St. Joseph Church Homilies

Something I’ve learned over time is how maintaining relationships takes constant, deliberate work. It’s worth the effort, of course, but when that work isn’t done, relationships begin to drift apart. I’ve had close friends from grade school, high school and beyond, some from workplaces, who I’ve just drifted from once various things in life changed, making it difficult to maintain those connections. All relationships struggle when one doesn’t put in the constant effort to get to know and understand the other. It’s seen in friendships when the lives of each go off in different directions. It’s found in families, between siblings or a parent and child when they don’t keep up with each other’s lives. It’s experienced even in marriages when a couple, once very much in love, become strangers to one another. But its saddest of all when disciples drift apart from God, feeling they don’t know him, and when that happens, God’s power, goodness and presence is questioned and faith lacks the strength needed to affirm hope when the worries of the world confront. Some don’t know God because, in their youth, God remained a subject to study at school instead of a person to get to know. They may know all kinds of facts about God, can rhyme off the Sacraments and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit or even be familiar with the lives of many saints, but aren’t so certain about what’s in the heart of God. Others might not know God because our Catholic faith was presented as just a bunch of rules and laws to follow and didn’t have anything to do with friendship with Jesus or maybe they were told simply that God is love and there’s nothing more needed. I’ve heard of a few who have thought God was dull and boring and bad because their experience of church community was dull, and boring and bad. The result is disciples who feel a great distance between themselves and God, that God is just too far away to be interested in friendship or that we are too far beneath him for friendship to be possible. It becomes difficult to find joy in faith, and easy to be like the Pharisees we heard about in today’s Gospel, who were unable to celebrate the miraculous healing of a man born blind. You have to feel bad for the Pharisees. They worked hard to follow the Jewish law, but to a fault. The law became their saviour instead of God. So, when miracles happened all around them, they took offence instead of finding cause for joy. Obviously, we want to be more like the man born blind and experience the kind of joy he must have felt on recognizing the Saviour. But first, the unnamed man had to go through a kind of journey. The story began with a man unable to see anything at all. He knew he was physically blind and knew healing could only come by trusting in the power of someone greater than himself. At the prompting of Jesus, he took a risk, the blind man trusted enough to give up his begging, time needed to hopefully receive what was needed to sustain himself, to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. There, he regained his sight. But his healing wasn’t yet complete. The miracle attracted the attention of others who wondered about the healer. When asked, “…how were your eyes opened?”[i], the healed man credited, “The man called Jesus…”[ii]. At this point, he perceives Jesus simply as, ‘a man’: not a friend, definitely not the Saviour, just a regular guy. Instead of being happy for the healed man and celebrating the obvious miracle, the Pharisees argued and were divided about Jesus. They pressured the previously blind man to break their stalemate who announced about Jesus, “He is a prophet.”[iii] By relating how Jesus had changed his life, the vision of the heart of the healed man began to clear, he grew to know Jesus a little better, enough to recognize that Jesus was no longer just some man, but at least a prophet. But his journey of healing would continue. The healed man was pressured to denounce Jesus, forcing him to reflect on his relationship with Jesus. There could be no middle ground, the formerly blind man replied with a challenge, “Do you also want to become his disciples?”[iv] The heart of the man born blind realized, Jesus was more than a man or prophet but someone worth following. This realization came with a cost, however. As a disciple, a follower of Jesus, the man was cast out of the community. We can imagine the fears and sadness that undoubtedly weighed on the man at this point. But his divide from the community created space for God to continue working. The eyes of his heart opened, allowing Jesus to draw close so the healed man could finally recognize that Jesus is not just a man or a prophet or someone worth following but the one to worship. We all want to see God as clearly as the man born blind did by the end of this Gospel. We want to offer the Saviour true worship and witness him miraculously at work. But sometimes the eyes of our hearts are clouded and Jesus becomes difficult to spot. We need healing. The progression found in the heart of the man born blind offers a path each of us may take as we seek healing for any blindness found in our own hearts. So first, we admit our own blindness. The man born blind was quick to admit what he didn’t know. He admitted he didn’t know how Jesus did what he did and he admitted to Jesus he didn’t know who the Messiah was. Through that honesty, he could hear the voice of Jesus. Disciples might also hear the voice of Jesus by humbly admitting our own need for healing. Next, the man born blind was eager to follow the directions, the commands, […]

