2013/07/07 - Ite Missa est 72

The Lord be with you...   Awesome... Did you hear that line in the last sentence of the 2nd reading?  That’s how Paul ended his letter to the Galatians…. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit,brothers and sisters'

It's been like 20 months now since we changed the words we say at Mass, and most of us have grown accustomed to saying, "and with your spirit" instead of ‘and also with you’.  This is a perfect example of how the words we say at Mass match exactly to scripture.

Let’s look now at that Gospel – look at that first line:  “At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs”.  Now, if you're paying attention, you gotta wonder...Who were these “others”?  I had always figured these were the elite of Jesus’ followers… the apostles… but there were only 12 of them – so who were the 72?  They were disciples.  They were part of the crowd… they were ordinary people who had decided that living for Jesus was the most important thing they could do.  There’s no proof – but there’s a good chance that Luke, the gospel writer, was one of these 72, because he was the only one who specifically mentioned the 72.  Luke was a doctor...

Luke and all these other people gave up their normal jobs to travel to other towns to prepare the way for Jesus…. To tell people about Jesus…

Who are the 72 today?  Hopefully that’s obvious – they’re not the apostles – so they’re not the Bishops.  They’re not the priests or deacons.  They are the farmers and doctors and students and housewives and accountants and house builders and stone workers… in short – WE are the 72.  Would you give up your livelihood to live for Jesus?

Just like then, Jesus gives us our marching orders… “the harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few”.  At the end of every Mass, WE are sent forth just like that.  In fact, you’ve heard it before, but the name of the Mass comes from the Latin “ite missa est” – which was the last thing said in the old Latin Mass – and it means – “it is sent”.  “it” refers to the congregation… the people of God have come together to get our marching orders to be sent ahead of Jesus.  THAT is our purpose for gathering.

THIS is what is means to be a Christian.  We have been sent out to work the harvest... and that means making disciples for Christ.  But Mike, this reading is from 2000 years ago... before the world knew about Jesus.... surely WE aren't supposed to be evangelizing....Wrong.  If we AREN'T doing that, we are not fulfilling our mission. Who are WE supposed to tell about Jesus?  “the harvest is abundant”…. Really!  Let that sink in...  the harvest IS abundant.  People NEED and WANT To hear the good news.  The world NEEDS our Christian example to keep it from falling completely into anarchy and immorality.  I’m blown away by how people act with total disregard for others...the way they act makes it obvious they don’t know Jesus.  Many people...right here in our area, need to SEE what it means to be Christian. This area used to be overwhelmingly Christian and most of that was Catholic.  Now… people have walked away for one reason or another.   Many people have never had a personal experience of Jesus – and it is OUR job to bring it to them.  You know, some so-called churches, although their theology is way off-base, they take this command from Jesus so serious that if you go six months without bringing somebody into the church, you are considered ‘lapsed’!

Pope Benedict spoke often of the “new evangelization”.  Throughout the history of the Church, it was a given that our role as disciples was to go out to the world to tell them about Christ – and to provide Catholic education for our Children.  Today… too many people don’t really know Christ.  Those of us who DO know him have to share that experience with others.  Not me and Fr. Eugene… but each person sitting here.  YOU are the ones with the personal relationships which allow you to influence the people in your life. 

How?  Good question.  First, by sharing our joy and our hope.  Imagine if we didn't have God to turn to when tragedies hit our life.  Where would our hope come from... That is huge.  Just by us SHOWING our faith in small ways, we are changing the world around us.  Even small things like praying before meals at a restaurant, we impact people around us.  Often when you do that, people will step up to you and thank you for doing it!  It's not an “in your face” sorta thing... It is just doing what we always do... Giving thanks to God before enjoying the blessings he gave us.  What is normal to you?  You may have seen Duck Dynasty on TV.... Part of what makes it such a good show is that every show ends with them sitting down to a meal... And EVERY meal starts with a blessing.  Prayer!  Right there on prime-time, nationwide TV!  It is my hope that this will help prayer to become normal to more people.  What is normal to you?  I know growing up, my mom and dad would sit on the couch every night praying the liturgy of the hours together... And than... Dad would go kneel by the bed to say his personal prayers.  My prayer life ain't as good as theirs, but because of their example, THAT seems normal to me.  I wonder... what is NORMAL to OUR kids?  What example have we set?

