When God Says "No."
Homily for July 8, 2018 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Last Sunday’s Gospel recounted a couple of extraordinary healings, and Fr. Szatkowski asked us the question: how strong is your faith? In fact, in almost all of the healings recorded in the Gospels, Jesus states that it is because of the faith of the person or those with them that not only were they healed, but that they were saved. The power of God is revealed through our faith.
But, how’s your faith when things don't go as desired or prayed for?
Today’s reading from St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians is one of my favorite passages of the New Testament, for I too have my personal demons and trials that I continue to struggle against.. By now in his ministry, Paul has been around for quite a while and he has witnessed many, many wondrous signs that God has worked through him, and yet he is still suffering from something serious enough that he has asked God three times to take it away. Not just asked; he begged for it to leave him. He even equates his problems as coming straight from Satan himself.
And God said, “No.”
It reminds me of the story in the Bible about King David. After he was been told by the prophet Nathan that his first son by Bathsheba was going to die, David pleaded with God to spare the child. He fasted and slept in sack cloth for seven days, but still the child died. His servants were afraid to tell him, but after hearing the news David cleaned up and went to worship God. When his servants asked him about the change, he replied, “While the child was living, I fasted and wept, thinking, ‘Who knows? The LORD may grant me the child’s life.’ But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” Even when faced with the death of his son, David had faith that the boy was with God and that he would see the boy again.
Isn’t that the real challenge to our faith? Remaining faithful even when things don’t go as we hope, despite our storming the heavens with our prayers? Especially when we’ve bathed the earth with our tears, when our hearts are shredded with grief, and it seems that God either doesn’t hear us or, worse, tells us “No”? It’s enough to rock anyone’s faith, especially when we see in Jesus’ own words to “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Mt 7: 7). How are we to respond when Jesus says “all that you ask for in prayer; believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours” (Mark 11:24) and then it doesn’t happen?
Today I want to talk about three important points for keeping the faith when God says, “No”: Purpose, Prayer and Play. To do that, let me introduce you to three of my favorite writers whose lives have given me insight into these points: Dr. Viktor Frankl, Jennifer Hubbard and Mattie Stepanek.
First, Viktor Frankl. Born in 1905, Frankl was a noted Jewish psychiatrist and neurologist before being imprisoned by the Germans and sent to the concentration camps during World War II. He survived four separate camps before he was freed at the end of the war, but endured almost every atrocity imaginable in the camps short of execution. He lost his wife and daughter to the Holocaust along with most of his extended family except for one sister. But he did survive, and his book, “Man's Search for Meaning” originally published in 1946 in German as: “Nevertheless, Say "Yes" to Life: A Psychologist Experiences the Concentration Camp” chronicles his experiences as a concentration camp inmate, which led him to discover the importance of finding meaning in all forms of existence, even the most brutal ones, and thus, a reason to continue living. He developed a form of therapy called “Logotherapy”, often referred to as the "Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy". It can be used to restore meaning to one’s life after suffering a tragic event.
His book is still popular (I just finished reading it – it only took about 3 days and I could hardly put it down.) In his review of the book, Benjamin McEvoy stated that he learned 7 key lessons on life. My understanding of them are:
1. He who has a “why” to live for - a reason - can bear almost any “how” that happens.
2. The salvation of man is through love and in love, and God is Love.
3. You can get used to anything - I've seen what people endure in 3rd world countries..
4. You can resist your environment’s influence. Your environment doesn't define YOU.
5. There is meaning in suffering - Catholics call it "redemptive suffering".
6. Without hope, meaning, and a future, death will come soon. One needs a purpose.
7. Logotherapy - the construction of a future for oneself – can be used to restore one’s sense of purpose in life.
It is all about choice – you cannot choose the conditions you are presented with, but you can choose on how you respond to them. That is one of God’s greatest gifts and a measure of our humanity – the freedom to choose to live life oriented toward a higher goal despite the evil which surrounds us. Man is the only creature so gifted by God that is able to do so.
The second person I would refer you to is Jennifer Hubbard. I frequently mention her when I talk with groups about faith because I find her so inspiring in the face of what she has gone through. The younger of her two children, Catherine Violet, was 6 years old when she was murdered during the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December, 2012.
Hubbard is a frequent contributor to “Magnificat”, a pocket-sized missalette with daily readings, reflections, and other spiritual writings that is published monthly. There is usually an article from her each month and I find her brief spiritual writings inspirational and thought-provoking. She once said to the Catholic News Agency during an interview in 2016 on the power of prayer that, “We’re all going to face trials; we’re all going to face tragedies. My tragedy was my daughter being murdered. Someone else’s tragedy could be the doctor who says the cancer is no longer treatable.” … “When you are intimate with that darkness, prayer turns your attention to God in allowing this peace to settle on your soul, despite whatever chaos is circling around you.” Her faith remains steadfast to this day.
But the most inspiring person for me is a young boy named Mattie J. Stepanek. Mattie died in 2004 at the age of 13, shortly before his 14th birthday, of dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy, a form of muscular dystrophy. His three older siblings died from the same genetic disease. He began writing poetry at the age of four and published seven best-selling books of poetry and peace essays, most popular being his “Heartsong” series. Before his death he had become known as a peace advocate and motivational speaker and was friends with the likes of former president Jimmy Carter and Oprah Winfrey.
Despite having seen what his older brother suffered before he died and having to experience the progressive deterioration of his own health at such a young age, Mattie was a playful, joyous young man with an impish smile and prone to pulling practical jokes. He fully believed that God spoke to him and that his mission in life was to be an ambassador of peace to the world. There are many, many thought-provoking quotes which come from his writings, but for me the most powerful one is the tagline that you see on many of my emails: “Play after every storm.” It was his motto for life: “Play after every storm! The storms do not last forever. The sun does come out, even if it is for a brief moment.”
Purpose, Prayer, Play.
There will be storms in every one of our lives. Sometimes the evil which will engulf us will be so disheartening that we will be sure that we will not survive; in fact, we will not want to survive. We will want to give up. We will look at the lives of the saints who have experienced tragedies which will match, if not surpass, those we face and we will say, “they were holier than I; they were stronger or tougher than I; it was different for them back then.” We will focus our attention on the past and the immediacy of our suffering and we will fail to hear God’s voice speaking to us to look forward. We will fail to seek the purpose of our suffering.
And yet, most of us are here today because we have survived the storms of the past, even the recent ones. As long as we live, we have the freedom to find purpose in our lives and to choose how to face our challenges. And with faith in God, we know our future.
When I was little (actually, most of my young life), my mom used to say that “everything happens for the best.” I still have trouble believing that, sometimes, because “the best” used to always mean “the best for ME”. But when I listen to God as He speaks through Viktor Frankl, Jennifer Hubbard, and Mattie Stepanek, I realize that “the best” is and must be His Will, and that my challenge is to discover that purpose through prayer and with the joy of loving others as He loves me.
And I DO have hope. I can see that, despite any suffering I have experienced over the years and the many "NO"s that I've received, when I look back with 20-20 hindsight and the grace of God, I can catch a glimpse of God in what has happened.
And that gives me the faith to continue to pray to God and, as Mattie would say, to “play after every storm.”
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Happy Father's Day
Happy Father's Day
Homily for June 17, 2018 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Happy Father’s Day weekend. I hope that those of you who are fathers are having a blessed weekend, and that those of you who have fathers (by the way, that would be all of us) – I hope you all take some time this weekend to pray for their souls, whether they are still living or have already passed on, and whether they were good fathers or not. Especially if they were not, for they are probably more in need of prayers and God’s mercy than a “good” father is.
In any case, at first glance, you might not think that today’s Gospel has much in common with Father’s Day. But if we take a closer look at the two parables that Jesus shares with the crowds, I think we can see that they contain a very important message for all of us, especially for fathers. (Before I go on, this message applies more or less equally to mothers, too, but they’ve already celebrated their day in the sun. Today it is us dads’ turn.)
