Rejoice!

"You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
(1 Peter 2:4-9)  The smell of lilies, candle wax, an incense replaces all of the drab Lenten trappings. This really is a day of transformation and celebration.  Forgetting the folks who come out once or twice a year, it is overwhelming to see people who come into the Church, experience the most joyful celebration of the year.  And even more so, as a priest, knowing some of the confessions over the last few weeks were honest, sincere, decisions for conversion; what a wonderful celebration this must be for them today.

Last night listening to the Genesis reading I was struck again and again by the authors descriptions, that God found this very good.  It cannot be emphasized enough that God sees creation as good and lovable.  Sin and Evil warp that goodness, but cannot destroy it.  God continues to love and care for us.  God's mercy reached into human history countless times to draw us out of darkness.  The Passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ continues to be God's great 'Amen' response to creation.  Sin and evil removes us from God, God does not push us away. 

Those who experience that first resurrection are commanded and empowered to go out to their brothers and sisters and declare the 'Good News'  There is not doubt, two thousand years ago, and today, that proclaiming and sharing faith is risky business.  St. John begins his Gospel with the truth that Jesus came to reveal his light to the nations, yet men and women seemed to prefer the darkness over the light of truth. 

What the resurrection pronounces must be shared with the world.  Our faith calls for our own personal conversion and discipleship and for the transformation of the world.  Violence, oppression, greed, and war, are not options in the Kingdom of God.  We live as a chosen people living the Gospel of life.

We are loved and renewed by a God who leaves a hundred dollars untended, to search for a penny.  Who walks away from ninety-nine sheep to search for a lost one.  Through the Paschal Mystery we share in a divine dignity and holiness the cannot be touched.  We respond to that truth with love, care, and respect.  We are God's son and daughters in whom the Father is well pleased.  There is nothing greater than that.


Faithful watching

Today is a day of watching and waiting.  Traditionally the Catholic community is called to fast today, and to keep this day in solemn prayer.  In ancient times the catechumens would begin to gather in the church, and later the cathedral, to spend the night in prayer and vigil.  The baptized community would pray with and for the faithful.  To be sure in our culture we have a hard time of waiting; but this is exactly what today is all about.

Again, is used to be, that many of the liturgical prayers were that of exorcism.  Now this is not about heads spinning and pea green soup, but it does have to do with evil and the power of Satan.  A better part of our liturgical prayer had been to drive out evil as well as to protect us from the effects of evil.  The baptismal font itself was blessed and exorcised three times. In addition, the catechumens would pronounce their faith three times, facing the west (where the sun had set) and renouncing evil, and facing east (the rising of the sun) and professing faith in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  So this watching and waiting had, and continues to have, somewhat of a penitential tinge to it, in addition to a joyful hope and expectation.

In both the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for today we acknowledge our sins and brokenness while at the same time proclaiming a full spirited trust in God's love and mercy.  St. Paul's letter to the Hebrews offers us a theology and reflection of Jesus' role as the high priest.  Jesus we are told becomes the altar, lamb, and priest of the sacrifice.  The Paschal celebration is in every sense the center of our faith and Church life. 

I am sure that some folks hate the fact that everything is sung, there is incense, and lots of processions, this is the least that we can do considering what we are celebrating.  More so these three days are meant to dissect the faith that we celebrate each of the days of our life.  So as the preface reminds us, it is truly right and good to take time and effort with each of these celebrations.  While the idea of pondering and reflecting might be anathema to us, it is essential if we are to understand the hows and whys of what we do at Mass, and the rest of the week too.

So this is preparation day.  Sure get the sweet potatoes and ham ready, but take some time to pray and consider what this celebration is all about.  It's hard to proclaim 'Alleluia' if we do not understand what we are doing.  Because our understanding is the first step in imitating the mysteries we celebrate.

A Really Good Friday

In John's Passion account, Jesus is very much in charge of the proceedings.  While We have Herod and Pilate, Jesus is really acting as judge of those who are judging him.  The disciples flee out of fear.  The officials who come to take Jesus away, seek the light of the world with artificial light, and Pilate moves nervously in and out of the Praetorian. 

The phrase that continues to present itself is that of 'truth.'  What is truth Pilate asks.  John's Gospel, and our celebration of the Triduum answer that quite well.  Early in his Gospel John tells us that the Father loved the world so much, that he sent his Son into our lives so that we could be freed from Sin and Death so as to experience new life.   Then a few chapters later John's Jesus reminds us that there is not a greater love than one can have for another, other than the laying down ones life for another. 

