My Lord and My God

Second Sunday of Easter
Sunday of Divine Mercy
April 24, 2022 – Year C
Readings: Acts 5:12-16 / Ps 118 / Rev 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19 / Jn 20:19-31
by Rev. Louis Benoit, Guest Celebrant

In the gospel for today, I think we need to be in touch with the apostles in that closed-off room on this first Easter Sunday night. The gospel tells us they were afraid; they were in there because of fear of the Jews.  Jesus had just been crucified, and they were His followers. The Jewish people could be after them for the same reason.

Besides fear, there was probably a great deal of confusion. Jesus had been crucified. What were they going to do? Where were they going to go? They’d heard news about the empty tomb, but they hadn’t seen Jesus or anything like that. They were probably very confused.

They probably had a certain amount of guilt, too. In Jesus’ hour of suffering, they slept through it, and when He was taken away, they ran away. So there was probably a certain amount of guilt.

Fear. Confusion. Guilt. They were huddled in that closed room with the locked doors. In the midst of that, Jesus ends up standing among them. The first thing He says is, “Peace be with you.” And He repeats it.

What is peace? Peace is when creation is ordered as God would have it. The tranquility of order; that’s peace. Those people He was standing among were in serious need of peace.

Then He tells them, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Jesus was sent, then He preached the Gospel of peace, justice, and love, against the reign of sin, evil, and death. And with His death and resurrection, it is now the responsibility of His followers to continue His mission. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

He doesn’t send them forth alone. He says to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” That’s another aspect of resurrection existence: The Spirit that animated Jesus in His lifetime, through His death and resurrection, is now passed on to His followers. And so they don’t go off alone to do the work of Jesus.  The very Spirit of Jesus is with them as they continue that work.

But before He says, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” the gospel says He breathed on them. That’s a symbol that could be easily missed. To understand that symbol, you have to go all the way back to the beginning: the Book of Genesis and creation. When God creates the human, He makes the human out of the mud of the earth. But the human only becomes human when God breathes God’s life into the human. And what that is a symbol of in Genesis is that the human is of the earth and of God. That’s how all human beings are: We’re of the earth and we’re of God.

The fact that Jesus breathes on His apostles is saying He’s breathing new life into them. They are a new creation in Christ Jesus. That’s the meaning of Jesus’ breathing on them.

He does that before He says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Thus they are commissioned to continue the work of Jesus.

The Bible is the living word of God for us today. So that’s not just written about the apostles on the first Easter; it’s written about us. Jesus says to us, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Those are words to us today. And “Receive the Holy Spirit.” We have received the Spirit of Jesus in Baptism and Confirmation. That Spirit is constantly being renewed in Eucharist. And so this gospel is not just about the apostles; it’s about us and what our responsibilities are.

It’s also significant that we have the doubting Thomas in the gospel. Thomas who doubts: He’s not there when Jesus comes. They say, “We have seen the Lord.” And he says, “I’m not going to believe until I touch Him, until I feel the wounds in His hands and touch the wound in His side.  I’m not going to believe.”  A week later, Thomas is there, and Jesus comes. Thomas sees Jesus’ wounds, and he touched the wounds, and he makes the comment, “My Lord and my God.”

A lot of scripture scholars say that this Easter appearance to the apostles was the conclusion of the Gospel of John; the appearance by Jesus at the Sea of Tiberius was a later addition to the gospel. And so Thomas’ professing, “My Lord and my God,” is the apostles’ coming to full faith. Thomas is speaking, but it’s in the name of all the apostles, proclaiming the risen Jesus: “My Lord and my God.” It’s a culmination of their faith. It’s the final profession of their faith in the presence of the risen Jesus: “My Lord and my God.”

Of course, as we are called to continue the ministry of Jesus, we are called (“As the Father has sent me, so I send you”), with the grace of the Spirit we have received, to give the spirit of Jesus to others, and we can say like Thomas, “My Lord and my God!”

Fear Not

Easter Sunday – The Resurrection of the Lord
April 17, 2022 — Year C
Readings: Acts 10:34a, 37-43 / Ps 118 / Col 3:1-4 / Jn 20:1-9
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

In the old Jewish culture, women were considered to be unreliable in what they said, and therefore, they were not accepted as witnesses in a court or tribunal.  So we can suppose that no Jew ever expected a woman to be the first witness of the risen Lord.  But Jesus, always on the side of the oppressed, chose Mary Magdalene to preach the good news of His resurrection.

Some would say that the Lord intended a woman to be the first to become aware of His resurrection, so that the news could be spread easily to the people.  But the seventh century theologian, Isidore of Seville, observed that just as a woman (Eve) first tasted death, so a woman (Mary Magdalene) first saw life.   Just as a woman is responsible for the fall of man, so a woman is the first to witness the dawn of salvation.  Beautiful!

But because of the magnitude of the mystery of the resurrection, Christ revealed it in a gradual way.  First, the stone at the door of the tomb was seen rolled away.  Second, they saw the remaining linen cloths.  And third, the women were addressed by two angels, before the resurrected Lord was actually seen by the disciples.

One thing we can be sure of, if Christ had not been resurrected, we would not have heard of the apostles.  We learn that when Christ was crucified on the cross, the disciples went into hiding, fearing that they would suffer the same death on the cross.  The mystery of the Resurrection and nothing else motivated the apostles to come out again and boldly preach about Christ and the Gospel to all people.

The Resurrection of the Lord is the foundation of our faith.  As St. Paul says, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith is vain.  If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is just made up and you still remain in darkness and sin.  But this is the truth – that Christ is risen from the dead and is the first fruits of them that slept.”  (1 Cor 15:14, 17, 20)

The resurrection of Christ also guarantees our own resurrection.  At Lazarus’s tomb, Christ assured Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall live.”  (Jn 11:25-26) At the end of time, Christ will raise us from the dead.  Even now, we who believe in Him are already beginning to share real life with the Lord.

