The Bread King

Seeing how Jesus is presented in the gospel of Mark

04/25/2023

Mk 16:15-20 Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

If you are looking for the ideal book of the Bible to do a beginner’s Bible study, I highly recommend the Gospel of St. Mark. Why? Well, because of the four gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – Mark is the shortest, with only 16 chapters. So, you can get through it fast and feel you have achieved something special. Or, as we say here in the South, “Git ‘er done!”

As a writer Mark the Evangelist believes strongly in the K.I.S.S. rule of grammar. KISS stands for “keep it simple, stupid.” In other words, write in an uncomplicated and straight-forward way so that all readers, even the most simple and uneducated, will understand who Jesus is and come to faith in him. In a sense, Mark is “everyman’s gospel”, and that is why it will be a good gospel to start a Scripture study with.

I did a Bible study on Mark’s gospel called “Mark the Way.” I actually produced ten videos on the gospel providing historical and cultural background so the gospel of Mark makes more sense. Often 21st century Catholics are clueless about 1st century Jewish culture. It is called “Mark the Way” because there is a distinctive section, from Mk 8:22 to 10:52 called “the Way Section”.

That is, prior to Mark 8:22, Jesus is located in northern Israel, an area called Galilee. But after the Way Section (after Mk 10:52), Jesus has traveled to southern Israel, to Jerusalem, where he will suffer and die. In other words, the Way section describes Jesus’ way as the Messiah, who has come not only to heal and teach (in Galilee), but also, and primarily, to suffer and die for us (in Jerusalem).

But the phrase “the Way” also has an application for us as Jesus’ disciples. In fact, before the disciples were called “Christians” for the very first time in Acts 11:26, the followers of Jesus were referred to as those who adhered to the Way. You might recall this phrase when St. Paul, while still Saul the Pharisee, was persecuting Christians. We read in Act 9:1-2, “But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”

In other words, the Way signifies the path that Jesus took in his earthly journey as Messiah. But the Way also suggests the path we should take in our journey as disciples, which frequently means being persecuted and suffering. That is why the Bible study on the second gospel is called “Mark the Way” – we mark Jesus’ way, and we mark our own way as his followers. Catchy, huh?

Even though Mark’s gospel is short and sweet, with only sixteen chapters, there is so much that can be said about it. Why is that? Well, because the primary Author of the Bible is the Holy Spirit. So, we will never fully exhaust the riches of truth and love we find in those splendid pages. You could spend you whole life studying nothing but the sixteen chapters of Mark, and it would have been a life well lived and not wasted.

Let me mention just one more distinctive feature of Mark’s gospel, on this feast of St. Mark. Readers of Mark quickly notice something called “the Marcan secret.” Have you ever heard of that? Invariably, when evil spirits are exorcized or miraculous healings happen, people declare Jesus’ identity as the Messiah, or as the Son of God. But Jesus immediately says, “SHHHH! Be quiet!”  Why?

Well, because people’s expectations then – and our expectations today – are primarily about what Jesus can do for us here on earth: heal my sickness, give me food to eat, raise the dead to earthly life. And even though Jesus did these things, that is not the main reason he came. He came to suffer and die and open the doors of paradise to us.

In other words, Jesus came to give us eternal life, not just endless earthly life. But people did not catch that that, and we do not catch that today. People wanted to carry him off and make him a “Bread King.” And so Jesus has to say, “No, no, no! That is not who I am, and that is not why I came.” So, he tried to keep his identity a secret until he completed his mission on the Cross, so people might have true faith in him as the “Bread King.”

Maybe that is why Holy Communion is such a small piece of Bread. That little wafer will not keep us alive for very long here on earth, if that is all we ever eat. But it will be more than enough to keep us alive for all eternity in heaven.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Hunger Pains

Feeling hunger that only the Eucharist can satisfy

04/24/2023

Jn 6:22-29 [After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.] The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat, but only his disciples had left. Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks. When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" Jesus answered them and said, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal." So they said to him, "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent."

Did you know that the Catholic Church in the United States is right in the middle of a three-year long Eucharistic Revival? What does that mean? Well, the U.S. bishops are seeing a lot of apathy and even some anger from Catholics in our country caused by the sexual abuse crisis, the COVID pandemic, and the general cultural malaise about organized religion. Are you familiar with the “nones”? They are those who answer “none” when asked about their religious affiliation, and that group is growing exponentially.

In response, the bishops believe the antidote to our spiritual ailments is a healthy dose of the Eucharist. That is why St. Ignatius of Antioch in the second century called the Eucharist, “the medicine of immortality.” In other words, Jesus’ Body and Blood not only saves us from eternal death but also restores us to eternal life. That is ultimately what Jesus meant when he said in Jn 10:10, “I came so that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” And Jesus gives us that abundant life every time we put Holy Communion into our mouth at Mass.

And if there is one book and one chapter of the Bible that should be the scriptural heartbeat of this Eucharistic Revival, it should be John 6 which recounts the magnificent miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish, and the Bread of Life Discourse. That is, John does in chapter 6 what Matthew, Mark, and Luke do in their Last Supper narratives, namely, show Jesus’ desire for his followers to eat his Body and drink his Blood.

St. John, weaving together his own theological insights and literary artistry, presents Jesus as the “medicine of immortality”, that is, the cure for what ultimately ails the human race. In other words, the U.S. bishops are spot on in calling for a Eucharistic Revival: our Lord in Holy Communion is exactly what this world needs in the 21st century, and in every century.

Let me be a little more concrete and specific about this 3-year Eucharistic Revival. What will happen in those three years? The years are 2022, 2023, and 2024. The first year, June 2022-23, was supposed to focus on the whole diocese. The Church in Arkansas has planned events and speakers this summer – June 3 and June 10 – to talk about the inestimable value of the Eucharist, and I am one of those speakers! Pray for me, or better, pray for those poor people who have to listen to me!

And the diocese, the bishop to be more exact, will dedicate a new Shrine of Divine Mercy in Little Rock, at St. Edward’s Church this summer, on the feast of Corpus Christi. And in July 2024 there will be a National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Indiana where 80,000 Catholics will celebrate the heart of our faith in the Mass, and taste the healing effects of the medicine of immortality.

