The Joy of Christmas is Not Over!

January 15th, 2017

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is 49: 3, 5-6; 1 Cor 1: 1-3; John 1: 29-34

Deacon Larry Brockman

Well, the Christmas Season is over!  The trees are all taken down; the lights are gone; and everybody is back to work or school.  The cookies and egg nog are depleted.  All the parties are over.  The joy of the Season has run its course.  It’s over!

But you know what?  If that is the feeling you have, you may have missed the whole point of the Christmas season.

Christmas arrived with all its festive music and decorations and lights and feasts to remind us that a savior had been born to us.  That Savior is Jesus, the second person of the Trinity.  He came to be one of us and live as one of us.

Last weekend, we saw the manifestation of Jesus symbolized as priest, prophet and king when the Magi arrived and did the Christ child homage.  And then we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord this week, when John the Baptist witnessed the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus and identified him publically as the Messiah.  So there is still much to rejoice over because the Messiah came to be with us.

Today, our readings help us to recognize the consequences of Jesus arrival for each of us.  You see, Jesus shows us the way to live; his way to live.  His Baptism prefigured ours.  That means that we received the Spirit and a mission at our Baptism.  And his life, which plays out as the Gospel in Ordinary Time, prefigures the kind of life we are called to live.  Yes, each of us is called to follow Jesus at our Baptism by having faith in Jesus, living a Christian Life, and evangelizing in word and deed.

Today, we hear three different aspects of that message in our readings.  Listen again the Paul’s words from Corinthians, whom he addresses this way:  “To you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.”  That applies to us as well- since all of us have been sanctified through our Baptism and ultimately, we are all called to be Holy as were the Corinthians.

Then, in our reading from Isaiah, we hear the Lord say of Israel, which refers symbolically to the Messiah, that:  “I will make you a light to the nations that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”   How else does that salvation reach the end of the earth except through us?  We are witnesses through the Apostles and the Gospels to all that Jesus did and promised; we were Baptized and received the Spirit of God and a mission.  And so, we are the way that the light reaches to the end of the earth.  All who are Baptized in our Faith and sent out to live that Faith can and must be evangelizers.  We evangelize through the witness of our lives that we believe, and by our actions which draw others towards the promise of salvation we enjoy.

The Gospel today speaks of John pointing to the Lamb of God.  This happened after Jesus was Baptized by John, and after Jesus spent 40 days in the desert reflecting on God’s mission for him.  As Jesus returns from the wilderness, John sees and recognizes him as “The Lamb of God”.

The Lamb of God!  The Lamb of God is the sacrificial victim in the Passover.  So John first prophesies that Jesus will offer his life as the sacrificial victim on behalf of God the Father.  Then, after repeating that he saw the Spirit of God descend on Jesus, John goes on to state of Jesus:  “He is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit”.  And indeed, after Jesus rose from the dead, and just before he ascended to heaven Jesus tells his Apostles to evangelize all people, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Jesus passes on the responsibility for evangelizing to all of us.

So, we are not done with the coming of Christ.  In fact, the joy of his coming just begins with Christmas.  The rest of the Church year memorializes the rest of the process.  We have all been called to walk in Jesus footsteps.  We are called to believe in him; to become members of his people, the Church; to live as he did according to the Gospels; and to go out and evangelize all people, assuring that they are baptized.  All of us share that calling.

The early church was successful because the Christians got this message.  In unity and love, they lived the Gospel and projected that love in what they said and did.  They held firm in adversity, even suffering death and martyrdom for their faith.  Their example was a powerful testimony that won over an empire- the Roman Empire.

It’s a challenge, but all of us can live up to this calling.  Whether at work, school, play, or leisure, we can project the love and values that Christ left to us as his legacy by always doing the right thing, not what society expects; by showing love for our family and neighbors rather than always feeding our self-interests; and by accepting the sufferings dealt in our lives with dignity and acceptance rather than in bitterness and anger.

And so, they will know we are Christians by our love.

For Christians, the real joy of Christmas has just begun.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Holy Family Sunday Homilies | No Comments »

Unity

January 10th, 2017

Benediction

1Jn 3: 1-3

Dc. Larry Brockman

We are all gathered here tonight to adore Jesus and pray to him in unity. And it is when we are unified that we please God the most.

God is a social God, three persons in one God. And in a mysterious and incomprehensible way, those three persons share the one Godhead.  Within the limitations of our human understanding, just how is that even possible?

It is only possible through Love.  Mutual Love binds the three persons together. After all, God is love.

Now although we are praying in unity tonight, all of us are unique creations of the one God and are made in His image and likeness. That means we have our own diverse talents, perspectives, and understandings. But if we can come together in unity, to pray to God as a single voice, that would be most pleasing to our God. and to do it most effectively, all of us should be motivated by true love, love for God and his gifts to us, and love for each other.

