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How to be a Disciple of Christ

Sunday, September 4th, 2016

Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Wis 9: 13-18b; Philemon 9-10, 12-17; Luke 14: 25-33

By Deacon Larry Brockman

Today Mother Theresa has been canonized a Saint.  And clearly, Mother Theresa was a disciple of Christ.

So, what does it take to become a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Well, that is the topic of our readings today.  And, clearly, one cannot become a disciple of Christ  without putting aside conventional wisdom, and embracing wisdom from above.  That’s the message to all of us this morning in our readings; and it’s the message that St. Theresa of Calcutta broadcast throughout her life.

First, let us consider the context of the Gospel.  Jesus has been working miracles, curing the lame and the sick.  And a great multitude has gathered and is following him.  The people are enthusiastic and hungry for more.  But Jesus turns on them suddenly, and says:  “If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother,   Wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life,   He cannot be my disciple”.  Pretty strong words!

Some of the great doctors of the Church have struggled over those words, even asking the question,  “How can we be told by Jesus we must hate our own flesh and blood, when he has also told us to love everyone”?  But you see, Jesus was a master at shock treatment with many of his words and preaching.  This is a perfect example, because our fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers and sisters, and all of the pleasures that life has to offer, must be secondary to our relationship with God if we are to find our way into the Kingdom of God.  And it takes shock therapy like Jesus’ words today to get us to realize that.

Simply put, we need to “hate” anything that tends to derail God’s plan for us, and our efforts to live it accordingly, even when the obstacles are our loved ones and living life for ourselves.  Yes, we are being asked to sacrifice our personal interests when that is needed to assure that we make an effort to follow Jesus.

If you are willing to look closely at your life, you can see areas where life gets in the way.  Sleeping in on Sunday Morning; sports events, family parties, trips out of town, and kids sporting events are a few examples.  None of those things are bad, and in fact, they are all good as far as that goes.  But they can be obstacles in maintaining our relationship with God and in following after Jesus if we allow them to.

Our second reading gives an interesting example about the kind of sacrifice we are called to make.  You see, Paul’s letter to Philemon was a letter to a well-to-do person whom Onesimus had served as a slave.  Onesimus had escaped, and ended up attending to Paul while Paul was in prison.  Paul is sending Onesimus back to Philemon, but there is a catch.  Paul is asking Philemon to accept Onesimus as an equal.  So, in a time and culture in which slavery was accepted, and a personal slave considered a status symbol, Paul is asking Philemon to forgive Onesimus for escaping; refrain from punishing him; refrain from putting him back into slavery; and accept him as an equal.   Wow! That was asking a lot.

But the reality is that all of us need to let go of something that’s holding us back from being the Christian we are called to be.  Maybe it’s some combination of those little things I mentioned, but it can also be some major attachment or habit or personal relationship, like the one that Philemon had for his slave.

And notice that the thing that might hold you back the most, is what society thinks of you.  For example, if Philemon accepted Onesimus back as an equal, then Roman society would have thought of him as a fool, a weakling, a loser.  That kind of societal pressure can be hard to take.

But Jesus tells us that:  “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”  Yes, we have to embrace our crosses and follow him, turning away from what other people think, turning away from gratifying our flesh and blood.

But we cannot do it alone, can we.  Solomon understood that, as we saw in the first reading.  First, Solomon pointed out how difficult it is for us to grasp the mind of God on our own.  Then he writes:  “Or who can know your counsel, unless you give Wisdom and send your holy spirit from on high”.  Yes, it is the Holy Spirit that we need to identify God’s will for us, and our associated cross.  Our cross is simply the obstacles that the world and the agents of evil throw into our path along the way.  Those obstacles can be a pile of little things that divert us; or a major obstacle like the one Philemon had, including peer pressure to belong to our current culture.

So, let all of us reflect a bit on our lives.  First, call upon the Holy Spirit for the Counsel of the most high.  Then ask yourself this question.  What is holding you back from accepting your cross?  What do you have to turn away from, even “hate”, in order to accept Jesus’ invitation.

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What Do We Do After We Celebrate the Fourth of July?

Sunday, July 3rd, 2016

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is 66:10-14c; Gal 6: 14-18; Luke 10: 1-12, 17-20

By Deacon Larry Brockman

It’s time for us all to celebrate our Nation’s Birthday- it’s the July 4th Weekend.  And boy, do we ever know how to do it in style- with fireworks, barbeques, and pool parties galore.  And we should celebrate, because we have much to be proud of as Americans.  Our nation, founded on the Judeo Christian values of our Forefathers, has been a beacon for freedom and democracy, not only here, but in so many places over the globe.

It would be fair to say that the American Republic has led several spiritual renewals that have been responsible for paving the way for the freedoms here that have migrated across the globe.

First, our revolution resulted in Religious Freedom for the many diverse religious groups that migrated here from Europe in the 200 years prior to our Revolution.  Our forefathers built religious freedom into our Constitution to assure that all religious groups were free to practice here.  They did that because they recognized that freedom of Religion was the most basic freedom and that the role of Government was to protect our right to exercise our faith.  It was not the role of Government to impose Religion or prohibit its practice.

Then, America successively led the way to the abolishment of slavery; the rights of workers and the rights of women in successive spiritual renewals that recognized that all humans are created equal.

