Homily for March 15, 2015 (4th Lent A)

May Jesus Christ be praised and may his holy Mother pray for us.

He was called for glory, but the glory was not his own.  Among all of his brothers, David was called for glory, but the glory was not his own.  It was for the glory of God that David was called to be king.  It was for the glory of God that the Spirit rushed upon David with the anointing by the prophet Samuel.  It was for the glory of God that he was called.

It was for the glory of God that the man born blind was healed.  He did not ask to be healed.  He did not cry out to the Lord Jesus.  The Lord Jesus looked upon him with the eyes of mercy.  The Lord Jesus looked upon him with love.  The Lord Jesus took clay into his hands, just as the Lord God had taken clay to form Adam in the Garden of Eden.  Rubbing the clay on the eyes of the man born blind the Lord Jesus gave him sight.  This was not an act of restoration.  The Lord Jesus did not give sight back to the man.  This was a new act of creation.  It was a new act of creation for the glory of God.

Saint Paul tells us that we were once in darkness.  We were once separated from the light.  But Christ in his mercy came to us.  Before we could call out to him, before we could pronounce his name, Christ Jesus came to us in his mercy.  He came to us as the Light of the World while we were still in darkness.  The Lord Jesus invites us and Saint Paul reminds us that we are called to live as children of the light.  We are called to live in the light of glory, but the glory is not our own.  Like David we have been anointed.  Like David the Spirit of God has rushed upon us.  Like David we have been called to glory, but the glory is not our own.  We do not live for ourselves.  We do not live for our own glory, but for the glory of him who died and rose again for us.  It is for the glory of God that we have been called.  It is for the glory of God that the dawn from on high has broken upon us.  It is for the glory of God that we have been recreated in the waters of the baptismal font.

The man born blind was marked with clay by the hands of Christ and washed in the pool of Siloam.  We were marked with the sign of the Cross by apostolic hands and washed in the saving waters of the baptism.  The Lord Jesus has looked upon us with mercy.  The Lord Jesus has looked upon us with love.  He has come to us.  He has called us.  And by his grace he has made us radiant lights that shine to the glory of God.  Amen.  

Preached at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Monroe, NC

Homily for March 8, 2015 (3rd Sunday of Lent)

May Jesus Christ be praised and may his holy Mother pray for us.

She left her water jar at the well.  The Samaritan woman, who came to the well to draw water, left her water jar.  The water jar, the one thing needed to carry the water that was needed, and she left it at the well.  Something incredible, something amazing, must have happened to this woman at the well.

Wells are interesting places.  Many interesting things happen wherever people gather for water.  A well is a place of hospitality.  It is a place to be renewed and refreshed.  In the Scriptures, a well is even a place where future spouses meet each other.  Interesting things happen at the well. 

At the well, the Samaritan woman met Jesus.  The Lord Jesus was waiting at the well.  She was seeking water.  In the heat of the day, she was seeking water.  Seeking one of the most basic needs of life, the Samaritan woman encountered the one who gives eternal life.  He asked her for a cup of water.  He approached her in her solitude.  He broke through the barriers that separated them so that he could speak to her of the living water that would unite them.  Even though Jesus knew her past, he spoke of the promise of her future.  He awakened her faith.  He gave her hope.  He showed her the love that passes all understanding.  Through sin and separation the voice of the Lord broke through.  Through sin and separation the voice of the Lord spoke to her.  And she left her water jar at the well.

Saint Paul tells us that while we were still helpless, Christ died for us.  While we were still sinners, Christ gave himself up for us.  We did not deserve his love or his mercy.  We could not deserve his love or his mercy.  Like the Israelites in the desert, we were in need and we were helpless.  Like the Israelites in the desert, we were tempted by Egypt, and we were far from the Promised Land.  Yet while we were still helpless Christ died for us.  While we were still sinners, Christ gave himself up for us.  We were thirsty, and Christ gave us living water to drink.  We did not meet him at the well, but at the baptismal font.

