How will the glory of God shine through us this week?

Tuesday of Holy Week

Isaiah 49: 1-6

John 13: 21-33, 36-38

When I get to “Holy Week,” I can get overwhelmed and troubled by all that is to be done. Since early January, Joe and I have been meeting, and Fr. Edwin and Jake have joined us in the last six weeks. I put a lot of pressure on myself to preach well and to be holy. I have decided to do things more like Christ in our readings today in preparation for this year.

In our Gospel, we are told that Jesus is deeply troubled. He has reason to be because he knows that Judas is going to betray him, and yet Jesus washed his feet along with all the other disciples. Jesus is finishing what will be his last meal with the disciples before he goes to the Garden of Gethsemane and be arrested, beaten, and crucified. Jesus knows of all these horrible things, and instead of looking at it all and wondering how he will get through it, he says, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once.”  Jesus wants the disciples to know that God’s glory is going to be shone in all these events. Jesus chooses to speak of the glory of God.

What in our lives needs to show the glory of God? What are we dreading or are worried or anxious about? How can we look at those things and know that the glory of God will shine through?

Nothing in life has the power to steal away that glory when we keep our eyes upon the will of God and His power to use all for His glory.

May we keep this week “holy” by allowing the glory of God to shine through us?

Come and be holy!

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Procession with Palms

Mark 11:1- 10

Readings for Mass

Isaiah 50:4-7

Philippians 2:6-11

Mark 14:1 – 15:47

Have you ever felt complete desolation, a feeling that you are all alone with no one who cares about us?

In our Gospel, we have an excellent example of Jesus feeling desolate and abandoned. I say this because Jesus is mocked by those passing by him as he hangs on the cross, the chief priests tell him to save himself, and even those who are crucified with him abuse him with their words. All of these people mocked and abused Jesus, and they should have been the people who said, “Jesus, have mercy on us! We will come to your rescue!”

In all of this, one person is totally unexpected, who does not abuse Jesus and makes an amazing proclamation of faith. The Roman centurion, the one who has been in charge of his crucifixion, the one who witnessed firsthand the entire trial of Jesus proclaims, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

My friends in Christ, where are we with all of this? Of what groups are we counted among?   

I invite you to experience Holy Week!

Come to Holy Thursday and witness the washing of the feet. A gesture we all need to learn to do.

Come to Good Friday and do not walk by the cross and abandon Jesus as many did, but to walk to the cross, embrace it, and pay it homage.

Come to Holy Saturday, and experience the Light of Christ piercing the darkness.

Come to Easter and enjoy the Risen Lord.

Do we believe in the Word of God spoken to us?

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95

John 8:31-42

3, 4, 5^th graders at Mass

Who was baptized as an infant?

Because many of us are baptized as infants, we were not able to respond to some powerful words spoken to us, so our parents and godparents spoke for us. I want to read those words and have us all respond today to these baptismal promises. (Read – Renunciation of Sin and Profession of Faith) Have everyone say, “I do” at the end of each question.

Our readings today have much to do with the power of words and the response to those words.

In our first reading, we heard about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These young men have listened to the Word of God spoken to them, and they have obeyed every word. King Nebuchadnezzar wants them to worship Him, and these men refuse, so the King wants to put them to death. All three men climb into a furnace heated up seven times hotter than ever before, and they all survive because they kept the Word of God in their lives.

In our Gospel, Jesus has been preaching the Word of God, and the people now want to put him to death.

My friends in Christ, the Word of God is a powerful force in our lives, and today we have evidence of this as Luke Brownell has heard the Word of God spoken to him, and he is today making his First Communion. We congratulate Luke, his family, and his grandparents for sharing their faith and bringing him here today.

May we all know the power of the Word of God in our lives to change our lives and to live for Jesus Christ.  

Making the shift to Christ!

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Numbers 21:4-9

John 8:21-30

Did you feel that shift? There it goes again! I do not want to alarm you it is not an earthquake, but it is the shift that should be happening in our hearts and lives this day. In our liturgy and beginning yesterday, there is a significant shift in our liturgy as we draw closer to Holy Week and Easter!

There is a significant shift in our first reading as the Lord God reminds the people that when you sin, it leads to death, but when you repent from sinfulness, it brings life. The people are once again complaining about a lack of water and proper food. Yahweh is not happy with his people, so he sends snakes to bite the people. Moses makes a bronze snake and raises it on a pole, so when the people look at it, they will be healed. What shifts away from sinful behavior do we need to make today. Do we see the foretaste of Jesus on the cross in the serpent being raised?