In the twentieth century, our nation unselfishly provided the critical help necessary to suppress three threats to freedom and belief in God in the First World War, the Second World War, and the Cold War with Atheistic Communism.  We call those who were involved in the latter two wars “the Greatest Generation” because of the resolve and commitment that the entire nation unselfishly made.  Yes, we have much reason to celebrate the 4th of July.

But notice a couple of things about all of these accomplishments that we celebrate.  First, we are celebrating the accomplishments of the past.  Second, our accomplishments were in cycles that occurred over a span of 200 years.  Third, new generations of Americans rose to the challenges in each cycle of evil that confronted them.  Fourth, prior to each cycle, prophetic voices were heard that called for action against each evil whether it was suppression of religious freedom, the evil of slavery, labor violations, suppression of women’s rights, or foreign dictators and tyrants.  And lastly, America was blessed with God-fearing leaders in each case that led the charge against evil.  Now I mention all of this because we owe our freedoms to the wonderful actions of our forefathers in many generations; but our future depends on us; it depends on you and how you move forward.

You see, the devil is never finished spreading evil.  We may be able to suppress it for a while; but the devil is quite resilient in confronting us with an even more sinister evil.  And so it is with our current society.  We are confronted with multiple evils now, just as sinister and perhaps more deadly than those we have faced in the past.  Much of our affluent society has turned its back on our Judeo Christian values, such as the ten-commandments; the beatitudes; respect for life; and equality of opportunity for all.  And there are radical religious movements that insist that the entire world must be converted to their faith, and the universal establishment of a 7th century code of ethics; or die- there are no alternatives that satisfy them.  Lastly, the advent of the global economy has pushed greed and the methods to achieve it beyond any one nation’s ability to control the process.  This is a multiple pronged attack by the forces of evil that you and I and our current generation must deal with.

Our Gospel story today shows how Jesus trained his Disciples ahead of his Passion for the work they would have to do as the Church after his death- to proclaim the Kingdom of God.  The 72 disciples represent the Church- a group that included the Apostles and disciples- the Bishops and Priests- who were sent out after an abundant harvest.  Yes, the harvest is abundant because the harvest Jesus is referring to was the abundant legacy he was giving us in the Gospel- the abiding word of God and especially Jesus’ own example.

In that first experiment that Jesus conducted with his mini-church, the 72 were sent out two by two so that there were multiple voices of the message for clarity, and so that they served as witnesses for each other in the event of controversy.  They were sent out penniless so that they didn’t have a vested interest.  Jesus trained these men and with that training fresh in their minds, they were successful; so successful that Jesus says that he “Saw Satan fall like lightning from the sky”.  This means that Jesus saw that the mini-Church had dealt a blow to Satan and his evil.

So, let us certainly celebrate today and tomorrow the successes of our forefathers and the freedom they have won for all of us.

But beginning next week, we all have work to do.  Paul tells us that he can only boast of the cross that he carries.  This should be our criteria as well.  We should only boast of the cross that we have to carry.  As a people, our cross to bear is the suppression of the evil in our times.  And so, we need to serve as the prophets, the evangelizers, and the faithful who will respond to the current call to fight evil in our times, not just some of us, but all of us.

It is once again time for spiritual renewal in this country so that we can maintain the freedom our forefathers brought us; and establish a newfound advance in the freedom of mankind that new generations to come will celebrate on the Fourth of July.

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Salvific Suffering

Sunday, June 19th, 2016

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Zech 12: 10-11; 13:1; Gal 3: 26-29; Luke 9: 18-24

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

Suffering!  It is something that all of us try to avoid, and yet, it is an integral part of life for all living creatures.  Jesus told his disciples that he would suffer greatly in our Gospel.

In fact, Jesus fulfills the prophecy in our first reading.  Jesus, part of the Trinitarian God-head, was sent by His Father to become one of us.  God’s first born son suffered greatly at the hands of the establishment.  He was not exempt.  And all of us mourn the horrible tragedy that Jesus endured on the cross.  But as Zechariah says, when Jesus fulfilled his salvific mission, he brought to the “inhabitants of Jerusalem”  “A fountain to purify from sin and uncleanliness”.

What does that mean?  Well, the innocent God-made-man suffered for all of us; he suffered mentally, spiritually, and physically; but bore it all because it was the will of the Father.  Jesus showed all of us the way to bear God’s will for us with dignity and resolve, even if it means suffering.   And all of us are purified from our sin and uncleanliness if we believe and follow Jesus.  Jesus made it clear that if we are to follow him, we must each suffer too when he says:  “He must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”.

Now, I think that many of us are a bit confused about what our cross is.  We focus on Jesus horrible fate; and maybe even presume that to be worthy of God’s favor  We are going to have to bear the same kind of test.

But that is not the case.  St. Paul tells us that “through faith, we are all children of God”.  Yes, we need to believe first and foremost.  And Baptism symbolizes that we believe and embrace that faith.  Even if we were Baptized as an infant, that is the case because through our parents, family, the church, and our own efforts as well-meaning Christians, we come to believe and to live that faith just exactly where we are planted.  We cannot earn our salvation, our favor with God.  But through God’s infinite mercy, we are forgiven our sins and made sharers of the salvation that Jesus earned for us.

