On this, Valentine's day, God desires to restate his personal and real love for each of us. It is easy to read about his love. But sometimes it is hard to allow that love to penetrate the surface of our heart. Maybe it is because we have been hurt before by those who said they loved us or should have loved us. We can't trust God's love because our experience of love is painful not comforting. We have a deep desire to be loved for the person that we are and not for what we do. As much as God loves us, he will not violate our space nor our will. Instead, he patiently knocks at the door of our heart, calling us by name, speaking his tender words of love, while waiting for us to open the door even slightly. He will not go away, because he loves us as his beloved son or daughter. Trust in the desire of your heart.
Someone has said: "I am who I am in the eyes of God, nothing more, nothing less." My identity is not in my career, not in my accomplishments, not defined by others, nor by myself. God gives me my identity and with that my destiny. My identity is in Christ. I am by God's grace an adopted son of God, sharing in his divine life so that I can be with him eternally. As an adopted son of the Father, I am an heir in Christ. My inheritance is not material and temporal, but spiritual and eternal. The pledge and first down payment of my inheritance is the Holy Spirit. The Prodigal son squandered his inheritance; the elder son felt he was owed his inheritance. My response is to accept and live my identity in Christ, so that I can claim the gift of my inheritance as the grace from God that it is.
Homily Sixth Sunday Year C
Reading 1: Jeremiah has been sent to call the people
of Israel back to the Lord. Externally, they were going through the motions,
but internally and relationally they were not in right order. Instead of
trusting in the Lord, who had shown them his providential care in many ways,
they sought to align themselves with other nations and kingdoms for their
protection.
So Jeremiah spoke the word of God to them. “Cursed are
those who trust in other human beings and not in God. You will be like a
fruitless tree in the desert.” On the other hand, those who put their trust
primarily in God’s providential care will be like a fruitful tree.
In a sense, we are like the Israelites. Though on our
currency we say “In God we trust”, but in fact do we truly trust in God? There
are some in our nation who want to remove God from all public awareness and
relegate God to a private, personal experience. In our personal lives do we
truly trust in God primarily or do we put our trust in ourselves and others? Is
our trust in God merely verbal or is actually what sustains us in our daily
life? Because the people of Jeremiah’s day refused to heed God’s word, they
experienced the curse of defeat and exile.
Gospel: The first reading stressed the difference
between those who trust in the Lord and those who did not. The first are
blessed and the later are cursed. Jesus uses the same idea in the Gospel.
Blessed vs woe. Underlying the four groups of people whom Jesus calls blessed
are those who trust in the Lord, even though they are poor materially, go about
hungry, weep over the sins of the times, and are persecuted on account of their
relationship with Jesus. In spite of their situation, they put their trust in
God to provide for them.
In contrast are those who are called woe, not because
they are rich, or satisfied, or laughing or spoken well of. They do not put
their trust in God, but in themselves and others. It would be wrong to think that Jesus
despised the rich or those have sufficient food to eat, or know how to enjoy
life. The contrast Jesus makes here is the same he makes in the parable of the
unnamed rich man and the beggar Lazarus. The rich man was indifferent about the
plight of the beggar. His focus was his own satisfaction, forgetting that he was
a beggar before the Lord and a steward of the Lord’s provisions for him. On the
other hand, Lazarus put his hope and trust in God to provide for him.
Do we trust in the Lord? Paul himself said that
whether he had or did not have, he put his trust in the Lord to provide for his
needs.
Reading 2: Paul was dealing with those in the
Corinthian community who questioned life after death and therefore the
resurrection of the body. Paul’s response is “do you trust in the word of God
or do you trust in your own thinking?” Paul then turns to the word of God,
reminding them of the central mystery of our faith, namely the death and
resurrection of Jesus from the dead. If we believe in the mystery of Jesus’
resurrection; if we believe that he has come to give us eternal life; if we
believe that he said that when he will be with him, then we need to accept in
faith that one day, though our bodies may turn to dust in the grave, nothing is
impossible to God.
If God can create the first human being out of the
clay of the earth, then he can raise our bodies up either to glory or to
condemnation. Each Sunday in the Creed,
we profess this truth of revelation, namely, that, one day, God will raise our
bodies to eternal life with him or eternal life alienated from him.
There is a inner desire in our hearts to achieve. Some seek to achieve success or wealth or power or recognition, all of which is like dust in the graves of the deceased. There is only one thing worth striving for that is eternal life of glory and peace. God places that desire in our hearts. But Satan sows the weeds that look like wheat but is not. Instead of embracing the gift of God, many times we allow the web of fool's gold to entice us on the wrong journey. But God in his goodness gives us many grace moments to recognize the difference and to choose what will truly make us happy. One road leads to destruction. The other to eternal fulfillment. It is our choice.
Sixth Sunday Gospel C
Jesus came down with the twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.
· Luke tells us that Gentiles from Tyre and Sidon as well as Jews from Judea and Jerusalem were going out to hear Jesus and experience his miraculous powers.
· What comes before this passage in Luke is the relating that Jesus spent the night on the mountain side in prayer and followed this by naming the twelve apostles. Thus he came down with the twelve.
· What we have is Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew’s Gospel.
· Luke’s version is shorter because, though he is dependent on Matthew for one of his sources, his audience is different from Matthew. Matthew is predominately speaking to Jewish converts; Luke to Gentile converts.
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.
· Luke addresses the economically and socially poor and calls them blessed. Matthew focuses on the religious and spiritual poor who depend on the Lord for all.
Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied.
· Again the same distinction is made by Luke and Matthew: Luke is concerned about the people in his community who are without proper amount of food and calls them blessed. While they may suffer now, they will be blessed. Matthew looks at those who are hungry and thirsty for justice and righteousness.
Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh.
· Luke is addressing the physically sad; Matthew blesses those who mourn because of sin.
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way
· Do we experience some of this in our life because we try to follow Jesus? If so, we should be happy to know that we will be blessed, not now but in heaven.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
· Luke provides four “beatitudes”; Matthew gives eight.
· Luke balances the picture by adding some negative contrasts: four woes. These are absent from Matthew.
· Luke addresses those who are financially rich but who do not share their blessings with those who are poor.
Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.
· In contrast to those above who are hungry now and who will be satisfied later, Luke tells those who are physically filled now that they will be hungry because they did not share with others.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.
· Luke reminds those who enjoy their lives without concern for others or at the expense of others that the day will come when their situation will become reversed.
· Recall the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the poor man. (Lk 16:19-31)
Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”
· Notice all four woes are in contrast to the four blessings. Luke seeks to warn those in his community what true discipleship is all about.
· What application can you make in your own life from this passage?
"Patience means to remain close to the moment and to fully taste where you are so that the seeds that are sown in the moment can grow and lead you to the future. The future is hidden in the present as a seed in fertile ground. By nurturing and tending the soil in which we stand we come in touch with the promise." Henri Nouwen
Sometimes we try to rush the process of life, even our spiritual life, because we want to pass the present moment and quickly fast forward into the future. But the seed of God's grace of the present moment is like the seed the farmer plants in the ground that he cultivated. If he goes every moment to see growth, he will be disappointed. But if he lived in the present moment, allowing the seed to go through the natural process of fermentation, then in time, not only will he see a plant but the fruit of that plant. We are impatient with ourselves. We expect that once we give our lives to Jesus, we would be transformed into a saint overnight. The spiritual journey is like that seed. Be attentive to what God is saying to you in the present moment, follow his direction and at the end of life enjoy the fruit of the spiritual life, life in Christ.
Have you ever thought that God is our home. This is an image frequent in the scriptures. He is not only our final resting place, to be with him eternally, but he is our place of refuge in the present moment. God makes us a place of his dwelling, sharing his divine life, so that we may make him our eternal dwelling. The home is a place of love, a place of comfort and security, a place of rest. If we are resting in the Lord now, if we are finding comfort in the Lord now, if we are not resting in the Lord now, how can we expect to be with him after this life? When God becomes our place of return after our labors, then we will find true refreshment from our labors. Did not Jesus invite us to come to him in the midst of our labors and difficulties and find the grace of the moment? Make God our home and he will make his home ours.
Do you believe that God has a plan for you? Do you believe that what look like obstacles are really bumps on the road of life? God may use these obstacles to prepare us for what he really want us to experience in our fidelity to him. God may also use these blocks or difficult experiences to draw us closer to himself. When St. Paul cried out to the Lord because of the "thorn in his side", God showed him that this was an opportunity to depend more on God's grace. It was a teaching moment in Paul's life and understanding of God's plan for him. He learned not to be overcome by the blocks or difficulties but to use them as a stepping stones to holiness.
Homily Fifth Sunday Year C Invitation
By spiritaflame 10:58 AM
Homily
Fifth Sunday Year C
Reading
1: Last Sunday we heard the call of Jeremiah to be a prophet. In today’s
readings we heard the call of Isaiah, Paul and Peter. Like Jeremiah, Isaiah
experiences through a vision God’s call to be a prophet. Isaiah sees the glory
of God and hears the song of the angels crying out “Holy, Holy, Holy!” His
first response was the acknowledgment of his sinful state.
God’s
response was to symbolically purify him. Then God shares with him the reason
for the vision. Will he accept the role of prophet and go to the Israelites
with God’ message? Unlike Jeremiah, Isaiah didn’t hesitate to say “Yes, send
me.”
Let’s
look at the process. Whenever there is an encounter with the Divine, there is
always a feeling of unworthiness on the side of the human. Isaiah experienced
this unworthiness and considered himself doomed and lost for encountering the
Divine. But God’s purpose is to prepare him for a greater mission and purpose.
If
we have had an encounter with God, maybe not as dramatic as Isaiah, we have
also experienced our unworthiness. But what God is seeking from us is the
readiness response to him like Isaiah: to do the will of God no matter the
cost. Like other prophets, Isaiah suffered mainly because he spoke the Word of
God yet the people did not receive it nor respond to it. In spite of that, he
continued to speak the Word of God.
Reading
2: St Paul discusses the mission he received from Christ to be an Apostle to
the nations. Paul’s encounter with the Divine took place on his way to Damascus
to persecute the followers of Christ. Years later, as he looked back on that
event, Paul experienced the same unworthiness and considered himself unfit to
be called an Apostle. But by God’s grace he was. It was the same grace/favor of
God that called Isaiah, Peter, Andrew, James and John. Paul was a zealot in
preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which has the power to save.
It
is the grace of God that has saved us through Jesus’ death and resurrection and
calls us to follow him in spite of our sinfulness. What are we called to be and
do? We are called to be disciple/witnesses who preach by our words and life the
good news of God’s love and mercy.
Gospel:
We have here the call of the first disciples by Jesus. Jesus encounters Peter,
Andrew, James and John. He has already met Andrew and John at the Jordan after
being baptized. He has already met Peter, who was brought to Jesus by Andrew. However,
those encounters did not galvanized them as disciples.
It
is this event of the miraculous catch of fish that became the tipping point for
them. They had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. So you can
imagine the initial hesitation but eventual agreement of Peter to be obedient
to Jesus when he said to put out into the deep. Was he just humoring Jesus who
is not a fisherman? Expert fishermen knew you don’t expect to catch much around
noon.