But the middle year – 2023- is intended to focus on parish renewal of our faith in the Eucharist. That is, what are we doing here at Immaculate Conception to grow in our devotion and love for the Eucharist and live it in our daily lives? Well, one thing we already do is celebrate Mass everyday, at 7 a.m., Monday through Saturday. And at 7:30 a.m. on Sundays. You can sleep in on Sundays!

And we have a Holy Hour of Adoration in Spanish on Thursdays evening from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. But I would like to add an hour of Eucharistic Adoration in English on Wednesday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. We used to think of Wednesdays as “Church day” because many churches have bible studies and worship services on Wednesdays. Perhaps right in the middle of the week we could use another shot of Jesus in Adoration to get us to the weekend.

My friends, something beautiful and transformative happens when we stare at that little while Host. Venerable Fulton Sheen described it memorably when he said, “Staring at Our Lord in Adoration is like staring at the sunset. The longer we sit there and look, the more we begin to glow like the sun.” We begin to experience how Jesus heals us because he is the medicine of immortality, and we are spiritually sick.

We begin to hunger for him more than anything else. We start to understand what Jesus meant in the gospel today when he said: “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” And that is the goal of this 3-year Eucharistic Revival, to give us hunger pains that only Jesus can fully satisfy with the banquet of the Eucharist.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Come Eat

Learning how to love the food of the Eucharist

04/23/2023

Lk 24:13-35 That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus' disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.

I have really enjoyed having my dog Apollo for four months now, and miraculously, we are both still alive! People say that a dog is a man’s best friend, and I believe a dog is also a priest’s best friend. Why? Well, of course, we all know how loving, affectionate, and loyal dogs are to their owners. It is nice to return to the rectory after a long day and be greeted with slobbery kisses and play fetch with a stick and go for a walk. Dogs are great companions and help us priests overcome any loneliness for not having a family. Although at the end of a day dealing with people, I love some loneliness!

But there is another sense in which a dog is a priest’s best friend, that is, they teach us patience. Recently I switched Apollo’s dog food from beef to chicken so that he might have a little variety and guess what he did? He went on a hunger strike and did not eat for a whole day! You see, Apollo is the dog of an Indian priest so just like Mahatma Gandhi went on a hunger strike to defeat the British, so Apollo tried the same tactic on me, playing on my Indian sympathies. Smart dog.

But in this battle of wills, dog versus priest, mine was just a little stronger, and he finally caved in and ate the chicken the following day. In other words, Apollo has taught me how hard it can be to be a parent. You parents already know this because you often engage in a battle of wills with your children. I taught Apollo to eat his food – and we always say Grace before his meals. And Apollo has taught me patience (how to be a better father), and that is another reason a dog is a priest’s best friend.

In the gospel today from Luke 24, we see Jesus dealing with some of his best friends, two disciples on the road to Emmaus. And to be honest, I don’t know who had it harder, me or Jesus in trying to teach our best friends important life lessons. And by the way, it turns out we are both teaching the same lesson, namely, what to eat, and why we have to eat it. How so? Well, if you step back and look at today’s whole gospel reading of Luke 24:13-35, you can see the unmistakable outline of the Mass.

First of all, the whole episode occurs on a Sunday, because Luke notes it was “the first day of the week” just like we go to Mass on Sundays. Second, Jesus explains the Scriptures to the disciples, which is what happens in the first half of the Mass called the Liturgy of the Word. We, too, focus on the Scriptures. And third, Jesus stays for supper and reveals himself to them in “the breaking of the bread.” That is clearly a reference to the second half of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, where we focus on sharing a meal with Jesus and with one another.

But the part of the story I can relate to best is Jesus’ frustration with his disciples. He rebukes them saying: “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!” That is exactly what I said to Apollo: “Oh, how foolish you are, Apollo! And how slow of heart to believe that this food I am giving you is the best for you!” And isn’t Apollo’s attitude and the disciples’ attitude exactly how we are with the Eucharist, too? We are foolish and slow to understand, and we are not eager to enjoy the Eucharist.

My friends, do you know anyone who has gone on a spiritual hunger strike lately and refuses to come to Holy Communion? That is, do you know any Catholics who have stopped practicing their faith and no longer go to Mass “on the first day of the week” on Sunday? Do you know any Catholics who no longer recognize Jesus “in the breaking of the bread” and think Mass is boring? Yeah, don’t worry I know a few Catholics like that, too.

In other words, there is a cosmic battle of wills being waged all the time. Oh, it’s not the canine will and human will of Apollo versus Fr. John. But between the human will of fallen away Catholics and divine will of Jesus Christ who gives himself to us in the Eucharist and says “Come, eat.” If I had a penny for every time I said “Come, eat! Come, eat!” to Apollo, we’d never take another collection in this church! In other words, like Apollo did for a day in his Mahatma Gandhi hunger strike, we may spend years doing, filling our hearts with the scraps that fall from the tables of this world.

But our God is infinitely more patient than I am (thank goodness), and he will wait for us to come to our senses, and stop our spiritual hunger strike. Even if he has to wait until maybe the only Mass we ever attend again is our funeral Mass. Apollo is teaching me a lot of patience, and I need it. But we don’t need to teach God patience because for him, “a thousand years are like a day” (2 Pt 3:8). A dog is always a man’s best friend, especially a priest’s best friend, but man is not always God’s best friend.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

 

Stem to Stern

Seeing how Catholic schools educate the whole person

04/21/2023

Jn 6:1-15 Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him. One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people recline." Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted." So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, "This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world." Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

Early this week Mr. Rocha texted me to ask if we could move this Mass a little earlier to 8:15 instead of the regularly scheduled time of 8:45. He explained the reason was because you all would be going hiking for most of the day. And I thought that was a great idea. Why? Well, because Mr. Rocha knows a Catholic education is not just about what is between your ears – in your brain – but also about what is between your head to your toes, that is, in your body.

Or, as people sometimes say, “from stem to stern” using naval imagery, meaning the whole ship, or the whole student. In other words, a Catholic school is concerned with educating the whole person: body, mind, soul, and spirit. And that is why it is a very good thing to go hiking today because your classroom will be nature and your subject matter will be your body and its health.

By the way, this was something one of the greatest ancient philosophers understood very well, namely, Aristotle. His school was called “the Peripatetics” – the “very pathetics”! – but the Peripatetics. Literally that means in Greek those who walk around. So, the way Aristotle taught was he would walk with his studens, and talk as they walked. Why? Well, he believed that the body and mind worked in unison and in tandem.

