EASTER SUNDAY :[2015]: John 20: 1-9

EASTER SUNDAY :[2015]: John 20: 1-9

Introduction:  The celebration of Resurrection is the first feast that early Christians ever celebrated.  In fact it was such a powerful event that they celebrated it every Sunday.  Yes, even today… Sunday is the day of the Lord, the day of Resurrection.  Belief in the Resurrection is central to Christian life.  It is the event and experience of Easter that confirms our belief in Jesus as the Son of God, as it confirmed the belief of the apostles.  St Paul tells us, “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1Cor 15:14).

Symbol: In Egyptian mythology there is a bird called Phoenix.  The Greek poet Hesiod, who lived eight centuries before Jesus was born, wrote about this legendary bird in his poetry. There are Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Egyptian, and Native American counterparts of the Phoenix. (Fêng-Huang, Ho-oo, Firebird, Benu, and Yel respectively). All of these birds are identified with the sun. The sun that goes down in the evening to rise next day in the morning.

When the bird felt its death was near (every 500 to 1,461 years), it would fly off to Phoenicia, build a nest of aromatic wood and set itself on fire.  When the bird was consumed by the flames, a new phoenix sprang forth from the ashes.  Thus, the phoenix symbolizes immortality, resurrection, and life after death.  It sums up the Easter message perfectly.  Jesus gave up His life, and from the grave He was raised to life again on the third day.  New life rises from the ashes of death.  Today we are celebrating Christ's victory over the grave, the gift of eternal life for all who believe in Jesus.  That is why the phoenix bird, one of the earliest symbols of the Risen Christ, also symbolizes our daily rising to new life.  Every day, like the phoenix, we rise from the ashes of sin and guilt and are refreshed and renewed by our living Lord and Savior with His forgiveness and the assurance that He still loves us and will continue to give us the strength we need."  Let our faith in the Risen Lord open our eyes to new visions of life.

Joke:  Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee was once asked if he believed in resurrection. “Of course I do,” said Huckabee. “Dead people vote in every election we have in Arkansas. Resurrection is very real to us.”

Practical Applications:  Let us live the lives of Resurrection people: Easter gives us the joyful message that we are a “Resurrection people.”  This means that we are not supposed to lie buried in the tomb of our sins, evil habits, dangerous addictions, despair, discouragement or doubts.  Instead, we are expected to live a joyful and peaceful life, constantly experiencing the living presence of the Risen Lord in all the events of our lives and amid the boredom, suffering, pain and tensions of our day-to-day life.  And each time we try to practice Christian charity, mercy and forgiveness and each time we fight against temptations, let us recall that we share in the Resurrection of Jesus here and now.

Easter Sunday :[2012]: John 20: 1-9

EASTER SUNDAY :[2012]: John 20: 1-9

Introduction:   Significance of Easter: Easter is the greatest and the most important feast in the Church for three reasons. 1) The resurrection of Christ is the basis of our Christian faith.  It is the greatest of the miracles, proving that Jesus is God.  That is why St. Paul writes: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain; and your faith is in vain” (I Cor 15: 14). “Jesus is Lord, he is risen” (Rom 10: 9), was the central theme of the kerygma (or 'preaching'), of the apostles because Jesus prophesied it as a sign of his divinity:  “Tear down this temple and in three days I will build it again” (Jn 2: 19). The founder of no other religion has an empty tomb as Jesus has.  2)  Easter is the guarantee of our own resurrection.  Jesus assured Martha at the tomb of Lazarus: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me will live even though he dies” (Jn 11: 25-26). 3) Easter is a feast which gives us hope and encouragement in this world of pain, sorrows and tears.  It reminds us that life is worth living.  It is our belief in the real presence of the risen Jesus that gives meaning to our personal as well as our communal prayer, strength to fight against temptations and freedom from unnecessary worries and fears.  

Joke: 1) Resurrection in election: Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee was once asked if he believed in the resurrection. “Of course I do,” said Huckabee. “Dead people vote in every election we have in Arkansas. Resurrection is very real to us.”

Joke: 2) “See what happens.”  One lady wrote in to a question and answer forum. "Dear Sirs, Our preacher said on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think? Sincerely, Bewildered.  Dear Bewildered, Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun for 6 hours; run a spear through his side...put him in an airless tomb for 36 hours and see what happens." Sincerely, Charles.   

