Learning How to Handle Our Exile

March 15th, 2015

4th Sunday in Lent

2 Chr 36: 14-16, 19-23; Eph2: 4-10; Luke 16: 19-31

Deacon Larry Brockman

“God gave His only son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.”  That is all of us because we believe!  What great cause for rejoicing!  And those words by Jesus to Nicodemus are echoed as well by Paul:  “God brought us to life in Christ- by grace you have been saved.”  More cause for rejoicing!   

But you know what.  That isn’t all that Jesus and Paul said.  There’s more.  But before getting to that, recall some of the history lesson in the first reading.   

Notice that the whole story of the Israelites is summarized there.  First, we know that the Israelites were God’s chosen people.  They had been brought out of slavery and given the promised land by God.  Yet despite being “saved” by their God, in the generations that followed, priest after priest, and all the people were guilty of ignoring the word of the Lord that was given to Moses and spread by the messengers of God and the prophets.  The Israelites are described as having done abominable deeds, even polluting the sacred temple of the Lord.  And so what happened to them?  After a period of many “second chances”, the Lord loses patience, and they are overrun and scattered by the pagans in exile.  And then, after the appointed time of purification had past, some 70 years in all, the pagan King Cyrus issues a decree enabling the faithful remnant to return to their promised land.   

This story should sound familiar.  It is the precursor of our own story.  We, too, have all been saved; but we were not saved for this life.  Rather we were saved by the Lord for eternal life.  God sent His only son to suffer on the cross, die, and then be resurrected from the dead to eternal life.  And God promised all of us who believe the same eternal life that His son has achieved in rising.   

But you know what?  We all have to go through our exile; to be purified of our past sins.    Listen again to Jesus and what he says to Nicodemus:  “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed.”   Now Paul argues that:  “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ”   So, God loves us despite our sins, and has saved us despite our sins!   

We must obtain forgiveness for our sins through Confession.  But they are still not the kind of deeds that we would want exposed to the light of God.  That’s where our purification comes in.  Catholics call it Purgatory.   

We cannot save ourselves- God did that for us through His son.  But if we believe, really believe in all that Christ taught and promised; we confess our sins, and repent of them.    Then what flows from us is good deeds, deeds that are done by us in Christ, that is, in his name; deeds that are done by “living the truth” of our faith; and deeds that we have no hesitation in showing in the light. 

Christians whose deeds shine forth in the light are ready for the Last Judgment and the Kingdom of God where they will remain forever in the Light of Christ. 

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Nobody is Beyond Saving

March 12th, 2015

Thursday of Third Week of Lent
Jer 7: 23-28; Lk 11: 14-23
Deacon Larry Brockman

 

The other day I saw a man in the hospital from another state who claimed he was beyond saving.  His marriage was a wreck; he alone and separated from his family, and now, to top it all off, he had a serious medical problem and ended up in the hospital. He felt guilty of many things, and thought he was beyond saving. This man was in the grip of the devil   because the devil had convinced him he was beyond saving. How ironic that is, because from the depths of his depression, I could sense that this man had already taken the first critical step- He recognized his sinfulness and was disposed to repent. And yet, he resisted prayer and the sacraments because he believed he was beyond saving. This is just one form of modern day possession by the devil.  Yes, indeed, the devil is alive and well, and he controls many people either this way, or in some other cycle of possession.

For example, there are many people who have lost a close one who can’t seem to snap out of it; the devil wants them to keep holding on, and works on them to shut God and his love out. Then, there are many are addicted to food, drugs, alcohol, pornography, Facebook, or any number of other things These people are not listening to God; but are slave to their addictions. .The devil feeds them on their gilt and gluttony, and encourages them to their excess. And then there are people so stagnant in their daily routine that they resist any and all kind of change. They have locked out the voice of God urging them to change, or they do as the man in the hospital, they tell themselves that they are beyond saving.  All of these things can be modern forms of possession.   

What’s the way out? Well, first we have to listen to the voice of God. Just as the prophets such as Jeremiah heralded God’s message to the Israelites long ago,   The Church and its messengers herald the voice of conversion and change. The Israelites are accused by Jeremiah of “not listening”. We need to learn a lesson from them, and listen to God.     