But
when they lowered their nets at the spot Jesus indicated and caught the
enormous amount of fish, they were overwhelmed. Peter’s disbelief turned into
astonishment and then to unworthiness. But Jesus’ response is the same as God’s
to Isaiah. As God called Isaiah to be his prophet in spite of his sinfulness,
Jesus invites Peter and the others to be his disciples. “Come follow me and I
will make you fishers of men.” Like Isaiah, they left everything to follow him.
Today’s
Gospel marks the official beginning point in the relationship between Jesus and
Peter. This is also the beginning of the leadership role that Peter will have
within the community of disciples. Peter was chosen for this role.
God
encounters us not just once but at different times but the process is always
the same. We experience something beyond us; we recognize our sinfulness; we
are called to repent and be open to the more God wants to reveal. These
encounters have a twofold purpose: greater intimacy and growth in holiness in
order to have a more effective ministry.
One of the promises Jesus has made us is that he will be within us and with us always. This is not a feeling but a faith awareness and a faith conviction. He shares his divine life with us as a means of being with us in an intimate way. When we take time to pray and share with him, we are making his presence a conscious reality. Awareness of his presence is what made the lives of the saints in the midst of their struggles meaningful. They knew they were never alone. They knew in faith that Jesus was with them, walking alongside of them on their journey. We are never alone. As Paul dealt with the "thorn in his side", he was reminded that God's grace was also present to him. With confidence Paul could proclaim that in Christ he can do all things. Never forget the promise of Jesus and you will never be alone.
Fifth Sunday Gospel C
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
· There is a pattern to Jesus’ ministry. He teaches and then confirms his message with a miraculous sign. Or he performs a sign and, having gotten their attention, then teaches. Both sign and word are messages.
· In this case, the message was for Simon and his friends as well. What he taught we do not know but it could have been a preparation for the invitation to Simon and companions to become his disciples and follow him.
· It was not by accident that he chose Simon’s boat. This was not the first time that Jesus and Simon have met. In John’s Gospel we are told of an initial or preparatory encounter prior to this event.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”
· Sometimes we are more comfortable on the shores of life—in our comfort zone. But God calls us to put out into the deep. What is the area in your life that God is calling you to put out into the deep and move away from your comfort zone?
· Simon had no clue what was about to happen would be life changing for him. Has God done something in your life that was also life-changing, which you were not prepared for?
· What was the first step for Simon and for us? Do what he tells us, even though we do not understand.
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon.
· What is the second step for Simon and for us? Recognizing our sinfulness and unworthiness and repent.
· Peter’s own unworthiness and sinfulness was a block to going deeper in his own life. What is the block in our lives? Can we like Peter acknowledge the block, the area of sin and like Peter not let it be a block any longer?
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
· What is the third step? What is an apparent block to us is not an obstacle for Jesus to overcome. This was not the end of the story for Peter or for us.
· The miracle was a preview of what Jesus wanted to do it their lives. But they had to be willing to let go their comfort zone and trust in Jesus and follow him no matter the cost. This is what it means to put out into the deep.
· Peter and his companions were not perfect when they responded to Jesus’ invitation. They grew in relationship as they spent time with Jesus.
· What is the fourth step? We must be willing to surrender and follow the path the Jesus begins to show us in our life.
· What is God saying to you as you reflect on this passage?
"To see God, to be like God: this is our hope. And today… we need to think a little about this hope: this hope that accompanies us in life. The first Christians depicted hope with an anchor, as though life were an anchor cast on Heaven’s shores and all of us journeying to that shore, clinging to the anchor’s rope. This is a beautiful image of hope: to have our hearts anchored there, where our beloved predecessors are, where the Saints are, where Jesus is, where God is. This is the hope that does not disappoint; today and tomorrow are days of hope.” Pope Francis
If we don't have this hope of seeing God face to face one day and being with him eternally, then what do we hope for that is greater or more lasting? Seeing God one day in all his glory is the fulfillment of our destiny for existence. It is not a pie-in-the-sky panacea, like fool's gold. This is the desire God has put in the heart of each one who is truly seeking the truth. This is the hope that has strengthened and sustained millions of believers over the centuries. Without this active hope we will not be able to make sense of the darkness and pain all around us. Ask the Holy Spirit to stir this gift of hope in your heart, so that like a sure light you can reach the goal of your hope, God.
For centuries the world has tried to live without God. Yet, "loneliness, isolation, lack of friendship and intimacy, broken relationships, boredom, feelings of emptiness and depression, and a deep sense of uselessness" still plague humanity in spite of its scientific advances. Each century, each decade, each day, the world needs not intellectual prophets but God-led prophets, who cry out "return to the Lord, with all your heart." By virtue of Baptism and Confirmation each of us is gifted, anointed and empowered to be that witness needed by the people around us, who are in need of God's love and compassion, mercy and forgiveness, healing and hope. Be open and pray each day to be available to God in whatever way he desires to minister through you. Then, watch God at work
"Act today in such a way that you need not blush tomorrow." St. John Bosco
This is another way of saying that our actions have consequences, some eternal. Adam and Eve sought the temporary satisfaction of eating the fruit of knowing good and evil. The eternal consequences were devastating: lost relationship with God. How often we act without thinking of the real effects of our actions! The saints teach us to keep the final judgment in mind when we act, so that this present decision will receive the rewards of eternal life and not the condemnation of eternal alienation from God. In other words, keep eternity before you, rather than just the present moment.
Joseph, in
all of this, does not utter a word, but he believes, hopes and loves. He does
not express himself with “idle words”, but with concrete deeds. He belongs to the
lineage of those who, according to the apostle James, “put the Word
into practice” (cf. James 1:22), translating it into deeds,
flesh, life. Joseph trusts in God and obeys: “His inner
watchfulness for God … leads quite spontaneously to obedience” (Benedict XVI, The
Infancy Narratives,
Milan-Vatican City 2012, 57).
