His Word Today: Philip

Good morning everyone,

Has anyone ever noticed that some people are part of our lives for a very long time - some of these are family but there are also friends who find their way into our hearts and truly become confidants - and then there are others whose lives intertwine with ours for much shorter periods of time.  In fact, some of these seem to arrive on the scene and disappear almost without us recognizing their comings and goings.

Such is the case that is recounted in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles that is told in today's liturgy. The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, 'Get up and head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza ...' (Acts 8: 26) and there he met a high-ranking Ethiopian man who was travelling.  Perhaps Philip did not know why he had been instructed to go to that particular place.  Even when he first encountered the man, he may not have known the purpose of this meeting ... until he noticed the book that he was reading and asked: Do you understand what you are reading? (Acts 8:30).  This was the beginning of a conversation that ultimately led the man to become a follower of Christ.

Sometimes we who are disciples of Jesus find our lives intertwining with others for brief encounters or for much longer periods of time.  At times, we are not fully aware of the significance of our encounters.  Only with time, bravery and after having entered into conversation do we begin to comprehend the ways in which God is at work within the hearts of others ... and in our own hearts as well.  There are moments when our paths cross with others - only for brief moments - and even without us realizing what is happening, others see the presence of Jesus within us.  Sometimes, we are led into conversations with them and given opportunities to speak about Jesus: to explain that he is the bread of life (cf Jn 6: 48), the source of our strength ... and at such moments, we must always pray for holy bravery and trust that God is at work.

Pray today for the grace to be aware of the encounters we come upon, and for the grace to marvel at the ways in which the Lord is constantly at work, inviting others to come to Him.  Don't be surprised if He invites you to be the one who shows His merciful face to a brother or sister in need.  If so, give thanks ...

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Catherine of Siena

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena (25 March 1347 to 29 April 1380).  Caterina Benincasa was born during the outbreak of the plague in Siena, Italy.  She was the 25th child born to her mother, although half of her siblings did not survive childhood.  Caterina herself was a twin, but her sister did not survive infancy.  Her mother was 40 years old when Caterina was born.

Catherine was 16 years old when her sister Bonaventura died, leaving her husband a widower.  Catherine's parents proposed that he marry Catherine, but she opposed the choice and began fasting; she also cut her hair short in order to mar her appearance.  Her parents tried repeatedly to convince her but they were ultimately unsuccessful.  Her fasting and her devotion to her family ultimately convinced them to allow her to live as she pleased.

Catherine was a religious woman but she chose not to enter a convent.  Instead, she joined the Third Order of Saint Dominic, which allowed her to be associated with a religious society while remaining at home.  Some of the Dominicans taught her how to read while she continued to live quietly, isolated within her family home.  Meanwhile, she developed a habit of giving things away: she continually gave away her family's food and clothing to people in need, never asking permission to do so.  When she was criticized for doing such things, she remained quiet.

At the age of 21, she described an experience she encountered which she referred to as a mystical marriage to Christ.  Such mystical experiences change people.  In Catherine's case, she was told to re-enter public life and to help the poor and the sick.  She responded immediately. She often visited hospitals and homes where the poor and sick were found. Her activities quickly attracted followers who helped her in her mission to serve others.

Saint Catherine was drawn further into the world as she worked, and eventually she began to travel, calling for reform of the Church and for people to confess and to love God totally. She became involved in politics, and was key in working to keep city states (independent regions of current day Italy) loyal to the Pope.

By 1380, the 33-year-old Catherine had become ill, possibly because of her habit of extreme fasting. Her confessor, Raymond, ordered her to eat, but she replied that she found it difficult to do so, and that possibly she was ill.  She died on 29 April of that year, following a stroke that she had suffered just a week before.

May Saint Catherine, who was born during a plague and is patroness against illness, intercede for us and for all those who are suffering and ill at this time.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Show

Good morning everyone,

In today's gospel passage, the crowd calls out to Jesus: What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?  What can you do? (Jn 6: 30).  Even after they had witnessed the multiplication of the loaves and fish, even after Jesus had walked on water, even after he had spent the entire day teaching them further lessons, they were not satisfied!  They wanted more!

Are we not the same as those people?  How many times has Jesus shown us his face: in the person who comes to visit us, in the stranger who asks for our help, in the elderly who are isolated and worried about their family members at this time when we must all practice social distancing ... Even though we may have seen the loving and merciful face of Jesus on many occasions, we are always thirsting for more ... What sign can you do, that we may see and believe ...?

In the case of the crowds who were asking this question on that day, Jesus told them that they already had everything that they needed: My Father gives you the true bread from heaven (Jn 6: 32) and I am the bread of life ... whoever comes to me will never hunger ... (Jn 6: 35).  The people were asking for signs, but they really didn't understand what they were seeking, nor did they understand what they were asking for.

It was later on, after the Spirit had descended upon the Apostles, that they fully understood and were filled with the confidence to tell others about what they had witnessed.  We see evidence of this in the witness of Saint Stephen (Acts 7: 51-53) who was martyred because the people who heard his words were not able to accept them.

What of our time?  Even today, perhaps today more than ever before, people need to hear about Jesus:  people need to hear that God loves us, with tender love; people need to witness this tender love for themselves, and that begins with our words and our gestures; people need to be shown the signs that will bring their faith to life ... and those people include us.  Where will we look, to whom shall we go?

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Hunger

Good morning everyone,

The gospel passage for today describes a moment after Jesus has multiplied the loaves and fish and fed the crowd of more than five thousand (cf Jn 6: 1-10 ff).  It is the next day and the crowds have come in search of Jesus.  It is interesting to note that the gospel writer pays particular attention to some of the details: Jesus had not gone along with this disciples in the boat, but only his disciples had left (Jn 6: 22), yet as the sun rose that day, the crowds saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there ... so they got into the boats and came ... looking for Jesus (Jn 6: 24).

What were the crowds looking for when they came looking for Jesus?  What do we seek when we come to Jesus?  Perhaps we have heard the stories that are recounted in the gospels.  Perhaps we have heard them many times, but how often have we actually thought that we are the people who are in the crowds: we are the people who come looking for Jesus?  What are we seeking?

Jesus warned the crowds not to be satisfied with physical food: do not work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life (Jn 6: 27).  How often do we seek this kind of food, or are we content to receive that which will satisfy our curiosity in the moment?  In fact, Jesus helped the crowds that day by pointing the way to at least the first step toward a deeper understanding.  When they asked: What can we do ...? he told them: ... believe in the one he has sent (Jn 6: 28-29).

We too can take the first steps along this journey by simply inviting Jesus to help us.  Ask him today to help us to grow in our belief, to develop a sense of hunger for him in our hearts.  It worked for the disciples and it can work for us.

Have a great day.

Lessons on the way

As we continue our journey through the Season of Easter, today we encounter the two disciples on the road to the village of Emmaus.  Saint Luke tells us that it was still the first day of the week (Lk 24: 13), presumably sometime in the afternoon.  Two of the disciples - not necessarily the Apostles - were going to ... Emmaus, about eleven kilometres from Jerusalem.  They had heard news about the women who had witnessed the apparitions that morning, and they had heard about Peter and John who had also gone to the tomb (cf Lk 24: 22-24).  At some point later on that day, these disciples were walking along and talking with each other about all the things that had happened (Lk 24: 14).  While they were talking, ... Jesus came near and walked with them but their eyes were kept from recognizing him (Lk 24: 15-16).