We haven’t talked about it, but likely all of us are here to pray in hope for our future. In just 10 days, a government takes over. So, let us all pray together in unity in hope, and In a spirit of love of country and each other, that this new government will be moved by the Spirit of God to follow the will of God for us as a nation to do what is right before God, for each and every one of us.

Tags:
Posted in Benediction | No Comments »

You Are Being Called!

December 18th, 2016

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Is 7: 10-14; Ro 1: 1-7; Mt 1: 18-35

Deacon Larry Brockman

Isn’t it exciting!  The Lord is coming and he is inviting all of us to follow in his footsteps.  We are being called, all of us.  That’s Paul’s exciting message this morning.

Here again is what Paul said:  “Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,  among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ”.  And that’s exciting for two reasons:  First, that Jesus extended the chosen people from the Israelis to all nations, the Gentiles; and second, that we are all actually being “called”.

Yes, you and I and everyone else are being called by God.  And it is that second part, being called, that most people don’t really appreciate.

I heard a very interesting interview recently with President Elect Donald Trump.  What really struck me were his words about “being called”.  Now this man has been known a real estate tycoon, a business man, and a lot of other things during his life; but now he feels that he has been “called”.  This was the essence of his response to questions in the interview.  He feels that his “calling” transcends the former emphasis in his life in business and real estate.  His focus now is on what he has been called to do, to be president of our country.

Mr. Trump didn’t specify who has called him.  He probably thinks that he has been called by the American people; but I hope that deep down he also feels that he has been called by God.

Now being called is different from other motivations for doing a job.  We can make a conscious decision to go after something.  That’s different than a “call”.   You see, being called means that you are being wooed, solicited, sought.  Someone else is after you.  That’s what is so special, that God is calling all of us.  He doesn’t wait for us to find him; but he is always seeking us.

Now I don’t know whether Mr. Trump’s statements about being called are rhetoric or reality.  For my point in this homily, it doesn’t matter.  Because, on the merits of his words alone, Mr. Trump is describing a conversion of the heart.  When we are “called” by God and we listen to that call, and then respond to it by making a basic change in our focus on life, then we have “repented” and have experienced a change in heart.  Mr. Trump’s words describe the beginning of that process as he approaches his term as President.  It remains to be seen how that process plays out for him.  But his words illustrate the process well.

So, this is an example of what Paul is talking about this morning.  The only thing I would add about the “calling” process is a little more on what it takes for this change to be true repentance.  Repentance is a change in heart, but one in which we change from some sinful path to a righteous path.

Now most people are not interested in change.  The fact is that most of us resist change in general.  We become used to, and in many cases comfortable with the way things are.  And so, when we are “called” to make a change, especially for the better, we fight it, just as we avoid anything else uncomfortable.

Such was the case with Ahaz in our first reading.  The King and his Israeli subjects were simply was not interested in changing things.  They weren’t interested in following some God given sign to reform.   They didn’t want to listen to any of Isaiah’s prophetic predictions.  And so, Ahaz cleverly says that he won’t ask for a sign.  Isaiah responds by chastising the king and the Israelis about their stubbornness.  Whether they like it or not, the Lord is going to send His Messiah.  And that Messiah will be born of the virgin.

A thousand or so years later, the Messiah arrives.  That’s our Gospel story.  And what was striking about that arrival was the way that the Christ arrived.  He didn’t arrive as a well to do citizen anointed by the authorities to shepherd the people of Israel to a renewed worldly greatness like his ancestor King David did.  Rather, he came as a simple peasant boy, later carpenter, later journeyman preacher; and he was anointed by the Holy Spirit, not by the authorities.  He did come as Isaiah had predicted, born of a virgin.  And he came as Matthew quoted the Angel, with this mission:  “For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.    She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Yes, Jesus came and did His Father’s will.  And in doing so, He saved us from our sins.  Now, we are all called to follow after Jesus Gospel example.  It is an example that we can all understand.  It is not hidden or protected; it is not something theoretical and transcendent.  It is the example of one who became one of us and lived in every way as we do, but without sin.  And all of us are “called” to it; we are actively sought to respond to it.  We don’t have to seek it; it is being continually offered to us.

Yes, you and I are called; and that is so exciting!

Tags:
Posted in Holy Family Sunday Homilies, Westminster Tower | No Comments »

Building On The Rock

December 1st, 2016

Thursday of First Week of Advent

Is 26: 1-6; Mt. 7: 21, 24-27

By Deacon Larry Brockman

So, it’s all about doing the will of the Father.  That’s what it takes to enter everlasting life in the Kingdom of God.  

