Homily August 30, 2015 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
As we listen to today’s gospel, we get almost a picture of some kind of lesson in hygiene. Through the centuries, the rabbis and the pharisees had developed many types of rituals for the purpose of being cleansed and to properly present themselves in the temple. Many of these rituals they had passed on to the people as laws to live their lives. One of these numerous laws was the notion 
of washing hands and anything that they were going to eat. In actuality, none of these prescriptions were a part of the mosaic law, and were actually added on by men and were far from the authentic law. Christ was harsh with the Pharisee’s criticism, for they were more concerned by what was the traditions of human origin than what was the actual law and revelation of God.
As an example growing up, I can remember back many years to first communion and the perception and teachings of my youth. I remember going to Mass when maybe twenty or thirty people went to communion out of a congregation of several hundred. People going to communion was so infrequent, that everyone had to be reminded of their Easter duty, which meant that everyone was obligated to receive communion at least once a year which was called their Easter Duty. . If we recall the last several weeks of John’s theology of the Eucharist, and the need for nourishment and food both physically and spiritually for our journey and for eternal life, Some where the authentic message of Jesus came to be seen differently over some centuries, and the real presence of Christ in the 
Eucharist led people to conclude that they were not worth to receive it, when Christ’s message was that the Eucharist is what would make us worthy. It was clearly a case where human perception and human tradition lost the authentic teaching or at least a better understanding of it.
What this tells us is that we must closely look and pray and search out the Spirit to know that what is authentic comes ultimately from Christ and his Spirit who dwells within us. It is important always to avoid putting the human things before the Word and Spirit. Human laws and interpretations, while perhaps necessary, are human and finite. Christ calls for openness to the Spirit knowing truly what calls for our love and 
attention. Human things, thoughts, desires and other distractions can deprive us of a truly spiritual and fulfilling life. Human refinements and institutions and laws, while convenient for some reasons, are not always faithful to the Law of Christ’s love, nor quick to resolve issues with his forgiveness. History proves that following Christ can be easy, but at the same time it is challenging because it means giving up ourselves to love as he did. Life in the Spirit is hopefully what we do.
Homily August 23, 2015 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
In many ways, if we look at Christian art and how it depicts Jesus, we see a very idealistic and westernized Jesus in most of the art. What we forget is that he didn’t have his own home and he traveled from town to town making Copernican a place He went most often. Sleeping out under the stars was probably not uncommon for he and the twelve. As a group of men, they probably were rough looking and a group that could take care of themselves. Jesus became known for being outspoken and for performing signs. His preaching and message 
were different and presented differently than by the teachers of the law. He taught with authority that was hard to fathom for the average person. He appeared and spoke in a prophet like way, but he left the choice of following and belief up to the individual. So as we finish the bread of life section today, we find the crowd and at the same time the people of John’s time of writing the gospel perplexed and questioning the whole idea of the bread from heaven and the eating and drinking the flesh and blood in the sacrificial offering of the cross. How can we eat his flesh?
The question or belief in the Eucharist is a faith question that all deal with one time or another. Clearly Christ said this is my body and blood, The how and the why is simply that it is for us for our journey here and for life to come. In life, we do not question love and someone’s looking out for us, so why should we question or doubt what he has done and continues to do.
Yet, in today’s gospel, we see that many walked away, many who could not open their hearts to the word and the embrace of God’s love, either through selfishness, or because they shut themselves within themselves, In his love, Jesus let them go, free to choose, free to believe, free to go where their choices took them. No harsh words or condemnation, but simply he let them go, always ready to welcome them again.
And so it is our bread of life, our bread for now and the future is here for us to share and to live out in our world today and to prepare for the time to come. Like Peter we say, “Lord to whom can we go?”
June 3, 2015 Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (First Communion Sunday)
Today as we celebrate the feast of Christ’s Body and Blood and first communion, our gospel returns us to Holy Thursday and the feast on the evening before Christ’s death. Like any celebration of a feast, the disciples prepared a meal to share together. Evan and Harper, when you were born, one of the first things you did was eat, seek nourishment. It is necessary for all living beings to receive nourishment in order to live and to grow. As you have gotten older you have come to experience and eat different kinds of food and to like some more than others. You have learned how a family shares their life and experiences at 
home and at family meals. You know that on big days there is a sharing of a lot of people around the table. Yes, food is a big way we celebrate life and share it with others.
This morning you will for the first time share in our Eucharistic meal and receive Christ’s Body and Blood for the first time. Like the disciples in the gospel today we are gathered around this table or what we call an altar and are going to do together what Jesus did that evening with his disciples. We will share this very special family meal, a meal that is Jesus Body and Blood. When we were baptised, Jesus and his Spirit came to us and filled us in a special way. But now we are to receive very special nourishment, Jesus himself. 
He give us his very body, his very blood, Himself as food to energize and nourish us for all that we do to live out our lives united with him in a special way. This is a day you will remember and relive many times as the years go on. Remember too, as we grow and as our lives change over the years ahead, Jesus is still going to be here still will be ready to nourish and prepare us for all that comes our way. He is the greatest teacher of what love is and the journey to God. His love certainly filled your parents who have shown you the love that has brought you here today. God has given us Jesus and now you share in the way that Jesus has given himself to us.
CACINA 
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