For near a year, I’ve been paying a little more attention to what I eat, avoiding sugars and that kind of thing. As someone happy to start the day with apple pie for breakfast, the biggest challenge for me has been passing by baked goods; they smell good, they look good and they’ve never let me down. On those occasions when Krispy Crème is giving out free samples at the Costco, I circle around to pass by and enjoy the smells a second time, maybe even a third. Truth-be-told, it’s a horrible example of how to deal with temptation. The Gospel reading for the First Sunday of Lent, the Gospel we heard today, always focuses on the temptations of Jesus; and it’s impossible to reflect on the temptations of Jesus without also giving due recognition to the temptations we each face. We all face temptation, so it’s important to first know that temptation itself is not sin. Sin requires conscious choice and those thoughts that appear without invitation, an experience every person has, are just temptation. It’s the response to those temptations that can be upright or sinful. The sin doesn’t begin till dwelling on the temptation, till taking that second pass by the Krispy Crème sample stand. Temptation usually takes one of two forms. Sometimes it proposes that what we know to be harmful just isn’t so harmful; it promises benefit with little to no cost or drawback. This is often seen in our coping mechanisms; we all have them. It’s found in the suggestion that it’s no big deal to spend a little more on the credit card, to have that extra glass of wine, to tap on the alluring image or to spend another fifteen minutes doom scrolling. At other times, and this is the more disturbing form of temptation, it leaves us feeling trapped and powerless, declaring there is no choice but to give in. We can see this in someone suffering through compulsion or addiction, who wishes for different but feels powerless. It’s found in the mind tormented by some unwanted thought. It’s seen in the young mother who’s made to feel there’s only one option. Temptation may not be sin, but it still leaves disciples feeling guilt and shame and weak, because we know the stakes are high; ultimately, the cost of sin is always too high, we’re left wondering if there’s any way out. Fortunately, we’re not alone in this experience. Today’s Gospel reveals how the Saviour had to deal with temptation too, and over the last few Lents we’ve reflected on that a little deeper. In short, the suggestion to turn stones into bread is a temptation to end poverty, the prompt to jump off the top of the temple is a temptation to win followers by fame instead of love and the invitation to rule over all earthly kingdoms is a temptation to establish peace throughout the world. The cost, however, would be idolatry, faithlessness and no aim for heaven. Fortunately, Jesus knows there’s a way out of temptation; he rejected the suggestions of the devil and so his time in the wilderness offers clues on how we, too, might deal with temptation and find a way out of those traps and, like him, be quick to declare, “Away with you, Satan!”[i] A first thing to notice is how Jesus wasn’t surprised by temptation. He, “…was led up by the Spirit…”, we’re told, “…to be tempted…”[ii]. If Jesus can’t escape temptation, there’s no chance any of us will be spared the challenge. Disciples know they will be tempted, especially through weaknesses. Here’s a great way to be aware of weaknesses: pay attention to what you do when stressed or bored. This doesn’t mean stress and boredom will lead to evil deeds, but the tendency is to hide weaknesses through practices that numb or offer escape from discomfort. This doesn’t eliminate temptation but offers awareness of where and how temptation might appear; it doesn’t have to catch us off guard. Don’t be surprised by temptation; and next, establish guards. While minding what you eat, don’t take that second pass by the Krispy Crème sample stand, even just to have a smell. Don’t slow the car down to give additional appreciation to the attractive person taking a jog. A big one: be aware of the media consumed. What’s read and watched easily inspires imagination and temptation, ask any child who has nightmares after watching a scary movie. Disciples avoid those practices and places that feed temptation; they establish guards. This doesn’t remove temptation but robs it of fuel. Third, especially when it proposes to be innocent, know why sin actually is unattractive or harmful. When the devil proposed how good it would be to turn stones into bread, to end poverty and hunger, Jesus was quick with his response; he knew the compromise came at too high a cost: substituting the bread of life for the cheap imitation of earthly bread. Disciples know why sin is always harmful. This doesn’t take away temptation but makes it easier to recognize cheap imitations of the good things God wishes for his people. Disciples know there’s a way out of temptation by being ready for it, by establishing guards, by knowing why sin is harmful and finally by drowning out the voice of temptation with what’s true, good and beautiful. It’s not enough to just say, ‘no’. Disciples are aware of what our faith says, ‘yes’ to. By saying, ‘no’, to turning stones into bread and keeping his attention on dirt, Jesus said, ‘yes’, to remaining focused on the life of heaven. Our faith calls disciples to say, ‘no’, to many things, even good things, so we can always say, ‘yes’, to God. This doesn’t eradicate temptation, but offers a reminder that God promises something much greater than anything temptation could suggest. The ending of the Lord’s Prayer can be a little confusing. When teaching his followers to pray, Jesus gave the words, “…lead us not […]