But how do we know what the will of the Father is for you?  Well, you’re in luck, because both our readings help us with that today.  First there’s Isaiah who says two things:  That we need to dwell in a strong city; one with walls and ramparts to protect us.  And the “us” he refers to are those who keep faith and are just.  Then he says:  “Trust in the Lord forever! For the Lord is an eternal Rock.”     

Jesus says basically the same thing:  We are to build our houses on rock, not sand.  Each of us is a temple of the Holy Spirit.  Each of us needs to build a strong dwelling place for our immortal soul that is housed in our body.  But our physical self, our bodies, need a strong foundation.  And that foundation is the teaching of almighty God.

 As both readings imply, the Lord is a rock.  His truth is absolute, immutable, firm, fixed; it doesn’t depend.    One of the most serious errors of our time is the tendency to flirt with relativism.  People who flirt with relativism do think “it depends”.  They think it depends on the times; it depends on the circumstances; it depends on the individual.  But our Church, the rock upon which Jesus entrusted his teaching, says otherwise.  Our Church teaches that the truth is unchanging.  Circumstances and the times may affect our culpability in a given situation, but they don’t change the truth.

Now the Gospel contains some interesting metaphors that build on this idea of a rock sound foundation, and the consequences of not building our abode on a rock sound foundation.  First, there is the contrast between rock and sand itself.  Rock doesn’t move; sand drifts this way and that.  It seems to me that this analogy alone is enough to tell us that God’s laws; his revelations, and the nature of God himself are fixed, and that we ought not drift around from one concept to another.    The world is full of folks today who hold a sort of pluralistic world view.  It’s a given that all trains of thought in the world seem so close at hand these days with air travel, instant radio and TV and the Internet.  And so various people of faith intermingle and move around amongst each other in all parts of the world.

So some folks rationalize that God wouldn’t just reveal himself to Christians; but that he has revealed himself to Buddhists, Hindus, Moslems, Taoists, etc.  Perhaps he has; but not with the same fidelity.  Either we believe that the rock of the ages is Jesus Christ; and that no other foundation has the same ring of fidelity to it- or not.  Our foundation simply must be Christian; not a watered down pluralistic compromise that drifts around depending upon which previously remote alternate religion now dwells among us.  This is not to say that we shouldn’t and can’t tolerate and live peaceably with these other faiths.  We do that out of love of all of God’s creation.  That’s how we evangelize these others.  But we must always be focused on the rock of the ages and his teaching- that’s how we must live our lives.

The other two interesting metaphors are the wind and the rain.  We routinely associate the spirit with the word “wind”.  Recall that Jesus breathed upon the Apostles to instill the Spirit within them.  But there are evil spirits as well.  The “wind” of these evil spirits blows from all directions, and is aimed at instilling doubt and moving us away from our foundation. 

And then there is the rain and flood.  Rain can be anything from a long term, constant drizzle to a short term overwhelming deluge and flood.   Drizzle is like the effect of the media in today’s society.  The secular media is full of misinformation, pornography, hate and intolerance, and anti-Christian alternatives.  After constant exposure to it we become desensitized and our houses will shift if we don’t have the right foundation. 

A deluge would be something like the rapid fire acceptance of gay marriage and euthanasia in today’s society.  If we don’t focus on the truth, we could be swept away in these deluges, which fail to recognize God’s teaching.

Our best defenses to the wind and rain are knowledge of our Faith and constant contact with the Holy Spirit in a regular and vivid prayer life. 

Yes, it’s all about the will of the Father.  And the will of the Father is that we build our houses on a firm foundation of Faith and Christian Morals.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Holy Family Weekday Homilies | No Comments »

John The Baptist Speaks to Us Today

November 30th, 2016

Westminster Towers

Mt 3: 1-12

By Deacon Larry Brockman

So, just who was John the Baptist, and does his message apply to us today?

We know from the Gospel of Luke that John was Jesus’ Cousin, born to Elizabeth, a cousin of Jesus’ mother Mary.  According to the first chapter of Luke, when Mary visited Elizabeth  Elizabeth’s child “leapt in her womb”.  So, John the Baptist leapt in Elizabeth’s womb when the child in Mary’s womb came near his mother.  Wow!  There can be no doubt about it- life begins at conception. 

And what did the leaping in the womb signify?  Bible scholars have suggested that it was at this moment in time that the Holy Spirit filled John having been instilled in John by the Lord Jesus himself.  And so, John was something special.  He was graced by God and had been given a mission.  And that message was defined in Isaiah the prophet, and then predicted by his own father Zechariah.   

