Saturday, April 18, 2009

Intimidation

First Reading: Acts 4:13-21
Psalm: Ps 118:1, 14-21
Gospel: Mk 16:9-15

Friends,

In today's reading, we continue with the story of the first preachings of the apostles and their subsequent persecution. The chief priests and scribes all admit that a mighty work has been done through the apostles, but they do not want to hear the name of the one by whom it was done. At a loss, they proceed to bullying the apostles, whom they see as "uneducated, ordinary men".

How often in life we are intimidated by those who we see as smarter or wiser than we are. A common way to dismiss an argument is simply, "What do you know?" or "You wouldn't understand." We place a great deal of trust and authority in people who study for many years, and this is rightly so. However, one can study for hundreds of years and still learn something from the high school dropout or an innocent child. In learning, we must remember to be humble.

Peter and John would not be intimidated.
Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard. - Acts 4:19-20
They give the elders their due respect, but also offer them the chance to see their error. The apostles knew that their testimony was true and that Jesus would strengthen them.

So too in our own times. As Christians, we are often questioned about our beliefs, or told that our way of life is outdated or impossible. A secular culture attempts to intimidate us, telling us that we are bigots, zealots or lunatics. We must remember that these are only the tactics of a bully. Let the culture determine what is popular, and let God determine what is right.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of this day. May we use it wisely and to glorify Your name. Guide us in our walk, Lord, that we might defend those who are being intimidated by this world. Give them strength to stand up for what is right, and bless us with the gift of fortitude to stand with them. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Deja Vu

First Reading: Acts 4:1-12
Psalm: Ps 118:1-2, 4, 22-27a
Gospel: Jn 21:1-14

Friends,

In today's gospel, Jesus speaks to the apostles, telling them to cast their nets one last time after a long night of fruitless fishing. Immediately, the nets are full to the breaking point and they recognize the Lord.
So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?" They answered him, "No." So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something." So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." - John 21:3-7

A very similar story is heard elsewhere in the gospels. In fact, it is near the beginning of Jesus' ministry:
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."- Luke 5:4-8
Once in a while, we experience the feeling of having been in the same situation before. If we are wise, we will have learned from the first time and be prepared for the second. Peter certainly learned something between the first catch and the second. In the first, he is trying to avoid Jesus, afraid of His presence. Today, he can't even wait for the boat to get back to shore he is so filled with joy.

In our lives, are we like Peter? I've heard from a number of people that they were at first afraid to approach God, afraid He might condemn them. Then afterword, after walking with Him a time, they're so full of the spirit and want to always be close to Jesus. Just a thought as we continue on in the Easter season.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of this day. We pray that You will help us to use it wisely, to learn and to grow, especially in faith. We pray for our brothers and sisters here on earth that do not yet know Your love for them. Please guide them on the path back to Your family, and make us instruments for the glorification of Your name. We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Witnesses

First Reading: Acts 3:11-26
Psalm: Ps 8:2, 5-9
Gospel: Lk 24:35-48

Friends,

Oftentimes in life, it is not so much of what happens, but how people react to it that is important. In our readings today, Peter makes another profession of faith, this time to a crowd of Jews in the Temple who had seen him cure a crippled man. Peter immediately makes it clear that this healing was not of his doing, but God's.
When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, "You Israelites, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?" - Acts:3:12
Miracles still happen in our world today. When they are noticed, crowds tend to gather. Television crew come in to broadcast the story to the world, and experts are consulted in an effort to find an explanation. In all the hassle to describe who, what, when and how, somehow the why is often forgotten. It is because a request was made, sometimes a very simple one, and through the grace of God, it was granted.

When a miracle takes place, it is for the individual who receives the blessing, but also, and perhaps moreso, for the people who are witnesses. Both Peter and Jesus remind us of this important role of witness in the greatest miracle of all:
The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. - Acts 3:15
And he said to them, "Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." - Lk 24:46-48
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the blessing of this day. It is of Your great love for us that we are all called to be witnesses. Help us, dear Jesus, that we may offer testament of Your Word to the nations, in our actions and in our words. We ask for the grace of fortitude, that we may persevere in times of trouble. We offer our prayers for those who are finding their task of witness difficult, that they might be strengthened, and for those in need of a miracle, that they be surrounded by faithful witnesses. We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Road to Emmaus

First Reading: Acts 3:1-10
Psalm: Ps 105:1-4, 6-9
Gospel: Lk 24:13-35

Friends,

In today's gospel, we join two disciples of Jesus on the way to Emmaus. In this particular story, we see our own journey from our old lives to ones of faith.

We start out on the road, we are burdened with sorrows. Life is not going the way that we thought it should. We speak with our companions along the way, trying to make sense of what should be done now and disagreeing some. The future seems bleak.