And so, although we are all sinners, we are all given the opportunity to choose to carry our crosses.  Our crosses are the talents, limitations, irritations, challenges to our faith, and decisions we make in life as each of us walks through life.  Some of us suffer physically with chronic diseases or life-threatening illnesses.  Some of us suffer from the burdens of caring for others; some of us suffer from the ravages of old age; and some of us work long hours for years and years.  Some of us suffer mentally, under pressure from relatives, bosses, coworkers, and others in our lives.  Some of us suffer spiritually because we want something for ourselves other than what we have been given by God; and in some cases, we want something different than what we have been called by God to do.  But all of us, in one way or another, suffer in this life.

Today is Fathers Day.  Many of us are Fathers or Mothers.  The Cross we bear in being a Father or Mother is a significant part of the lives of those of us who chose marriage and family as a vocation .because along with the many joys of being a parent, there are moments of suffering- separation, pain over a child’s misery, and clashes of wills.  Our responsibilities never end when it comes to our children and even our parents.  We need to focus on being the best parent possible in parallel with accepting all of the other elements of the daily cross God has given us.

And so, the major challenge in life is to find God’s peace and joy in the midst of accepting and carrying our crosses.  That’s what Jesus showed us through the Gospel.  That means we continue to believe and to trust in him no matter how difficult the suffering; and no matter how grim the situation. .And we need to be ready at any time for the ultimate test- namely, are we following his will- our crosses to bear, when he calls us home.

Just one week ago, 50 people here in Orlando were brutally mowed down by a maniac.  These folks had no hint that there time had come.  Yet, we can be called at any time, like these 50 folks; circumstances beyond our control can result in our time coming.

Are you ready; are you carrying your cross as Jesus asked you to do?  Because if you are doing your part, then recognize the promise Jesus leaves you with in today’s Gospel.  “Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it”.

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The Heavenly Church- the New Jerusalem

Sunday, May 1st, 2016

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Acts 15: 12, 22-29; Rev 21: 20-24. 22-23; John 14: 23-29

By Deacon Larry Brockman

 

The common theme in today’s scriptures is the Church.

First we have a description of a Church with divisions among the participants.  Some people were saying that the most important thing to maintain membership in the Church is following all the rules.  And the rules they advocated were the rules they brought with them from their Jewish heritage.  They were do’s and don’ts and detailed ritual rules.  Follow the rules and you are “in”; break the rules and you are “out”.  Others were saying that the rules have changed by virtue of Jesus and the opening of the Church to the Gentiles.  What is important is following the Gospel that Jesus taught, a rule of love and openness to all people.

So, Paul and Barnabas return to Jerusalem and get a reading from the Church leaders of the time on which interpretation is correct. Should the Church carryover the old Mosaic law with Jesus teaching added to it; or should the rules be changed to emphasize the teachings of Jesus and an openness to all?  Notice that the feedback from Jerusalem includes a unanimous vote from the leaders, but it also includes the “decision of the Holy Spirit”.  This is kind of like the first Papal Action, because the decision of the Apostles is validated by the Holy Spirit. God has spoken!

And the decision is to abandon the detailed rituals such as circumcision and strict dietary laws in favor of what is reasonable for ritual practice supplemented with the teachings of Jesus on internalization of the Gospel message.  The ritual practice that Jesus left- the breaking of the bread and the opening of the word of God, were adopted.  But make no mistake about it.  The concept of the “Church” was validated.  We all need to belong to a Church to strengthen our faith and worship God communally.

This point is validated by the second reading from Revelation, which describes how the Church will ultimately evolve into the Kingdom of God.  Most Bible scholars agree that the New Jerusalem described in the book of Revelation is the new Church, the heavenly one.  It has three gates on each of four sides because it is universal, accepting all peoples from all regions of the earth.  It has high walls to protect all of the members and provide a safe haven from any harm.  And, there is no need for a temple or lights because of the presence of God forever, who provides heavenly light and is the center of all worship.

It is the objective of all of us to be part of that Church, one where we are in the presence of God continuously for ever and ever, and one where we share that presence with all of our loved ones communally, and participate in God’s Glory.  That is what is known as the Communion of Saints.

Just how do we guarantee that we will gain entrance to that Church?  Well, Jesus tells us very plainly in the Gospel:  “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”  So, all of us must love God and keep His word to dwell with him.

But then Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that even though he will be leaving this world in his human form, he will not abandon us; rather, he will send:  “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—  He will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”  So, the Spirit will guide us on how we should interpret and implement Jesus teaching.

Every so often in the history of the Church the Church has gone through reformation and revision.  I think Pope Francis is reminding us today that we need to go back to our roots, kind of like the Early Churches went back to Jerusalem for a reading from those who were Jesus’ contemporaries.  Francis’ exhortation on the Family talks about maintaining all of the traditional teachings of the Church on family matters, including marriage and divorce; homosexuality; abortion and birth control.  But Francis is reminding us that our attitude towards all of God’s people must be one of love, forgiveness, and mercy.  Francis wants all of us to exhibit these properties rather than emphasize rules and regulations.  That’s why he has called on the Church leaders to use proper discernment in all of their pastoral decisions.

We need to welcome sinners as Jesus welcomed sinners and convert them by our love, not by our rule of law because we want all to join us in the heavenly Church, the New Jerusalem

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Love Others As I Have Loved You

Sunday, April 24th, 2016

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Acts 14: 21-27; Rev 21: 1-5a; John 13: 31-33a, 34-35

By Deacon Larry Brockman

(This Homily may also be seen and heard by accessing Catholic Community TV at https://www.youtube.com/user/CCTNtv and then scrolling down to 7AM 5th Sunday of Easter and clicking on the Mass.  You can speed forward to the homily.)