You see, Elizabeth was the wife of a Levitical priest, Zechariah, as is also mentioned in Luke 1.  That means that John was of the priestly tribe, and destined to be a priest himself.    Elizabeth was thought to be barren, and advanced in age.  But an angel of the Lord visited Zechariah when he was acting as the priest and offering incense in the Holy of Holies.  It is interesting to note that because there were so many Levites at the time, a Levitical priest was only given the honor of offering incense in the Holy of Holies of the temple once in his life!  So this was a very important occasion in Zechariah’s life.  And to his amazement, he was told by the angel Gabriel that Elizabeth would bear a child as he did his duties.  But he disbelieved, and was struck dumb by the angel until the child was born.

After the child was born, Zechariah regained his speech, and said this of his son (Lk 1:76):  “And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.”

So, John the Baptist was the son of a Priest, and thus a priest by birth right.  He was a cousin of Jesus on his mother’s side; and he was filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth!  John’s name was given to him by the angel; and the name John means: “The Lord is Gracious.”  Yes, indeed, the Lord was gracious to John, giving him a special mission and grace.  And John’s mission was to prepare the way of the Lord for all mankind, including the Gentiles.

Our Gospel begins this morning with John faithfully fulfulling the prophecy made by his own Father, Zechariah.  John is discharging his duties as a priest by conducting a rite of Baptism of Repentance, and proclaiming the coming of the Most High and the Kingdom of God.  Indeed, the rite of Baptism has roots in Jewish ceremonial services.  When someone other than a Jew wished to follow Judaism, they were “Baptized” in water, symbolizing a washing away of their old way of life, and the adoption of a new way of life.  This is precisely what John was doing, but he was offering this Baptism of repentance to everyone.

The Gospel speaks of John’s clothing and food.  John was in the survival mode.  He was clothed in a rough camel skin; and was eating the most basic of food; food off the land consisting of locusts and honey.  This indicates John is in a state of self-mortification as a way of purification.  He could not have been accused of hypocrisy- like some fiery preachers of our day, who dress to the nines and enjoy many of life’s comforts.  John was the genuine article, and his sincerity shone through.

We are told that he was angry at the Pharisees and Sadducees.  So, why is that?  Well at that time, the Jews were hoping to be saved from centuries of domination by the Syrians, Greeks and Romans.  They were looking for a savior, the Messiah; one who would herald a new Kingdom like David’s Kingdom of old.  And this anticipation was very popular at that time.  John emerges preaching in the desert, drawing large crowds because the proclamation of the coming of the Kingdom and a savior was something they were all hoping for.

But the Pharisees and the Sadducees were not there for Baptism.  The Pharisees were separated from the people because of their zeal for precise fulfillment of the letter of the law.  They wanted to check up on John and make sure his rite of Baptism followed the letter of the law.  The Sadducees were part of the Jewish establishment that was wary of political efforts to establish a new Kingdom.  They just wanted to be left alone to control the Jews as long as the state stayed out of their business.

These two groups did not get along- they despised each other.  They coexisted here because they had a common aim.  You see, both the Sadducees and the Pharisees came to John’s Baptism as spies.  They were certainly not there to repent and change.  And so, they drew anger from John.

John calls these people out for what they really were: a brood of vipers.  You see, a viper would have to escape and return to water after stinging a victim, or it would die.  How appropriate, then, was John’s description of these two groups.  They were there to find fault and do injury; and as soon as they believed they had found what they wanted, they would have escaped the crowd.  They were not interested in repentance.  They viewed themselves as the Chosen people; the children of Abraham.  They thought they were the people who had it right, each in their own way.

But John sets them straight as he says: “Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance”,   and then he goes on to admonish them of the fate of those who do not bear good fruit.  First he says:  “Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.”  John is one of those rare people who can look into the hearts of men and know who they really are; what their real motivation is.   And what he sees is a lack of action from these people.  They are caught up in themselves; they are judgmental of others; but they are not bearing fruit from their actions.  They have not learned to fear the Lord and to respond to his inner voice.  And so John then says:  “Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Just to make it clear what he means by the fire, he talks about the kind of Baptism that will be administered by the “One who is coming”.  This is going to be different- it is not just a cleansing of sin, which the water was supposed to do, but it was going to be a Baptism of the Holy Spirit and of fire as well.

First, the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit cleanses us from our sin, so that we are ready for the gifts of God’s Spirit.  Then the Spirit animates us; motivates us; and gives us our mission along with the gifts of the Spirit God has chosen for each of us.

But what about the Baptism of fire?  Well, we are free to choose God’s gifts in Baptism or not.  Those who choose it respond to the call and bear fruit in their lives.  These are the wheat that is harvested.  But there are some who reject it- as the Pharisees and Sadducees are accused of doing.  They are the chaff that is thrown in the fire.  That is the fire of condemnation that never leaves.  It is an everlasting fire that consumes them forever because they realize, too late, that they have turned away from God while they lived, and there is no recourse after death.

