Becoming the Universal Church (U)

April 28th, 2016

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Acts 15: 7-21; John 15: 9-11

By Deacon Larry Brockman

 

Today, our first reading talks about the very first Church Council, the Council of Jerusalem.  The Earliest Christians were a Jewish sect that accepted Jesus as the Messiah, and spun off from Judaism.  But they brought all of the ritual and legal baggage of the strict observance of the Mosaic Law with them. Now Paul and Barnabas return from their newly founded Churches amongst the Gentiles.  These Gentiles accepted all that Jesus taught and practiced; and wonderful things were reported about how God worked through them.  But they could not relate to the laws and ritual practices of the Jews- things like detailed food laws and circumcision.  And so, the Church was faced with a decision- to accept them or not.    Peter and James, and the whole assembly in unison, decided that what was important was Jesus teaching, not traditional rituals, laws and practices.  So, they decided to emphasize the direction they had been given by Jesus.

What was that direction?  To go out and Baptize all nations, even the Gentiles.  And so, they abandoned laws for the sake of maintaining tradition, in favor of being inclusive and open to all.  In so doing, they adopted what Jesus teaches in the Gospel this morning, namely.  “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”  Jesus primary commandment was to love God, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.  Yes, love should be the primary ingredient of our dealings with others.  And so out of love, we keep the “detailed” commandments.  Our mission is to bring others over to our side by the love we show, so that they will embrace us and our way.  We can’t do that by imposing our rules on them, just as Paul and Barnabas couldn’t do it with the first Gentiles.  We can do it by loving them and showing mercy.

I think that this is the essence of what Pope Francis is trying to do in his Apostolic Exhortation on the Family.  In recent years, we have all been inundated with a secular wave of attacks on our family institutions.  So, we see society pushing “Alternate family structures” instead of the Traditional Family Unit; individual rights, like the “right to choose” rather than the right to life; and the right to choose one’s sexual preference as opposed to the way God made us.  Pope Francis Apostolic Exhortation on the Family validated all of the traditional Church teachings on these issues.  The Church has not changed its teaching, and it is important that all of us recognize that is the case independent of what the media may have reported.

However, there are other matters relating to the family that have arisen over the last 100 years, areas where culture has changed, and families have changed with it.  This includes families with working men and working women; separation of multigenerational families; divorced and separated couples with shared responsibility for the children; and others.  The Pope has suggested that we emphasize love, mercy, and forgiveness in dealing with those who have gone awry in these areas rather than throwing up walls based on strict adherence to the rules.  His exhortation asks Church leaders to discern before acting in these areas rather than acting on the basis of the rule of law alone.

Granted, this is much harder to do.  But it is a dilemma much like the one we heard about in this morning’s first reading, where the culture of the Jews was so imbedded in their religion that it never occurred to them that it was turning the Gentiles off.  Our response today requires the same kind of discerning spirit as at the Council of Jerusalem.  At the very least, those who violate the rules need to be treated with love and mercy.

I encourage all of you to read Pope Francis Exhortation on the Family.  It is available on-line for free.

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Love Others As I Have Loved You

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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You Are Blessed If You Do It! (U)

April 21st, 2016

Thursday of Fourth Week of Easter

Acts 13: 13-25; John 13: 16-20

By Deacon Larry Brockman

“If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.”  Such were Jesus’ words to the disciples just after he washed their feet.

What a contrast, because in the reading from Acts, we hear Paul summarize the case for the Messiah from Scriptures- how the nation of Israel was saved from Egyptian slavery, and brought into the promised land; how God the Father nurtured them, and led them by giving them Prophets, Judges, and Kings.  And ultimately, he promised them a Messiah from the line of David- a Messiah, a Savior, who would save them all forever.

But then, what happens when the Messiah, the Savior, comes to his people?  The savior of all mankind tells his disciples very clearly that, just as he was called to be a servant, he is calling all his disciples to be a servant as well, and that is what it takes to be blessed in God’s eyes.

Every Holy Thursday, we reenact the washing of the feet.  It is a powerful image- that the clergy are here to serve just as Jesus served.  This year, Father Giel extended that image so that those whose feet were washed by the clergy, were asked to wash the feet of other parishioners as well.  And how fitting, because we are all the descendants of the disciples.  And all of us are called to be blessed by serving others.

And yet, even though we hear the Gospel and it is preached to us often, do we follow Jesus example; do we embrace the concept of service to others as our primary mission?