There are many reasons why I’m not a great athlete, but while watching the Olympics I’ve realized that one of those reasons might come from my attitude towards competition. When I might view other competitors as obstacles, getting between myself and a gold medal, the impression I get from the Olympians is that they see one another as opportunity to push further and become better. Their hearts see something while the vision of my heart may be obscured by clutter. Life is often full of clutter, of unhelpful things we cling to maybe from habit or insecurity. Of course, God wants us to enjoy what he’s made. But when there’s so much that it creates stress: that’s clutter. On top of the practical issues of clutter, it’s also a spiritual problem, limiting freedom. The things that fill life demand attention. Clutter also tends to grow, sometimes to the point of overwhelming. The only way out is to declutter, to sort what needs to be kept from what ought to be discarded. Since Christmas, we’ve considered how decluttered spaces and souls, relationships, minds and calendars allow peace and love, grace and truth to thrive, building disciples up to share God’s joy and Good News. If you like or need, feel free to review or catchup on any missed reflections on our app and website. The heart can become cluttered too. But, while a physically cluttered heart presents serious medical problems, the focus today is more about what happens when a heart is spiritually or emotionally cluttered. It’s from that part of the heart where decisions are made and relationships are felt. The heart affects priorities and motivations, work and family life, relationships and happiness; and while there’s many things that can spiritually or emotionally clutter the heart, today we’re looking at just one, an emotion that can truly disrupt and disturb: anger. To be clear, anger isn’t a good or a bad thing. There’s lots we ought to get angry over. Injustice ought to make disciples angry, as should hunger or human trafficking or witnessing people struggle to find shelter. If someone hurts us, that ought to make us angry. The Bible records Jesus becoming angry at times. Like all emotions, anger can be very useful in revealing what’s happening in or around us. But we have a choice in how to respond to anger and it’s that choice, the response to anger, that can lead to a cluttered heart. Jesus knows how anger can clutter the heart, so he warns his followers, “…I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment…”[i]. A heart becomes cluttered with anger when it clings to anger and won’t let go; this hinders love and when that happens it’s easy to see others as obstacles instead of opportunity. Some cluttered hearts turn inward and feed bitterness, resentment, shame or guilt. Other cluttered hearts turn outward, resulting in raised voices, name calling, manipulation, violence or passive aggressive tendencies. When someone’s heart is cluttered with anger, everyone around them feels it and no one want’s to be around it. That’s the judgment Jesus is talking about. The Saviour wants his followers to have hearts full of love, ready for heaven, but that’s difficult for a heart cluttered by anger. Fortunately, Jesus gives some guidance on what to do, “…first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.”[ii] In most conflicts, it’s rare that one hundred percent of the blame is on one person. Usually, the fault is shared, maybe not equally, but still shared to some degree by those involved. Jesus encourages his followers to own their part, to admit where they may have slipped up and their desire for healing. Feeling angry when hurt is expected, but disciples declutter the heart of anger to build up hearts that reflect the heart of God, a heart that does all possible to reconcile broken relationships. Reconciliation is one way to declutter a heart of anger. But, sadly, sometimes a relationship just can’t be reconciled. Sometimes the other person won’t own up to their part of the rift or they truly are completely responsible for the rift. Some relationships simply can’t or shouldn’t be reconciled because they’re toxic or even dangerous. In those cases, the goal may not be reconciliation but forgiveness. Reconciliation heals a relationship, but when that can’t or shouldn’t happen, forgiveness offers another way to declutter the heart of anger. To the one who’s been hurt, forgiveness affirms they deserved better. To the one who has hurt, forgiveness declares that even inexcusable actions don’t have to have the last word. Whatever happened to create the divide: yes, it mattered, it hurt and it wasn’t right; to this forgiveness simply says, more was deserved, more was owed, but now that painful debt has been canceled. Disciples declutter hearts of anger, they let it go, by reconciling where possible and forgiving when needed. But maybe the hurt is just too deep to do either. That’s okay too, because there’s a third way to begin the work of decluttering the heart: invite God to do it. When you can’t forgive someone, ask God to do it for you. It’s fine to ask God to do what you cannot, to realize and admit limits. Nothing is beyond him and through that simple act, God is invited into whatever might be cluttering the heart. While clutter can leave us feeling trapped or imprisoned, decluttering hearts offers the freedom and clarity needed to see God at work in and around us, making room for his life. So, as lent quickly approaches, maybe now is the time for each to examine how anger could be cluttering the heart. Are there any relationships that could use a little reconciliation? Maybe it’s a prompt to give a call, own up to faults and reveal the desire for healing. Is there anyone needing forgiveness? Maybe it’s a prompt to name the hurt and cancel the debt, to declare that the hurt of inexcusable actions doesn’t […]