Today, we are in the middle of the Church season of Advent.  It’s the season when we prepare for the coming of the Lord.  We anticipate two comings.  First, the coming of the Christ Child at Christmas.  That is kind of like our Baptism, our original call.  And like the baby Jesus, we are introduced into life in the church.  We can respond to that call or not.    But the readings in the Church calendar actually emphasize the Second coming in the first two weekends of Advent.  The Second Coming of Christ is the Last Judgment.  That happens for all of us when we die; and it can happen at any time.  The great St. Augustine has said that those who don’t embrace the first coming of Christ are going to be very uncomfortable with the second coming.  So all of us need to be ready for it at all times.  The big question is: are you ready for it?

As we listen and analyze today’s reading from Matthew, it is easy to feel like bystanders listening to a tale from long ago.  But the reality is that we are just like the crowd that followed after John the Baptist.  Some of us are like the Pharisees, interested in the letter of the law, and looking to justify ourselves by following the law to the letter.  These people relish finding where others trip up because it makes them feel better about themselves.

Others are like the Sadducees who are looking for the Kingdom, but who are preoccupied with the rut they are in.  They think they are saved and are not interested in change.  They want to keep things just as they always have been.  They want to run away from making changes that may challenge them.

Still others are like the great crowd of followers of John.  They are looking for something new and they are open to change in varying degrees.  They are willing to listen; and they are excited about the prospects of the Kingdom.

We would all do well to think about John’s message in the context of our own lives.  Because no matter what our age or station in life is, God is continuously asking for our attention and response.  First, we need to fight complacency and self- satisfaction- the sins of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.  Then, we need to be open to the inner voice calling us to something new.  It can be something simple- new friends, a new environment, trying different things.  Or it can be more challenging, like coping with lost loved ones; forgiving past offenses; or accepting infirmities that limit our capabilities, so that we cannot do the things we used to be able to do.  What matters is our ability to love God and feel comfortable that we are listening to him all the time so that we are ready, and comfortable, with the Second Coming of Christ, whenever it happens.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Westminster Tower | No Comments »

Having Faith in the Kingdon of God

November 20th, 2016

Christ the King

2 Sam 5: 1-3; Col 1: 12-20; Lk 23: 35-43

By Deacon Larry Brockman

It’s all about Faith!  And speaking of faith, how about the depth of Faith that the good thief had?    Here’s a man, guilty by his own admission, hanging on the Cross next to Jesus.  This man recognizes that Jesus is innocent of any wrongdoing.  That was probably fairly obvious just by listening to the trumped up charges and the distortion of the truth that the authorities used to convict Jesus.  The good thief was most likely a shrewd man who could size a situation up quickly.  He could read between the lines and discern the truth.  

But what couldn’t have been obvious to him was that Jesus was the Son of God and even shared in God’s divinity.  That certainly wasn’t obvious for a thief hanging on a cross next to Jesus.  Just what was it that gave this man his insight; his faith?    And look at how strong this man’s faith was.  First, he chastises the cynical thief for a lack of fear of God.  Why?  Certainly the cynical thief didn’t fear God; and indeed, probably didn’t even believe in God.  But the good thief senses that the man has seriously sinned in not fearing God.  What gave him that fear of God, that insight.  Then he boldly asks Jesus to remember him when he comes into his Kingdom.  How could he have known that?  Just what gave the good thief the inspiration to both fear God and to recognize Jesus as a God and King? 

Contrast this scene with the one in the first reading.  David had led the Israelites into battle; had fearlessly shown good example in battle himself; and had won victory after victory for the Israelites, returning the army safely home.  Everyone recognized him as the one they wanted for King.  He was a leader; he had delivered for them; he was the archetype of what the Jews expected for a Messiah. 

But Jesus failed those kinds of tests.  He was not winning battles; rather, he had been captured, humiliated, and put to death.  And He was not doing the kind of thing that he was famous for- working miracles.  The cynics believed it was all a hoax all along- hence the ridicule from the sneering rulers.   

Of course, we can only speculate what converted the good thief.  But I suspect it was the same thing that converted the disciples that followed Jesus.  Jesus was a herald of the good news; of a new covenant with God.  Jesus was fundamentally different.  He was a herald in word and deed; the premier personal example for all to see.  Those who were blessed with contact with him just sensed the difference between Jesus and other people.  It was the way he looked at you; the kindness in his eyes; his body language; the conviction of his message; the truth exposed; and yes, even the way he responded and carried himself during his passion.  Likely the good thief had unwittingly been a witness to much of the trial and Jesus’ journey to the cross.  There was just something about it all that rang true.  And so, he believed, he really believed.  Jesus could look into his heart and see that; so Jesus pardons the good thief right then and there, and tells him he will be in Paradise “this day” with him.   Wow! 

