Blessed and Sent!

 

Deacon Dave · Blessed and Sent!

The Catholic Liturgy for the 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 28, 2024. Gospel of John 6:1-15. Theme: Blessed and Sent! 

 The first Christians saw a direct connection between the miracle of the loaves that we just heard and the miracle of the transformation of bread and wine that happens at every Mass. As a matter of fact, this connection was so clear to them that they took the Greek word “eucharist” that St. John uses in today’s story to describe Jesus’ giving thanks to God, and they made it the name for our greatest act of Liturgical worship. That’s how closely they understood the relationship between these two things. So let's do a quick review of both to see what they saw. 

 Jesus took the loaves of bread, gave thanks to God the Father, blessed and miraculously multiplied them. Then it was distributed and everyone was fed. Through this miracle-bread the people came to recognize Jesus as their long-hoped-for Messiah and Savior. Now let's compare this with the Mass. The priest takes bread and wine and gives thanks to God the Father. He blesses them and the Holy Spirit miraculously transforms them into the Body and Blood of Christ. Then this Eucharistic miracle-bread is distributed to the people and through it we come to recognize the Risen Lord Jesus as being truly present among and within us as Messiah and Savior. 

 The similarities are very easy to see, but you know there’s another commonality shared by both the miracle of the loaves and that of the Eucharist that is not as readily apparent. And this is that in both cases those who eat Christ’s miracle-bread are deeply touched and inspired to go out and tell others. The people who had been fed did not remain passive recipients of the miracle. When they left the hills of Galilee they went back to their villages and told their families and friends all about this Jesus and what he had done for them. With this in mind the Church has always taught that our reception of the Eucharist cannot be separated from the duty of evangelization, a word which means the spreading of the Gospel, sharing the Good News about Jesus. Like those people in the crowd, after we are fed with the miracle-bread of the Eucharist we too are supposed to go back to our everyday lives and tell others about Christ and what he has done for us. 

 As a matter of fact, the Church highlights this aspect of the Eucharist at every Mass. At the conclusion of the Liturgy the deacon dismisses the congregation by saying, “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord'' or “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your lives.” This is not simply a convenient way to end a ceremony and dismiss a crowd. Instead, it is a sacred sending-off ritual through which Jesus commissions us, like he did for his disciples, to go out and invite others into the Kingdom of God. It’s a very important and indispensable part of the Liturgy and so, unless someone has an occasional pressing need, they shouldn’t leave Mass right after Communion or before the dismissal. Because if they do they miss out on this most special and sacred moment by which Christ makes us his official missionary disciples. 

 Pope Francis says that those two words, “missionary disciple”, describe and define who we are supposed to be as Christians in the 21st century. The word “disciple” literally means a “student”. And as Christians we are lifelong students in the school of Jesus the Teacher, learning from his Word and example what it means, what it looks like, to truly love God and to truly love others in both word and deed. And as missionaries we are officially sent out as ambassadors of Christ, tasked with sharing what we have learned in the school of Jesus. This is what the blessing and the sending at the conclusion of Mass are all about. Missionary discipleship. 

 So it is that at the end of every Mass, Jesus invites us to join him in satisfying people’s spiritual hunger. It’s up to each one of us to decide if we are going to do so with the reaction of Philip or the response of Andrew, both of whom co-starred with Jesus, so to speak, in today’s Gospel. Now Philip told Jesus that feeding the crowd was basically an impossibility. No way could they accomplish it! He was defeated before he even began. Andrew, on the other hand, looked around for a solution. Instead of being overwhelmed by the apparent impossibility he found some food, meager as it was, and brought it to Jesus. He admitted that it wasn’t sufficient but he still handed it over to the Lord. And as we know, the end result was that the hungry crowd on the grassy hills of Galilee that afternoon ended up being fed to beyond their capacity. 

 Now I think this shows us that Jesus can do amazing things through us if we just bring to him whatever little it is that we have to offer, and then trust in him to make up for what we lack. Jesus was pleased with Andrew’s faith and humble offering. He took it, blessed it and we know the rest of the story. In the same way, if we have a heart to be a missionary disciple, if we have a heart to share our faith in Jesus, but don’t think that we have what it takes to do so, let's let the Lord decide. Let’s bring to Jesus whatever it is that we have, no matter how little or insufficient it may seem, and then be ready to become amazed at what he can do with it once he takes it, blesses it and uses it to send us out as his missionary disciples.

