Jun 30 - 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

+ Even though the message of the readings is short today, it is a hard message, and it shall not be softened. Following Jesus is not meant to be an easy thing – in any way, shape or form – but it is meant to be extremely rewarding for those who go all the way with him – all the way to Jerusalem – all the way to the Cross – carrying their own!

Jesus resolutely made his way to Jerusalem – knowing exactly what awaited him there. Jesus determinedly reached out for what would bring salvation to all of mankind including us. Jesus perseveringly refused to be distracted in any way from his goal and the glory that it would give to his Father. Are we still with him?

Both the first reading and the gospel talk about discipleship – about leaving behind and going forward with Jesus – but both warn us that this turning must be decisive, immediate and uncompromising: “Go back” – Elijah answered Elisha called to discipleship – “why do you want to go back when God is calling you NOW?” And in the gospel: “Bury your father? Let the dead bury their dead.” “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” The place is here, the time is now! When God breaks into your history and says “Here, I am” our response needs to be swift, fast and irrevocable.

When we choose God, when we choose Jesus, when we choose to be members of his Church – we are turning away from darkness and sin – we are turning away from anything that would lead us back into that place of shadows and terror – we are turning away from all that has to do with death and destruction. And we are turning instead to life – to light – to love! Once set free - Do our daily choices reflect this major choice that ought not to be withdrawn?

In the second reading, St. Paul tells us that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free, so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery, the yoke of sin, the yoke of death. LIVE BY THE SPIRIT and you will truly be alive both in your body and in your spirit. And you will have dismissed from your vocabulary and your actions that which is contrary to the Spirit of God that does indeed dwell within you by your baptism and confirmation!

How radical is your discipleship? How powerfully does the Spirit live in you? How far along the road to perfection in the spiritual life are you? Either you are heading towards the fullness of spiritual life, with your cross on your back; or you are heading towards the fullness of spiritual death, crossless but also ultimately lifeless! Jesus’ death on the Cross made it so that you don’t have to endure that punishment, that separation that unending pain and torture – if you don’t want to! It is entirely up to you – but just remember: real discipleship is all or nothing! But the payoff is complete never-ending bliss, in a very active and goodness sharing existence with all our brothers and sisters. Who would not want that?

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening; [I believe what you are telling me!] you have the words of everlasting life!

Jun 25 - 12th Week in OT - Tuesday

+ Our gospel passage today has to do with a couple of hard sayings of Jesus. Enter the kingdom through the narrow gate, is one saying; there are only a few who find it, is the second saying.

These sayings are hard because they are not sugar-coated, egocentric, or “metaphorical!” They say what they mean. The narrow gate that is offered to us, is the gate of accepting reality as it is, dealing with it, and seeing the will of God in everything that comes our way: either directly or indirectly, either willed or allowed. The happy-go-lucky, easier, softer way is the wide way that leads ultimately to perdition. It is the way of glitter, glamour, me-first; it is the way of power, greed, lust and lavish lifestyle; it is a way that  replaces God with a myriad of idols that soothe the savage beast within who is competing for possession of the soul.

The road to perdition leads to hell, plain and simple: hell is a state of eternal separation, eternal egoism which has no power at all to save one, eternal darkness and tortuous enactments that will just never cease. Heaven is just the opposite, the state of eternal inclusion, eternal communion, eternal togetherness, eternal good-times, eternal love and peace and joy and wisdom, the way won by the defeat of evil by The God/Man, the Messiah/Saviour, Jesus, the Lord of Everything.

And so what this means is that we must not throw holy things to the dogs, to mix a metaphor – we must now throw pearls before swine: we must seek, ask for, and cherish all that God gives us personally and directly to cooperate in our own fulfillment and destiny – but it is a hard way because it demands literally moment by moment rechoosing, re-deciding, reprioritizing everything so that it is in alignment with what God’s will and purpose is for our life: and that has everything to do with being a willing and cheerful instrument in His hands to bring about good things in the lives of others: if we are all open to this then our own needs will be met, and so will the needs of all others – now this is heaven – this is the opposite of the very real condition of hell!

Blessed are you Lord, Father of heaven and earth, who has revealed the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children: your children, me!

Jun 17 - 11th Week in OT - Monday

+Today’s readings are very short and very powerful: in the first reading St. Paul is telling the Corinthians that if they live the very immanent trinitarian life of God himself which perfection and increase was gifted to them by their entrance into the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church, as it was by them who are appointed ministers of the gospel, then two things could be counted on: enduring afflictions, ,hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts – but also purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech, in the power of God: with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left. It is the contradiction of opposites that are held together by life in the Spirit – life in God’s own triune, yet unified existence and life.

