Archive for the ‘Holy Family Sunday Homilies’ Category

It’s Merry Christmas, not Happy Holidays!

Sunday, December 3rd, 2017

First Sunday of Advent
Is 63: 16b-17, 19b; 64: 2-7; 1 Cor 1: 3-9; Mk 13: 33-37
Deacon Larry Brockman

Today, we are being called to a frame of mind in our scriptures, a frame of mind that makes you ever comfortable that no matter when the Lord comes, we are ready for the second coming of Christ. It is not so much a call to stop everything and get ready for the moment when He comes because the scriptures tell us we don’t know when that is. But rather, it is a call to be ready for any moment that he comes, now and for the rest of your life. So it is a way of life Jesus is asking us to live.

In the first reading, Isaiah longs for the coming of a savior who will do great works. He had this hope, because the Israeli people had not followed the Lord. He thought that if only people were sent a savior who did mighty works, then they would believe and follow him.

Then Isaiah said that the Lord is the potter, and the people are the clay. And that people need to let the potter form them. The potter forms each person into a specific role that complements the other believers in the community. They worship together; they reinforce each other’s faith and they evangelize others together.

Such a Messiah never came in Isaiah’s day. But he came in the person of Jesus Christ much later. Christians are the beneficiaries of that first coming, with the magnificent miracles worked by Jesus in the Gospel.

Paul praises the Corinthians for putting Faith into practice. For he tells them they were “enriched in every way” as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among them, and that “they are not lacking in any spiritual gift as they wait for the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ.” As a result, He tells them they are called to eternal fellowship with Jesus Christ- that was their destiny. You see, the Corinthians were a community that heard the story of Jesus and believed in the miracles and the Resurrection. The Corinthians worked together to accomplish God’s plan. In their age, that plan was to spread the faith to the wider community through word and deed. They did that by showing everyone that they believed and they did it by mirroring the love and joy of Christ. And so Christianity spread like wildfire.

So it is to be with us. The Eucharistic celebration is a visible symbol of our commitment to the Church to be an active member of a believing community, a community that worships together, reinforces each other’s beliefs, and carries those beliefs to the greater community by evangelizing in word and deed.

We need to be formed by the Lord as a potter forms the clay to fulfill our roles in that community. We need to work together as the Church to mirror the joy and love of Christ to those around us. If we do all that, then we will be ready for Jesus second coming at any time because of the inner peace of doing God’s will continuously.

Advent is our time to prepare for the coming of Christ child, right. But our society has lost sight of what that means. Instead we have “Holiday Trees”; “Holiday Cards”; and “Holiday Parties” But this is Christianity’s feast- we are getting ready for a Christian Holy Day, one that rejoices over the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, True God and True Man. The Incarnation shows how intimate God became with us, and by following after Jesus through the Gospel, we have been promised everlasting life in heaven. Our role as a believing community of Christians is to celebrate and rejoice over the coming of Christ. We shouldn’t hide it or disguise it; we should actively show it.

And so let us celebrate Christmas the way it was intended to be celebrated, proclaiming to the secular, politically correct World around us, that it’s Merry Christmas, not Happy Holidays; and that we are celebrating the great mystery of our faith, the joyful coming of God made man, Jesus Christ!

Merry Christmas..

Living as Priests, Prophets, and Kings

Sunday, November 5th, 2017

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mal 1:14b – 2: 2b, 8-10; 1 Thes 2: 7b-9, 13; Mt 23: 1-12
Deacon Larry Brockman

Hypocrisy and pride! These are central themes in our readings today. And those who acted as priests of the people were the central characters. But in the New Covenant, all of us are made priests, prophets, and kings at Baptism. And so, these words of warning by the prophet Malachi and by Jesus apply to all of us in our roles as Baptized people.

During each Mass, we hear that Jesus is a priest forever in the line of the high priest Melchisedek, Have you ever wondered what that means? Well, in the days of Abraham and earlier, priests of the High God were first born sons and Kings. They offered first fruits as priestly offerings and they governed either their families or tribes as king.