Life is often full of clutter, of unhelpful things we cling to maybe out of habit or oversight or fear. Of course, God wants us to enjoy what he’s made. But when there’s so much that it creates stress: that’s a sign of clutter. In addition to being a practical issue, clutter is a spiritual problem, as it limits freedom. The things that fill life demand attention and the only way out is to declutter, to sort what needs to be kept from what ought to be discarded. Since Christmas, we’ve considered how decluttered spaces allow peace and love to thrive. We reflected on how a soul, decluttered of all that pretends to be more important than God, makes space to remember how we’ve been set apart to share the Good News. We examined how decluttering relationships, investing in those which reveal grace and truth, brings out our very best. Last week, we observed how a decluttered heart is free to dwell on what builds up to share in God’s joy. There are many ways for life to become cluttered. But for me, it’s the calendar, the schedule, where clutter first appears. Instead of saying, ‘no’, or delegating tasks where possible, I allow the calendar to fill up. To be sure, lots gets done, but where I should have a balanced and ordered schedule that gives peace, I usually end up with a cluttered schedule has an impact on prayer, relationships and self-care that isn’t always positive. If you feel like your schedule could be cluttered too, stressful instead of peaceful, there’s a few things that could be going on: A cluttered calendar could be a sign of poor time management skills, but it could also be what happens during a busy season of the year. For an accountant, tax season is a busy time and exam time fills the schedules of students. Perhaps you’re not in a busy season of theyear, but a busy season of life. Caring for another, starting a business, moving to a new home or facing health issues can quickly consume a calendar. Maybe your schedule is at the mercy of the schedules of others, the schedules of a workplace or the extra-curricular schedules of your kids. We all like to be needed, but a cluttered calendar can come from the inability to say, ‘no’, when you ought to. There’s a lot that can contribute to a cluttered schedule, and decluttering all that, sorting out what should be kept and what could possibly be set aside, at least for a time, is a real challenge. There are a few words in today’s Gospel that can help discern it all. To his followers, Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth…”[i]. At the time, salt was incredibly important as a preservative and flavouring and in healing. As salt offers life and enhances all it touches, Jesus expects his followers to do likewise in their workplaces, families and communities. Instead of keeping the life of faith for themselves, disciples are expected to, ‘salt’ the world, by sharing faith and adding to creation. When reconnecting with an old friend, a common question is, “have you been keeping busy?” Having a good work ethic or working to achieve goals is good for growth; feeling challenged and stretched is healthy, but constant busyness can be an obstacle for those following Jesus. “You are the salt of the earth…” Jesus declared, “…but if salt has lost its taste… It is no longer good for anything…”[ii]. Salt has value because of how it adds to food and life and if something gets in the way, preventing salt from doing what salt is supposed to do, it loses its value. Likewise, a cluttered schedule can easily lead to exhaustion, holding disciples back from making a positive contribution to the world. Disciples find life, not through busyness but through decluttered schedules, through having the freedom to share the life of faith with the world, and this will look different for each of us. There are good works that only you can do in your workplace, in your family and in your friendships. There are ways and places where only you can salt the world with faith-fueled influence and inspiration. The question each disciple asks when it comes to how our limited time and energy is divided up is: what are the good works that only I can do. I’m the salt of the world when I declutter my schedule of all that holds me back from celebrating the Sacraments with you, from prayer and from looking after myself, so I have the strength to be an effective pastor. A parent becomes salt for the world when they declutter their schedule to have the freedom needed to love their children, help them grow, and teach them how to pray. The husbands and wives here are the salt of the world when they declutter their schedule of what prevents them from being present to their spouse and revealing God’s love. An employee is salt for the world when, unburdened by a cluttered schedule, they have space to recognize how their work contributes to God’s creation. God has called each of us to be salt for the world, to share in his work from within the unique places we each find ourselves. When it comes to decluttering the calendar, each disciple gives priority to what does the most good from their unique position. This could mean saying, ‘no’, to things that may be good but don’t really build up the world. It could also mean doing for yourself what no one else can: saying, ‘yes’, to carving out the time needed for prayer and for the rest needed to truly be salt for the world. Guide us in your ways, O Lord, so we would offer back to you the gift of time you have given us. Direct us, through your Spirit, in sorting through what must be done, what can be set aside for later and what […]