In the gospel passage, Jesus, speaking in the same vain tells us that the perfect resistance to evil is “no resistance” at all. This is contrary and opposite to our natural fallen inbred knee jerk reaction to exact even more revenge than the original act of aggression. But if you have the very life of God, the Trinity, flowing through even molecule of your being, and into the depths of your spiritual soul selves, then you can do nothing but love in return – because you will know – if you are thus connected – that love is all there is: and just as Jesus offered no resistance at all during his entire Passion and Crucifixion, so we are called to do the same: so we can share his great act of “revenge” by being raised to a new level of consciousness and being and offering the salutation of “Peace be with you!” as his “I got ya” moment. God is a God of love, compassion, forgiveness, mercy and joy, and so are we if we go deeply inside ourselves: seeking his face: for we shall surely find it if we do!

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God! Amen.

Jun 14 - 10th Week in OT - Friday

+Today’s readings continues this week’s theme about law and life: continuing his proclamation regarding the fulfillment of the Law that is found in himself, Jesus uses his authority to clarify the true spirit behind the law, without dismissing the original law: he uses the daring “you have heard that it was said… but, now I say to you…” formulation: and in the gospel passage he cuts to the chase and says that it’s the lust of the heart that is even more injurious than a real act of adultery with a woman who is physically lusted after, without even approaching her.

His point is that our evil deeds stems first from the heart, and most often the outward manifestation of our actions are only the symptom of the deeper more serious sin. This we can ourselves readily apply to any number of ill-generated revelations of the heart.

The bottom line is that Jesus is urging us to have pure hearts, singleness of heart, steadfastness of heart, a persevering heart, and tender heart, a compassionate heart and a knowing heart. The rest will take care of itself. And how do we get such a heart, we allow ourselves to receive the gift of the love and grace of His own Sacred Heart which already loves us beyond all telling, and which can be cleansed and purified at our simple request!

Then all our actions can proceed effortlessly and creatively to upbuild all those we come into contact with no matter who they are, no matter how they appear, no matter what they may have previously done. This is the grace of our own transformation; this is the grace of salvation.

In the first reading St. Paul relates that our efforts at entering into true relationship, true giving, true uplifting never was meant to be easy: he describes his own affliction, constraint, perplexity, despair, persecution and abandonment – but through it all it is when we accept these things as carrying about in ourselves the Body of the dying of Jesus, we also will find that his Life of Resurrection becomes manifest in us as well. But you can’t have the one without the other, just as he couldn’t. Suffering is the price of glory for all of us. But the Victory has already been won, and the effects and fruits of are available to spur us on in the real battle of earthly life, that is only temporary – having an unimagined life of bliss, joy, peace, and love that will last forever!

And so, in our weakness we must shine like lights in the world, as we hold on to the word of life: the Very Word Made Flesh – our Saviour, our Brother our Friend: Christ the Lord! Amen.  

Jun 11 - St. Barnabas, Apostle

+ St. Barnabas was (of course) a Jewish convert, coming to the faith soon after Pentecost, taking the name Barnabas (he was born in Cyprus and given the name Joseph). Though not one of the chosen Twelve Apostles, Barnabas is mentioned frequently in the Acts of the Apostles and is included among the prophets and doctors at Antioch and is considered an Apostle. We know him as the companion of St. Paul who introduced him to the Twelve.

Like Paul, Barnabas believed in the Church’s mission to the Gentiles, and worked with him in Cyprus and Asia, but split with him over a non-theological matter. He evangelized in Cyprus with St. Mark and founded the Church in Antioch. He was martyred in 61 at Salamis; and at the time of his death he was carrying a copy of the Gospel of St. Matthew that he had copied by hand. His name, Barnabas means, son of encouragement and consolation, because he was always cheerful and had a gentle and sunny disposition!

Our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles situates Barnabas at the Church in Antioch; it also describes how during a worship service the Holy Spirit instructed the congregation to set aside for him Saul and Barnabas for the work to which they have been called. After completing the prayer and fasting, the community laid their hands on them and sent them off!

The gospel passage gives us in outline form the traveling instructions for apostles: taking nothing with you, as the laborer is worth his keep, cure the sick, raise the dead and proclaim as present in the midst of the people the very Kingdom of heaven: use the offering of peace as the litmus test for reception: if the household or town accepts your greeting of peace, stay there and encourage them with truth and the gospel; if they refuse your peace and ridicule and insult you, leave them and take God’s blessing with you: at a later time they shall be held accountable at the very throne of God himself!

Of course, the object of all this evangelizing and peace-making is to ensure that what the Lord had said would be true: “I am with you always, until the end of the world.” He is with us when brave disciples speak his word confidently and boldly and do what he did! LOVE! May we be brave and courageous and loving disciples today!

The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Jun 12 - Pentecost Sunday

+ One day after the celebration of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven (seven years and ten days ago), the space shuttle Atlantis was launched for the last time. We have all seen space shuttle launches. There is GREAT FANFARE! GREAT LIGHT! GREAT SOUND! GREAT FORCE! GREAT POWER!!!