For the last couple of weeks.  The pattern in our readings has been the same.  First, a reading from Acts that chronicles how the early church spread like wildfire.  Second, there’s an excerpt from the book of Revelation  that talks about what happens when we all reach heaven.  And third, a Gospel reading from John establishes that Jesus is God; Jesus then goes on to give us some advice for when he leaves his human form at the Ascension.

And the reason for this pattern is to remind us each week of the Easter Season just how deep and far reaching the Resurrection event is, not just for the early Church; but for all of us who believe.  The Church is trying to spread the joy and enthusiasm of the early Church.

Today, we hear of the manifold travels of Paul; and how many people were converted at each stop.  Priests, also known as Presbyters or Elders, were ordained at each location to keep the Church going there.  And they offered a service on Sunday- a service of the Word and of the Eucharist- just like we do.  They did that because that’s what the early disciples were told to do at the Last Supper.  We are doing the same 2000 years later.

The second reading reminds us of the fullness of our heritage as believers- everlasting life with Jesus, the Lamb of God, forever and ever.  Today, we hear that there is a New Jerusalem and that there is no more sea.  The sea is the dwelling place of the Beast, or devil, in the book of Revelation.  But for those who reach heaven, the Beast will be no more, and his dwelling place will be gone.  All that will remain for us is everlasting happiness.

So, are you excited about all that yet?  Because you should be, that’s the whole idea of the repetition, the pattern the Church presents during these weeks of Easter.  The Church wants us to realize that we have all been blessed.   All of us experienced the evangelization by the Church and then Baptism and membership in it.  We are commissioned now to go be witnesses to the end of the earth and “pass it on” as it was passed on to us.  If we do that, we will experience the glory and joy of everlasting life described in the second reading.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus first talks about his glory.  Jesus carefully groomed his Apostles and Disciples for that moment- the moment when he would come into his glory, the moment when the plan of salvation will be clear to all.  The Apostles didn’t understand right then, but everything happened so fast after that.  The plan unfolded and happened before their eyes as witnesses.  And the glory of the Lord was revealed to them on Easter Sunday as the impossible happened.  A man who had been brutally tortured and murdered had arisen; and not only that, he was different.  He could appear and disappear at will; and he could pass through walls and doors; he was dazzling in appearance; and he would live forever with his Father.  Jesus promised that same Resurrection of the body to all of us, and he promised that it would last forever if we followed him.

Now Jesus knew that he was going to leave the Apostles, since his role as God made man had been fulfilled.  And so, he gave key advice to them; he told them:  “As I have loved you, so you should also love one another!”

As I have loved you.   This is what was new in Christianity- the love of God manifested by God made man.  The story of how Jesus loved us is what the Gospel as a whole is all about.  For Jesus, love consisted in this: doing the will of the Father always by loving others rather than his own self.  It was first of all made known in the ordinary things of life, Jesus’ friendships and fellowship with his Apostles; in the many miracles and kindnesses that he showed the rejected members of society, such as lepers and sinners; in the favors he did for strangers such as raising a child from the dead; and in the teaching he did through the parables.  Jesus showed all of us what God’s real love was all about by living a life of service for others rather than by seeking power and using it for his own end.  Then, he was called upon to suffer and die because the radical way of life he preached was rejected by the authorities.

Impressive as it was, all of what Jesus did would have passed into oblivion had it not been for the Resurrection.  That changed everything because nothing like it ever happened before.

All of us are given an opportunity to love “as I have loved you”.  It all begins in the ordinary things of life- your family, including your children and your parents, even when they are sick or handicapped or aged; and in those people that God has placed in your life at work and play, including those who need your help in tough times.  Love of others even means deferring our own agendas for the good of others.

That’s the advice Jesus left us.  For as Jesus said in the Gospel: “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

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Is Following the Good Shepherd Easy?

Sunday, April 17th, 2016

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Acts 13: 43-52; Rev 7: 9, 14b-17; John 10: 27-30

By Deacon Larry Brockman

It sounds so easy.  Jesus says that all we have to do to experience eternal life with God is to believe in him, listen to his word and follow him.  If we do that, then Jesus, the good shepherd, will protect us from anything and everything; and we cannot be snatched away by anything the devil throws at us.  It sounds easy; but in reality, it is the challenging path.  Because it takes fortitude to do all three of the required things- believe in, listen to, and follow Jesus.

First, there is the belief part.  That’s kind of what the first reading is about.  You see, right after Jesus’ resurrection, there were hundreds of eye witnesses to the Resurrection.  And these people were fearless in the Lord; they were truly zealous witnesses of all the Jesus said and did.  And, as the story in the first reading shows, they met with great success in the synagogues.  Why? Because the Apostles and the Disciples told their story with conviction.  The witnessing that Paul and Barnabas did was so effective that thousands of people believed.

They believed that a poor carpenter led an inspired life; performed miracles; claimed that he was the son of God made man out of God’s love; preached repentance and conversion of heart to do God’s will; suffered because of his message; died, was buried, and rose from the dead to eternal life to show us the way to eternal life if we followed him.  These people believed all this on the basis of the Apostles’ word alone.  That took real faith for the folks of the time.  And it takes great faith for those of us separated from these events by 2000 years.