First, we have the parable of the sower and the seed. Who is the man that scatters seed in today’s Gospel? Often in the Bible whenever we see a reference to seed being scattered, the sower is usually assumed to be God the Father or Jesus. And while the references to the sower not knowing how the seed grows, and that the seed yields fruit “of its own accord” seem contradictory to the wisdom and power of God, it would be easier to understand it in the context that the average person would not know or understand how the seeds of faith scattered by God grow and bear fruit.
But what if the sower Jesus refers to is us? In that sense, the “sower” can be thought of as a father and the “seed” being sown as his children. He might provide nourishment and tender guidance for his child, but he doesn’t know how that child will grow in faith.
And it’s not just his children. After all, we are all called to evangelize our brothers and sisters by spreading – sowing – the Good News which is found in the person of Jesus Christ Himself. He is the faith that lives in every fruitful seed. This parable would actually make more sense that way, as we often do not know what impact our lives have on those around us. We do not know what causes another person to grow in faith, as faith is a gift – a grace – which comes only from God. And only God knows when a seed that is a person is ready to come to judgment.
And then we have the mustard seed. This too seems a little odd to be a comparison for God as, despite the image given here, mustard plants are not majestic cedars like we hear in our first reading, but instead are hardy, scruffy bushes that spread widely from a tiny seed. But that too can be a good analogy for fathers as most of us probably didn’t have any idea of what was really going to be asked of us as fathers when our first child came along, and despite the scruffiness of our faith we’ve slowly grown and matured, and hopefully through our faith we have become a spiritual shelter to our family and those who are close to us.
For those of us who are fathers responsible for our children, or father-figures like Fr. Szatkowski and Fr. Benito, who are responsible for their family of parishioners, we know that it’s tough being a father. The role of a father has changed in recent years from being the head of the household and the primary breadwinner to one of shared responsibility and mutual cooperation – and this is a good thing.
But sadly all too often in today’s society and especially in the media, the importance of fatherhood is being belittled and dismissed. And yet, recent studies have shown just how important it is to be a father. Statistics quoted at last year’s Texas Fatherhood Summit in Austin were striking – children with actively involved fathers were:
• 39% more likely to earn mostly A’s in school
• 45% less likely to repeat a grade
• Twice as likely to go to college and find stable employment after high school
• 60% less likely to be suspended or expelled from school
• 75% less likely to have a teen birth
• 80% less likely to spend time in jail
Speaking of jail, when I was in prison ministry during my formation as a deacon, I made the mistake on Father’s Day of asking the inmates to compare God the Father to someone in their lives who they considered a strong, loving father-figure. The room of about 30 inmates went silent. They had no good father-figures to draw on – the fathers they knew were either bums or had abandoned them and they had few positive male role models in their lives.
So, if our role as father is so important to those we love and to society as a whole, what must we do to be true sowers of the faith? A recent article in “Columbia”, the monthly publication by the Knights of Columbus, listed four things Catholic men must do to defend the faith and build a culture of life in our secular society:
1. We must be men of prayer.
2. We must never lose hope.
3. We must show our friends and neighbors a better way.
4. We must be active and practical.
Whatever our particular vocation in life – whether it be religious, married or single – we are called to be sowers of the seeds of faith and must be followers of the Great Gardener, Jesus. And may our faith shelter those whom we love and all those we meet.
Happy Father’s Day.
Homily for June 17, 2018 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Happy Father’s Day weekend. I hope that those of you who are fathers are having a blessed weekend, and that those of you who have fathers (by the way, that would be all of us) – I hope you all take some time this weekend to pray for their souls, whether they are still living or have already passed on, and whether they were good fathers or not. Especially if they were not, for they are probably more in need of prayers and God’s mercy than a “good” father is.
In any case, at first glance, you might not think that today’s Gospel has much in common with Father’s Day. But if we take a closer look at the two parables that Jesus shares with the crowds, I think we can see that they contain a very important message for all of us, especially for fathers. (Before I go on, this message applies more or less equally to mothers, too, but they’ve already celebrated their day in the sun. Today it is us dads’ turn.)
First, we have the parable of the sower and the seed. Who is the man that scatters seed in today’s Gospel? Often in the Bible whenever we see a reference to seed being scattered, the sower is usually assumed to be God the Father or Jesus. And while the references to the sower not knowing how the seed grows, and that the seed yields fruit “of its own accord” seem contradictory to the wisdom and power of God, it would be easier to understand it in the context that the average person would not know or understand how the seeds of faith scattered by God grow and bear fruit.
But what if the sower Jesus refers to is us? In that sense, the “sower” can be thought of as a father and the “seed” being sown as his children. He might provide nourishment and tender guidance for his child, but he doesn’t know how that child will grow in faith.
And it’s not just his children. After all, we are all called to evangelize our brothers and sisters by spreading – sowing – the Good News which is found in the person of Jesus Christ Himself. He is the faith that lives in every fruitful seed. This parable would actually make more sense that way, as we often do not know what impact our lives have on those around us. We do not know what causes another person to grow in faith, as faith is a gift – a grace – which comes only from God. And only God knows when a seed that is a person is ready to come to judgment.
And then we have the mustard seed. This too seems a little odd to be a comparison for God as, despite the image given here, mustard plants are not majestic cedars like we hear in our first reading, but instead are hardy, scruffy bushes that spread widely from a tiny seed. But that too can be a good analogy for fathers as most of us probably didn’t have any idea of what was really going to be asked of us as fathers when our first child came along, and despite the scruffiness of our faith we’ve slowly grown and matured, and hopefully through our faith we have become a spiritual shelter to our family and those who are close to us.
For those of us who are fathers responsible for our children, or father-figures like Fr. Szatkowski and Fr. Benito, who are responsible for their family of parishioners, we know that it’s tough being a father. The role of a father has changed in recent years from being the head of the household and the primary breadwinner to one of shared responsibility and mutual cooperation – and this is a good thing.
But sadly all too often in today’s society and especially in the media, the importance of fatherhood is being belittled and dismissed. And yet, recent studies have shown just how important it is to be a father. Statistics quoted at last year’s Texas Fatherhood Summit in Austin were striking – children with actively involved fathers were:
• 39% more likely to earn mostly A’s in school
• 45% less likely to repeat a grade
• Twice as likely to go to college and find stable employment after high school
• 60% less likely to be suspended or expelled from school
• 75% less likely to have a teen birth
• 80% less likely to spend time in jail
Speaking of jail, when I was in prison ministry during my formation as a deacon, I made the mistake on Father’s Day of asking the inmates to compare God the Father to someone in their lives who they considered a strong, loving father-figure. The room of about 30 inmates went silent. They had no good father-figures to draw on – the fathers they knew were either bums or had abandoned them and they had few positive male role models in their lives.
So, if our role as father is so important to those we love and to society as a whole, what must we do to be true sowers of the faith? A recent article in “Columbia”, the monthly publication by the Knights of Columbus, listed four things Catholic men must do to defend the faith and build a culture of life in our secular society:
1. We must be men of prayer.
2. We must never lose hope.
3. We must show our friends and neighbors a better way.
4. We must be active and practical.
Whatever our particular vocation in life – whether it be religious, married or single – we are called to be sowers of the seeds of faith and must be followers of the Great Gardener, Jesus. And may our faith shelter those whom we love and all those we meet.
Happy Father’s Day.
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Happy Re-Birthday!
Happy Re-Birthday!
Homily for May 20, 2018 Pentecost Sunday - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
[Author’s note: the Catholic Church historically and officially recognizes Good Friday as the actual birth of the Church, when Christ’s side was pierced by the centurion’s spear. But just as the Church also teaches that we are reborn into the Church at our baptism, and as Jesus told Nicodemus that man “must be born from above”, “of water and Spirit” (Jn 3), it is appropriate to celebrate Pentecost as a “baptism” or “rebirth” of the Church. Just as Jesus told his disciples prior to his Passion that they needed the Holy Spirit to guide them to the truth (Jn 18), and to wait for when they would “be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1), we celebrate the presence of the Holy Spirit coming with His gifts at Pentecost.]