Anecdote : The phoenix:  The late Catholic Archbishop of Hartford, John Whealon, who had undergone cancer surgery resulting in a permanent colostomy, wrote these very personal words in one of his last Easter messages: "I am now a member of an association of people who have been wounded by cancer.  That association has as its symbol the phoenix, a bird of Egyptian mythology.  When the bird felt its death was near, every 500 to 1,461 years, it would fly off to Phoenicia, build a nest of aromatic wood and set itself on fire.  When the bird was consumed by the flames, a new phoenix sprang forth from the ashes.  Thus, the phoenix symbolizes immortality, resurrection, and life after death.  It was one of the earliest symbols of the risen Christ.  In the same way, any person who has survived a struggle with cancer is considered phoenix-like, having risen from the ashes of disease and been given a new lease on life.    Suddenly life becomes more precious to that person.  Each hour is lived more fully.  Each friend seems much more real.  The sky seems more blue, the sunshine more beautiful, and the colors more vivid.  Even dull and ordinary things are causes for gratitude to God.”  Archbishop John Whealon could have lived in a gloomy tomb of self-pity, hopeless defeat, and chronic sadness, but his faith in the resurrected Lord opened his eyes to new visions of life.

Joke: 3) Rented for a week end: Joseph of Arimathea was a very wealthy Pharisee, a member of the council, and a secret follower of Jesus. It was Joseph who went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body after the crucifixion. And it was Joseph who supplied the tomb for Jesus’ burial. I wonder if someone pulled him aside and said, "Joseph that was such beautiful, costly, hand-hewn tomb. Why on earth did you give it to someone to be buried in?"  "Why not?" Joseph may have answered.  He only needed it for the weekend."   

Conclusion : It is good news to know that truth is immortal. We can suppress Truth, accuse it of being a lie, condemn it, torture it, kill it, bury it in the grave but on the third day Truth will rise again. Remember this and do not give up on Truth even when everybody seems to give up on it. Do not give up on Truth; do not give up on Justice. Do not give up on doing what is right. True will always be true. Just will always be just. Right will always be right even when the world around us would have it otherwise. We must learn to believe in the sun even when it is not shining, knowing that by and by it will shine again. It is the end of the story that counts. That is why the church asks us today to rejoice and be glad. Even when we are going through very difficult times: through betrayal, unjust discrimination, lies, misrepresentations; even when the enemy seems to be winning the battle in our lives. Today Christ has won. And we know that in Christ we shall overcome. Halleluiah, Praise the Lord!

Good Friday: 2015

Good Friday: 2015

On Good Friday we should ask the question: why should we carry our crosses? First, cross-bearing is a condition for Christian discipleship. Jesus said: "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me”(Matthew 16:24).  Second, it is by carrying our crosses that we make reparation for our sins and for the sins of others related to us. That is why St. Paul said that he was suffering in his body what is “lacking” in Christ’s suffering. Third, it is by carrying our crosses that we become imitators of Christ in his suffering for us. St. Paul explains it thus: “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal 2: 19-20).

Joke: You might remember comedian Yakov Smirnoff.  When he first came to the United States from Russia he was not prepared for the incredible variety of instant products available in American grocery stores.  He says, "On my first shopping trip, I saw powdered milk--you just add water, and you get milk.  Then I saw powdered orange juice--you just add water, and you get orange juice.  And then I saw baby powder, and I thought to myself, ‘What a country!’" 

Smirnoff is joking, but we make these assumptions about Christian Transformation. We go to church as if we are going to the grocery store: Powdered Christian.  Just add water and disciples are born not made.  Unfortunately, there is no such powder, and disciples of Jesus Christ are not instantly born.  We must understand what it means to be a disciple. Does this mean denying ourselves?  YES.  Does this mean that just saying that you follow Jesus is enough?  NO, it is not. We read in Matthew’s gospel, “Whoever wishes to come after Me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16: 24)

Practical Applications: 1) We should carry our crosses with the right motives: This means that we should not carry our crosses cursing our fate as does the donkey carrying its load. Nor should we protest as do the bulls or horses pulling their carts. Our motive should not be reward by God as the hired workers labor for their wages. We should carry our crosses like a loving wife who nurses her paralyzed husband or sick child, with sacrificial love and dedicated commitment. The carrying of our crosses becomes easier when we compare our light crosses with the heavy crosses of terminally-ill   patients or patients in emergency wards. We need to draw strength and inspiration from Jesus Who walks ahead of us carrying his heavier cross while supporting us in carrying our crosses.