Notice too that Jesus sent them out two by two.  We were not meant to do this alone.  In fact, if we try to do it alone, we will fail.  An isolated Christian is a dead Christian.  We need like-minded Christians to encourage us, to bolster us when we hit a rough patch, and to hold us accountable when we stray from the way.

It reminds me of a flock of geese...Surely you’ve noticed they always fly as a group – almost NEVER flying alone.  There are some great lessons that WE can learn from them… lessons that Jesus already knew about when he sent us all out in pairs.  First – geese fly in a V formation – because by flying right behind another bird, the flock can fly up to 70% farther than they could if they flew alone.  Something about the flap of the wings of the bird in front creates a updraft so the birds behind take less energy to fly.  If one bird falls out of formation, he quickly feels the drag of the air and moves to get back into formation as quick as possible. 

For us as Christians – we are sent out as a group – not alone.  We’re not MEANT to do it alone,… we need a small group.... we help each other make it farther and easier by creating momentum.  It’s much easier for one of us to pray at our meal at McDonald’s if several of us do it together.  It’s much easier for us to say ‘no’ to the crowd if several of us say ‘no’ together.  It’s easier for us to give up our personal free time to study scripture, if we have likeminded friends to discuss it with and who challenge us to take an extra step.

Also – in the flock – the birds encourage each other – honking to the bird up front to encourage them on and let them know we’re still here.  As one bird gets tired from leading, they drop back and another bird takes the lead for a while – thereby sharing the load of the toughest job.  As Christians, we all are leaders at some point.  Maybe it’s in our family – or in our circle of friends.  Maybe it’s just how we act when we’re in public… but OUR actions make it easier for others to live their Christian lives as well.  Our joy and hope rub off on people.  People should LIKE to be around us, because...well… We're not like everybody else.

Finally – the flock follows one leader – headed unswervingly in one direction.  They have a goal – to make it south – or north, depending on the time of year.  Likewise as Christians, we received our marching order from Jesus in the Gospel today – go out and make disciples!!!  That is our primary goal!  If we’re not doing that, we’re headed in the wrong direction.

There’s a bunch more we can learn from geese – but let this be enough for today:  next time you see a flock of geese overhead, just imagine that each honk is saying . “and with your spirit"

2013/06/09 - Proof that God has visited His people

God .... has VISITED his people.

It may seem like in biblical time, raising from the dead was a common occurrence... We heard about two such events in the first reading and gospel.  We all remember Lazarus ...and of course, Jesus raised himself.  You may also remember that even Peter and Paul each were credited with bringing somebody back to life in the book of Acts.  But while it may SEEM like it happened a lot... I didn't.  These were EXTAORDINARY events.  When someone raised from the dead, it was a sign of.. A song of well, something... Of what?  In the first reading the understanding of the sign came from the widow "you are a man of God. The word of the LORD comes truly from your mouth.”

In the gospel, the understanding of the sign was even more impressive, “A great prophet has arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.”

That sign held a lot of meaning to the Israelites... It was prophesied that Elijah, the great prophet of old times, would return before the Messiah came... So the people weren’t really looking for the messiah… they were looking for Elijah… and the fact that Jesus performed the exact miracle that Elijah did, (raising the only son of a widow) would have raised more than eyebrows... It raised hope that the time of fulfillment of the prophecies had arrived.... that God had indeed visited his people... 

As always, we gotta ask... Why do WE care?  Why do we tell these same stories over and over each year?

