God Makes All Things New.

Spring is a time of rebirth. Seeds that have been dormant through the winter are sprouting. In the animal world, babies are born. Today’s readings are all about new creations.

In the first reading, the apostles report that God worked through them to welcome Gentiles into the Christian community. Their old exclusivity was abandoned for something new and more powerful. The second reading speaks of how God offers us a new heaven and new earth for all eternity. The frailties and challenges of our human existence will no longer exist. We will dwell with God in a glorious new way. There will be no limitations to our joy.

The gospel also describes a new creation: a different, better way of living. Jesus gives us a new commandment to “love one another”. With these words, He empowers us to change this world for the better. We can become active participants in God’s plan for us as we move from selfish to selfless. God will work through us to spread His message to others. He gives us the opportunity to be part of a new, more powerful way of life.

My sheep hear My voice.

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday. We acknowledge that Jesus is our Shepherd, and we are His sheep. He loves, teaches, and protects us. Our role is to hear, trust and follow Him.

We live in a society that constantly bombards us with information. From email to billboards, texts to television, even the most sheltered among us can experience sensory overload on a daily basis. With all that going on, how do we hear the voice of our Shepherd who speaks quietly in our hearts?

The key to hearing Jesus’ voice is to give ourselves the gift of His peace for at least a few moments each day. Make an unbreakable appointment with yourself to sit and listen to the voice within. It doesn’t have to be long, but it does need to be uninterrupted and focused. It can take the form of prayer or conversation or silence. Only by spending time with Jesus will we be able to recognize His voice over the distractions of the world around us.

Making these quiet moments a regular priority will strengthen our relationship with Jesus. We will become sheep who are close to the Shepherd, less vulnerable and less likely to wander down a rocky path. As we become more adept at hearing our Shepherd’s voice, we will be more productive members of His flock.

Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. We second guess our decisions. We lose confidence in our skills. We slide back into old behaviors because we are insecure in our abilities to move forward. Peter and the disciples face the same doubts in today’s gospel.

When Jesus appears to the disciples again after His Resurrection, He finds them...fishing. Not unusual for fishermen, but these men have been trained by Jesus for something bigger. Yet their doubts have driven them back to their old, comfortable ways. Jesus reminds them that they must continue His mission. The disciples must commit to their new roles and preach to the world as fishers of men.

Even Peter needs a gentle reminder to let go of the past. Remember when Peter denied Jesus during His trial in Jerusalem? Peter must have felt so ashamed. So three times Jesus asks Peter about love. Three times Jesus tells Peter to take care of His people. God has forgiven him. Peter must now forgive himself and move forward feeding God’s people, feeding His sheep. Peter must fully commit to his new role as Head of the Church.

Peace be with you.

Fear. Disappointment. Surprise. Shock. Joy. Worry. Hope. These are just a few of the emotions that the disciples of Jesus experienced in the days following Holy Thursday. It was a time of chaos. Jesus, was arrested, beaten, and put to death. Then He disappeared from the tomb. Soon there were accounts of Jesus appearing to His believers. What would be next?

This is where today’s gospel picks up the story. Overwhelmed disciples were meeting in a locked room when Jesus—in the flesh— appeared to them. The first thing Jesus does is calm the chaos. “Peace be with you.” With those gentle words, Jesus quiets the noise in the room. He repeats the phrase and stills the turmoil and confusion in their hearts. His presence confirms the truth of the Resurrection. The disciples accept the peace of Jesus and are renewed.

We often live in a state of chaos. Busy schedules, worries about finances, concerns for elderly parents, and work deadlines are just a few of the things we may be coping with daily. Jesus can quiet the confusion in our midst. He is present in the locked spaces of our hearts. By remembering His gentle greeting, “Peace be with you”, we can be strengthened for the challenges ahead.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ has changed the world for all those who believe. What an incredible revelation it must have been to those first disciples when they came upon the empty tomb! All of the pieces started to fall into place. They began to comprehend, not only the divinity of Jesus, but that the promise of eternal life is real. The Resurrection ignited a new passion within the Christian community to grow and spread the good news of Jesus.

With the Resurrection of Jesus, the faithful were taken from a place of hope to a place of truth. Their faith was strengthened. They were able to go forth and live the message of Jesus, inspiring others to do the same.

The power of Christianity has not faded away. Two thousand years later, we still believe that Jesus is our King. And today is a day for rejoicing: He is Risen! Let our passion for our faith be rekindled today so that we become living examples of Christ’s love. With renewed faith, let us spread the good news of Jesus—just as those first disciples did so long ago.

Holy Saturday Homily

Good Friday

priesthood, Eucharist, call to service

Jesus, remember me in Your kingdom.

And so it begins. This is Holy Week—the final days in the earthly life of Jesus Christ. His life of obedience brought Him suffering and exaltation. His story can also be our story.

Jesus never questioned God’s plan. He lived and died in obedience to God. We, too, are called to obey our heavenly Father. We are asked to live in service of others and in faithfulness to God. It isn’t always easy; our human frailties often get in the way. We must put our trust in the Lord because obedience to God is the way to our salvation.

Jesus lived a life grounded in love. But this caused Him to suffer, too. He was renounced by His friends and betrayed. He was beaten and endured a terrible death. Yet Jesus accepted this out of love for us. Many of us will experience pain, sadness, loneliness, and suffering in our lives. We must be patient with the challenges of this life. When put our hope in the Lord, we understand there is a glorious new life waiting for us after this earthly life is done.

Through His obedience and suffering, Jesus conquered death. God exalted Him so that all should proclaim, “Jesus Christ is Lord.” Jesus is OUR Lord. Through Him, our faith will be rewarded with eternal life. Jesus will receive us into His kingdom as exalted sons and daughters of God.

Who am I to judge?

Our society is often very judgmental. If you are not wearing the “right” clothes or driving the “right” car, you don’t belong in certain neighborhoods. Homeless people should “just get a job”. Members of the opposite political party are “misguided idiots”. Addictions are “choices not illnesses”. The list goes on and on.

This is not how Jesus wants us to live. In today’s gospel, we hear, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone…” We are all sinners. Before we cast judgments (which can cause just as much pain as casting stones), we need to look inward. We need to ask God’s forgiveness for our own sins. We need to ask God for the grace to forgive others. This is an ongoing, life-long task. And as our God is merciful with us, we need to be merciful with others.

So the next time we feel the need to make a judgment in the court of public opinion, let’s just stop. Take a moment to remember that we have no authority to judge someone else simply because they sin differently than we do. That authority belongs to God alone. Think of the old saying, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”