden of carrying on both what Jesus has begun and what our mothers have hoped for us. In the joy of the Easter Season we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus and we observe Mother’s Day. Just as it is important to recognize the meaning and importance of the Ascension, it is important to recognize the significance of motherhood in our lives- our maternal mothers, those who have shown motherly care and the place of mother church in our lives.

Did you notice the different ways that Luke presents the Ascension? In the first reading from Acts, Luke portrays the Ascension as occurring 40 days after the Resurrection while in the Gospel, Luke depicts the Ascension as on the same day Christ rose. The Gospel account suggests the resurrection and the ascension are one event, while Acts seems to say they are two separate events. …

Ascension of the LordRead More »

1ST Reading:  Acts 15:1-2, 22-29

2nd Reading:  Revelation 21:10-114, 22-23
Gospel:      John 14: 23-29

We finally arrived. My wife and I arrived at our destination tired and in need of nourishment, peace and silence. Yes, we had arrived at Mount Angel Abby in Oregon.

As we finished our initial class on our Marriage Encounter weekend, we realized what a beautiful place this is. Mount Angel, a beautiful hill in the middle of the country where the Benedictine monks reside and the seminary that trains men to become our future priests. This all sits at the top of this hill.

This hill is where we resided during our stay that weekend. As we gazed out our room window, which seemed to frame the beauty outside, we saw a panoramic view of the valley below. The first flowers making the announcement that Spring was just around the corner was in bloom. We were presented with the greatness and the majesty of God. …

6th Sunday of EasterRead More »

Today’s Gospel takes us back to the Last Supper. We heard the opening lines of Jesus’ last talk with His closest followers before his arrest. If you had listened even with your hearing aid turned down to low, you would have detected no anxiety or fears in him. Clearly Jesus is not running scared.

This is incredible. Keep in mind that Jesus knows Judas will soon betray him. He sees his fast approaching crucifixion with its dreadful pain. Yet he is circled in majesty. Jesus is the original Mr. Cool. He does need blood pressure pills. This is not a prisoner sitting in a death row cell ready to eat the traditional last meal. Rather, John portrays Jesus as a King hosting a lavish victory banquet. In the first two sentences of today’s Gospel, we heard the word glorify mentioned five times. Does this sound like a man who feels that He is defeated? Quite the contrary! …

5th Sunday of EasterRead More »