The Samaritan woman met Jesus at the well, and she left her water jar.  We met Jesus at the baptismal font, and we left original sin and separation.  The Samaritan woman met Jesus at the well and her faith poured forth like a spring within her.  She left her water jar because nothing could be as important as announcing the presence of the Holy One and bringing people to Jesus.  She came to the well with an empty water jar and she left the well with the water of life and the message of salvation.  Something incredible, something amazing happened to the woman at the well.  Jesus was waiting for her at the well, and she met him.  Jesus is waiting for us too.  Amen.

Preached at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Monroe, NC

Homily for March 1, 2015 (2nd Lent B)

May Jesus Christ be praised and may his holy Mother pray for us.

It is a word of encouragement and a moment of promise.  The transfiguration of the Lord Jesus on the high mountain, when the splendor of his glory was revealed, is a word of encouragement and a moment of promise.  We need this word, dear brothers and sisters, and we need this promise.

On the high mountain with Peter, James and John the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father was revealed.  In the presence of Peter, James and John, Elijah the Prophet and Moses the giver of the Law conversed with the Lord Jesus.  On the high mountain the voice of the Father gave testimony about his Son.  It was a word of encouragement and a moment of promise.  It was a revelation of the glory to be revealed, before the days of suffering in Jerusalem.  It was a gift of the Father, who is giving the world the gift of his Son.

The disciples of Jesus had heard that he is going to Jerusalem, and they had heard the prediction of the cross.  It is for them a time of confusion and a time of doubt.  It is the same kind of doubt and confusion experienced by Abraham when he was asked to sacrifice Isaac.  It is a time of confusion and doubt before the mystery of a loving God.  It is a time of confusion and doubt before the reality of suffering and death.  It is time of confusion and doubt for these people of faith on the high mountain.  And the response of God is a word of encouragement and a moment of promise.

The voice of the Father gives testimony about his Son.  The voice of the Father invites us to listen to the Beloved Son.  The presence of Elijah and Moses, the representatives of the Law and the Prophets, give testimony about the Lord Jesus.  The presence of Elijah and Moses, give the disciples encouragement that this Jesus is the one through whom the law was given and for whom the prophets spoke.  They were signs of encouragement because they were believers in the promise.

Only ten days into our Lenten journey and we need a word of encouragement and a moment of promise.  We have not been invited up a high mountain, but to Mount Zion and the city of the living God, to the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven.  We have been invited to the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and in our midst the words of the law and the prophets are proclaimed.  We are offered here the word of encouragement.  We are offered here a moment of promise.  We are offered here, a share in the glory that will be revealed.  We are promised here, a time to be with Jesus.  It is good Lord that we are here.  Amen.

Preached at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Monroe, NC

Homily for February 22, 2015 (1st Sunday of Lent B)

May Jesus Christ be praised and may his holy Mother pray for us.

Every Lent I seem to do the same things.  I think about the great season of Lent and the joy of preparing for the great feast of Easter, and I start to plan.  I will make this sacrifice.  I will not eat this particular food.  I will say these additional prayers.  I will take more time to be alone with God alone.  I will be nicer.  I will be more patient. 

And then, in the midst of all of those plans, I am surprised when Lent begins.  It happens so quickly.  One evening it is Ordinary Time and the next morning is Ash Wednesday.  I have to make my list of prayers.  I have to remember which foods I promised not to eat.  I need to choose another sacrifice for Lent.  I need to make another promise to God.  I need to slow down, but quickly.  There is so much to do.  There are so many promises to make and promises to keep.

Every Lent I seem to do the same things.  But maybe this Lent, things could be different.  Maybe this Lent, I will not worry so much about the sacrifices that I should make.  Maybe this Lent, I will not worry so much about eating this food or that one.  Maybe this Lent, I will not try to add any more prayers to my day.  Maybe this Lent I will choose only one thing, because only one thing is truly important.  Only one thing really matters: following Jesus Christ.

We will follow Jesus Christ, from the baptism to the desert, and from the desert to his preaching.  We will follow him with the sick and we will follow him with the sinners.  We will follow him up the mountain.  We will follow him to the Upper Room.  We will follow him to a court room, and to a lonely cross.  We will follow Jesus Christ this Lent.