All of a sudden, Jesus draws near to us. We're busy with our grief, so it is difficult to recognize Him. He asks what is troubling us, and we tell Him, putting emphasis on the despair that we have at the moment, but also sharing that there are some strange things about. Testimony is given that Jesus is alive, but it is being weighed against what we and others have seen. The evidence is there, but not the proof.

Then, something happens that we would not expect. Jesus (or as He's seen at the moment, a stranger), bruises our ego. For those to Emmaus, He calls them slow of heart, and implies that it should be plain that this hardship had to come to pass. For us today, it might be the loss of a job, or missing the bus, or any of a multitude of other things. "Why wan't God there," we ask? The answer comes, "He was there, and is here. He's asking us to wake up to the truth."

Then the scriptures are studied. As it would happen, the rest of the journey is spent discussing the scriptures, with Jesus giving the interpretations. His words are powerful and even though not everything that He reveals is happy, it is additional evidence that things aren't as hopeless as they appeared at first. All of the answers are here, waiting to be revealed.

At the end of the road, we don't wish to be parted from our new friend. His presence is a comfort that we don't want to lose. In the breaking of the bread, we finally see Him for who He is. This is our Lord! He Lives! We hurry back to share the good news with others because it is too good to keep to ourselves. Others must be told, and at once!

Hmm, strange that. This is also the pattern for the Mass. Coming in heavy with the worries of the weak, listening to the word of God and its interpretation and application to our lives, meeting Christ in the Eucharist, and then departing to share the good news with our friends.

Heavenly Father, Your works are masterful. You have hidden these great mysteries from the wise and revealed them to us. Thank you for our community in the Church, to guide and support us along the way as we grow in faith. We pray that You will guide our leaders and bless them with the understanding that you gave to those on the way to Emmaus. We ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Monday, April 13, 2009

My Father and Your Father

First Reading: Acts 2:36-41
Psalm: Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 and 22
Gospel: Jn 20:11-18

Friends,

Today, we hear the conclusion to Peter's first public declaration on Pentecost and of Mary Magdalene returning to the tomb after Peter and John had left Easter morning. Jesus appears to her and gives her a message to deliver to the other disciples.

To me, the most moving piece of today's gospel is Jesus' message to Mary:
But go to my brothers and tell them,
'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' - John:20:17
This is such a powerful statement. Jesus is calling his disciples, us, brothers. We have been given the privilege of calling God 'Our Father'. Another passage that comes to mind is John 15:15: I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. As disciples, we are nothing less than friends and brothers (and sisters) of Jesus Christ.

Peter's profession tells us how this is possible. When asked by the crowd what they should do, he tells them
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. - Acts 2:38
It is through the gift of the Holy Spirit that we are connected with God and become kin to our Lord. However, there is a condition. This hidden treasure, this pearl of great wealth, is not free; we must first become disciples of Jesus. We are called to repent of our sinful ways and make a declaration of faith in Jesus Christ. It is difficult to make this payment, but what we receive in return is of far greater value.

Heavenly Father, we praise You for Your greatness. You have looked upon us, the created, and given us a place in Your house. Grant that we may be mindful of this great honor, to bear it humbly and to marvel in its worth. We ask this in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Empty Tomb

First Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-23
Psalm: Ps 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
Gospel: Mt 28:8-15

Friends,

In our readings today, Peter speaks publicly for the first time and the apostles begin their mission of spreading the good news. This was no small task, as the chief priests were still doing their best to stamp out what they saw as the blasphemy of Jesus (as seen in the gospel reading). Indeed, this preaching began about thirty years of being persecuted and led to martyrdom for almost every one of the eleven men who taught that day. Knowing this would be their lot, why did they preach at all? Because of the empty tomb.

Peter demonstrated this with a clear example that the people could not miss:
My brothers, one can confidently say to you
about the patriarch David that he died and was buried,
and his tomb is in our midst to this day. - Acts 2:29
Everyone knew this, but it resonated with something else that was known; Jesus' tomb was empty. No one was disputing this simple fact. The chief priests encouraged the rumor that Jesus' body had been removed by His disciples in the night, but they never denied that the tomb was empty. Remember, the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the body for anyone, so to preserve their teachings, it was important to them that news of this resurrection did not reach the people.

In this, we have our hope. Because Christ is raised, so too shall we one day be raised. Death can hold us only for a time; Jesus Christ has destroyed its power forever.

May God's peace be with you in this Easter season.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day. We praise You for the great deeds you have performed for us. As we begin this Easter season, we pray that the love of Jesus shine through our lives and touch those here on earth. May we be emboldened as the apostles were by the testimony of the empty tomb. In You, O Lord, we place our trust. Amen.