Homily for the Feast of Pentecost Sunday, June 4, 2017
Pentecost Sunday is a day as important as Easter and Christmas. What we celebrate is the coming of the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ followers and his new church. Our readings today tell us this is so, but at the same time we see different traditions and renderings of it. John places it on Easter night itself with Jesus appearance that first evening. Luke places it 50 days later. What we do know is that the early followers saw Jesus after his Resurrection and that in those times Jesus brought or sent his Holy Spirit to his Church and to the people of it. 
Luke and John saw the Holy Spirit as a powerful force in the church and community and for its members. The enthusiasm of the disciples and the spread and growth of the community was something they clearly attributed to the Holy Spirit. Even today we see and experience the Holy Spirit in the church and in our parishes and communities. Christianity continues today not because men believe and work to keep it alive, but because the Holy Spirit keeps the Word alive. Humanity, unfortunately, has made a mess as we can see in the splits and divisions. Yet, in spite of that, Christ’s word continues to be present because his Spirit remains on the earth.
The real lesson today of the Holy Spirit is to be open, to listen, to follow the promptings given out of sincere prayer. Like Christ, the Spirit moves and prompts us to move on to the way forward to His Father. As the world moves on, the Spirit prompts us to move with it. Over centuries of difficult learning the church and humanity has gradually learned the need to be open and to grow with the times and the unfolding of the wonders of creation as we get to know them better. Christ said the Spirit would teach them everything they would need to know, but first we must be open and listen and discern what the Spirit is helping us to understand. It is the Spirit who brings us to Jesus’ path to the Father. Like any path, it needs to be fresh and clear and ready for travel. Jesus led the way, and the Spirit keeps it prepared for us.
Homily May 14, 2017 the 5th Sunday of Easter
The readings today are an interesting look at the early church. In acts, we see that the apostles calling together the community to resolve the issue of everyone being served. 7 Greek men were chosen and we see a description of an ordination and the beginning of an order of servers, especially for the Greek converts, who we later called deacons. But think about it, the church started with the twelve apostles and Jesus’ close disciples. As their numbers grew they set up convenient ways for the community to meet and carry on and to spread the word. Many were practical spur of the moment decisions meant to solidify the community and spread the word. Of course, humanity, being what it is, took these decisions and institutionalized them building a huge structure that probably would confound the apostles themselves. In fact, the message is service and is as important today as in the early church. The mission is to bring Christ’s love and his way so all may come to believe.
The gospel today is Jesus’ farewell speech. It is kind of fascinating as he is a man standing in two places, a door between two realities. As he stands with his disciples, he is trying to show and explain his father’s house. It is a place of many dwellings. He says he is going to prepare a place for each of his followers. When it is ready and time, he will return and bring them to that place. But even at the end of his time on earth, his disciples were 
confused. Who was the Father, what was the way? Jesus said he and the Father are One. If you see Jesus you see the Father. Jesus has been given to us to see and know the Father. He becomes the way, the visible means of knowing and pursuing the Father. Knowing Jesus and doing his works is the way to the Father. Simple, yes but at the same time complex in that it requires our faith, our commitment, our “I believe” and our living it out. To speak the words is easy, to live it out is a life’s work.
Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Easter- April 30, 2017
Two distraught, downtrodden, defeated men were walking to Emmaus. A stranger joined them and their conversation came alive and something was different, but what they didn’t know. A shared dinner was about to begin when the Stranger broke the bread, they recognized Jesus but then he was gone. The question I have for you today is, do you even see the people who come into your life. In church, every time we gather, we break the same bread, we share the same blood. Jesus is here he comes to us, we share his body and his blood. Can you feel and believe that presence here and now? Yes, this is my Body, this is my blood given for you. He is here, not only on the altar, but among us and in every one of us intimately sharing the Holy Spirit with us. Remember how 
often he reminded us that he is in everyone? How can we forget that he said what the least you do to anyone, you do it to me? His love, his life calls out to us in so many ways for us to respond. In the history of the Jews, God prepared them for the coming of his Son, but how little were they prepared to recognize him because they had their own selfish expectations of who and what the Messiah would be. What they wanted or expected was an earthly ruler along the lines of David or greater. This is a great lesson here, for how often do we pray for one thing or another. How often do we presume to ask for exactly our need as we want it, literally not really knowing what is best for us. What we must learn is to know and accept that God cares and gives what is best for us, not always what we expect or sometimes even want. His love is such he knows what is good and most 
importantly what we need. He knows and understands disappointment, pain, and even suffering. None of these, even in their difficulties can remove a certain inner peace and strength born of our faith and the presence of the risen Lord and his Spirit.