The Church asks us to listen for change often. We do it twice a year formally- in Advent and Lent. And of course, we are in the middle of Lent right now. So are we all listening?       

Now I know that all of you are committed to the focus of Lent. That’s why you’re all here at daily Mass. And so, all of you are searching for ways to improve your lives as  Christians. You are listening for the voice of God as you earnestly pray to make  yourselves better. But are you making the same mistake that many in the crowd made in the Gospel reading? Are you looking for a sign from heaven? You see, God has already spoken to us; and His word lasts forever. It is present in the scriptures, it is present in the traditions of the Church; and it is spoken to us unwittingly by those God places in our path every day. We just have to listen for it; and not look for a direct sign from heaven.

Jesus says something very powerful at the end of the Gospel as well. He talks about strength. The implication is clear. Make yourself strong spiritually so that the enemy cannot overcome you. For those of us who sincerely seek change in our spiritual wellness, spiritual strength is the key. And that means prayer, bible study, the sacraments, and becoming the best version of ourselves. It’s all the things that the Dynamic Catholic People are talking about in BestLentEver.com.       

God loves all of us and never gives up on us. He is constantly after us to repent and change.His message is ever right before us.  So, If today you hear his voice, however weak that may be, harden not your hearts

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How Torturous is the Human Heart

March 5th, 2015

Thursday of the 2nd Week in Lent

Jer 17: 5-10; Luke 16: 19-31

Deacon Larry Brockman

“More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it?”    How true is that with regard to the Rich Man in the Gospel?  One can only ask the question- Why?  Why, with all his wealth and comfort, would the Rich man ignore Lazarus day after day, month after month?   

Was it because the Rich Man was not aware?  Was it because he was not caring or generous?  What was it about the Rich Man that separates him from righteousness to such an extent that he is permanently exiled to an eternal place of torment?   

But the Rich man was aware- he knew who Lazarus was, even knew him by name; he hoped that Abraham would send Lazarus in a mission of kindness to him.  How ironic- a man who ignores Lazarus and his suffering for so many years now blithely begs for kindness from him.  No, the rich man was aware.   

Similarly, the Rich man cares- cares for his brothers and his family; otherwise he wouldn’t appeal for someone to go to his family so they could avoid his plight.  Granted, his generosity and concern is just for those close to him; but the Rich man doesn’t come across in the story as being totally uncaring.  

And so, if the Rich Man was sensitive enough to be aware and had a basic sense of caring for others; what was it that went on inside of his heart?  I think the rich man was too comfortable in his life.  He was always in control; everything was about him.  He made something of himself in life-  he amassed wealth; he was a member of the privileged and favored society.  But he was so preoccupied with himself that he just never got around to listening to his conscience, or responding to it either. Time passed, and before he knew it, life was over.      

Jeremiah quotes the Lord as follows: “Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD.”  And that’s what happened to the Rich Man- he was cursed, and separated from favor in the Kingdom of God because he trusted in the world and what it had to offer.   

Can we apply this lesson to ourselves?  Are we aware of all the things that are happening right under our noses?  Like the homelessness and poverty and all kinds of moral evil that are going on around us constantly.  Ah, yes, we do notice it OK, and it gnaws at us too, doesn’t it; so we care, too.  But, like the Rich Man, are we so busy with our own agendas and find it difficult to really respond?     

Indeed, as Jeremiah said: “More tortuous than all else is the human heart; who can understand it?”  God understands it.  God knows what is really in our hearts.  And where our treasure is, that is where are hearts are.

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We Are All Being Put to the Test

March 1st, 2015

Second Sunday of Lent

Gn 22: 9a, 10-13, 15-18; Rom 8: 31b-34; Mk 9: 2-10

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

You know what?  We are all being put to the test.  Just like Abraham in the first reading, and just like Peter, James and John in the Gospel, your faith is being put to the test constantly.  And what better time than Lent for you to reflect on that test: how you are being tested in your faith and what can you do to pass God’s test for you.   