All of us have the same choice that the two thieves on the cross had.  We can respond as cynics, children of the ways of the world.  The message of the Gospel is just too much for the cynics;  they are untrusting; unwilling to sacrifice their own self-interests; impatient with God’s plan and speed.  If we act this way, we are like the bad thief.

Or we can respond with faith to the word of God.  While Jesus way seems contrary to the ways and wisdom of the world, it has a ring of truth to it that promises true happiness in an everlasting Kingdom.  And so, we seek God’s will for us; become trusting and patient with God’s pace; and hope for the promised Kingdom. 

That is the good thief’s response- firm Faith in Christ the King and everlasting life in the Kingdom of God.

Tags: ,
Posted in Westminster Tower | No Comments »

The Fruits of Perserverance!

November 13th, 2016

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mal 3: 19-20a; 2 Thes 3:7-12; Lk 21: 5-19

By Deacon Larry Brockman

So, we should not be afraid of the end! For, as Jesus says: “By your perseverance, you will secure your lives”. 

For the last several weeks, we’ve been hearing about the Kingdom of God. And while Jesus seems vague about it, it’s just because we have a tendency not to listen to what He says. He has said the kingdom is already here; it is amongst us. That’s because if you follow Jesus by doing his will and defending your faith; then you already have everlasting life in you. It simply can’t be taken away from you. And that’s something we can all be joyful about.

But the kind of life we have in the Kingdom of God is not the kind of life we typically seek in this world. We seek comfort; good things to eat and consume; fun things to do; leisure time; the path of least resistance; and ways around suffering and pain.   While none of these things is bad in themselves, they are a problem if that is all we seek. They are a problem if our focus is only on self-gratification; they are a problem if we are not focused on others; and they are a problem if our main focus is not on pleasing God.

Our readings clearly reinforce this today. First, Malachi chastises the clearly bad doers of this world. If you do evil, and are consumed by it; then in the end you will be swept away in an eternal fire, and nothing will be left of you. It is such a vivid description of the hell that awaits the truly evil doers and unbelievers. They are the people whose focus is entirely empty of God.

Paul then talks about some people this way: “We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others”. Don’t you just love it! The pictures that came to my mind were the multiple “demonstrations” around this country by folks who are upset with the results of the election. Where do they get the time? Aren’t there more productive things for them to do? Paul says it this way: “Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food”.  And Paul backed up his assertion by talking about his own situation. He was a visitor; but did not expect to be kept by the people he was visiting. Rather, he says: “On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you.” That is our responsibility. To work quietly according to God’s plan to do God’s will; and that means minimizing the burden that we are on our society. These are people whose focus is on themselves.

And then there is the Gospel. People are impressed by the elegance of the Temple adornments. Jesus set’s them straight. It will all come to nothing. So it is with all of us. Whatever we seek in this world in the way of things and comfort; it will all come to nothing in the end. What matters is whether we believe in Jesus Christ and stand up as His witnesses.

Now the authorities ask Jesus an interesting question as Jesus says that it will all come to nothing in the end. They ask Jesus “when”. They want to know when the end will really come. These are people who have a glimmer of faith and concern, but who are diverted somewhat from their goals. So, they want to know when, presumably so they can be prepared.

Jesus’ answer is very sobering and has two parts to it: First, don’t be taken in by those who claim to know when the end will come. Nobody knows; and those who claim they know mislead. They often have their own interests in mind; and very frequently advocate things that detract from what our real goal should be- to live God’s plan for us and trust in him.

Second, be prepared always. That’s really the essence of Jesus’ warning to be prepared to defend your faith always. All of us who believe need to be tested in the crucible of this world. All of us will be challenged or persecuted or tested in our faith sometime during our lives. For some, it comes down to making the right choice in the midst of temptations. And there are plenty such temptations- cheating in money matters, relationships, or tests for example. For others, we will be directly challenged in a matter of faith: whether to have an abortion; or whether to follow our conscience when a boss or authority tries to get us to do something wrong. Still others will be directly persecuted just for their faith, like the Christians in ISIS held territory.

Rather than try to anticipate the end, we just need to hold firm when we are tested. Fortunately for most of us, we are given a chance over and over to reconcile with God whenever we do slip up. That’s what the Sacrament of Penance is for.

So remember this always. Be ready at all times to live your faith. Then “By your perseverance, you will secure your lives”.