Are we not like these two disciples?  Has it ever happened that we had made great plans for a family gathering, or for a birthday party to celebrate a major milestone in the life of someone we love ... and then, at the last moment, the plans had to be changed?  In these weeks and months of quarantine, some of us may be keenly aware of such celebrations that had been planned: for weddings, for parties, for holidays or for family reunions ... or for any of a number of other reasons, and now these plans have been put on hold or even cancelled because we cannot travel, because we must stay home, because we must keep our distance.  Even if we have managed to postpone and not to cancel our plans altogether, there is still an element of disappointment when we have to change them.

The discussions that were taking place between these two disciples were filled with disappointment.  They were Jesus' followers.  They had come to trust him.  They believed that he was the Messiah, and now he was dead.  He had suffered greatly, in a way that could not have been possible for an all-powerful leader.  He had died on the cross and they had buried his body.  In the image of these two disciples on the road, on their way back home, we see all our disappointments too.  Their hopes were not only put on hold; it seemed as though they had hoped in vain ... then a stranger came along and walked with them.  He was going in the same direction and he joined in with their conversation.

This is what Jesus does with each one of us: he meets us where we are, on the road.  He begins by asking us to tell the story: to tell him what's going on in our lives, who we are, what worries us, what we're excited about ... In the case of these disciples, they stood still, looking sad ... then one of them said: 'Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days? (Lk 24: 18).  It was as though this man had just woken up and realized that this stranger who was walking with them appeared to have no idea about the tragedy that had occurred.  When we are saddened, when we are grieving, it is difficult if not impossible for us to think that anyone could exist that does not know our pain, but this was Jesus' way of gently inviting these two disciples to open their hearts.  He invited them to begin by telling their story, explaining their grief in their own words ... and that is exactly what they did.

As the journey went on, Jesus helped them to understand the truth about what had happened.  Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures (Lk 24: 27).  Jesus is always infinitely patient with us.  No matter how long it takes us to wake up from our grief, he is always ready to console us, he is always ready to help us to understand what's really going on.  As he spoke with them on the road that day, their hearts burned within them (cf Lk 24: 32).  They became excited again, but this excitement was not confirmed until their eyes were opened and they recognized him at the table in the evening hours of that day (Lk 24: 31).

When they recognized what had happened, they got up and immediately returned to Jerusalem, found the apostles and their companions ... and told them what had happened on the road (Jn 24: 33, 35).  Jesus encouraged their hearts that day.  He taught them some valuable lessons and he confirmed them in their faith.  Jesus is ready to do that for us too.  When we are surrounded by doubts, he is waiting on the side of the road, ready to walk with us, to talk with us, to listen to us and to remind us that he did suffer and die for us: these were horrific realities, but he also rose to new life.  This is the cause of our great joy.  Each year, during this season of Easter, we celebrate Christ's victory over death.  Let us ask Him to encourage our hearts, to help us to understand and to grant us the grace of experiencing our hearts burning within us so that we too will get up immediately and go out to others so that we can tell them the good news; we have met the risen Lord!  We have recognized him in the breaking of the bread! (cf Lk 24: 35)

His Word Today: Test

Good morning everyone,

A wise teacher once explained to his students that there are different stages to the process of learning.  At some point, a student has to receive information, then that student can question the validity of the data that has been received before the teacher tests the student to determine whether the information has entered into the pupil's brain.

Jesus was and is a Master teacher.  He is constantly giving us new information, providing new lessons for us to learn.  The current state of pandemic is one of those.  Scientists have already discovered that our commitment to physical distancing and isolation has borne fruit: the curve of new infections is being flattened and there is evidence that pollution levels in the air are on the decrease.  These practices have been a challenge - a test - for us, but already there are lessons and great wisdom that we can draw from this experience ... if we choose.

There is also evidence of learnings and testing in the interactions Jesus had with his disciples.  In today's gospel.  When Jesus realized that there was a great crowd of people approaching, he asked a question - one of those questions to which the teacher already knows the answer -; he asked Philip: Where can we buy enough food for them to eat? (Jn 6:5)  Philip's reaction was panic.  Perhaps we too would have panicked if we had been in his shoes, but God never asks us a question, nor does He put us in a situation without already knowing what wisdom He wants to impart.  In this case, Andrew, who had heard the conversation, proposed a possible solution, although he was aware of its limitations (Jn 6:7).  Jesus always knows our limitations, but he invites us to be creative about finding possible solutions to the tests ... and he is always willing to work with us, to take our ideas and to find a way to multiply our efforts.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Testify

Good morning everyone,

As the days of stay-at-home and work-from-home realities continue for many of us, some of us are getting used to a new normal, but others are also finding this time very challenging.  Not all homes are safe places: in some cases, these are dangerous times, but what is true for all of us is that this time is giving us a chance to re-discover what is truly important.

From a faith perspective, this time is giving many of us an opportunity to testify to the truth of what we believe.  In the light of safety concerns that have required us to be physically distanced from one another, some of us are re-discovering opportunities to celebrate Easter: the miracle of Christ's resurrection which speaks loudly to the fact that no matter what situation of challenge we may find ourselves facing, we are never alone and there will always be an end to our trials.

This is the truth that Jesus taught to Nicodemus.  The one who comes from heaven ... testifies to what he has seen and heard (Jn 3: 31-32).  As we see in the Acts of the Apostles, all disciples are invited to bear witness to our relationship with Jesus.  In our interactions with others, in the words we speak and in the attitudes we bear toward others, we have many opportunities to testify to our faith.  In the case of the disciples, the words they shared, even if it meant endangering their own lives, was to explain the reason for their joy and their faith by explaining: The God of our ancestors raised Jesus ...
God exalted him at his right hand ... We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him (Acts 5: 30-32).

Today, let us look for opportunities to testify, and like the Apostles, let us find ways to share the joy of our faith with others.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Tell

Good morning everyone,

The reading from the Acts of the Apostles that is proclaimed during today's Mass speaks of the high priests and the Sadducees who were filled with jealousy, arrested the Apostles and put them in jail (cf Acts 5: 17-18) ... but then the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out and told them to go and to tell people everything about this life (Acts 5: 19-20).

We can imagine that as they returned to the Temple, the Apostles were filled with joy but probably, they were also cautious, on the lookout for those who had imprisoned them in the first place.  In the meanwhile, the work of telling people about Jesus continued.  If we try to picture what those proclamations were like, they would most probably be very similar to the words we find in today's gospel account: God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life (Jn 3: 16).

If we have experienced this truth in our own lives, we understand how joyous they must have been as they shared this good news with others ... as they supported these words with the testimonies of their own lives, their own experiences of faith and their own encounters with the risen Jesus.  Ever since that time, the same has been true for all other disciples who are called upon to share this good news.

Have we discovered the truth of these words for ourselves?  Have we experienced the miraculous work of Jesus?  How can we share this joyful news with others?

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Veiled

Good morning everyone,

The scripture passages today show us the current state of affairs for those of us who seek to follow Jesus but who are still trying to find our way ... and they also provide encouragement as they demonstrate to us what is possible if we are aware of God's presence in our midst.