Good Friday - 2012

Good Friday : You might remember comedian Yakov Smirnoff.  When he first came to the United States from Russia he was not prepared for the incredible variety of instant products available in American grocery stores.  He says, "On my first shopping trip with my American friend , I saw powdered milk. What is it , I asked. My friend explained, “You just add water, and you get milk.” I was amazed. Then I saw powdered orange juice--you just add water, and you get orange juice!  And then I saw baby powder, and I thought to myself, you add water and get a ready made baby!! “What a country!"  So many Christian denominations claim that they can make powdered Christians. They preach: “Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, surrender your life to him and confess your sins to him. You are saved.“ Once saved, you are always saved.  Just add water and disciples are born not made.  Unfortunately, there is no such powder, and disciples of Jesus Christ are not instantly born.  We must understand what it really means to be a Christian disciple from the mouth of Jesus. He proclaimed in Mathew 16: 24, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16: 24).It means that a truly practicing Christian must be a self denying and cross carrying Christian who obeys the teachings of Jesus. That is why we ask the question on Good Friday: what is the real message of the cross?

Message of the cross: The poet gets the message of the love of God from the cross. The business man views the cross as a ransom, a redemption price. The lawyers and judges prefer to remember the message of the cross as an expression of the justice of God for the wages of man's sin. The converted Jews prefer to compare the cross to the sacrifices of the Old Testament. For the martyrs and saints the cross of Christ gives meaning to our pains and suffering. 

Anecdote:  One day, a man went to visit a church; He got there early, parked his car and got out. Another car pulled up near the driver got out and said, “I always park there! You took my place!"   The visitor went inside for Sunday school, found an empty seat and sat down A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That’s my seat! You took my place!" The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing. After Sunday school, the visitor went into the sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, “That’s where I always sit! You took my place!" The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still He said nothing. Later as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood up, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, "What happened to you?" The visitor replied, as his hat became a crown of thorns, and a tear fell from his eye, "I took your place.”

The message of the cross is nothing but this words “I took your place”

Holy Thursday:[B]: 2015

Holy Thursday: 2015

Introduction: On Holy Thursday we celebrate three anniversaries: 1) the anniversary of the first Holy Mass, 2) the anniversary of the institution of ministerial priesthood in order to perpetuate the Holy Mass, convey God’s forgiveness to repentant sinners and preach the Good News of Salvation, 3) the anniversary of Jesus’ promulgation of His new commandment of love: “Love one another as I have loved you” through feet washing.

Today we remember how Jesus transformed the Jewish Passover into the New Testament Passover.  The Jewish Passover was, in fact, a joint celebration of two ancient thanksgiving celebrations.  The descendants of Abel, who were shepherds, used to lead their sheep from the winter pastures to the summer pastures after the sacrificial offering of a lamb to God.  They called this celebration the “Pass over."  On the other hand, the descendants of Cain, who were farmers, held a harvest festival called the Massoth in which they offered unleavened bread to God as an act of thanksgiving.  The Passover feast of the Israelites (Exodus 12:26-37) was a harmonious combination of these two ancient feasts of thanksgiving, commanded by the Lord God to be celebrated yearly by all Israelites to thank God for the miraculous liberation of their ancestors from Egypt and their exodus from slavery to the Promised Land.

Taking the bread and vine Jesus said “This is my body. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me” Jesus know that tomorrow he will die. The disciples are asked to do this in future “in remembrance of Jesus”. This commissioning is what we call institution of priesthood. To do this for ever to remember him, Jesus replaced his physical body and blood with bread and wine, by saying “this is my body, this is my blood.” We, Catholics hold that the bread and wine the priest consecrated is the real body and blood of Jesus. 

Joke:  There were these two boys who lived with their Grandma. They were about to go to bed but before they slept they prayed. The older son started to pray. He prayed about the day he had and about everything he had done. The younger son then started to pray, he prayed much louder than his elder brother, he prayed for bikes and toys, and when he finished the older brother asked him "Why are you praying so loud? God is not deaf" and the younger son responded and said " Yea but Grandma is"

Practical Applications: 1) Our celebration of the Eucharist requires that we wash one another’s feet, i.e., serve one another, and revere Christ's presence in other persons. In practical terms, that means we are to consider their needs to be as important as our own and to serve their needs, without expecting any reward. 2) Visiting the Blessed Sacrament, first Friday devotion like making confession, communion and participating in adoration are to nourish our spiritual life.  3) Let us start our devotion to Blessed Sacrament with participation in today’s adoration.