So, what is the challenge of the mystery of the Resurrection to us today?  The great mystery of the Lord’s Resurrection calls us to live as Easter people.  But how can we do this?  First, we will live happily, confidently, and full of hope.  The Resurrection of Christ should give us strength and encouragement to face all the problems, pain, and suffering of the world.  As He said to the women on the way to the tomb, we are now told, “Fear not.”  The problems and pain of this life will remain, but we who have faith will also remain confident in God’s help.

Let us always remember that there is Easter after Good Friday.  There is life and peace after the storms of life.  We believe, with a vision of the life to come after this world.

St. Paul is the first to encourage us, “Since you were raised up with Christ, seek the things in heaven, where Christ sits at the right hand of God.  Think of the things that are heavenly, not the things that are earthly.” And the things of Heaven are none other than the virtues of the Gospel: love, peace, truth, justice, and fairness.  These must be our desire, because they belong to God and will give us true happiness, not material things and not physical feelings.

Two Commands

Holy Thursday
April 14, 2022 — Year C
Readings: Ex 12:1-8, 11-14 / Ps 116 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / Jn 13:1-15
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

There is a meaningful quotation from an unknown author that says: “It is not the number of servants you have that matters to God, but the number of people you serve.”

This evening’s Mass includes the washing of the feet.  I will remove my outer vestment, the chasuble, before I perform the washing of the feet. This is also what Christ did before washing the feet of the twelve apostles. This gesture of Our Lord Jesus Christ, removing His outer garments, has a deeper meaning, not just removing it to make it more comfortable.

The outer garment is a symbol of our titles, our rank, our position in the community. It can be that you are a bishop, a priest, governor, mayor, doctor, lawyer, engineer, teacher, etc.  But the question is, are we ready to remove that in order to serve? Jesus removed His outer garment in order to wash the disciples’ feet. In order for Him to serve, He forgets that He is the Son of God, the King of the Universe, the owner of everything, the all-powerful, the Creator.

That’s a great act of humility that Jesus did for all of us. That’s why, in Saint Paul’s letter to the Philippians (Phil 2:6), he said: “Though He was God, He did not think equality with God a thing to be grasped at.  Instead, He gave up His divine privileges. He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.”

So Jesus took off His outer garment, His mantle of privileges, and put on an apron of service. That’s what Jesus did as an example of service for us. He forgets His titles, His privileges, and humbles Himself in order to become a servant.

During Jesus’ time, the people who washed feet were only those who were slaves or servants.  That is why we can understand in our gospel why Peter refused to have his feet washed by Jesus. Peter could not say he treated Jesus as his master, teacher and savior, and then allow Him to wash his feet. Peter could not take it; that’s why he refused to let Jesus wash his feet.

Just imagine the Creator who kneels down before His creatures in order to serve them. That’s something very humiliating in the eyes of the world, in human eyes. Our Creator kneels down before His creatures in order to wash their feet. It’s something that’s incomprehensible for us.  Perhaps the only explanation for us to understand the act of Jesus, is because of God’s great love for us. Only love can do that. And Jesus chose to do it in order to show us the example of how to serve and to be humble.

Perhaps, I can imagine, when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, God the Father was looking at Jesus and was filled with so much joy and pride. Perhaps He said, “Here is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Sometimes it’s very important for us to forget our positions in order to humbly serve others. This reminds me of my former parishioner when I was still at Our Lady of Nazareth. The parishioner was a doctor, a pediatrician.  One day a mother brought her child for a checkup, and it happened that, when they reached the clinic, her car broke down; she had a flat tire. When the doctor learned that she had a flat tire, he checked the child first, and after the checkup, he went to change the tire of his patient.  He even accompanied the mother to bring the bad tire to the shop to be fixed. An act of service, an act of humility, forgetting oneself in order to serve others.

In the last verse of our gospel today, it tells us: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example to imitate.”  This is the command of Jesus, especially today.  That’s why Holy Thursday is also called Maundy Thursday.  “Maundy” is from the Latin word mandatus, which means “commanded.”  Jesus is giving us commands this evening.

The first command is to serve one another. Wash each other’s feet. We are all asked to serve one another, not only in times of crisis and trouble, but every day of our lives.  I’m sure, every time we serve with humility, the Lord is pleased, seeing us helping and serving each other.

Also, Jesus’ command to His disciples to serve one another happened on the same night on which Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. After He gave the instruction of serving each other, He also instructed them to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, when He said, “Do this in memory of me.”

Jesus is giving us two commands: to serve one another and to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. Holy Thursday is the first holy Mass that happened in the Catholic Church.  The Holy Eucharist is a living memory when Christ gave Himself, Body and Blood, for the forgiveness of our sins. This is an expression of God’s great love for us. We are mandated to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, but let us also remember that Christ also commanded us to serve one another, to wash each other’s feet.

These two commands of Jesus are interconnected. They cannot be separated, simply because every time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, it gives us the strength and the courage to serve, and then our service will make the Eucharist meaningful for us.

That is why going to church every Sunday without serving is not good, because we fail to follow what Christ tells us to do.

To serve without going to church is also not good. Why? Because our motive for service is not for God, but for ourselves. That’s why the two must go together. Going to church, prayer, and service must go together.  We cannot say, I don’t have to attend Mass; as long as I do good works, I’ll be fine. No, Jesus made that command, that instruction, for us to celebrate the Eucharist in memory of Him.

This reminds of the story of a sacristan who served the Church for a very long time, and one day she got ill.  The priest visited the woman, and the woman looked worried.  So the priest told the woman, “Don’t be afraid.  Is there something you’re worried about?” And the woman said, “Father, I’m worried that, on the day I meet God, what I will tell Him.”  The priest smiled and said, “What you need to do is just show Jesus your hands and your knees, and that will be enough.”

In this Mass we pray that, when the time comes for us to meet our Lord and Creator, our Judge, that our knees reveal our being prayerful, and our hands show we are merciful and helpful to those people who need our help.

