Homily Solemnity of the Most Blessed Trinity Year A

 

Reading 2: Our faith in the Trinity is expressed in the words of St. Paul in this second reading: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.” Our faith expresses the revelation of God of himself to us. God is One and Triune: one in being, three persons, Father, Son and Spirit.

 

There is perfect relationship among the three persons. That relationship is love. Their very life is perfect love for each other, which bonds them together, though distinct persons into the oneness of the Godhead.

 

Instead of dividing the attributes or functions of God as Paul did for better human understanding, he could just as easily have said: “the grace, love and fellowship of God be with you.” What Paul is saying is: May all the blessings and favors given to us by God as a sign of his intimate and personal love for us bring us into union with God and one another. All God has done for us has been done because of his love.

 

Once we grasp and accept this mystery of revelation, then our life will be different. We will “mend our ways”, put off sin and put on the mind of Jesus Christ. We will “encourage and agree with one another”, reaching out to one another with the same love God gives us. Following what Paul says, we will let love be the basis of all we do to one another. This in turn will draw us into the bond of unity and there will be real peace and harmony between us. Then the God of love and peace will be with us.

 

Reading 1: God wanted humankind to know that the union which the three Persons of the Trinity share with one another in love is his desire for them. God created us in unity with him and with one another. But man and woman freely chose to alienate themselves from God through sin.

 

But it is God who begins the return journey of man and woman to himself. In this reading, God gives Moses a personal revelatory experience of God. The Lord stood with Moses and revealed his name: “Lord” and his attributes of mercy and graciousness, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.

 

Moses, in turn, reflected the deep longing within him and all humankind. “Be with us on this journey.” There is a longing within the depth of each one’s heart for the presence of God. St. Augustine once said: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O God.”  To fulfill this desire, God has revealed himself to us and invites us into intimate union with him as Father, Son and Spirit.

 

Gospel:  We are reminded that all God does is done in love. He created us out of love. He became man out of love. He redeemed us out of love. He adopted us as his sons and daughters out of love. In all this, we did nothing. 

 

But what should our response be to God’s unconditional, gratuitous love? Love. A love that is expressed into belief and acceptance of his will for us in each present moment.

 

Though Jesus has saved us without our earning it in any way, our salvation needs to be embraced and responded to in a life of love and surrender to his will for us. In so doing, we will share in the very life and love of God forever. We will not be God, but we will experience the very life of God in union with him and one another.

 

"Reaching out to others is another Christian sign.  Persons who describes themselves as Christian and who are unable to reach out to others, to go and meet them are not totally Christian. Being of service and reaching out to others both require going out from themselves: going out to serve and meet others, to embrace another person." (Pope Francis)

As we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of our Lady to her cousin Elizabeth, the Holy Father identified two virtues that are worth emanating. The first is service. To serve another is to focus on the other and not the self. It is showing the love of Jesus to them as he has shown to us. He served us by laying down his life for us. The second virtue is reaching out to another. Again, it is out of love that Jesus became Man so that he can reach out to us. First, we are called to allow the Spirit to guide us in reaching out to the person he wants us to. Second, after reaching out to that person, seek to find ways of serving that person, as Mary served Elizabeth in her time of need. What if our life was that of reaching out and serving? Would we be imitating Jesus and Mary more in doing so?

 Feast of the Holy Trinity A

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 

· This is the core message of the Gospel: the depth and unconditional magnitude of God’s love for us. Reflect on Paul’s realization that Jesus died for us when we were sinners, not friends. (Rom 5:6-11)

· The Father gave his Son to us in a twofold manner: a) through the Incarnation; b) through his death on the cross.

· “Eternal life” is another way of saying “sharing God’s own divine life.”

· Reread the verse and put yourself in it: God so loved me…

 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

· If God wanted to condemn the world all of salvation history from Abraham to Jesus’ death of the cross would not have been necessary.

· There is no salvation outside of Jesus. He came to save all.

· Again reread the verse and put yourself in it.

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 

· Though Jesus saved all, not everyone will be saved. Do you hear the condition?  What does it mean “to believe in him?”  It is more than assent and acknowledgment. What is involved?

· What about those who do not know, through no fault of their own, and therefore do not believe in Jesus?  Is salvation possible for them? (Catechism of the Catholic Church—paragraphs 846-848)

· How do we respond to God’s love and how should we realistically  respond?

· What do you take from this reflection and apply to your life?

 Do I trust God as much as God desires and deserves? He wants all of me, not because he needs me. He wants all of me for my sake. For in him alone will I find my fulfillment. The more God is the Lord of my life, the more I am fully me. This is the gist of what Jesus said in the Gospel of Mark.  “Amen I say to you, There is no one who has left behind house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or land, for my sake and for the Gospel, who will not receive one hundred times as much, now in this time: houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and land, with persecutions, and in the future age eternal life. (Me 10:29-30) What in my life do I cling to more than I cling to God? Can I trust that God loves me and will provide for me? Can I surrender that possession or person to God? It is not mine anyway, but God’s. 