Today we celebrate what some theologians consider is the birthday of our Church - Pentecost. Why is that? Because it was on Pentecost that the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and gave them the courage to come out from hiding and go into the streets to preach the Good News of God – to evangelize the people. Actually, it was more than courage, for often we think of courage as facing challenges that we would rather avoid. Those first disciples – the Apostles and the others from the upper room – were on FIRE with the presence of God in their hearts and were compelled to share that Good News to others. It wasn’t that they were still afraid and forced themselves to overcome that fear; they were truly FEARLESS because they had no reason to fear. From that tiny group of now fearless men AND women, the Church sprang into life; the people of God were reborn. From that moment on, the world would never be the same. It was a Happy Birthday.
To celebrate this special day, we actually have two completely different sets of readings for this weekend. Normally, the Mass on Saturday evening, although we often call it the “vigil” service, uses all of the same readings, liturgical parts, and so on that we would use on Sunday. But for certain celebrations – like Easter and Pentecost – the church offers a true “vigil” liturgy with different Mass parts and readings because there is an important before-and-after message contained in the combined celebrations. To get the full “value” of this celebration, you should attend Mass both Saturday night AND Sunday.
So, if you didn’t come to Mass last night, you might want to note it on your calendar to come to Mass twice on this Sunday next year.
Yeah, I can see your eyes rolling even from here. I’m just saying, it isn’t a sin to go to Mass more than once a weekend. And if you didn’t go last night, you have a homework assignment: look up and read the other set of readings when you get home.
In any case, today we celebrate Pentecost. In Jesus’ time, Pentecost was known as Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks. Shavuot was one of the three pilgrimage festivals where Jews were required to travel to Jerusalem, and it commemorated the anniversary of the day God gave the Torah to the entire nation of Israel assembled at Mount Sinai. It was celebrated seven weeks after Passover – hence our name Pentecost, or 50 days. Because Jews had to travel to Jerusalem, it explains why there were so many people there who spoke different languages. But more on that later.
Our readings this weekend then all relate to the presence and action of the Holy Spirit. But in order to fully understand the complete message of Pentecost, we have to look at both sets of readings together.
Saturday’s first reading is the story of the Tower of Babel. It is a fairly straightforward story – the people, in their arrogance, decide to build a tower that reaches to heaven. They didn’t want to be “scattered all over the earth”; they preferred to bask in their own glory and abilities rather than God’s, and so the Holy Spirit came upon them and removed their ability to understand each other.
But in the passage from Acts that we heard today, we see how the Holy Spirit gave the Apostles the ability to speak to all present in their own language of the Glory of God – it’s the classic story of Pentecost. The combination of the two readings reminds us that true peace and unity among nations cannot occur without our unity with God first.
And then Saturday’s brief Gospel from St. John comes from the first time Jesus reveals to his disciples his future passion and death, and alludes to the coming of the Holy Spirit. It occurs on the last day of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, another one of the three main pilgrimage feasts in Jerusalem and it too was a time of joyful celebration, coming just after Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. (By the way, these pilgrim festivals generally lasted all week, from Sabbath to Sabbath.) During this feast, Jesus ticks off the Jewish authorities by his words and deeds to the point that they’ve begun to seek a way to kill him. The key to this short scripture passage are the last two lines: “He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.”
This doesn’t mean that there was no Holy Spirit. As the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit has always existed co-eternal with the Father and the Son. Earlier versions of this passage include the word “given” after “yet”, signifying that the disciples had not received the fullness of the Spirit, which will come to them on that first Pentecost after the Resurrection.
But in Today’s Gospel from John’s Last Supper discourse, Jesus makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is coming, and how important the presence of the Advocate will be to his disciples. They are not ready yet for the total power of the Holy Spirit, but they will need that power in order to continue Jesus’ mission after his physical presence leaves. After His Resurrection they will receive strength and guidance from the Holy Spirit so that they will be able to give Glory to God and proclaim the Good News.
So is this Holy Spirit present in our lives today? Did I miss something at my Confirmation, or have I just lost it? Why are we still afraid to risk everything proclaim the Good News? If I’ve received the Holy Spirit, why can’t I speak Spanish?
The Holy Spirit doesn’t come into our lives just once in a spectacular moment and then leave. The Holy Spirit is with us always, to guide us and bless us. St. Paul talks to us about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and how they are ours forever, if we accept them. The Seven Gifts are:
1. Wisdom – the knowledge and awareness of "divine things" and the ability to judge and direct human affairs according to divine truth.
2. Understanding – the ability to "see" God in creation and the insight into the very heart of things necessary for our eternal salvation.
3. Knowledge – the ability to judge correctly about matters of faith and right action, so as to never wander from the straight path of justice.
4. Counsel – allows a man to be directed by God in matters necessary for his salvation.
5. Fortitude – a firmness of mind in doing good and in avoiding evil, particularly when it is difficult or dangerous to do so, by virtue of the assurance of everlasting life.
6. Piety – the reverence of God with filial affection, paying worship and duty to God in accordance to Scripture and the Church.
7. Fear of God – the "filial" or chaste fear whereby we revere God and avoid separating ourselves from him—as opposed to "servile" fear, whereby we fear punishment.
We all received these gifts at our Baptism and had them strengthened at our Confirmation. We continue to receive guidance on these gifts through the Holy Spirit whenever we actively seek it. But do we?
I remember a story of a woman who loved to give gifts. She was always thoughtful in what she gave, and one year she worked especially hard on a gift for a very good friend. Her friend took the gift and later thanked her for the perfect gift. One day while the woman was visiting her friend, she saw her gift on a shelf, still wrapped, unopened.
How many gifts do we have, unopened? For this Pentecost, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the courage to open and use your gifts.
Homily for May 20, 2018 Pentecost Sunday - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
[Author’s note: the Catholic Church historically and officially recognizes Good Friday as the actual birth of the Church, when Christ’s side was pierced by the centurion’s spear. But just as the Church also teaches that we are reborn into the Church at our baptism, and as Jesus told Nicodemus that man “must be born from above”, “of water and Spirit” (Jn 3), it is appropriate to celebrate Pentecost as a “baptism” or “rebirth” of the Church. Just as Jesus told his disciples prior to his Passion that they needed the Holy Spirit to guide them to the truth (Jn 18), and to wait for when they would “be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1), we celebrate the presence of the Holy Spirit coming with His gifts at Pentecost.]
Today we celebrate what some theologians consider is the birthday of our Church - Pentecost. Why is that? Because it was on Pentecost that the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and gave them the courage to come out from hiding and go into the streets to preach the Good News of God – to evangelize the people. Actually, it was more than courage, for often we think of courage as facing challenges that we would rather avoid. Those first disciples – the Apostles and the others from the upper room – were on FIRE with the presence of God in their hearts and were compelled to share that Good News to others. It wasn’t that they were still afraid and forced themselves to overcome that fear; they were truly FEARLESS because they had no reason to fear. From that tiny group of now fearless men AND women, the Church sprang into life; the people of God were reborn. From that moment on, the world would never be the same. It was a Happy Birthday.
To celebrate this special day, we actually have two completely different sets of readings for this weekend. Normally, the Mass on Saturday evening, although we often call it the “vigil” service, uses all of the same readings, liturgical parts, and so on that we would use on Sunday. But for certain celebrations – like Easter and Pentecost – the church offers a true “vigil” liturgy with different Mass parts and readings because there is an important before-and-after message contained in the combined celebrations. To get the full “value” of this celebration, you should attend Mass both Saturday night AND Sunday.
So, if you didn’t come to Mass last night, you might want to note it on your calendar to come to Mass twice on this Sunday next year.
Yeah, I can see your eyes rolling even from here. I’m just saying, it isn’t a sin to go to Mass more than once a weekend. And if you didn’t go last night, you have a homework assignment: look up and read the other set of readings when you get home.
In any case, today we celebrate Pentecost. In Jesus’ time, Pentecost was known as Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks. Shavuot was one of the three pilgrimage festivals where Jews were required to travel to Jerusalem, and it commemorated the anniversary of the day God gave the Torah to the entire nation of Israel assembled at Mount Sinai. It was celebrated seven weeks after Passover – hence our name Pentecost, or 50 days. Because Jews had to travel to Jerusalem, it explains why there were so many people there who spoke different languages. But more on that later.
Our readings this weekend then all relate to the presence and action of the Holy Spirit. But in order to fully understand the complete message of Pentecost, we have to look at both sets of readings together.