You know, the story in first reading is so familiar to us, that we may not appreciate the whole meaning.  Did you know, for example, that the land of Moriah to which Abraham brought Isaac, meant the hills above Jerusalem- the exact same place where Jesus was crucified?  And that a little math will resolve the fact that when Isaac was brought by Abraham to Moriah, he was virtually the same age as Jesus when he suffered and died on the Cross- in his early 30’s.  He wasn’t some young lad, virtually helpless against an older parent.   

How much more vivid do these two factors make the comparison between Isaac and Abraham versus  Jesus and God the Father.  Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son because God challenged him, put him to the test, to show his loyalty.  And God intended that we draw the parallel- a son the same age; and a sacrifice to take place in the precise location of Calvary.  Yes, it is necessary to give up that which is the most precious to us in order to show our loyalty and faith in God.   

Why was it so important that Abraham pass this test?  Because faith means everything- ultimately without faith in God, we are reduced to nothing.  We have no firm ground, no basis; we don’t have the stamina and fortitude to survive the trials in this world; and we have no future beyond this life.  Real faith in God not only means knowledge of God, but a healthy fear of God; a humility that recognizes we are always subject to God, and not in control; and trust in the fact that God loves each one of us so much that he will always help us to be the best version of ourselves.  That’s why it is important for us to have faith, and faith that has been put to the test.   

Abraham passed his test; he believed God, even if it meant sacrificing his only son.  And as a reward, God gave him descendants as numerous as the stars from his one son Isaac.  God extended the promise to maintain Abraham’s legacy symbolically “forever” through his descendants.   

Similarly, the Apostles faith is being tested in the Gospel reading.  They had left everything to follow Jesus.  But they didn’t really know what that meant.  Jesus miracles and charisma and teaching authority were beyond question in their minds.  But when Jesus told them, following the 40 days in the desert that we heard about last week, that he was going to suffer much, die, and then be resurrected, well, that was too much for them; Jesus words to them had fallen on deaf ears.   

And so, Jesus took them on Mt. Tabor for an unforgettable encounter.  Right in front of their eyes, Jesus was transfigured, meaning that he became dazzling in brightness.  Clearly, this was a brightness that emanated from within him.  And there were Moses and Elijah as well in similar brilliance and reality- Moses representing the Law; and Elijah representing the prophets.   

Jesus had been accused by the Pharisees of violating the law and misrepresenting the prophets.  So, Moses and Elijah’s presence validated that Jesus was on the right track.  He was the fulfillment of the law and the prophecies.  Amazingly, the three Apostles recognized Moses and Elijah- their eyes were opened.  Then, God the Father spoke from the cloud: “This is my beloved Son”.  What an encounter!  If ever they had doubts about who Jesus was, this should have removed them.     

But even as they left the mountain, Jesus repeats the prophecy of his on suffering and death.  Indeed, the Faith the Apostles had was being called into test.  They had seen; but to really believe, they had to believe in all of it, trusting that even that which seemed unlikely or counterintuitive, was true.  They needed to have faith in Jesus 100 percent, and then act accordingly.   

Each year, we are brought into the season of Lent to prepare for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is a good time for us to stop what we are doing for a while and reflect on our lives.  How are we being put to the test?  And do we really believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior?  Do we trust that no matter what the world throws at us, we still need to live the Gospel message, and trust God? 

So, what are some of the ways that we can establish that our faith is genuine as we reflect on our lives?  St. Paul tells us this morning that we should not be ashamed of our testimony to the Lord.  Today, that means we should stand tall for our Christian moral values-  values such as Respect for Life, concern for the Poor, the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman; and honesty in business to name a few.  Paul also tells us that God has:  “…Called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus”.  First, we are called to a holy life.  Are we living holy lives?  And then, we are called, not according to our own works that is our own interpretation about what is right for us and how to do things, but rather through God’s will for us, His design.  That’s a whole lot to reflect on.  I am sure all of us are being tested, and we have this opportunity to strengthen our faith.   