Let us not forget: It is not the number of servants you have that is important to God, but the number of people you serve.

Untethered and Obedient

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
April 10, 2022 — Year C
Readings: Lk 19:28-40 / Is 50:4-7 / Ps 22 / Phil 2:6-11 / Lk 22:14 – 23:56
by Rev. Mr. Barry Welch, Guest Homilist

Today is Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion.  On this Palm Sunday, we gather together to join Jesus in His final journey toward His divine purpose.  After five weeks in the desert of Lent, we are all joyful and relieved that Easter is coming, and Jesus is near.

Just a few moments ago, we gathered in the commons with our palms being blessed, anticipating Him of whom we’ve heard so much.  There was a little excitement and a sense of community as we looked at others across the circle.  You could feel a sense of purpose.  Then we joined in that triumphant procession toward this holy place, our “temple,” just like the people in the gospel arriving in Jerusalem.  We, like them, were marrying our hopes and aspirations to those of this simple teacher from Galilee.

In very short order, however, our joy and hopes were crushed, as we listened in horror to the gospel dialog of the Lord’s Passion.  Thankfully, we know the outcome.  We know the victory.  We have the blessing to be on this side of history, looking back for our assurances.  The people there, the disciples there that day, had an uncertain future.  Their lives were so difficult in a brutal and occupied territory.

I’ve heard this Palm Sunday set of readings for years, and I read it quite a few times as I was preparing for preaching this weekend.  There is one character in the story that I could not get out of my mind this past week.  He’s a minor detail, really, easily brushed off and forgotten.  I’m talking about the donkey.

Why did Jesus need a ride and why did He choose a donkey?  Jesus had been walking all over Galilee, Judea, and Samaria, for three years.  He walked everywhere and I would imagine that He was very fit and used to walking.  He had set His mind on the journey to Jerusalem just a few weeks ago.  He was making a beeline to Jerusalem, and yet He stopped just a mile or so from the destination, and decided to send two of His disciples to go get a donkey for this last little piece.  Curious, isn’t it?

Every Jew in Jesus’ day and especially in His audience would have been very familiar with the prophesy of Zechariah about the king’s entry into Jerusalem.  Zechariah 9: 9-10 says:

Exult greatly, O daughter Zion!  Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!
Behold: your king is coming to you, a just savior is he,
Humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem;
The warrior’s bow will be banished, and he will proclaim peace to all the nations.
His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Jesus, choosing this donkey, verifies this prophecy.

What does it say to us, that He is riding in on a donkey?  It says to us that Jesus is a king, and that the King is coming to you.  To you and to me by name.  It says Jesus is a just Savior.  He wants to save you, to remove you from sin and death, to justify you, moving you from darkness to light.  It says Jesus is humble.  He is not riding a great stallion or being carried in an ornate wagon.  He is gentle, caring, and arriving on a common donkey.  It says Jesus is peaceful.  He is not conquering with horse and chariot, and bow.  No violence.  Peacefully, He comes to you.  He doesn’t force your heart.  He asks.  It says Jesus’ reign, His dominion, is universal from sea to sea.  That tells us He’s coming for everyone, every single one of us.  Are we open?  Are we ready?

Another curious thing about the story is that in order to complete this divine mission, in getting the help of this common creature, we learn that the donkey was born for one purpose and one purpose only.  The donkey had never been sat upon by anyone.  The donkey’s purpose was to serve the Lord.  But the donkey couldn’t come on his own.  He was tethered and needed guidance.  Luke makes so much of the fact that the donkey was tethered and needed to be untied.

I started thinking that maybe you and I are the donkey.  Weren’t we all born for one purpose:  to serve the Lord?  Aren’t we also tied up, bound to so many other things?  Take a moment and think about what ties you, what binds you, what holds you back and separates you from truly loving and truly serving Him?  Jesus, in His wisdom and compassion, sent disciples to help us, to untie us and lead us to Him.  The Church, her Sacraments, her clergy, and all her holy and prayerful people have all been around and are still here to help set our hearts free and guide us to the Master, whom we were born to serve.

What binds you?  What is your tether?  Is it pride, or fear, indifference, busy-ness, or shame?  There is something in the world out there causing separation.  Our tether has been expertly bound by sin.  Satan works around the clock to keep those knots tight and secure.  But this week, as we go through Holy Week, we learn how and by whom we are liberated.

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

Judging With Mercy

Fifth Sunday of Lent
April 3, 2022 — Year C
Readings: Is 43:16-21 / Ps 126 / Phil 3:8-14 / Jn 8:1-11
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

There is a little-known sidelight to the story of the woman taken in adultery.  After the Pharisees dragged her before Jesus for sentencing, and Jesus says, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her,” a stone comes flying from the crowd.  Jesus looks up, frowns slightly, smiles a little and says, “If you don’t mind, mother, I am only trying to make a point here.”

In one way, this is a good joke because it shows the natural tendency of good people like the Pharisees and the Scribes to throw stones at those they consider sinners.  In other ways it is a bad joke because it tries to paint sinless Mary in the colors of sinful humanity.  The last person who would want to throw a stone at the woman caught in adultery would be the Blessed Virgin Mary, God’s most favored one.  According to the joke, Jesus says He’s trying to make a point here.  So now the question is:  What is the point that Jesus is trying to make?  Why would the Church give us this story for our spiritual nourishment on the last Sunday before Holy Week, when we commemorate the suffering and death of Jesus on our behalf?

The story of the woman caught in adultery had a very curious history in the early Church.  Many ancient Bibles do not have it.  Some have it as part of a different chapter in the Gospel of John.  Still others have it as part of the Gospel of Luke.  Some scholars think that originally this story could have been part of Luke’s Gospel.  Why?  Because it reflects themes that are dear to Luke, such as concern for sinners, interest in women, and the compassion of Jesus.