Eucharist & Feet Washing:[2012]:Exo12:1-8,11-14;1Cori 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15

Eucharist & Feet Washing:[2012]:Exo12:1-8,11-14;1Cori 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15

Life in Palestine in the time of Jesus was hard. The popular means of transport was your feet. People walked long distances on rough, dusty roads to go from Galilee to Jerusalem, for example. Travellers often arrived their destinations with sore and aching feet. As a sign of hospitality, the host would see to it that his guests were given a warm foot bath and massage as a way of relieving their aches and pains. This was usually done by the house servants or slaves.

This service of bathing and soothing the tired feet was also provided by the rest houses or inns found at strategic locations along the major roads and highways. Travellers worn out along the way could go into these rest houses and have food and foot bath. Their energy thus restored they would then be able to continue and complete their long journey. That is how such rest houses along the way got the name "restaurants" -- they restored strength to tired and exhausted travellers on the way. The disciples would have understand Jesus washing their feet in light of this cultural background. And for us it is a pointer to the meaning of the Eucharist we celebrate.

Understood in light of the washing of feet, the Eucharist is a place of restoration for people on the way. The life of a Christian in the world is a pilgrimage, a long, hard journey. Along the way we get tired and worn out and we are tempted to give up and turn back. But Jesus has provided us with the Eucharist as a place where we can go in to bathe our aching feet and to be refreshed in body and soul for the journey that is still ahead. When we give communion to a sick person we call it viaticum which means "provisions for a journey." The Eucharist is always a viaticum: in the Eucharist we derive strength to continue our upward journey toward God.

In the story we find that Peter was uncomfortable with having Jesus wash his feet. Peter, who was somewhat of an activist, would have preferred to see himself doing the washing, washing the feet of Jesus and even of the other disciples. Sometimes it is harder to remain passive and allow someone else to bathe us than it is to bathe someone else, as every toddler can tell you. But having our feet washed and washing the feet of others are two sides of the coin we call the Christian life.

The first and most essential part is to let the Lord wash us. As Jesus said to Peter, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me (John 13:8). First, the Lord washes us clean so that we belong to the Lord. Only then are we qualified and empowered to wash the feet of our sisters and brothers in the Lord. When this truth dawned on Peter, he overcame his reluctance and cried out, "Lord, not my feet only but my hands and my head also!" (v. 9). For this to happen all that the Lord needs from us is simply for us to be there, to present ourselves to him and to let him wash us.

The other side of the coin, which is equally important, is that after our feet have been washed by the Lord, we must go and wash the feet of others. After Jesus had washed his disciples' feet, he said to them:

Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord -- and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you (John 13:12-15).

Jesus establishes a close link between him washing the disciples' feet and the disciples washing the feet of others. If the Eucharist is the place where the Lord washes our feet, daily life is the place where we ought to wash the feet of others. Eucharist leads to life leads to Eucharist. True Eucharist piety must lead to service of others. Jesus who broke the bread of the Eucharist also washed the feet of his disciples. We must follow his example both at the altar of the Eucharist and at the altar of life.

Holy Thursday:[2012], the Mass of the Lord’s Supper: Nourished and Nourishing

Holy Thursday:[2012], the Mass of the Lord’s Supper: Nourished and Nourishing

This beautiful liturgy presents us with three readings that emphasize the essential elements of our living celebrations of the Last Supper, the Mass. The readings begin with the presentation of the first Passover meal.   The significance for us is deeper than the fact that the Last Supper took place during a Passover celebration.  The significance is that God protects his people from death while they are sharing the meal of the sacrificed lamb. God protects us from death, eternal death, while we are nourished by the Sacrificed Lamb, Jesus Christ.

In the second reading, from 1 Corinthians 11, St. Paul presents some of the customs of the early Church.  He begins with a few minor issues, such as how people are to dress, but then Paul raises a major problem. The Corinthians were allowing divisions to be evidenced among them.  The early celebrations of the Supper of the Lord used to begin with a meal.  But instead of some sort of ancient parish pot luck, the Corinthians were divided at the table.  They only shared their food with those with whom they associated. The rich brought sumptuous food, but only for their rich friends. The poor often went hungry.  These people were not celebrating the Eucharist as Christ intended it to be celebrated when He gave His Body and Blood at the Last Supper. Instead they were using the Eucharist as an opportunity to demonstrate their arrogance.  Perhaps that is why Paul reminds them of what is taking place when they meet for the Breaking of the Bread.  Paul recites the formulas similar to those found in the Synoptic Gospels and prayed in our Masses: This is my body which is given up for you.  This is the new covenant of my blood.  Paul wants the Corinthians to remember What is taking place and Whom they are celebrating.  He tells them that this action proclaims the death of the Lord until He comes.  This is a time for unity in the Christian community.  Division in the community is antithesis to the Eucharist. That’s the reason why our modern celebration of the Eucharist, the Mass, places a sign of peace before the reception of the communion.  In the person we offer peace to we see anyone with whom we need to be reconciled.  The Eucharist must express unity in Christ, the Body of Christ united to its Head.

This leads us to the main reading for today, the Gospel Proclamation. The Eucharist cannot be understood apart from the action depicted in the Gospel, the washing of feet. This is not just a side incident, an introduction to the main point of the dinner.  This is one way of stating what the gift of bread and wine, Body and Blood proclaim: Jesus Christ offers Himself up completely for us, and then calls us to offer ourselves up completely for others.  The washing of feet is a prophetic action, an action demanding our humble acceptance of the Lord and an action mandating that we do to others what is done for us–serve them without limits, with sacrificial love. The reception of the Body and Blood of the Lord is also a prophetic action, an action that demands our humble acceptance of the Lord, and an action that mandates our doing for others what has been done for us.

When Jesus washed the feet of his disciples he performed a prophetic action.  Even a slave could not be made to wash the feet of his or her master.  It was degrading, disgusting.  But not to the Lord.  He would empty Himself in service to His people.  He would give Himself completely to them.  He would give them His Body and Blood.  He would die on the cross for them.  He would demonstrate to them that the Love of God had no limits.  Nothing was too demanding.  Love was all that matters.  The meal of love, the Last Supper, began with a prophetic act demonstrating the love they and we all experience pouring down on us from the cross.

But this action of the Lord demands our humbly accepting Him in our lives.  We need our Savior.  We cannot conquer the evils of the world alone.  We have to let Him save us.  At first, Peter tried to prevent the Lord from humbling Himself.  “Would you wash my feet, Lord?”  “I don’t think so?” we would add in our jargon.  Jesus tells Him and us that if we do not allow Him to give Himself to us, if we are so proud to think that we do not need Him, then He will have no part of us.  This prideful way of life is witnessed in the times that many Catholics and perhaps in the past even some here, have withdrawn from the Eucharist.  The statement that some will say, “I don’t go to Mass but I pray in my own way,” might sound pietistic and nice, but is itself saying, “I don’t need the Eucharist.”  Why?  Why would anyone who has been admitted to communion ever think that he or she does not need communion?  Could it be that we can become so proud that we might think that we do not need to come before God and accept His humbling himself for us. This evening we are reminded that the Meal of Love begins with our humble recognition that we need Christ to empty Himself for us.

But this is far from sufficient.  Jesus would not allow His disciples to turn their focus into themselves.  He would not allow them or us to be satisfied with what He does for us.  Instead we hear, “You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."  The washing of the feet is a prophetic sign of the gift of the Body and Blood of the Lord at the Last Supper and on the Cross.  We are called to prophesy in the same way.  We are called to do what Jesus did.  We are called to offer our Bodies and our Blood for others.  We are not just called to be nourished.  We are called to nourish others.  An essential element of the Eucharist is found in the mandate: Do unto others, what I have done for you.

Nourished and nourishing.  Both must take place. If we are not nourished by Christ, then our actions for others would be mere acts of humanitarianism. If we do receive communion but do not empty ourselves for others, then our reception of the Eucharist is devoid of the very reason why Christ emptied Himself: Jesus Christ emptied Himself for us so that we can also empty ourselves for others.  Being a Christian is not for the faint of heart, it is for those who have hearts full of love.

In a few moments we will perform the symbolic action of washing the feet of others.  We celebrate the action of Christ in His Gift of Body and Blood.  We process with the Blessed Sacrament throughout the Church and into the Hall where we wait and watch with Him in our recreation of the Garden of Olives.  And the entire time, in all the actions tonight and throughout our lives, we pray for the humility to be nourished by Him and the determination to nourish others.           May we be a Eucharistic People!