The Gospel of the Second Sunday of Easter tells the account of the Risen Lord coming through the locked door and declaring: "Peace be with you" to His fearful disciples. They did not yet understand the meaning and the grace of the Lord's resurrection. "Peace be with you," the Lord said a second time. The gift of inner peace is a precious indicator of our faith in the Risen Lord in the depths of our heart. As the Lord's disciples, we are given the gift of Easter peace and joy. And so, we proclaim in the responsorial psalm, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it."
On this Divine Mercy Sunday, we give thanks for the divine mercy and love of God that is abundantly shared with us. We also embrace the mission to be the face of mercy of our loving and forgiving God. St Joseph's faith community comes alive to the degree witness to the mercy of our loving and forgiving God. Please God people will know us as a faith community that witnesses to God's divine mercy.
We celebrate with the whole church today the canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John II. I was in the seminary during the papacy of the beloved Pope John and was richly blessed in the study of theology that was marked by the spirit of Vatican II. Through the intercession of these two servant leaders, may we continue to be a Church that welcomes one and all into our midst, and may we at all times proclaim the Good News that we are always and everywhere God's beloved daughters and God's beloved sons.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Monday, April 21, 2014
Easter Sunday
The real Easter mystery is what happens when we allow ourselves to be touched by the person of Jesus. No matter how sluggish our faith life my be, no matter how disillusioned we my be with the institution of the Church, no matter if have been judged harshly by others, the real Easter mystery is when you allow yourself to be touched by the love of the Risen Lord. The message of Easter is that Jesus seeks to fill this world with His love. Easter is God's pledge that God's love triumphs over poverty, conflict, violence, and war.
In the weeks ahead our Gospels continue to show how the faith of the disciples grew following the Resurrection. They continue to show how our faith can grow. We cannot celebrate Easter in one day; we cannot come to faith in one Mass. Together, as a community of faith, as God's Easter people, we make the journey together over the course of lifetime.
In the weeks ahead our Gospels continue to show how the faith of the disciples grew following the Resurrection. They continue to show how our faith can grow. We cannot celebrate Easter in one day; we cannot come to faith in one Mass. Together, as a community of faith, as God's Easter people, we make the journey together over the course of lifetime.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Palm Sunday Liturgy at St. Joseph's
Our Palm Sunday liturgy begins with the blessing of palms, the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and the then the procession led by our altar servers followed by our parish choirs singing Hosanna to the Son of David and All Glory, Laud, and Honor.
The festivity of the liturgy invites to reflect on the celebratory component of Jesus' entry to Jerusalem and how he was greeted with palm branches but may we also remember that Jesus was a model of meekness, riding a donkey, the poor's man beast of burden. He enters the city as a man of peace. Jesus chose nonviolence, humility and simplicity to challenge the illusion of power. Jesus died on the cross for love, laying down his life for his friends.
Pope Francis invites us to reflect on the question: who am I before the Lord? Who am I before Jesus who enters into Jerusalem?" Am I capable of expressing my joy, of praising him? Or do I distance myself from him? Who am I before Jesus who suffers? Am I like the Cyrenian who was returning from work, tired, but who had the good will to help the Lord carry the cross?
Where is my heart? May this question accompany us this whole week.
May you join us in Church several times this week as we celebrate the holiest days of the Church -- the Sacred Triduum.
The festivity of the liturgy invites to reflect on the celebratory component of Jesus' entry to Jerusalem and how he was greeted with palm branches but may we also remember that Jesus was a model of meekness, riding a donkey, the poor's man beast of burden. He enters the city as a man of peace. Jesus chose nonviolence, humility and simplicity to challenge the illusion of power. Jesus died on the cross for love, laying down his life for his friends.
Pope Francis invites us to reflect on the question: who am I before the Lord? Who am I before Jesus who enters into Jerusalem?" Am I capable of expressing my joy, of praising him? Or do I distance myself from him? Who am I before Jesus who suffers? Am I like the Cyrenian who was returning from work, tired, but who had the good will to help the Lord carry the cross?
Where is my heart? May this question accompany us this whole week.
May you join us in Church several times this week as we celebrate the holiest days of the Church -- the Sacred Triduum.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
The raising of Lazarus is an incredible miracle. We are called to believe in something even more profound.
My older brother and sister, Bill and Sue, have significant neurological diseases. My sister Sue has been dealing with MS for about 45 years now. My brother Bill died in 2003 from complications from lupus.
I have asked myself many, many times why my older brother and sister have had to deal with significant neurological disease and I have been blessed with good health. Life has been unfair to my brother and sister.
The question for my brother and sister is how are they to be faith-filled and loving people while dealing with
illness in their life? This is a similar question for those who love my brother and sister. How do I cope with the death and illness of my brother and sister?
The Gospel account deals with the human heartache of death. "Jesus wept." We mourn deeply because we love deeply. The Gospel account also illustrates the deepening of faith that comes through an experience of death. Whether the death of a love one or one's own death, it is the moment where one realizes that all depends on God.
Jesus can and does bring Lazarus back to earthly life. This is an incredible miracle. But we are called to believe in something even more profound. We are called to believe in a resurrection that tranforms, a resurrection that is lasting. Jesus is the life we are seeking. True faith has to include a belief in Jesus as the source of unending life. In reflecting on the spiritual reality of the Lazarus account, Jesus is not just renewing our life that ends in the grave; Jesus is offering a life whereby we do not die at all. Jesus is offering us a share in His risen life.
I have asked myself many, many times why my older brother and sister have had to deal with significant neurological disease and I have been blessed with good health. Life has been unfair to my brother and sister.
The question for my brother and sister is how are they to be faith-filled and loving people while dealing with
illness in their life? This is a similar question for those who love my brother and sister. How do I cope with the death and illness of my brother and sister?
The Gospel account deals with the human heartache of death. "Jesus wept." We mourn deeply because we love deeply. The Gospel account also illustrates the deepening of faith that comes through an experience of death. Whether the death of a love one or one's own death, it is the moment where one realizes that all depends on God.
Jesus can and does bring Lazarus back to earthly life. This is an incredible miracle. But we are called to believe in something even more profound. We are called to believe in a resurrection that tranforms, a resurrection that is lasting. Jesus is the life we are seeking. True faith has to include a belief in Jesus as the source of unending life. In reflecting on the spiritual reality of the Lazarus account, Jesus is not just renewing our life that ends in the grave; Jesus is offering a life whereby we do not die at all. Jesus is offering us a share in His risen life.
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