Like Sheep Without A Shepherd

 

Deacon Dave · Like Sheep Without A Shepherd

Homily for the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 21, 2024. Gospel: Mark 6:30-34. Theme: Like Sheep Without A Shepherd 

Jesus’ comment at the end of today’s Gospel about the crowd being like a flock of shepherdless sheep is based on the everyday experiences of people in ancient Palestine. They were extremely familiar with sheep and knew that these animals are quite vulnerable without a shepherd to guide and protect them. Sheep learn to recognize the voice of their own shepherd, so when strangers attempt to herd them, they become bewildered and confused; they wander and are easily misled. They become easy prey for predators such as wolves and thieves. 

 The people of Jesus’ time were without leaders who were truly concerned for their ultimate good. An oppressive Roman governor and a treacherous half-Jew named Herod were their political rulers. Their religious leaders were the Jewish Sanhedrin (which was much like a supreme court) who as a group were more dedicated to maintaining their own status than in providing spiritual direction. The Sanhedrin were so strict and demanding about observing the Law of Moses that the people found their teachings to be oppressive and burdensome. 

This is why our Gospel passage says that Jesus’ heart “was moved with pity” for the people. Actually, the word “pity” is a bit lacking. What it really says in Biblical Greek is that Jesus was “moved deep within his gut”, which better conveys the profound compassion and empathy of Jesus for the people who were being spiritually abused. Their religious leaders failed to act as humble servants, as true ministers of God. They withheld the nourishment of spiritually healthy food that could uplift the people’s spirits and strengthen their hearts to keep pressing forward under their difficult political and social situation. 

I think we find ourselves in a similar situation today. We also have social, political and religious leaders who do not act in our best interests. They seem and act more obsessed with preserving their power than in serving our needs. They expend great energy and money (our money actually) in promoting their self-interests, in protecting their prestige and maintaining their positions. And when they speak so many of them engage in the corruption of truth. So many false voices…so many fake shepherds…so many confused and misled sheep! And so, like sheep without a shepherd we too can easily become bewildered and confused. 

 And so it is that today’s Gospel places before each one of us an important question: Who is my shepherd? That is, who is it that I listen to and follow? To whom do I look as a pattern for the way I want to shape and live my life? Whose words and wisdom give meaning and direction to my existence? For those who call themselves Christian, the answer must be Jesus, but then this leads to an even more deeply vital question: Why? Why do we follow Jesus? Why do we believe he is the Son of God and Messiah? Is it because we were told these things as a child by our parents and grandparents? Faith passed on in the family is indeed a beautiful gift, but it is not enough! 

 Faith in Jesus must become a personal conviction, a matter of one’s own choosing. If it does not reach this level it will not be enough to identify and reject false shepherds. In order to become deaf to the lies and chatter that echo all around us, every Christian must become personally convinced that Jesus was who he said he was; that he did miracles that the disciples testify that he did; that he is the Messiah who fulfilled the Jewish prophecies; that he intentionally established an organized Church with authority to teach and interpret the Bible in his name; and that he is, indeed, risen from the dead, alive and present among us today. It is only this kind of faith, built upon the solid rock of truth, that will be able to recognize and reject false messages and false shepherds. 

But this kind of maturation in faith doesn't “just happen”. We need to study so that the mind is fed spiritually by the words of Jesus and the intellect is enlightened by his teachings. To help in this regard, St. Sebastian’s offers Sunday morning Bible Study, sends out several Flocknotes every week on the Liturgy and various aspects of the Faith, and stocks our pamphlet rack in the vestibule of the church with free material that teaches sound doctrine. But while feeding the mind is indeed important, it is not enough! It is not sufficient to simply know (even a lot) about Jesus and what he said. We have to know Jesus himself, to grow to know him in relationship as a Person, Risen and Alive. 

 And this can only be done by the grace of God by the action of the Holy Spirit, working in us through prayer and the sacraments. We need to converse daily with Jesus from the heart and in our own words, sharing honestly and openly what is on our minds as we would with any close friend. We need to do this in an atmosphere of silence so that we can hear his response. If we listen carefully, we will hear from deep within us his gentle voice inviting us to build a personal relationship with him whose heart is moved to pity for love of us. Without this kind of intimate familiarity with our Good Shepherd, we will become wandering sheep who are easy prey for the false shepherds who are all around us.

Called & Chosen!

 

Deacon Dave · Called & Chosen!

Homily for the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 14, 2024. Amos 7:12-15, Ephesians 1:3-14, Gospel of St. Mark 6:7-13. Theme: Called and Chosen! 

 Have you ever wondered why out of the billions of people who inhabit planet Earth, you and I have been freely gifted with the Christian Faith? How is it that we are among the 32% of the world’s population that has received the grace of salvation through Baptism? It’s certainly not as if any one of us has done something spectacular to grab God’s attention. And it’s not like we stand head and shoulders above the rest of humanity as more worthy or less sinful. It’s a great mystery to be called by God, to be chosen, to become part of a people uniquely His own. Yet this is what today’s readings are all about. 