Saturday’s first reading is the story of the Tower of Babel. It is a fairly straightforward story – the people, in their arrogance, decide to build a tower that reaches to heaven. They didn’t want to be “scattered all over the earth”; they preferred to bask in their own glory and abilities rather than God’s, and so the Holy Spirit came upon them and removed their ability to understand each other.
But in the passage from Acts that we heard today, we see how the Holy Spirit gave the Apostles the ability to speak to all present in their own language of the Glory of God – it’s the classic story of Pentecost. The combination of the two readings reminds us that true peace and unity among nations cannot occur without our unity with God first.
And then Saturday’s brief Gospel from St. John comes from the first time Jesus reveals to his disciples his future passion and death, and alludes to the coming of the Holy Spirit. It occurs on the last day of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, another one of the three main pilgrimage feasts in Jerusalem and it too was a time of joyful celebration, coming just after Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. (By the way, these pilgrim festivals generally lasted all week, from Sabbath to Sabbath.) During this feast, Jesus ticks off the Jewish authorities by his words and deeds to the point that they’ve begun to seek a way to kill him. The key to this short scripture passage are the last two lines: “He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.”
This doesn’t mean that there was no Holy Spirit. As the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit has always existed co-eternal with the Father and the Son. Earlier versions of this passage include the word “given” after “yet”, signifying that the disciples had not received the fullness of the Spirit, which will come to them on that first Pentecost after the Resurrection.
But in Today’s Gospel from John’s Last Supper discourse, Jesus makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is coming, and how important the presence of the Advocate will be to his disciples. They are not ready yet for the total power of the Holy Spirit, but they will need that power in order to continue Jesus’ mission after his physical presence leaves. After His Resurrection they will receive strength and guidance from the Holy Spirit so that they will be able to give Glory to God and proclaim the Good News.
So is this Holy Spirit present in our lives today? Did I miss something at my Confirmation, or have I just lost it? Why are we still afraid to risk everything proclaim the Good News? If I’ve received the Holy Spirit, why can’t I speak Spanish?
The Holy Spirit doesn’t come into our lives just once in a spectacular moment and then leave. The Holy Spirit is with us always, to guide us and bless us. St. Paul talks to us about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and how they are ours forever, if we accept them. The Seven Gifts are:
1. Wisdom – the knowledge and awareness of "divine things" and the ability to judge and direct human affairs according to divine truth.
2. Understanding – the ability to "see" God in creation and the insight into the very heart of things necessary for our eternal salvation.
3. Knowledge – the ability to judge correctly about matters of faith and right action, so as to never wander from the straight path of justice.
4. Counsel – allows a man to be directed by God in matters necessary for his salvation.
5. Fortitude – a firmness of mind in doing good and in avoiding evil, particularly when it is difficult or dangerous to do so, by virtue of the assurance of everlasting life.
6. Piety – the reverence of God with filial affection, paying worship and duty to God in accordance to Scripture and the Church.
7. Fear of God – the "filial" or chaste fear whereby we revere God and avoid separating ourselves from him—as opposed to "servile" fear, whereby we fear punishment.
We all received these gifts at our Baptism and had them strengthened at our Confirmation. We continue to receive guidance on these gifts through the Holy Spirit whenever we actively seek it. But do we?
I remember a story of a woman who loved to give gifts. She was always thoughtful in what she gave, and one year she worked especially hard on a gift for a very good friend. Her friend took the gift and later thanked her for the perfect gift. One day while the woman was visiting her friend, she saw her gift on a shelf, still wrapped, unopened.
How many gifts do we have, unopened? For this Pentecost, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the courage to open and use your gifts.
Sunday, April 8, 2018
A Community of Believers
A Community of Believers
Homily for April 8, 2018 2nd Sunday Easter - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi Divine Mercy Sunday
Happy Easter! As we conclude the Octave of Easter and our celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection, for the rest of the Easter Season we shift our focus to living as a community of believers in the Resurrected Christ.
The first reading for Mass almost every day from now until Pentecost will come from the Acts of the Apostles, and will be about the development of the early Church and the continuation of Jesus’ ministry on earth by his disciples. Today’s first reading focuses on what the first Christian communities looked like and how they acted.
It begins with: “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.” Earlier in Acts, chapter 2, we hear the same thing: “All who believed were together and had all things in common.” Acts chapter 2, verse 44.
“(H)ad everything in common.” Sounds a bit unrealistic for us today, doesn’t it. I’m not expected to share my house or car or my other expensive toys with others, am I? And I certainly don’t have to sell them and give the proceeds away to those who didn’t work for them or who don’t have the ambition to make it on their own, do I? After all, I EARNED them, right?
The opening line from today’s first reading brings back memories of my teen years in the late sixties and early seventies – the age of Communism and hippie communes.
It was a time when the word “communal” didn’t carry a positive connotation, with images of forced labor farms in Russia or drug-crazed drop-outs from society running around in the woods. Surely that wasn’t what the early Christian communities looked like, did they?
Yes and no.
If we look at true Christian communities today, we see that they have some of the same characteristics as the early Christian communities did back then, as revealed in Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2, starting with verse 42:
• “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the Apostles – that would be religious study of scripture and of the leaders of the Church, like our bible study programs and other spiritual reading;
• To the communal life – that would be the loving care of each other through self-sacrifice, constantly thinking of the other person first, like our volunteer efforts and our charitable giving programs;
• To the breaking of the bread – that would be specifically the Eucharist, not just sharing a meal; and
• To the prayers – that’s not private prayer but the shared liturgical experience, what we would call “Mass” today, and other Sacramental activities.
So what’s the difference between the early communities and our communities today? I think that it can be found in the three words that begin verse 42: “They devoted themselves”. Devotion signifies priority, what is most important. They were Christ-centered, not life-centered (at least, not earthly life.) And, because they were Christ-centered, wonderful things happened:
“Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the Apostles” and “Great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them”.
Can we say that today? Have we eliminated the needy among us? Are we devoted to our faith in a way that fills us with awe at the mere thought of Jesus?
If not, then one way we can work on that devotion to our faith is through the new initiative that was introduced by our Bishop Burns on Friday called the “Be Golden Campaign." The campaign is based upon the Golden Rule and focuses on those who are marginalized in our society, especially the immigrant. The primary goal is to change our mindset, our attitude, to be more Christ-like.
And, to be more Christ-like it demands that we show mercy to those who we have the ability to show mercy, especially if we are to expect mercy in return. Jesus’ command to us in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 6:
“Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. … But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Lk 6: 31-36)
Be merciful. This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday. Mercy is not forgiveness; forgiveness can only be extended by the person who was harmed. Mercy is the ability to prevent or alleviate the suffering of another by someone who has the power to do so, whether it is justified or not. God extends mercy to us out of His love for us, even when we do not deserve or have not “earned” that mercy; we are called to do the same. Members of the early Church communities extended mercy to one another when they used their own resources to make sure that “There was no needy person among them”.
God has granted all of us an ability to show mercy to others. We too are in need of mercy – from others in our lives and especially from God. It’s what we celebrated last Sunday – the ultimate sign of God’s love and mercy – the Passion of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Today’s Gospel concludes with, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in His name.”
Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? Are you truly devoted to Him? Does your life reflect that devotion? If not, then during this Easter Season, you have some work to do.
Frankly, so do I.
Homily for April 8, 2018 2nd Sunday Easter - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi Divine Mercy Sunday
Happy Easter! As we conclude the Octave of Easter and our celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection, for the rest of the Easter Season we shift our focus to living as a community of believers in the Resurrected Christ.
The first reading for Mass almost every day from now until Pentecost will come from the Acts of the Apostles, and will be about the development of the early Church and the continuation of Jesus’ ministry on earth by his disciples. Today’s first reading focuses on what the first Christian communities looked like and how they acted.
It begins with: “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.” Earlier in Acts, chapter 2, we hear the same thing: “All who believed were together and had all things in common.” Acts chapter 2, verse 44.
“(H)ad everything in common.” Sounds a bit unrealistic for us today, doesn’t it. I’m not expected to share my house or car or my other expensive toys with others, am I? And I certainly don’t have to sell them and give the proceeds away to those who didn’t work for them or who don’t have the ambition to make it on their own, do I? After all, I EARNED them, right?