I think that the mothers of the world are particularly blessed when you come right down to it.  Mothers know instinctively about deferring self for the benefit of their infant children- getting up at night; constant demands and interruptions, teaching moments during development.   These become a way of life for the first several years of life.  And that nurturing instinct carries forward in life as children grow up, doesn’t it.

And then consider this.  Decades ago, multigenerational households were the norm.  Usually, an aged parent or relative was around, and just as these folks had cared for their parents or relatives in their day, now their children were called to that kind of service for them.  Everybody in the household learned what it meant to be a servant by observing.  And everybody got it- that some day, the roles would likely be reversed.  But we seem to have lost that cultural call to service these days, and the lesson that goes with it, possibly because everybody strives now to be independent and not a burden.

Now there are many other ways that men, and indeed all of us, are presented with opportunities to serve others in our daily lives.  We don’t have to go out of our way to find them, although some blessed people are called for that too.  I’m thinking about times when neighbors need your help- getting their car started, cleaning up a mess after a storm; or when something happens like a sickness or death in the family.  You all know what I mean because when these things happen, you see them; and you may even hear a little voice inside.  But do you respond?

It’s time that all of us slowed down just a little from our fast pace in life and take a break from independence and self-absorption to sense and respond to the opportunities we have to serve others.

Blessed are you if you do it.

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Is Following the Good Shepherd Easy?

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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If Only We Had the Zeal of the Apostles!

April 3rd, 2016

Second Sunday of Easter

Divine Mercy Sunday

Acts 5: 12-16; Rev 1: 9-11a, 12-13, 17-19; John 20: 19-31

Dc. Larry Brockman

Oh, that all of us could share in the zeal for the Lord that the Apostles had after the Resurrection!  What a different world it would be, indeed.

How many of you have seen the film “Risen”?  Well, it depicts how one man, one very worldly man, was converted, a career army officer, the Roman Tribune Clavius.  The movie opens with Clavius brutally leading an attack against Jewish insurgents in Israel.  In recognition for his service, Clavius was ordered by Pilate to assure that Jesus was dead, buried, and guarded.  Pilate didn’t want anything to go awry because the Jewish leaders were warning him of Jesus promise to rise from the dead.  The Jews were telling him the Apostles planned to steal the body and claim Jesus was risen.  And so, Clavius pierced Jesus side with his sword; and supervised the burial into a sealed tomb with 24 hour guards posted there.   But alas!  The guards fell asleep after a drinking spree, and the body was gone.  So, Pilate told the tribune to find the body or else.

Clavius hears stories from the guards about a bright light, stones moving away, and a risen body.  But he doesn’t buy any of it.  So he hunts for Jesus followers, the likely suspects that would have stolen the body- and finds them.  They were cowering in an upper room, hiding from the authorities for fear of arrest.  And what does Clavius also find but the risen Jesus meeting with his Apostles there.

That changes everything for Clavius.  The impossible had happened, the risen Jesus Christ and life everlasting were real!  All the stories he had heard were real.

Of course, the movie is fiction, but it teaches us all a lesson because we can all imagine that Clavius represents each one of us.  We are naturally skeptical and find the story hard to believe.  But imagine that we are a sinner like Clavius who gets to be a first-hand witness.  We would have heard and seen all that Clavius had heard and seen.  We would all have been truly converted.  We would all feel the real joy of Easter because we would all have seen the risen Christ, just as Clavius did.  Things would never, could never, be the same for us.  Our priorities in life would change.

As it is, we are all doubting Thomases deep down and Jesus words to Thomas apply to us:  “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”  If we had seen, things would never be the same for us.  But as it is, we did not see; so we hold back a little; we don’t have that zeal.

The Apostles were filled with zeal because they all saw.  And so they moved out of the darkness and into the public square.  Solomon’s Portico was indeed a public place.  And they fearlessly proclaimed all that the Lord said and did.   Indeed, there were no written Gospels or Epistles as yet.  But as our Gospel today recounts, the Apostles had been given their marching orders when Jesus appeared to them and the prophecies in the Jewish scriptures had been interpreted for them.  The light had come on; they were changed people, and didn’t give a hoot what they authorities would do to them because Jesus had told them they would experience the same resurrection and life with him if they believed.  They were fearless witnesses for the Lord and it worked- they converted many people over to their side.

This Sunday we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday.  Jesus has promised that he will extend mercy to all who repent and believe no matter what they have done.  Even the Roman Tribune was forgiven, and his was the sword that pierced Jesus.  Our readings today deal with the “believe” part of the Divine Mercy promise. We have not seen, but we can still  believe; we can all have the same fearless faith that Jesus is asking us to embrace, a faith that Jesus Christ is risen; He is risen indeed.  We can all believe because we have heard it all from eye witnesses.  Yes, all of us who believe will be forgiven and will rise with him to a new life.  And if we really did believe and act on that.  Oh what a difference that would make!