In the Gospel of John, there is a significant shift from the other synoptic writers. John’s Gospel is all about the identity of Jesus, and there is a very high Christology as it is almost mystical. Discipleship for John is much more than membership; it is about a whole new way of life. John has the way of writing that everything is a movement from below to above, and we get an excellent example of that today as “I AM, who I say I am, and you will know me when I will be raised.” Of course, for those listening, they would have harkened back to Moses

My friends in Christ, our Lenten journey, have been long, but it is not the time to grow tired or give up. It is time to make a significant shift in our Lenten obligations and intensify what we need to do in preparation for Easter. In this Eucharist, may we make the significant shift to the Cross of Christ?

Let’s be clear on what we are to do! Give glory to God in all things!

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Hebrews 5:7-9

John 12: 20-33

After giving what I thought was a pretty good homily to the school children this week, I used the line, “Boys and girls be good, as God would want you to be.” Afterward, I was approached by someone who said, “Fr. Mark, we do not use the word “Good” anymore because it is too general, and kids do not know what it means. When you speak, try and be more specific about the behavior you so desire.” She went on to say, “Next time, name the behavior that you want, for example, be kind, or be grateful.” Our message this week is to reveal the glory of God. I want to be very clear on how we do that in our lives.  

Let me begin very broadly and then bring it to some practical exercises. Lent began with the glory of God being revealed on Mt. Tabor when God the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.” Lent will end with the glory of God being revealed with Jesus on another mountain hanging on a cross. All during we are to reveal the glory of God by our lives.

Our Gospel is all about revealing the glory of God, and the first way we do this is by learning what the men from Greece ask as they come to the disciples and say, “We would like to see Jesus.” When we get up, our part of our morning prayer should be, “Jesus, I want to see you. We then go about our day looking for Jesus, and then at night, we give thanks for Jesus revealing himself to us. This is a sure tried method to revealing the glory of God.

Another example of revealing the glory of God is by learning what Jesus gives as a response to these men who want to see him. Jesus tells them, “A grain of wheat must fall to the ground and dies, to produces much fruit.” What is missing from this equation is that when the seed falls to the ground, it must mix with the soil to grow much fruit. God’s glory is revealed in and through us when we follow the pattern of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. How conscious are we of what is going on around us, or are we only centered on ourselves. When we become aware of the people God has put into our lives and be grateful, we are living the glory of God!

My friends in Christ next week is Palm Sunday, and I really do not give a homily on that day since the Missal says, “A brief homily may be given.” The following weekend will be Easter, so I especially want to be clear that we understand why we are being called to reveal the glory of God. I could have said, “Boys and girls now reveal the glory of God.” I hope in all we do, we learn to reveal the glory of God by wanting to see Jesus and by dying to ourselves.

Joseph, help us make good decisions!

St. Joseph Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

II Samuel 7: 4-5, 12-14, 16

Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22

Matthew 1:16,18-21,24

Proper of Saints, pg. 685, Preface, pg. 687

Gloria & Creed are recited.

White

By a show of hands, who decided to eat breakfast today?

By a show of hands, who decided to eat cereal for breakfast today?

By a show of hands, who decided to eat eggs for breakfast today?

By a show of hands, who decided to eat pancakes today?

I usually eat eggs for breakfast, but today I decided to eat my favorite breakfast, pancakes. But here is the story about my breakfast. (Show slide of the container) I bought two of these cups of what clearly says “Flapjacks,” which is another name for pancakes, a month ago. But I could not decide to eat them because I was confused and fearful after reading the directions. (Show slide of directions) Read directions.

I could not decide if, after adding the milk, if I was to pour the mix into a pan and cook it like a flat pancake? This morning I decided to go for it and see what happens. I followed the directions perfectly, and instead of cooking it in a pan, I ate my pancake from this cup, and it tasted marvelous.

Today we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Joseph, and he teaches us some wonderful things about good decisions. The first thing we are told about Joseph is he was a righteous man. Because he was a righteous man, we can presume he was a man of prayer. The second lesson about Joseph is he was attentive to God in his waking and his sleeping. The final lesson is Joseph listens to the angel when they come and tell him what to do.

In our lives and because we are in a Catholic School, we are to be people of prayer, we are to be attentive to God in our waking and our sleeping, and when God speaks, we are to listen. As we honor Joseph this day, may we act and be more like him.

There is only one God!

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Exodus 32:7-14

John 5:31-47

6, 7, & 8^th Grades

What is the First Commandment? “You shall have no other gods before you.”

Show slide of a golden calf.

So none of us would worship a golden calf? We are all too smart for that?

Who of us would love to have some of this?