But you know what?  Paul, Barnabas, and the Apostles are present today to all of us; they are the Church.  And the Church preaches with the same conviction.  What we are to believe is called the Creed, which we will all recite in just a few minutes.  That Creed has all of the elements I mentioned above and a few more.  Yes, it is a challenge to believe all of it just on the word of the Church.  But that is what all of us are called by God to do- to first of all believe.

And then there is the “listen” part.  That’s maybe the hardest part of all for us- to listen to the word of God.  Perhaps it’s because we are so busy with life; and perhaps it’s because we don’t really want to know.  Ignorance, after all, is bliss; but listening means more than just coming here on Sundays for an hour a week.  Listening means taking time out for really getting in tune with God.  How can you do the last part, following the Lord, if you don’t know what you are following?

Now all of you here today are part of a family.  Indeed, you are Holy Family; but aside from that greater family, all of you are part of a nuclear family.  Are you listening to what God wants for your family?

Pope Francis has just issued an Apostolic Exhortation to all of us on the Family.  It is based on the results of the Synod of Bishops that has been meeting to discuss Family matters in Rome over the last couple of years.  And let me be clear about this-  what you hear on radio and TV and the press about the document is probably not accurate.  Because, despite what you might have heard, the document reaffirms all of the traditional teachings of the Church on the family.  It does recognize that times have changed   So that the Church must present these traditional teachings in a way which is relevant in today’s society; and it exhorts the Church to always, always, be pastoral in dealing with persons who have gone astray.

But it doesn’t change any of the traditional positions of the Church.  In fact, the document strengthens them by giving justifications for the church’s classic positions on controversial topics such as gender identity, gay marriage, cohabitation; and divorce.  It is well worth reading; and I encourage all of you to read it.  It is a free download on the internet and,  although it is 257 pages long, the type is large and one single column..  Reading it would be a big part of what it takes to listen to the Lord on what his pattern is for families.

And lastly, we are called to follow.  With respect to the teaching that the Pope issued on the family, that means a lot of challenges to all of us.  For example, when you read the document you will see that the primary responsibility for educating children rests with the parents, not the Church; and that the primary purpose of marriage is procreation of children out of mutual love; and that the family includes the elderly and those who are marginalized with infirmities.  These later categories of people are opportunities for all of us to learn patience, humility, and a spirit of service.

In the second reading, we hear about those called to the heavenly wedding feast of the Lamb.  There is cause for great rejoicing in those words from Revelation, words such as the fact that those saved are: “A great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue”; and: “For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Yes, this is what is in store for all of us who follow- and it is a great throng of people.  And it includes all of us who believe in, listen to, and follow the Lord Jesus.

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Are You Looking for the Truth?

Sunday, September 20th, 2015

25TH Sunday in Ordinary Time

Wis 2: 12, 17-20; James 3: 16-4:3; Mk 9: 30-37

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

Are you looking for the truth about what’s going on in the world today and about how to solve our problems? Because it is easy to be confused in today’s world with all the experts and pundits. Indeed, we don’t hear the news any more. Rather, we hear little snippets about events, and then hours upon hours of spin on those events. It isn’t even clear that we are hearing about the most important events. It might just be that the media is picking the events to match their spin.

Why is it that we allow others to pick our news and then let them interpret what they present rather than us assessing where the truth lies? Is it because we are unqualified, disinterested, stupid, gullible, self-absorbed or a combination of all of those things? Or is it because someone who wants to control us thinks we are unqualified, disinterested, stupid, gullible, self- absorbed or a combination of all of those things?   There is no question about the effect that all this management of the news and its analysis has on us though. It is dividing us, it is causing factions, and we are becoming less capable of working together to solve problems.

James has it right when he says: “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice”. That seems to describe our world today- disorder and every foul practice. I’m thinking of Planned Parenthood and ISIS for example.

Indeed, when I listened to the first reading from Wisdom, two things struck me. First, it was a perfect predictor of what happened to Jesus. The jealous power brokers of Jesus time did precisely what was described in that reading. They persecuted the righteous man, Jesus, and followed the script perfectly, even up to the part about death.

And secondly, I see the same phenomena happening in this country today. Why else would a gay couple drive across two states to the only county clerk’s office that specifically would deny a marriage license to them if their intent wasn’t to foment trouble? And this is but one example. I saw many other examples in the three hour presidential debate the other night. Rather than focusing on the issues facing our country and the solutions each candidate would advocate, the moderators focused on pitting the candidates against each other.

So, is there a better way? Is there a better way to recognize truth and how to pursue it?   First of all, consider the context of the reading from James today. James is talking about how the tongue can get us in trouble.  And he is referring to the fruits of a loose tongue where jealousy and self-ambition are the motivators. James goes on to talk about what kind of fruits follow from a person who is motivated by God’s wisdom. Rather, he is saying that true wisdom can always be recognized by its works: purity, tranquility, modesty, docility, equity, mercy and piety.

Then James goes on to summarize his thought this way: “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.” Just what does that mean? Well, it means that you cannot have peace without righteousness. In other words if organizations or people advocate peace, but they are not righteous, then don’t count on the peace they promise.

Now righteousness is different from being right and it is different from being self-righteous. Righteousness means being aligned with what God teaches. And as we have seen, the wisdom of God is “pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.”