The passage from the gospel of John is taken from the encounter that Jesus had with Nicodemus, the Jewish ruler who had come to Jesus at night.  Nicodemus was seeking to understand Jesus' teachings in this one-on-one conversation.  To some extent, we all seek to do the same: to understand Jesus' teachings in the one-on-one encounters we have with him in prayer.  In this context - on our knees - we hear him say to us: you must be born from above (Jn 3: 7), but our human understanding is not enough to understand what he means by this image, so we all cry out: How can this happen? (Jn 3: 9) until we learn to think not in terms of human understanding but rather in terms of God's plan.  Only then can the veil of our human logic begin to give way to the clarity of Jesus' understanding.

The same was true for the disciples.  Even after the tragedy of Jesus' suffering and death, they could not believe the truth of the resurrection until he appeared to them and helped them to understand that God's plan was much greater than our human comprehension is capable of understanding.  Only when they were able to grasp this truth did they understand the fullness of its implication: death has no power over God.  In fact, death is but a gateway for us to reach our God because in Jesus, we all can look forward to the same promise of resurrection.

This was and is the joyful news that is proclaimed by the community of believers (Acts 4: 32) even today.  With great power, the Apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (Acts 4: 33).  This is true even today.  When we put forward the effort to share this good news with those we meet, the Lord himself is always present with us to fill our hearts with the great joy that is the gift entrusted to those who commit themselves to spreading the gospel.  The scriptures speak of Barnabas and his willingness to sell his possessions and to provide for the needs of the Apostles (Acts 4: 36-37).  The same is true today: when we do the work of Jesus, others too come to believe, and Jesus puts the desire in their hearts to help with the mission of spreading the good news.

Have we witnessed this in our own lives?  Let us open our minds, our hearts and our eyes to the many ways in which Jesus is present, using our talents and gifts and continually reaching out to those who need to hear this good news today.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Born

Good morning everyone,

We made it to Easter, and now we have made it through the Easter Octave.  This is the point during the year where the regular routines would normally be getting back into place, but this is not like any other year.  More than ever this year, we are discovering that the journey we are on is a spiritual one, and we have a chance to listen attentively to the scriptures and to find in them our inspiration and nourishment for today.

The gospel passage for today places us with Jesus and Nicodemus: one of the Pharisees and a ruler of the Jews who came to Jesus by night to ask him questions.  In fact, it is possible that these conversations between Jesus and Nicodemus began because Nicodemus wanted to probe Jesus even further in order to determine for himself whether Jesus was a threat to the Jewish authorities, but as these gatherings by night continued, Nicodemus found himself more and more intrigued about the message that Jesus had to offer.  In truth, he found himself on what we might call today a journey of conversion.

So it is that we find Jesus explaining to Nicodemus in today's gospel passage: ... unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God (Jn 3: 3), which is to say that we must be born of water and the Spirit (Jn 3: 5).  What Jesus is teaching Nicodemus here is the importance of the Sacrament of Baptism: the first of all the Sacraments.

Perhaps Nicodemus began his meetings with Jesus thinking that he would be the one to make a judgment about whether Jesus was somehow in error about the things that he was saying and teaching, but in the end it was Nicodemus himself who became convinced about the truth of what Jesus was teaching.

The other disciples also came to believe what Jesus was teaching.  In fact, for them, it was necessary to put his teachings to the test.  Only after Peter and John had been released from prison, when they reported what the chief priests and the elders had told them, did the disciples realize that the scriptures were being fulfilled: that the gentiles would rage ... that the kings of the earth would take their stand and that the princes would gather together against the Lord and against his anointed (Acts 4: 25-26).

Not everyone will turn toward the scriptures to look for guidance, but there is deep truth within them and we can always rely on them to provide us with inspiration for our prayer and for our life.  At times such as these, when there are such questions arising in our hearts, should we not also turn toward the scriptures, toward the living word of God to seek inspiration and answers?

Have a great day.

Belief and Divine Mercy

Today, as we celebrate the liturgy for the second Sunday of Easter, we are also celebrating the end of the Easter Octave and Divine Mercy Sunday.  Devotion to Divine Mercy is devotion to Jesus Christ.  This particular devotion is associated with a series of apparitions of Jesus, granted to Saint Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who lived the final years of her life in Kraków during the last century.

Pope John Paul II canonized Saint Faustina on the second Sunday of Easter in the year 2000.  In fact, he himself had begun her process for Canonization while he was Archbishop of Kraków, and many years later, he was the one who presided over the moment when she was numbered officially among the Saints.  He himself had a great affinity towards this devotion.

There are three main themes to the Divine Mercy devotion: first, to ask for and obtain the mercy of God; second, to trust in Christ's abundant mercy; and third, to show mercy toward others and to act as a conduit for God's mercy toward them.  This devotion highlights the role of mercy as a key element in God's plan for salvation.

It is fitting that the Second Sunday of Easter has been chosen as the day when we focus on the gift of Divine Mercy.  The gospel passage for this celebration places us in the room with the disciples in the evening on the day Jesus rose from the dead (Jn 20: 19).  We have heard the story before: how the disciples were gathered, and even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you'.  That must have been a wonderful moment of joy for all the disciples who were there, but the gospel writer is careful to point out the fact that Thomas, who was called the Twin, ... was not with them when Jesus came (Jn 20: 24).

There is a part of each one of us that is like Thomas.  No matter how many times we may have experienced the great joy of Jesus' presence in our lives, there is always an element of doubt that remains in our hearts.  When troubles arise, there is always a temptation to doubt that Jesus is truly present.  There is always a part of us that refuses to believe until we too are able to see for ourselves that what we have heard is true.  At such moments, if we could, we would all be like Thomas.  We would all react to the Apostles' joyful proclamation by saying: Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails, and my hand in his side, I will not believe (Jn 20: 25).

The good news is that Jesus returned.  Eight days after this first apparition, he came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you' (Jn 20: 26).  Then he turned his attention to Thomas, the one who needed the most help at that particular moment so that he could come to believe.  Jesus invited him to touch the places where the nails had left their marks in his body.  He knew that Thomas needed some encouragement ... just as he knows that we too need some encouragement from time to time so that we can be free of the temptation to doubt ... so that we can come to believe.

Today, let us give thanks for God's great mercy.  Because He is merciful, he is always with us, willing to help us by strengthening our faith, especially in times when we are weak.  Let us ask Him to help us to grow in our trust in His abundant mercy ... and let us also ask Him to teach us how to show mercy toward others and to do what we can to help others to recognize and to celebrate mercy in their lives as well.

His Word Today: Desolation

Good morning everyone,

One of the great gifts that we are given during these initial days of the Easter season is the ability to see life through the eyes of the first disciples of Jesus.  In their words and actions, we see weakness and doubt but we also encounter the great consolation and encouragement that Jesus provided, especially at the moments when they were most vulnerable ... and this gives us hope too.

A number of the disciples were talking together one day, not long after the day of the Resurrection.  Even though some of them had already heard stories of the risen Jesus appearing to others, and even though some of these had themselves experienced the joy of seeing and touching him, they were still filled with desolation.  Simon Peter said to them: 'I am going fishing' (Jn 21: 3).  Peter had denied knowing Jesus because he was fearful for his own life on the night when Jesus was arrested, but he had seen the empty tomb and he had heard the testimony of Mary Magdalene.  He had also been present when Jesus appeared to his disciples in the evening hours, when he had allowed Peter to touch his hands and feet ... and still, Peter was not entirely convinced.