Let us remember, his presence is real and all around us. He should enliven our hearts and our actions to all we meet and come across each day. In this we can find joy and fulfillment.
Homily October 30, 2016 the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Zacchaeus was a tax collector and a wealthy man. Right away we know that he was therefore a collaborator with the Romans and collected Roman taxes and received a commission for doing so. Being a chief tax collector, meant that he employed others to collect the taxes and added in his fees and commissions.
The gospel tells us Zacchaeus was curious about Jesus and wanted to see and know about him. Like bystanders even today, he ran ahead and climbed a tree so he could see Jesus without a crowd in front of him. Jesus as we have seen over the past weeks’ gospels was ever looking for those who were lost and looking for the way. As he came to the sycamore tree, he stopped and called Zacchaeus to come down and be his host for dinner. While Zacchaeus rejoiced, the crowd murmured about Jesus associating with a sinner. Zacchaeus promised to give half his possessions to the poor and repay anyone he might have defrauded 4 times over. Both of these actions would have been extraordinary in Jesus’ time. Despite whether Zacchaeus was righteous or was converted at that time, Jesus points out that he is a descendant of Abraham and is one to whom he has come to call to his kingdom. Zacchaeus has gotten salvation because he has learned generosity and giving to those who are poor and in need and in being fair in his daily transactions.
Once again, we have to realize that salvation can be blocked only if we put ourselves in the way. How we relate to others is important and loving and treating others with proper respect and understanding is important. We must learn the same love and respect for others that we have for ourselves. Part of giving to others is to also listen and receive. All of us have been called to a heavenly journey, yet it is not something we need to do alone. Community or church was founded by Christ so that we need not be alone. Community and sharing is integral to Christianity. More importantly he has given us his Body and Blood as a special food and his Spirit to guide us on the way. It is what we share when we gather. For this we give thanks and work so that we will not lose our way.
Homily, October 23, 2016. The 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The story of the Pharisee and the tax collector is one we have heard often over time. It is paired with the reading from Sirach about God as a just judge, looking out for everyone and Paul in Timothy explaining how he gave his life to the Lord. If we turn to the gospel story, we first should realize that the Pharisee was not a bad person. All the acts and sacrifices he describes are good works and even expected of someone of his place in society. Yet, in the end Jesus criticized the Pharisee because of where he was and what he said. His prayer is full of “I’s”. His concern is for himself, his well-being, not for others or the community. His list is one of what would be expected of a Pharisee, a form almost of self praise. The tax collector on the other hand, was in a way fearful and acknowledged that as a sinful man he was unworthy. His prayer was to ask for God’s mercy. In the end, Jesus said the tax collector left justified in his 
prayer. God judges in his own way and time. He is a just judge who knows each of us intimately, knows who we are and how we think. He knows our actions and how we relate to others. He judges us not only on what we are expected to do, but also when we fall short of what we can and should do. It is ironic, that in almost all that we do, we can never reach perfection. In our faith and in our love and actions toward others, we can always fall short. I once had a professor who called it the uneasy conscience of a Christian, always asking and suggesting, “can I do more?” Should we be satisfied saying I did the best I could? Sometimes we must be, while at other times, we just might be called to keep going. In all our lives, everyday brings different and even new things into our lives. How we meet and live our lives meeting new things and people and challenges is how we witness and live our faith. Using our prayer life in a humble, realistic way seeking God’s mercy will lead us also to justification.