Sisters, brothers, let us, too, ask the Lord for the grace to listen more than we speak, the grace to dream God’s dreams and to welcome responsibly the Christ who, from the moment of our baptism, lives and grows in our life. Pope Francis
For most of us, we speak more than listen, especially to God. We fail to realize that God has given us two ears and only one mouth for a purpose. There are times God speaks loudly and clearly, directly and forcefully. But more often than not, God speaks in the silence of a whisper and in our inner stillness. As ones who want instant results, it is hard for us to enter into the quite and just wait upon the Lord. It is a challenge that comes with patient practice and endurance. It is a grace that God desires to give to those who are open to it. Ask for that grace and then wait upon the Lord.
Jesus doesn't say, “Come into my world.” He doesn't say, “Come, I will change you.” He doesn't say, “Become my disciples,” “Listen to me,” “Do what I tell you,” “Take up your cross.” No. He says, “Come and see. Look around. Get to know me.” That is the invitation. Henri Nouwen
It sounds so simple but it is so profound at the same time. How can we follow and commit ourselves to another person without first coming to know them. If all we know is about another, we don't really personally know that person. In marriage, a person has to truly get to know the other before committing themselves to a life-long covenant. This means spending quality time with the other to know beyond the surface. Jesus invites us to spend quality time with him to get to know him as he is and not just on the surface. It is then we can truly commit ourselves to him as a disciple, desiring to have a deeper relationship with him.
Let us take a look at our world from a distance, not from the physical distance of a plane or space vehicle, but from the spiritual distance of our faith. Let us look at ourselves, at our humanity, from above and with the eyes of God. Jesus always looked at the human condition from above and tried to teach us to look as he did. “I come from above,” he said, “and I want you to be reborn from above so that you will be able to see with new eyes.” Henri Nouwen
What does it mean to see with the eyes of Jesus? How did Jesus see the people of his day? He saw them as sheep without a shepherd, hungering for the truth that would set them free. He saw beyond the physical, seeing the faith of those who sought his assistance. He saw with compassions and mercy those who were seen as sinners. He saw with a heart of love those who were in need of acceptance and meaning. Do we try to have the eyes of Jesus in our relationships with others whom God sends to us? When we see with the eyes of Jesus we begin to see how God sees the other and what God wants us to do for the other. Pray for this gift and act on it when it comes, as it will come.
“It is a hope that leaves peace and joy
inside, regardless of what happens outside. It is a hope that has strong roots,
which no storm of life can uproot. It is a hope that, says St. Paul, 'does not
disappoint' – hope does not disappoint! – which gives the strength to overcome
all tribulations." Pope Francis
Without this hope life’s difficulties can be
unbearable. But with hope our life is anchored in Christ during the worse
storm. Without hope we are rudderless and adrift, left on our own. But with hope
we are in the hands of a loving God. Our hope will be tested by the Father of
liars. But as long as we keep our eyes on the Lord, these rests will be
deflected
Hope is also a task that Christians have a duty to cultivate and put to good use for the sake of all their brothers and sisters. The task is to remain faithful to the gift received, as rightly pointed out by Madeleine Delbrêl, a 20th-century French woman who was able to bring the Gospel to the geographical and existential peripheries of mid-century Paris, marked by de-Christianization. Madeleine Delbrêl wrote: “The place that Christian hope assigns us is that narrow ridge, that borderline at which our vocation requires that we choose, every day and every hour, to be faithful to God’s faithfulness to us”. God is faithful to us; our task is to respond to this faithfulness. But take care: it is not we who generate this faithfulness; it is a gift from God that works in us if we allow ourselves to be molded by His power of love, the Holy Spirit Who acts as a breath of inspiration in our hearts. It is up to us, then, to invoke this gift: “Lord, grant me to be faithful to you in hope!” Pope Francis
God is always faithful to us. His very nature will not allow him to do otherwise. He is faithful to us, even when we are unfaithful. If our hope is in the faithful promises of God and in their fulfillment, then our life is to be a witness of this hope to others. In the admonition of St. Peter: "Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear." (1 Peter 3:15-16) If the reason of our hope is the promises of God, then our life should always be a sign of this hope to others, especially in difficult times.
Homily
Third Sunday Year C
Reading
1: What is the background to this reading? People have returned to Jerusalem
after their exile into Babylonia. They began, following the command of God, to
rebuild first the city, then the Temple which were destroyed. In the process of
restoration, Ezra the priest found scrolls which were hidden at the time of the
exile. The scrolls were the Book of the Law, the Torah.
Once
he realized what he had found, namely its significance, he told Nehemiah the
Governor. They decided that the people needed to hear this Word of the Lord
which would explain their relationship to God as his chosen people, the
necessity of living as a Covenant people and how their ancestors were sent into
exile because they had broken the Covenant.
As
Ezra read from the Word of God the people began to weep before the Lord. But
Ezra reminded them that this was not a time to weep over the past but a time of
rejoicing. Why? They have found the source of their history and the
recollection of God’s love for his chosen people. He proclaimed that since they
are the people chosen by God they should rejoice for the Lord is their
strength.
Eventually,
he will call them to renew their covenant with God publicly. The Word of God
was proclaimed; its truth was revealed, interpreted and received with
rejoicing. Each Sunday we gather to hear the Word of God, our Salvation History.
We are reminded how God has truly loved us and has redeemed us, so that we may
be truly his people in whom we find our strength.
Reading
2: Paul reminds us who we are in relationship to God. We are the Body of
Christ. He reminds us also who we are in relationship to one another. We are
members of the one Body. He reminds us that in Baptism we entered into a new
relationship with God and filled with the Holy Spirit. He tells us that because
we are one in Christ there should be no division on antipathy between us.