The fact that it is missing in some early Bibles and found in different locations in others suggest that some early Christian communities had removed this story from the Bible.  When later Christians tried to put it back into the Bible, they were no longer sure of its original location.

So why would anyone want to remove this story from the Bible?  There are people who cannot understand why Jesus would sympathize with a convicted adulterer.  After all, it is decreed in the Bible that such offenders should be put to death.  (Lv 20:10)

Does this not seem like an obstruction of justice?  What do you think?  Perhaps you remember the case of Karla Faye Tucker, a self-confessed repentant murderer who was executed in Texas in February 1998.  Many Christian organizations, including the Vatican, pleaded for her pardon, yet her execution was carried out.  Supporters of the death penalty argued that no one should interfere with the course of justice.  Well, Jesus just did in our gospel today.

There are people who think that compassion and leniency are a sign of weakness.  These are probably the kind of Christians who tried to suppress the story by removing it from the Church’s Bible.  How could Christians read this marvelous story of Jesus’ compassion and still take a hardline stand with regard to correctional services?

The answer lies in how one reads the story.  Some people identify themselves with the Pharisees when they read it.  Their interest is in how to deal with other people who break the law.   Their answer is usually that justice should be allowed to run its due course.

Now you can begin to understand, in the history of the Church, why the medieval Church did not see anything wrong with burning at the stake convicted witches like Joan of Arc.  Didn’t the Bible say that no one who practices sorcery should be allowed to live?  That is the law; that is justice.  Our only duty is to implement it.

But when we read this story, identifying ourselves, not with the Pharisees, but with the woman herself, then we begin to see the story for the good news that it really is.  Like the woman, we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  Like her, we all deserve death.  Why?  Because the scripture says “the wages of sin is death.”  But when Jesus comes into the picture, He overturns our death sentence.  He sets us free with His words of absolution: “Neither do I condemn you.  Go your way and sin no more. “

The story shows how Jesus stands up for sinners before the law.  In doing so, he draws upon Himself the hostility of the hardline officers, who will eventually arrest Him and give Him a taste of their justice.  The Church puts this story before us today, so that we can see ourselves in the sinner woman, whom Jesus saves from sure death, at the risk of attracting death to Himself.

This season of Lent urges us not to be judgmental of others.  We are all sinners and in need of God’s mercy and grace.  Only God has the right to judge people, because He alone is perfect.

Somebody said that God Himself does not propose to judge a person until he’s dead.  So why should we judge him?

Sometimes people ask me, “Father, is it wrong to judge?”  Of course, the answer is: It depends on how you deal with judgment.

There are two ways of judging people:  with compassion or without mercy.  If we judge the person with compassion, just like Jesus did, then we are doing the right thing.  If we judge the person without mercy, without compassion, then we end up like the Scribes and the Pharisees in our gospel today.  They want the woman to be stoned to death.  Or we end up being like the older brother in the parable of the Prodigal Son.  He could not accept his brother for having squandered his parents’ money and property.

Someone asked me yesterday, “Father, what if I tell my children, “Don’t go with a drug addict.’  Am I judging the drug addict?”

Of course, that is a different story.  Your intention is not to judge the drug addict, but to keep your children away from drugs.

Or how about Putin, who killed all these innocent people?  Are we not going to judge him?  Judge him with mercy.  That is what Jesus wants us to do.  Mother Teresa of Calcutta reminds us of this when she said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”

So perhaps the question we need to ask ourselves is this:  When do you judge and act like the Pharisees and the Scribes?  Are there times when you judge others because of your biases and prejudices?  Are there times when you judge others even though you only know a little about the person?

If you are a person who judges others, try reflecting on these pieces of advice:

1)         Never judge someone without knowing the whole story.  You may think you understand, but you don’t.

2)        Never judge someone by the opinion of others.  Often, we are victims of this kind of judgment.  We easily listen, especially when the person telling us the judgment or the criticism is someone we trust, or someone who is close to us.

3)        Every single person on the planet has a story.  Don’t judge people before you truly know them.  The truth might surprise you.  Sometimes it is very easy to judge a person by their face, especially if the person’s face is ugly or he looks like a madman.  But we may end up realizing that the person leads a very saintly life.  And there are people who look like saints, but the way they lead their life is the other way around.

4)        Don’t judge a person without fully understanding them.  Just because you and the person don’t agree doesn’t mean you’re right.

We must be conscious that the way we judge things is limited.  Our minds, our intellect, is just limited.  That’s why, in philosophy, only God is an unlimited being.  He’s the only perfect being.  We, created beings, are all limited beings.  Even our thinking is limited; the way we say things; the way we understand things; the way we hear things is limited, and prone to mistakes.  If we are aware of that from the very beginning, then we end up realizing that we are not supposed to judge others right away.  Jesus is telling us in our gospel today to judge others with compassion, with mercy, so that we won’t end up to be condemning.

We may be hounded by remorse for our past sins we have committed, like stealing, giving or accepting bribes, committing abortion, gossiping, making intrigues, or infidelity to one’s spouse.  We feel we must do something more in order to make a balance of our spiritual account sheet.  In short, make reparations.

So, this story is a fitting preparation for Holy Week.  We see Jesus making the ultimate sacrifice to grant us clemency; we who are already sentenced to death by our sins.

As we prepare for Holy Week, let us thank Jesus for His mercy and love.  And let us promise him that we shall commit ourselves to doing exactly as He tells us:  To go and sin no more.

The Compassionate Father

Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 27, 2022 — Year C
Readings: Jos 5:9a, 10-12; Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7; 2 Cor 5:17-21; Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
by Rev. Mr. Mark De La Hunt, Permanent Deacon

The gospel begins with these words: “Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus…and then the scribes and Pharisees said, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them (Luke 15:1-2).”  They meant it as an accusation, but I love, love these words about Jesus. We are living them right now, because like the tax collectors and sinners in today’s gospel, we come in our sin to draw near to Jesus at His table and to listen to Him in the Word. Drawing near to Him is our mission during Lent, and it is why we are putting extra effort into fasting, praying, and acting in charity.