As the body walked and advanced on the road physically, so the mind sort of walked and advanced on the road intellectually in rational inquiry. In other words, true education is psychosomatic. That comes from two Greek words, too, "psycho" meaning the soul and "soma" meaning the body. Mind and body advance together in the best form of education.

In the gospel today, Jesus shows a remarkable concern for the body as well as the soul in terms of evangelization, which is spiritual education. We read from the magnificent sixth chapter of John, and hear the remarkable “Bread of Life Discourse,” which is preceded by the multiplication of the five loaves and the two fish. But notice how before Jesus can teach them about spiritual food (the Eucharist), he gives them material food: bread and fish.

That is, Jesus knows just like Aristotle and like Mr. Rocha that the body and the mind work closely together. Physical walking helps with intellectual walking; material nourishment parallels spiritual nourishment. Education and evangelization are psychosomatic activities. Jesus, too, therefore, desires to educate the whole disciple (disciple means student), body, mind, soul, and spirit.

By the way, do you know what my favorite tennis shoe is? It is not Nike, or Adidas, or New Balance, or other brands. Rather, I love ASICS. Why? Well, because ASICS is actually an acronym in Latin. The five letters of ASICS are five Latin words: “anima sana in corpore sano.” Translated that means, “a sound mind in a sound body.”

In other words, the developers of this shoe company believe that there is an inseparable connection between mind and body. The fate of one is intrinsically tied to the fate of the other. Your body and your soul will end up together for eternity in either one place or another, either in heaven or in hell. They learn together, they live together, they languish together.

One final thought: isn’t this idea of the education and evangelization of the whole person what Easter is all about? Why did Jesus die on the Cross on Good Friday, and three days later rise from the dead on Easter Sunday? It was not just so that Jesus would have a glorified body (that’s certainly true).

But it was also so that we would one day have a glorified body. So that we would have a “anima sana in corpore sano” like the ASICS shoe company could never have imagined. Your soul alone will not be in heaven for eternity, your body will be there, too. And that is why it is a very good thing you are going hiking today.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

 

Complaining about the Popes

Seeing the leadership of Peter and Paul in each pope

04/20/2023

Acts 5:27-33 When the court officers had brought the Apostles in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, "We gave you strict orders did we not, to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man's blood upon us." But Peter and the Apostles said in reply, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him." When they heard this, they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.

If you ever visit Rome, you will undoubtedly go to St. Peter’s Basilica and hope you get a glimpse of the pope. But even before you enter into the magnificent basilica, in the piazza (the square) you will confront two statued figured that are literally larger than life. You cannot miss the two 18-foot tall statues of St. Peter and St. Paul. It is easy to recognize which statue is which. St. Peter is carrying keys, the symbol of his authority over the whole Church. And St. Paul is holding a sword, the symbol of his zealous love for the Lord because he was beheaded in Rome.

These two towering figures are larger than life in another sense, too. That is, they are the two foundations of the Church. Now, you might be thinking: “Wait a minute, Fr. John! I thought there was only one foundation, Peter, the Rock, on which Jesus built his Church in Mt. 16:18." That is undeniably true. Nonetheless, the Church is the Body of Christ. And just like every human person has a physical body but also a spiritual soul, so in a sense, St. Peter represents the physical, structural, hierarchical Church, while St. Paul stands for the spiritual, missionary, charismatic Church.

Put more simply: St. Peter is law (the head); St. Paul is love (the heart). Both are equally necessary and indispensable in the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ. And because these two saintly figures are larger than life in the foundation of the Church, so the Church herself looms larger than life as their ministry is carried forward through the ages in the apostolic endeavors of each pope.

Now, nowhere in the Scriptures does one book highlight this dual apostolic foundation better than in the Acts of the Apostles. In fact, the 28 chapters of Acts can be almost evenly divided into two halves, each half focusing on one of these two apostles. Chapters 1-12 highlight the work of St. Peter. Chapters 13-28 highlight the work of St. Paul. But the parallels and points of contact between Peter and Paul go far deeper than that.

If you study Acts carefully, you will discover ten clear and unmistakable parallels between Peter and Paul (we heard one in the first reading). (1) Both deliver inaugural addresses to the people of Israel. (2) Both appeal to Ps 16 to explain the Resurrection of Jesus. (3) Both have the power to heal cripples. (4) Both are filled with the Holy Spirit. (5) Both are renowned for extraordinary miracles. (6) Both confer the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands. (7) Both confront and rebuke magicians. (😎 Both raise the dead to new life. (9) Both refuse to accept divine worship. And (10) Both are miraculously delivered from prison.

In other words, Luke is trying to do with a pen what the sculptor of those two statues did with a chisel, namely, make St. Peter and St. Paul appear larger than life. That is, to show how Peter is the hierarchical head of the Church, while St. Paul is the charismatic missionary spirit of the Church. One is the law and head, the other is the love and heart. And thanks to the tireless evangelical efforts of both apostles, the Church grows exponentially fast, and reaches the ends of the earth.

My friends, I don’t know about you, but I can often see the spirit of St. Peter or the spirit of St. Paul animating and inspiring the leadership of the recent popes. Have you noticed this? For instance, I would say St. Peter influenced Pope Benedict XVI, who emphasized the traditions, the laws, and the structure of the Church. And that was good. But now I see the spirit of St. Paul pervading the priorities of Pope Francis, a missionary and an evangelist who wants to bring everyone into the Church.

Or take another example. Pope St. John XXIII convened the Second Vatican Council in 1962 to “open the windows of the Church to the world” so the Good News could reach the end of the world. That was the spirit of St. Paul. On the other hand, Pope St. John Paul II revised the Code of Canon Law in 1983, which was also good and needful, in the spirit of St. Peter. Both influences are good and healthy. Why?

Well, because the Church is the Body of Christ extended through the ages. And just like a healthy person has a body and a soul, a head and a heart, so the Church has structure and hierarchy, but also missionaries and evangelists. Both aspects of ecclesial life are good and necessary, and make the Church larger than life, just like St. Peter and St. Paul were. So, stop complaining about the popes.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

The Eighth Sacrament

Living our faith before learning our faith

04/19/2023

Jn 3:7b-15 Jesus said to Nicodemus: "'You must be born from above.' The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus answered and said to him, 'How can this happen?" Jesus answered and said to him, "You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

A couple of weeks ago at a parish council meeting someone said that we need to get more parishioners involved and engaged in activities at the parish. And that was a great suggestion. Why? Well, because when people start living their faith, they began to learn their faith. In a sense, Catholicism is “caught” sometimes better than it is “taught.” That is, we learn by doing. We learn about the sacraments by celebrating the sacraments of baptism, confession, Holy Communion, Holy Orders, Holy Matrimony, etc. The Catholic religion is not a spectator sport; we have to get in the game, and off the bench.