Each
member is unique and has a unique role in the Body of Christ. As such each is
to be in harmony with the other. Our importance is not in who we are in
ourselves, but who we are in Christ. Therefore, Paul says if one part suffers,
all the parts suffer with it; if one is honored all the members are to be
joyful. We are to understand our role and how we have been gifted by the Holy Spirit
and exercise that gift for the good of others.
Gospel:
We begin with the first four verses of Luke’s Gospel where he states that he
wants to write down in an orderly sequence the life and teachings of Jesus.
This he has received from an eyewitness. Then we jump to the fourth chapter of
Luke, which begins the public ministry of Jesus.
According
to Luke, immediately after the Baptism of the Lord, which we celebrated two
Sundays ago, Jesus began to teach and preach in such a way that people were
amazed. His reputation spread throughout the region of Galilee. Now he returns
to Nazareth, maybe to visit Mary.
Since
he is a covenant observer, faithful to the Law, he goes with Mary to the
synagogue on the Sabbath to praise God and to hear the Word of God. He had just
had a powerful affirmation of the Father’s love for him. He was anointed by the
Holy Spirit so that his ministry would be confirmed with signs and wonders.
Because
he is somewhat of a hometown celebrity already, they ask him to read the Word
of God and interpret it for them. Providentially they gave him the scroll of
Isaiah the prophet. Jesus unrolled it to where Isaiah had prophesied what Jesus
had experienced at his Baptism. It identified his mission as the One promised
and sent by God. After reading the passage he concluded by saying: “Today, this
passage has been fulfilled in your midst.” In other words, I am the one Isaiah
is speaking about. I have experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and
know the plan God has for me. At first the people were amazed, but as Jesus
continued to explain, they turned against him and wanted to kill him.
In
the first reading the people heard the Word of God, wept and then rejoiced at
what God had revealed. In the Gospel the people heard the Word of God, were
amazed but then rejected the interpretation. We have heard the Word of God. How
do we receive it? How do we respond to it? Do we allow it to root in our hearts
and bring about growth and bear fruit? Or do we stifle the Word of God by
ignoring it and not acting on it?
"Hope is a gift and a task for every Christian. It is a gift because it is God who offers it to us. Hoping, in fact, is not a mere act of optimism, like when we sometimes hope to pass an exam at university…No, hoping is waiting for something that has already been given to us: salvation in God's eternal and infinite love. That love, that salvation that gives flavor to our lives and that constitutes the hinge on which the world remains standing, despite all the wickedness and nefariousness caused by our sins as men and women. To hope, then, is to welcome this gift that God offers us every day. To hope is to savor the wonder of being loved, sought, desired by a God who has not shut Himself away in His impenetrable heavens but has made Himself flesh and blood, history and days, to share our lot.” Pope Francis
Without hope we have no reason to live. Without hope life is a drudgery. God gives us the gift of hope, the grace of hope, so that we would have something to keep our hearts rooted in as we seek to live a better life. Our hope is, as sons and daughters of God, if we continue to live in him and die in him, we will see and be with God eternally. That was the hope that impelled the thousands of missionaries to evangelize the world. It is the very hope and promise that motivated and strengthened the many men and women martyrs to remain faithful even to the point of death. This is the hope we need to keep alive in our hearts. His promises are true and will be fulfilled.
Third Sunday Gospel C
Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.
· Theophilus means “friend of God” We don’t know much about him, except that he is a convert to Christianity who has already received some instructions. Luke wants to elaborate on these teachings by placing the Gospel message in an orderly fashion.
· Luke will begin with the annunciation and birth of John the Baptism; the annunciation of birth of Jesus; Jesus’ presentation in the Temple after his circumcision; Jesus returning and remaining in the temple when he was twelve years old.
o He adds material that neither Matthew nor Mark has in their Gospel narratives.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
· What is not stated in today’s reading is the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John the Baptist and the affirmation of the Father as well as the pouring of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus in his humanity. Following that pivotal moment in Jesus’ life there is the first confrontation with the Devil in the Temptation story. Luke’s narrative now continues.
· The role of the Spirit in Jesus’ personal life and public ministry is a strong emphasis in Luke’s Gospel. Luke wants to teach that Jesus in his humanity, anointed by the Spirit, was able to teach in a way that amazed the people. They knew that there was something different about Jesus and his ministry.
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day.
· Can you imagine the excitement in Nazareth when Jesus returns? Obviously, they had heard about what happened to him at the Jordan and what people were saying about his teachings.
· Jesus is a faithful adherent to the covenant, so he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, probably along with Mary, his mother.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
· Luke sees this passage as a confirmation that Jesus was aware of what happened to him at the Jordan after he was baptized. The Spirit of God fell upon him and anointed him for the work he was called to do in proclaiming the message of the Kingdom of God.
· It was a custom that, if an important person came into the synagogue, to honor that person by asking them to do the reading and give a reflection.
· These signs—bring glad tidings to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, etc—were signs foretold by Isaiah and other OT prophets of the coming of the Kingdom of God.
· Noticed that Jesus deliberately chose the reading from Isaiah, which he was very familiar with from his childhood upbringing.
· How aware are we of the Spirit and his gifts in our life? How open are we to allowing the Spirit lead us?
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
· His interpretation was very brief and to the point. Isaiah was stating a sign of the coming of the Messiah in this passage. Jesus, without saying he was the Messiah, says today this passage is fulfilled in him.
· The reactions of the people moved from amazement, to question and finally anger and rejection. They remembered Jesus growing up in their small village. They could not accept him to be any other than what they remembered.
· This rejection by his neighbors and family members is the prelude to the rejections from others that Jesus will experience.
· What application can we make from this passage in our life?