In the first reading we encounter the prophet Amos, who lived about 700 years before Christ. He was just an ordinary shepherd and gardener, but God called and chose him, then sent him out on a mission. In the second reading, we hear from St. Paul, another ordinary guy who, although he was at first a fierce persecutor of Christians, was called and chosen by Christ, who then sent him on a mission to the Gentiles. Lastly, the Gospel tells us about the Twelve Apostles who were all just ordinary guys with ordinary families working in various ordinary occupations. But then Jesus called and chose them, sending them out as missionary disciples of the Kingdom of God. 

 Are we seeing the pattern here? God calls and chooses whomever he wishes with a special delight, it seems, in calling and choosing those whom the world finds to be rather ordinary and unimportant. And since the Church teaches that God is unchanging and his ways are perfect, we can be pretty sure that he will act towards us as he did towards those we read about in the Scriptures. This mystery of God’s manner of calling and choosing is exemplified for me in a powerful experience from my childhood that is still quite vivid and meaningful. 

 If you were like me, growing up in a small town, then you might recall how the neighborhood kids (and there were tons of us back then) would often gather in a local field for a game of ball. The older guys, the jocks of the neighborhood, were of course always the captains. The rest of us wannabes lined up for the ritual of choosing sides where your talents and abilities (or lack thereof) were publicly acknowledged. Now, I could hit the ball pretty well but I just couldn’t run to save my life. While my typical at bat could send the ball far into the outfield, I’d be lucky to pull a single out of what most guys could turn into a double. And so, I dreaded those line-ups before my peers for I knew well where I stood in the rankings. 

 But there was this one guy named Charles, who even at our young age stood head and shoulders above the rest of us. No one dared to question his choices or doubt his selections. But whenever I saw Charles take up a captain’s spot my fear of humiliation diminished and I would get a kinda smile on my face. Because you see, I knew that whenever Charles was captain I was safe from total and utter embarrassment before my peers. No, he wouldn’t pick me in the first couple rounds because he was after all a jock and wanted to win! But I knew also that I wouldn’t be standing there as the last choice of the day either. Why did he pick me so often? Why did he potentially risk the game by choosing me? Since I really had no extraordinary talent that would merit my selection the only answer I could come up with was that he was just that kind of guy. Within his towering athletic frame was a tender heart as big as his muscles. His action was and remains a mystery to me. But it also has become for me a reflection of Christ who also had a big tender heart and who also chose those who didn’t seem to have a lot to offer for the making of a “winning team”. It seems that like Charles, Jesus has a “soft spot” for the underdog. 

 I think this is how the Twelve Apostles must have felt when Jesus selected them to become his daily companions and share in his ministry as we hear in today's Gospel. They were a real mix and a ragtag group of ordinary guys who must have been amazed that the Messiah had called and chosen them! There was nothing special or outstanding about any of them. Simon-Peter, was a shrewd impetuous fisherman; the brothers James and John were so emotionally explosive that Jesus nicknamed them the “sons of thunder”; Simon the Zealot was a vengeful guerilla freedom-fighter. And we sure can’t forget Matthew the greedy turncoat tax-collector and of course the infamous traitor, Judas Iscariot. But as unlikely as any of them were to become companions of Christ and sharers in his ministry, they were each called and chosen on no merit of their own. And then they were sent out by Christ on a mission. 

 So as I said in the beginning, I’ve never outgrown the memory of Charles and his mysterious graciousness in calling and choosing. And for me this experience from childhood has become a kind of meditation on the mystery of Christ’s calling and choosing. Just as Charles’ kindness helped to boost me up and feel a bit less unworthy, so being called and chosen by God tells us that the Lord sees more about us than we can see or that we imagine could be true. So we must never ever forget that being called and chosen means that we no longer have to wonder if we are loveable or fixable. We no longer need to doubt as to if we have some value and mission in this world. God’s gracious and mysterious selection of each one of us has proven our worth! So let’s thank God for Calling us and let’s praise him for counting us among the Chosen!

Patriots & Prophets

 

Deacon Dave · Patriots & Prophets

Homily for the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 7, 2024. Ezekiel 2:2-5; Gospel of St. Mark 6:1-6. Theme: Prophets & Patriots 

 It’s so appropriate that today’s Liturgy follows closely on the heels of Independence Day, because our readings have some important things to say about our Christian identity and mission as prophets, as messengers of God. Throughout the Scriptures, being a prophet like Ezekiel in our first reading was considered to be a most noble form of service to one’s country. And I think that’s also valid for us today. True patriotism, as shown in the Bible and reflected in our Declaration of Independence, finds its highest expression in calling others to worship and honor God, who is the Foundation and Source of our rights and our freedom. 