Deep down... We all are looking for proof…  proof that Jesus was God, that he really does care about US personally, and all this religion stuff is not just some made-up rules to keep us from having fun.  Even people with the deepest faith still search for proof that they haven't been misled somewhere along the line.  We all want We want proof…That's why we look for miracles.  It's why we travel to places like Lourdes and Medjugorie... It's why we read the scriptures and various books and CDs and videos...  We are always looking for that proof… for that confirmation of what we have dared to believe.  I mean, really, why would anybody believe that a Jewish carpenter rose from the dead 2000 years ago and why would we believe that he is God and that he started the church and gave us the Eucharist to sustain us.  Seems like a pretty well developed story, if you ask me. 

But somewhere along the line, we experienced Jesus.  We felt his presence and recognized the miracles he works in our own lives.  For some of us that experience came in a retreat.  For others it was the birth of their first child.  For others, God seemed to give them a special gift of the Holy Spirit so that they believed almost without effort or question... That they could feel and believe the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.  We envy people who have that kind of faith… because all of us keep searching…. For proof.

Paul instinctively knew this when he wrote the letter to the Galatians... He prefaced his letter with all the facts that prove his credentials.  He had every reason to boast of his human accomplishments... But instead, he was teaching about a man/god who had risen from the dead… what would possibly make people listen? He basically was saying… ok –maybe you don’t believe all of the miracle stories you’ve heard …you’re just not sure it’s true… but look… I’m not just some fly-by-night religious freak.  I’ve got credentials!  He needed people to recognize HIM as a prophet or apostle... so they would recognize the truth is his message of grace.  The message is:  God has visited his people! 

But, We all keep looking.  We search the scriptures.  We talk to people who seem to have a direct line to God.  Once in a while we feel like we have grasped something… some piece of truth that give us some proof…. So We pass along great quotes and insights which give us a faith-boost.  We post things on Facebook... Tweet them on twitter.... Forward emails and links to great YouTube videos.  This is important, both for us – and for those we share them with.

There is another way we can all help each other... And ourselves.... And that is to share YOUR story.  All of us have been visited by God.  We've seen minor or even Major miracles in our lives... And some of us are blessed enough to be able to recognize those miracles.  The rest of us might recognize the miracles too... If we knew where to look.  Just like the people in Jesus’ time, if we’re not LOOKING for Jesus, we may not recognize him.  We gotta be LOOKING for miracles.  I think the best way to learn where to look for miracles is to hear about others experiences. 

That’s how the people of biblical times dealt with their doubts… they told the stories… ‘hey – remember the time that Elijah raised that guy from the dead?’.  The stories were their life-line to keep them connected to God throughout the stormy history of Israel.

So it should be for us… Share your stories...  ‘Remember that time we were at our wits end at the hospital waiting for news… how God sent this couple at just the right time’.  Remember our sister who was scared to death by the cat-scan - but...  How the cancer shrunk beyond the hope of the doctors...  Remember how even in the worst circumstances, it was our faith that carried us through....

Most likely you are still waiting for the miracle … it feels like God has abandoned you… the failing health… the failing marriage… Yes... We need to share our sufferings too.  We all suffer.  Being Christian does not give us immunity.  But it is those times of suffering that are our greatest opportunity for God to act.  By sharing the stories of our sufferings, we let other people know that they are not alone in their sufferings.  The stories are our lifeline.  They are our proof that God has visited.

Our Proof doesn't always come in extreme ways...like raising from the dead.  More often, the Holy Spirit reveals himself in the mundane.  For example, this week, I had already read the readings and was mulling over how the raising from the dead was proof that Elijah and Jesus were doing the work of God.  I had this rolling around in my head for several days.... Then Tuesday night I got my latest CD in the mail and guess what the title was.......   “Prove it, God!... And He Did!”  I don't see that as mere coincidence... It was a small miracle and it pointed me where to take this homily.  I no longer believe in coincidence.... A cooincidence is just when God tries to remain anonymous... It is really a GOD incident!  By the way – this CD is amazing…I’ve already listened to it twice.  Patty Schneier from St. Louis tells HER story… and it’s well-worth hearing.  I’ll definitely get some to put at the doors as a CD of the month.