 What was special about Pentecost? The Apostles, Mary and the early community of believers were called not only to be disciples, believing in Jesus, but witnesses, proclaiming him to others. When they experienced the coming of the Spirit upon each of them, they prophesied and praised God in a variety of tongues. They began to proclaim that Jesus is Lord and Messiah with signs and wonders in confirmation. Jesus had told them this. "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father." We have been confirmed. Are we open to the same experience as the Apostles? Are we following the lead of the Holy Spirit? Are we proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Messiah? If yes, or if not, the celebration of Pentecost is a time to pray for a fresh release of the gifts of the Spirit in our lives, so that we can fulfill what Jesus has asked of us as his disciples and witnesses. Come, Holy Spirit, come.

 

The Spirit changes those in whom he comes to dwell; he so transforms them that they begin to live a completely new kind of life.  "The change that the Spirit brings is different. It does not revolutionise life around us, but changes our hearts. It does not free us from the weight of our problems, but liberates us within so that we can face them. It does not give us everything at once, but makes us press on confidently … How does the Holy Spirit do this? By renewing our hearts, by pardoning sinners. Here is the great change: from guilty he makes us righteous and thus changes everything. From slaves of sin we become free, from servants we become beloved children, from worthless worthy, from disillusioned filled with hope. By the working of the Holy Spirit, joy is reborn and peace blossoms in our hearts.” Pope Francis

To what extent has the Spirit, given to us on the day of our Baptism and Confirmation changed us? Do we need to stir into flame the gift given us when hands were laid upon, invoking the Spirit? Do we consider our life Spirit-led or other led, other being the world or the Devil? As we prepare for Pentecost, pray for a fresh release of the power and presence of the Spirit in your life. Pray that the words of St. Paul will be true for you. "As we behold the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, that glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit, transforms us all into his own likeness, from one degree of glory to another"

 

I invite you to join me Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 6:30pm CDT for the third talk on the Holy Spirit 

The link is listed. Feel free to share with others.

Join Zoom Meeting
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Homily Solemnity of Pentecost Year A

 

Reading 1: Something has happened to the disciples prior to the coming of the Holy Spirit. Their relationship with Jesus had changed. The initial encounter with Jesus was no longer the most important or that which made the significant difference in their lives. That initial encounter and the subsequent encounters were foundational but not necessarily lasting. They knew Jesus on their terms. They followed Jesus conditionally, as long as things went well and did not cost them. But when Jesus tested the strength of their commitment, they failed the test.

 

It was the encounter with the Risen Christ that solidified their relationship and enabled them to receive the outpouring of the Spirit. As a result, they were changed. Not just interiorly but exteriorly as well. No longer afraid, they were courageous. No longer afraid of the reactions of others, they yielded to the lead of the Holy Spirit.

 

Pentecost for them was the fulfillment of the promises made by Jesus to baptize them in the Holy Spirit with power. For ten days after Jesus’ ascension, they prayed, recalled their life-experience as disciples under Jesus. They repented of their sins. They waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit as Jesus had told them. Now, on Pentecost, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began proclaiming God’s mighty deeds in various tongues. From fearful men, they were transformed into zealot witnesses for Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Gospel: In hearing again, today, the Easter appearance of Jesus to the Apostles, the Church is helping us to see the connection of Pentecost with Easter.  On Easter Jesus encounters them, not as the man from Nazareth, not as prophet, teacher or healer. That relationship with Jesus is no longer sufficient. He is the Risen Savior and Lord, the Son of God, True God and True Man. It is this new encounter which seals his relationship with the disciples.

 

Extending his peace was to validate his forgiveness of their unbelief and their human reaction to his death on the cross. His commission is straightforward. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”  As the Father had sent Jesus to proclaim and to witness, to evangelize and teach with signs and wonders as his credentials, so Jesus was sending the disciples to do the same.  As Jesus, at his baptism, received a fresh release of the power of the Holy Spirit, so he imparts to them that same gift.

 

What John is teaching us in his Gospel is that the Pascal Mystery, begun in the Incarnation of the Son of God as Man, culminated in the Death and Resurrection of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. To believe in the Resurrection of Jesus entails openness to the presence, plan and power of the Holy Spirit. To live fully in the resurrected life of Jesus in the present moment is to be open and respond to the gift of the Holy Spirit and his lead in our lives.

 

Reading 2: Jesus is Lord. The greater Jesus is the Lord of our lives in fact, the greater openness we will have to the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. The Lordship of Jesus is at the heart of our call to be holy and to grow in holiness, which can only be done in the Holy Spirit.

 

The Lordship of Jesus leads one to step out of the comfort zone of life into the waters of trust in the words of Jesus, acting in his name. The Lordship of Jesus brings us into community with one another. The bond of that unity is the Holy Spirit. To be of one mind and one heart can only take place if Jesus is our Lord and if we are living in the Sprit.

 

Being open to the various gifts of the Spirit enables us to proclaim Jesus as Lord as we follow the lead of the Spirit.

 

There is a story about a man who lost his wife, leaving him to be both mother and father to a six-year-old son. After her funeral, father and son came home, both feeling so alone and grieved by their loss. That night as they prepared for bed, the boy asked, “Daddy, may I sleep in your room tonight, too?” But neither one could seem to go to sleep. They both tossed and turned until late in the night. Finally, the little boy asked, “Daddy, are you looking at me? Because if you are, I think I can go to sleep.” And the father answered, “Yes, son, I’m looking at you.”