I go to a local hospital twice a week to visit the Catholics there.  It’s probably accurate to say that many of them experience a sort of wake up call.  I see People who are losing a leg because of diabetes; or suddenly find themselves with cancer; or any of a number of other life threatening diseases.   I hear a lot of “Why me? And I see a lot of denial.”  Some of them are in panic because they know their lives are not in harmony with God.  Their faith is weak; and they are struggling with the consequences.     

Each of us has the opportunity right now to face the test of our faith, and not be caught by surprise.  So, examine your life; and then make whatever change you need to strengthen your faith now.  Make ready for the promise of the Resurrection!

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A Better Way to Live Life

February 22nd, 2015

First Sunday of Lent

Gn 9: 8-15; 1 Peter 3: 18-22; Mk 1: 12-15

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

Did you know that Noah preached to the people of his time for 120 years before the flood?  For 120 years, Noah pleaded with the people to reform and turn to God.  And whether the 120 years is literal or not- the message is that God worked through Noah to bring people back to him for a long time.  But despite Noah’s patience and perseverance, only 8 people, his closest family members, believed and repented. 

Noah warned everyone the flood was coming as well, but that warning fell on deaf ears.  In fact, Noah was ridiculed and laughed at for building the ark.  So, virtually all the people of the time perished in the flood.  Ironically, those that were saved were saved by the same water that the others perished in!  Buoyed up by the ark, Noah and his family transcended the evil around them, and the devastation of the flood, to live.  And so, the covenant we hear about this morning was made with Noah and his descendants- those who listened to God.   

In the second reading, Peter refers to the flood waters as a prefiguring of Baptism, because the waters of the flood saved the few who were seeking God and his forgiveness.  Likewise, Peter says that Baptism “saves you now”, or immediately.  Indeed, when we were Baptized, all of our sins were washed away immediately. 

The same is true in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which was instituted so that persons who sinned after their Baptism might receive immediate forgiveness.  All we have to do is confess our sins and repent, and those sins are washed away for good.   

Peter also talks about the dead who were imprisoned by virtue of the flood.  The dead were the multitude that didn’t listen to Noah.  Peter says that Christ went “in spirit” to preach to the dead in that prison.  There’s a lot of discussion by Scripture scholars about what Peter’s words mean here.  But the majority of Scripture scholars seem to interpret that many of those lost in the flood had a last minute conversion when the flood actually came.  Christ had spoken to these lost souls through Noah for 120 years, that’s what the preaching of Christ was.  And although these people did not listen till the flood came, they remembered, and had this last minute conversion.  Some scholars quote St. Augustine who described this as a “miraculous” conversion. 

Nevertheless, those lost in the flood had to wait all that time- thousands of years from the flood till the coming of Jesus, till Christ redeemed them of their sin and released them from their prison. I don’t know about you, but this sounds very much like Purgatory to me and it sounds like a very, very sad condition.   

This reminds me very much of my experiences at a local hospital.  I go twice a week to help the Chaplain, where I visit the Catholics.  Many of the people I see have become estranged from the Church.  They either don’t attend Church, or they go to some other Church now.  Their faith is on the back burner while they live their lives.  Yet, when it comes to identifying what their religion is, they say they are Catholic.  Some of these people see their hospital stay as a wakeup call, and seek reconciliation with God through His is HChurch.  But many of them seem indifferent to God, and just want to get out of the hospital and resume business as usual.  There will always be time later to respond to God’s call and repent they think.  This sounds just like the folks caught in the flood.   

There is a different and better way for all of us- the way that Jesus shows us in this morning’s Gospel.  After his Baptism, Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and fasted and prayed and reflected on the meaning of life.  In the midst of great temptations by the devil, temptations to use the talents God gave him on his own terms; to wield power; and to satisfy himself,  Jesus rejected all that.
 Rather, Jesus emerged from the desert in harmony with God’s plan.  He was resolved to change his life to do God’s will for him and so, the simple Carpenter from Nazareth became a fiery preacher, a faith healer and messenger to announce the coming of the Kingdom of God.  His Gospel is his legacy; the crucifixion is the price he paid for doing God’s will; and the Resurrection and everlasting life were his reward.  Jesus showed us the way to do the same thing.   