These few words are very revealing: they tell us that those disciples were so distraught that they were ready to go back to their old way of life - to fishing - rather than to believe that what Jesus had told them was true and that their lives ... their mission was different than it had been before.  They were probably very practical folk in this sense.  All kinds of questions would have entered their minds: how are we going to live?  How are we going to be able to earn a living?  Where are we ever going to find enough money to feed ourselves, much less to be successful?  Do we not ask ourselves such questions?  Do we not doubt, even though we might have had many occasions to encounter Jesus in our own faith lives?  Are we so different from those first disciples?

So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.  It is always this way.  When we set out to accomplish our own desires, when we choose to leave God out of the equation, we often come up empty handed, but thankfully Jesus always finds a way to break through our desolation, to remind us that he is never far away.  At dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore (Jn 21: 4) and called to the disciples.  He knew that they would have been further disappointed, having spent the entire night out on the water and having caught nothing, so he pointed out another possibility, he encouraged their hearts and made it possible for them to be joyful again.

Like those disciples, we too can easily move from experiences of joy and celebration - when our hearts have been gladdened and strengthened, when we are encouraged by the knowledge that Jesus has overcome death and risen to new life - but we can just as easily fall into desolation and doubt when it seems as though our hearts are not as jubilant as we would like them to be.  Jesus is never far away.  He is always ready to encourage our hearts and to strengthen us.  Eventually, he made it possible for Peter to find the courage to speak boldly about his belief, even to the leaders, elders and scribes (cf Acts 4: 5).  If Jesus was able to give such a gift to Peter and John, he is most certainly able to give this gift of fervent faith to us as well.  Let this be our prayer today: Lord, grant us the gift of fervent faith so that we may be your faithful disciples today.  Amen.

Have a great day.

Celebrating Saint Bernadette

Today marks the very first time that parishioners in Elliot Lake are marking the liturgical Memorial of our patron saint.  To mark the day, we celebrated Mass and live streamed the celebration so that others could participate.

Homily for the Mass celebrated

to mark the liturgical Memorial

of Saint Bernadette Soubirous

The first eight days of the Easter season, beginning with Easter Sunday and ending with the following Sunday - which we refer to as Divine Mercy Sunday - is known as the Easter Octave.  During this time, the gospel accounts are all taken from various moments that took place on the day of Jesus' resurrection.  It is as though, for this entire week, we are celebrating one day.

The gospel passage that we have heard today took place in the evening hours of that day.  Having returned from the village of Emmaus, the two disciples told the eleven and their companions what had happened on the road ... and how Jesus had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread (Lk 24: 35).  That would certainly have been a lively discussion.  Perhaps Mary Magdalene was also there, as were Peter and John.  They would have told their own stories of the empty tomb and the encounter with the angel who had told them that Jesus was no longer there, that he had risen ... and then these other two disciples arrived.  We can easily imagine the excitement in their voices as they burst upon the scene, eager to tell the others about their meeting: about how they had met this man on the road, about all that he had told them, about the fact that they had invited him to stay with them, and about how they had recognized him when he had broken bread with them (cf Lk 24: 31).

While they were talking about all this, Jesus himself stood among them ... (Lk 24: 36).  While they were still talking about their encounters, Jesus appeared to them.  How wonderful it must have been for them to see their beloved friend again!  Jesus knew that they had doubts about whether his promise of resurrection would really come true.  They were human, just as we are human, and human beings always have doubts about things we have not experienced for ourselves.  This is the reason why he invited them to look at his hands and his feet: to see and the marks of the nails, to touch him so that they could believe that it he was really present among them.  Jesus encouraged their faith that day, and he helped them to understand more fully the reasons why he had to suffer, but he also helped them to see for themselves that his death was not the end of the story, that the Messiah was destined to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day (Lk 24: 46).

The joy of that moment with Jesus is still shared with his disciples even today.  That joy remained in the hearts of the first disciples.  With that joy and conviction, Peter and John were able to cure the lame man they encountered later on in the temple, and emboldened by their conviction, they were able to speak to those they met, explaining the reason for their joy (cf Acts 3: 11-26).  The same joy has warmed the hearts of other disciples throughout the centuries that have come and gone.

Today, we celebrate the great joy of the Lord's resurrection, but we also remember and celebrate the example and virtue of the patroness of our parish.  Bernadette Soubirous also encountered the joy that the disciples knew in the celestial visions that were granted to her.  Like them, she was strengthened by her encounters with the lady who she eventually learned was the Immaculate Conception.

Jesus gave a mission to his disciples after he had been raised from the dead.  The Immaculate Conception asked Bernadette to pray and to do penance.  It is always this way.  When Jesus grants such encouragement for the hearts of his disciples, there is always a mission entrusted to us as well.  After the visions stopped, Bernadette eventually moved from her hometown in Lourdes to the city of Nevers, to the convent of the Sisters of Charity, where she lived for the remainder of her life.  She died on the 16th of April 1879.  It was the Wednesday after Easter.  To the end of her earthly life, she continued to accept her mission to pray and to do penance.

From heaven, may she look down upon us today and inspire within us a renewed appreciation for the joy that is the gift of the risen Lord.  Like her, may we too continue to be faithful disciples of the risen Jesus, sharing the gifts of gospel joy with all those we meet.

His Word Today: New sight

Good morning everyone,

The biblical passages provided for our meditation today both focus on the importance of sight.  In particular, the new sight that is given when we look not at the world around us but at Jesus.

The passage from the Acts of the Apostles recounts the story of the meeting that took place when Peter and John were approaching the temple and arrived at the Beautiful Gate.  A man who was crippled from birth was there at the gate.  He was always there.  He was known to all those who passed by.  When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms, but Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and they said to him: 'Look at us' (Acts 3: 3-4).  This was something new.  Most people who passed by would not look at him, nor would they ask him to look at them.  Most people would just drop coins and carry on, but these two men were different.

In the gospel passage, the two disciples were travelling from Jerusalem to Emmaus.  While they were conversing ... Jesus himself drew near and walked with them (Lk 24: 15), but they did not recognize him.  They walked along and spoke with him, they shared details of their pain and sorrow and he told them things about the scriptures, but it wasn't until they were at table that evening, when he took bread, said the blessing, broke it and gave it to them that their eyes were opened and they recognized him (Lk 24: 30-31).

In both these cases, God was giving new sight to those who needed to see him.  We too are invited to see the risen Jesus, but we must first ask for the gift of new sight so that we can focus our attention in the right places.  Evidence of the risen Jesus is all around us, but we need to look up from our own suffering, we need to look beyond our own concerns, we need to look for him, and we need to ask him to make himself known to us.

As details of the coronavirus pandemic continue to be reported, perhaps we are growing increasingly anxious, perhaps we are worried about loved ones or friends who are weak, perhaps we know of some who are sick and suffering with this disease.  Today, let us pray for the gift of new sight, let us dare to look up, and let us ask the risen Jesus to make himself known to us, to draw close to us and to walk with us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Encouragement

Good morning everyone,

Today, we are once again at the tomb where Jesus was placed on the morning of that first Easter Sunday.  As the gospel account begins, Mary Magdalene is ... outside the tomb weeping (Jn 20: 11).  She is overcome with questions and confusion that are only adding to her grief.  As she wept, she bent over and looked into the tomb and was surprised by what she saw: two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been (Jn 20: 12).