Do you experience little miracles....little God-incidences in your life?  SHARE those stories.  It helps you to recognize the miracle, but it also gives other people some proof...some reason too believe...and just as important, it helps other people to understand where to look and what to look for.  If we're not looking for God, we won't see him. 

If you don't have someone else to share your story with... you can send me an email... I always love personal stories.  Another way is something new we're doing as a cluster...  We are putting together a book of stories from our parish.  Seriously...  Here is a book that was put together at another parish...and it's nothing but people sharing how God is working in THEIR lives.  This is Powerful stuff.  It reminds us all that God IS still at work... that he still has pity on his children.  It is proof that even today....           ....God has visited his people.

Pentecost 2013/05/19 - Vicars of Christ

Are you familiar with the word ‘vicarious’?    It’s used a couple of ways – it can mean to do something IN PLACE of someone, like a substitute – or it can mean to do something or experience something THROUGH someone else. Some people live vicariously through their kids – like the dad who always wanted to play football, but fulfills that dream through his kid.  The mom who always wanted to be a gymnast or singer – who gladly takes her daughter to practice all year long to live the experience she missed-out on growing up.  The parents live their lives through the lives of their children.

My sister does something that’s kinda cute.  The last couple of summers, she has gone one what she calls ‘vica-vacations’… that’s short for ‘vicarious vacations’…She can’t afford to take her family on big vacations, so she just waits for her friends to post THEIR vacation pictures on facebook, then she pastes her own face into THEIR vacation picture and posts it on HER facebook page.  The Vica-vacation … well – I thought it was a cool idea.

We use the word ‘vicarious’ in the church too… we can say that Jesus’s death on the cross was vicarious too… he died in our place… he was our substitute, since WE were the ones who deserved death. 

Let me come back to that thought in a minute.. because today… all that mess about the cross and crucifixion is behind us.  Today is PENTECOST… the birthday of the Church.  You gotta wonder…Why did Jesus start his church?  Well – to answer that – I think first you gotta answer the question – why did Jesus become human?  Think of it this way… Jesus want to come to earth so he could touch his people with a human hand and SHOW us the way to the Father through HIS human actions.  When he left, still wanted to be able to do that… So, He started the church so he could CONTINUE to touch his people through a human hand… through the hand of his ministers.  In other words – when Fr. Eugene baptizes a baby, it is actually JESUS baptizing the baby vicariously through the hand of Fr. Eugene.  You catch that?  Fr. Eugene stands “in the place” of Jesus when he baptizes…  Jesus is still reaching out to touch his people with a human hand.  He wants to continue to live vicariously through his body on earth… thru us… WE are the body of Christ.  You may have heard, one of the titles for the Pope is the “vicar of Christ”… recognize that word… vicar?  It comes from the same word as ‘vicarious’… in other words, the Pope is the substitute – or he sits in place of Christ as the head of the church…his body of Christ on earth.  Jesus continues to live his life vicariously through the ministers of his church

But that’s not all… today at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit entered the apostles and propelled them out of that room and into the street to tell everyone about the great things God had done.  They were the billboards advertising to the world the great things that God had accomplished through Jesus.  They were the spokesmen for the commercials.  And what was really cool was as they spoke, everyone heard them and understood even though they were from different countries. 

What you may not realize though is that the big advertising campaign continues… and you and I are the billboards… we are the spokesmen for the commercial.  So – what message is on your billboard?  What language are we speaking?