We are challenged in these 40 days of Lent to make a change in our lives.  Lent is our desert time of the year, if we take the opportunity.  Let go of some of the clutter in your life, whatever it is that is holding you back from entering that desert.  Maybe it’s some of your TV time; some of your internet time; some of your shopping time.  But whatever it is that holds you back- cut some of it out.  That’s what you should fast from.   

And then, use that time to get with God.  Try the adoration chapel; or a quiet space in your home.  Pray for God’s help to identify and recognize your weaknesses and your sinfulness.   For example, reflect on whether you have a tendency toward any of the seven deadly sins-  Pride, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Laziness, Anger, or Envy.  If you are honest with yourself, you will probably find something there that rings a bell.  And then resolve to do it, to change it.  Change is the key to success .  

There’s a saying used in 12 step addiction programs   That gives some insight into why change is necessary:  “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results”.  I think most of us are guilty of that.  We live our lives in a fixed pattern, and we’d like to change things, but we still keep going the same way.  And so, the results are no different.   

The people of Noah’s time did not change.  They never learned the lesson  They squandered more than a lifetime of God’s urging and patience.  Don’t repeat their mistake. 

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How Does Our Secular Culture Influence Us?

February 19th, 2015

Thursday After Ash Wednesday

Dt 30: 15-20; Lk 9: 22-25

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

Do you any idea just how much influence our current culture has on you?

Listen again to the words in our Psalm this morning:  “Happy those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked, nor go the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers.”   

You know what.  Every day we are exposed to the “counsel of the wicked” and we “sit in the company of scoffers” and we watch closely sinners going our way.  You say how is that?  When we listen to the radio and watch our TVs;  when we check out the Internet; and when we read secular magazines and other publications.  Much of what we see and hear in these venues has “subliminal” effects on us in the sense that we may not even be aware of the effects.  At other times, we see or hear the same thing often enough that it becomes second nature to us.  It seems like it is acceptable to us, even if we are just passive about it, especially when our passive behavior is around others, like our children.   

Perhaps a few examples would help.  How about the acceptability of the Sports Illustrated Swim Suit Calendar?  And then there those nightly TV shows and magazines that tell us what’s going on with the darlings of “pop culture”- how this starlet just had a baby with her “boyfriend”; or how long so and so have been living together.   

But then there’s this:  The other day, I heard an item on the news where a single person could join an internet service that would send to themselves love notes and other messages from a fictitious lover.  Why? So that friends and family would think that they had a lover and they would stop pressuring them.  I found it appalling; but how many others found it amusing to put one over on Mom and Dad, or that office acquaintance that never lets up.     

Actually, we are being given the same choice that the people in Moses time were being given.  We have laid out before us life and prosperity or death and doom.  We can choose to embrace God’s commandments and live; or we can face the doom that comes from ignoring God’s commandments.   

The Old Testament cycle of God’s people following Him and abandoning Him is being repeated today.  And the abandonment is always accompanied by apathy and lack of commitment to God’s commandments.  We are inundated in the media with morally unacceptable behavior in such a way that it seems mainline in our culture.  Then we become complacent, and even passively accepting of it.  That complacency and lack of conviction is noticed by our children, because our actions, or inactions as the case may be, allows the culture to speak loudly in the absence of our voices.  We effectively lead others to a choice by default.   

The Gospel today summarizes what life is all about.  We are challenged to take up our cross and follow after Jesus.  Our crosses are not like Jesus’ wooden cross, nor are they the martyr’s cross of those Christians in Iraq and Libya who were martyred this week by ISIS.  Those crosses are easy to identify- terrible adversity.  Our crosses are maintaining a life that conforms to God’s will in the midst of so much freedom, freedom that showers us with conflicting values, self-serving pleasures, and subtle slippery slopes.  But we still have an obligation to carry our crosses.; to stand up and be counted when we see evil.   

We have just started Lent.  Lent is a great time to reflect on our lives and make a change.  That is what the word repentance means.  So, take some time this week to reflect on the influences the media has on you and your family.  Identify the “ways of the sinners”, the “counsel of the wicked” and the “scoffers” who ridicule God’s law and the truth.   