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Feeling Our Easter Joy

March 31st, 2016

Thursday of Easter Week

Acts 3: 11-26; Luke 24: 35-48

Dc. Larry Brockman

Is this just another day; one of the many in our lifetime.  Or are you feeling the Easter joy!

You should all be feeling tremendously joyful.  And you should be fired up to share and witness your joy and belief because “Jesus Christ is risen; he is risen indeed.”  And all of us will rise just like him to eternal life if we believe, repent, and follow after him.  Yes, all of us are called to be his witnesses.

There was a time in human history when Resurrection from the dead and eternal life was just a vague promise.  There was no proof because nobody had seen or experienced it.  There were many veiled references in the Jewish Scripture.  But they were not believed by everyone.  And in fact, the Jews were split at Jesus time into two camps.  The Pharisees and their followers believed in the Resurrection; and the Sadducees and their followers did not believe.

But that all changed on Easter Sunday in the year 0 AD because Jesus Christ rose from the dead and showed himself to hundreds of people during that first Easter season.  We hear of one of Jesus appearances in Luke’s Gospel today; and how Jesus explained that he fulfilled the scriptures that predicted his suffering, death, and resurrection.  And we have today’s account from Acts on how the Apostles shared their experience with the people.  They became the witnesses that Jesus asked them to become in the Gospel.

But not only that, so strong was their conviction and faith that they were able to perform many miracles in Jesus name.  They explained that these miracles were performed by the power of God, not by them; but because of their faith and the strength of their witnessing, they were able to perform such miracles.  They were exuberant, and they didn’t care what the authorities thought or did because they knew that everlasting life was real.

And so, there is great cause for rejoicing for us because no matter what our lives have been like; and no matter what they will be like in the future here in this life; we know that there is something better.  We have been told by eye witnesses, just as the people in the crowd in the account from Acts.  Yes, all the events in Acts and the Apostles were recorded for our benefit.  They were the records left by eye witnesses.  Heaven is real; the messiah is real; and we are blessed who do not see, but believe.

So, what are you and I doing about that?  Are we spreading our joy?  Or are we living life as we always lived it. The resurrection changed life for the disciples of Jesus.  And like the Tribune in the recent movie “Risen”; it changed the life for all who saw first-hand.

Those of us who have only heard but not seen- we are challenged.  But blessed are those who believe and have not seen.  That’s what Jesus said.  And we can make a difference by witnessing to the ends of the Earth.  Jesus is counting on us to spread his word and the Gospel by what we say and do.  Just like the miracles the Apostles worked through the power of God, God can do mighty works through those of us who believe.  We do those works by following Jesus call to live our Christian values no matter what the rest of the world believes and does.  The mighty works will follow.

Yes,  “Jesus Christ is risen; he is risen indeed,” Amen!

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Suffering with the Lord

March 24th, 2016

Holy Thursday Morning Prayer

Heb 2 9b-10

Dc. Larry Brockman

Suffering!   All of us face our share of suffering.  Whether it is the suffering that comes with poverty, exile, persecution, or natural disaster; or personal suffering due to disease, old age, handicap, stressful relationships, loneliness, or rejection; or any of the other forms of mental or physical suffering, all of us will experience our fair share of it during our lifetimes.  But our suffering, no matter how intense, pales by comparison to the suffering that Jesus experienced during his Passion.

I am reminded of a photo I saw on Facebook that shows one of us seated on a bench in obvious mental and physical distress.  Our companion is Jesus, who has his arm around us.  Jesus is wearing a crown of thorns, is bleeding, and bears obvious physical welts.  Jesus is quoted as saying the following to his companion:  “Tell me about your problem”.  When I saw that, I got it.

And this is a good thing- that while we are all put to the test, our test cannot be compared to what Our Lord went through.  It’s what Paul means this morning when he addresses us about how fitting it is that Jesus be made perfect through suffering as he brings his many sons to glory.

Yes, Jesus is leading the way; and we are all about to follow that process during the Triduum services tonight, Friday, and Easter.  Let us all reflect on our lives, on the suffering past and future, that we will experience.  And let us give glory to God that each of us will receive the graces we need to follow Jesus through redemptive suffering.  If we bravely endure God’s will for us, including whatever hardship that entails, then we will experience the joy that comes with the Resurrection on Easter Sunday because we will also be brought to glory and everlasting life.  Amen.