That all changed during the Exodus when the Israelis fashioned a golden Calf for their God. Through Moses, God established the Levitical Priesthood to atone for this great sin of the Israelis. The animal offerings they offered were a constant reminder of that sin and their need to keep the Law. But these offerings would never be able to atone for sin because they were offered by an imperfect priest who had to be from the tribe of Levi. God promised to favor his people if they kept his laws. But the Israelis broke the Law of the Covenant over and over.

In the time of King David, the Lord promised a Messiah from the house of Judah, not from the house of Levi One who would be a first born son. He would be a Priest and King, like Melchisedek of Old.

For the last two months I have been leading a Bible Study on the book of Hebrews. The central theme of Hebrews is that the Levitical priesthood of the Old Covenant became obsolete and was replaced by the Priesthood of Jesus Christ and his Apostles through the Church. Jesus fulfilled the promise made to King David. He was a first born Son from the house of Judah, not a Levite. The sacrificial offering of himself on the cross and subsequent Resurrection and Ascension accomplished what the Old Covenant priesthood could never do.

In our first reading, Malachi points to another fault of the Old Testament Priests. In Malachi’s days these priests also served as judges- arbitrators of the law. Malachi calls these priests biased and hypocritical by showing partiality in their decisions and giving false instruction in the law. Moreover, he accuses them of pride- doing what they do to be seen and to take places of honor, rather than out of conviction.

Jesus has similar things to say about the Pharisees. The Pharisees were teachers of the law; they offered no animal sacrifices as the Levite Priests did. To remind themselves of the law, they would write the ten commandments on pieces of cloth, and then attach them to their clothes as the phylacteries. Jesus said that they loved places of honor and would burden people with the letter of the law, but that they had no heart. Jesus is repulsed by them calling themselves Rabbis, Teachers because just like the priests in Malachi’s time, they were hypocrites and prideful leaders. They were supposed to be spiritual fathers, but they were not teaching how to live the law in their hearts. Rather, they were only looking after their own interests.

Rightfully, Jesus points out that we have one true spiritual father- God. Jesus served his Father as Priest and King, and was our Father model, made in the image and likeness of his Father. Jesus always deferred to the will of his Father. He lived a humble life and did everything from the heart. He delegated that Priestly role to our ordained priests at the Last Supper. That’s why we call our priests Father today, because they serve in the role as the High priest, Jesus Christ, every time they offer Mass.

The really good news is that by virtue of our Baptisms, we have returned to the ancient custom of anointing our children as Priests, Prophets and Kings. That is why Fathers are heads of their families, and priests of the domestic church, the home. It is an awesome responsibility.

Our second reading from 1 Thessalonians gives a clear contrast between the Old Testament priesthood and the New Testament priesthood. For Paul reminds the Thessalonians that while he was with them he served as their Pries. After his Baptism and conversion of his heart, Paul preached the Gospel to the Thessalonians with affection. He treated them with kindness and gentleness, as a mother cares for her children. He did all that while continuing to care for himself by working, not expecting or accepting compensation for his efforts. This was a man who preached the law from the heart, and practiced what he preached. And as a result, his efforts bore much fruit. Paul was the great evangelizer and apostle to the Gentiles.

My dear people, all of you are called in Baptism to be priests, prophets and kings. You are called to accept the word of God and the teachings of the church in your hearts- your faith; and by word and deed, to live and project that faith. You are called to be humble Fathers to your families, and great evangelizers in this secular world of hypocrites and prideful people.

Cooperating With God’s Purpose

Sunday, July 16th, 2017

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Is 55: 10-11; rom 8: 18-23; Mt 13: 1-23
Deacon Larry Brockman