And then make a choice.  Choose life and prosperity and not death and doom; that will be cross enough to carry.

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Why Ash Wednesday and Lent?

February 18th, 2015

Ash Wednesday Service

Joel 2: 12-18

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

Why Ash Wednesday?  Why Lent?  And just what are we supposed to do?

Well, in the early Christian Church, folks prayed, fasted, and renewed themselves spiritually as they prepared for Baptism into the Church on Easter.  After most people converted to Christianity, the Church recognized the need for the people to renew themselves spiritually each year as they prepared for Easter because the converts lost some of the enthusiasm for their faith and needed to be reminded of what it was all about.   

And so, way back in the fourth Century,  the Church instituted the season of Lent for fasting and penance to prepare spiritually for Easter.  What was earlier observed as a week-long fast was expanded to 40 days, because Jesus, after his Baptism by John, went away for 40 days in the desert and fasted and reflected on what God’s mission was for him.   

He emerged resolved to change his life from that of a carpenter to a preacher.  And that’s pretty much what we should do- reflect on how we should live the life God wants for us.  But how should we do it?   

There’s a saying used in 12 step addiction programs that I think gives us a big clue:  “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results”.  I think most of us are guilty of that.  We live our lives in a fixed pattern.  A change is hard for us.   

In a few minutes, you will receive ashes.  These ashes remind you that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.  Yes, indeed, as far as this life, you started out without the life force as “dust”, and some day you, as with all of us, will return to dust.   

But we all have the opportunity, shown to us through Jesus’ death and Resurrection at Easter, to live forever in the Kingdom of God.  And Jesus Gospel message was this- repent, believe, and follow me.  To make sure we are on the right course let’s all repent- which means ‘make a change’.     

The Church advises us to use fasting, prayer, and almsgiving during Lent as the tools for making a change.  First, let’s talk about fasting.  Rather than giving up chocolate or beer, ask yourself this question:  “What is it in my life that is interfering with my ability to use my time better?”  And then cut some of the time you spend on this. That should lead to some spare time for prayer. 

Now, the reason prayer is so important,  Is that it gives us the quiet time with God to reflect on what needs to change.  It is the key to identifying how we can expect different results.  So, use the time freed up by your “fasting”  to pray, maybe first thing in the morning; or last thing at night.  But in any event, find a half hour, or surely even just 10 minutes a day.  Go somewhere quiet, and reflect on your weaknesses.   

Reflect on the 7 deadly sins- Pride, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Laziness, Anger, and Envy.  Almost all of us are guilty of one of these.  Ask God to forgive you, and help you to make a change.  And then change your life to eliminate the bad habit or tendency   

Lastly, almsgiving.  Rather than dropping a few extra bucks in the collection box, think of almsgiving as a way to use the extra time and energy that you receive after you change one of those bad habits for doing something positive for someone else.   Do something that hurts a little bit, because it’s a stretch.   

Fasting, Prayer and Almsgiving.  Not only is it good for Lent, but it’s a way of life for continuous improvement!  It’s why we have Lent. 

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Life Is About What God Wants

February 12th, 2015

Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Gen 2: 18-25; Mark 7: 24-30

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.”  That’s what we just heard God say in the book of Genesis.  And so God is the architect of marriage.  God made man; God made woman to be a suitable partner for man; and God willed that they should cling together as one as husband and wife.  Nowadays our society is trying to redefine marriage without taking into account what God said about it.  And that is a problem, a big problem for all of us.  But it is only a sign of the times.  Permit me to explain.   

You see, life is not all about living and let living; life is not all about just getting along; and life is not all about our rights as individuals because all three of these philosophies of life are all about us- what we want.  Life, rather, is all about what God wants.  God’s plan was that man and woman be joined in marriage.  Yes, his plan was for man and woman, and any other arrangement is not a marriage.