The truth that Jesus is talking about here seems to express itself in love.  To be sure the love of the Father in Heaven is known by us, greatly theoligized, and and even detailed in art.  Henri Nouwen had a great book reflecting on the Rembrandt painting of the Prodigal Son.  Nouwen mentions that Rembrandt used an elderly, nearly blind man, to depict the father.  Rembrandt wanted to make it clear that the love expressed on the son's return was more of a matter of touch, and embrace, than that of sight.

In the Gospels most of the healing stories have Jesus touching the various afflicted persons. Eyes, leprous skin, and hands are all touched. Just as Jesus' body is used to bring salvation to the whole human family; that healing affects our entire person.  St. Paul wants us to be clear that Jesus the high priest does not accidentally stumble into bringing us salvation through his suffering and death, but chooses to love us all the more because of who we are in relationship to  God.

The Paschal Mystery remains for us the center of our faith and proclamation.  Like a little child God is overjoyed with the kinship  we enjoy with him.  John's theology reminds us that God came into our likeness, so that in conversion and discipleship we might enjoy the holiness of God.  Again this is not simply God being 'nice' to us.  God in Jesus Christ overwhelms us with his passion and peace.

'Blessed are you Lord God of all Creation ...'

Today priests and laity will gather at the Cathedral, with Bishop Malloy presiding, for the Chrism Mass.    The Priests of the Diocese will renew their ordination promises, and the Bishop will bless the three oils which we use for the sacraments in the parishes.  I like the fact that the laity can get a sense of how large and diverse our Diocese really is.  It is also a wonderful celebration of priesthood.

Then tonight we will gather here at St. Mary's to celebrate the Mass of the Lord's Supper.  At St. Mary this is a tri-lingual liturgy.  The ethnic nature of our parish is melded into a community because of the community which we celebrate.  Again we celebrate the unity we have, in the Eucharist, in the midst of our diversity.  Not everyone is comfortable with this.  But the actions here tonight of the presentation of the oils, the footwashing, and especially the Eucharist, speak of a commonality which is beyond our own expectations.

In the Gospels, in Mark particular, the Disciples have a difficult time grasping the concept of Discipleship.  They are looking at a grand Kingdom, with themselves sort of in the center.  At the Last Supper Jesus shows a different kind of Kingdom in which he washes feet, and gives his body and blood.  Jesus shows his disciples, and us too, that real leadership comes through service. 

Today the Church leads by the way it serves.  The communities that are the most vibrant, and the most charismatic, are the ones which have a strong leadership tradition.  The celebration of the mysteries of our faith invite us to look away from our navels, and out into the world.  Perhaps this is why leaders like Pope Francis, or Mother Teresa, or Dorothy Day, are so popular and attractive to us.

What a wonderful way to begin the Triduum, to consider Christ's one perfect sacrifice, and our participation in these sacred mysteries. 

Passion, Death, and Resurrection

It goes without saying that the passion narratives expound on the fact that sin and evil are very real in the world and in our human family.  The figures in these texts are not unlike our dealings with the broken children of God whom we deal with on a daily basis. self-righteousness, deceit, dishonesty, and self-interests destroy relationships with God and others.

Jesus, set in the middle of this brokenness continues to move towards the goal that is set for him.  Throughout the Gospels Jesus is insistent that the Kingdom of God is to be nurtured and nourished.  To do so though means that we commit ourselves to what is true and good; not allowing ourselves to be dissuaded  by the temptation of authority of greatness.  Jesus shows us what it means to be a suffering servant by boldly accepting the cross and continuing the mission that has been entrusted to him.

This Holy Week is an opportunity to consider our place in the passion story.  Are the apostles overwhelmed by fear, the crowds which evolve with the mob, or the faithful women at the foot of the cross.  This week gives us a chance to re-kindle our identity and conviction to Christ Jesus.  I am always saddened by the fact that many catholics do not take this week more seriously.  Okay maybe they cannot go to Mass, but to spend some time in prayer and reflection.

To be sure this time is filled with long liturgies.  But sometimes simply to sit, reflect, and to consider the journey towards Jerusalem we are all called to walk.  The Paschal Mystery invites us to stand openly before God with all of our faults and foibles hanging out.  How can we embrace the cross and set things right with God and others?  Like the apostles we can say, "Let us go up to Jerusalem with him to die."  

