Homily – May 22, 2009 – Sixth Week of Easter - Friday

Jesus is now ascended into heaven – we are left with his greatest gift his very self present in the words that must be preached, the sacrament of Eucharist that must be celebrated and offered as spiritual food, the very activity of loving and friending others as he did. In these ways Jesus truly remains on earth as Light for the path, as Truth for the mind, as Spiritual Food for the heart, as Joy, as Peace, as Hope for all of us – for all our days!

In the gospel passage Jesus tells the disciples that you will weep and mourn as the world rejoices – but your grief will become joy – if you persist – if you remain me – if you never give up hope! We live in a world that is gleeful about ungodly things, ungodly desires, ungodly ambitions, ungodly priorities, ungodly assumptions - and we, Catholic Christians, who have the Light of Christ can see plainly the error and the consequences that face those who will not let go of the ungodly parts of life. And so we weep and mourn – in a very true and real way – as for members of our own family who deliberately choose to live in death, darkness and hatred and self-centeredness and sin!

In the first reading St. Paul – encouraged by Jesus who appears in a vision and tells him: DO NOT BE AFRAID – goes on speaking truth, speaking life in Jesus, life in love, life in hope – NO ONE WILL ATTACK YOU, JESUS ASSURES HIM there are many in this city I want to reach through you! He tells many of us the same thing today: DO NOT BE AFRAID TO SPEAK WHAT YOU HEAR THE SPIRIT TELLING YOU (there are many that I want to reach today through you!) – the only difference is now PEOPLE JUST MIGHT ATTACK YOU for doing this: BUT DO NOT BE AFRAID – if you hold out to the end, you will be victorious!

It is preeminently better to hold on to the Eucharist and the Cross, as for dear life, than to sell one's soul to the devil!

God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy: the Lord, amid trumpet blasts. Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our king, sing praise. In the Eucharist and in the Cross we see you seated at the right hand of the Father – Lord, King; Jesus our Friend and Brother! Amen!