There are lots of other ways that our society is redefining the goals of society, and doing it in such a way that God’s input is missing .  Now we need to understand that when society doesn’t live according to God’s plan, then there will be consequences of that.  The entire Old Testament is a cycle of events that show what happens when people first listen to God; and then don’t listen to God.  Societies thrive when they put God first; and then crumble when they take control for themselves and ignore God’s will.  Our society will be no different.   

Our American government was framed by the country’s founders on the basis of Judeo-Christian values.  To be explicit- the ten commandments and the teachings of the Bible.  That’s why the ten commandments are copied on to the walls of our courthouses and state houses.  They are not posted there to endorse a religion.  They are posted there because our founding fathers universally recognized that laws of the land needed to reflect them:  “Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not lie, and thou shalt not covet.”  It was just something that was understood.  Likewise, that’s why all our legal processes related to marriage up until now were predicated on marriage between a man and a woman.  Everyone just knew what marriage meant and why, because everybody was familiar with the Bible version-  the Genesis reading and others.   

But not now; as we find our nation marching down a path to redefine marriage.  Why is that so important to all of us?  Well, because God is watching us, just as he watched his people in the Old Testament, that‘s why.  The reality of life is that God not only wants us to live his plan for us as individuals; He also wants us to collectively live the life He wills for all of us.  And history has shown that when we don’t live collectively in harmony with God’s overall plan, disaster strikes.  It sure did strike for the Israeli nation over and over again in the Old Testament.  And it could happen to us.   

So, what can or should we do about our society as we watch it slip away from its Judeo-Christian roots?  First, we need to keep the faith, the faith that God’s word is the real authority; that God, not man knows best; and that God can and will conquer all evil in his own time. To do that, we have to know our faith like it was second nature to us.  And it should be second nature to us.   

Second, we need to teach that faith, and we need to be explicit about what is wrong with the alternatives.  That means teaching our children; our coworkers; and our political representatives.  We cannot afford to be passive- live and let live is not the answer.  We must personally stand up for our faith because that is the best way to teach our children and our coworkers.  That means getting involved- writing letters, speaking up at the office; participating in events like 40 days for life.   

Look at the faith of the woman in the Gospel as an example.  She heard that there was something special about Jesus’ teaching.  And so, she learned about him, and went to see him despite the fact that she was not a Jew.  She had three strikes against her- she was a woman; she was not a Jew or Jewish sympathizer, and she belonged to the pagans.   But she was willing to stand up and be counted in front of strangers and in opposition to her own people because she believed in Jesus and his message.   

If all of us stood up for Jesus as this woman did, our children, our coworkers, and our politicians would get the point.

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Joy Comes From Listening to God

February 5th, 2015

Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Heb 12: 18-19, 21-24; Mark 6: 7-13

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

I don’t know about you, but that first reading sounded kind of scary when I first read it!  Recall that when Moses led the people to Mt.Sinai, they saw what was truly unapproachable- that which couldn’t be touched because it was feared; a blazing fire; gloomy darkness covered by clouds; a storm; and a voice that those who heard feared greatly. 

And as a result, the Israelites asked to be spared of a repeat of the horrible spectacle.  They asked for someone to speak in God’s name.  Moses made the request, and God appointed prophets in the tradition of Moses.  Moses and these prophets spread God’s word in the form of the scripture and the law.  They were captured as the ten commandments and the other laws handed on by tradition in the Jewish scripture.   

But over the course of Israeli History, the people didn’t listen to the prophets.  They were disobedient.  And Israel was scattered in exile. But not before these same prophets had predicted a new order- a New Covenant; one in which God would send his only son.  God’s son would be like all the rest of us, human in form.  And his word would be direct, not through prophets, but through his own example and spoken word as God’s son.   

Jesus spent three years telling his good news- the Gospel, a message of the heart, a message of love.  And Jesus spoke and acted with “authority”.  “Authority” is that special quality one has who speaks and acts with power delegated from above, the power of God- just as the prophets spoke with authority.  But Jesus acted and spoke with a “fidelity” that rang true.  Jesus not only spoke for God, he was God.   