The opening line from today’s first reading brings back memories of my teen years in the late sixties and early seventies – the age of Communism and hippie communes.
It was a time when the word “communal” didn’t carry a positive connotation, with images of forced labor farms in Russia or drug-crazed drop-outs from society running around in the woods. Surely that wasn’t what the early Christian communities looked like, did they?
Yes and no.
If we look at true Christian communities today, we see that they have some of the same characteristics as the early Christian communities did back then, as revealed in Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2, starting with verse 42:
• “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the Apostles – that would be religious study of scripture and of the leaders of the Church, like our bible study programs and other spiritual reading;
• To the communal life – that would be the loving care of each other through self-sacrifice, constantly thinking of the other person first, like our volunteer efforts and our charitable giving programs;
• To the breaking of the bread – that would be specifically the Eucharist, not just sharing a meal; and
• To the prayers – that’s not private prayer but the shared liturgical experience, what we would call “Mass” today, and other Sacramental activities.
So what’s the difference between the early communities and our communities today? I think that it can be found in the three words that begin verse 42: “They devoted themselves”. Devotion signifies priority, what is most important. They were Christ-centered, not life-centered (at least, not earthly life.) And, because they were Christ-centered, wonderful things happened:
“Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the Apostles” and “Great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them”.
Can we say that today? Have we eliminated the needy among us? Are we devoted to our faith in a way that fills us with awe at the mere thought of Jesus?
If not, then one way we can work on that devotion to our faith is through the new initiative that was introduced by our Bishop Burns on Friday called the “Be Golden Campaign." The campaign is based upon the Golden Rule and focuses on those who are marginalized in our society, especially the immigrant. The primary goal is to change our mindset, our attitude, to be more Christ-like.
And, to be more Christ-like it demands that we show mercy to those who we have the ability to show mercy, especially if we are to expect mercy in return. Jesus’ command to us in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 6:
“Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. … But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Lk 6: 31-36)
Be merciful. This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday. Mercy is not forgiveness; forgiveness can only be extended by the person who was harmed. Mercy is the ability to prevent or alleviate the suffering of another by someone who has the power to do so, whether it is justified or not. God extends mercy to us out of His love for us, even when we do not deserve or have not “earned” that mercy; we are called to do the same. Members of the early Church communities extended mercy to one another when they used their own resources to make sure that “There was no needy person among them”.
God has granted all of us an ability to show mercy to others. We too are in need of mercy – from others in our lives and especially from God. It’s what we celebrated last Sunday – the ultimate sign of God’s love and mercy – the Passion of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Today’s Gospel concludes with, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in His name.”
Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? Are you truly devoted to Him? Does your life reflect that devotion? If not, then during this Easter Season, you have some work to do.
Frankly, so do I.
Death and Taxes Revisited
Death and Taxes Revisited
Homily for March 18, 2018 5th Sunday Lent – A (Scrutinies)
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
For the last two weeks our RCIA candidates have listened to passages from St. John’s Gospel known as the Scrutinies – the first was the story of the Woman at the Well and her conversion experience and that of the others of her village through listening to Jesus, the Word of God and the second was the story of the Man Born Blind and how his eyes were opened both figuratively and spiritually. Today we just heard the 3rd Scrutiny – the Death of Lazarus.
There’s an old saying that there are only two things in life that are certain: death and taxes. And while if you’re poor enough or clever enough you might be able to avoid some taxes, it doesn’t matter whether or not you’re rich or poor, you’re going to die someday. And sadly, the ones we love will die too.
But while death and the pain caused by it are inevitable, with faith we can find strength to continue on with our life. And today’s Gospel gives us some pointers on the reality of our future, if we trust in God.
The story begins simply enough. Mary and Martha send word to Jesus that his good friend, their brother Lazarus, is seriously ill. They know about Jesus; more importantly, they KNOW him and WHO he is – the Son of God. So they reach out to him to intercede on behalf of their brother.
Don’t we do the same thing whenever a family member or one of our dear friends is sick and in need of healing? Reach out to our prayer groups and prayer warriors and ask them to storm heaven to intercede for us?
But instead of going immediately to see Lazarus, Jesus stays on the other side of the Jordan. His statement that Lazarus wasn’t going to die, that there was a purpose to his illness, may have seemed a little strange to his disciples but, as he had cured many people, maybe they thought he’d do the same thing remotely like the centurion’s slave or Jairus’ daughter. After all, Lazarus lived near Jerusalem and the Jews there wanted to stone him. Who’d blame him for staying where he was?
And then Lazarus died.
It can be hard to imagine the pain and grief that Mary and Martha were going through unless you have experienced that kind of loss yourself – and most of us have. Not just death of a loved one, although that is the ultimate loss, but it could have been the loss of a job; the loss of house and home through a natural disaster or other catastrophic event; or maybe a break-up in our relationship with another. We pray and pray and may even experience a glimmer of hope: interviews for a better job; insurance payments or help from friends and family to compensate for our losses; the discovery of a miraculous cure or the word that the cancer is in remission. And then the other shoe drops.
Mary and Martha probably felt that glimmer of hope as they sent word to Jesus, hoping that he would get there in time to heal Lazarus. And when he didn’t; when their brother died and still Jesus didn’t show up right away, their grief must have been tremendous – along with feelings of frustration, despair and maybe even anger.
We see that in the responses from Mary, Martha and their friends:
"Lord, if you had been here, our brother would not have died."
"Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?"
"Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days."
Their sobbing reflects their grief and mourning.
And Jesus wept.
Why did Jesus cry? After all, Jesus knew that Lazarus wasn’t going to remain in the tomb. He knew that, despite being buried for 4 days, Lazarus was going to rise and be with his family and friends, and that there would be great joy and celebration. So why did Jesus weep?
Empathy. Empathy is more than just witnessing another’s pain or joy; it is the ability to understand and SHARE the feelings of another, especially their feelings of sorrow and pain. Jesus FELT their grief; their pain was real and no amount of knowledge that “everything will be all right” can take that pain away from them. It was more than Jesus “knowing” that they were in pain; he FELT a pain that was so intense it made people cry. And He Wept.
In his book, “A Grief Observed”, well-known author C.S. Lewis records his own personal observations on how he dealt with the many issues associated with the sudden death of his wife to cancer: his grief, including the pain; the depression; the awkwardness of dealing with well-meaning friends who didn’t always know the right words to say; the loneliness; the anger he had towards God; and his ultimate return to faith. I recommend the book to anyone who has experienced a sudden loss of a loved one or to those who know someone who has.
Now, if all this Gospel was about was Jesus performing a miraculous cure for Mary and Martha because Lazarus was a friend, then it would be a wonderful story but it wouldn’t tell us much about God the Father or Jesus his Son. After all, Lazarus eventually died again and that time wasn’t raised from the dead. So what is Jesus telling us?
1. God loves us and understands our pain in loss.
2. Grief is natural and expected.
3. There’s a purpose to our life – and death – which we may never fully understand.
4. Even in death, there’s hope for those of faith.
5. Jesus is calling us to come to him, even if we’re bound up in sin.
6. No matter how tightly our sins bind us, they are not enough to keep God from freeing us.
7. Death is not the end of life – merely a prelude to something better.
As we approach Easter, we will witness Jesus’ Passion and Death next Sunday and throughout Holy Week. As we reflect on what we hear and see, let us remember that all of the scriptures which we heard today: Ezekial with God’s promise that the people will be raised from the grave of their exile and returned to the promised land; St. Paul’s letter to the Romans that “the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to our mortal bodies”; and this story of Lazarus, are meant to remind us of God’s love for us and His promise that death isn’t an end for us. Despite whatever deaths or losses we will experience in or lives, there’s going to be an Easter morning for us too.
Homily for March 18, 2018 5th Sunday Lent – A (Scrutinies)
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
For the last two weeks our RCIA candidates have listened to passages from St. John’s Gospel known as the Scrutinies – the first was the story of the Woman at the Well and her conversion experience and that of the others of her village through listening to Jesus, the Word of God and the second was the story of the Man Born Blind and how his eyes were opened both figuratively and spiritually. Today we just heard the 3rd Scrutiny – the Death of Lazarus.