Slide one: A Stack of money

Slide two: A fancy car

Slide three: Sports trophy Team

When we spend more time desiring these things we may be worshipping others god’s. Maybe closer to home for you would be spending time on social media! Our readings have a lot to do with who we are going to worship.

In our first reading, God is angry with his people as Moses comes down the mountain. The people have made a golden calf and are worshipping it and God wants to destroy his people. Moses begs God for mercy, and God relents of his punishment.

In our Gospel, Jesus is saying, “You are not worshipping me as the Son of God. I gave you John the Baptist who testified on my behalf, and I had Moses, and you do not worship me as the messiah.”

Lent is our time to rid ourselves of all the things we may worship as god’s. Our true God is right here in this Eucharist may we worship Him alone.

Do you want to be healed?

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12

John 5:1-16

In our Gospel, Jesus approaches a man who has been at the healing pools of Bethesda for thirty-eight years and asks him, “Do you want to be healed?” The man responds, “There is no one to put me in the pool.” Jesus responds, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.”   

If Jesus came to me and asked, “Do you want to be healed?” I would say I would love to be healed from the arthritics in my feet. I would love to be healed from the pain that is often in my lower back. I might think that all of us would have something that we would love to be physically healed from today. 

Jesus asks the man the question which seems so obvious, but it is not. To be healed from the physical things that bother us is one thing, but what about the other stuff underneath our skin? Do we want to be healed from overindulging in food, drink, and social media? Are we ready to be healed from these things? When Jesus sees the man later, he tells him, “Now sin, no more!”

In our first reading, from the prophet Ezekiel, we hear about a life-giving stream that begins as a trickle that flows from the temple. As it flows, it becomes larger and larger, and everything it touches grows with an abundance of life.  The life-giving water is being offered to us right now.

Lent is a time of healing of not only our physical healings but also those other things that may be even harder to be healed from. In our Eucharist, Jesus the healer comes to us in an extraordinary way.

How much hope do you have today?

Fourth Sunday of Lent

II Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23

Ephesians 2: 4-10

John 3:14-21

How much do we have hope today? Do we have hope that the pandemic will be over soon? Do we have hope that loved ones who have not talked in years will one day speak civilly to each other? If we do not have hope, what are we placing our hope in? If we are not seeing things being done in our lives, maybe we are putting our hope in the wrong things? Our readings have much to teach us about hope.

The first and second books of Chronicles are a retelling of what God has done for his people. The closing line gives us our reason for hope when we are told that when the people were held captive in Babylon, they were set free when the Persians conquered the Babylonians. The Persian king Cyrus set the Jewish people free to return to their homes. Our lesson of hope n this reading is when we put our hope in God, he will use everything and anything to bring about his will.

Our Gospel is all about hope, and to get the full impact of hope; it is worth reading the third chapter of John’s Gospel. What is happening in the third chapter is Nicodemus has questions for Jesus, but because he is a Pharisee, and they are the ones who are constantly threatening Jesus with their questions. Nicodemus has genuine questions because he is searching for the truth, and he is hoping Jesus will help him. Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the night, and this is symbolic because Nicodemus is in the dark with his faith, and he comes to Jesus, who is the light. Our story today is the conclusion of Jesus answering all of Nicodemus’s questions, which you can tell he does not understand. The lesson of hope from Nicodemus is even when we do not know what is happening in our lives; we keep walking down that tunnel to the light. If you follow John’s Gospel, he has Nicodemus showing up two more times to show that Nicodemus kept walking to the light.

Now our last lesson of hope comes to us from our second reading as we hear from the writer of Ephesians that we are all saved not by our actions but by God’s grace. The writer gives us the lesson to be hopeful by telling us that our God is always merciful.

My friends in Christ, it is Laetare Sunday, the day we are to “Rejoice always.” The reason we can rejoice is that we are people of hope. May we keep walking to the light and live in hope.

How is our memory today?

Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9

Matthew 5:17-19

3, 4, 5 grade

Begin by reciting five random things. Hockey, Brown, Running, 10, Wolverine. (All things I love or love to do.)

Who can recite back to me the five things I just said?

It is hard to do, especially since you were not told to remember the five things. Today we are told what we need to remember about our relationship with God and with others.

In our reading from Deuteronomy, Moses is standing before the people and telling them to remember everything God has done for them while they were in the desert. Moses tells the people if they follow God’s Laws, they will be blessed.

In our Gospel, Jesus is telling disciples what they are to remember when he says, “If you live in my love, then teach others to do so. When you do, you will be called great in the Kingdom of God.”

My friends in Christ, we gather to remember that Jesus Christ died on the cross for us and in his passing has left his Body and Blood so we may never forget what he has done for us. May we live in great love today!