While she still may have been wondering whether robbers had taken the body of Jesus, and while she may even have thought that she had caught them in the act, the angels spoke to her: Woman, why are you weeping? (Jn 20: 13).  The angels knew the truth of the story but she did not yet recognize them.  Neither did she recognize Jesus when he asked her the same question.  It was only when he spoke her name that she realized who was standing in front of her.  The gospel says that she used the word: Rabbouni, which means teacher (Jn 20: 16).

As we picture that moment in our minds, do we see the clouds of doubt and fear parting and the smile of recognition spreading on her face?  Can we imagine the doubts and fears that had darkened her heart at that time giving way to the bright light of certainty that a promise which had been made was being fulfilled?

This story is continually played out in the lives of the disciples, even today.  When we face moments of sadness, doubt and uncertainty, do we ever think of coming to the tomb like Mary did that day?  Do we ever think of placing our worries before the Lord and asking him to help us?  Do we ever experience the meeting with Jesus that Mary did?  Perhaps we cannot recognize him at first, but then something happens and the clouds of doubt are lifted to give way to the bright sunshine that comes when we know that we are not alone, that Jesus is with us.  He always knows how to encourage the hearts of those who are surrounded with darkness and doubt.

Today, let us pray for this grace: that the Lord may meet us, encourage our hearts and help us to discover the joy of encountering him.

Have a great day.

Easter Monday: Fear and Joy

Good morning everyone,

The celebration of the liturgical season of Easter began yesterday and will continue for fifty days until we get to the Solemnity of Pentecost.  This first week of Easter is known as the Octave of Easter.  It is composed of eight days, beginning with Easter Sunday and ending with Divine Mercy Sunday.  As we celebrate the liturgies for the days of the Easter Octave, the gospel passages are taken from the accounts that took place on the same day: the day of the Resurrection.  It is as though these eight days are only one day.

The gospel proposed for today's Mass retells the moment when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed (Mt 28:8).  They had witnessed the empty tomb and they had encountered an angel who had told them that Jesus was risen from the dead.  If this was true, it would have confirmed what Jesus himself had told them, but they were fearful because what the angel had told them wasn't logical.  It would be more logical to believe that someone else had opened the tomb and hidden Jesus' body.  No one had ever been raised from the dead, except for Lazarus.  Could it be that Jesus too had been raised from the dead?  If this was true, then all that he had told them about God the Father and about the kingdom of heaven must also be true.

As they were running from the tomb, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them (Mt 28:9).  We are not told what words Jesus used, but the women recognized him, approached, embraced his feet and did him homage.  Then Jesus gave them a mission: Do not be afraid.  Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee (Mt 28:10).  This is the same for all of us.  When Jesus appears to us, when he comes close to us in prayer, when he makes himself known to us, he meets us wherever we are, on our way, and he greets us with words that make our hearts instantly warm.  We want to approach him, to embrace him, for we too are filled with his joy ... and he gives us a mission: Do not be afraid.  Go ... tell my brothers and sisters about this encounter that we have experienced together.

Today, let us ask the Lord to give us this grace: to fill us with the same joy that he gave to the women.  Armed with that joy, we can overcome every fear, and we can go out to our brothers and sisters to tell them the good news.

Have a great day.

Easter Sunday: The Empty Tomb

The gospel account of the Passion of Jesus which we heard on Good Friday concluded with details about how Jesus' body was prepared for burial before it was placed in a new tomb ... they laid Jesus there (Jn 19:42).  In another gospel, we are told that they rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away (Mt 27:60).  The tomb was sealed, like every other tomb before had also been sealed.  At some level, everyone who witnessed that moment thought that this was the end of the story.

Four weeks ago, our Bishop cancelled the public celebrations of Masses in all parishes of our Diocese as a precautionary measure to protect as many people as possible from becoming infected with the new coronavirus.  Since that day, increasing measures have been imposed by our public health authorities and by the Premier of Ontario.  When we first heard the advice to stay at home and to only go out if necessary to carry out essential tasks, some of us thought of this measure as being extreme.  As the weeks have gone by, we are becoming used to this new normal, yet it still feels as though we have all been confined.  We understand the reasons why this has to be, but some of us are already suffering from cabin fever.  Still, we can still look forward to the day when our tombs too will be opened and we will rise to a new life.

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb (Mt 28:1).  Why did they go to the tomb that day?  They were grieving.  They still couldn't believe that Jesus was dead.  When our loved ones die, do we not experience the same emotions?  Do we not visit graveyards to pray with our loved ones?  Would we not also go to the tomb if we were in their shoes?

The women went to the tomb filled with human expectations, but what they discovered there was something far different from anything they could have expected.  There was a great earthquake ... an angel ... came and rolled back the stone (Mt 28:2).  This would have been a frightening scene, not unlike the scene that took place in the home of Mary, the mother of Jesus, when the angel appeared to her (cf Lk 1:26-38).  On that occasion, the angel had said to her: Do not be afraid ... (Lk 1:30), and once again, when the angel appeared at the tomb, the same words were repeated: Do not be afraid ... (Mt 28:5).

The great miracle of the resurrection was proclaimed on that first Easter morning when the angel told the women: you are looking for Jesus ... he is not here for he has been raised ... (Mt 28:5-6).  The angel invited the women to come, see for themselves that the tomb was empty, then they were given a mission: go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee ... (Mt 28:7).  Something miraculous took place within that tomb, something that has continued to fill us - even two thousand years later - with great joy and excitement, something that changed the lives of those women and of the disciples, something about which the story is still told today.

When our public medical authorities started to impose restrictions on our movements, many of us were bewildered.  At first we did not understand the reasons for these precautions.  The ever narrowing circle of freedoms which have been imposed since that time have made this situation feel more and more as though we too have been placed in dire situations, yet this time of precautions will someday come to an end.  The miracle of Easter will happen.  Jesus rose from the dead and we too will one day rise from our confinements.  The world in which we will live will not be the same as the one we left behind.  We will still have our lived histories, and one day we, our children and our grandchildren will tell stories of the year when everyone was locked up in their homes.

Perhaps they will tell stories about how difficult this time of social isolation has been on many of us, but we hope that they will also tell many stories of resurrection: stories about how parents and children learned to get along together again, stories about how people learned to look out for their neighbours again, stories about how the earth's ecosystem was rescued and maybe even restored, stories about how we learned to value one another like we never have before.

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth ... he had a burning desire to love.  This desire has never waned.  Throughout our history, God continues to love and to call us all to love.  Despite the trials that we have encountered along the way, God has never abandoned us and he will always be with us.  This is the great joy of the Easter season.  Christ is risen!  He has overcome death and because he rose to new life, we too will overcome the struggles we encounter.  When they are gone, we may be different in some way, but there is always the promise of new life.  For this we give thanks.

Happy Easter!

Good Friday: They stood by, uncomprehendingly

Good Friday is where the rubber hits the road.  The liturgy of this day brings us to the heart of our faith.  Every time we hear the gospel account of Jesus passion, we are left wondering: what happened ... and why?