You know, God’s purpose is really very simple and clear. Isaiah sums it up perfectly: “It (that is, His Word) shall not return to me empty, but shall do what pleases me, achieving the end for which I sent it.” Thus, no matter what anyone tries to do to the contrary, Including the Caesars, the Vikings, the Vandals, and the Napoleon’s of the past; or the Stalins or Hitlers or Bin Ladens or Putins in current times; ultimately God’s Word will return to Him fulfilled. That is God’s intent and purpose: His will will be done.
The questions that remain for us are how well will we cooperate in helping accomplish the Word, and how long will that take. Paul makes it crystal clear, that although we may have to suffer in cooperating with Jesus’ Word, the rewards are incomparable and involve everlasting happiness. That’s what he means when he says that all creation is groaning as we await for the redemption of our bodies.
Well then, how can we cooperate? Today’s Gospel is all about how we respond to the word of God. If we respond properly to God’s Word, then we are cooperating. Parables are rich in ambiguous and multiple layers of meaning. But what is interesting about this parable is that Jesus deciphers many of those layers of meaning for us in plain ordinary language. We don’t have to speculate on them.
First Jesus talks about why he uses parables in the first place. He says it’s because people look but don’t see or understand; and they listen, but do not hear. So, we have to be disposed to listen and understand.
Now all of you folks are here today. You are willing and anxious to hear the word of God, right. But there is more to it than that. Jesus is really talking about a disposition of the heart.
Where is your heart this morning? Is it focused on what you are going to be doing after Mass? Perhaps it’s focused on the baseball game this afternoon; or the gathering you are planning tonight? Or even the beach trip or picnic you are planning? We owe God our undivided attention right now as we hear the Word of God. Else, we may hear, but not understand.
Now notice that the seed, which represents the Word of God, is scattered just about everywhere. So everyone is exposed to the word of God. Jesus explanations bear on the reason, or ultimately, the excuses, for why no fruit is born of that seed.
As Jesus unravels the meaning of the parable, we learn that the seed, or Word of God, is heard but not understood by some; others hear it, and initially respond, but when they are challenged, they fall away because they have no roots; others yet receive the word amongst thorns, that is distractions, and so they easily cave in to the distractions of this world. Only those who receive the word with the right disposition, the rich soil, produce fruit.
Now, as we listened to this parable, my bet is that most of us quickly dismissed how some of those excuses fit us. But maybe that’s not really true. Maybe all of us are a little bit guilty of each one of the excuses. So let’s talk about each one.
First, lack of understanding: If you think that you can come here once a month; or even once a week, and truly understand the Word of God, you are kidding yourselves. Real understanding comes with familiarity. You have got to be familiar with the Word of God to really understand it. Let me ask you this: What do you read and what kind of TV or movies do you watch? Do you do any spiritual reading? Do you read or study the Bible? Or are you mostly watching and listening to products of “Pop culture”- the latest whiz-bang surrealistic movies and secular music? If your diet is the latter, you won’t really understand the Word of God- it will just go in one ear and out the other, because as soon as you leave here, your senses and attentions will be reinforced with what you normally feed them. Your fleeting exposure to the Word will most likely be lost- “Out of sight; out of mind”.
Then there is the matter of our roots. What are your roots in your Faith? The deeper your roots- the more you know about and embrace your faith. Then you will be better equipped to fight temptations and allurement. That means the more you read about and know God, the more you spend time with and pray to God; then the better off you will be in resisting temptations, because like a friend in need, God will be nudging you when you are tempted.
Next are those who are dazzled by the wonderful things of this world- indulgence in pleasures, money, sex, power, pride; all the things that give fleeting happiness, but not lasting fulfillment. Once again, where is your heart? What is it that really gives you joy, real joy? I’ll bet that most of us feel the best when we know we are helping others; when we know that we have responded to the voice of our conscience; when we are aligned with the directions God nudges us in. The joys of this world are always followed by tomorrow’s hangover, aren’t they? But doing God’s will brings us peace and true contentment.
We all have an opportunity to be part of something truly magnificent- the Word accomplishing God’s purpose. God is after each one of us 24/7 with nudges and inspirations that help the word of God achieve its end. We have only to pay attention and listen- a child calling us; someone in need in our neighborhood; our aged parent or friend. When you hear it, take heed. It is an echo of your salvation in the making.

Making the Works of the Lord Manifest Through You

Sunday, March 26th, 2017

Fourth Sunday in Lent

1 Sam 16: 1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Eph 5: 8-14; Jn  9: 1-41

Dc. Larry Brockman

Blind from birth!  In Biblical times that kind of defect was considered the consequence of the sins of the parents.  But we hear very clearly from Jesus’ own lips that this blind man’s blindness was not a consequence of their sin; but rather: “It is so the works of God may be made visible through him”.  Just how?   