There’s an old saying that there are only two things in life that are certain: death and taxes. And while if you’re poor enough or clever enough you might be able to avoid some taxes, it doesn’t matter whether or not you’re rich or poor, you’re going to die someday. And sadly, the ones we love will die too.
But while death and the pain caused by it are inevitable, with faith we can find strength to continue on with our life. And today’s Gospel gives us some pointers on the reality of our future, if we trust in God.
The story begins simply enough. Mary and Martha send word to Jesus that his good friend, their brother Lazarus, is seriously ill. They know about Jesus; more importantly, they KNOW him and WHO he is – the Son of God. So they reach out to him to intercede on behalf of their brother.
Don’t we do the same thing whenever a family member or one of our dear friends is sick and in need of healing? Reach out to our prayer groups and prayer warriors and ask them to storm heaven to intercede for us?
But instead of going immediately to see Lazarus, Jesus stays on the other side of the Jordan. His statement that Lazarus wasn’t going to die, that there was a purpose to his illness, may have seemed a little strange to his disciples but, as he had cured many people, maybe they thought he’d do the same thing remotely like the centurion’s slave or Jairus’ daughter. After all, Lazarus lived near Jerusalem and the Jews there wanted to stone him. Who’d blame him for staying where he was?
And then Lazarus died.
It can be hard to imagine the pain and grief that Mary and Martha were going through unless you have experienced that kind of loss yourself – and most of us have. Not just death of a loved one, although that is the ultimate loss, but it could have been the loss of a job; the loss of house and home through a natural disaster or other catastrophic event; or maybe a break-up in our relationship with another. We pray and pray and may even experience a glimmer of hope: interviews for a better job; insurance payments or help from friends and family to compensate for our losses; the discovery of a miraculous cure or the word that the cancer is in remission. And then the other shoe drops.
Mary and Martha probably felt that glimmer of hope as they sent word to Jesus, hoping that he would get there in time to heal Lazarus. And when he didn’t; when their brother died and still Jesus didn’t show up right away, their grief must have been tremendous – along with feelings of frustration, despair and maybe even anger.
We see that in the responses from Mary, Martha and their friends:
"Lord, if you had been here, our brother would not have died."
"Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?"
"Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days."
Their sobbing reflects their grief and mourning.
And Jesus wept.
Why did Jesus cry? After all, Jesus knew that Lazarus wasn’t going to remain in the tomb. He knew that, despite being buried for 4 days, Lazarus was going to rise and be with his family and friends, and that there would be great joy and celebration. So why did Jesus weep?
Empathy. Empathy is more than just witnessing another’s pain or joy; it is the ability to understand and SHARE the feelings of another, especially their feelings of sorrow and pain. Jesus FELT their grief; their pain was real and no amount of knowledge that “everything will be all right” can take that pain away from them. It was more than Jesus “knowing” that they were in pain; he FELT a pain that was so intense it made people cry. And He Wept.
In his book, “A Grief Observed”, well-known author C.S. Lewis records his own personal observations on how he dealt with the many issues associated with the sudden death of his wife to cancer: his grief, including the pain; the depression; the awkwardness of dealing with well-meaning friends who didn’t always know the right words to say; the loneliness; the anger he had towards God; and his ultimate return to faith. I recommend the book to anyone who has experienced a sudden loss of a loved one or to those who know someone who has.
Now, if all this Gospel was about was Jesus performing a miraculous cure for Mary and Martha because Lazarus was a friend, then it would be a wonderful story but it wouldn’t tell us much about God the Father or Jesus his Son. After all, Lazarus eventually died again and that time wasn’t raised from the dead. So what is Jesus telling us?
1. God loves us and understands our pain in loss.
2. Grief is natural and expected.
3. There’s a purpose to our life – and death – which we may never fully understand.
4. Even in death, there’s hope for those of faith.
5. Jesus is calling us to come to him, even if we’re bound up in sin.
6. No matter how tightly our sins bind us, they are not enough to keep God from freeing us.
7. Death is not the end of life – merely a prelude to something better.
As we approach Easter, we will witness Jesus’ Passion and Death next Sunday and throughout Holy Week. As we reflect on what we hear and see, let us remember that all of the scriptures which we heard today: Ezekial with God’s promise that the people will be raised from the grave of their exile and returned to the promised land; St. Paul’s letter to the Romans that “the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to our mortal bodies”; and this story of Lazarus, are meant to remind us of God’s love for us and His promise that death isn’t an end for us. Despite whatever deaths or losses we will experience in or lives, there’s going to be an Easter morning for us too.
The Journey’s End Revisited
The Journey’s End Revisited
Homily for March 18, 2018 Fifth Sunday of Lent - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Have you ever gone somewhere that took a long time to get there? Maybe it seemed like a long time, but with travel today it doesn’t usually take too long to get somewhere – a few hours by plane, maybe a couple of days by car. Not like in the days of Columbus, where it took two months to cross the Atlantic for the first time. Even Lent is only 40 days.
But maybe you went on a vacation, or maybe you had to make an important business trip. If it was somewhere you wanted to go and you had the time, you probably did a lot of planning beforehand - what to take, what NOT to take, how you were going to get there, where to stay once you arrived, what to say and do while you were there. The planning and preparation may have taken longer than the trip itself.
Or maybe you had to make a trip on short notice. Maybe it was to see someone who was seriously ill or because someone had died. It’s hard to plan for that kind of trip, and you know there will be many unknowns once you arrive.
And as you approached your destination, you probably experienced a change in your emotions. If you were traveling for pleasure, you might have experienced an increase in the sense of anticipation or excitement – maybe even impatience? How many of us who have traveled with children have had to deal with “Are We There Yet?”
For a business trip you might have reviewed what all you needed to do and what you wanted to accomplish once you arrived. You might even feel a little anxious or uncertain, especially if the purpose of the trip was important to your business.
And if the trip was to deal with a serious problem or a death in your family, you might have even had a feeling of dread, or the desire to be anywhere else but there.
In today's Gospel we see that Jesus and his disciples are coming to the end of a long journey. They are approaching the end of three years of Jesus' ministry, and during this journey He has tried to prepare his followers for what was coming next - His Hour, as He calls it. And it would not be what they expected.
In a way, today's Gospel sort of jumps the gun for us, as this passage actually comes AFTER Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem for Passover, which we will hear next week for Palm Sunday, the start of the Passion of Our Lord. The journey is over; the action is about to begin. Jesus’ Hour has Come.
Now, throughout the past few Sundays, we’ve heard Jesus say that His Hour has NOT yet come. We’ve heard it when the authorities have repeatedly tried to arrest him or stone him. We’ve heard him tell his disciples how they must work in the light – his light – while there was still time, for darkness was coming.
Now, he talks about how His Hour has come, and how it troubles him. He KNOWS what is about to happen to him and what he will face. But although it troubles him, he knows that what he faces is the will of his Father and that it will bring glory to God. It is why he came. Through his death, he will bring eternal life back to us.
We, too, have been on the journey with Jesus for the last 32 days or so of Lent. We started our journey on that 1st Sunday of Lent with Jesus in the desert facing the temptations of the devil; then journeyed with him as he revealed himself to us as The Son of God through his lessons and miraculous signs; and finally as we witnessed the conflict between him and the Jewish authorities develop. Has it felt like a long time?
Do you feel any different now as we approach the end? You should. Throughout this time we should have been mentally preparing ourselves (well, hopefully) for the most sacred time of our Liturgical Year - Holy Week and the Passion of Our Lord. Of course we already know the outcome - Easter and the Resurrection of our Lord - but because of that we might forget about the importance of this portion of the journey. WE ARE NOT THERE YET.
And for some of you, your journey to Calvary is more than a religious exercise. You may be feeling the rejection of those closest to you. You may be persecuted or abandoned; you or someone near to you may be suffering from illness or economic distress. You may want to scream out the same thing that Jesus will from the cross, “God, why have you abandoned me?”
We may struggle to understand why we suffer the things we do, but as painful as they may be, God doesn't abandon us. And while we may not know how to deal with them, we can use them to give glory to God. For, after our own journey is complete, we too will experience our own resurrection and a share in Jesus' victory over death.