We can LEAD people TO Christ or chase them away… depending on our actions, …our words, …and just our sense of joy.  If we’re always in a sour mood – why would anybody WANT to join US at church?  On the other hand, if everyone around us is leading non-Christian lives – maybe - every other word out of their mouths is a four letter word, but WE avoid that behavior…, what does THAT tell people about how Jesus has changed OUR lives? 

I want to use another big word that probably sounds scary to most of us:  Evangelization.  What do you think of when you hear that word?  Billy Graham?  Jimmy Swaggart?  The guy on the street corner shouting at the top of his lungs that the end is near and you’d better repent?  While those guys are evangelists… they are the exception.  Every ONE of us is called to be an evangelist.  No – I don’t mean you need to be on TV or stand or a street corner.  You don’t even need to be like the apostles in today’s first reading speaking different languages…  All you gotta do is try to bring God into the world around you.  You work at a factory:  watch your language.  You raise your family:  teach them to pray.  You run around with a group of friends:  set the right example when they want to go places and do things you know are not right.  How we live our lives is the first, most necessary step in bringing others to know Christ.  Jesus wants to SHOW people how to experience the joy of following him… to do that, Jesus wants to live his life vicariously through you and me.

There are many ways to be an evangelist…. One way is to pass along a good book or CD.  That’s the whole purpose of the CD’s that we have at the doors of the church.  After YOU listen to a particularly good, Catholic CD, the best thing you can do is to pass it along to someone else you know who can benefit from it.  Same thing goes for the books we have handed out.  Not too long ago, we passed out ‘Rome Sweet Home’ – possibly one of the best Catholic books out there (after the Bible).  Then at Easter, we had a couple hundred copies of ‘4 Signs of a Dynamic Catholic’.  The title didn’t really grab MY attention, but the feedback I’ve gotten from this book has been outstanding!  In fact, it is so good, I’d like to make sure EVERYbody gets the chance to read it.  Seriously – if you didn’t get a copy and would like one – drop me an email and I will make sure you get one.

I’ve got another example – it just happened recently to two of my best friends, and it gives us an example of how ANYbody can evangelize.  Many of you know Jack Goodman – he’s been making rosaries for years – somewhere around 60,000 by his best count.  He makes them for the missions, plus he makes special rosaries and sells them for next to nothing – often simply GIVING them away.  Chances are, any time you run into him, if you said you needed a rosary, he’d stick his hand in his pocket and give you one.  Well – recently, my other friend went to buy a car, and the salesman commented on the rosary in his car and wondered where he could get one like it… so my friend just GAVE him that rosary… one made by Jack.  That guy was so appreciative, but my friend wouldn’t take anything for it… instead the guy made a donation to our church a couple weeks later.  Once Jack found out about it – he made my friend another one just like it – so he could carry it with him in case he ever needs to give it away again.  Where are you and I in that story?  Can you make rosaries?  Can you pass out rosaries?  Can we pass along a book or a CD?  Do we have other talents we can use to spread the Gospel

Jesus needs every ONE of us to be Evangelists…  he needs each of us speaking on his behalf – why?  Get this… you remember in the first reading how everyone heard the apostles in their own language?  Do you recognize how that applies today?  Every one of us sitting here today hears the word of God in our own way… based on our own background and experiences.  Even though I’m preaching one thing to everybody… people HEAR different things.  Proof of this comes sometimes after a homily… people will come up and say how they heard something completely different than what I said… the Holy Spirit is speaking to them where they are – through my words.  So – the Holy Spirit needs each of us out there talking – because somebody is listening – and somebody needs to hear the word of God spoken to them in a way they will understand…in the way that YOU speak it. 

The bottom line for today:  Jesus still wants to touch people in the world – and he does that vicariously through you and me.  He sends His Holy Spirit to give us the courage and the enthusiasm to do it… we just gotta LET Him act through us.  If WE don’t do it –How will our families know about Jesus?  How will our co-worker know about Jesus?   how will the WORLD know about Jesus?  We are ALL Vicars of Christ.