The Gospel story makes a very interesting point about seeking the truth. Jesus and his Apostles are just back from the Transfiguration event. So, they had all just been exposed to undeniable, unmistakable, powerful proof that Jesus was God made man. He travels apart from the crowd so he can teach them. I think he is teaching them the truth, don’t you? But when He tells them he is going to have to suffer at the hands of his enemies because he is following the truth and the wisdom of God, what do they do? They put all of that aside and rather, they talk amongst themselves about who is number one.

So, two things happened to the Apostles. First, they didn’t want to deal with the truth. They should have been talking about all that just happened and all that Jesus taught them. These were incredibly significant events that had just happened. But no, they put all that aside and talked about something else. They didn’t want to talk about the truth. Secondly, they talked about who was number one. That sounds like jealousy and self-ambition to me!

Lest we be too critical, isn’t that our way as well? First, we really don’t want to hear the truth. We don’t want to hear about our monumental debt, unemployment, lack of integrity in government, ISIS, Moslem extremists, pollution, immigration, and all the rest of it. So, we may just block all that out. Instead, we are interested in our taxes, our rights, our benefits, our security, and our justice. We are interested in ourselves, number one.

The time is coming when we simply must hear the truth and deal with it. Righteousness and the wisdom of God are the keys. Jesus tells his disciples this at the end of today’s Gospel: “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”

So, are you listening, or are you worried about number one?

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What God Are You Going to Serve?

Sunday, August 23rd, 2015

21st Sunday Week in Ordinary Time

Joshua 24:1–2a, 15–17, 18b; Eph 5: 21-32; John 6: 60-69

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

So, what God are you going to serve?

You think that’s a silly question? It wasn’t a silly question for Joshua’s people. Although they had been through a lot during the Exodus with the Lord, and the lord had saved them multiple times, there were many people who grumbled the whole way. They longed for the comfort and peace of the life they had before they left Egypt. But our first reading makes it clear that they rose to the occasion this time as they looked across the river at the Promised Land, a land that was lush and green instead of a barren wasteland like the Sanai had been.

How about you? Do you feel it’s a silly question? After all, you are here at Mass this morning. You have made your choice, right. But the proof is in the pudding, isn’t it. So, ponder this: Just how involved are you with God in your life these days? Do you make God your constant companion during the day, guiding your every decision? How much time a week do you devote to your relationship with God? 1 hour? 2 hours? Just Mass on Sundays? Do you spend the kind of time with God that you spend with your friends? What kind of a friend would God think you were if he saw you just an hour a week?

You know, it is hard, isn’t it. It’s hard to believe in all of this that we preach. Just like the disciples who walked away from Jesus said in today’s Gospel: this is hard- that the bread that Jesus gives us is his flesh, that we must eat that bread to gain everlasting life. and that we have to believe that He, Jesus, is the Resurrection and the Life. Life seems like the barren desert on one side of a river at times; but we aren’t peering over that river at a land flowing with milk and honey. We have to take it on Faith that the Promised Land will be there forever for all of us who believe. Yes, it is hard.

So we allow ourselves to be seduced by what seems so real to us- the things of this world. Friends, money, power, good food and comforts, and lots of social activities- these things take all of our time and energy, and they all seem so good to us. They feel so right.

But where does all that lead? Well, all these things of the world can become our focus on life. In other words, they can become our god. If that is what takes our time for all but an hour or so a week rather than God, then time tells us what our focus is.

But then something happens. Something always happens And we face into the reality that life here as we know it doesn’t last forever. Maybe it’s the loss of a loved one, or an illness, or some accident that disables a friend, or a financial disaster. When these things happen we think that maybe, just maybe, we should look for a better focus on life. It is then that we think maybe we ought to do as the Israelis promised- to follow the Lord.

So, why not do that now, be proactive about it? If you do that right, you will be able to visualize what everlasting life will be like because when you become intimate with God, he will show you the way, his way. And he will give you a glimpse of the eternal bliss we all hope for, a glimpse across the river to the Promised Land.

But how do we do it right? First, by repenting- yes repenting. Now before you get all excited and defensive, recognize that repenting just means making a change. In this case, it means making a change in the basic direction of your life. You need to change your focus. Your focus needs to turn toward the Lord Jesus Christ and his will for you. And how do you do that- by giving Him more time. Yes, by giving him more time so you can become more intimate with him.

Second, by reaffirming your belief in the Lord. You know, for the last several weeks, the Gospel stories have all built up to the conclusion we hear today. Either the people Jesus was teaching would come to believe in his word and accept his offer of the bread of life, or they would reject it. You now have that same choice. You should be coming here each week because you believe, and because the Church has made the bread of life available to all of you as the Eucharist. And you should hunger for that bread, and affirm that you believe because if you do that, then you will live forever. It was a promise Jesus gave us, and it is the focus and meaning of life we are all need. When we face the reality that life on this earth, no matter how good or bad it seems today, is just not what it’s all about, we will come t6op that conclusion.

So, spending more time with the Lord and believing in what he teaches, these are a good start. But then third, we need to cement our change in focus by becoming a servant of the Lord. This is what it means to put into practice what we learn from the first two things I mentioned.