Jesus as Icon

St Gregory Nanzianzen, was Bishop of Constantinople around about the fourth century, and a prominent theologian.  He wrote extensively on Christology and the Trinity.  In the Office of Readings today we have part of one of his homilies whereas he slowly takes apart Holy Week, and more importantly the Paschal Mystery.  Reflecting upon his writings I begin to think it is never enough simply to state that Jesus true God, and true Man.  What we celebrate is a powerful affirmation of God's love for us, to be sure, but a challenge as to how we might respond.

A few weeks ago we moved our tabernacle in our church to the center of the sanctuary.  (Not pictured here)  One of the many reasons was that people would come into the church and walk right past the tabernacle.  But, some of these same folks would piously genuflect in front of the altar.  The reflection would be that many today do not understand what is sacred and what is not.  Jesus, the sacraments, and the Gospels seems to meld into a theology that God is nice, and Jesus did good things for people.  We miss a relationship.

Perhaps the reason why we have such an infatuation with actors and actresses is that they are beyond us.  We gush over them in movies, and admire their lavish lifestyles.  Seemingly unlike ourselves, they move from one relationship to another without so much a tear being shed.

When I was growing up we had the 'Good News' bible which tries to put the language in relate-able terms.  The book only lasted through the 70s., but the idea is not that far fetched.  The texts of the sacred scripture, ancient as they are, reveal the faith experiences of men and women like us who were broken because of Sin and Evil.  They encountered loneliness, abuse, and oppression, sometimes because they tried to do what was right.  In the Creighton University reflection today, the author muses about the life and death of Bishop Oscar Romero.  A prophetic man who called out those who inflicted evil, and was killed because of it.

St. Gregory points out today that Jesus is the image of the Father's love for us.  Such love is a great cause of joy and celebration.  Like the psalmists we can proclaim that God's love endures forever.  But God also calls us into a relationship.  The works of Jesus are not just 'nice' things because he likes us, but an example of how we ought to live.  In John's Gospel Jesus time and again says he is doing the will of the Father.  Our faith is something that we take responsibility for. 

There is more to Jesus for us than the images we see, or the stories we hear.  This is an awesome week to really reflect on what we believe, and to get real about our faith.  Last night at the soup and speaker a woman had mentioned that the crucifixion scene in the one man play we had last week, was very powerful and meaning for her.  We need more of those experiences whereas we can stop and think about what we pray and believe.

Jesus Priest and Altar

I have begun reading a book by Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth.  A little light reading for Holy Week.  Benedict goes into great detail about the controversy that causes the conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities, in John's Gospel.  This is no small matter for the religious leaders of the time. Jesus has just desecrated the temple, and is challenging the temple worship.  For the Pharisees the temple is the center of their religion, and is symbolic of the law and the covenant tradition. 

As Jesus comes on the scene he is presenting himself as the new 'temple.'  We will hear this again in Hebrews as Jesus is described as the altar, priest, and lamb of sacrifice.  Throughout John's Gospel Jesus attempts to convey that true worship is accomplished when it occurs in spirit and in truth.  Jesus wants his followers to move out of a mentality that God is found in a place, as much as God is found in those who are faithful.

So we have Jesus reiterating from time to time that he does only the things, the actions, preaching, and teaching, as is directed from the Father in heaven.  Faithful followers worship in spirit and truth, and follow the direction of the Father.  More so, it is by sincere worship, that which includes interior conversion, that one might come to know the Father and have union with him.

As we continue to re-do our sanctuary, I was reading the GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal) about altars.  I want a stone altar.  Anyway I am inspired by how the text describes the altar s the place where the the Eucharist happens, but  also it is where the people of God gather around.  This table affects the lives of the faithful on so many levels.  It becomes a powerful sign and symbol of the thanksgiving, or the Eucharist, which is celebrated.

In this rather long pericope from St. John, we are called to understand God's love and revelation in a whole new way.  Our Mass is not disconnected with who we are, or the vision of the world around us.  An ornate or plain able, bread and wine, people and prayer, become a springboard out into the world around us.  While we gather around our Church table, we also gather around our family table.

Tonight at soup and speaker, a little boy of about three or four kept staring at me.  He would wave on occasion, calling out, "Hi God."  When he walked near me he would touch my shoulder.  In his mind he is eating with the divine.  St. Paul  wants us to know that we possess something sacred through Jesus Christ.  It is not only found in the Church, but in all faithful people.  It would be neat if all children of God could recognize the sacredness that we possess, even outside the temple.