October 16, 2016 Homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today we are reminded in our readings about prayer and also about being witnesses or preachers of the Word. In a sense, both are difficult to talk about, as it seems today the world is caught up in a constant flow of information and endless streams of people’s thought and hopes and aspirations and these are not always means of a moment of prayer or a chance to witness. Yet, the electronic age is not the answer to the contentment of humanity. If anything it has created difficulties we never envisioned. For example, even in our enlightened age, we run into situations and times that are definitely beyond our control and apart from anything we can do. Illness, life-threatening diseases, even death are in our lives and our only feeling possible is really helplessness or the realization that there is nothing we can do. Really, is that so? How immersed in the times have we become that we forget our Faith. Is anyone of us immune from remembering that 
Jesus said ask the Father. Life is more than an endless stream of information. Life experience, contemplation, prayer in time of hopelessness and hardship is a normal and ready response. It is what our faith calls us to do. The stories of Moses and of the widow are meant to remind and show us that God hears the prayers of his people, and he cares. Prayer is meant to be a normal thing, a daily thing, a communication with our unseen God who in many ways touches and moves us through life with a helpful guidance leading us to him. Prayer is many faceted and done in many ways, in the silence of our heart, with others, in private, in public, but always in some way God hears and we need to be open to him.
Also in our life of faith we are called to witness to the Word, to Jesus’ teachings throughout
his time on earth and through his church which has remained to carry on his message. His Body and Blood present to all of us and our food for eternity is here for all of us to strengthen us and help us to continue to witness and preach his word both in our lives and at times even in our speech and conversations with others. Whatever we do for others, to witness or to just extend what is a show of love and concern is to share the word of Jesus.
This call, this witness we give is often just being who we are. Are we following Jesus, are we being faithful to his word, to his example, to the actual call he has made to all of us? Faith calls us to give witness at all times because we believe.
October 9, 2016 Homily for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The story of the ten lepers is a very familiar one and everyone is reminded of the need for gratitude. But today, let us take a different view of the story. Lepers in ancient times were seen as unclean, as people to be shunned and kept far apart. It was one of so many things for which society ostracized individuals. When Jesus cured he told the lepers to go to the priest who could end their isolation and restore them to the community. In a sense, the power of the priests and the temple and Jesus sending the lepers could be like a challenge to what the church is and does today. Like it or not do we subconsciously isolate and cast aside others in how we treat or welcome the to the church and to our worship and friendship. Do we consciously or subconsciously push away people we for one reason or another find not worthy of our fellowship? Jesus was a man present to anybody he met and he shunned no one nor did he judge anyone. He was no pushover, but he was a man who 
was grounded in love and as God on embracing that mission calling on all to come follow him. Did he cast aside anyone as he traveled the roads or cities of his time? How often did he point out that Love of God was central, and that the temple and law or for us the church were to facilitate and serve women and men, not to burden and harden their journey. Anything separating us from each other or from God is not then in God’s plan. Unnecessary burdens or regulations or laws, are just that and should be abandoned.
History has shown that humanity has found that living out a life of love and faith is not easily obtainable. Power, strength, wealth and all the other allurements of easy living and comfort has been a challenge from the beginning of time. Even the beginning of Genesis invokes the desire to know as much as God as part of the downfall of humanity from the Garden. Ambition, greed and a host of other emotions and passions can overtake and turn around almost anyone. Keeping faith and an honest forthright love of God and others might sound easy, but to be drawn and changed by the comforts and ease around us is a temptation we can succumb to. It can be so easy to become judgmental and righteous and forget that the measure we use can often not be the measure we use on ourselves. Let us resolve then to listen, to reach out, to embrace, to forgive and always to welcome. What we give is what we would expect of others.
Homily 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time October 2, 2016
The first reading from Habakkuk sounds like something we might see on TV or see in the newspaper today. Violence, discord, war, evil. Why must we look at misery. Yet throughout history, these things seem like a constant following humanity throughout the ages. Contrary to this, God gives a vision, a look at a time of fulfillment and peace. He calls for faith, but what is that? Faith is not stability or security, it is not a thing, but a call to act. It is more of a verb to do what we are supposed to do. To act and carry out and move on with our lives. It is doing what is expected of us in our commitment to Christ and living out the 
trust placed in us and our lives. It is doing the expected tasks without any presumption of reward. Certainly, times of darkness and feelings of being lost are possible, but the reign of God is the end and goal of our faith.
What must the Apostles today have experienced to ask for an increase of faith? Yet, Jesus told them the smallest amount of faith, compared to one of the smallest seeds of earth was sufficient to do miraculous things. Faith is doing what we are called to do in our daily lives. 