The little boy started at last to rest and finally fell asleep. After he was asleep the father got out of bed, walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain. He looked up into the starry sky and said, “Father, are you looking at me? Because if you are, I think I can rest and be at peace.”

The Father is always looking at us and out for us. Jesus said that he would not leave us orphans, when he returned to the Father. He would send the Holy Spirit to be with us to "look at us." It is the task of the Holy Spirit to sanctify us and keep us in union with the Father and the Son. He guides us and teaches us. He protects and defends us. He knows our inheritance awaits us, but that the Evil One does not want us to inherit it. The Spirit gives us the grace we need in the moment. We pray to the Father and to the Son. Do we also pray to the Holy Spirit, our constant companion on the journey to God? If you do then you "can rest and be at peace."

 Pentecost Sunday  Acts 2:1-11

(Because we already reflected on the first part of today’s Gospel on the Second Sunday of Easter, we will focus on the First Reading instead.)

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. 

· Pentecost was one of three solemn Jewish feasts for which the people were to go on pilgrimage to the Temple to worship God. Originally, it was a time to give thanks to God for the harvest. Later, it was also a time to thank God for the Mosaic Law. It was held fifty days after the Feast of the Passover.

· The place they gathered in was the same Upper Room where Jesus instituted the Eucharist and where he appeared to them after the Resurrection.

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. 

· Both wind and fire were used as symbols of the Spirit of God. Usually they manifested the power of God.

· In the Old Testament when God established the covenant on Mt. Sinai, fire was a symbol of God’s presence.  Jesus has established the New Covenant and the symbol of the tongues of fire manifests the anointing power of the Spirit enabling the apostles to do the work Jesus commissioned them to do.

· Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit. This is the fulfillment of those promises.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. 

· When were you first filled with the Holy Spirit? Even though there were not the same external manifestations, what happened to you?

· What does it mean “to be filled with the Holy Spirit?”

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 

· The people from various lands and cultures were amazed because they heard the ecstatic prayer of the apostles and the 120 but in their own native languages. Can you imagine if some of the hearers spoke several languages, how amazed they must have been?

They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, "Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome,  both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God." 

· The nations listed by Luke virtually covered every territory of the world known to Luke at the time.

"Simple in himself, the Spirit is manifold in his mighty works. The whole of his being is present to each individual; the whole of his being is present everywhere. Though shared in by many, he remains unchanged; his self-giving is no loss to himself. Like the sunshine, which permeates all the atmosphere, spreading over land and sea, and yet is enjoyed by each person as though it were for him alone, so the Spirit pours forth his grace in full measure, sufficient for all, and yet is present as though exclusively to everyone who can receive him. To all creatures that share in him he gives a delight limited only by their own nature, not by his ability to give." (St. Basil)

As we prepare for the Solemnity of Pentecost, our focus is on the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the disciples that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to all those who ask for this gift.  It initial grace of the Holy Spirit was received in Baptism so that we may disciples of Jesus. When we matured in our faith, we were confirmed and received a fresh outpouring of the Spirit so that we could be witnesses. Sometimes the fire of the Spirit within us is only an ember, not doing much. We are called to stir into flame the gifts of the Spirit, so that like a roaring flame we can fulfill our purpose in life. The Spirit is ready to fulfill his purpose in coming to us, but waits for our openness and willingness for his movement in our lives to fulfill our purpose. Come, Holy Spirit, come.

 If you were not able to participate in the first two Zoom teaching on the Holy Spirit, here are the links to them to view at your leisure.

Talk 1 https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sh are/6sMGOu9D_Ma7ZyY7UeaXYqHfi6 V53q2kdcehnvDJczR2ltNxfDaCofH8 tK8jXpKJ.9Na1q2W2iEHQ1Ehk 

Passcode: X$^3o9.b

Talk 2  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/ share/ kgcnrWHX4RlSX3qtqBq4C5uvIB2uRM yGpus21XHi5ogS_ XedRD5sc4rcWJNBc_f-.he35D1_ fssycBIJP

"The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of living water, welling up into eternal life. This is a new kind of water, a living, leaping water, welling up for those who are worthy. But why did Christ call the grace of the Spirit water? Because all things are dependent on water; plants and animals have their origin in water. Water comes down from heaven as rain, and although it is always the same in itself, it produces many different effects, one in the palm tree, another in the vine, and so on throughout the whole of creation. It does not come down, now as one thing, now as another, but while remaining essentially the same, it adapts itself to the needs of every creature that receives it.

"In the same way the Holy Spirit, whose nature is always the same, simple and indivisible, apportions grace to each man as he wills. Like a dry tree which puts forth shoots when watered, the soul bears the fruit of holiness when repentance has made it worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit. Although the Spirit never changes, the effects of this action, by the will of God and in the name of Christ, are both many and marvelous." (St. Cyril of Jerusalem)

John the Baptist identified the Messiah as the one who would baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit. On the Day of Pentecost tongues of fire were seen descending on all present. They were all fill with the Holy Spirit. Paul tells Timothy to stir into the flame the gift of the Holy Spirit. Fire illuminates, warms, purifies and can change things from one form to another form. We need the fire of the Holy Spirit to give us clarity and light into the mysteries of God. We need the warmth of the Holy Spirit's grace each day. We need the purifying fire of the Holy Spirit to remove the dross of sin and impurities from our life. We need the fire of the Holy Spirit to change us from being an earthly creature to become a spiritual son or daughter of God. Pray for the fire of the Holy Spirit as you prepare for a new Pentecost in your life. Come, Holy Spirit, come.