Today, the readings from the Holy Bible speak to us about two ways to powerfully draw near and listen to the Risen Lord. The first way is the final covenant with humanity, established by Jesus at the Last Supper and consummated on the Cross: the Eucharist (Mt 26:28; Jn 19:30). The second way to encounter Him is the sacrament established by Jesus to keep us prepared to receive all the grace He desires to give us, most especially in the Eucharist in Holy Communion.

Holy Communion is the Wedding Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9). Jesus is the groom, we are the bride, and we prepare ourselves to receive Him with a nuptial bath, Baptism (the bath a bride takes before her wedding – CCC 1617). And when we need that nuptial bath refreshed, which we often do because of sin, we seek the Sacrament of Confession which is also known by the name of Penance and of Reconciliation (CCC 1423-1424).

Before we speak of Confession, we should start at the source of our faith, the Eucharist (CCC 1324; Lumen Gentium 11). In the first reading from the book of Joshua, the Israelites eat the food of the Promised Land for the first time. Using a spiritual interpretation, the Promised Land represents Heaven, and the food of Heaven is Jesus (Kreeft 198, 200). In the Psalm we prayed, “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord (Ps 34).” We see His goodness in Adoration of the Holy Sacrament (which Father gifts us with in his extended elevation of the host), and we taste His goodness in receiving the Eucharist, the Bread of Angels. The many biblical references to the Eucharist (and there are many) are not there to highlight a mere religious symbol, but to open our minds to the reality that it truly is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus.

As for the Sacrament of Confession, for those who deny that priests have the authority to forgive sins, let them read today’s second reading, 2 Cor 5: 18 “All this is from God, who has…given us the ministry of reconciliation…So we are ambassadors for Christ.”  Fr. Nixon is an “ambassador for Christ” in the confessional. Not convinced? In John 20:21-23, shortly after Jesus is risen, He appears to the apostles in the upper room and says, “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you…He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Yes, we can ask Jesus for forgiveness anytime and in any place and should do so. However, “Reconciliation with the Church is inseparable from reconciliation with God (CCC 1445). Father forgives you on behalf of the Church and, if you are truly sorry and have been honest in your confession, he exercises the power Christ has given Him and removes all your sin as an ambassador of Christ. Take advantage of this gift regularly like the saints have done throughout the ages. God’s mercy knows no bounds.

Indeed, God’s boundless mercy is the crux of today’s gospel. The story Jesus tells is called the story of the what? Prodigal Son. yes. The Prodigal and his older brother, yes. Maybe an even better name for it is the one Fr. Pablo Gadenz uses, “The Compassionate Father and his Two Sons.” The Father is the star in the story. His extraordinary compassion and generosity is the surprise (Peter Kreeft 206). Let’s sift some of the gold in this rich parable of our Lord.

It is important to keep in mind the context in which Jesus told this story. His audience was the tax collectors, sinners, AND the Pharisees, and scribes. St. Augustine and many other Church fathers saw Jesus as addressing the Prodigal son story to the tax collectors and sinners, and the story of the older son, who had always served and obeyed his father, to the Pharisees and scribes (Gadenz 275). And of course we will find our sinful and self-righteous moments mirrored in one or both of them too. Peter Kreeft describes the Prodigal son as “hot and rebellious and unrighteous, and the older son as cold and proper and self-righteous (Kreeft 206).” Which one is most like you?

That is a great question to take to prayer and reflect upon, but there is another, less obvious lesson for us in these two sons. Which one would we judge most harshly, if they were members of this parish or a neighbor? The Prodigal, of course. What a deplorable person, breaking his father’s heart and squandering his inheritance on sin. The older brother, however, is obedient, and works hard for his father. Which one, however, is most in danger spiritually?

The Prodigal son became truly sorry for his sin and acknowledged the truth that he was not worthy to be a son, only a servant. The older brother though, seemingly breaking the Greatest Commandment and the one “like it”, did not acknowledge his father as father, nor his brother as brother. In his pride he refused the father’s love and was more interested in being with his friends. Ironically, he is the flip-side of his Prodigal brother, though a son, he saw himself as only a servant saying, “all these years I have served you and not once did I disobey your orders (Gadenz 278).” His self-righteous pride blinds him to his sonship and threatens his destination for eternity.

Now for the star of the story, the father. He loves both the messed-up sons so much. When that thankless, dirty, good-for-nothing prodigal son returns, the father is looking for him and probably looked for him on that road every day since he left, praying for his boy to return. The gospel says the father “was filled with compassion.” Bishop Barron points out that in the original Greek, the word for compassion was esplagnisthe, meaning his “guts are moved;” his love was visceral. Any parent who has dropped off their child at school or at college for the first time, knows this ache in their gut or chest. And when the father goes to the angry older son, who thinks he has to earn his inheritance, he is not upset. He says, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours (Lk 15:31).”

Do you see how much God, our Father, loves us? Like the father in Jesus’s parable, Our Heavenly Father forgives us no matter how badly or often we have sinned, in Confession. And when we seek His forgiveness, He not only forgives, but throws a celebration meal for us: the Eucharist.

I want to close by leaving you with that joyously, happy, and beautiful image of a wedding. We are the bride; Jesus is the groom. The Mass is our wedding. Baptism and Confession are our preparation to come down the wedding aisle. You have to admit that preparing a bride for her procession down the wedding aisle is an event within the event. Thinking of her Groom and how He will be waiting for her at that altar, she diets for months, like the fasting of Lent, to get to look her best. She has her hair done professionally. Her mom, sisters, and friends team up to put on her dress, make-up, and veil. Our extra acts of charity during Lent beautify us in a similar fashion.