But before we can talk about what more we need to do here at I.C., we have to take stock of everything we already do. And the activity level of this parish is enormous and constant. We have Mass every day of the week at 7 a.m. with 75 to 100 people attending. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we also have Spanish Mass at 6 p.m. with the same number in attendance. Every Monday evening we have bingo, which is virtually the eighth sacrament of the church!

On Sunday evening, Tuesdays at noon and Wednesdays at noon we have various Bible studies, some of which are facilitated by our three deacon candidates: Bill Thomas, David Young, and Robert Maestri. Of course we have religious education classes on Sundays and Wednesdays with hundreds and hundreds of students. Our English youth group meets on Sunday afternoon, and our Hispanic youth group meets on Friday evenings.

The Ladies Auxiliary is here during the week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We have Eucharistic Ministers who take Jesus to the sick, like Mary Louise Thomas, Robert Maestri, and John Rossfeld. We have lots of parishioners who help with the St. Anne’s Society at the Hope Campus, with the Clothes Closet, with Heart to Heart Pregnancy Center, and other agencies that help the poor. And of course, we have a thriving elementary school with 220 students in K-5, and another 80 in preschool. We also have a huge Hispanic prayer group that meets on Friday night and has breakfast on Sunday morning, and just celebrated their 25th anniversary.

In other words, there is no shortage of activities and engagement here at Immaculate Conception Church. But it is always good to get more Catholics in the game of their spiritual life. Why? Well, because Catholicism is the kind of religion that is better caught than taught. It is first in the hands and feet and heart before it makes sense in the head. In a sense, our head is the last part of us that converts and becomes Catholic.

In the gospel today Jesus is trying to help Nicodemus come to faith in him. But notice how this “teacher of Israel” struggles: it is because he is leading with the head not the heart. So, Jesus tells him something Nicodemus cannot wrap his head around but must wrap his heart around. Jesus says: “’You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

In other words, faith in me is caught by the heart more than taught (or learned) by the head. You have to start living the faith – maybe start playing Bingo, the eighth sacrament! – and then you will start to learn the faith. In a sense, living our religion comes become learning our religion.

By the way, one more way I want to get people back on campus is by offering four Bible studies that I developed during the COVID pandemic. They were on the gospels of Mark and Luke, as well as on the Acts of the Apostles and the Book of Revelation. But I want to present these Bible studies strategically not haphazardly, that is, while we hear the same Scripture readings in the Sunday Mass during the year. Why?

Well, because at Mass we live the faith and Scriptures, whereas in Bible study we learn the faith and Scriptures. First we live the faith and then we learn the faith. But in a sense, the living comes first, and the learning comes second. Often our head is the last part of us that is converted to Christ. And that is why it was a great suggestion to get more people on our church campus, even if they are just playing Bingo.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Not in Kansas Anymore

Enjoying the ride of happiness and hostility

04/15/2023

Mk 16:9-15 When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either. But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. He said to them, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature."

In the past 2,000 years, sometimes the Church and secular society walked happily hand-in-hand, but at other times we came to fisticuffs and fights. Sometimes it was a happy marriage, at other times it was a bitter divorce. For example, shortly after Emperor Constantine signed the Edict of Milan in 313, Christianity gradually became the official religion of the Roman Empire. But in the preceding three hundred years Christians were social pariahs and common criminals and persecuted.

In the Middle Ages the Church and society were again friendly, building churches and monasteries and Catholic universities with public funds. But after the Protestant Reformation in 1517, Catholics started to suffer persecution in countries controlled by Protestant monarchs. And by the way, Catholics were not always the victims; we did our fair share of torturing and killing those who professed Protestantism. It was sometimes a happy marriage, sometimes a bitter divorce.

We see the first hints of this happiness and hostility in the Scripture readings today. Indeed, we see hints of everything in the Bible. In the gospel of Mark, Jesus helps the apostles to overcome their fear and trepidation and joyfully proclaim the gospel. And they are often met with warmly receptive crowds and eager converts. But in the Acts of the Apostles, they also meet official opposition from the Jewish leaders, who forbid them to preach and teach in the name of Jesus. In other words, the Church and culture are often swinging back and forth from a happy marriage to a bitter divorce, from happiness to hostility.

My friends, have you experienced this happiness and hostility in your faith life, in your journey with Jesus? Perhaps last Sunday (Easter) your whole family happily dressed up and went to Mass. But this coming Sunday, if you suggest they go to Mass again, you will get long looks and maybe even be rejected and rebuffed.

The late Cardinal Francis George of Chicago is reported to have said: “I will die in my bed. My successor will die in prison. His successor will die in his blood.” In other words, the Catholic Church and secular society in Chicago may be getting along swimmingly today, but soon that amicable relationship will become fisticuffs; a happy marriage will become a bitter divorce.

Folks, I would submit to you that in a sense, this pendulum swing is inevitable. Why is that? Well, one of my favorite Scripture passages is Hb 13:14, which reminds us: “Here we have no lasting city, but we await the one that is to come.” That is, our true and permanent home is not Fort Smith, or Arkansas, or even the United States – they are not “lasting.” Rather, our home is the heavenly Jerusalem. And so when our relationship with secular society changes from happiness to hostility, we are reminded of Hb 13:14. We are not in Kansas anymore, Toto.

Another reason happiness becomes hostility is that our moral teaching is very disagreeable to modern minds. No abortion, no women priests, lenient and humane immigration laws, celibacy for priests, no capital punishment, no contraception, no remarriage without an annulment, no cohabitation before marriage. All these teachings, and many, many others, sound like nails on the chalkboard to modern ears.

And what the result? Friends become foes. In other words, as long as we keep quiet about the disagreeable and only emphasize the agreeable, we can all just be friends and get along. But as Peter, the first pope, said in Acts 4 this morning: “It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard." That was true in the first century and it remains true in every century.

