Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Rachel Mahle, a young pharmacy student shared this personal testimony with me last year. She writes, “At every mass I try to focus on one thing that God is really trying to speak to me during the scripture readings and the homily. I call it my “one thing” and I try to allow God to remind me of my “one thing” during the week. At mass last Sunday, I felt like God’s “one thing” for me to learn is that opening my heart to receive “the Kingdom of God” is a choice. As Fr. Satish said in his homily, I can choose to let justice, love and mercy reign in my heart or not. I decided that my task would be to be open to the Kingdom at the pharmacy. And then it happened. I came across a serious problem that a customer was having. The man needed a medication that cost $3,000. He needed it soon so that his transplanted kidney would not reject his body. The problem was that his insurance plan wouldn’t let a retail pharmacy fill his prescription. My other colleagues had given up because it was a situation beyond their control. As I became aware of the situation, I didn’t know if I could help him at all but I felt so strongly that God was posing the question, “Will you show mercy? Will you receive the Kingdom today?” I resolved that I would try my best to help this man. After many, many phone calls I was able to set the man up with a mail-order-pharmacy that could help him, help his nurses realize the situation, and finally was able to transfer his prescription to a pharmacy that would emergency-deliver it to his home in time. What was so special about this experience for me was that I felt God was giving me a direct invitation to follow or not to follow the things that had been placed in my heart at mass. And I didn’t feel alone in doing what God was asking of me. Not only did God call me to be open to the Kingdom but God was also with me every step of the way. The feeling that I can have an impact on God’s kingdom was exhilarating. Even better, I felt like I was on God’s team. As more people needed help, I just felt “hungry” to serve someone, because I experienced such a reward in surprising people with kindness.”
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
One of the most decisive events in the history of the world was the gradual emergence of the nation-state. What I mean by that is that the political system existing in the world today based on geographical territories is a rather modern phenomenon. Before nation states existed there were multi-ethnic empires ruled by an emperor or a king. On the other hand, what defines a nation-sate is not ethnic majority or religious affiliation but rather a definite geographical boundary. In a nation-state like the United States, the State becomes an instrument of national unity, in economic, social and cultural life. It is based on a Constitution that determines rights and obligations, discipline and punishment. Peace is often enforced by armed civil authorities. There are seldom second chances offered to those who fail. One of the main characteristic of the nation-state is nationalistic patriotism which almost assumes the level of religion. Thus, heroism is associated with the ultimate sacrifice – death – to defend the boundaries of the nation. Armies are fashioned to defend each nation. The world spends close to three trillion dollar all together to defend itself from each other. Take for example the war in Iraq. It only makes sense when one sees the war as a defense of the nation. More than four thousand people have died in the defense of this nation. But the price is considered necessary for the continuous defense of a nation. Those who give up their lives are honored as heroes. That is the nation-state.
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
All of last week, the entire nation has been glued to the Casey Antony case. Not that there are other things to worry about like the debt ceiling of the nation, but the public likes mystery and intrigue. When Casey was acquitted, there was public outrage at the verdict. Somehow, there are so many questions left unanswered. And then there is the child who never got to live. But, look also at the effect that one person and her life can have on not just the family, but rather, all of society. The Casey Antony case made me think of my own life and actions and the impact they can have on other people. I could not help but think of this as I read today’s readings.
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
As I was returning after Good Friday services at St. Helen, a middle aged woman pulled right beside me at the red light on Woodman, and flipped me off. Then, to avoid any reaction from me she avoided any eye contact. If she looked in my direction I would have blessed her with the sign of the cross, but she would not. The best part of it is that I do not even know why she was mad. Another time, my friend was driving me to a funeral visitation and a young guy in a bright yellow car passed us by with his finger in the air. Once again, neither of us knew why! This time, I was very, very angry and wanted to confront him. My friend convinced me to let it go. Or, let me just talk about life in the parish. Keeping a parish this size well managed and focused is a very complex task. In the process, the possibility of being totally misunderstood, of being disliked, maligned, opposed and even hated is real. What is true for me, I know, is equally true for you at home or at your work place.
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Normally, I read through all the three readings once early Monday morning to prepare for the upcoming Sunday. Only last week, I picked up the readings and got stuck on the very first word – “Remember.” May be because the mother of one of my friend has dementia, or because I have been in touch with another parishioner whose father has Alzheimer, I have just been a little more conscious how important memory is. Those who take care of people with decreasing memory say that it is like dying a little every day.
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Today, we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Trinity. If I had to name this feast based on today’s readings, I would name it the feast of the Most loving Trinity. None of the readings we have today speak about the holiness of the Trinity or about the Trinity itself. Rather they speak about the nature of God who is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.” Paul refers God as the God of love and peace. Jesus, in today’s gospel reading says, “God so loved the world….”
Pentecost Sunday
On the feast of the Pentecost, it is generally customary to focus on the spectacular. The awesomeness of tongues of fire, the speaking in multiple tongues, the mighty wind and the fiery speech of Peter are indeed representative of this event that transformed the history of the world. But that is in the Acts of the Apostles. Our gospel reading is from the gospel of John and in this gospel the Pentecost is associated more closely with the death of Jesus and the resurrection appearances. So, for example, John has Jesus give the spirit to the people present at the foot of the cross. Jn 19:30 says, “When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, "It is finished." And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit. Scripture scholars tell us that John was referring not just to Jesus’ death but that he also meant that Jesus handed over the Holy Spirit. Similarly, in today’s gospel reading, Jesus said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” This is John’s Pentecost. John does this because for him the church is born at the foot of the cross with the blood and water flowing from his side.
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
Of all the feasts in the church, Ascension is my least favorite feast. After all, I am not very fond of goodbyes. It could be because my first real goodbye was also the hardest. I left home when I was barely seventeen. Leaving one’s family to join the seminary is unlike going away to college. There is a certain finality to that leaving. Ascension reminds me of that finality. No wonder, then, that the excitement that characteristic of the resurrection of Jesus is missing from the disciples at ascension. In fact, they are portrayed gaping at the sky, in doubt and questioning. So for me, the meaning of the feast of the Ascension rests less in the fact that Jesus went out of the sight of the world and is now seated at the right hand of God in heaven. That is no cause for feasting. For me, the meaning of Easter comes from this one statement, “You will be my witnesses….” In the gospel reading this command reads, “Go and make disciples.” Here lies the meaning of the feast of the ascension. The ascension of Jesus opens a new horizon for those who follow the path laid out by Jesus. The ascension of Jesus offers new possibilities for his disciples. Today I want to explore these new horizons, these new possibilities.
Sixth Sunday of Easter
During the early years of my spiritual journey, I used a very simple analogy to help me grow in my God-experience. I would often think my heart as my house. Like every other home, I would think of my heart as having a living room, a dining, a kitchen, bedrooms, a basement and even an attic. And in each of these rooms were closets where I stored things and sometimes even hide things that I did not want other people to see or know about. Talking about my heart as my house, it was easy to let Jesus into my living room and I would be happy if he just stayed there. But initially I had restrictions. It was as if I was saying, “Lord, please do not come into my bedroom. It is not always made up and clean. And for heaven’s sake, do not open the closets. You do not want to see the thing I collect. Of all things, do not turn on the channels on TV that I turn on, do not look around the room, or lift the mattress to see what is underneath.” It was as if the Lord and I could live under one roof but lead pretty independent lives. But sooner than later I realized that I couldn’t do that. Can’t mess with Jesus! Gradually I let him into my bedroom, into all the closets of my life. Felt much better because my life was much cleaner. But the Lord seemed dissatisfied even with that. “Lord what more can I do? Is there something more?” There came a day when I wrote my house to his name. My house, my home, my heart, my life was no longer mine but the Lord’s. This analogy helped me take my relationship with God to the next level.
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Those of you who had reached the age of reason by 1970, perhaps, will remember the small-pox menace. This deadly virus killed hundreds of thousands of people. And finally, in a global attempt, the virus was eradicated from the known world. Fourty years later, though, a huge debate is brewing about the small-pox virus, which is preserved in two laboratories, one in Russia and the other in the United States. Other countries, especially poorer countries are proposing that there is no merit in preserving a virus as destructive as this one. There are others, though, who say that the virus must be preserved for the sake of science. However, as the discussion heats up, we realize that the decision to either destroy or preserve the virus is more about politics than about anything else. There is tremendous fear on behalf of the Russians and the Americans that the virus could be used as a biological weapon and that the side without the virus could end up with a debilitating disadvantage. This is just one example of how the world, as beautiful and delightful as it is, is also beset with problems. The manner in which we go about solving our most complex issues will reveal the character of the people of our time.
Fourth Sunday of Easter
One of the most vexing questions that I have been asked in the last two weeks has been about the killing of Osama bin Laden. Clearly, there are people who are celebrating this killing and call his death the victory of Good over Evil. They think that justice has been finally been done. Some even carried out wild celebrations at ground zero in New York. The images of these celebrations will be added to other iconic images of our nation such as the landing on the moon and the eventual destruction of the World Trade Centres. And then there are people who feel clearly uncomfortable about such revelry. They are relieved that Bin Laden is no more, but quickly add that celebrating the killing of any person, including a known enemy, is offensive. The Catholic official voice was perhaps lost in the midst of all the political and patriotic claims. I will come to that in a little bit.
Third Sunday of Easter
In many ways, this sermon is a continuation of my homily last week. I had said last week that the time after Easter is the most dangerous time for Christians because people give up their spiritual discipline and slip back into their old way of life. On the other hand, I had suggested that somehow, we must find the motivation to keep Christ in focus. No other passage describes this better than that gospel reading about the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
Second Sunday of Easter
Easter is over! Many of us who gave up things for Lent are now perhaps enjoying these things again. I wonder, what did that first bite of chocolate, that first sip of coffee, that first gulp of beer, the fresh feel of game console feel like. PersonalIy, I consider the weeks after Lent to be the most dangerous time for Christians. Suddenly, the spiritual discipline that we got used to during Lent gets forgotten; prayer becomes more lax, and we get back to our old ways again. After Christ is risen and it is time to sit back and enjoy life again.
Easter Sunday: Solemnity of the Resurrection of The Lord
Speculation! Speculation!! Speculation!!! Around every Easter time, people begin to speculate. For example, last weeks’ TIME magazine carried a cover article titled, What if there’s No Hell? In March this year, Bart Ehrman (the author of God’s Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question -- Why We Suffer), published a new book entitled, Forged: Writing in the Name of God--Why the Bible's Authors Are Not Who We Think They Are. In this book he claims that, "Christians intent on establishing what was right to believe did so by telling lies." So are we present today in this church on Easter Sunday because of a lie? Really? Can a lie sustain a way of life for two thousand years? For example, this year we have 23 people who came into the church at the vigil. I was in the confessional with some of these men, women and young people. A lie does not explain the personal transformation in them. A lie could not explain the burning in their hearts when they hear the name of Jesus. A lie could not explain the inexplicable love in their hearts. A lie could not account for the tears in their eyes. A lie cannot account for the steps they took to the altar. As a matter of fact, a lie does not account for us coming together today. This community, this gathering, our coming together, for me, is the greatest evidence of the resurrection of Christ.
Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Over the last two weeks I have spent much time in the confessional. And I have heard amazing stories of conversion. Both kids preparing for Confirmation and RCIA candidates preparing for baptism and reception into the church have been tremendous witness to me. I have been drawn to tears with their humility, their desire for God, and their willingness to follow Christ. I felt challenged by these conversion stories. As Holy Week approaches, these conversion stories have compelled me to evaluate my own Lenten journey. So I decided to go through all the homilies I preached and evaluate my life. I hope this reflection will be useful for you as well.
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Over the last three Sunday’s we have heard three rather long and dramatic episodes from the gospel of John. In many ways there are common themes that run between each of these three stories that are significant for us. As a reminder, two weeks back we had the story of the Samaritan woman, last week we read the story of the healing of the blind man and this week we have the reading of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. In these common themes, I would like to draw the practical implication for us today.
Fourth Sunday of Lent
I visited the Montgomery County Jail last week to hear a confession. When somebody makes a life-changing confession, I often remind them that the person who came into the confession is not the person who was going out. In other words, a person comes into the confessional a sinner but leaves a saint. But I could not say that to this man, because he was not going out anywhere. In spite of his confession he would still be in jail. In fact, I would be the one who would be going out. As I left the doors of the jail, I had that weird sense that even though this man was incarcerated, that at this moment he was more liberated than I was. Talk about irony, talk about light and darkness, talk about sin an holiness, talk about blindness and being able to see… it was truly weird. My puppy, Tutu helped me to overcome my weird sense.
Third Sunday of Lent
I need your help. Is there anyone here who has given up something you like for Lent and you are really hurting? And when you crave or desire what you have given up, what do you do? Do you just say, “Let me hang in there for just another three weeks? Or do you try to find a spiritual value to your Lenten practice? Is your Lenten observance making you a better person?
Second Sunday of Lent
If you were here for mass last week, you know how uncomfortable I was with the rather hurried up mass. We had to do this because of the Rite of Election but I remember a few years back a man met me at the parish festival. He introduced himself to me and told me that at one time, he used to be a parishioner at this parish. So I asked him what I could go for him. He said, “Give me a shorter mass!” I asked him to continue to go worship wherever he wanted to, because he was not going to get what he wanted at Immaculate Conception. What makes somebody ask something like that? It also makes me ask myself, “Why do I do what I continue to do?” I was telling one of my friends the other day, “If somehow God did not grip my life the way God did, it would so easy to not put my heart and soul into the things I do.” But I can look back to when I was about nineteen years old and that first experience of God’s all- consuming love. Life has not been the same. I am not saying that I have been immune from bad decisions, failures, mistakes, and sins; but that one single God-experience has defined the rest of my life.
First Sunday of Lent
I began Lent in right earnest. Ash Wednesday was a great day and so was Thursday. Friday, I put my heart and soul into the mission preparation, into writing my homily for the weekend and worked with the office staff to tidy up the place for the archbishop’s visit this weekend. By one o’clock I was ravenously hungry. I looked into the refrigerator and found left over food from the weekend. I did not think too much of what I was eating and inhaled the food. When the staff asked me what I had had for lunch, like lightening, it hit me. Darn it, it was Friday and I had just gobbled down the left over rice and meat. You should have seen their faces;, but of course, they said that the look on my face was even better. So much for beginning Lent in right earnest. The irony of all this lay in the fact that I was actually writing my homily on the temptations of Christ in the desert.