On the evening when he had gathered with his disciples, Jesus showed them such tenderness, such love that he surprised them ... and he had told them to love one another.  Then, later that night he was arrested and thrown into prison (Jn 18:1-12, 19-24).  Was this too an act of love?  The next morning, he was put on trial? (Jn 18:28-40) Was that an act of love?  The soldiers whipped him and put a crown of thorns on his head? (Jn 19:1-2)  Such cruel torture, such pain ... and yet he said nothing.  Others jeered at him.  They made him carry his own cross! (Jn 19:17-18)  He had seen such torture being executed before.  Crucifixions were not unheard of, but how could this be an act of love?  He watched the soldiers throw dice for his clothing, his only possessions ... as though it was a game (Jn 19:23-24).  Those soldiers were just like us: they saw what was happening, but they didn't understand.

With his dying breath, he still spoke words of love.  He knew that his mother, who was with him even in that moment of torture, would need someone to care for her, so he entrusted her to the disciple whom he loved: Woman, here is your son ... here is your mother (Jn 19:26-27).  He knew that they both would need each other.  They would need to love and care for each other.

I am thirsty ... it is finished (Jn 19:28, 30).  The last words Jesus spoke before he died.  Was this really an act of love?

What really happened that day?  How can this day be called Good Friday if it was such a day of suffering and pain?  In order to understand the meaning of these actions, we need to see the drama of that day in the light of the prophecy of Isaiah: He grew up before the Lord like a young plant ... he had no form or majesty that we should look at him ... he was despised and rejected ... a man of suffering and acquainted with grief ... We accounted him stricken, bu he was wounded for our transgressions (Is 53:2-5).

It was because of God's great love for us, for you and for me, that he sent his Son into this world.  He came in order to convince us that we are loved.  Why is it so difficult for us to understand this?  Why is it that even though we may be people of great faith, we all have moments, like Peter, when we are afraid to speak our truth and to tell others about Jesus?  Why is it that, like the other disciples, we run away from situations at the first sign of conflict instead of seeing them as opportunities to love and to invite others into dialogue that will lead to deeper understanding?  Why is it that we choose to inflict torture on those we do not know or understand instead of taking the time to listen to their stories and trying to love them?  Why is it that we find it easier to strip others of their dignity, to play games with their hearts instead of having the courage to introduce them to the heart of God who loves with no limits?

In these extraordinary times, we are hearing many stories of great courage.  Every act of self-giving is another example of how we can change our lives, how we can find the courage to change the world we live in.  Today, let us ask the Lord to grant us the courage to look on, to look to his cross ... and let us ask him to help us not to look uncomprehendingly any longer.  Instead, let us ask him to help us come to understand that his death on the cross was his ultimate act of love.

Holy Thursday: Discipleship in action

Yesterday evening, at nightfall, our Jewish brothers and sisters began the annual celebration of Passover.  The details of the meal that is celebrated on the first night of Passover were recounted in the first reading that we heard at this Mass (cf Ex 12: 3-4).  This is meant to be a family gathering.  Provisions are also made for neighbours and friends to be invited ... but this year, Passover is being experienced in a very different way.  Around the world, households are gathering around their tables, but this year there are no guests being invited because we are in the midst of a pandemic and we all need to follow the advice of health authorities who are telling us to maintain social distance.  Since they cannot gather around family tables with friends, at least in some places, people are celebrating by opening their windows and doors, and calling out in greeting to their neighbours and friends.  For the very first time, Orthodox Jews - who normally frown on the use of technology, especially in the context of sacred moments, have allowed the use of smart phones so that those who cannot be physically present can at least exchange greetings.

Like our elder brothers and sisters in faith, we too gather on this night to begin the celebrations of the Easter Triduum.  The liturgy that we have begun tonight has three parts to it:  normally, we re-enact the washing of feet during the liturgy of Holy Thursday, then we gather on Good Friday to commemorate the Passion and death of Jesus, and on Holy Saturday, we gather in the evening to keep vigil as we look forward to the fulfillment of Jesus' promise that he would rise from the dead.  Normally, these liturgies include the gatherings of great crowds, for like the Jewish people, we too come together around a table to listen once again to the story of our faith and to break bread together like Jesus did with his disciples (cf 1 Cor 11:23-26), however these are not normal times.  The isolation that has been imposed makes it necessary for some changes to be made to the way in which these liturgies are experienced, but it is important that we are together at this time, united in prayer and participating in the liturgy, even though it might seem strange to do so through the use of technology.

It is interesting to note that the gospel passage we have heard tonight does not speak of the details concerning the meal that was shared by Jesus and his disciples on that night.  Rather, the spotlight is placed on a very surprising gesture.  According to the established customs of the day, the task of washing the feet of visitors who came to someone's home would be reserved either to one of the children or to one of the servants.  This is the reason why the disciples found it so shocking to witness Jesus getting up from the table, taking off his outer robe, tying a towel around himself, pouring water into a basin and ... washing the disciples' feet (cf Jn 13: 4-5).  None of them could understand what he was doing.  Even when he explained to Simon Peter: Unless I wash you, you have no share with me (Jn 13: 8), they were still confused.  Jesus knew this to be true.  When he completed the task, all he said was: Do you know what I have done to you? ... If I ... have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet (Jn 13: 12-14).

Over these past few months, we have all found ourselves in a situation that is far beyond our own control.  We have watched powerlessly as this new coronavirus has spread from one corner of the world to another.  Since we have no medicine to combat it, we are forced to use some methods that none of us have ever experienced before in order to do what we can to slow its progress.  In the meanwhile, life as we know it has already changed.  People who once would cross international borders every day are only doing so now out of necessity.  People who would rarely speak with one another using the means of communication that God has given to us are learning once again to spend time with those we love.  It seems that in the midst of these unprecedented times, God is finding new ways to teach us how to wash one another's feet.

Doctors, nurses and other health care professionals are washing the feet of our brothers and sisters who have fallen ill with this new virus.  First responders are washing the feet of all those they are called to assist in their moments of need.  Home care staff who normally provide respite care and medical attention to those who are recovering at home now find themselves having to take unprecedented precautions in order to continue washing the feet of those they care for.  Teachers and professors are using technology in ways that they have never had to before in order to continue washing the feet of students who still need to be inspired and guided by them ... and family members are learning anew how to wash one another's feet as they rediscover the joy of time spent together.

Tonight, Jesus has given us an example of discipleship in action, and we have been invited to do as our Master has done.  Are we willing to accept this invitation?

His Word Today: Come out

Good morning everyone,

Like yesterday, the scripture passages for today present us with the story of Judas Iscariot, but this time, the words of another of the gospel writers.  Today, as we read this story, perhaps we are struck by the opening scene: Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and said, 'What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?' (Mt 26:15).  Judas was the keeper of the common purse - the money that was held in common among Jesus and his disciples, but there was a also another side to him, and this side comes to light today.  This is a side of him that is not spoken of in other parts of the scriptures, for it is a darker, more sinister side.  Do we not all know this to be true of ourselves?  Is there not a part of us that we too would wish to keep hidden from God ... the part of us that is imperfect but the part of us nonetheless that we would rather not surrender?

Judas succeeded in hiding that part of himself from the other disciples, but he could not keep it hidden from Jesus.  What went through Judas' mind when he heard Jesus say: ... one of you will betray me ... (Mt 26:21)?  He had been discovered.  The words Jesus speaks are clear enough.  When Judas tries to deny his guilt, Jesus simply replies: You have said so (Mt 26:25).  Without pointing out his guilt, Jesus tells Judas that he is aware of his impending betrayal.

