1. Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained (John 20:22-23). With these words, Jesus gave the authority to forgive sins to the Church. As Catholics, we believe to this authority is exercised through the ministry of priests in the Sacrament of Penance. Many people fear this sacrament, mainly because of not wanting to admit their sins to another person. On the other hand, many others have found that humbly revealing their sins in Confession and receiving absolution a source of great healing and even joy.
2. Certainly when Jesus breathed on the disciples and gave them the Gift of the Holy Spirit to forgive sins, He was not intending to terrorize the world. Rather our Lord desired to pour His Divine Mercy on the world. God’s mercy motivated the Father to send His only Son into the world to save it. His Divine Mercy is what motivated Jesus to heal the sick, feed the hungry and associate with sinners. Mercifully our Lord sent out His apostles to anoint and heal the sick and expell demons. In His mercy for sinners, Jesus the Son of God offered Himself on the cross, dying to destroy our death, and rising to restore our life. In His mercy, Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after His resurrection and said Peace be with you, and filled them with joy (John 20:19-20).
3. The Risen Jesus sent His apostles into the world to teach and baptize all nations so that all people might be able to experience God’s mercy and forgiveness in their lives. It is then that same mercy that is operative in the Sacrament of Penance through which the sins of those who are already baptized are forgiven and we are returned to the purity with which God graced us on the day we were born again by water and the Holy Spirit (see John 3:5).
4. As a penitent, I have experienced God’s mercy so many times. In spite of my sins, the Lord has not just accepted me, not just forgiven me, but taken the sins away so that I am no longer guilty. That does not mean that I am not tempted or that there is no possibility of doing the same thing again. It means that I am no longer burdened by the past and I can start fresh. And as long as we are truly sorry for our sins, God will always forgive us and absolves us of our sins.
5. As a priest, I have witnessed God’s mercy and love in the confessional too. People humbly present throw themselves at the mercy of God, and receive it. Even when I do not know what to say, God helps me as a confessor with words of comfort and advice. But most importantly with the authority to take the guilt away so that the sin no longer oppresses a person.
6. Today is known as Divine Mercy Sunday. God’s mercy endures forever (Psalm 136, often translated mercy in place of love) and it is available always. But today is a special day to recall the quality and the quantity of God’s mercy. To confidently call upon our Lord for His mercy for ourselves and others who most need it. When our Lord appeared to Saint Faustina, He commanded her to paint a picture of Himself with red and white rays coming forth from His Sacred Heart. At the bottom were to be the words Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus asks that those who meditate on this image to reflect on Jesus’ Mercy and to trust in His mercy. In spite of all the sorrows that we endure as the result of sin, others and our own, God wants to share with us His mercy. And He has given that mercy as a gift to the Church to share with others.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Jesus is Risen!
Here are some links to the Scriptures for the Easter Vigil:
Holy Saturday Vigil Gospel
Easter Sunday Readings
1. Jesus has been raised. He is not here (Mark 16:6). Every year, Father Marcus and I bury many people. You yourselves may have also buried an acquaintance or loved one. People of different cultures have different manners of celebrating funerals, but there is one constant. That is, when the person dies, that is what they are- dead. And when they are buried with whatever rituals in Church or in our families, they are buried. When we return according to our customs to visit the grave, we do not expect to see it torn open and the body missing. If we did, it would cause us great stress. And if we returned to the tomb to find it empty and a young man dressed in the whitest of clothes we have ever seen telling us our loved one was risen, that He was not here, we would go in shock I suppose.
2. Imagine the disciples’ shock. Already they were dealing with the grief of Jesus’ brutally violent death. And now the tomb is empty and they are told that He is risen. Jesus had told them that He would rise from the dead, but they had no idea what that really meant. No one had ever risen before, not like this. Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, maybe that experience prepared them somewhat.
3. Several years ago I was in Mexico taking Spanish lessons. One of my classmates was a young woman from Japan. She had heard of Jesus’ name, but knew nothing about Him. As I was telling her His story, when I got to the part that Jesus rose from the dead to a new kind of life, her eyes glazed over and she went into a kind of shock. It was then that I realized how incredibly amazing Jesus’ Resurrection really was. All my life long I have professed His resurrection. But now I had to think about it. Jesus was indeed dead. And now He is indeed alive. I do not know what the young woman thought about what I said. To be honest, I became somewhat engrossed in my own reflection on the Mystery of the Resurrection. Did she believe me? Who knows? But what is important is that it is the Truth. Jesus has Risen. Yes He has truly Risen!