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." St. Paul (Roms 15:13)
The source of the gift of hope is the Holy Spirit. But do we "abound in hope"? What does that mean? As Christians, our hope is in the promises of God to be fulfilled in his timing. While the hope of this world is dependent on others, who can fail us, the hope we have is dependent on the eternal fidelity of God, who never fails us. When we embrace the promises of God with total conviction and expectation, we are abounding in hope. For our hope is not in this life but in our eternal inheritance in God. Pray for the grace to abound in hope so that you may persevere in hope to its fulfillment in Christ.
"“Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring. Even so, uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt. Often we come across people who are discouraged, pessimistic and cynical about the future, as if nothing could possibly bring them happiness." Pope Francis
Pope Francis calls us to always be pilgrims of hope. For our life is in Christ Jesus, the source of our hope. So often we can be like the Apostles, who seemed to lose hope after Jesus' crucifixion. They failed to remember his words to them that he would rise on the third day. Their lack of hope was evidenced in the two disciples leaving Jerusalem after the crucifixion. They were downcast. Only after Jesus joined them on their journey and explained the scriptures to them and broke bread, did they recognized that it was the Lord. Their hope was restored. Sometimes we too allow the circumstances of our lives to dampen the flame of hope in our hearts. We too need to return to the Word of God and the promises of God. We too need to celebrated the Eucharist. It is in his Word and in his Gift that our hope will be restored.
“Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.” St. John Paul II
Homily
Second Sunday Year C
Reading
1:
It
its initial application the prophet is telling the people in exile that God is
about to restore them to a renewed relationship. He will do this to manifest
his glory
It
its main application the prophet reveals almost 700 years before it happens
that he will send a Messiah to restore them and us from our captivity of sin.
In spite of the infidelity of the people of Israel and our infidelity, God
promises to protect and save us. He has not abandoned us nor will he ever do
so. It is a message of hope and restoration.
He
shows his glory by revealing his great love for us. He will give us a new name,
his “delight” and his “espoused.” We will no longer be “forsaken” and “desolate”.
He refers to himself as a “builder” because God desires to re-build and restore
his initial relationship with us lost by the sin of Adam and Eve.
Reading
2:
Not
only does God delight in us, but he also empowers us for ministry. He lavishly
pours upon us, as he did upon Jesus after his baptism in the Jordan, the
anointing gifts of the Holy Spirit. Like Jesus, he gives us all the gifts we
need to do the work of God.
What
is this work? To manifest that God loves us and delights in us. To each person the
manifestation of the Spirit is given. What should our response be? We are
called to become aware of the Spirit’s lead and to act on that lead in the
gifts and power of the Spirit so that the work of God may be accomplished.
These gifts are to be used in a complete self-giving way. These gifts are given
to build up the kingdom of God by ministering to others.
Unfortunately,
these gifts of the Spirit remain dormant in us for many years until we stir
them into flame, as Paul says, and use them for the purpose designed by God.
Gospel:
Jesus
is aware that the Father delights in him as the Father affirmed this after
Jesus’ baptism. Jesus is aware that the Father gave him a fresh outpouring of
the gifts of the Spirit. Jesus, as a result, follows the lead of the Spirit.
Jesus goes forth to manifest the glory of God and the love of God. He does this
initially through the miracle of water becoming wine.
Mary’s
intercession on behalf of the married couple confirmed for Jesus what the
Spirit was saying within him. Underlying Jesus’ response to Mary was his
conviction of doing this because the Father desired it.
He
mentioned that his hour had not come. But he knows that by performing his
miracle—first sign—he will be manifesting the glory of God in anticipation of
the ultimate sign of the Father’s glory, his death and resurrection.
Mary
was led by the Spirit. There is a cooperation of others in this miracle. The
servants had to choose to follow the directions of Jesus, showing the human
participation in the work of God. They had to provide the water and do what
they were told, even if they did not understand.
We
are the delight of the Lord by God’s choice not because of anything we have
done. God pours out his Spirit upon us because of God’s choice. God will lead us
to do the work of the Kingdom. It is our choice to be attentive to the lead of
the Spirit and act on the word of God. Mary’s admonition to the servants
prepared them to experience the miracle. We too are admonished to do whatever
he tells us to do. But when we do, we too will see the glory of God revealed in
and through us.
It is you, Jesus, who reach out first. You said it so clearly, “You did not choose me; no, I chose you.” Your choosing us is your great act of trust. You trusted that in our sinful, broken and vulnerable heart lies the potential to reach out to your heart and say, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life and we believe; we have come to know that you are the holy one of God.” All that you hope for is our simple, trusting “yes.” Henri Nouwen
What an interesting thought! God trusts himself to us. He trusts that his unconditional love for us will be received and be allowed to make a difference in our lives. His trust in us involved the laying down of his life for us, giving his total self. In light of his trust in us, our response of trust in God is so unequal. It is hard for us to totally surrender ourselves to God's will for us. Unfortunately, our trust is often conditional. We can say, "Lord, I trust in you." But in difficult times do we live what we say. The greater my trust in the Lord is, the more fulfilled will I be.
"There is something of the wanderer and something of the person who just sits there in all of us. If you look at this world you might think, “I am so tired. There is so much fatigue, so much experience of heaviness in this world, that I find myself sometimes as a wanderer and sometimes as a sitter.” It is into this deeply tired world of ours that God sends Jesus to speak the voice of love. Jesus says, “Follow me. Don't keep running around. Follow me. Don't just sit there. Follow me.” The voice of love is the voice that can completely reshape our life from a wandering or just-sitting-there life to one that is focused and has a point to go to." Henri Nouwen
Without a point of reference in our journey of life we will find ourselves either wandering aimlessly or just giving up. Jesus came to give us a point of reference, himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life. His invitation to follow him is personal and salvific. We were made in image and likeness of God. We are predestined to be his adopted children, sharing in his divine life. On our own we are burdened with the heaviness of our sins. Jesus removes the overwhelming load through his death and resurrection. He offers his hand, raising us up. Following him in faith, even when we don't feel or see him, will keep us on the path of eternal salvation and the fulfillment of our ultimate destiny.