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Fulfilling Our Part of the Covenant (U)

March 17th, 2016

St. Patrick’s Day

Thursday of the 6th Week of Lent

Gen 17: 3-9; John 8: 51-59

Dc. Larry Brockman

An Everlasting Covenant!  God has made two everlasting covenants with his people.  The first reading talks about the first of these; and the Gospel refers to the second one.

When we hear about that first covenant,  It seems to make promises in earthly terms-  the descendants of Abraham are to reap the rewards of the Covenant God is making with Abraham.  Israel will be God’s people and He will be there God for as long as Abraham’s descendants keep God’s commandments.  And God includes “the promised land” as part of that covenant for as long as they keep it- the promised- land, Canaan.  And so, the Israelites understood that covenant in worldly terms.  Yes, they would retain God’s favor; and they would live in the promised land as a people forever if they kept God’s commandments.  But they didn’t see the symbolic meaning of the covenant.  They didn’t get the afterlife and forever and ever part. They didn’t see life after worldly life as a priority.

Now, in Jesus’ time the Jews were being held captive by the Romans.  There were movements amongst them aimed at rebellion and breaking free.  They were looking for a Messiah- a worldly Messiah- who would restore the covenant God made to Abraham.  In addition, although the religious leaders were split into two camps (those who believed in the Resurrection of the dead- the Pharisees; and those who did not- the Sadducees), all of them were focused on that restoration of the worldly Kingdom.

It is within that context that Jesus ministry entered in first century Israel.  Here comes a person who had demonstrated incredible powers in his miracles, and who spoke with authority.  The leaders had heard about all of this from the people, and so, they listened to Jesus.  But they were looking for a political leader- one who would save their nation.  Was this their guy or not?

But instead of talking about his plan to restore Israel, Jesus talks about the interior life of the individual.  And so, he says: “Whoever keeps my word will never see death.”  You can just imagine their consternation.  And it shows in the dialogue in today’s gospel.

Jesus focus was on saving each and every one of them for everlasting life.  There are two deaths- one that effects our bodies in this world; and one that effects our bodies in eternity.  We certainly will suffer the first death; but we can be spared the second death- if; if we listen to Jesus, the incarnate the word of God.  And so Jesus was not talking about restoring a worldly Israel; rather he was talking about restoring each individual’s standing with God.

This year we find ourselves in the middle of a particularly messy political environment.  We are a people polarized; a people divided; a people faced with difficult choices;- choices that may be the lesser of two evils rather than choices that we can embrace.  The question is; what are our real priorities in the middle of all of that.  Are we looking for a worldly Messiah?  Or are we listening to Jesus, who is trying to tell us what we need to do to avoid real death?

We are also in the middle of Lent- and today’s message is a Lenten message.  The New Covenant that God offers us is everlasting life; life without that second death if- if we listen to the incarnate word of God.

We need to spend some time reflecting on how we are doing.  We need to put aside what’s going on in the world.  Our church and Jesus are trying to call our attention to that because as important as our nation is; our own salvation is more important.

If all of us live according to the word of God, doing the will of the Father as Jesus did; everything else will fall into place; and we will never die.

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How Our Works Testify on Our Behalf

March 10th, 2016

Thursday of the 5th Week of Lent

Exc 32: 7-14; John 5: 31-47

Dc. Larry Brockman

“If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true”.  Those are pretty strong words for the Son of God.  And if they apply to him then how much more so do they apply to others.

And yet, the world is full of people who testify on their own behalf in order to get ahead.  That seems to be the rule for politicians, especially in this election cycle. Why do you suppose that Jesus said what he did?  What is it about testifying in our own behalf that is so flawed?

Well, it’s like this.  Our talents, wealth, health, and accomplishments, are all gifts from God.  To the extent that we exist and can do anything, it is all dependent on God.  We cannot take a breath, utter a word, conceive of a thought, or perform any deed, good or bad without the cooperation and consent of God.  God is the giver of all life and wills that we possess life and our other gifts.

But here is the catch.  He also gives us free will.   And that leads to a choice about how we manifest the grace and animation that result from God willing our lives.  It’s all up to us how and whether we use the gifts we have been given wisely.

Notice that the works that Jesus did testified on His behalf.  That’s exactly what he said, isn’t it.  Jesus doesn’t have to testify on his behalf because his actions speak louder than words.  And if those actions are in harmony with God’s plan, as Jesus actions were, they lead to God’s ultimate goal- everlasting life with him in His Kingdom.