This Lent, things will be different.  We will not focus on our sacrifices, but on His Sacrifice.  We will not focus on eating this food or that one, but on being fed by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.  This Lent, we will say our prayers, but we will focus not on the number of prayers, but on the God to whom we pray.  This Lent, things will be different.

The Lord Jesus began his preaching with a simple message: “The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.” We begin this season of Lent with a simple goal: to follow Jesus Christ.  He will lead and we will follow.  He will speak and we will hear.  He will feed us and we will be filled.  He will promise, and we will be changed.

This Lent will be different.  Amen. 

Preached at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Monroe, NC

Homily for February 15, 2015 (6th Sunday B)

May Jesus Christ be praised and may his holy Mother pray for us.

He was willing to admit that he was sick.  The leper was willing to admit that he needed healing.  And he begged that the Lord Jesus would be willing to heal him.

The law required that lepers live outside the city.  They were isolated.  They were separated.  The lepers had to constantly announce that they were unclean.  The lepers were forbidden from approaching people until they were healed.  They were isolated.  They were separated.  They were rejected.  They were alone.  The lepers were far from society, but the Lord Jesus drew near to them. Jesus entered into the isolation.  Jesus broke into the separation.  

The leper kneeling at the feet of Jesus did not first announce his sickness.  The leper did not first reveal his pain.  The leper confessed his faith in the power of God present in the Lord Jesus.  The leper announced his belief in the divine power and made a claim upon the divine will.  And then he was willing to admit that he was sick.  He was willing to admit that he needed healing.  And he begged that the Lord Jesus would be willing to heal him.

The healing took place very quickly.  The compassion of the heart of Christ extended his hand in healing.  The Eternal Word spoke and the leper was healed.  The leper was given a command to show himself to the priest so that the leper, now cured, could be restored to the community.  The leper was given a command to offer a sacrifice, an act of thanksgiving to God.  He was given a command to be silent, so that the mission of the Lord Jesus would not simply be bound to physical healings. The leper was willing to admit that he was sick.  He was willing to admit that he needed healing.  And he had begged that the Lord Jesus would be willing to heal him.

We may not be lepers, dear brothers and sisters, but our souls are blemished by sin.  The unkind word, the temper lost, the broken trust and the broken promise stain our baptismal garments and lead us into separation and isolation.  In our rejection of the law of God we lessen our share in the life of God. We become separated, isolated, and alone. 

But the Lord Jesus draws near to us.  The Lord Jesus, by the grace of his call, invites us to admit that we are sick.  The Lord Jesus invites us to admit that we need healing.  Not in the public streets do we admit our weaknesses and our sins, but in the sacred and secret tribunal of the mercy of God.  We come to the Sacrament of Reconciliation to confess our faith in the goodness and the power of God.  We come to admit our need for healing.  We come to admit that we have broken our promise, but we know that the Lord God is faithful to his promise.  Through the ministry of his priest, the Lord Jesus stretches out his hand in healing.  Through the voice of his priest, the Lord Jesus speaks the word of mercy and the word of healing.  He is willing to heal us.  He is willing to forgive us.  Dear brothers and sisters, let us run to him!  Amen.

Preached at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Monroe, NC

Homily for February 8, 2015 (Patronal Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes)

May Jesus Christ be praised and may his holy mother pray for us.

The calendar brings us to the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the scriptures bring us to Cana in Galilee.  We come to the parish feast and to a wedding feast.  We come to the celebration of our life together and to the celebration of two lives being joined together.  It is a day of celebration, and the Mother of Jesus is there.

In Cana in Galilee, at the wedding feast they had run out of wine.  In Lourdes in France they had run out of hope.  And the Mother of Jesus was there.  Like the caring and attentive mother described by Isaiah, the Mother of Jesus cares for her people.  She brings comfort.  She brings hope.  And she brings Jesus.