Yes,we are capable of great deeds, but as the parable indicates we like the servants or slaves are called to do what was our place in life. Such activity shows our trust and faith and leads us to our final vision. But let us not forget that faith or that trust God gives us is a gift, one he gives and waits for our response. His gift is a call to action on our part, and a call we should respond to each day regardless of our mood or feelings. Living each day as we are called to do is how we complete the call Christ has made to us. In return his love for us is complete.
Homily September 25, 2016 the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Once again today we are reminded of wealth and poverty and our responsibilities in using worldly goods. Why, we might say, are we always talking about the poor? Poverty is a relative term and means different things in different parts of the world. Wherever we go in the world, we are going to find poverty and poor people. It is just a proven fact that no society or country can simply eliminate poverty from their midst. Even in our own country, if we recall the “War on Poverty,” we know that while it helped poor people, it did not eliminate poverty. Yet, Jesus keeps reminding us that we have a 
responsibility to those around us, a responsibility born out of a love of God and a love of neighbor that should fill us as we make our commitment at baptism. Not all of us are called to live a life of poverty or a religious life in some religious order. But all of us are called to be responsible to ourself and others in our daily life. How we live and how we act toward others, is certainly reflective of our beliefs and values. What are we to do, if a hungry man is before us? There is no easy answer, but have we done what we can or do we simply leave it to others? Can we really live in comfort if we can see and experience the discomfort of others? The important thing is that we try, and that we do
not forget. If we truly love our neighbor, we can’t forget that we all have needs and wants. Christ often reminds us we should not get too comfortable but to reach out to others in ne
ed, whether it be physical, psychological, or spiritual. We are called to share what many call our time or treasure or talent. It doesn’t mean we are called to invest our whole lives, but certainly at times we can give of one or more of these. In reality, it means we are giving of ourself, of what I am and what I have and can share out of love of Jesus and his love for all of us. Never forget that often it is not the grand gestures that captures the hearts and heals others, but the simple day-to-day things to bring a sense of comfort to another. Openness, loving and sharing, sometimes just presence or listening is the best formula for a loving peaceful life.
Homily for September 18, 2016 the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today, the readings talk about wealth and power. I think many believers feel that Jesus was opposed to wealth and the wealthy and to those who rule and have power. I think the first thing we must realize is Jesus did not condemn the wealthy or the rulers who had power, but was most concerned about how the wealth and power was used. The prophet Amos today tells us how much the Lord abhors those who take advantage of the poor, or even cheats them. The Lord will never forget them or their lack of love and abuse of fellow creatures. Every person is valuable to him.
In the gospel, many become confused that the owner praises the servant who takes measures to insure his future by granting discounts in his master’s name. Like a two edge sword, the servant curries favor and some security while at the same time presenting his master as generous and giving and caring. What seeming praise he gets, is that yes he somehow solves the immediate problem, but, and there always is a but, what of the future and his relationship to God. Can a truly dishonest person have a loving relationship with God. It is interesting that Luke uses the word Mammon. Mammon is an Aramaic word which means trust or believe. A word we use frequently comes from the same root and also means trust or believe. That word is “Amen” which we use to affirm “I believe” or trust. So ultimately, we see that Jesus is 
asking us where we place our trust, our belief. Are we children of the present time or place, looking out for ourselves or are we Children of God looking to the future? That choice certainly defines us in how we look at ourselves, at authority, at wealth and how we use them and act.
Yes, Amen is a powerful word, and an ever-present way to affirm our love and relationship with God and all of his creation. It at the same time is a powerful prayer as God all ready know all our thoughts and desires and asks only that we be honest with ourself and with Him.
Peace and Service- What Do You Choose?
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year c, 9-11-16 Exodus32:7-14, Ps 51, 1Tim 1:12-17, Luke 15: 1-10
I had my desk piled high with books & commentaries about the Book of Exodus, looking for ideas for today. Then I read today’s opening prayer. Let me read it again: “Let us pray for the peace which is born of faith and hope. Father in heaven, you alone are the source of our peace. Bring us to the dignity which distinguishes the poor in spirit and show us how great is the call to serve, that we may share in the peace of Christ who offered his life in the service of all.”