4. Hundreds of His disciples were witnesses to His new kind of life. As Saint Peter said in the book of Acts, they ate and drank with Jesus after the Resurrection. They did not imagine it. They did not plot to all agree to say it. They were all just as shocked as everyone. But you do not eat and drink with a ghost or figment of your imagination. The disciples were afraid at first, but as time progressed, they did not waver in their proclamation of Jesus Christ Crucified and Risen. Their faith became more and more sure, their knowledge became more profound, their trust became unshakeable to the point that they would willingly die rather than deny the truth they knew that Jesus had risen.
5. The resurrection of Our Lord is His greatest miracle. It is the conclusive proof of His Divinity. But the resurrection is more than that. The resurrection is the conquering of death. All funeral practices have sorrow attached, even a certain degree of despair that we will never see our loved ones again. But the Resurrection of Jesus is a glimmer of hope. And the more we believe and trust, the more hopeful we become. Death has been defeated. And if Jesus has risen from the dead, there is hope for every one of us too.
6. Gone is the thought of going down into the shades, where death is the master. We know that Jesus is the Master and death must obey Him. Death is the ultimate consequence of sin, but with the resurrection, the hope of eternal reconciliation with one another and being right with God abounds.
7. Saint Peter proclaimed to all who could hear him that Jesus had chosen the disciples to be witness of Jesus Christ to the whole world. As Christians, we have inherited this mission - to go into the whole world and proclaim the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ (Matthew 29:19-20). It is not a mission only for the priest or deacon or member of a religious order. It is not a mission only for adults. Everyone who is baptized in His death and resurrection is called to share the Gospel.
8. The question is, how do we proclaim the Truth we know in our hearts? It is very simple really. Everything we have and everything we do for the love of Jesus. If our hearts are focused on the Crucified and Risen Savior, then even simply making the sign of the Cross before we say grace at meals will become a witness to the power of the Resurrection. Our prayer life will become rich. We will eagerly look for opportunities to share our faith in Jesus Christ with others. Even if others do not accept us or do wrong to us, forgiveness will become easy.
9. The tomb is empty, Jesus is not there. The Sorrow of Losing Him on the Cross has been replaced with the Joy of celebrating His Resurrection. As Christians we already share in the New Life that Jesus Christ established on the day of Easter. Jesus Christ is Risen!
Holy Saturday Vigil Gospel
Easter Sunday Readings
1. Jesus has been raised. He is not here (Mark 16:6). Every year, Father Marcus and I bury many people. You yourselves may have also buried an acquaintance or loved one. People of different cultures have different manners of celebrating funerals, but there is one constant. That is, when the person dies, that is what they are- dead. And when they are buried with whatever rituals in Church or in our families, they are buried. When we return according to our customs to visit the grave, we do not expect to see it torn open and the body missing. If we did, it would cause us great stress. And if we returned to the tomb to find it empty and a young man dressed in the whitest of clothes we have ever seen telling us our loved one was risen, that He was not here, we would go in shock I suppose.
2. Imagine the disciples’ shock. Already they were dealing with the grief of Jesus’ brutally violent death. And now the tomb is empty and they are told that He is risen. Jesus had told them that He would rise from the dead, but they had no idea what that really meant. No one had ever risen before, not like this. Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, maybe that experience prepared them somewhat.
3. Several years ago I was in Mexico taking Spanish lessons. One of my classmates was a young woman from Japan. She had heard of Jesus’ name, but knew nothing about Him. As I was telling her His story, when I got to the part that Jesus rose from the dead to a new kind of life, her eyes glazed over and she went into a kind of shock. It was then that I realized how incredibly amazing Jesus’ Resurrection really was. All my life long I have professed His resurrection. But now I had to think about it. Jesus was indeed dead. And now He is indeed alive. I do not know what the young woman thought about what I said. To be honest, I became somewhat engrossed in my own reflection on the Mystery of the Resurrection. Did she believe me? Who knows? But what is important is that it is the Truth. Jesus has Risen. Yes He has truly Risen!
4. Hundreds of His disciples were witnesses to His new kind of life. As Saint Peter said in the book of Acts, they ate and drank with Jesus after the Resurrection. They did not imagine it. They did not plot to all agree to say it. They were all just as shocked as everyone. But you do not eat and drink with a ghost or figment of your imagination. The disciples were afraid at first, but as time progressed, they did not waver in their proclamation of Jesus Christ Crucified and Risen. Their faith became more and more sure, their knowledge became more profound, their trust became unshakeable to the point that they would willingly die rather than deny the truth they knew that Jesus had risen.