 

Pope Francis’s Novena to the Holy Spirit

Day 1

Holy Spirit, we offer ourselves to you. Give us grace to say to you always and everywhere, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Day 2 We pray for Piety

O Lord Jesus Christ, before ascending into heaven, you promised to send the Holy Spirit to your disciples. Send your same Holy Spirit to us so that we too may serve you as disciples. Grant us Piety and stir in us gratitude and praise and joy to be children of God. Holy Spirit, we offer ourselves to you. Give us grace to say to you always and everywhere, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Day 3 We pray for Fortitude

O Lord Jesus Christ, before ascending into heaven, you promised to send the Holy Spirit to your disciples. Send your same Holy Spirit to us so that we too may serve you as disciples. Grant us Strength and Fortitude so that we might have the courage to do what is right. Holy Spirit, we offer ourselves to you. Give us grace to say to you always and everywhere, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Day 4 We pray for Knowledge

O Lord Jesus Christ, before ascending into heaven, you promised to send the Holy Spirit to your disciples. Send your same Holy Spirit to us so that we too may serve you as disciples. Grant us Knowledge so that we may come to know God more and more each day. Holy Spirit, we offer ourselves to you. Give us grace to say to you always and everywhere, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Day 5  We pray for Understanding

O Lord Jesus Christ, before ascending into heaven, you promised to send the Holy Spirit to your disciples. Send your same Holy Spirit to us so that we too may serve you as disciples. Grant us Understanding so that we might understand the things that happen as God understands them, and recognize how God is working in our lives, and to understand, above all, the Word of God in the Gospel. Holy Spirit, we offer ourselves to you. Give us grace to say to you always and everywhere, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. Amen

 

 

Day 6 We pray for Counsel

O Lord Jesus Christ, before ascending into heaven, you promised to send the Holy Spirit to your disciples. Send your same Holy Spirit to us so that we too may serve you as disciples. Grant us Counsel, the right judgement to see what is right and what is wrong, to see the best way to follow God's plan, to bring light to our heart and to recognize the Lord’s will. Holy Spirit, we offer ourselves to you. Give us grace to say to you always and everywhere, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Day 7  We pray for Wisdom

O Lord Jesus Christ, before ascending into heaven, you promised to send the Holy Spirit to your disciples. Send your same Holy Spirit to us so that we too may serve you as disciples. Grant us Wisdom, the wisdom of God that teaches us to see with God’s eyes, to feel with God’s heart, to speak with God’s words. Holy Spirit, we offer ourselves to you. Give us grace to say to you always and everywhere, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Day 8 We pray for the gifts of the Spirit

O Lord Jesus Christ, before ascending into heaven, you promised to send the Holy Spirit to your disciples. Send your same Holy Spirit to us so that we too may serve you as disciples. Grant us Wisdom, the wisdom of God that teaches us to see with God’s eyes, to feel with God’s heart, to speak with God’s words. Grant us Understanding so that we might understand the things that happen as God understands them, and recognize how God is working in our lives, and to understand, above all, the Word of God in the Gospel. Grant us Counsel, the right judgement to see what is right and what is wrong, to see the best way to follow God's plan, to bring light to our heart and to recognize the Lord’s will. Grant us Strength and Fortitude so that we might have the courage to do what is right. Grant us the Knowledge so that we may come to know God more and more each day. Amen

Day 9 We pray for the gifts of the Spirit

Grant us Fear of the Lord and Reverence so that we may be reminded how small we are before God, our Father, who loves us so much. He has given us so many gifts –the gifts of creation, our families, our lives. He will always take care of us. We are his children. Grant us Piety and stir in us gratitude and praise and joy to be children of God. Holy Spirit, we offer ourselves to you. Give us grace to say to you always and everywhere, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. Amen.

 

 

“We cannot come to a conclusion about the state of our soul from its suffering or its rejoicing…Consolation indicates, certainly, that the soul has taken a step in the spiritual life, but desolation may be a sign that it is even nearer to the summit.” Luis M. Martinez

 Consolation and desolation are the ebbs and flow of the spiritual journey.  We want the consolations, but would like to avoid the desolations. We can’t. They go hand in hand. Peter enjoyed the consolation of the Transfiguration and ran away from the crucifixion of the Lord. But the crucifixion was necessary before the resurrection. The consolidation is given us to strengthen us in time of desolation. The time of desolation is a time of further surrender to the will of God. Then we can receive the next consolation. The One who guides us through these seemingly opposite moments is the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Source of comfort.

 I invite you to watch the second talk on the Holy Spirit as we prepare for the celebration of Pentecost.