It was a mother’s concern that noticed that the wine had run short at the wedding feast in Cana in Galilee.  It was a mother’s concern that noticed that the jars were empty.  And it was a mother’s concern, expressed in a few simple words that invited the response of the Lord Jesus.  The mother of Jesus noticed.  The mother of Jesus spoke.  The mother of Jesus interceded at the wedding feast in Cana in Galilee.  The jars were filled with water, the wine was made from the water, and the wine was shared.

It was a mother’s concern that was shown to Bernadette in the grotto near the city of Lourdes in France.  To a poor and humble girl, Our Lady appeared.  The Mother of Jesus gave Bernadette a message inviting the world to conversion.  The Mother of Jesus gave Bernadette an invitation, inviting the whole world to come in procession.  The Mother of Jesus showed Bernadette a spring from which flows the waters of healing.  The Mother of Jesus invited Bernadette, and all of the world, to come closer to Jesus.  The message was given, the processions began, and the waters of healing were shared.  

A parish feast and a wedding feast come together in one day.  We are here, dear brothers and sisters, because of a wedding feast.  Not in Cana in Galilee, but in heaven and on earth.  We join here in the wedding feast of the Lamb of God.  We join in this feast so that we can be fed and so that we can share the message of conversion, of consolation and of healing.  We come to the parish of Lourdes to be filled with the living waters that flow through the city of God.  We come here because we need to be filled. 

Called by the invitation of the Lord Jesus we come to this wedding feast, and we are noticed by the mother of Jesus.  She has noticed that we are empty.  She has noticed that we need to be filled, and she presents us to Jesus.  At his command, we shall be filled with the waters of life like the empty jars at Cana.  By his power, the mere water in our lives shall be transformed into the wine of the kingdom.  And at his invitation, having received the water of Baptism and having been transformed like the wine of the Eucharist, we shall be shared.  Amen.    

Preached at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Monroe, NC

Homily for February 1, 2015 (4th Sunday B)

May Jesus Christ be praised and may his holy Mother pray for us.

The word of Jesus Christ brings healing and liberation.  The preaching of Jesus Christ brings awe, amazement and wonder to those who are willing to hear him.  And the authority of Jesus Christ sets us free, to live in the freedom of the children of God.  The word of Jesus Christ brings healing and liberation.

He is the true prophet.  He is the one who is raised up after Moses, the one on whom the Spirit of God dwells, and the one through whom the people of God shall experience true and abiding freedom.  Moses led the people of Israel out of the slavery of Egypt.  Moses led the people through the Red Sea upon dry land.  Moses led the people through the desert.  He gave them the law of God.  He gave them the law of God so that they could live in freedom and not return to the slavery of Egypt.  Moses stood before the Lord and interceded for his people.  Moses led them and he fed them.  He prayed for them and he taught them.  He loved them, and he brought them to the Promised Land. 

Jesus Christ is the prophet like Moses.  He brings healing and liberation by divine authority.  In the synagogue of Capernaum, by the power of his word, the Lord Jesus brought awe, amazement, and wonder to those who heard his preaching.  He spoke with authority.  In the synagogue of Capernaum, the Lord Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to be silent and to release the man the spirit held in bondage.  He spoke with power.  The Lord Jesus preached with authority about the kingdom of God and he preached with the power to inaugurate the kingdom of God.  This is greater than Moses.  This is greater than all of the prophets.  Jesus Christ does not speak with the message of a servant.  He does not speak with the voice of an angel.  Jesus Christ speaks with the power and the authority of the Son in the house of the Father.  And by his authority and with his power, Jesus Christ brings healing and liberation.  Jesus Christ brings us healing and liberation.

We were not slaves in Egypt, dear brothers and sisters, but we have been led to freedom just the same.  At the word of Christ and by his authority, the Church silenced the unclean spirits and cast them away from us on the day of our baptism.  Not through the Red Sea, but in the water that flows from the heart of Christ into the baptismal font, we have been led.  We have been given the law of the kingdom and we are fed at the table where the Lord of heaven and earth is the host, the table, and the meal that is given.  At his word, and by his authority, Jesus Christ has set us free to live in the freedom of the children of God.  Amen.   

Preached at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Monroe, NC