Well, this week Mother Theresa of Kolkata was canonized as a Saint, and today we have a Day of Remembrance for the attack on September 11th. How much more clearly could the Holy Spirit have urged me to talk today about peace and service?
Moses was God’s servant bringing the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. The people all had been born in slavery, as had their parents. It was the only life they had ever experienced. Freedom was new, and difficult. They were accustomed to being dependent, to having decisions made for them. They escaped from Egypt only 3 months before, and now Moses had been up on Mount Sinai for 6 weeks with God; they were afraid he wouldn’t return. They fell back on their experiences from Egypt; they made and worshiped a golden cow, and their behavior became wild & uncontrolled. Worshiping something they made did not bring them peace.
The people still thought of God as being made in their image, like an idol. So God is described as having a human fit of rage. They expect God will destroy them, just as their Egyptian masters would have done. But in the next chapter, Moses presents the 10 commandments to the people, and they promise to do their part of the covenant with God. This is actually the high point of the Old Testament story. The people commit to worshiping only God and God commits to protecting and loving the people. Their worship space is filled with the Ark of the Covenant and they work together the make the space ornate and beautiful. The Glory of God fills the meeting tent & peace returns to the people.
So, I think we can say this: that service is to bring the word of God to one other. And peace comes from God’s word and from trust and obedience to God’s word.
Our Psalm is the confession of King David after he broke God’s law and took Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. David was God’s servant, making the nation of Israel a strong and great nation, leading the people into a time of peace, ensuring the people were faithful to their covenant with God. But there would be no peace for David until he confessed his sin.
Likewise, our 2nd reading is a confession by St. Paul about murdering Christians prior to his conversion to Christianity. Paul had been a Pharisee, proud & arrogant. He had actively and violently worked to stop the followers of Jesus after the resurrection. But then Jesus appeared to Paul, and asked, “Why do you persecute me?” So Paul became a servant of God, taking the Word of the Risen Christ into the world. He helped form the faith as we know it. His peace came from not from hatred and violence; instead he found peace even as he became the subject of violence and hatred. He was beaten and jailed, all in service of the God he praised and worshiped.
Finally, in our Gospel, Jesus, the ultimate servant of God, tells us two parables of not only peace, but heavenly joy. The Pharisees, like the Israelites led by Moses, wanted God to be in their image. They were angry and disgusted that Jesus didn’t put people in their place – mainly the people who didn’t make a great pretense of being holy, people who didn’t or couldn’t afford to follow all the complex rules the Pharisees helped create to set themselves above other people. So Jesus says, “What if a woman looses a tenth of all her money? Won’t she tear the house apart, frantically looking for it, not stopping until she finds it? And won’t her happiness in finding it be known to everyone? The angels in heaven, Jesus says, are the same way over just a single person who repents of their sin.” Like the woman who found her coin, the repentant one will find peace and joy in finding forgiveness.
The shepherd likewise finds his lost sheep, and rejoices, telling all his neighbors and friends. He finds relief and peace, just as there is joy in heaven over a single sinner who comes to repent and find forgiveness. I always have thought this has a touch of sarcasm from Jesus. Did Jesus suggest that the Pharisees see themselves as the 99 righteous people, when really their pride and their prejudice creates a barrier to the so-called sinners finding peace? But still I hear of churches refusing sacraments to people.
My neighbor has a bumper sticker that reads, “We need a Department of Peace.” Peace, like charity, begins at home. Peace, like service, is a choice. I don’t plan to move to India to pick up the dying off the streets there. I have found enough abused and forgotten people dying in sub-standard nursing homes right here at home. There are enough hungry children at our local Elementary school and enough refugees and immigrants in the housing development within walking distance of this church; there are enough social agencies, church charities and social justice groups crying for volunteers and donations to keep us all busy all day every day.
Every death, every injury, every mourner from 9-11 deserves our prayerful remembrance today. As does every one of the hundreds of thousands of innocent children and adults who still now continue to die from hunger and acts of war and hatred. We know the one source of peace, and we know a life of service to be the Christian life. I suggest to you, as well as to myself, to make our act of remembrance in the coming days by finding new ways to be of service, and new openings to bring peace in our own families, our own neighborhoods. Surely the Holy Spirit whispers in your ears chances to do this service, so let us encourage each other to do it.
CACINA 
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