While this may not be a good analogy to what happened on the day of the Ascension: Jesus actually simply went up into the clouds, with a gesture of blessing as he made his way. But this is exactly what it was like on the day of Pentecost! The Spirit came down like the experience of a space shuttle going up – and the house where the Apostles were SHOOK! There was BRIGHT LIGHT! THERE WAS GREAT SOUND! There was GREAT POWER! And there was the de-scending, rather than a-scending of tongues of flame and fire that landed on the heads of the Apostles and filled them to overflowing with the JOYOUS, PEACEFUL, POWERFUL PRESENCE OF GOD – deep down in their souls - like they had never experienced him before.

Everything immediately became different – the very newness of life of God began to surge inside of them like never before – and they knew who God was, they knew who Jesus really was fully for the first time, they knew who they were, they knew how they were now related to one another in a new and sacred relationship, a Trinitarian relationship, they knew how eager they were to bring the message of all of this to all others – no matter what the cost might be! It was a magnificent day!

The first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles tells the narration of what exactly happened: when it was time for Pentecost, the apostles were together in one place, and suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. They began to proclaim the glory of God and his will for the salvation of the entire human race to the residents of all the various nations who were gathered in Jerusalem for the Jewish Feast of Pentecost – and each person heard the same message in their own language. This is the gift of tongues – and a foretelling that the gospel would be spread to every land – as Jesus had commanded.

In addition to the impetus behind evangelization, the Spirit gives different gifts for the benefit of the whole body of the newly formed community of believers – each new member is given at least one gift to use to keep this new Body of Christ alive and well: to keep the shuttle flying to use the alternative analogy! It is up to each member to more fully discover his or her gift (or gifts) and put it (or them) at the disposal of the whole community.

As I mentioned two weeks ago, Jesus promised “two parting gifts” when he would finish his work on earth and ascend to the Father’s right hand  – PEACE and THE HOLY SPIRIT ….today those combined gifts are delivered – in great force, with great power - for the purpose of renewing the face of the earth. But as I said at that time, this peace, given by the presence of the Holy Spirit, is the result of the experience of heartfelt giving and receiving of forgiveness. The beginning of the sending of the Apostles occurred on the night of Easter when Jesus actually introduced forgiveness to them, after abandoning him (all except John) at his Crucifixion, by appearing in their midst and greeting them saying (twice) “Peace be with you!” Then he breathed on them and said “Receive the Holy Spirit, if you forgive sins they are forgiven, if you judge in a case that they ought not to be forgiven, then they will not be forgiven.”

This means that SUPERNATURAL FORGIVENESS IS REALLY POSSIBLE and must be the key to a full reception of the Spirit and his gift of Peace and all the other gifts besides! And so, may we forgive those we need to forgive in our lives, and ask forgiveness of those we ought to ask it of as well – so that the rush of the Spirit may fill us to overflowing with God’s joy, God’s peace and God’s strength for the purification and perfection of the Church on earth, and the spiritual transformation of the world into the glorious Kingdom of God, with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Brother, ruling as King, forever!

Come, Holy Spirit, Come!

In your sevenfold gift descend;

Give us virtue’s sure reward;

Give us your salvation, Lord;

Give us joys that never end.

Amen.

Alleluia!

June 3 - 7th Week of Easter - Monday

+ We recall today that our first reading remains narrative about post-Pentecost events: and so today we see Paul going down to Ephesus. Here we have the classic outline of apostolic ministry presented: ask a leading question: did you receive the Spirit when you became believers? The classic answer among the worldly is: we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. Well then, how were you baptized? With the baptism of John (an incomplete and non-salvific baptism), although it is a start for his is a baptism of repentance, but for those baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus a whole new world opens up and a transfigured person becomes a child of God and heir of heaven – and he is now in the right ballpark to begin his/her transformation into the fullness of the image and likeness of God that he/she already is.

We then see Paul baptizing about a dozen of the Ephesians in the name of the Lord Jesus (and his Father and their Spirit) and the Spirit rushes upon them and they speak in tongues and prophesy and they begin a brand new chapter in their lives: and the Christian community is firmly established there.

In the gospel passage, now pre-Pentecost, and even pre-Passion, Jesus says to his Apostles you may think everything is clear to you now about me and my mission; but wait, shortly you will be thrown into chaos and confusion – but take heart I have overcome all chaos and confusion: I have overcome the whole world: and one day when the Spirit finally comes – you will truly know the entire story – and you will rejoice and you will be my witnesses about it to the ends of the earth.

We are witnesses in our own right to the real presence of Jesus – as he comes to us in the depths of our hearts in silence, in stillness, in solitude as he comes in the Scriptures, as he comes in the Eucharist, as he comes in good deeds done for love of him!

May we always seek God, by seeking what he seeks: the poor, the orphaned, the hungry and the forsaken! And may God bless us all and fill us with his Holy Spirit!