Well, have you considered that in a way, all of us are “blind at birth”?  The great St. Augustine made this observation, and I quote:  “For the blind man here is the human race.   Blindness came upon the first man by reason of sin: and from him we all derive it.   That is, man is blind from his birth” – end quote.  Yes, we are all blind to God’s message not by virtue of our sins or our parent’s sin, but because of Original Sin- the sin of Adam.  We are born into the world prone to sin, and we are of the world unless we make a conscious decision to seek God; unless we make a decision to be enlightened about things that are not of this world.   

And so, St. Paul speaks about that enlightenment.  We were once darkness, he says. That is the darkness that comes from being children of the world.  Children of the world seek the things of the world- it’s comforts, it’s pleasures, and it’s works, in the hope that it will bring happiness and satisfaction.  The problem is that at some point in our lives we realize that things of this world really can’t bring happiness.   

All of us are prone to limitations- whether they are from our minds or our bodies or our environment.  And eventually these limitations take over.  In other words, we lose our loved ones, or we lose our agility, or we lose our minds or both; and eventually we die.  And if all there is to life is life in this world; then life to the fullest in this world will all have been in vain.    But if we live in the Lord, it is then we are living in the light of the Lord.  Paul goes on to tell us that we should live as children of the light “Which produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth”.   

Now Jesus also says this directly in the Gospel:  “We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work”.  So, Jesus is telling us that while we live, our mission is to do the works that the Father desires for us.  We have to do that while we live, because after we die we will not have an opportunity to choose him- we will have already made that choice in our lifetimes.   

It is only after Jesus gave that advice that he heals the blind man.  Jesus heals the blind man, a symbol of all humanity, as a sign of the path to salvation that He the Christ will provide.    Notice that he mixes his spittle with the dust of the earth, forming a kind of clay; just as the origin of life emanated from clay in the creation story.  But it is clay that uses Jesus spittle, symbolizing the effect of God’s creating Word coming from his mouth mixed with the dust of the earth.  And so, this blind man goes to the waters of the pool of Siloam, which means “sent”.  This prefigures Baptism, for the blind man emerges from that pool in a new life.  He is able to see, he is able to understand,  and he is sent forth to do his mission.  And this is the process each of us experiences- Baptism, a new life in Christ, and a mission selected by God for us.   

The blind man’s mission, of course, is to be a witness for Christ in front of the Jewish Establishment.  This he does fearlessly, only to be rejected by them, thrown out of the temple.  Jesus invites him to follow him as the Christ, which he does.   

And so, let all of us reflect on our salvation process.  For we were all called, as was the blind man, to go and be Baptized, and then sent from Baptism to be witnesses for Christ by doing his will for us. 

Lent is our opportunity each year to reflect on our mission.  Have we responded “yes” to our Baptismal rebirth in the Church?  Have we rejected the things of darkness, which are solely of this world and embraced our mission to shine the light of Christ in the world around us?   

Because the blind man represents all of us our positive response to the Lord at Baptism and in our lives is the way the works of the Lord will be made manifest to all.  We who believe and follow are the body of Christ, and we will be the light of the world till the end of time.

Find Your Holy Life

Sunday, March 12th, 2017

Second Sunday of Lent

Gen 12: 1-4a; 2 Tim 1: 8b-10; Mt 17: 1-9

Dc. Larry Brockman

Guess what? You were called to a holy life! That’s what Paul’s message to us is today. Yes, every one of us is called to a holy life. But what exactly does that mean?

Well, Paul says something very profound about that today. He says that a holy life is not measured by our works; but rather by our willingness to embrace the mission we are called to by God’s design. What is more, he says that mission was bestowed on us even before time began! That’s how universal and sweeping God’s overall plan is. And he tells us we have been given the grace to accomplish that mission, whatever it is.

The church gives us two examples today of persons who embraced God’s call and followed their mission. The first is Abram, known as Abraham. Abraham left the land of his fathers at the ripe age of 75, leaving everything behind; and settling in the land of Canaan. At the age of 75! That’s a lifetime for most of us; a time 10 years beyond normal retirement age.