 In ancient times, prophets were anointed with holy oil as a symbol of being consecrated to God and fueled for their mission by the Holy Spirit. The early Church kept this custom as part of our sacramental rituals, and so each one of us were anointed with Sacred Chrism at Baptism and again at Confirmation as a sign that we too are dedicated as prophets of God. And that we, too, like Ezekiel, St. Paul and most of all Jesus himself, are anointed with the Holy Spirit and sent out as prophets. It might be helpful to recall that a prophet is not primarily someone who foretells the future as many think (although that can indeed happen if God wills it). Rather, a prophet is someone whom God chooses to be his spokesperson, his mouthpiece so to speak, so that people can come to know him, hear his Word and be transformed by his grace from the inside out. 

Now, our mission of bringing Christ and his Good News to an entire nation from coast to coast may seem totally overwhelming. But we don’t look at it that way. We break it down into smaller, doable parts by following Jesus' example. You see, when he began his public ministry he didn’t reveal himself as the Messiah to the entire Israelite nation all at one time. No, he began by calling his disciples individually. Then each of them in turn witnessed to their family and friends about what Jesus meant in their lives and this interpersonal cycle continued so that the community of disciples grew and grew. Within 400 years that original band of just 12 Apostles became 35 million Christians whose influence totally changed the entire Roman Empire and eventually gave birth to a whole new culture and world. 

 But once again, we need to remind ourselves…how did it all happen? Very simply through person-to-person contact. One introduces Jesus to another who, in turn, brings the Lord to yet another and so on. We are each to be like yeast in a batch of dough, as Jesus once said, influencing others by our words and behavior. This means we are to bring Jesus and his Gospel into our homes and workplaces; into our social lives and into our politics. We are to share our faith in Jesus in a positive way as opportunities arise in our normal everyday conversations. And most of all, we are to be credible witnesses to Christ who back up what we say by the way we live our lives. 

 Now, in carrying out our anointed mission as prophets we may very well be treated like Jesus was in his hometown of Nazareth as we heard in today’s Gospel. At first the villagers were impressed by his reputation. But then they began to reminisce about how he grew up among them and was simply just one of them, and his ordinariness began to offend them. Their criticism grew and they became more stubborn in their refusal to believe that he could be anything more than they were; that he could be a prophet or even the Messiah!. And they began asking out loud just who in the world he thought he thought he was! We too might experience this same kind of scenario to some degree. Our good intentions and sincere efforts might be misunderstood or even ridiculed by those who know us best. And because they know us best, this means that they have also seen us at our worst, and so they might throw that back in our faces saying, “just who do you think you are?” But ridicule and rejection didn’t deter Jesus from carrying out His mission and it shouldn’t stop us from carrying out ours, either. 

 Today’s readings teach us that being a prophet does indeed mean speaking out when necessary. And this is never an easy thing to do. It requires us to be the conscience of our nation, identifying the lies and evils that others are blind to or are willing to ignore. But as both patriots and prophets we are impelled to give voice to the fact that the further our nation drifts from God, the further away it will find itself from upholding justice, promoting peace, assisting the poor and defending the value of all human life. We are called to warn our nation that when God is exiled from public life and when the light of Christ is not allowed to shine, then all that will be left will be the darkness of fallen human nature, still in the grips of Satan and sin. Recent world history just within the past 100 years proves the sad truth that even Christian nations can decline into this darkness when their governments disregard God, ignore human dignity and trample upon civil and religious rights. 

 But even in all of this, we are not prophets of doom and gloom. We are and must always remain messengers of joyful hope for we know that nothing at all is impossible for God. Both Scripture and history show us that when a straying nation returns to God, he will bless and revive it. And so people need to hear what God wants to say to them through us. They need to know that God’s grace will never fail them, that Christ’s help is always available to them, and that they do not have to be held prisoner to their past nor be defined by their present choices. They need to know the awesome truth that anything they have done can be forgiven and that all can be forgotten by the tender mercy of God who is their loving Father. And most of all they need to be told that death has been conquered once and for all by Christ, that he is alive and eager to give the gift of eternal life to anyone who desires it and trusts in him. There truly are people all around us today who have never heard these things and it’s up to each one of us to be messengers of this Good News. And if we do not speak up, then God will ask us why we did not tell them when we had the opportunity.