So, as we continue forward to our own Jerusalem, let us remember that Jesus suffered as one of us and that his Resurrection at Easter is a promise to us, too. Renew your efforts during this last week of Lent. Listen closely next Sunday as the Passion is proclaimed. Participate in the various Holy Week liturgies that follow it – if you can, go to the Chrism Mass on Tuesday; come experience the Lord’s Supper and the Washing of Feet on Holy Thursday; come venerate the Cross on Good Friday. Fast and abstain when you can, and ponder the sacrifice that Jesus willingly took upon himself for us. And when Easter morning comes, embrace the victory of Jesus over death and the Cross. For at the end of our own journey, that victory is for us too.
Homily for March 18, 2018 Fifth Sunday of Lent - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Have you ever gone somewhere that took a long time to get there? Maybe it seemed like a long time, but with travel today it doesn’t usually take too long to get somewhere – a few hours by plane, maybe a couple of days by car. Not like in the days of Columbus, where it took two months to cross the Atlantic for the first time. Even Lent is only 40 days.
But maybe you went on a vacation, or maybe you had to make an important business trip. If it was somewhere you wanted to go and you had the time, you probably did a lot of planning beforehand - what to take, what NOT to take, how you were going to get there, where to stay once you arrived, what to say and do while you were there. The planning and preparation may have taken longer than the trip itself.
Or maybe you had to make a trip on short notice. Maybe it was to see someone who was seriously ill or because someone had died. It’s hard to plan for that kind of trip, and you know there will be many unknowns once you arrive.
And as you approached your destination, you probably experienced a change in your emotions. If you were traveling for pleasure, you might have experienced an increase in the sense of anticipation or excitement – maybe even impatience? How many of us who have traveled with children have had to deal with “Are We There Yet?”
For a business trip you might have reviewed what all you needed to do and what you wanted to accomplish once you arrived. You might even feel a little anxious or uncertain, especially if the purpose of the trip was important to your business.
And if the trip was to deal with a serious problem or a death in your family, you might have even had a feeling of dread, or the desire to be anywhere else but there.
In today's Gospel we see that Jesus and his disciples are coming to the end of a long journey. They are approaching the end of three years of Jesus' ministry, and during this journey He has tried to prepare his followers for what was coming next - His Hour, as He calls it. And it would not be what they expected.
In a way, today's Gospel sort of jumps the gun for us, as this passage actually comes AFTER Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem for Passover, which we will hear next week for Palm Sunday, the start of the Passion of Our Lord. The journey is over; the action is about to begin. Jesus’ Hour has Come.
Now, throughout the past few Sundays, we’ve heard Jesus say that His Hour has NOT yet come. We’ve heard it when the authorities have repeatedly tried to arrest him or stone him. We’ve heard him tell his disciples how they must work in the light – his light – while there was still time, for darkness was coming.
Now, he talks about how His Hour has come, and how it troubles him. He KNOWS what is about to happen to him and what he will face. But although it troubles him, he knows that what he faces is the will of his Father and that it will bring glory to God. It is why he came. Through his death, he will bring eternal life back to us.
We, too, have been on the journey with Jesus for the last 32 days or so of Lent. We started our journey on that 1st Sunday of Lent with Jesus in the desert facing the temptations of the devil; then journeyed with him as he revealed himself to us as The Son of God through his lessons and miraculous signs; and finally as we witnessed the conflict between him and the Jewish authorities develop. Has it felt like a long time?
Do you feel any different now as we approach the end? You should. Throughout this time we should have been mentally preparing ourselves (well, hopefully) for the most sacred time of our Liturgical Year - Holy Week and the Passion of Our Lord. Of course we already know the outcome - Easter and the Resurrection of our Lord - but because of that we might forget about the importance of this portion of the journey. WE ARE NOT THERE YET.
And for some of you, your journey to Calvary is more than a religious exercise. You may be feeling the rejection of those closest to you. You may be persecuted or abandoned; you or someone near to you may be suffering from illness or economic distress. You may want to scream out the same thing that Jesus will from the cross, “God, why have you abandoned me?”
We may struggle to understand why we suffer the things we do, but as painful as they may be, God doesn't abandon us. And while we may not know how to deal with them, we can use them to give glory to God. For, after our own journey is complete, we too will experience our own resurrection and a share in Jesus' victory over death.
So, as we continue forward to our own Jerusalem, let us remember that Jesus suffered as one of us and that his Resurrection at Easter is a promise to us, too. Renew your efforts during this last week of Lent. Listen closely next Sunday as the Passion is proclaimed. Participate in the various Holy Week liturgies that follow it – if you can, go to the Chrism Mass on Tuesday; come experience the Lord’s Supper and the Washing of Feet on Holy Thursday; come venerate the Cross on Good Friday. Fast and abstain when you can, and ponder the sacrifice that Jesus willingly took upon himself for us. And when Easter morning comes, embrace the victory of Jesus over death and the Cross. For at the end of our own journey, that victory is for us too.
Sunday, February 25, 2018
Witnessing Something Majestic
Witnessing Something Majestic
Homily for February 25, 2018 2nd Sunday in Lent - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Whenever I hear one of the passages on the Transfiguration, I have an immediate image of standing on Sunset Peak back in Idaho on a cool fall day. On a clear day, you can see for hundreds of miles from its summit, including into Canada to the north and to Montana and Washington State to the east and west, respectively. It’s a truly breath-taking view, but more on that in a minute.
The Transfiguration story is in all three of the Synoptic Gospels – Matthew, Mark and Luke – and we hear one or another of the versions at least 3 times a year, including this second Sunday of Lent and on the Feast of the Transfiguration in August.
Today’s version is fairly brief compared to the other two, but all three contain the basics – Jesus, Peter, James and John all climb a high mountain; the three disciples witness as Jesus changes in appearance before them and has an encounter with Moses and Elijah; they hear God the Father speak; and then it’s over and down the mountain they come. In all three Gospels the event occurs about a week after Jesus first tells his disciples that he will go to Jerusalem to die.
What makes the Transfiguration so important to us today? Especially during the Lenten season, what is God trying to tell us?
Often we think this passage is about how we need to transfigure ourselves. Especially during Lent, we work on efforts to become a better person, and so we use the three pillars of Lent – prayer, fasting and almsgiving – to try and improve ourselves. Through our efforts we hope to become more Christ-like.
But that’s really not what the Transfiguration is about. It’s not about US being transfigured; it’s about witnessing something that gives us hope.
I want to focus on 3 points of the story:
1. The four CLIMBED to the top of the mountain. Jesus might have led them, but they all had to make a considerable effort to get to the top. No ski lifts or gondola rides. The disciples didn’t know what they were going to encounter once they reached the top, but they knew that Jesus was with them and they trusted that it was worth the effort.
2. Once they reached the summit, they WITNESSED something so extraordinary that it left them in awe. Jesus changed before them. Or, more accurately, was TRANSFIGURED. Jesus was still Jesus, but in that intimate encounter at the top, Peter, James and John experienced an aspect of Jesus that they hadn’t really experienced before, despite all of the miraculous signs he performed – an overwhelming sense of his divinity.
3. Once the moment had passed, they still had to come down the mountain and RETURN to their day-to-day lives. They themselves didn’t change and they didn’t know what they were going to face once they returned. They weren’t even to share the experience with others until the right time - after the Resurrection.
Let’s go back to my mountaintop in Idaho for a minute. Sunset Peak is one of the highest mountains in the area, and it is home for radio repeater towers for all sorts of communications. As such, there is sort of a road that leads up to the top, if you want to call it a road. You don’t need a 4-wheel drive to get there, but you won’t be racing up it in your family Chevy, either. The road drops off steeply on one side and goes straight up on the other. If by chance you should meet a car coming from the other direction, well, better be ready to back up a way. A long way. The point is, it takes a fair amount of time to reach the summit, even in a vehicle, and it takes concentration and a desire to get to the top.
Climb. The same is true of our spiritual journey in life. Living our faith is often like climbing a steep mountain without really knowing what to expect at the end. But the story of the Transfiguration reminds us that the higher we climb, the more the view is revealed to us. And so we climb.