Tags: ,
Posted in Holy Family Sunday Homilies | No Comments »

Honoring Who Really Matters!

November 8th, 2016

Benediction

Col 3: 16

Dc. Larry Brockman

Well, it’s all over! This terrible, contentious election is over in the state of Florida, and in a few hours, for the whole country. It has sapped us of our energy for months because all of us are concerned. Our choice was between two people who have too many faults each.

Tonight, we gather to pray for our country before the one person who matters the most- Jesus Christ. We are here to adore him, to praise him, and to ask him to bless the person chosen for office with wisdom and zeal for doing God’s will for all of our people.   And we are also here to thank Him. Yes, thank Him. We need to thank Jesus for so many things- First, the wonderful country that we have all been blessed to be live in; second, for the faith that we all have as Catholics; and third, for the opportunity to show that faith no matter what happens today.

Indeed, we will have more opportunities in the future to show our faith than in hundreds of years because many of our elected officials support attacks on our Faith and Religion. They support gay marriage, abortion, and euthanasia; they support “vested interests”, corruption, and various forms of discrimination. And so, unlike generations of Americans before us who were once protected from Religious discrimination by our government, we will be put to the test. We will need to stand up and be strong when our own government persecutes us. And that is a huge opportunity.

But most of all, we need to be joyful tonight because we all know that we are God’s children; and that no matter what our leaders do, nobody can take that away from us.

And so, let us rejoice together in Jesus Christ in psalms and songs knowing that we who are strong in our faith are destined for the Kingdom of God because Jesus Christ will ultimately prevail. No secular power, law, or movement can take that away from us. Amen

 

Posted in Benediction | No Comments »

God Loves Even Those Who Are Lost

October 30th, 2016

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Wis 11:22 – 12:2; 2 Thes 1:11 – 2:2; Lk 19: 1-10

By Deacon Larry Brockman

Isn’t it wonderful how much God loves us!    Listen again to these words from Wisdom:  “For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made”.  How could it be otherwise?  How could God loathe anything that He had made; else He wouldn’t have made it.  And that is such good news for all of us, because no matter how far astray we go or have gone, God still loves us; for he still loves all things He made.   

And yet, we can get lost, can’t we?  We can get very far off the right path like the prodigal son in the story a couple of weeks ago, so lost that we separate ourselves from the love of God.  And so, whether God still loves us or not, we can experience the pain of separation from God.   

It might not seem like it at first, but Zacchaeus was one of those folks who had gotten lost.  We know that Zacchaeus was a Jew from the context of the Gospel.  But Zacchaeus had elected to become a tax collector for the hated Roman establishment.  That meant he hounded his fellow citizens to collect taxes.  Not only was Zacchaeus a tax collector, but he was the chief tax collector.  That means he had to have been cunning and ruthless at some point in his career.  It had earned him the promotion and it had made him a wealthy man.  And so, Zacchaeus had become lost in the secular world and had abandoned his Jewish roots.   

But Zacchaeus was one of the lucky folks who got lost.  Because he came back; yes, Zacchaeus had a conversion in heart, maybe because of what he had heard about Jesus.    The Gospel today is full of all kinds of symbolism about Zacchaeus and his conversion.  Zacchaeus runs ahead- something considered below the dignity of a cultured citizen.  Because of his small stature, he climbs a tree, also below considered one’s dignity.  Now one Bible Commentator says that Palestinian Sycamores have long smooth trunks that are hard to climb, and would be much more difficult to climb if you were short.  So, Zacchaeus motivation for climbing the tree was not just idle curiosity.  He had abandoned proper behavior for a person of his social status; and had to work hard to get up that tree.  Zacchaeus was definitely a man who had a change of heart and was seeking to change his life.  And as the dialogue with Jesus shows, he was prepared to put his conversion of heart into practice by following the Mosaic law of 4-fold restitution for anyone he had cheated, and by promising to tithe and give half of his wealth to the poor.   

And so, what does Jesus say to Zacchaeus?  Jesus says: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and save what was lost”.  Symbolically, Zacchaeus can be seen as the lost members of the faithful who have committed themselves to repent, and who are joyfully awaiting the coming of the Lord.  And when the Lord comes to him, He calls Zacchaeus to come down from the tree to serve him.   

Now in the letter to the Thessalonians, Paul prays that God will make the Thessalonians worthy of his calling to them.  He also prays that they would “powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith”. This applies to us today as well.  Today, we are being called, and we are expected to bring to fulfillment every good purpose and effort of faith.  We are being called to come down out of our trees, and in a spirit of conversion, serve the Lord and his purpose as we live our lives going forward.   