So, what should we do about this rollercoaster relationship of Church and society? Well, I think we should just enjoy the ride – it is the inherent dynamic of being IN the world but not OF the world. And as long as we keep our eyes on Jesus, everything else will be okay. Like Agent Smith said to Neo in the movie, “The Matrix” – “Do you hear that Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability.”

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Truth or Consequences

Learning to speak the truth and avoid lies

04/10/2023

Mt 28:8-15 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’ And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day.

One of the easiest things in the world to do is tell a lie. But I would submit to you that one of the hardest things in the world to do is tell a lie, too. Why is that? Well, because a lie is a sin, and like all sin, it appears enticing and easy in the beginning but in the end it is the worst thing and the hardest thing. That is why Mark Twain once quipped: “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”

In other words, it is when we lie that we have to remember the falsehood we said and work very hard not to contradict ourselves later. But of course, one lie, even a small one, begets larger lies, and like a snowball rolling downhill, eventually rolls out of control and crushes everything. Lies are the easiest things and the hardest things.

In the gospel today, we see the chief priests and the elders starting that snowball of lies after the Resurrection of Jesus. Matthew records: “The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, ‘You are to say, “His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep”.’” That was clear a lie because the soldiers knew exactly what happened to Jesus’ body.

But notice what else they say, “And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” In other words, we will tell another lie to cover that original lie, and thus the snowball of lies grows larger and larger. And that is how seemingly easy lies get harder and harder. If they had just told the truth from the beginning, they would not have had to remember anything.

My friends, one of the signs that you are growing and maturing in the Christian life is an abhorrence of falsehood and a love of the truth. Why is that? Well, because Jesus told Thomas in Jn 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus is truth incarnate; truth on two legs. And this statement stands in stark contrast to Jesus’ point in Jn 8:44, where he describes Satan’s M.O. (modus operandi): “When Satan tells a lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of lies.” It is a question of whose children we are. Who’s your daddy: the Father of Truth or the father of lies? And that is why lies seem so easy in the beginning but end up being so hard: we are adopted into the family of Satan, the father of lies.

We all know the old cliché that honest is the best policy. Now that sounds good in theory, but sometimes it can be very hard to put into practice. If a woman asks you how she looks in a new dress that she loves but is too tight-fitting and not very flattering, you better pick your words carefully or you may be eating them for lunch. Sometimes people ask me confidential information that I am privy to as pastor. And I jokingly answer: “I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you.” There is a town in New Mexico called “Truth or Consequences” and perhaps they know how to balance truth and charity.

The classic conundrum of not lying is the scenario in World War II Nazi Germany. You are hiding Jews in your attic and the Gestapo knock on your door and ask if you have any Jews in your home. We studied that scenario in seminary, but I don’t remember learning any satisfactory answer. If you would like to read a real-life case of hiding Jews and answering the authorities, I highly recommend Corrie Ten Boom’s The Hiding Place. She lied twice to the Gestapo and still ended up in the concentration camp. But she alone from her family survived and wrote this book.

Folks, I know I did not give you a simple and straight-forward formula for how to tell the truth and avoid telling lies. And I am not sure there is one. Nonetheless, I did want to emphasize and explain that there are consequences for either path we choose. And we should think carefully about these consequences, not only the earthly ones, but also the eternal ones.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

The Last Word

Allowing Jesus to have the last word in prayer

04/09/2023

Mt 28:1-10 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.” Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

One of the greatest challenges in all marriages is mastering good couple communication. And perhaps the key that unlocks the door of dialogue is figuring out who get the last word. Have you ever felt like you always needed to get the last word, meaning win the argument? One male friend of mine who has been married for 20 years told me his secret of couple communication. He said, “I always get the last word whenever my wife and I argue or discuss something. And those words are ‘Yes dear’.”

Did you ever see the hilarious movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”? The night before the wedding the nervous bride is so scared that she wants to back out of the wedding. Her mother gives her some sage advice, saying: “Always remember dear: the man is the head of the home. But the wife is the neck, and the neck can turn the head any way she wants.” In other words, the woman should get the last word in couple communication, as she points her husband in the right direction. Who gets the last word is important.

Today we celebrate Easter Sunday and the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. And today’s feast shows us in a very special sense that Jesus is the One who always gets the last word. How so? Well, because in the eternal argument over sin and death – the only two things ever worth arguing about because everything else is trivial – Jesus is the last word on the subject, namely, that life has conquered death and grace has vanquished sin.

One of my favorite Scripture passages is Rm 5:20, where St. Paul notes this ultimately victory, saying: “Where sin abounds, there grace abounds all the more.” And by the way, didn’t we see “sin abound” on Good Friday, when it seemed like death had gotten the “last word” when it crucified our Savior. But today the tables are turned. And in a beautiful way we see how the women turn the heads of men to the empty tomb as they announce that Jesus has risen.

Have you ever noticed how women are always trying to turn men’s heads to Jesus? How many of you men are here today because a woman turned your head and said, “Honey, maybe we should go to Mass today because it’s Easter.” In fact, Jesus even gives women this specific command to turn men’s heads when he says in today’s gospel: “Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” Before Jesus gave the apostles the “great commission” to preach the gospel to all the nations, Jesus gave women the great commission to turn the apostles’ heads to Jesus.

But really good women don’t turn men’s heads so that the women get the last word, but rather so that Jesus can get the last word. And how does Jesus always get the last word? Well, we read in another one of my favorite Scripture passages, John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and made his dwelling among us.” That is, Jesus cannot help but be the last word because he is the only Word that lasts because he is the eternal Word of the Father. Wise women know that Jesus always gets the last word. Wise women know that it is important to get the last word, and that Word should be Jesus.

Here is another sense in which the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday is the “last word”. Each of the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John begin their last chapter with the account of the Resurrection. Matthew’s last chapter is 28 (which we heard today), Mark’s last chapter is 16, Luke’s last chapter is 24, and John’s last chapter is 20. Incidentally, there are 21 chapters in John, but chapter 20 is clearly the conclusion, whereas chapter 21 is essentially an epilogue, wrapping up loose ends.

Now it is true that the chapters and verses of the New Testament were added in the Middle Ages. Nonetheless, it is clear that each gospel culminates and concludes in the Resurrection scene. As the French say the Resurrection is the “dénouement” of the story. The chapters and verses, therefore, only underscore what is obvious to any attentive reader of the Bible, namely, the “last word” of the four gospels is Jesus, the Word of God, as he rises victorious from the grave. Jesus always gets the last word because he is the only Word that lasts.