And the Groom? He waits at the altar, looking to spot His bride afar off like the father in the story. And when his bride appears and processes down the aisle. Time seems to stop. She is all He sees and desires. His heart beats so fast. He prays that her beauty and her love for Him does not overwhelm him in the moment and bring him to tears. And when she gets to the altar, she gives Him her hand, and He gives her his heart (Eucharist). And the two rejoice. Amen

Book References

1. Catholic Commentary of Sacred Scripture – The Gospel of Luke; Father Pablo T. Gadenz, 2018, Baker Academic
2. Food for the Soul; Peter Kreeft, 2021, Word on Fire
3. Reflections on the Mass Readings for Cycle C
4. CCC = Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994, Doubleday.
5. The Word on Fire Bible on The Gospels, Bishop Barron

There is Hope

Third Sunday of Lent
March 20, 2022 — Year C
Readings: Ex 3:1-8a, 13-15 / Ps 103 / 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12 / Lk 13:1-9
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

Today is the Third Sunday of Lent.  The season of Lent is a wakeup call for all of us, a time to be brutally honest with ourselves, so that we come to know how deeply we depend on God’s mercy and providence. We know that the God we worship and believe in has proven to be loving, forgiving, and saving throughout the history of our Faith.

In today’s gospel, Jesus tells about a fig tree that never bears fruit. So, like any sensible farmer, the owner thinks it’s probably time to get rid of it, simply because it does not bear fruit. But the man who works in the field has a better idea: I’ll give it a big dose of loving care, then we’ll hope to see its branches bend under the weight of juicy figs.

That is exactly what Jesus does for us. He feeds us, not with fertilizer, but with His Own Body and Blood. He invites us to stop boasting and be humble and let Him gently point out what we are doing wrong.

A story is told of an eight-year-old boy named Jimmy, who was acting up. He refused to do what he was told to do and did everything he was told not to do. In desperation, his father finally sent him to bed before dessert was served. Just then, a neighbor dropped in. He always liked Jimmy, and after a while he asked the parents if he could talk to the boy.

With a prayer in his heart, he reminded the lad that his disobedience displeased his parents and made them sad.  It especially displeased God. The boy began to cry.  “What can I do?” The visitor called his parents, who listened with tears in their eyes, as Jimmy told them he was sorry.

What the visitor did for Jimmy, Jesus does for every one of us. That is the meaning of the story Our Lord tells us in our gospel today. The man who planted the fig tree is God the Father. The fig tree means the chosen people of God: you and me. And the vinedresser or the worker in the vineyard is Jesus.

In justice, God the Father decides to cut down the fruitless trees. Christ intercedes. He pleads and prays that we be given more time, that we be given another chance. For the sake of His Son, the Heavenly Father gives us another chance.

This is the story of our life with Christ. We have not borne fruit.  We have not done what we were created to do. We have even done what God told us not to do. We have disobeyed His ten commandments. We have not produced. You can’t blame God for being dissatisfied.

He decides to remove us, but Christ intercedes. He intervenes. Christ steps between us and God and asks for another chance. Pleading for us is one of the principal tasks of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He asks for mercy for us. He gets us another chance. Not only does He beg His Father for forgiveness, Jesus begs for all the good things we need.

That is one reason why every official prayer of the Church, especially in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, ends with a plea: “Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord,” or some variation of this thought.

There is a rather famous painting that shows a young man playing chess with the devil. They are playing for possession of the young man’s soul. The painting portrays the devil as having just made a brilliant move. Chess players who studied the arrangement of the chess pieces in the painting feel immediate sympathy for the young man. He has been put in a hopeless situation. He has been led down a blind alley with no exit.

Paul Charles Morphy, a former world class chess player, became intrigued by the painting. One day, while studying the arrangement of the chess pieces, he saw something that no one else did. Excitedly, he cried out to the young man in the painting, “Don’t give up! You still have an excellent move left.”  There is still hope.

The story fits in beautifully with the point Jesus makes in the parable of the fig tree today. Like the young man in the painting, the fig tree seems lost, then suddenly a ray of hope breaks through. Like the young man in the painting, the tree is not doomed after all; it gets a last minute reprieve. It gets a last minute second chance.

This is an important message for all of us. Because of Jesus, we are never doomed, no matter how bad things seem. Because of Jesus, there is still hope for us, no matter what situation we find ourselves in.  Because of Jesus, there is always one more move left to make, no matter how late in the game it is.

This brings us to the most important point of all. How does all this apply to our lives in a very practical way? All of us, to some extent, are like the young man in the painting and like the fig tree in Jesus’ parable. All of us, at one time or another, have arrived at a point in life when it seemed that we were in a no-win situation. Perhaps some of us are at such a point in our lives right now. Perhaps some situation threatens to engulf us and overwhelm us. Perhaps some relationship threatens to destroy everything we believe in. Perhaps some problem has led us down a blind alley that seems to be a dead end.

It’s right here that today’s gospel has an important message for all of us. Because of Jesus Christ, we are never doomed, no matter how bad things seem. Because of Jesus, we always have one more move left. Because of Jesus, there is still hope for us, no matter what the situation.

This is the lesson that’s contained in today’s scripture.  This is the good news that we celebrate in today’s liturgy. And this is the message that God wants us to carry back into our world to share with others.

To My Immortal Home

Second Sunday of Lent
March 13, 2022 — Year C
Readings: Gn 15:5-12, 17-18 / Ps 27 / Phil 3:17 – 4:1 / Lk 9:28b-36
by Rev. Mr. Barry Welch, Guest Homilist

I happened upon a YouTube video of an old bluegrass gospel song called Angel Band.  It reminded me of my dad, Buddy.  Buddy died a couple of years ago.  It’s a great song, but I think it’s the memory and really the presence of my dad that sparked my emotions while I was listening to it.

Oh come, angel band,
Come and around me stand.
Oh, bear me away on your snow-white wings
To my immortal home.
Oh, bear me away on your snow-white wings
To my immortal home.

I just wanted to make sure you know the song and what it meant.  We’re from Southwest Virginia.