5. The resurrection of Our Lord is His greatest miracle. It is the conclusive proof of His Divinity. But the resurrection is more than that. The resurrection is the conquering of death. All funeral practices have sorrow attached, even a certain degree of despair that we will never see our loved ones again. But the Resurrection of Jesus is a glimmer of hope. And the more we believe and trust, the more hopeful we become. Death has been defeated. And if Jesus has risen from the dead, there is hope for every one of us too.
6. Gone is the thought of going down into the shades, where death is the master. We know that Jesus is the Master and death must obey Him. Death is the ultimate consequence of sin, but with the resurrection, the hope of eternal reconciliation with one another and being right with God abounds.
7. Saint Peter proclaimed to all who could hear him that Jesus had chosen the disciples to be witness of Jesus Christ to the whole world. As Christians, we have inherited this mission - to go into the whole world and proclaim the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ (Matthew 29:19-20). It is not a mission only for the priest or deacon or member of a religious order. It is not a mission only for adults. Everyone who is baptized in His death and resurrection is called to share the Gospel.
8. The question is, how do we proclaim the Truth we know in our hearts? It is very simple really. Everything we have and everything we do for the love of Jesus. If our hearts are focused on the Crucified and Risen Savior, then even simply making the sign of the Cross before we say grace at meals will become a witness to the power of the Resurrection. Our prayer life will become rich. We will eagerly look for opportunities to share our faith in Jesus Christ with others. Even if others do not accept us or do wrong to us, forgiveness will become easy.
9. The tomb is empty, Jesus is not there. The Sorrow of Losing Him on the Cross has been replaced with the Joy of celebrating His Resurrection. As Christians we already share in the New Life that Jesus Christ established on the day of Easter. Jesus Christ is Risen!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Special Prayers needed
Please pray for me. I have laryngitis and find it very difficult to talk, much less sing. Thanks for your help.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Good Friday
Today is the day in which we commemorate the death of Jesus on the Cross. All throughout the Church, there are people who are participating in the reading of the Passion, the Stations of the Cross or the Veneration of the Cross. As we use these various means of coming to terms with Our Lord's death, one can begin to ask Just who is to blame?
Certainly it is foolish to blame the Jews. After all, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Peter, James, John, Martha, Lazarus, et alia were all Jewish. It is difficult to blame the Pharisees or another of Judaism's theological parties for Jesus' death either. It is true that Jesus argued with them, but likewise they invited Him into their homes. Certainly some Jewish elders and high priests are demonstrated as at least partly culpable. But even some of them eventually became Christians. We cannot really blame any present Jewish person for Jesus' death anymore than we ought to blame those who live in Dallas now for the death of President John F. Kennedy.
Certainly it is foolish to blame the Jews. After all, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Peter, James, John, Martha, Lazarus, et alia were all Jewish. It is difficult to blame the Pharisees or another of Judaism's theological parties for Jesus' death either. It is true that Jesus argued with them, but likewise they invited Him into their homes. Certainly some Jewish elders and high priests are demonstrated as at least partly culpable. But even some of them eventually became Christians. We cannot really blame any present Jewish person for Jesus' death anymore than we ought to blame those who live in Dallas now for the death of President John F. Kennedy.
I have heard others trying to make the Romans culpable for the death of Jesus. This idea makes not much more sense. It is true that the Jews at that time could not have legally crucified Jesus, the Romans had to be involved. But not all the Romans were enemies of Jesus. We have only to think of the Centurion whose faith amazed even Jesus. Although he did not have the political courage to do it, Pilate at least at first wanted to let Jesus go. It would be unfair to blame all "the Romans" for Jesus' death, even if some had to be materially involved in His crucifixion.
There have even circulated opinions that Jesus hated life and manipulated Judas to betray Him, all so Jesus could be arrested and killed. There is no scriptural evidence that Jesus was suicidal in His thoughts or behavior. Besides, if He hated life, why would Jesus have chosen the most difficult and painful death and even refuse what little anesthesia that was offered in those days? Most of those who despise life and want to die have that attitude because they want the pain to cease, not to increase to the limits of human capacity.
If we want an answer to the question who is to blame for the death of Jesus we must first remember that Jesus did not have his life taken away from Him against His will. Neither was His death a suicide. Jesus' death was a sacrifice. He offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin in obedience to God the Father. That is not to say that others did not act freely to betray Him or demand that He be crucified. The Gospels have several examples of people wanting to kill Jesus, from the people in Nazareth, to scribes and Pharisees in Jerusalem. But they were unable to do anything until Jesus Himself permitted it. Even the attempt to gain false testimony did not work. It was not until Jesus spoke the truth that He truly was the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One, that they had the evidence which the elders and the Chief priests thought was necessary to condemn Him. Jesus Himself stated No one takes it (life) from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again (John 10:18).
That all being said, if Jesus is a sacrifice for the salvation of sinners, then who is to blame for the death of Jesus? It is us, of every nation, every race, every culture, every religion, every language. Every one of us has sinned and fallen short of God's will for us (except for the Blessed Virgin Mary, and she still needed to be saved by Jesus). Every human being who ever lived needs the salvation gained through the death of Jesus. Therefore, if we ask the question "who is to blame" with the idea of condemning someone, then we have missed the point of Jesus' death. If we ask the question in order to understand the Lord's motivation for this act of love, then we might begin to understand.
Anyway, Christ died for us sinners, so that we could be saved. Thanks be to God!
There have even circulated opinions that Jesus hated life and manipulated Judas to betray Him, all so Jesus could be arrested and killed. There is no scriptural evidence that Jesus was suicidal in His thoughts or behavior. Besides, if He hated life, why would Jesus have chosen the most difficult and painful death and even refuse what little anesthesia that was offered in those days? Most of those who despise life and want to die have that attitude because they want the pain to cease, not to increase to the limits of human capacity.
If we want an answer to the question who is to blame for the death of Jesus we must first remember that Jesus did not have his life taken away from Him against His will. Neither was His death a suicide. Jesus' death was a sacrifice. He offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin in obedience to God the Father. That is not to say that others did not act freely to betray Him or demand that He be crucified. The Gospels have several examples of people wanting to kill Jesus, from the people in Nazareth, to scribes and Pharisees in Jerusalem. But they were unable to do anything until Jesus Himself permitted it. Even the attempt to gain false testimony did not work. It was not until Jesus spoke the truth that He truly was the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One, that they had the evidence which the elders and the Chief priests thought was necessary to condemn Him. Jesus Himself stated No one takes it (life) from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again (John 10:18).
That all being said, if Jesus is a sacrifice for the salvation of sinners, then who is to blame for the death of Jesus? It is us, of every nation, every race, every culture, every religion, every language. Every one of us has sinned and fallen short of God's will for us (except for the Blessed Virgin Mary, and she still needed to be saved by Jesus). Every human being who ever lived needs the salvation gained through the death of Jesus. Therefore, if we ask the question "who is to blame" with the idea of condemning someone, then we have missed the point of Jesus' death. If we ask the question in order to understand the Lord's motivation for this act of love, then we might begin to understand.
Anyway, Christ died for us sinners, so that we could be saved. Thanks be to God!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Holy Thursday
1. Do this in memory of me. In this one command, Jesus instituted two sacraments of the Church- Holy Eucharist and Holy Orders. These two sacraments are intertwined in such a way that if there is not one, then there is not the other. Unless we eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, we have no life within us (see John 5:53). But without the Holy Priesthood, we cannot celebrate the Eucharist.
2. As Catholics, we believe that Jesus Christ is present in the Most Holy Eucharist. His presence is not merely recalled, but is actual. Since the Eucharist is indeed Christ, we recognize that the Eucharist is source of all grace in the Christian life. We depend on the Eucharist not just because we recognize Jesus in the Breaking of the Bread, but because we need Him for our food. For us to achieve the glory marked out for us, Jesus Christ must live in us. God is not content with feeding our minds and hearts with His words, but He has generously provided to feed our bodies with His Word- Our Lord Jesus Christ, so that our whole selves may be prepared for the Glory of the Resurrection.
3. The Eucharist is more than the source of all grace. Likewise it is the summit of our Christian worship. Jesus Christ is our True High Priest who has offered Once for All, the sacrifice of Himself on the Wood of the Cross. Yet in the celebration of the Eucharist, we are present for and participate in the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. By the Eucharist, Jesus has made it possible for us to be witnesses of His Passion Death and Resurrection. In an Unbloody manner, the Eucharist connects us to the greatest event in the History of the World- the Paschal Mystery of our Lord. Since Jesus is truly the One offering and the One offered, we rightly say that the Eucharist is the highest form of praise, adoration, and worship. Other devotions and practices are beneficial and commendable, but nothing equals the power and majesty of the Holy Mass because it is the prayer of Jesus Himself.
4. In order to continue our participation in this Divine Mystery, Jesus instituted the ministry which we call the Holy Priesthood, or the Presbyterate. As Jesus chose Apostles from the midst of His disciples, the Lord also chooses men to be priests to exercise authority and power in the celebration of the Sacraments. Let us not be amazed that God chooses to work in such a manner. Jesus uses Bread and Wine to become His Precious Body and Blood. Our Lord has chosen to use human agency for the procreation and population of the world. As Saint Teresa of Avila said Christ has no body now on earth but yours. God chooses men as the sacrament of His presence. These men are chosen to offer the sacrifice of the Mass and the other sacraments in persona Christi capitis- that is, in the person of Christ the Head. As priests, we do not celebrate sacraments on our own but rather we are instruments of Jesus for the benefit of the Body of Christ the Church.
5. Although the Ministerial Priesthood is a true share in the priesthood of Jesus Christ, it does not exist for itself nor to lift its members on high above other Christians. The priesthood is for service to Jesus and service to His Church. When I say the words This is my body which will be given up for you, Christ is speaking through me. The words refer to the Consecration of the Gift of Bread. But I think they also refer to the priest. I mean that we too must offer up ourselves for others in union with Christ.
6. These days, most people view the priesthood, and in fact the whole of Christian faith from the point of view of lack. That is, many think "priesthood is not getting married," "marriage is not being free to go with anyone," "obedience keeps one from doing what they want to do," or "holiness is not having fun." In truth, doing God’s will is freeing. Freedom to commit one’s whole life, free to be what we are supposed to be.
7. This freedom is only possible because of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is made present each time we celebrate the Eucharist. And to think that the Eucharist and the Priesthood are pure gifts from God. All we have to do to receive is open our hands and our hearts.
2. As Catholics, we believe that Jesus Christ is present in the Most Holy Eucharist. His presence is not merely recalled, but is actual. Since the Eucharist is indeed Christ, we recognize that the Eucharist is source of all grace in the Christian life. We depend on the Eucharist not just because we recognize Jesus in the Breaking of the Bread, but because we need Him for our food. For us to achieve the glory marked out for us, Jesus Christ must live in us. God is not content with feeding our minds and hearts with His words, but He has generously provided to feed our bodies with His Word- Our Lord Jesus Christ, so that our whole selves may be prepared for the Glory of the Resurrection.
3. The Eucharist is more than the source of all grace. Likewise it is the summit of our Christian worship. Jesus Christ is our True High Priest who has offered Once for All, the sacrifice of Himself on the Wood of the Cross. Yet in the celebration of the Eucharist, we are present for and participate in the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. By the Eucharist, Jesus has made it possible for us to be witnesses of His Passion Death and Resurrection. In an Unbloody manner, the Eucharist connects us to the greatest event in the History of the World- the Paschal Mystery of our Lord. Since Jesus is truly the One offering and the One offered, we rightly say that the Eucharist is the highest form of praise, adoration, and worship. Other devotions and practices are beneficial and commendable, but nothing equals the power and majesty of the Holy Mass because it is the prayer of Jesus Himself.
4. In order to continue our participation in this Divine Mystery, Jesus instituted the ministry which we call the Holy Priesthood, or the Presbyterate. As Jesus chose Apostles from the midst of His disciples, the Lord also chooses men to be priests to exercise authority and power in the celebration of the Sacraments. Let us not be amazed that God chooses to work in such a manner. Jesus uses Bread and Wine to become His Precious Body and Blood. Our Lord has chosen to use human agency for the procreation and population of the world. As Saint Teresa of Avila said Christ has no body now on earth but yours. God chooses men as the sacrament of His presence. These men are chosen to offer the sacrifice of the Mass and the other sacraments in persona Christi capitis- that is, in the person of Christ the Head. As priests, we do not celebrate sacraments on our own but rather we are instruments of Jesus for the benefit of the Body of Christ the Church.
5. Although the Ministerial Priesthood is a true share in the priesthood of Jesus Christ, it does not exist for itself nor to lift its members on high above other Christians. The priesthood is for service to Jesus and service to His Church. When I say the words This is my body which will be given up for you, Christ is speaking through me. The words refer to the Consecration of the Gift of Bread. But I think they also refer to the priest. I mean that we too must offer up ourselves for others in union with Christ.
6. These days, most people view the priesthood, and in fact the whole of Christian faith from the point of view of lack. That is, many think "priesthood is not getting married," "marriage is not being free to go with anyone," "obedience keeps one from doing what they want to do," or "holiness is not having fun." In truth, doing God’s will is freeing. Freedom to commit one’s whole life, free to be what we are supposed to be.
7. This freedom is only possible because of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is made present each time we celebrate the Eucharist. And to think that the Eucharist and the Priesthood are pure gifts from God. All we have to do to receive is open our hands and our hearts.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
1. There is a saying there is no one so blind as the one who will not see. Such is the case of those who opposed both the man born blind and Jesus. They simply would not see that Jesus was from God. All they could see was that Jesus healed on the Sabbath, which in their opinion was a violation. They could not consider that someone regained their sight on the day when we are supposed to put all our trust in God to care for us. Furthermore, although they did not even know the blind man (recall that they had to call the parents to ask them is this your son, who you say was born blind? (John 9:19), they presumed that he was full of sin since his birth, all because he had been born blind. As the events unfolded, they became more blind to the truth.
2. Saint Augustine reminded us that sins blinds the sinner. All sin, large or small, dulls the senses. If we go keep sinning, eventually we become blind to our faults and cannot see things the way they really are. That is why those who go to frequent confession are able to confess more accurately what they are doing than those whose confession is infrequent. Unfortunately, sin in one area of life, be it pride, willfulness, lies, unkind speech, theft, unforgiveness, or the multitude of means of impurity, these sins affect the whole of one’s life. Unrepented, unconfessed, unchecked, unforgiven sin in any area of life will not only weaken weaken the whole person, but it can lead to the loss of faith in Jesus Himself.
3. Be warned! Do not think that this loss of holiness or faith could not happen to you. The pharisees who opposed Jesus studied the Bible every day, yet they did not recognize Him or turn to Him for help. One of the sorrows that grieved Jesus the most in the Gospel was the refusal of people to realize that they needed God’s forgiveness. All of us do. Even consider those pharisees who were following Jesus. Some of them were more concerned about being insulted than in receiving what Jesus was offering - the true light to see things as they really are. And so Jesus had to say to them - “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains (John 9:41). If we do not see the need for God’s mercy and forgiveness given to us through Jesus, then we are in darkness.
4. On the other hand, there is an opposite movement on the part of the man born blind. Jesus smeared mud on his eyes and instructed him to wash in the pool of Siloam (which is a prefigurement of Baptism). There, he regained his sight, or in other words, he was illuminated- the light was able to enter into him and he could see. But the man received more than the gift of sight, he received faith. With his eyes, he was able to see Jesus was a man. But with the gift of faith, the man was able to see much more. He could see Jesus as Lord and God- which is how things really are. At first, he gives the witness - the man called Jesus made clay (John 9:11). Later he was asked, what do you have to say about Him, since He opened your eyes? (John 9:17), the man was able to say he is a prophet (John 9:17). The third time, the man argues with the pharisees and insists that Jesus comes from God and does God's will- Jesus is Holy (John 9:30-33). Finally, he says to Jesus I do believe Lord (John 9:38) and worships Jesus.
5. Of course, the question that this event raises is: who do I say Jesus is? Can I see Him for what and who He really is, or is something blocking my vision of the truth?
6. Everyone acknowledges that Jesus was man. Some people even believe that Jesus was a great man. Many people also recognize that Jesus was a prophet- that is, sent by God. But that kind of faith is not enough to be considered a Christian. The truth is that Jesus is Lord and God. The primary act of belief for a Christian is not to believe in a list of things (as important as those things are), but to believe in a person- Jesus- and adore Him as our only Lord.
7. That being said, Saint Paul says You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8). We did not simply receive Light. We are light. Jesus said that we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). And one does not light a lamp and put it under a basket (Matthew 5:15). We are called by God and given the light of faith to illumine the world. And so we cannot permit sin to have a place in our lives any more. We must live as if faith in Jesus makes us different from the world of darkness. And when we fall, we must turn back to Jesus in the Sacrament of Penance to remove the darkness and restore us to the Splendor of Light.
2. Saint Augustine reminded us that sins blinds the sinner. All sin, large or small, dulls the senses. If we go keep sinning, eventually we become blind to our faults and cannot see things the way they really are. That is why those who go to frequent confession are able to confess more accurately what they are doing than those whose confession is infrequent. Unfortunately, sin in one area of life, be it pride, willfulness, lies, unkind speech, theft, unforgiveness, or the multitude of means of impurity, these sins affect the whole of one’s life. Unrepented, unconfessed, unchecked, unforgiven sin in any area of life will not only weaken weaken the whole person, but it can lead to the loss of faith in Jesus Himself.
3. Be warned! Do not think that this loss of holiness or faith could not happen to you. The pharisees who opposed Jesus studied the Bible every day, yet they did not recognize Him or turn to Him for help. One of the sorrows that grieved Jesus the most in the Gospel was the refusal of people to realize that they needed God’s forgiveness. All of us do. Even consider those pharisees who were following Jesus. Some of them were more concerned about being insulted than in receiving what Jesus was offering - the true light to see things as they really are. And so Jesus had to say to them - “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains (John 9:41). If we do not see the need for God’s mercy and forgiveness given to us through Jesus, then we are in darkness.
4. On the other hand, there is an opposite movement on the part of the man born blind. Jesus smeared mud on his eyes and instructed him to wash in the pool of Siloam (which is a prefigurement of Baptism). There, he regained his sight, or in other words, he was illuminated- the light was able to enter into him and he could see. But the man received more than the gift of sight, he received faith. With his eyes, he was able to see Jesus was a man. But with the gift of faith, the man was able to see much more. He could see Jesus as Lord and God- which is how things really are. At first, he gives the witness - the man called Jesus made clay (John 9:11). Later he was asked, what do you have to say about Him, since He opened your eyes? (John 9:17), the man was able to say he is a prophet (John 9:17). The third time, the man argues with the pharisees and insists that Jesus comes from God and does God's will- Jesus is Holy (John 9:30-33). Finally, he says to Jesus I do believe Lord (John 9:38) and worships Jesus.
5. Of course, the question that this event raises is: who do I say Jesus is? Can I see Him for what and who He really is, or is something blocking my vision of the truth?
6. Everyone acknowledges that Jesus was man. Some people even believe that Jesus was a great man. Many people also recognize that Jesus was a prophet- that is, sent by God. But that kind of faith is not enough to be considered a Christian. The truth is that Jesus is Lord and God. The primary act of belief for a Christian is not to believe in a list of things (as important as those things are), but to believe in a person- Jesus- and adore Him as our only Lord.
7. That being said, Saint Paul says You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8). We did not simply receive Light. We are light. Jesus said that we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). And one does not light a lamp and put it under a basket (Matthew 5:15). We are called by God and given the light of faith to illumine the world. And so we cannot permit sin to have a place in our lives any more. We must live as if faith in Jesus makes us different from the world of darkness. And when we fall, we must turn back to Jesus in the Sacrament of Penance to remove the darkness and restore us to the Splendor of Light.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
The Sacrifice of Abraham, Our Father in Faith
1. If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31b). These words of Saint Paul to the Romans give us great comfort. But I often wonder about Abraham our father in faith. In what did he take comfort in? Especially when God asked him to sacrifice his only son (Genesis 22:1-18). Maybe it was not all that surprising a request. After all, many peoples throughout history have practiced human sacrifice. The prophets even condemned the Israelites themselves for sacrificing their children to the demon god Moloch. In this hemisphere, the Aztecs and others also practiced human sacrifice. And today, many people are willing to kill the unborn and the elderly for the sake of money or comfort or medical experimentation.
2. Anyway, what did Abraham think? God had promised him a son, and descendants as numerous as the sand at the seashore and the stars in the sky. Isaac was not even born until Abraham was 99 years old. Now Abraham is 111 and God asks him to sacrifice his son. Well, we do not know what he was thinking. We only know what he did. And that is, when God called him, Abraham answered, Here I am. And he stood ready to do God’s will, however hard it might have been.
3. But note that God did not require Abraham to go through with it. So many false gods have demanded the death of the innocent, but the True God did not require such a thing. But even though his hand was stayed, Abraham did sacrifice his son Isaac to the living and true God, because he would not withhold anything from God. Because of Abraham’s fidelity and trust, God swore that He would bless Abraham abundantly. And not just Abraham, but all of his descendants. But not just those either. God promised to bless the whole world, just because Abraham trusted in His word.
4. We need to think about that for a moment. Abraham obeyed God in one instance, and every person who ever lived afterward received a blessing. How often we consider that if we just got our way, everything would be okay. Or maybe we act out of fear, not wanting to obey God’s commands out of fear of not having enough money or enough property or enough friends. Many people who otherwise desire to live the Gospel think it is totally insane to be fruitful and have more than two children, even if it means surgery or taking powerful drugs.
5. But it’s not just that. Students cheat because they are afraid of the hard work that studying requires. People lie because they are afraid of what will happen if the truth is told. Some refuse to forgive because they are afraid of being hurt again if they let things go. Some people are afraid to go to confession because they are afraid to admit their sins out loud. Whether he was afraid or not, I cannot say (I'm, sure that he was), but when God called, Abraham said Here I am, and trusted God, and so everyone of us has been blessed.
6. The story of Abraham’s sacrifice is amazing enough by itself. Abraham had no idea of the resurrection, or anything about Jesus. When we consider his sacrifice in the light of Jesus Christ, it becomes even more amazing. For these events of long ago pre-figured the salvation won for us by the Son of God on the wood of the Cross. Isaac carried the wood up the mountain, Jesus would carry the wood of the cross up the hill of Calvary. The ram caught in the bramble was sacrificed in Isaac's place, we call Jesus The Lamb of God. There would come a time when God would offer His own Son in sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus would beg His Father if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will (Matthew 26:39). On the day of the crucifixion, on the hill of Calvary, there would be no word from above to stop the nails from being driven into Jesus’ hands. There would be no command to prevent the crown of thorns from being pushed onto His head, no suggestion even that Jesus should not be scourged, or that the lance ought not to be thrust into his side.
7. It was not the son of a creature but the Only Begotten Son of the Creator who was sacrificed for the forgiveness of sins. And if Abraham’s obedience to God resulted in blessing for the entire world, how much more powerful is the obedience of the Son of God who offered Himself for our sake? And if God loves us so much as to offer His Son for our redemption, what do we have to fear? What is preventing us from repenting of our sins and turning to the Lord for forgiveness? How could we possibly doubt His love? What keeps us from obeying His word and instead preferring our own will?
8. Saint Paul said: Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). It is time to admit that we have sinned. It is time to ask God for forgiveness. It is time to go to Confession, to receive the Mercy which God desires to bestow on us. It is time to start anew doing good, so when God calls our name, we might say Here I am. And the whole world will be blessed if we do.
2. Anyway, what did Abraham think? God had promised him a son, and descendants as numerous as the sand at the seashore and the stars in the sky. Isaac was not even born until Abraham was 99 years old. Now Abraham is 111 and God asks him to sacrifice his son. Well, we do not know what he was thinking. We only know what he did. And that is, when God called him, Abraham answered, Here I am. And he stood ready to do God’s will, however hard it might have been.
3. But note that God did not require Abraham to go through with it. So many false gods have demanded the death of the innocent, but the True God did not require such a thing. But even though his hand was stayed, Abraham did sacrifice his son Isaac to the living and true God, because he would not withhold anything from God. Because of Abraham’s fidelity and trust, God swore that He would bless Abraham abundantly. And not just Abraham, but all of his descendants. But not just those either. God promised to bless the whole world, just because Abraham trusted in His word.
4. We need to think about that for a moment. Abraham obeyed God in one instance, and every person who ever lived afterward received a blessing. How often we consider that if we just got our way, everything would be okay. Or maybe we act out of fear, not wanting to obey God’s commands out of fear of not having enough money or enough property or enough friends. Many people who otherwise desire to live the Gospel think it is totally insane to be fruitful and have more than two children, even if it means surgery or taking powerful drugs.
5. But it’s not just that. Students cheat because they are afraid of the hard work that studying requires. People lie because they are afraid of what will happen if the truth is told. Some refuse to forgive because they are afraid of being hurt again if they let things go. Some people are afraid to go to confession because they are afraid to admit their sins out loud. Whether he was afraid or not, I cannot say (I'm, sure that he was), but when God called, Abraham said Here I am, and trusted God, and so everyone of us has been blessed.
6. The story of Abraham’s sacrifice is amazing enough by itself. Abraham had no idea of the resurrection, or anything about Jesus. When we consider his sacrifice in the light of Jesus Christ, it becomes even more amazing. For these events of long ago pre-figured the salvation won for us by the Son of God on the wood of the Cross. Isaac carried the wood up the mountain, Jesus would carry the wood of the cross up the hill of Calvary. The ram caught in the bramble was sacrificed in Isaac's place, we call Jesus The Lamb of God. There would come a time when God would offer His own Son in sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus would beg His Father if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will (Matthew 26:39). On the day of the crucifixion, on the hill of Calvary, there would be no word from above to stop the nails from being driven into Jesus’ hands. There would be no command to prevent the crown of thorns from being pushed onto His head, no suggestion even that Jesus should not be scourged, or that the lance ought not to be thrust into his side.
7. It was not the son of a creature but the Only Begotten Son of the Creator who was sacrificed for the forgiveness of sins. And if Abraham’s obedience to God resulted in blessing for the entire world, how much more powerful is the obedience of the Son of God who offered Himself for our sake? And if God loves us so much as to offer His Son for our redemption, what do we have to fear? What is preventing us from repenting of our sins and turning to the Lord for forgiveness? How could we possibly doubt His love? What keeps us from obeying His word and instead preferring our own will?
8. Saint Paul said: Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). It is time to admit that we have sinned. It is time to ask God for forgiveness. It is time to go to Confession, to receive the Mercy which God desires to bestow on us. It is time to start anew doing good, so when God calls our name, we might say Here I am. And the whole world will be blessed if we do.
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