My friends, in your relationship with Jesus – especially when you pray – who normally gets the last word? Venerable Fulton Sheen once noted how differently we pray than Samuel prayed in the Old Testament. When God called him at night, young Samuel went to the Temple and reported, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” But most of us go to pray and say: “Listen, Lord, your servant is speaking.” And if we do bother to give God the last word, we expect God to say “Yes dear.”

How much better was the attitude of prayer of St. John Vianney. This is how he described his prayer: “I walk into the church at night, and I sit down before the Blessed Sacrament. And I look at Jesus, and he looks at me.” In other words, St. John Vianney did not speak at all in prayer. Why not? Well, because he gave Jesus not only the “last word”, but ALL the words. He figured what Jesus had to say to him was infinitely more interesting than what he had to say to his Lord. That attitude might also be a good way to approach couple communication: what my spouse has to say to me may be far more interesting than what I have to say to her. Who gets the last word is important.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Bodily Worship

Praising God with body, mind, heart, and soul

04/06/2023

1 Cor 11:23-26 Brothers and sisters: I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

One of the most distinguishing features of the Catholic religion, setting it apart from many Protestant denominations, is that we worship with our bodies. Have you noticed this at Mass? Of course we praise God with all our minds and hearts - that goes without saying. But we do not want to neglect to offer him the worship of our bodies.

That is why we stand and kneel and genuflect and hold hands and bow, etc. Catholicism is a very bodily religion. This is what I like to call our “Catholic calisthenics.” We should be the healthiest of all Christians! In other words, we want to glorify God with every ounce of what we have and what we are: body, mind, heart, soul, and spirit. It is in this sense that our worship of God should be total.

Many years ago I watched a very funny movie called “The Scarlet Pimpernel” about an Englishman who rescues people from France during the Reign of Terror following the French Revolution. Even though it is funny, there is a very touching and spiritual scene when the Scarlet Pimpernel gets married. After the couple exchanges their vows, he says something I will never forget.

Listen to this. While putting the ring on his bride’s finger, he states: “With this ring, I thee wed. This gold and silver, I thee give. With my body, I thee worship. With all my worldly goods, I thee endow.” Did you catch that part about his body: it is for worship? That may sound to some like idolatry or paganism – worshiping another person?? – but it conveys a deep spiritual truth. Bodies are made for worship.

In other words, the love that spouses show one another is a sort of dress rehearsal (although without the dress) for the real love and worship we render to God in Jesus. How so? Well, because Jesus is not only our Savior, he is our Spouse. And just like the Scarlet Pimpernel worshipped his wife with his body, (and with everything else), so we worship God in Jesus with our bodies (and also with everything else). That is why we do Catholic calisthenics: to worship God with our bodies because ultimately he is our Spouse.

I really love our second reading today from 1 Co 11:23-26. Why? Well, because it is the earliest written account of the Last Supper in the New Testament. Did you know that? That may surprise some people because they mistakenly think the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were written first. After all, the gospels are placed before the letters of St. Paul, so surely they were written before them. Right? Wrong.

That is a common misunderstanding of Catholics who do not know their Bible very well. But in reality Paul had written several of his letters – including 1 Corinthians – long before Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John picked up a pen and parchment to write their gospels. So, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 is super special because it is the oldest written account of the Last Supper.

But another reason this passage of 1 Co 11:23-26 is so significant is because Paul records Jesus saying: “Do this in remembrance of me.” Now, notice what Jesus did not say at the Last Supper. He did not say: “Read this in remembrance of me.” He did not say: “Memorize this in remembrance of me.” He did not say, “Write lots of books about this in remembrance of me.” Rather, our Lord commanded, “Do this in remember of me.”

Now, what exactly did Jesus want us to do? Well, he wanted us to do what he did, namely, reenact his celebration of the Passover of the Old Testament that had now become the Last Supper of the New Testament. The whole Christian life is "imitatio Christi" the imitation of Christ. In other words, Jesus wanted us to do Catholic calisthenics and celebrate the Mass.

That is, Jesus wants us to worship him not only with our minds and hearts – again, that goes without saying – he wants the worship of our bodies: the sitting, standing, the eating, and drinking. Why? Well, for the same reason that the Scarlet Pimpernel’s wife wanted the worship of his body. Because when you really love someone, you love them with everything you have and everything you are.

I will never forget attending a private Mass with Pope St. John Paul II. He was already in his 80’s, and in a wheelchair. He was no longer able to walk freely and he drooped to one side as his Parkinson’s advanced, and his right hand shook. But with a Herculean effort he tried to do all the motions of the Mass that day: standing, kneeling, bowing and even genuflecting.

I remember thinking while tears flowed down my face: “Surely, you can just sit through the Mass. You are the pope after all!” And I promised myself I would never complain about the movements of the Mass again. But John Paul wanted to worship God with his body, not just his mind and heart. Why? Because when you really love someone, you love them with all you have and all you are.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Root Reasons

Learning how to be a light to the nations

04/04/2023

Is 49:1-6 Hear me, O islands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

A few weeks ago I gave a marriage enrichment retreat at St. Raphael Church in Springdale (I mentioned this before). The purpose of the retreat was not to give practical advice on how to improve your marriage. Rather, the retreat tried to help couples discover the root reason to get married in the first place, namely, to personally experience and publically express the love of God to the world.

You see, marriage is not a private business between two people. That is why marriages, and even divorces, are listed in the daily newspaper. In other words, marriage is a public institution for the common good of society. Your marriage affects me, and your divorce affects me, too. I am convinced that most of the problems we face in society – drugs, gangs, school shootings, etc. – can be traced back to how we live our vocation to marriage.

And the root reason to get married, and stay married, is not just to help society, but ultimately to show the world the love of God. How does your marriage show the world the love of God? Well, each family is a miniature version of the Holy Trinity. How so? Just like we believe that God is one and yet also three Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), so every human family typically has a father, mother, and children. And if they are a Catholic family, they have 20 children.

Scott Hahn captured this truth by a humorous saying: “The two become one and the one is so real that nine months later, you have to give it a name!” That is, you have a baby. In other words, the root reason you get married is to reflect, as in a miniature mirror, the love and life beating in the heart of the Holy Trinity to the whole world. That is why Isaiah said in the first reading: “I will make you a light to the nations.”