Later that morning, on my drive to the church at Resurrection where I work, I called my mom, which I do pretty regularly on my drive, just to catch up and see how she’s doing and how she’s feeling.  I told her about the song, and she knew it really well and remembered that my dad liked it.

It’s been over two years, and yet that morning she was cleaning out the drawer to the nightstand. She experienced a flood of memories sparked by the items that he had stored there – lapel pins, watches, belt buckles, and his pocketknives – things that he had thought enough of to keep.  I told her that I would love to have a pocketknife, but I don’t want one of the ones that’s still in the cellophane like a showcase pocketknife: I want one that he carried in his pocket and used and loved.

Later on, I arrived at the church, grabbed a glass of water and a protein bar, plugged in my laptop, and headed for the comfy chair in the corner of my office.  I noticed that behind that chair was Buddy’s guitar.  It’s a guitar that I gave him at my wedding in 1994, and now it has been returned to me.  A guitar, a simple song, a pocketknife – there’s nothing particularly special about any of them, in and of themselves.  And yet, they contain so much power, so much meaning for me.  I ask myself, why is that?  Why do these objects have so much meaning?

I believe that each one of us possesses a spiritual power, an essence, a soul, and when someone occupies space in this realm, in this world, on this Earth in our lives, they leave little bits of that on things that they touch, things that they love.  That’s one reason that we find it so hard to go through their stuff when they’re gone.  The room, the car, the bed, and the clothes – it’s almost like they’re still there.  We can smell them, we can feel them; we can feel their essence, and we desire so strongly that they return and occupy this space again.  But if that happened, wouldn’t it be great if they weren’t in heart failure, if they didn’t have cancer, or diabetes, or pain in their knees and hips, and their memory was intact?

Well, brothers and sisters, that is the promise.  That is our hope.  That is the result of the new and eternal covenant – not ratified by offerings of bulls and goats, and rams and birds, but by the blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  That is the pathway generated by His suffering, death, and resurrection.

But the apostles didn’t know that yet.  They had rallied around this amazing man; they had followed Him and witnessed His power to heal and drive out demons, even to raise one from the dead.  And the Jews had been in this covenantal relationship with God for centuries, thousands of years, but they never could quite hold up their end of the agreement.  So, they ended up at various times in slavery, and in exile, and occupied by foreign powers.

The apostles were pretty sure that Jesus is the Messiah and that He was going to end all that, but what they were not so sure about was His methods.  He had just told them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and on the third day raised.  He also told them, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Yeah, that’s great, Jesus, but how are you going to defeat the Romans?  They were still arguing about who was to sit at His right hand when the Kingdom came.  Jesus very patiently was teaching and demonstrating, trying to prepare them for the strife and the difficulty that lay ahead, but they just didn’t comprehend His meaning.  So, before turning south for that final journey to Jerusalem, Jesus decided to give them some encouragement, give them some hope, something that they could draw on when the times turned darkest.  He wanted to give them a real glimpse of the glory that awaits on the other side.

He took His closest friends, and He went up a mountain.   Remember that in scriptures, whenever we go up a mountain, we are getting closer to God.  He went up a mountain and when He got up there, the first thing He did was pray.  He prayed.  Jesus always prayed before something big was about to happen.  That is a good example for us.  While He was praying, His body was transfigured, became glowing and brilliant white, and in order to accentuate the supernatural impact of this event, He was in conversation with the two great heroes of the Jews, Moses and Elijah, also in their glory – Moses representing the law, Elijah representing the prophets, and Jesus the realization and fulfillment of them both.

Peter, James, and John did not have our hindsight on the Resurrection.  They didn’t understand, and they wanted to put up tents.  They wanted to remain on the mountaintop; they wanted to remain in that glorious moment.  Don’t we all?  But Jesus knew there was still a lot of hard work to be done to accomplish His exodus in Jerusalem.  He will lead an exodus that takes us away from our slavery and to sin and death and to the new promised land – an eternal Heaven with Him.

A couple of days before Buddy died, he and I had a phone conversation about his ailments.  He liked to talk about his ailments.  And then somehow, we got to talking about Heaven.  He was not Catholic and didn’t really understand our faith too deeply, but I told him about our Catholic faith regarding our bodies, and that our Apostles Creed ends with the belief in the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.   And he said (this was the last time I got to talk to him), “I believe that too, Barry.”  Well, I’ll hold onto your pocketknife, Buddy.

Resist Temptation

First Sunday of Lent
March 6, 2022 — Year C
Readings: Dt 26:4-10 / Ps 91 / Rom 10:8-13 / Lk 4:1-13
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

There is a beautiful quotation from Franklin Jones, a journalist.  He said, “What makes resisting temptation difficult for many people is they don’t want to discourage it completely.”  Another anonymous quotation goes, “Most people would like to be delivered from temptation but would like it to keep in touch.”  Also, before he was fully converted, Saint Augustine’s prayer was, “Lord, make me chaste—but not yet.”

Seriously, however, we must ask ourselves, how often are we tempted in life?  Each day, how often do we experience being driven to do something wrong?  Or tempted to think ill of another person?  Or tempted to ignore a neighbor in need?  All these temptations come from the evil one.  God will never tempt us.  He can only test us.

In fact, in the letter of Saint James, it is said that God tempts no one.  The devil enjoys tempting us, because he wants us to be on his side, not on God’s side.  That’s why someone once said that Satan never rests.  Just as he tempted Adam and Eve, just as he tempted Jesus, he is tempting us today.  The only difference between now and Biblical times is that the devil has updated his tactics.  Even the devil (not just Apple) knows the need for updating.

If you look at the beginning of creation, how was the devil described?  As a snake.  In Mark’s Gospel which parallels the gospel we heard today from Luke, the devil is described as the wild beast. Today, the devil is a good-looking one.  The devil can be very sexy.  The devil can be something that is very delicious to eat or luscious to drink.  The devil can be in the form of something that will attract us away from the grace of God.