In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus delegating his “authority” to the Apostles. And we hear that the Apostles worked the same wonders in healing as they spread God’s word.  How fortunate we are to have the Bishops and leaders of the Church who today lead us with the same authority that was delegated to the 12 Apostles.  The message that we have received from the Gospel is exhilarating and exciting.  By following the Gospel of Jesus, by accepting God’s word on Faith, and living as Jesus taught, we can share in the legacy of Jesus- eternal life in the resurrected state in the kingdom of God.   

This is what Paul is talking about in the second half of the first reading.  We share in this promise by preparing to approach Mount Zion as we go through our earthly lives.  And what are we approaching?  The city of the living God- Mount Zion and the new Jerusalem with.countless angels in festive gathering; and the assembly of Jesus, the firstborn, in heaven, along with the spirits of the just made perfect.  That is us- the spirits of the just made perfect.   

So rather than scary, that first reading should bring us much joy because it is a message of hope and of eternal happiness for those who believe. 

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Speaking With Authority

February 1st, 2015

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dt 18: 15-20; 1 Cor 7: 32-35; Mark 1: 21-28

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

There’s no lack of folks speaking on moral issues in our time.  We have all those televangelists out there; and all those folks on Christian radio filling the airways.  And there are spokespeople for all the denominations of Churches.  And then there are the secular moral advocates.  They say different things about important issues on faith and morals.  So, how do you know when God is speaking to you through these people?  Well, you should look for someone who speaks with “authority”.   

The dictionary defines authority as “power to exercise judgment, make decisions, or command that something be done”.  It was clear that God tells Moses that he will raise up prophets from among the Jews who will talk in God’s name.  Clearly, those prophets spoke with authority- God given authority because God granted them the power to speak in His name.  And during the course of Old Testament History, God did use His prophets to shepherd His people.  He warned them when they began to go astray; he told them what to look for in a Messiah; and he consoled them with hope when they were in exile.   

But along with the real prophets, there were many false prophets.  These prophets may have had power granted to them by their rulers or have assumed authority by virtue of their knowledge.  But their message was flawed, because the authority they claimed came from the wrong power, not the power of God.   

The people of the Old Testament frequently ignored, and even persecuted the real prophets because they prophesied things the people did not want to hear.  Unfortunately, God’s real message is often something we don’t want to hear.  So, we need to be in tune for what constitutes real authority, not what constitutes the most palatable message.   

In Jesus day, the Scribes and Pharisees supposedly spoke with authority.  Their authority was based on scripture- literal interpretation of Jewish law derived from the Jewish scriptures.  In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus speaking with authority.  Jesus, as God become man, had authority by virtue of the power of God.  When Jesus spoke, things happened- demons were driven out; and people were cured.  But more than that when Jesus spoke, the words had a ring of truth to them.  They had a quality that cut through the arguments of the Jewish leaders of the time.  Jesus words contradicted strict observance of the law because His authority was based on God’s will, and God’s will was that we act with a loving heart.   

Now Jesus delegated his authority to the Church on Holy Thursday when he commissioned the Apostles to go out and Baptize everyone and to celebrate the Eucharist, a sharing of His own body and Blood.   So, the Church shares real authority just like the Old Testament Prophets did.   

Nowadays, there are many self- proclaimed experts who compete with the Church.  Some are the televangelists and radio evangelists who speak for competing denominations.   And to be sure, many of them spread God’s word and do much good.  But they sometimes fall into the same trap as the Pharisees and Scribes of Jesus time by emphasizing the Bible alone.  That is because the real authority comes from God; not directly from man’s interpretation of the Bible.   

Others speak with secular authority; a sort of pluralistic authority that takes into account multiple faiths and cultures.  Today, these “authorities” are attempting to impose a new way of thinking about marriage, homosexuality, individual rights and a host of other issues involving faith and morals.   

What matters in the end, is whether or not they speak with real authority.  They don’t, because the only real authority on these issues is God and God speaks through His Church.    In the last several years, I have come to appreciate the Catholic Catechism more and more.  The Catechism is a document that speaks with authority.  The arguments cut through the secular mishmash of today, and provide clear guidance for moral issues that have been clouded up by the false prophets of today.  I urge all of you to consult the Catechism for the truth because the Church speaks with the authority of God.   

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