With this same tenderness, Jesus is present to all of us, his disciples.  He is constantly calling us, inviting us to be the best that we can be.  In this time of isolation and social distancing, he is calling us to be the best husbands and wives we possibly can be, the best parents, the most loving grandparents.  He is calling us to reach out to others by means of telephone calls and through social media.  He is calling us to take care of one another in a way that we have perhaps forgotten until most recently ... and he is calling us to a renewed understanding of the tenderness with which he loves each one of us.  With great tenderness, he is calling us to bring to light all the things that we have kept hidden from him and from others ... perhaps even from ourselves ... so that he can heal them, so that he can heal us.

When we dare to allow the Lord to help us in this way, we discover a new level of joy, a renewed desire to tell others about him and about his goodness.  We rediscover the joy of knowing the risen Lord.  As we prepare to celebrate the Easter Triduum, let us ask for the grace to bring to light the parts of ourselves that we have kept hidden so that we too can speak the words of the prophet Isaiah: The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue ... the Lord God is my help (Is 50:4, 7).

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Identity

Good morning everyone,

This year, we are being invited to live the experience of Holy Week in a way that is different from the way that we may have done so in the past: students and teachers who have been enjoying an extended Spring break are still at home with their families but are now engaging in e-learning in a way that many of them have never done before; health care workers and first responders are having to risk their lives in order to care for others in situations that have never been experienced in our lifetime; and everyone is being told to stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary for us to run errands, and even then, we must keep a safe distance between us at all times.  These new realities have changed us already to some extent, yet we can understand and accept them more easily if we always keep before us the understanding that they are part of a global call to service: each of us doing our part to flatten the curve in order to take care of our brothers and sisters.

God does work in strange ways.  Could it be that this experience is meant to give us all a new perspective?  Could it be that we are being called to see ourselves as servants of one another? Could it be that we are being invited to associate ourselves with a new identity?

The prophet Isaiah calls out to distant lands, saying to them and to us: The Lord called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me a name (Is 49: 1).  If the Lord called Isaiah to speak his words to his brothers and sisters, could it not be that the Lord is calling us to do the same?  It can be a daunting task to be called in this way.  Responding to God's invitation is something that we should never take lightly, yet the truth is that God needs every one of us to do our part: I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth (Is 49: 6).

How is God calling us?  What is God asking us to do?  These invitations come in all shapes and sizes.  Some of us are being called to explore new avenues of reaching out to children and young people, others are being asked to self-isolate, and still others are being asked to engage in more dangerous activity ... but all for the same purpose.  Our God is present even now, inviting us as he invited the disciples to play different roles, but always with the same purpose: so that God's glory might be made known.

Did Judas understand that he was being asked to participate in making God's glory known when Jesus said to him: What you are going to do, do quickly (Jn 13: 27)? Did Peter understand that even his denial would be part of helping all of us to understand that it is not always easy to follow Jesus (cf Jn 13: 36-38)?  Likewise, we may not understand how it is that God is calling us at this time to make God's glory known.  Only in the light of Easter morning will we begin to comprehend the truth of our identity as disciples.

Have a great day. 

His Word Today: Pride

Good morning everyone,

Yesterday, we entered into Holy Week.  With pageantry that is more than we would normally observe, we celebrated the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, recalling the moment when Jesus entered into Jerusalem, riding on a colt.  Like those crowds who welcomed him and shouted out their Hosannas, we too can take pride in the fact that Jesus is with us today, leading us toward the celebration of Easter that will take place this coming weekend.

The prophet Isaiah conveys words of pride today as well: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased.  Upon him I have placed my Spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations (Is 42:1).  As we read these words, which God spoke through the prophet, we can easily see that God takes delight in his servant.  These words would be repeated on the day of Jesus' baptism (cf Mt 3:17).

Further evidence of the virtue of pride is shown in the gospel for today's liturgy: six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, at the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary ... Mary took a litre of costly perfumed oil ... and anointed the feet of Jesus (Jn 12:3).  On another occasion, when Jesus and his disciples had visited this house, Mary had sat at Jesus' feet listening to his teachings.  At this time too, she was present and the pride that she had in him was evident in her gesture.  The words Jesus had spoken had evidently found a place in her heart and she had grown to trust him.  On other occasions, he had probably spoken to them about the same teachings that he also shared in public about his Father, our Father ... and about heaven.  On this occasion, knowing that he was coming to Jerusalem and that the Son of Man would suffer (cf Mk 8:31), he was probably speaking with them about this at the very moment when Mary was anointing his feet.

Did Mary understand at that moment that Jesus would be glorified through his suffering?  Did she understand that this friend of hers was truly God's son?  Were the words of Isaiah's prophecy echoing in her heart?

Today, let us ask this humble woman to pray with us too.  As we prepare for the celebrations of Easter, let us also pray for the grace to take pride in our faith, pride in Jesus, pride in his self-sacrificing love ... and let us ask him to help us to love others in this way as well.

Have a great day.

From palms to passion

Dear friends, we have begun the celebrations of the Lord's Paschal Mystery.  The liturgies of Holy Week are among the most beautiful and most meaningful occasions for us to enter once again into the passion and the resurrection of Jesus.  This Palm Sunday liturgy is unfolding in a way that is very different from the liturgy that we are used to experiencing.  Life has changed for many of us over these past few weeks and months.  The continual presence of this new coronavirus has necessitated some dramatic changes in all our lives, and the constant threat of illness and death which has struck so many of our brothers and sisters has made this year's experience of Holy Week all the more significant.

The liturgy of Palm Sunday began with Matthew's account of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  Seated on a donkey and a colt, Jesus made his way into the city while a very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road (Mt 21: 7-8).  Like them, we want to celebrate Jesus' triumphal entry.  We want to greet him with words of rejoicing.  We want to call out: Hosanna to the Son of David! (Mt 21: 9), but while we are so enthusiastic, we must also admit that we sometimes have doubts.  Jesus wants to enter into our hearts, especially during this week, so that he can reassure us whenever we must face difficult moments.

While we are limited in the number of people who can be physically present for this particular celebration, we have blessed palm branches today, and these branches will be available for our parishioners to collect and to keep in their homes as is the tradition in all Christian homes as witnesses to our faith in Jesus Christ our Messiah and King and in his Paschal victory.  Those who wish to receive palms from this celebration are asked to come to the church on Sunday morning from 9:00am until noon.  Please respect all rules of social distancing as you come up the stairs of the church.

On Holy Thursday evening, we will live stream the celebration of the Mass of the Lord's Supper.  We invite you to join us on Facebook beginning at 7:00pm as we commemorate that moment in time when Jesus gathered with his disciples to celebrate the Last Supper.  The social distancing that has been imposed at this time will not allow us to gather physically for the celebration of the Easter Triduum, but we will still be able to listen once again to the story of that day when Jesus washed his disciples' feet and commanded us to wash one another's feet.

On Good Friday, we will install a large cross outside the church.  We invite you to come and to spend a few moments in prayer before the cross.  You can recite the Stations of the Cross or you can pray the rosary or you can simply spend some time in silent prayer.  The cross will be in place from 10:00am until after the afternoon liturgy is complete.  Beginning at 3:00pm, we will be together again via social media in order to commemorate together the moment when Jesus died on the cross.  This liturgy too will be live streamed on Facebook, allowing us all to partake once again in that ultimate moment of self sacrifice when Jesus gave his life for us.

On Holy Saturday, we do not gather during the day.  It is as though the whole world is sleeping with Jesus in the tomb: as we wait in anticipation for the fulfillment of Jesus' assurance that he would rise from the dead. There is a surreal character to the day, but as darkness descends, we will gather again to keep vigil, to watch and to wait.  The Easter Vigil will be live streamed beginning at 8:00pm.  Please join us if you can for this beautiful liturgy.

In the early hours of the first Easter morning, the great miracle of the Lord's resurrection was made known to the women.  Like them, we too will gather to celebrate the great joy of Jesus' triumph over death.  The Mass for Easter Sunday will be live streamed beginning at 10:00am.

The liturgies that we will celebrate this week mirror the truths of the lives we lead here on earth.  We are constantly moving between experiences of doubt and darkness into encounters that fill us with faith and hope.  In the midst of the darkness of these days, let us boldly celebrate and give thanks for the gift of our faith in Jesus Christ who suffered, died and rose to new life.

His Word Today: Alone

Good morning everyone,

As these days of social isolation and distancing march on, some of us may be finding the imposed isolation very difficult.  Even worse, it seems, is the fact that our brothers and sisters in hospitals and those who are in retirement homes have all but been denied access to visitors except in dire situations.  Especially for those who are in the final stages of life, the thought of having to be distanced from our loved ones can be very distressing.

The scripture passages for today's liturgy turn our thoughts to Jesus.  In the final days before his arrest, he too must have experienced profound loneliness.  He was surrounded by his disciples, the ones he had come to love, but knowing that his suffering was yet to come, he too would have known the agony of isolation which so many of our loved ones are experiencing now.

The words of the prophet Jeremiah must have been repeated many times in his mind: I hear the whisperings of many: 'Terror on every side!  Denounce him, let us denounce him' (Jer 20:10) ... While these sentiments may very well have been true, there was another word that was also present in his heart: But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion (Jer 20:11).  Where the first word has the potential to deflate all our hope, the second word is powerful enough to remind us that we are never alone.

Evidence of this truth is also seen in the gospel passage today.  The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus (Jn 10:31).  How terrifying that must have been!  The Judaic law did not prescribe many valid circumstances for the stoning of a man, but such cruelty would nonetheless have instilled great fear.  In that instant, when others were reaching for the instruments of torture, any human being would have felt alone, afraid.

But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion ... Did these words give Jesus strength in that moment of great isolation?  Certainly he found strength in knowing that he was not alone.  In fact, he found the strength to ask for their justification: I have shown you many good works ... for which of these are you trying to stone me? (Jn 10:32).  Even in the midst of a situation that would have paralyzed many with terror, Jesus continued to walk along the road with those who stood beside him, continually evangelizing them.  When they clarified their intentions - we are stoning you ... for blasphemy (Jn 10:33), Jesus went on to explain once again who he truly is: I am the Son of God (Jn 10:36).

Jesus never shied away from an opportunity to evangelize: to proclaim the truth of what he knew to be true about God the Father, and neither should we.  Even in moments when we might feel threatened, alone and afraid, we are never truly alone: the Lord is always with us, like a mighty champion.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Faithful

Good morning everyone,

When things are going well, we can all be tempted to get self-centred.  We have no worries.  We're loving live ... but then when life gets challenging, we can sometimes change our tune.  In some cases, the first line of defence is to blame someone else for our troubles, but this path does not make anything better for us.  Instead, we have been given a great gift, a hidden treasure which we far too often tend to forget: God has created us and he will always be faithful to us.

In the Book of Genesis, we hear the story of Abram - that was his name.  He had lived to adulthood but at this point in his life, he was still feeling unfulfilled.  Then God appeared to Abram and Abram prostrated himself (Gn 17:3) as was the custom.  God went even further: God spoke to Abram, saying: 'My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations.  No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham for I am making you the father of a host of nations' (Gn 17:4-5).  God has maintained this covenant with the descendants of Abraham ever since.

It's difficult for us to comprehend the full meaning of such a concept.  God has maintained this covenant even to this day.  How can that be possible?  That could only be possible if God were able to have a very long-ranged view: a view that spanned not one human lifetime but all of eternity ... and God is faithful to His covenant, and will remain faithful to it until the end of time.

When Jesus tried to explain this to the Jewish leaders of his time, they refused to believe him.  Never before had a human being claimed to be greater than our father Abraham, who died ... or the prophets, who also died (Jn 8:53).  Yet Jesus had dared to make such a claim: whoever keeps my word will never see death (Jn 8:51).  With these words, Jesus was not trying to upset the Jewish leaders, but rather to demonstrate God's faithfulness to the covenant that he had established.

The Christian teaching, which is based in this word that Jesus shared with the Jewish leaders, is that when our earthly journey is complete, we do not die.  Instead, we are transformed.  Our souls live on, even though our bodies do not, for our human bodies are earthly vessels which are meant to be inhabited by our souls until the day that God calls us home.  Therefore the moment of physical death is nothing but a moment of transformation: a doorway that opens so that our souls can go to heaven.  In this sense, Jesus says: whoever keeps my word - whoever remains faithful to my teachings - will never see death but rather, will live forever in heaven.

God's faithfulness to this covenant was made known to us in the resurrection of Jesus.  As we prepare to celebrate that ultimate triumph next week, let us ask the Lord to grant us the grace of marvelling at His faithfulness.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Relationship

Good morning everyone,

One of the learnings that we are discovering in the midst of this period of social isolation is the importance of relationships, especially the relationships we have with the other members of our families and the relationship we have with our God.  Each one of these is deeply personal: which is to say that each one of our relationships is profoundly connected to our own personal development.  Some of these relationships are definitely being strengthened during this time, and that is very good.

Evidence of the power of relationships is found in both the readings proposed for our prayer today.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are faithful followers of the God of Israel.  Already, before this encounter, they had discovered the joy of establishing and strengthening a personal relationship with God.  Perhaps they had learned to speak with God as humans might speak with trusted friends.  On the other hand, King Nebuchadnezzar had no such personal relationship.  Instead, he and his people would worship a golden statue (cf Dan 3:14-15), a man-made object.

As long as we have not discovered the truth of God's desire to live in relationship with us, we too will always think - at some level - of God in an way similar to that King, but our God is not made known to us in statues.  The statues that decorate our churches and our homes are reminders of people who have discovered the truth about our God: that our God is alive and active in our world, that our God wants a personal relationship with each one of us so that we too can know the joy and fulfillment of seeing our faith come alive.

Jesus tried to teach this truth to the Jews who believed in Him: 'If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free (Jn 8:31-32).  If we remain in God's word - if we have discovered the truth that our God is not a statue to be worshiped but a living reality who wants to love us and help us to discover the fulfillment that comes from being in a relationship with Him - we will truly be his disciples.

Perhaps it has taken a pandemic, a worldwide crisis, to make us hear these words in this way.  Perhaps without having been forced to rediscover the treasure with which we have been entrusted in the relationships we have discovered, we might have gone on thinking that life was defined by the number of golden statues we worship, but thankfully, this Lent, we are being invited to discover anew the beauty of living in relationships with others and with our God.

Have a great day.