Once on top, the view is spectacular. As I said, on a clear day you can see for hundreds of miles in all directions. This particular fall morning was no exception. It was a beautiful day, the cold air crystal clear in the early morning sun. Standing on top like that helps you feel close to God, and the view is majestic. In the movie “The Bucket List”, Morgan Freeman has as his #1 goal in life is to “Witness Something Truly Majestic”. In his case, it was the Himalayas. Mine is Sunset Peak.
Witness. In our spiritual journey we are often called not to do anything, but to be a witness to something truly majestic – the presence of Christ still alive in the world today. And once we do, we are then called to share that witness when the time is right. Like my sharing my mountaintop experience with you today. Like my sharing my faith with you every Sunday.
Finally, there’s the journey down the mountain. As spectacular as the view was, I had to return to normal life. This particular day the peak was above the fog bank that encircled the valleys below – you could not see anything at the bottom. Mountain peaks poked out of the clouds like little islands in the middle of a frothy, foamy sea, and the road down led through it. And so I had to focus on the road ahead as I came down, making sure that I didn’t lose my way.
Return. Despite the closeness we feel to God at times when we are at Mass or in Adoration or even in our rooms in prayer, we still have to re-enter the secular world with all of its distractions and obstacles and temptations. Even after witnessing the Transfiguration, the disciples still returned to arguing about who was the greatest and worrying about their day-to-day journey. We, too, often fall back into our daily routines, forgetting those moments where we have witnessed the majestic presence of Christ in our lives.
Still, we should crave those AHA! moments where we can encounter Christ, even if they require extra effort on our parts to experience them. That is why we resort to fasting and almsgiving and additional prayer during Lent – to prepare ourselves for that very special encounter, the witness of the Resurrection of Christ at Easter.
One final thought. If you would really like to experience a Transfiguration moment – one where you can see the Divinity of Christ at work - I urge you to consider attending the upcoming men’s or women’s ACTS retreat. The word “retreat” is sort of misleading, as ACTS is really more of an encounter with the living Christ present in the hearts and spirits of all who put on the retreat AND in those who attend it. During your time there you will witness how God works in the lives of others and it will open your heart to His presence within you. It is a truly transforming event. Does it require you to “climb”? Certainly! You have to be willing to take the time to attend. If you think you are too busy and cannot take the time, then you’re one who needs it the most.
Witnessing Jesus’ Divinity in the Transfiguration was a truly awesome experience for Peter, James and John. As we progress through Lent, I pray that you too will have an awesome personal encounter with the Divinity of Christ.
Homily for February 25, 2018 2nd Sunday in Lent - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi
Whenever I hear one of the passages on the Transfiguration, I have an immediate image of standing on Sunset Peak back in Idaho on a cool fall day. On a clear day, you can see for hundreds of miles from its summit, including into Canada to the north and to Montana and Washington State to the east and west, respectively. It’s a truly breath-taking view, but more on that in a minute.
The Transfiguration story is in all three of the Synoptic Gospels – Matthew, Mark and Luke – and we hear one or another of the versions at least 3 times a year, including this second Sunday of Lent and on the Feast of the Transfiguration in August.
Today’s version is fairly brief compared to the other two, but all three contain the basics – Jesus, Peter, James and John all climb a high mountain; the three disciples witness as Jesus changes in appearance before them and has an encounter with Moses and Elijah; they hear God the Father speak; and then it’s over and down the mountain they come. In all three Gospels the event occurs about a week after Jesus first tells his disciples that he will go to Jerusalem to die.
What makes the Transfiguration so important to us today? Especially during the Lenten season, what is God trying to tell us?
Often we think this passage is about how we need to transfigure ourselves. Especially during Lent, we work on efforts to become a better person, and so we use the three pillars of Lent – prayer, fasting and almsgiving – to try and improve ourselves. Through our efforts we hope to become more Christ-like.
But that’s really not what the Transfiguration is about. It’s not about US being transfigured; it’s about witnessing something that gives us hope.
I want to focus on 3 points of the story:
1. The four CLIMBED to the top of the mountain. Jesus might have led them, but they all had to make a considerable effort to get to the top. No ski lifts or gondola rides. The disciples didn’t know what they were going to encounter once they reached the top, but they knew that Jesus was with them and they trusted that it was worth the effort.
2. Once they reached the summit, they WITNESSED something so extraordinary that it left them in awe. Jesus changed before them. Or, more accurately, was TRANSFIGURED. Jesus was still Jesus, but in that intimate encounter at the top, Peter, James and John experienced an aspect of Jesus that they hadn’t really experienced before, despite all of the miraculous signs he performed – an overwhelming sense of his divinity.
3. Once the moment had passed, they still had to come down the mountain and RETURN to their day-to-day lives. They themselves didn’t change and they didn’t know what they were going to face once they returned. They weren’t even to share the experience with others until the right time - after the Resurrection.
Let’s go back to my mountaintop in Idaho for a minute. Sunset Peak is one of the highest mountains in the area, and it is home for radio repeater towers for all sorts of communications. As such, there is sort of a road that leads up to the top, if you want to call it a road. You don’t need a 4-wheel drive to get there, but you won’t be racing up it in your family Chevy, either. The road drops off steeply on one side and goes straight up on the other. If by chance you should meet a car coming from the other direction, well, better be ready to back up a way. A long way. The point is, it takes a fair amount of time to reach the summit, even in a vehicle, and it takes concentration and a desire to get to the top.
Climb. The same is true of our spiritual journey in life. Living our faith is often like climbing a steep mountain without really knowing what to expect at the end. But the story of the Transfiguration reminds us that the higher we climb, the more the view is revealed to us. And so we climb.
Once on top, the view is spectacular. As I said, on a clear day you can see for hundreds of miles in all directions. This particular fall morning was no exception. It was a beautiful day, the cold air crystal clear in the early morning sun. Standing on top like that helps you feel close to God, and the view is majestic. In the movie “The Bucket List”, Morgan Freeman has as his #1 goal in life is to “Witness Something Truly Majestic”. In his case, it was the Himalayas. Mine is Sunset Peak.
Witness. In our spiritual journey we are often called not to do anything, but to be a witness to something truly majestic – the presence of Christ still alive in the world today. And once we do, we are then called to share that witness when the time is right. Like my sharing my mountaintop experience with you today. Like my sharing my faith with you every Sunday.
Finally, there’s the journey down the mountain. As spectacular as the view was, I had to return to normal life. This particular day the peak was above the fog bank that encircled the valleys below – you could not see anything at the bottom. Mountain peaks poked out of the clouds like little islands in the middle of a frothy, foamy sea, and the road down led through it. And so I had to focus on the road ahead as I came down, making sure that I didn’t lose my way.
Return. Despite the closeness we feel to God at times when we are at Mass or in Adoration or even in our rooms in prayer, we still have to re-enter the secular world with all of its distractions and obstacles and temptations. Even after witnessing the Transfiguration, the disciples still returned to arguing about who was the greatest and worrying about their day-to-day journey. We, too, often fall back into our daily routines, forgetting those moments where we have witnessed the majestic presence of Christ in our lives.
Still, we should crave those AHA! moments where we can encounter Christ, even if they require extra effort on our parts to experience them. That is why we resort to fasting and almsgiving and additional prayer during Lent – to prepare ourselves for that very special encounter, the witness of the Resurrection of Christ at Easter.
One final thought. If you would really like to experience a Transfiguration moment – one where you can see the Divinity of Christ at work - I urge you to consider attending the upcoming men’s or women’s ACTS retreat. The word “retreat” is sort of misleading, as ACTS is really more of an encounter with the living Christ present in the hearts and spirits of all who put on the retreat AND in those who attend it. During your time there you will witness how God works in the lives of others and it will open your heart to His presence within you. It is a truly transforming event. Does it require you to “climb”? Certainly! You have to be willing to take the time to attend. If you think you are too busy and cannot take the time, then you’re one who needs it the most.
Witnessing Jesus’ Divinity in the Transfiguration was a truly awesome experience for Peter, James and John. As we progress through Lent, I pray that you too will have an awesome personal encounter with the Divinity of Christ.
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