Yesterday, all the priests of the diocese gathered in St. Andrew’s Cathedral for the Chrism Mass. And in a sense, the purpose of this annual gathering is for us priests to get back to the root reason we became priests in the first place. And surprisingly, it is the same root reason that you got married, namely, to show the love of God to the world. Now, priests are normally not married, so we cannot use the same method as you. So, our manner of displaying the love of God is not through marriage but rather through ministry.

And that ministry is expressed eloquently in the three oils that were blessed by the bishop at the Chrism Mass yesterday: the oil of the sick, the oil of catechumens, and the oil of Chrism. In other words, by using these three oils in our ministry the people of God – indeed, the whole world! – glimpses God’s love poured out in the Person of Jesus Christ. Every time you receive a sacrament, you meet Jesus. Just like marriages are for the public good, so priests exist for the public good. But in our case, that public good is the sanctification of the human race.

How do these oils help us priests in our ministry to sanctify the world? Well, the oil of the sick helps us know Jesus is close to us when we are seriously sick. I had viral meningitis in 2003, and Bishop Sartain came to the hospital to anoint me. I was not miraculously healed and able to run home. But I did feel as if Jesus was holding me in his arms, and that everything was going to be okay. I met Jesus in the hospital that day.

When I baptize a baby I put the oil of catechumens on his chest. Some babies cry when I do that, other babies fall asleep, and others try to fight me at that moment. But the parents know that their baby is meeting Jesus, and becoming another Jesus – a Christian! – by that anointing and that baptism.

And in a few weeks 87 teenagers will be anointed with the oil of Sacred Chrism on their foreheads by Bishop Taylor. They have taken Confirmation classes for two years prior to receiving that sacrament. Why? So that they know they are meeting Jesus on that day by means of that oil. Every time you receive a sacrament, like at this Mass, you are meeting Jesus in a profound personal encounter, and we become more like him.

It may come as a surprise to many people that married people and priests are in exactly the same business: to show the love of God to the whole world, “to become a light to the nations.” Married people show that love and light by their marriages and having babies, for the increase of the human race. Priests show that love and light through our ministry, especially with these three oils, for the sanctification of the human race. It is always good to reflect on the root reasons we do things.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Palms Before My Feet

Learning how humility is the heart of Palm Sunday

04/02/2023

Mt 21:1-11 When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, And a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, 'The master has need of them.' Then he will send them at once." This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Say to daughter Zion, "Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden." The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest."

Have you ever heard of Archbishop Fulton Sheen? All the old timers are nodding their heads. His cause for canonization has begun and he is called “Venerable Fulton Sheen.” But besides his spiritual credentials, he was a brilliant theologian who wrote 66 books, several of which I have read. He was also a wildly popular television personality. In fact, he had the most popular television show on T.V. called “Life Is Worth Living.”

And in 1952 he won an Emmy Award, the prestigious award for exceptional work in the television industry. Even more impressive, his appeal spread far beyond Catholic circles. He was admired by Protestants, Jews, Muslims, and even atheists, but not the Communists. As far as worldly notoriety and fame goes, Fulton Sheen was at the top of the heap, spiritually and secularly.

But I remember one day listening to one of his broadcasts on tape and he said something remarkable. He was discussing his popularity, and how people complimented his speaking and writing skills. The good archbishop said, “Well, if Jesus can ride into Jerusalem on a donkey to manifest his glory, then I guess he can even use someone like me to show his glory.” Coming from a man the whole world took seriously, it was refreshing to hear that he did not take himself too seriously. He was humble, like a donkey.

And I am convinced that this humility is the very heart of the Palm Sunday celebration. How so? Well, Jesus himself does not let all the pomp and circumstance, the popularity polls he was at the top of, and the adulation of the crowds singing “Hosanna!” go to his head. How does he avoid it? He rides into Jerusalem as a king (to be sure), but on a donkey. Zechariah had prophesied the coming of this humble king in Zech 9:9, which St. Matthew quoted in today’s gospel at the beginning of Mass.

In other words, Jesus does not triumphantly enter David’s City of Jerusalem on a "war horse” displaying earthly power and royal authority. When all the world wanted to take Jesus seriously – because it was not the right kind of seriousness – our Lord did not let himself be taken too seriously. The world is always taking the wrong things seriously. The most serious thing in the world is humility. And that is why Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.

My friends, one of the most natural human needs and tendencies is to seek the approval and applause of other people. And to a certain extent that is a good thing. We rightly desire our parents’ praise, we want good grade from teachers at school, we seek the compliments of our coaches in track, soccer, and basketball. But that human desire can also become highly detrimental if it leads to pride, ego, and boasting.

Venerable Fulton Sheen wrote in his autobiography, fittingly called “Treasure in Clay", that “The proud man counts his newspaper clippings, the humble man counts his blessings.” When all the world starts to take you too seriously, it is a test of humility if you don’t take yourself too seriously. If Jesus can use a donkey to show his glory, then he can use you and me to show his glory too. Remember that, and you will stay humble.

Let me conclude with a poem by G.K. Chesterton called, “The Donkey” and invite you to think about the life of this humble animal. By the way, this poem ain’t like reading Dr. Seuss, so you have to concentrate on the words. The Donkey says:

When fishes flew and forests walked

And figs grew upon thorn,

Some moment when the moon was blood

Then surely I was born.

With monstrous head and sickening cry

And ears like errant wings,

The devil’s walking parody

On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,

Of ancient crooked will;

Starve, scourge, deride me; I am dumb;

I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;

One far, fierce hour and sweet:

There was a shout about my ears,

And palms before my feet

In other words, when we humble ourselves like a donkey, then Jesus can lift us high to share his glory.

 

Praised be Jesus Christ!

The Opposition

Enduring the resistance for doing right

03/31/2023

Jn 10:31-42 The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?" The Jews answered him, "We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God." Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, 'You are gods"'? If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, "John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true." And many there began to believe in him.

One of the surest signs that you are doing the right thing is opposition. That is, other people don’t like it, and try to oppose you, and even try to stop you. Bishop Taylor loves to remind us priests that if our preaching doesn’t make someone unhappy, we’re not preaching right. If everyone loves everything you say, then you’re doing it wrong. The ancient adage about what makes a good homily is that it comforts the afflicted and it afflicts the comfortable. In other words, every good sermon should make you squirm in your pews a little, and create a little opposition.