When you look at the second reading today, think of it in that way- becoming a servant of the Lord. Because the family structure that Paul describes there is the pattern that God intends for his family- love, mutual respect, and obedience between the husband and wife. But it means even more than that because Paul is also using marriage as a metaphor about the relationship between Christ and the Church.  We are the Body of Christ, and so all together we are the Bride in the metaphor. That’s what Paul means by that last line: “This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church”

Boy have I got a deal for you. You see, this is the time of year when we set up booths around the narthex that describe all the different ways that you can get more involved with God and with the Church. It all starts next weekend, and I encourage all of you to take a serious look. There are many ways to bolster your prayer life- like prayer groups and the Adoration Chapel; many ways to get to know God better- like Bible Studies and the Dynamic Catholic movement; and many ways to serve the Lord and others- like St. Vincent de Paul and ministry to the sick. People from these and many other organizations will be there to give you information and answer questions. But do yourself a favor- make a commitment in time and effort to be of more service.

I leave you with this final thought. What God are you going to serve?

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Coming Together As a People of God

Sunday, August 9th, 2015

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

1 Kgs 19:4-8; Eph 4:30 – 5:2; John 6: 41-51

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

Guilty on 2 counts!

First, we are all guilty of the same offense that Jesus accused the Jews of in today’s Gospel when he says: “Stop murmuring amongst yourselves”. Why? Because we are not united as one body of Christ. Rather, we are a diverse group of individualists fined honed by the culture of our time. We question all authority and test everything.

Now, that doesn’t sound so bad on the surface- we should question certain kinds of authority, particular in today’s world of clever deception. Everyone has an angle; everyone is selling with self-proclaimed authority. We do need to test secular authority like the Government. That kind of skepticism is good and healthy.

But there is an exception: The authority of God. That, we should not question- we should be of one mind and body in accepting the authority of God. We have given that unified body the name- the Body of Christ. And the Word of God, as represented by the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church, ought to be the knowledge that binds us together in body and spirit as the Church so that when we gather here to worship and participate in the Eucharist, we fulfill Jesus words: “They shall all be taught by God.” And “Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me”.

As it is, some of us challenge the incarnation, some the right to life, some the definition of marriage, and some the social teachings of the Church.  But whatever it is that we pick and choose, it causes division in the Church. We are like the Jews who questioned what it meant to come down from heaven. Guilty!

And then there is the second count over which we are guilty. Despite all of the teaching we have had in our Catholic schools, in our Prep programs, and in our RCIA programs, and all the homilies from this and other pulpits over the years, a 1992 Gallup poll revealed that only 30 percent of Catholics believe that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist they receive. And the situation probably hasn’t gotten any better because Church attendance is way down since then. So, many Catholics are guilty of rejecting Jesus teaching in today’s Gospel that He is the bread of life, and that whoever eats this bread will live forever. Guilty again.

But you see, these two things are key to our salvation. First, we absolutely must accept God’s teaching and plan for us on Faith. “Faith” is the theme of the whole Pentecost season- real Faith. That means believing with the heart what God has revealed. Not just some of it, but all of it.   And second, we will not enter the Kingdom of God when we die unless we have eaten of the flesh of Jesus Christ. That is what today’s Gospel is all about. And when eat that flesh, the whole idea of it is that we do it so that we have Christ living in us. And having Christ live in us means that we will be given the graces to act Christ-like in our lives, not just some of the time, but all of the time. That’s why we receive the Eucharist often.

Paul says it so well in Ephesians this morning: “Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us.” That means we put aside bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling; rather we must be kind to one another, compassionate, and forgiving.

I couldn’t help but be struck by the clear example shown this morning in the first reading of how all this applies. Elijah roams into the desert and is starved for both food and purpose. The King, and in particular, the Queen, are angry with him over his prophecy of the truth, and so, they wish to put him to death. Despondent in exile, Elijah gives up on life, and even prays for death.

How many of us are wandering around in a desert of sorts despondent over the trials and tribulations of life, starved for both means and purpose? And don’t we sometimes feel like giving up? But then God provides Elijah a simple meal and drink through the angel. And the angel tells him to get up and get going because that meal was intended to sustain him for “40 days and 40 nights”. In Biblical terms 40 simply meant a long, long, time. Yes, the bread that God gave Elijah was intended to sustain him a long, long time, just as the mana sustained the Israelites for 40 years during the Exodus.

Just so, we are given something even more powerful than the hearthcakes the angel gave Elijah. We have been given the actual Body and Blood of Christ to sustain us. But it won’t work unless we really believe that Jesus has come to us physically and spiritually, and unless we have Faith in what Jesus taught us in the Gospel to trust that his way is the way and to act in accordance with His teaching and the teachings of the Church.

In this day and age when the Church is under attack, rather than allow the secular forces to tear us apart by driving a wedge though our congregation issue by issue, and by shaking us in our Faith in what seems contrary to our senses, we need to come together as the People of God. We need to be innocent of these two errors united solidly in one body of Christ, believers in word and deed, and firm that Christ is with is in the Eucharist. Amen!

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“Let Us Cross to the Other Side”

Sunday, June 21st, 2015

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Job 38: 1, 8-11; 2 Cor 5: 14-17;  Mark 4: 35-41

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

“Let Us Cross to the other side”.  That really struck me when I first read the Gospel this week, especially since I had just attended two funerals for friends.  It struck me because that’s what happens to us when we die, isn’t it.  We cross over to the other side.  We pass from this life to another, unknown life; and there is no return.

And the emotions we hold about such a crossing are exactly those that were expressed by the Apostles. The Apostles felt they were losing all control; they felt alone and abandoned; and they thought that they would perish.  And so, they were afraid, I mean really afraid.

In his book on Jesus, Jesuit James Martin visits this scene in the Gospel.  He describes the actual location and the culture of the time as well.  Then he relives the scene in much vivid detail.  And after reading that, l can tell you, you feel the fear.

Yet Jesus was asleep and unafraid through it all.  So the Apostles woke him, and after calming the wind, Jesus says:  “Why are you afraid; do you not yet have faith?”  And this seems to me to be the perfect question for all of us when we are facing death.  Why are we afraid, don’t we have faith?

But the facts are, that all of us are afraid.  We are afraid of losing control; we sense that we are being abandoned; and that we are about to perish, separated from all that we know.  We say that we have faith, but if you are realistic; almost all of us really do have some sense of fear, despite our Faith.  How can we have the kind of Faith Jesus is talking about?

Well, you know what?  God has is preparing us for such a transition our entire life, it’s just that we may not realize it.  You see, death is not the only irreversible transition we experience in life.  Birth, childhood, adulthood, marriage, and parenthood are also transitions that most of us experience in the course of our lifetimes before we reach the transition to the Kingdom of God.

And at each one of these transitions, we find ourselves deep down experiencing some of the same things- lack of control; a feeling of losing the comfort of our old life, and apprehension of the new life’s unknowns.

A newborn cries heartily as he experiences the shock of the light, the environment, and everything else at birth.  And there is no return to the warm, all-encompassing comfort of the womb.  A child goes off to school for the first time, separated from the wonderful fantasy and carefree experience of the life they led just for themselves, where Mom was there for them at their every whim.  And eventually they see there is no return!   A young adult leaves home for that first job, eager for new life, but still, with a sense of apprehension at being responsible for themselves in the wide, wide world.  And ultimately, there is no return.

And then there are of the most significant of all transitions for most of us: the transitions to marriage and parenthood.  When you get married, all of a sudden, it’s not about you anymore; it’s about us.  That certainly came to mind for me yesterday- my 45th Anniversary because I remembered fondly all the things that led to that transition- meeting and dating my wonderful wife; and the joy that filled me whenever I was with her.  I was in love.

But still, most men, and I was certainly no exception, don’t jump into marriage without some hesitation.  I was always taught that marriage was permanent.  If this was going to be it, just how would I know?  And what about the idea of sacrificing my own self for my wife, for us?  Was I ready for that?

When you come right down to it- you cannot know for sure.  After love, it’s a matter of faith and trust.  Now in our secular world of today, there is a common misunderstanding of the meaning of faith and trust as I have just used it.  You see, society would tell us it is faith in each other; and trust in each other that we need in order to commit to marriage.  But that isn’t what I mean.  That is certainly a requirement for a good marriage.  But it just won’t happen without faith in God and trust in God above all things first.

And in fact, the love part won’t be there either without love of God because without love of God first, our first love is love of self.  And if that is our primary love, eventually it will surface in a marriage.  Perhaps that’s why there are so many divorces-  divorces over affairs, alcoholism, money, you name it.  So, love of God and neighbor, and Faith and Trust in God-  these are needed to counter selfishness.  These are needed to make each transition in life.

Paul speaks of the Love of God impelling us.  That’s what I am trying to say.  We need to accept the love of God- it will impel us to do the rest.  And don’t you just love our first reading and what it tells us about faith and trust in God?  For God is ultimately in control.  He sets all the limits of nature; he made the earth and all in it; and it was designed for our well-being.  Scientists have yet to detect a single other place in the universe like it.  So, God is the person who we can ultimately believe in and trust.  He has given us life, the right environment, and He even sent his son to save all of us and show us the way.

And so, if we have faith in God, and trust Him, then he will be there for us when we choose our mate.  And we will be familiar with what it means to love another, the kind of love that is self-sacrificing.

And then there is the transition to parenthood; something for which we have a joyful expectation, and yet, there is the fear of the unknown going into it.  It is another situation in which there is no return.  Children and Grandchildren are the greatest gift of all.  But as we accept the responsibility of caring for children we are permanently transitioning to another new level.

Today is Father’s Day, and I know the Dad’s and Granddad’s out there can relate to what I am talking about.  It’s not about you anymore; and it’s not just about you and your wife either.  When you become a Dad, you learn to love all your children, equally; yet each like nobody else; and yet, still love your wife like no-one else.

And we want to relate and do what’s best for them-  that’s why we make funny sounds and faces with the babies; play on the floor despite our diminishing mobility with toddlers; read them night time stories; sign then up for T ball or Soccer or Indian Guides or Scouts- the list of activities is endless.  It’s why we turn the TV off and help them with homework; it’s why we labor over a barbeque for many family cookouts.  It’s why we take them on camping trips and fishing trips and take them on vacations with us.  It’s why we work long hours to be able to give them things in life we never had; it’s why we are there for them when they need help as they grow older, teaching them to drive; taking them away to school; and reassuring them when they come of age.  And when they establish families of their own, we are there with the wealth of our own experience; babysitting and filling in when needed. It is because we love them, and in some cases more than we love ourselves.

Yes, life is full of transitions.  We face each of them with an element of fear and uncertainty; and there is no return.  But if we have faith in God and Love and Trust him, He will give us the graces to make each transition successfully.  And when the final transition in this life comes, we will be unafraid and ready to cross to the other side.

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