Reflecting further on the Baptism of the Lord, we see that Jesus came to a clearer realization in his humanity of his identity: Beloved of the Father. Our baptism, in turn, gives us a clear understanding of our true identity. We are not only the son or daughter of our parents, which is our natural DNA, but we are the adopted son or daughter of our Heavenly Father, which is our spiritual DNA. The question we have to ask ourselves everyday is am I living in my relationship with the Father or like the Prodigal son, separated myself from God? Though I may deny or reject my human parents and do the same with my Father, I will always be the child of my parents and the child of God. Even if my parents do reject me or disinherit me, God will never reject me. I am his eternally, even if I am not with him eternally. The more I can embrace my identity and live out of that identity, the more at peace will I be with myself. Be who you are.
This past Sunday we celebrated the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. by John the Baptizer. Why was this a significant moment in the life of Jesus? First of all, it was the inauguration of Jesus' public ministry. As such, Jesus wanted to make a public statement of his commitment to do the Father's will as the Messiah. Even though John's baptism was a demonstration of repentance for sins and a preparation to receive the Messiah, Jesus was sinless. The Father validated Jesus' yes in two ways. First, he publicly affirmed that Jesus was his beloved Son in whom he was pleased. Secondly, Jesus, in his humanity, received a fresh outpouring of the anointing of the Holy Spirit for ministry. This event in Jesus' life was a pivotal moment which he recalled throughout his ministry. To know in his humanity that he was the Beloved of the Father sustained Jesus in difficult moments. How important is our baptism to us? Do we know our baptismal date? Do we celebrate this spiritual birthday as well as our natural birthday?
The story of the Epiphany has many details that raise questions. Why didn't the religious leaders, who knew the scriptures about the place of the new born king, go with the wise men to validate the prophesy? Does it tell us that one can know the truth, but if it is not acted on, what good is the knowledge? Even when Jesus began to minister with signs and wonders, the religious leaders for the most part refuse to accept that he was the Messiah. We can have all the information at our finger tips, but knowledge alone doesn't connect the dots. We must accept the knowledge and act on it. I wonder how many people heard about what Jesus was saying and doing but never went to see for themselves. The same is true today for each of us. Without the heart, the head is incomplete. We can know about Jesus, but do we know Jesus because we have gone searching for him as the wise men? Don't remain in your comfort zone. Seek the source of Truth, Jesus, our Lord and Savior. And when you find him, there is much more than what you see on the surface.
Homily
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Year C
Reading
1 This is one the three Servant Songs in Isaiah that identifies the future
Messiah as a Servant of God. The first sentence connects us to the Gospel. “My
chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I put my spirit.” The coming of
the Spirit upon Jesus was the sign of confirmation that God revealed to John,
identifying the Messiah.
Isaiah
goes on to speak further of the promised Messiah. “He will bring forth justice
to the nations, not shouting.” Jesus did this through his death on the cross.
Paul tells us that Jesus is our justification. We could not restore our
relationship with God, because as sinners, we could not offer a perfect
sacrifice to atone for our sins. But Jesus, innocent and without sin, took our
sins upon himself. He embraced the cruel death of a criminal without defending
himself. Though he as God had eternal, unlimited power, he chose as man to be
weak and foolish, so that the cross would become our sign of victory and a sign
of salvation.
There
is a third aspect of the first reading that connects us to Jesus. He is a
“light for the nations.” Following the lead of the Holy Spirit after his
anointing at the Jordan, Jesus knew that his mission was to “open the eyes of
the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeons,
those who live in darkness.” Jesus would quote this passage in the synagogue in
Nazareth, indicating he was fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah.
Gospel:
Through the preaching of John the Baptist, the people’s anticipation of the
promised Messiah was heightened. In fact, John preached that the Messiah was
already here and was in their midst. Many people began to wonder if John was
not the Messiah. But John knew he was not. He was sent to prepare the way for
the Messiah. John’s message was a call to repentance as a preparation to
receive the Messiah’s life-giving message.
John
knew that his baptism was a prelude to the baptism of the Messiah. Just as John
was unworthy to untie the sandals of the Messiah, so the Messiah will baptize
with water, the Holy Spirit and fire. John’s baptism did not change the person;
the Messiah’s baptism will bring about a radical transformation in a person’s
life. As fire cleanses a rusty metal of all its defects, so the fire of the
Holy Spirit will cleanse a person from all sin and restore the person to his
original state of relationship with God.
Having
prepared the people for the coming of the Messiah and his might deeds, John was
taken aback when Jesus, his cousin, came to be baptized. Jesus did not need to
be baptized for he was without sin. But Jesus chose this symbol of baptism,
plunging into the waters of the Jordan as a way of publicly committing himself
to the will of the Father as the Messiah. This was his yes to the Father.
While
Jesus was in prayer afterwards, the Father publicly affirmed Jesus as his
beloved Son with whom he was well pleased. What pleased the Father” It was the
commitment of Jesus to be obedient to the Father, even to death on the cross.
Jesus would lay down his life for our life, so that he may be our justification
before the Father.
At
the same time that the Father confirmed Jesus’ yes, the Holy Spirit anointed
Jesus in his humanity with all the gifts he would need to confirm his ministry
with signs and wonders as his credentials. Jesus was the pattern for us. He
needed in his humanity the anointing power of the Spirit. We need the anointing
power of the Spirit to fulfill our ministry as missionary disciples, who are
called to witness Jesus to others.