There is a story about Lucifer that tells how one day he got very angry because he noticed that the people of the world had started to read the Bible.  People believed in Jesus and His teachings.  Lucifer found it hard to tempt them.  He called for an emergency meeting with his top four advisers.  The topic to be discussed was what to do to tempt people away from following Christ.

The first adviser said, “Master, we will tell the people that God does not exist, so that they can do evil things.”  Lucifer said, “I am not convinced.  People will not believe that there is no God, because every time they see creation, they will wonder who created the birds, trees, people, etc. Of course they will think God created all of the things in the world.”

The second adviser said, “Master, we will convince the people that there is no heaven, so there is no need for them to do good.  They can do anything they want since there is no reward of heaven.”  Lucifer said, “No, when people love each other, it is like heaven.  When they help others, they feel joy and joy is a heavenly feeling.”

The third adviser said, “Master, we will tell the people that there is heaven, but there is no hell, so they will not be afraid to sin.”  Lucifer said, “Even on earth, people experience hell.  When a spouse is unfaithful, that is hell for them.  When government is corrupt, that is hell for them.  When there is war, that is hell for them.”

The fourth adviser said, “Master, we will tell the people that there is God, so do good.  There is heaven, so strive to be good.  There is hell, so strive to avoid sin.”  Lucifer said, “What?  Are you trying to make them good people?”  The fourth adviser said, “No. We will tell them that there is God, heaven, and hell, but don’t rush.  Don’t hurry—you have enough time.”  Lucifer said, “That’s a good tactic.  Let’s go with that idea.”

The devil’s tactic is effective.  We know that there is God, heaven, and hell, but the problem is that we are not in a hurry.  We follow the devil’s advice to take our time.  That’s why we go worldly first.  Go enjoy and party.  Go for vacation and neglect to attend Mass.  Go spend so much time working and save no time for prayer.  Go to church when you’re old and weak, but let’s enjoy life while we are young.  Get active in the church after retirement.  We don’t rush. By not rushing, by not seeing the urgency to follow Jesus, we believe what the devil says—that we have enough time.

I hope we will not actually be tempted by the devil’s tactic.  There are many people who fall into the trap of thinking that they have plenty of time.  Then death comes unexpectedly.  That’s why, during the season of Lent, especially, this first Sunday of Lent, we are always invited to enter into our desert.  Desert can mean many things.  We need to enter into the silence of our hearts and learn to know and recognize the devil’s temptation and then defeat it.

Do not try to trust your own strength to fight against temptation.  Be humble and accept that we cannot conquer evil by ourselves.  We always need God’s grace and guidance.  As we face the devil or temptation, we need to have the spirit of Jesus.  Let us remember that only Jesus has conquered the devil.

In the letter to the Hebrews, Paul says, “Because Christ Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.”  Christ will help us because He understands our situation.  May God’s love and grace give us the strength to choose Him and not the devil.  His message to us is:  Leave your sins.  Repent and believe in the Gospel.

Let us always remember what makes temptation difficult for many people is that they don’t want to discourage it completely.

Dust in the Wind

Ash Wednesday
March 2, 2022 — Year C
Readings: Jl 2:12-18 / Ps 51 / 2 Cor 5:20 – 6:2 / Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

During the season of Lent, especially Ash Wednesday, we may ask the question, “Why do we use ashes on Ash Wednesday?”  Why not use oil or other things?

If we stop to reflect, ashes are useless; ashes have no value, useless, simply because ashes come from burnt objects.  Of course, the ashes that we use here came from the burning of the palms that we blessed last year.  But there is no value in those ashes.

That’s why, whenever those ashes are imposed on our foreheads, it’s a reminder for us that everything in this world will vanish; that everything in this world is temporary.  Everything that your hand can hold will disappear.  Your dreams, your aspirations in life – they are all temporary.  Even the things that you are proud of – they are not eternal.  The ashes remind us that everything we have in this world – even our own lives – are temporary.  They are like ashes that can easily be blown by the wind, and they’re gone.   That’s why we use ashes on Ash Wednesday.  This will remind us that everything in this world – our own lives, our talents, our dreams — are temporary.  It should always humble us.

Another thing about ashes is that they are itchy.  In the past, when people wanted to repent, they covered themselves with ashes as a sign of repentance.  If you have a wound and put ashes in it, it’s very painful.  But people would endure that itchiness, that pain, as a sign of their repentance.

And again, the ashes are a reminder to us that everything in this world will disappear.  Ashes are also a reminder for us that we all need to repent.  When we repent, we need to make some sacrifices.

During the season of Lent, we are always asked to make some sacrifices.  We cannot just keep complaining; we need to sacrifice.  We need to listen to the will of God in our lives, and allow our problems, allow the trials that may come into our lives, to mold us.  Sacrifice.  That is why St. Maximilian Kolbe once said, “There is no love when there is no sacrifice.”

If you take a look at the word Lent, you’ll see that it is the past tense of the word lend.  When somebody lends, somebody also borrows, and vice versa:  When somebody borrows, somebody also lends.  In this season of Lent, it is a time for us to remember that everything we have in this life is borrowed:  our lives, our talents, our skills, our jobs.  These are all God’s gifts to us; we just borrow them from the Lord.

The greatest lender is not the bank, or the pawn shop, but God Himself.  He lends us even our own lives.  He lends us so much, and there will be a time when we have to return everything He lent us.  Sooner or later, we will have to make an accounting of what we have done with the lives that He gave us.

Lent is a time for us to remember that everything will vanish; everyone needs to repent, and everything will turn into dust.  The only thing that will not turn into dust is the love of God, because this love is forever.  His love for you, His love for me, His love for all of us, is forever.

If you want to find meaning in your life, then cover yourself, not only with the actions of repentance, but also cover yourself with the love of God.  When you cover yourself with repentance and the love of God, then you will surely find meaning and purpose in your life.