So also, the works that we do testify on our behalf.  They are out there for all to see.  Indeed, our works testify on our behalf better than anything we can say about them.  They testify to the truth about who we really are.  We can have and exhibit tremendous “faith”; but if doesn’t manifest itself by what our works testify then it comes to nothing.

Now Jesus moves on to talk about praise.  First, he criticizes those who accept human praise, but do not seek the praise of God.  These are identified as people who praise the testimony of those who testify on their own behalf!  You see, if people pat each other on the back about how great they are, without recognizing God as the real author of their accomplishments and without seeking His approval, then they are bound to be led astray by their own pride and the devil.

Look at what happened in our first reading.  Moses goes up on the mountain to consult the Lord on what is next after the Israelis are delivered from the Egyptians.  But Moses is the bridge between God and the people.  Without Moses, the people are left to their own devices.  And so while he is away, the Israelis drift away from recognizing who it was that was the driving force behind their deliverance.  They are like the mob of sports fans who meet the triumphant team after the championship.  It’s as if they feel that they, not the team, won the championship.  So, the Israelis constructed their own god to represent their collective power.  It was a product of their own pride, of their own making.  But it was a false power and a false god.  They had conveniently forgotten the truth.

Indeed, if you testify on your own behalf, you are bound to get it wrong.  So, during this special time of Lenten reflection, consider your own life.  How do your works testify on your behalf?  Because that is who you really are.

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Casting Out Our Demons

March 3rd, 2016

Thursday of the 4th Week of Lent

Jer 7: 23-28; Luke 11: 14-23

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

“They have stiffened their necks”. Such is the Lord God’s sentiment about the people of Israel. Over and over again, God had sent prophets to echo the message he gave Moses: “Listen to my voice, then I will be your God and you shall be my people”. But alas, the people of Israel had drifted away from the Word and the precepts Moses had brought them. They had stiffened their necks; and gone their own way.

How about our society? Have we “stiffened our necks” over the Word of God or God’s precepts? When the Beatitudes are read from the Gospel, do we cringe at the idea of being meek, humble, forgiving, and merciful? Do we become skeptical over the real presence in the Eucharist; or cynical about Church teachings on marriage and family and respect life? All of these are scripturally based, and supported by traditional Church teaching. Yet, hasn’t society “stiffened their necks” over them and turned their face the other way?  Doesn’t society squirm over the harder teachings? When people say: “leave me alone, don’t bother me with details; and not right now,” they are essentially saying “Never mind the inconvenient truth”, and they turn away.

And then there are those who don’t listen at all. The church has “too many rules”; “it is out of touch with the times”; or “I just can’t accept that teaching”. And so society proceeds rudderless, or even worse, on a secular course through life, turning their backs on the Lord.   Society stiffens their necks over the Word of God. They look the other way, look for another way; or just put it out of their minds; and proceed according to their own or societies values.

It’s like a disease, you know? Essentially, people become possessed by the “status quo” And in fact, all of us are guilty to some degree of that. We become comfortable with our way of life; and either don’t want to hear about changing it; or become enslaved to it to one degree or another.

That happens whenever we become addicted to something that detracts from our relationship with God, whether it is TV, Facebook, Pornagraphy, Sports, Food, Gossip, Drink, Drugs, or a whole list of other things. It’s as if we have a demon within us that bogs us down; dulls us; diverts us; and or pleasures us.

Well, God is relentless in His pursuit of us. He wants us to accept Him and His will for us all the time. He wants to free us from our addictions, from our demons.

In the Gospel, Jesus does free a man from His demons. And what happens? Society attacks him; accuses him of being from the devil? The same thing happens to us when we listen to the Church. We are attacked by society. The government has recently said it: “The Church needs to get with the times; this teaching is too impractical; and it is too old-fashioned.” And society bombards us with specious arguments like “the right to choose”; population control; and acceptance by the pop culture of the time. People think it’s OK because other people who are popular are doing it.

But Jesus made two very clear arguments about those who attacked him when he freed the demon: First, we must remain strong collectively in the face of the devil and his demons. Yes, the Guard, the Church, must remain strong in the face of adversity, because all will be lost, including the armor that protects us, if our adversary gets the upper hand.

And second, “Whoever is not with me is against me”. And that is a really sobering thought. Despite all the rationalizing, dismissing, and turning the other way that society tries to use on us; if we turn the other way, we are going against God.

So today, as we continue our Lenten Voyage of reflection and repentance, let us confront our demons and expel them. Do not stiffen your necks to the Lord’s appeal; rather listen, listen, listen; and respond, respond, respond.

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