Reading
2: Paul reminds Titus and the Christian community he was serving of the
efficacy of the sacrament of a baptism. Jesus through his death and
resurrection saved all two thousand years ago. But at a given moment in
history, that grace of salvation was applied to each of us through the water of
baptism. Paul calls it a “bath of rebirth.” We were born once naturally, but we
were alienated from God because of Original Sin. Now through the bath of
rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, we have been justified by his grace and
became “heirs in hope of eternal life.”
How
are we to respond to such a great gift of mercy? We are called “to reject
godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly and devoutly
in this age as we await the second coming of our Savior, calling us into the
eternal life of glory with God.” Though baptism is a one-time rebirth, the
renewal of our baptism is ongoing to remind us who we are, what God has done
for us and in us and to recommit ourselves to live a life worthy of our calling
in the present moment.
The journey of the shepherds to Bethlehem and the wise men to the place of the new born king's birth did not end with encountering the Christ child. The Scriptures says that the shepherds returned praising God and telling others of the the Good News. The wise men, after offering their gifts and worshipping the Child, return to their native land another route. An encounter with Jesus impacts our lives in one or two ways. Either our life is changed for the better and we seek to grow in our relationship with Jesus or we return to our old way of living with no significant change. Has our celebration of Christmas had any impact in our lives? Are we trying to become the person Jesus has redeemed and set free? Or are we the same person after Christmas as before. Many people encountered Jesus, but few became his disciples. Will we follow the Lord's lead in our journey or will we plod along on our own?
Reflection on the Scriptures Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Gospel C Beloved Son
By spiritaflame 11:06 AMFeast of the Baptism of the Lord Gospel C
The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ.
John was proclaiming a baptism of repentance in preparation for receiving the message of salvation from the Messiah, who had already come and was among them. It was easy for the people to mistakenly think that John was the Messiah. Even the chief priests and scribes were questioning John to see if he was the Christ.
John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
John was preparing the people for a different and more effective baptism which the Christ will provide. John invited the people to be immersed in water as a sign of their repentance. But the baptism of the Christ will be with the Holy Spirit and fire.
When we were baptized, Jesus’ death and resurrection purified us from all sin. We were not only redeemed but adopted as a son or daughter of God, sharing his own divine life by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
By saying he was not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals, John is indicating that his baptism was inferior to that of the Christ.
After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened
Luke’s account of the baptism of Jesus focuses on what happened to him after his public commitment to embrace the will of the Father to give his life for our lives. Luke says that after being baptized, Jesus was praying. What was his prayer? Was he renewing his love for the Father? Was he rejoicing in his call as Messiah?
and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
As Jesus said “yes” to the Father, the Father affirmed him as the beloved Son. And the Spirit anointed Jesus in his humanity for his mission as Messiah. Jesus, being a pattern for us how to embrace the will of the Father and how to accomplish the plan of the Father, needed the Spirit because we need the Spirit. As he was led by the Spirit, so we are to be led by the Spirit. As Jesus confirmed his identity as Messiah and confirmed his message of salvation with signs and wonders as his credentials, so are we to do also.
During this week of Epiphany, there is much to meditate on and apply to our lives. First of all, we recognize God's divine plan. He first revealed the birth of his Divine Son, our Savior to the Anawin of the Chosen People, simple shepherds by the message of angels. Through them, he reveals the message of good news to all with whom they share. How many people responded or took their experience to heart? But Jesus came not only to save the Chosen People but all of humanity as well, known as Gentiles. So, God, first through a natural phenomenon, a new star, revealed the initial awareness of a new born king to some wise men from the East. But it was not until they were told what the prophet had said that the Savior was to born in Bethlehem did they find the Truth, ending their search. Both the shepherds and the wise men had to pursue the revelation and go on journey to complete their response. We are are on journey as well. It is the same journey to the Truth, the person of Jesus Christ. Where are we on this journey? What difference has Jesus made in our lives?
“It is with the smallest brushes that the Artist paints the best paintings.” St. Andre Bessette (1845-1937)
God is the greatest of artists. Like an artist who uses the
smallest of brushes to bring forth the details of a painting, so God uses us to
impact and make a difference in the masterpiece of his creation. We are the
little brushes, whose actions and efforts bring out the beauty and goodness of
God’s masterpieces in unique ways. As a brush in God’s divine hand, I have a
mission to accomplish, namely, to bring others to the saving mystery of Jesus
Christ. I accomplish this by following God’s lead and grace faithfully.
“If a man cannot bear being reviled, he will not see glory. It he is not cleansed of bitterness, he will not savor sweetness.” St. Barsanuphius (6th Century)
Jesus was reviled. Can we expect not to ever be so mistreated? Though reviled Jesus never harbored any bitterness against his tormentors. Instead, he freely forgave them, so that the sourness of their actions would not affect him. We too are to harbor no bitterness or to seek any revenge when we are abused and attack. But like Jesus we are to choose to bless those who curse us. Such was and is the will of the Father for Jesus and for us. This is the road to perfection and union with God.
“A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.” St. Basil
The development of virtues rather than
vices is important for our spiritual journey. This development must be
intentional, if it is to bear the good fruit Jesus talks about in the Gospel.
He gives us many examples of these virtues in the Gospel. All are rooted in the
encompassing virtue of love as St. Paul tells us in his First Letter to the
Corinthians. (12:4-8). It is easy for us to coast through life, living in a
superficial relationship with God. But in the end what do we have to show for
it. But if we strive with the grace of God to put on the mind of Christ,
seeking what is good, pleasing and perfect, then the fruit of our personal tree
will bear rich fruit on the day of judgment.