Come, Holy Spirit! by Bishop Sam Jacobs
Time: May 17, 2023 6:30 pm CDT
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 832 9470 4732
Passcode: 282431

 

Homily Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord

 

Reading 1: The Ascension of our Lord in his glorified humanity to sit at the right hand of the Father is the transitional moment in the plan of salvation. It prepares for the next phase of God’s plan for us, namely the coming of the Holy Spirit.

 

Luke identifies first the role of the Holy Spirit in the life and ministry of Jesus himself: “giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen”. Luke identifies Jesus’ own instructions to the Apostles about the role of the Holy Spirit in their lives. He referred to the promise he gave them to send the Holy Spirit upon them. Then he identified what will happen when the Spirit came. “You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit….You will receive power when he comes”. Their mission was to witness in the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Sending the Holy Spirit completes the work of the Son of God on earth until the end. When Jesus ascends the apostles are reminded that he will come again to judge the living and the dead. Jesus made it clear that his role was not to physically remain on earth. “I go to my Father to prepare a place for you.” But they would not be orphans. The Father will give them another Paraclete, who will remain with and in them.

 

Second Reading: This reading continues to focus on the role of the Holy Spirit as we prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. Here we look at some of the gifts of the Spirit: wisdom, revelation and knowledge. The specific emphasis is on the knowledge of God and the knowledge of the hope that he calls us to, namely sharing his life now and eternally. This is our inheritance.

 

We are reminded of God’s plan and power culminating in the resurrection of Jesus and his glorification at the right hand of the Father. It is the Spirit who enlightens us as to the depth of God’s mysterious plan for us. This includes the establishment of the Church on earth with Jesus as its head.

 

Gospel: What should our response to God’s plan be? Jesus commissioned the Apostles and through them we the members of the Church to go and make disciples, teaching them what Jesus has taught us. We are called to witness to others the good news of salvation which we have heard and believed.

 

In baptism we were anointed with the Oil of Chrism, consecrated and sealed to be disciples of Jesus, called to be holy as he is holy. In confirmation we were anointed, consecrated and sealed to be witnesses of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. How conscious are we of these two realities? How are we living out these two realities in our daily live?

 

There is a story about Jesus in heaven after the Ascension. There was great rejoicing in heaven by the angels and saints. Gabriel pulled Jesus aside and asked him what was his plan now that he had left the earth. Jesus said that he had chosen disciples and commissioned them to carry on his ministry in the power of the Spirit. They will pass on his message of salvation from generation to generation till the end of time. Gabriel was puzzled. He asked Jesus how could he trust his plan to weak human

beings. When they fail, what would be plan B? Jesus responded. There is no plan B, only plan A. “I am depending on them to do what I asked.”

 

We are plan A. There is no plan B. We have been called, chosen, redeemed, anointed, empowered and missioned in the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Jesus, sharing the good news of salvation with others, as the Spirit leads.

Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.”  (John 16:12-13) 

 The Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord   Gospel A

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. 

· In Mathew’s theology, Jesus began his public ministry in Galilee and so the first disciples were to begin their ministry after Jesus’ departure in the same locale. But in actual fact, Jesus ascended near Jerusalem and the disciples after the coming of the Spirit began their ministry in Jerusalem before going to other areas.

· Why eleven?

When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. 

· What do you think Mathew is implying when he said that “they worshiped but they doubted?” Does it resonate with doubts you may have or had?

· Notice how knowing their doubts didn’t change Jesus’ relationship to them.

Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 

· Jesus is the risen Lord and Savior. As Lord he has universal power and authority over all. He conveys that same universal power and authority upon the eleven disciples.  What other passages in the Gospels speak about Jesus giving power and authority to the disciples?

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. 

· This is perhaps the clearest expression in the New Testament of belief in the Trinity. By the end of the First Century it became the official baptismal formula in the Church, even though it seems that originally people may have been baptized in the name of Jesus.

· Jesus formed them into disciples and now they were commissioned to do the same: baptize (incorporate into the life of the community), disciple (form them), teach (inform them). Can you relate this to Acts 2:48ff?

And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." 

· How does this promise impact your life?

· How does Jesus’ Great Commission apply to you in your role as a disciple?

· Other reflections?

· What action will you take in response to this message?

 The Holy Spirit is with us, in us and upon us. He also speaks to us, in us and through us. It is through the Holy Spirit that we come to a deeper understanding of the truths revealed to us by Jesus. He does this through our attentive reading or listening to the Word of God. The Holy Spirit Speaks in us. It is his inner voice within us that guides us in the decisions we make. Have you ever said: "I felt led to do this'?  The Holy Spirit speaks through us to others. Jesus said that when we witness in his name it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we testify. Be more attentive to the various ways the Spirit speaks to, in and through us. Then act on the grace of the Spirit.

 By God's grace we have been baptized in water, saved by the death and resurrection of Jesus. By God's design we have been confirmed, baptized in the Holy Spirit as witnesses of Jesus Christ. But have we been baptized in fire? Many people have been baptized and confirmed and are no longer going to Church, or go when they feel like it or go out of obligation. What is missing? They never fell in love with Jesus. They remain in a nominal relationship, not a committed one. They have quenched the Spirit of love. Jesus is not the center of their lives. What is needed is a stirring up of the barely flickering flame into a roaring bonfire. How? With sincere desire ask the Holy Spirit to come in a fresh new way into your life. Ask especially for the gift of love. Recommit your life to Jesus as Lord. Ask the Father for forgiveness for your lukewarm relationship. In other words, prepare the way for the Lord to act in you.

 "A Christian life - or a person who calls himself or herself a Christian - that does not leave space for the Spirit and does not allow the Spirit to go forward is a pagan life, dressed as a Christian one....The Spirit is the protagonist of Christian life; (it is) the Spirit - the Holy Spirit - that is in us, that accompanies us, that transforms us and is triumphant within us....Let us ask the Lord to give us this knowledge that we cannot be Christians without walking with the Holy Spirit, without acting with the Holy Spirit, without letting the Holy Spirit be the protagonist in our lives.” Pope Francis

We have many nominal Christians who carry the title but don't live the life. For the committed Christian, the Father is not a mote prayer, but a person whose adopted son I am. Jesus is not an historical figure, but the Lord of my life. The Spirit is not a conclusion of a prayer, but one who sustains my life both human and divine. He is the one who guides my journey to it's destined fulfillment with the Lord.  Without the Holy Spirit in my life, I would be like the dry bones in the vision of Ezekiel, externally alive, internally dead. But with the Spirit I am part of a vast army of servants of God on mission, ready to do his will. 

 Pope Benedict once told young people gathered for World Youth Day, “It is important that each one of us know the [Holy] Spirit, establish a relationship with him, and allow ourselves to be guided by him. However, at this point a question naturally arises: who is the Holy Spirit for me? It is a fact that for many Christians he is still the ‘great unknown.’ This is why, [I want] to invite you to come to know the Holy Spirit more deeply at a personal level.”

We are called to have a personal relationship with Jesus as the Lord of our lives, which comes through an encounter or encounters. But do we have a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit as the Sanctifier and Anointer? Have we had a conscious encounter  or encounters with the Holy Spirit? Just as our encounters with Jesus change our lives, so our encounters with the Holy Spirit will transform our lives into a true temple of God's presence, where we can worship God in spirit and truth. It is this Spirit who teaches us and leads us into the fullness of life with God.

 

Homily Sixth Sunday of Easter Year A

 

Reading 1: During these days between Easter and Pentecost we have been focusing first on the encounter with the Risen Lord by the Apostles and the continual reminder of the person and role of the Holy Spirit. Without the encounter with the Risen Lord we are not prepared for nor can we expect the gift of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit the encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ is incomplete.

 

In the first reading Philip, the deacon, proclaims the person of Jesus and his saving deeds to the people of Samaria. This is the first major evangelization effort outside of Jerusalem since the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost. Many people were baptized, but they had not yet been confirmed.

 

Hearing of Philip’s successful ministry, Peter and John came to Samaria. They laid hands on those who were baptized and these received a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Through this manifestation, it became clear that Philip, a deacon, could baptize, but the apostles, the firs bishops, were empowered to confirm.

 

We have been baptized and confirmed, but we are constantly in need of a further infilling of the Holy Spirit. So we should pray each day, “Come, Holy Spirit, come!”  Pray that the Spirit stirs within us the gifts we need today to do the work God has for us. Like Philip, we need to exercise consciously and intentionally the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

Gospel: What is the greatest gift of the Holy Spirit? Love. This love is a reflection of the mutual love between the Father and the Son and the love of the Trinity for us. That love has been manifested to us in the creation of the world and in our particular gift of life. That love was shown us in baptism, when we became children of God and temples of the Holy Spirit. We experience that love in each of the Sacraments. It is through this love that we can begin to glimpse the life of the Trinity in us.

But love needs to be responded to. The only response to love is love itself if it is to be fruitful in us. Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel that by keeping his commandments, by living according to his word, we will best express our love gift of response. But this love is the gift of the Holy Spirit, not natural love that we show to one another on the human level. The more we choose to do all things in love for love with love, the more our life will have meaning and be effective. It is in and through this love that we will reach our full potential as a son or daughter of Father, a disciple of Jesus the Lord, a devotee of the Spirit.

 

Reading 2: One of the ways we are to regularly exercise the gifts of the Holy Spirit is to put Peter’s words into action. “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence.” This is what Philip was doing in Samaria. He proclaimed Christ to them.  This is what Peter and John were expressing when they laid hands on the baptized. The gift they received, they gave as a gift to others in love.

 

If the love of Christ is in our hearts because we continue to encounter him in prayer, in scriptures, in the Eucharist and in one another, then we have truly a grace-filled witness of God’s love to give to others. Even if our witness is to focus on the suffering for the sake of his name by doing what is right and just. Our hope in Christ and in his promises.

 

As love did not prevent Christ from suffering, so love will not prevent us from enduring suffering as well. It is because of love for the Father and for us that Jesus embraced the mystery of the cross. It is because of our love for God that we are enabled to endure the sufferings of life. For we know that this life will pass away, but our life of love in Christ will live forever.

 

 

 

1 Thessalonians 1:6: "And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in great affliction, with joy from the holy Spirit…"

 

Pope Francis has said: “This joy, this which fills us, is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit one cannot have this joy. To be full of joy, is the experience of the highest consolation, when the Lord makes us understand that this is something different from being cheerful, positive, bright...Receiving the joy of the Spirit is a grace."

When St Paul speaks about the fruit of the Spirit, he begins with love, followed by joy. When we are in love with God, when we live out that love by loving others, then the grace of joy will well up in our hearts. It is the joy of the Lord flowing from authentic love. Love as Jesus commands and experience the joy God desires for us.

 In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul says that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. When St. Augustine says that God is ‘nearer to us’ than our ‘inmost,’ it seems that the Holy Spirit is especially associated with that intimate indwelling. Church tradition calls Him the ‘Sweet Guest’ of our souls. As Archbishop Luis Martinez puts it:

"What delight in the thought! It is not because of the exigencies of His immensity, nor only because of our wretchedness demands it that God establishes His dwelling in souls; love, which attracts, allures, and makes one overcome all difficulties, makes the God of heaven, who is in love with souls, come down to them and unite Himself to them in an intimate and permanent manner. This is love: union or desire of union; and as the Holy Spirit is the infinite Love of God, to Him is appropriated this happy name: ‘the soul’s delightful Guest’.

What kind of host would we be if we had a guest in our homes and completely ignore that person for days? And yet this is what we are doing to the "soul's delightful Guest." We go about our business as if he didn't exist. What a shame! How much ae we missing from his indwelling presence, which could help us throughout our day. Instead of ignoring him, bring him with you. Ask his guidance in all you do. Let the union of love grow within you, so you can be a reflection of this love union to others.

 Information: I would like to invite you to participate in a three-part Zoom teaching on the Holy Spirit in preparation for Pentecost. The dates are May 11, 18 and 25 at 6:30pm CDT Please share this with others who may be interested.

Come, Holy Spirit! Pre-Pentecost Teachings 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83294704732?pwd=TTIzZ0ZzM2U0MFJMWENJT1JFOHpXZz09

Meeting ID: 832 9470 4732
Passcode: 282431

 The Holy Spirit is known as the Spirit of love. The Father's of the Church speak of him as the "kiss" of the Father for the Son. When Jesus is baptized, the Father confirmed the Son's mission as Messiah and again "kissed" him by pouring out the Spirit upon him. At the day of the resurrection, Jesus appeared to the Apostles and breathed on them, "kissed" them and said: "Receive the Holy Spirit." On the day of our baptism, God breathed his Holy Spirit upon us, he "kissed" us with his love, the Spirit of love. On the day of our Confirmation, again the Father "kissed us" by giving us a fresh outpouring of his Spirit of love, so that in the power of the Spirit we may be witnesses of God's love to others. In all this, we have seen the love of the Father. Love needs to be responded to. How are we responding to the "kiss" of the Father in our daily life? Jesus gave us the answer. "As I have loved you, so you must keep my commandments and love one another." Simple and hard. Love comes natural to us. But love requires a dying to self and being for the other.

 "But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth." (John 16:13) Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life". Putting the two together, we realize that it is the Spirit who reveals Jesus to us. It is the Spirit who gives us a deeper insight into the person of Jesus and all he taught. That is why he sent the Spirit to us, so that we can believe in the fullness of who Jesus is and has taught us. The Spirit is a essential  gift we need in order to become fuller followers of Jesus. Pray to the Spirit for that greater insight and commitment to Jesus, as Lord and Savior. Come, Holy Spirit of truth, come!

 In 1 Thessalonians Paul writes: "Do not quench the Spirit." Rather, he says to "test the Spirit", in other words to discern whether this is of God or not. We have all been baptized in the Holy Spirit, as Jesus promised. But do we live by the Spirit and follow the Spirit's lead, as Paul advises? How often has the grace of the Holy Spirit moved upon us and we failed to act on it? Either we were not attentive, or we didn't believe it. But we didn't test to see if it was the Holy Spirit's urging. Repent of any past failures in this regards. Ask the Spirit to help you to be more open and responsive to his activity in you. Learn to discern what is of God and not and then act according. "Do not quench the Spirit."

 

Homily Fifth Sunday of Easter Year A

 

Reading 1: The first five chapters of Acts reflect the ideal community. Everyone was of one mind and heart. It was like the honeymoon phase of the life of the early community. In chapter 6 we see that reality set in. We have the first major problem within the community of believers. Partiality was shown to the Hebrew widows and the Greek widows felt neglected.

 

This was the first major divisive element within. They had already experienced persecution externally. The Apostles chose to approach this internal strife the same way they did the external threats. They chose to be faithful to God’s call to them: to pray and proclaim the Word of salvation.

 

They recognized they could not do everything for the community. Thus, they delegated their authority and ministry to others in this matter. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the community chose seven men, who were filled with the Spirit and wisdom. These were ordained through the prayer and the laying on of hands by the Apostles. These were the first deacons.

 

Because the Apostles were obedient to the direction of the Lord as they continual to lead the community, the number of believers increased. We learn from this first reading: obedience to the Lord and the need to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in the decisions we make.

 

Gospel: This reading is rich in insight. 1) Because of our encounter with Christ we are called to put our faith in him. He has promised us to be with him. He goes before us to prepare a place for us in heaven. As a result we are to keep our true destiny in sight always before us. Do you believe?

 

2) How are we to express our faith? Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Because he is the way, we are called to follow him as his disciples. Because he is the truth, we are called to live according to the teachings he has given us, especially the command to love. Because he is the life, we are called to share in his Divine Life, letting nothing separate us form God.

 

3) The way to know and see the Father is to know and live in Jesus. He reveals the Father to us through his love and actions. 4) To believe in Jesus means to do the works he did and far greater. Our relationship with Jesus is not a fuzzy, emotional feeling. Because of our faith in Jesus, we are called to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, as he did, and manifest the Father’s love, as he did. We have been empowered by the Holy Spirit. Now we need to step out of the boat like Peter and act in the name of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Reading 2: As believers, who are we? We have been called out of the darkness of sin into the life of grace. How? We have had an encounter with Christ. First, Christ encountered us through the Sacrament of Baptism. We were reborn. It was Christ who chose us and called us to be a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own.

 

Second, what should our response be? We are called to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus. Isn’t this what we are doing as we come together to celebrate this Eucharist? Third, we are also called to announce the praises of him, who has made a difference in our lives. In doing so, we recognize who we are in Christ as we seek to live accordingly.

"True prayer is something that must be a response to God.  What I mean is that we can 'say prayers' if we like, and this is good.  We can initiate 'prayers.'  But there is a difference between 'true prayer' and 'prayers that are said.'  True prayer is when God, by an action of the Holy Spirit, speaks to us and draws us by an interior calling.  God the Holy Spirit takes the initiative by way of an invitation.  And we, on our part, respond.  We respond to God calling and speaking, and this begins a process of prayer.  Prayer is communication with God, and the ultimate form of communication we are called to have with God in prayer is surrender and love.  It is in this high form of prayer that we discover God acting in our lives and transforming us.  And this is an action of the Holy Spirit." Pope Francis

True prayer allows us to be in God's presence, invited by God, just to be with him.  Words are not needed. As Saint John Cardinal Henry Newman once said: prayer is heart speaking to heart. The language of the heart is love. I know my beloved and my beloved knows me. Saying prayers of adoration, praise and thanksgiving can prime the pump, but it is in the silence of the heart that we enter into and remain in awe of the living God.

 Fifth Sunday of Easter Gospel A

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. 

· What has Jesus said that could cause them to be disturbed? He has already talked about one of the twelve betraying him and about his imminent death. Also the possibility of his departure disturbed them.

You have faith in God; have faith also in me.

· The answer is not fear but faith in the Father and in Jesus.

· When we feel troubled in spirit, do we turn to the Lord and trust in him or do we seek answers elsewhere? Do we allow fear to rule us rather than faith in God? How often has fear been the focus and not faith?

In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.  Where (I) am going you know the way."  

· Jesus gives them words of comfort and assurances of being with them  again, even after he leaves them for a while.

· Meditate on these words. What is Jesus saying to you?

Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life.

· This is one of the many "I am" sayings of this Gospel (6:35; 8:12; 9:5; 10:7; 11; 11:25; 15:1).

· Jesus is the way in so far as he goes before us, setting the direction which will lead to the Father and eternal life. How faithfully do we follow Jesus?

· Jesus is the truth, which if one follows, enters into eternal life. Do we accept the full message of Jesus without reservation?

· Jesus is the giver of life who has come that we may have life abundantly. Do we desire that full life which only Jesus can give?

· How often do we follow Jesus, believe in his word, share consciously his life?

 No one comes to the Father except through me.

· There is no other way to the Father except through Jesus. Even for those who do not know Jesus, if they are saved it is through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

· Do we know how to rest in the Father’s arms so that he can reveal the deeper understanding of Jesus to us?

 If you know me, then you will also know my Father.  From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to him, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. 

· Both Jesus’ words and works reveal the words and works of the Father. Even in his humanity Jesus is one in the Father and the Father is one in him.

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. 

· Reflect on this statement. What were the works—the signs and wonders--Jesus did? If we believe in him, should we not be open to those same works being evidenced in us? This is a challenging statement.

· Any other reflections?

 

Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit will be with us, in us and upon us. He is with  us as our Advocate and our teacher. He speaks to us in the Scriptures, leading us all truth. He is within us as the Giver of Life. As adopted sons and daughters we share in the divine life of God. We are Temples of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in  us. He is upon us as our anointer, filling us with all the gifts we need as witnesses of Jesus Christ to others. How are we to respond?  First, we are called to be attentive to the presence and lead of the Holy Spirit. Second, we are to do nothing to sadden the Holy Spirit, namely, avoiding any sin that would separate us from God. Third, we are to be ready to act on the grace of the Spirit who calls us to respond to his divine appointments. Come, Holy Spirit, come!

 When a room is in darkness, we find the switch and turn it on. The room is ablaze in light. So it it is in our life. If we do not turn on the switch of faith, the power of the Holy Spirit is withheld, blocked. God provides us many  opportunities to witness his love and gift of new life to others. How often do we follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, turning on the switch of faith, so that another is ministered to according to God's plan? Or how often are we oblivious of the grace and call of the Spirit in the moment? God will not force us. He calls and invites us to participate in his plan of salvation for another.  Pray to the Holy Spirit for an attentive and cooperative heart. Watch for those moments of his call and grace. Then act on them and see the power of God.