I remember how opposition helped me know I was doing the right thing in becoming a priest. I was a junior in high school when I decided to tell my family I wanted to become a priest and go into the seminary. I can still remember where everyone was sitting at the dining room table at dinner that night, and how each person reacted to the news. My mom had tears rolling down her face. I’m sure they were tears of joy. My dad is the strong silent type. My younger sister was happy for me.

But my older brother was in college at the time, and I’ll never forget what he said. He half-taunted me saying: “Oh, John, after a year in college, you’ll change your mind!” I was always wondered what was he doing in college? Well, I heard that as a challenge, and I decided to stick it out in the seminary, just to spite him.

Ironically, my brother’s comment – almost like an opposition – turned out to be a great stimulus and motivator for me to persevere in the seminary. In a sense, his sarcasm saved my vocation. That was an example of how opposition is a sure sign that you are doing the right thing.

In the gospel today Jesus also meets very fierce opposition to his vocation. We read, “The Jews picked up rocks to stone him.” And notice what Jesus asked them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” In other words, there is often a clear correlation and connection between good doing and the opposition that it generates.

And this opposition to goodness would culminate on the cross. How so? Well the greatest good deed ever done in history was Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. And it was met by great opposition, from virtually everyone, even Jesus’ apostles, except for his Mother Mary and the beloved disciple, John. Everyone else had abandoned our Lord for that good work of salvation.

I am sure you have heard of the school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee by now. A transgender man, meaning he was born a female, named Audrey Elizabeth Hale, attacked a Presbyterian parochial school, called The Covenant School, on March 27. She killed 6 people before the police shot and killed her. The motive for the shooting is still under investigation. We are not sure what all motivated her.

But I suspect that at least part of the reason is because of the Christian teaching on being created male and female in the image of God. And that teaching is a good thing, because it is what helps us to feel whole and happy. But it is met with opposition, like it was on March 27. Audrey did not pick up stones, she picked up an AR-15 rifle.

And that was a tragic event, to be sure, but it should not entirely shock or surprise us. Why not? Well, whenever we do something good, or teach something good, it will be met with opposition. One of my favorite Scripture passages is John 16:33, where Jesus assures his apostles at the Last Supper: “In this world you will have trouble – you will have opposition – but take heart, I have overcome the world.”

Boys and girls, have you ever thought about all the sacrifices we do during Lent? We don’t eat meat on the Fridays of Lent. We fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. We make personal sacrifices like giving up chocolate, or video games, or social media, or TV or the like. Why do we make all these sacrifices? Do we Catholic Christians just enjoy being miserable? No.

These sacrifices are designed to teach us how to handle suffering. Why do we need to learn how to suffer? Well, because our job as Christians is to share the Good News, to teach the truth, and do good works, just like Jesus did. And what will happen when we do good works? We will meet with opposition and resistance. People will pick up stones or they will pick up AR-15 rifles. And ironically, that will be the sure sign that you are doing the right thing.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Marriage Matters

How marriage and the Bible shed light on each other

03/30/2023

Gn 17:3-9 When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him: "My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations. No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations. I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you. I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God." God also said to Abraham: "On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages."

A couple of weeks ago I gave a marriage enrichment retreat at St. Raphael Church in Springdale. The topic was about how marriage and the Bible shed light on each other. That is, the more and better you understand your marriage, the better you will understand the Bible and what is going on in the Bible. And the better you study and understand the Bible, the better you will live your marriages. They are mutually enlightening; they shed light on each other.

The opposite, sadly, is also true. If you struggle to understand the real meaning of marriage (what does it mean to be married?), then you will struggle to understand the meaning of the Bible. And vice versa: if you don’t get the real sense of the Bible, you will not be able to make heads or tails of the sacrament of marriage. And so it is very important to study both sides of the equation.

Do you recall equations in algebra in high school? There are two sides, and an “equal sign” that links the two sides, and holds the two sides together. And that equal sign that holds both sides together is the word and concept of “covenant.” We heard “covenant” twice in the first reading today from Genesis 17. God said, “I will make a covenant with you, Abraham, and with your descendants.”

Now that word covenant can help us understand both sides of the equation: what is going on in the Bible, and what is going on in your marriages. One of the things I tried to do in that retreat was to emphasize that the word “covenant” is interchangeable with the word “marriage.” Now a covenant is like a marriage.

So, when God says to Abraham “I am going to make a covenant with you,” he means “I am going to marry you and your descendants.” In other words, my relationship with you is not that of a master to a slave. Rather, I want to relate to you as a husband to a wife. When God makes a covenant with us, he wants to marry us, because that’s how much he loves us.

And that is why the word covenant is so crucial, to help us see how the Bible and marriages shed light on each other. A covenant is like a marriage, and it is very different from a contract. Sometimes we are tempted to think a covenant is basically a contract. But it is wildly different. A covenant is as different from a contract as marriage is from prostitution. I am sorry to use such a vulgar example, but I wanted to wake you up.

In a covenant, you exchange persons: I give you myself, you give me yourself. In a contract, on the other hand, we exchange goods and service. I will provide this service, and you will pay me for it. How do we understand our marriages then? As a covenant or a contract? And of course, in a contract, there are two parties who mutually agree to fulfill the terms of the contract, or they mutually decide to go their separate ways, and break the contract. I sometimes wonder if that is how we generally understand our marriages, and why we divorce.

Another difference between a covenant and a contract (besides being like a marriage or prostitution), is that the primary actor, the primary agent, of a covenant is God, and not human beings. That is why, therefore, that God said to Abraham in Genesis 17, “I will make a covenant with you.” That is, I (God) am the principal agent of this agreement. So, too, in marriage. When you get married, it is not just something two people do.

Because marriage is a covenant, it is something God does. And that is why Jesus said, “What God joins together, no human beings must separate.” In other words, I don’t care how big your biceps are, you are not going to be able to tear apart what God puts together. Or, did we really think a marriage is more like a contract that we human beings put together. I am the primary agent, so if I choose to break the contract, I have the power, since I put it together.

Of course, I say all this with great sympathy and compassion for people who struggle with their marriages (which means everyone!). And I know a lot of people do. Nevertheless, that is what is going on in the Bible: God wants to marry us. And that is what is going on in your marriages, they are covenants created by God. And that may be why we struggle so much to understand both.

Praised be Jesus Christ!