But Paul also says something else to the Thessalonians.  He says “not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a “spirit,” or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.   Let no one deceive you in any way.”   

This is a day and age in which there are many false prophets; there are many persons trying to deceive us.  Let me give one example.  There are popular Preacher’s out there who predict the end of the World.  Some of them interpret the Book of Revelation by drawing parallels between current events and Revelation.  But nobody, according to Jesus, knows the time or the hour.  Yes, we have prophets and sages and government people heralding the end times in their own way.  But don’t listen to them.     

Our challenge is to be prepared for the day of the Lord at all times; but not to be anticipating it or hurrying it.  God loves us just the way we are, young or old; feeble or agile; intelligent or dumb; pretty or plain; as long as we love Him, believe in Him, and are doing his will because the Son of Man has come to save all of us.  All of us, that is, except those who choose to stay lost and abandon Him. 

Tags:
Posted in Westminster Tower | No Comments »

How Should We Give to God?

October 23rd, 2016

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sirach 35: 12-14, 16-18; 2 Tim 4: 6-8, 16-18; Luke 18: 9-14

Dc. Larry Brockman

One of the most difficult things for all of us is to discern just how, what, and how much we give to God.  I’m not just talking about money, either.  Rather, I’m talking about time, talent, and treasure.  Today, our scriptures give us three different views on giving to God.   

Sirach says to: “Give to the most high as he has given to you- generously, according to your means.”  So, each of us is admonished to give generously of our treasure.  Then he says: “But offer no bribes.”  Indeed, bargaining with God is not a healthy way to ask God for help.  Then Sirach implies that the cry of the downtrodden will be heard by God.  Clearly, the emphasis in Sirach is on generosity and sincerity of heart.  Give to the Lord generously and your needs, not your wants, will be provided for.   

Then, there is the story of Paul.  Paul has given himself generously to the Lord, but rather than treasure, Paul has given his time and talent.  He gave up everything to become an Apostle to the Gentiles.  Before his conversion, Paul was a Pharisee in good standing, and from a wealthy family.  After his conversion, Paul was shunned by his fellow Pharisees, and lived from day to day as a tentmaker.  Paul travelled tirelessly throughout the Eastern part of the Roman Empire to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.  He was imprisoned several times, mistreated by some, and living from day to day throughout his ministry. 

Yet Paul is joyful, even offering forgiveness to his persecutors.  Because Paul recognizes that “the time of my departure is at hand”.  Paul is hopeful that the crown of righteousness awaits him.  Notice, that he does not declare himself as righteous.  Rather, he recognizes that the crown awaits him following his judgment; and Paul is confident that his devotion and dedication to the Lord will be rewarded.   

That brings us to the Gospel- one of the most well known passages in the Gospel.  First, we are told that the parable is addressed to those who consider themselves righteous.  Well, you know what, that’s all of us here today, isn’t it?  After all, we are here, whereas an awful lot of folks haven’t bothered to get up and come to worship God.   And we all contribute something to the collection.  We are doing our part.  Those others have more important things to do- golf or outings or many other things; and they contribute nothing to the church. 

But you see, our salvation is not “relative”.  We cannot judge our righteousness based on the righteousness or lack of it in others.  Our status with God is standalone- it is based on our relationship with God, and our relationship alone.   

Jesus wants us to not only give of our time, talent, and treasure; but to do it from our hearts; to do it out of humility and love.  And as this Gospel tells us, the tax collector gave out of humility and love.  It isn’t how much we give, but whether we give out of love, with the right intention.   

Recently, my wife had a major operation.  She was in the hospital for almost a week, and so, she had several different nurses caring for her.  I visited her there daily.  It is fair to say that all of these nurses were qualified; and all of them gave her care according to their training.  But, there were significant differences in the quality of care as viewed by their patient.   Some of them did everything by the book; they were clinically outstanding in their practice.  But they projected neither compassion nor caring as they ministered to their patient.  These acted out of duty.   

Others were equally proficient from a clinical perspective.  But they had a way of making their patient feel accepted, valued, and cared for.  These acted out of compassion and love.  I am sure that anyone who has spent multiple days in a hospital can relate to the difference.   

Well, so it is with our need to give to the Lord.  We need to give to the Lord, not out of duty; but out of love.   

God is the giver of all things.  There is nothing that we possess- no talent, no time, and no treasure- that he has not given to us.  Even those things we think we have acquired by our own skill are given to us by God, because without God, we can do nothing.  Every breath that we take, we owe to God, and that is reason enough to love God back and want to give something back to him. 

As to how much we give to him, the more the better.  For as Sirach says, God will give back to us seven-fold.  And God is rich in Mercy to those who love Him.

Tags:
Posted in Holy Family Sunday Homilies | No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »