His Word Today: Stir

Good morning everyone,

The words that Saint Paul addressed to his beloved Timothy remind us today of our own call to remain focused on what is truly essential.  I remind you - he writes - to stir into flame the gift of God that you have received ... For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power, love and self control (2 Tim 1: 6-7).

From the day of our baptism, our God has been building and strengthening his presence within us.  This presence is made known to us through the great love that God has for each of us.  Love is never meant to make us question, but rather to create an environment where we can be ourselves, experience true happiness and know that we are supported at all times as we strive to reach our own personal potential.

God's love for us is constant; it never wavers.  If we experience doubt about God's love, God is always waiting for us to turn back to him.  His wish is to strengthen us with his power, especially when we ourselves are weak.  This power makes it possible for us to transform even cowardice into renewed strength so that we can allow the light of God's love to shine in and though us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Belong

Good morning everyone,

In modern times, it is rare that we actually carry cash in our pockets and purses, but we still have legal currency - both paper money and coins - which might find their way into our possession from time to time.  The monetary notes and the coins we use in this country bear images that are significant to us, and the same has been true in countries throughout the world.

In the time of Jesus, the currency in Israel bore the image of the Roman Caesar.  Jesus and his disciples were well aware of this, hence the reason why he asked the Pharisees and Herodians who were trying to trap him: Bring me a denarius to look at (Mk 12: 15).  Those people had no idea what was coming next: Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God (Mk 12: 17).

This same advice holds true for us today.  Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.  How can we do this.  Ever since the beginning of Christianity, Christians have always been encouraged to be good citizens - to pay our taxes, to act justly in all matters - but we are also encouraged not to lose sight of the fact that we are destined to be citizens of heaven.  For this reason, Saint Peter encourages us today to wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God (2 Peter 3: 12).

Are we aware of the fact that we are people of hope?  How do we demonstrate this hope to others?  Do we look forward to the coming of the day of God?  Does this practice fill us with joy and joyful anticipation?

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Mother of the Church

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.  Saint Ambrose of Milan was the first to use this title in reference to Mary, but how can we understand it today?

The creation accounts in the Book of Genesis remind us that even from the beginning of time, our God has always wanted to live in peace with us - wanted us to find fulfillment and joy - but the devil is always at work, trying to tempt us into believing that we ourselves can be like God.  Fortunately for us, God never grows tired of coming in search of us, especially when we get lost.  After Adam had eaten of the tree, the Lord God called to him and said: 'Where are you?' (Gn 3: 9).  God is constantly calling out to us as well.  It is He who comes looking for us, even before we ourselves are aware of the fact that we have wandered away: Where are you?  ... and He is always gentle with us, always inviting us to grow, always willing to help us.

The gospel account for today's Mass also gives us a glimpse into the loving heart of God: When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold your son'.  Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother' (Jn 19: 26-27).  Out of love for us, God comes looking for us.  When He finds us, he takes stock of the situation, recognizes our needs, and immediately places the people and the resources that we need before us.  Woman, behold your son ... behold your mother.

Jesus gave Mary to John because he knew that John needed a mother, someone to guide him, someone to love him, someone to help him grow and mature so that he could come to his full potential.  Like John, let us turn to Mary today.  She is our Mother too, the Mother of the Church.  She is always ready to help us, to believe in us, to walk with us and to lead us.

Have a great day.

Different but the same

There are actually two accounts of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles recounted in today's scripture passages.  In the Acts of the Apostles, the arrival of the Spirit is characterized by a sound like the rush of a violent wind ... that filled the entire house ... Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them (Acts 2: 2-3).  This description makes the moment sound as though there was a violent storm: wind and fire that must have been alarming to those who were present in that place.

Sometimes, the Holy Spirit is made known to us through experiences that actually frighten us.  Admittedly, when we are faced with major crises like traumatic experiences, close brushes with death or sufferings and diseases that threaten to tear us apart, it can be easy for us to become lost in our own drama instead of seeing such experiences as moments of blessing.  Could it be that in the midst of tumultuous situations, the Spirit of God is indeed present?

On the other hand, the gospel account speaks of the arrival of the Holy Spirit as a much more peaceful encounter.  Standing among the disciples, Jesus breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit ...' (Jn 20: 22).  I have always envisioned this moment as a rather serene encounter: Jesus' breath wafting warmly over all the disciples, not in a threatening way but rather in a very peaceful, heartwarming fashion.

Peace is the gift that the Lord offered to his disciples when he appeared to them that night.  Human understandings of peace paint a picture of serenity, the absence of violence.  This image is very different from the one that is portrayed in the account of Pentecost that is told in the Acts of the Apostles.  Is it possible that the arrival of the Holy Spirit was both peaceful and disturbing, both serene and violent at the same time?

The Solemnity of Pentecost marks one year since the Parish of Saint Bernadette was established.  If we look back over the past year, we can see moments when there was great serenity and joy, celebration and togetherness ... but we must also admit that there were growing pains: moments when things didn't go the way we might have hoped that they would.  This past year has been characterized both by peaceful encounters and moments when we have all been challenged.  Like the scripture passages, our experience of the birth of this new parish has been characterized with experiences that have been very different one from another at times.  However, we must remain rooted and confident in our belief that the Holy Spirit is indeed present and at work among us.  It is the Holy Spirit who finds ways to sow unity in the midst of discord, the Holy Spirit who is always at work: sometimes in ways that we do not comprehend, the Holy Spirit who invites people who are from very different backgrounds, each of whom brings different experiences to the table, to discover that we are all brothers and sisters on a common journey, and that we need to walk side by side, helping one another to find our way.

There are a variety of gifts, but all the gifts we have been given are from the same Spirit (1 Cor 12: 4).  There are varieties of services needed in order to build up a vibrant parish community (1 Cor 12: 5).  Sometimes it might take a little while to discern the needs, and then to identify the gifts that are at our disposal, but we can all do our part by praying for the Spirit's guidance and inspiration and by opening our hearts.  In this Spirit, we were all baptized into one body - regardless of our ethnic backgrounds - and we have all been made to drink of the one Spirit (1 Cor 12: 13).  How can we recognize the presence of the Spirit among us?  We come to the Lord, each of us bringing our own gifts, each of us bringing our own points of view - which are not necessarily the same as those held by everyone else, and we pray for the grace to be attentive to the promptings of the Spirit who is always at work, building up the body of Christ.

His Word Today: Charges

Good morning everyone,

Today, the scriptures focus our attention on charges: not the kind of charges that we might make on a credit card, but the charges that might be levelled against someone in court.  Throughout the first days when the Apostles were going out to spread the good news of the gospel, life was not easy for them.  Their adventures are recounted in the Acts of the Apostles.  We have been reading through these adventures all through the Easter season.  Today, we find Paul - who himself was once a Roman soldier, but who had experienced a conversion - in prison in Caesarea.  The chief priests and the elders of the Jews had brought charges against him while he was in Jerusalem and demanded that he be put to death (cf Acts 25: 15) but since the Romans were in charge, they had to follow Roman law, which did not permit for someone to be put to death without a fair trial.  They stood around him but they could not charge him with any crime that would merit him being put to death (cf Acts 25: 16, 18).

These accusers were uncomfortable with Paul because when he spoke about Jesus, people listened to him.  When he spoke about Jesus being put to death, people understood what he was saying, but when he spoke about Jesus being alive again (cf Acts 25: 19), the chief priests and the elders had trouble believing.  They could not fathom the possibility that someone could rise from the dead, yet this is the ultimate triumph that is proclaimed by all those who are followers of Jesus ... including us.

No amount of human reasoning can make sense of the resurrection.  This is an act of faith, a decision that each one of us must make: to believe that there is a God who loves us, a God who loves us so much that he came to live among us, a God who loves us so much that he willingly accepted a torturous death so that he could show us the way to heaven.  When the apostles were witnessing these things, they were filled with fear - I think we all would have - even to the point that Peter denied knowing Jesus at all, so that he himself would not run the risk of being condemned to hang.  Jesus knew this about Peter, and yet he forgave him because Peter never truly stopped loving Jesus (cf Jn 21: 15-17).

The charges that were brought against Paul were the same charges that were brought before Peter, and they are the same charges that are brought before each one of us: Do you love me?  Jesus asks this question in order to test us and if we admit the truth, if we accept the charge of loving Jesus, then he sends us forth to feed his people with the special food of our love, our compassion, our faith and our commitment ... these are the gifts that have been entrusted to us so that we can share the joy of being charged with loving Jesus.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Family

Good morning everyone,

There was a time, not so long ago, when there were many large families.  Admittedly, every family has its challenges, but at some level, all parents want to care for their children and all siblings will fight to protect one another.  There is a bond that unites families.  The same can be said for the family of faith to which we belong.  This is a very special family which has a loving God as head of the household and a long line of ancestors - which is constantly increasing - of holy people who have gone before us.

In these days preceding Pentecost, the scriptures give us a very intimate look into the prayer life that Jesus had.  Saint John's gospel recounts the words of Jesus' prayer to his Father, to our Father.  This is a prayer that is being offered for his disciples, for all of us: I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one (Jn 17: 20-21).  Across the centuries that have come and gone since then, Jesus is continually interceding for us: that we may all be one, members of one happy, holy and healthy family.

This family of ours has been given a great gift, for we have been entrusted with the gift of hope, hope in the resurrection of the dead.  This means that our earthly lives are not an end in themselves, but a journey that will lead us home to be with our Father in heaven.  Do we truly believe this to be true.  Jesus spoke about it with his disciples.  The disciples came to believe it; strengthened by the Holy Spirit, they spoke bravely about it to others (cf Acts 23: 6-11), and many other members of our family of faith have done the same ... even in the midst of these trying times.

If we truly believe that we are called to believe in the resurrection, how do we demonstrate this hope to those we encounter?

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Rooted

Good morning everyone,

As the period of isolation and social distancing continues to stretch out before us, many people are getting fidgety: some businesses are beginning to open their doors with restrictions, and the warmer weather is enticing us to relax the restrictions, but there are still voices calling to us, telling us to stay the course.  What is important is that we cannot afford to lose focus.  We must remain vigilant if we want to protect ourselves and others, especially during this time when we do not have a vaccine to combat the coronavirus.

Staying focused was the challenge that faced the disciples after Jesus left them.  He knew that it would not be easy for them to remain rooted, especially as the first winds of challenge began to blow.  For this reason, he prayed and asked the Father to watch over them and protect them: Holy Father, keep them in your name ... so that they may be one just as we are one (Jn 17: 11).  It is reassuring for us to remember that at all times, someone is praying for us, imploring the Father to keep us rooted in our faith, to keep us focused on the mission that has been entrusted to us.

Just as Jesus knew that it would not be easy for his disciples to go out into the world and to remain rooted, so Paul was also worried when the time came for him to leave his beloved Ephesians.  Having heard of Jesus' tender care for his own disciples, and of his prayer for God's help to guide them, Paul too spoke tenderly to the Christians that he was leaving behind: I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come among you ... and from your own group, some will come forward perverting the truth ... so be vigilant (Acts 20: 29-31).

These challenges are still present today.  We too must remain rooted in our faith and committed to the task of carrying out the mission that has been entrusted to us: to share the joy of knowing Jesus with everyone we meet, and encouraging them to discover the power of his love.  There are many ways of doing this, but all of them depend on us remaining rooted in our own personal relationships with the One who sends us out to his people.

Have a great day.