But Abraham was willing to begin all over again in a new land. Abraham listened to the voice of God in his heart; trusted in the providence of God; and did as he was prompted. He could have raised more sheep; more cattle, and had much more influence right where he was because his family was well off. He could have retired in relative luxury. But he was a man of faith and trust in the Lord. And so he left and embraced a future of unknown challenges- all because he listened to God and trusted.

The second example is Jesus. Jesus has already had his 40 day sojourn to the desert by the time of this morning’s story about the Transfiguration. He had prayed, he had reflected, he had been tempted, and he had prevailed over the devil. He knew that his Father wanted him to preach repentance of sins and the coming of the kingdom of God. Now he was ready for that mission that God had chosen for him from the beginning of time.

So he ascends the mountain with his closest associates- Peter James and John. There, he is transfigured, transformed into a state that reflects his future glorification. He converses with Moses and Elijah. Scripture scholars tell us Moses represents the Law; and Elijah represents the prophets. The Gospel of Luke tells us what they were talking about- “Jesus departure from Jerusalem”. That means they were talking about Jesus mission to go to Jerusalem; preach the truth in the name of God and announce the coming of the kingdom of God; urge all mankind to believe in him, repent, and follow him. Because he followed that mission, he was arrested, tried, suffered, crucified, buried, and then rose on the third day. All this would happen according to the law and the prophets, because Jesus fulfilled what the law had prescribed and what the prophets had predicted.  This is represented by the conversations with Moses and Elijah. And we know that Jesus departure from Jerusalem was accomplished through his death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus tells them in both Matthew and Mark’s account that they should tell no one of this event till he rises from the dead. And they were baffled by that reference.

Now the Transfiguration is important to all of us because it is validates who Jesus is, and provides a pattern for the Apostles, and ultimately all of us to follow. All three persons of the trinity were present at the Transfiguration. Jesus, of course, in his body; the Father in the voice; and the Holy Spirit in the cloud that overshadowed the Apostles. Just imagine how powerful this must have been to Peter, James, and John. They fell face down on the ground in terror; that’s how remarkable it was. But then, Jesus predicts everything that would happen to him three times after the Transfiguration.  At the time, this baffled the Apostles; as wee; they couldn’t believe it. But on Easter when everything had happened just as Jesus had predicted, these men were firm in their belief.  These were powerful, unforgettable, God incidents that gave them unshakeable faith and firm resolve to go out and spread the Gospel to all nations. That was their mission; that was how they lived a holy life.

And so, we come back to our mission. How do we live a holy life? We need to follow the pattern. First, we have to reflect on our lives and listen to the voice of the Lord. That’s what the 40 days of Lent are all about. As we do that, we need to remember works are not as important as that urge inside of you on what God’s design is for you.

Some seem to be called to the glorious things of life- they are physically or mentally gifted, they are talented in art or music or sports, they are leaders; they are intelligent. But talents don’t always correspond to God’s call. Talents are gifts we use to fulfill God’s call. And it’s not about our agenda it’s about God’s agenda. His goals and the accomplishments needed to achieve them may differ from our personal goals and objectives. God is looking for a team effort, and just like any team effort, the team goal is what is most important, not the individual achievements. The team goal is conversion and salvation for all.

Others have talents which are less glorious in the eyes of the world but may be more in line with God’s objectives. Like people who are caregivers; people who humbly serve other’s needs, and people who support and enable but don’t lead. These efforts all contribute to the team goal of universal salvation when they are done in love.

We still have 4 weeks to go till Easter. Use Lent wisely, and find your holy life.

“I Will Never Forget You”

Sunday, February 26th, 2017

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is 49: 14-15; 1 Cor 4: 1-5; Mt 6: 24-34

Deacon Larry Brockman

“I will never forget you”. These are the Lord’s words to Zion this morning. And that’s each and every one of us- we are all part of Zion.

You know, it is really hard to conceive of just how much God loves each one of us. Each and every one of us was specially created by God. That means God thought about you, just you, and made you what you are. Each of us was given a unique set of talents, a unique body, and our own immortal soul. We are all one of a kind; there will never be another you.

And God loves all of us equally. Why would God create a being in his image and likeness that he didn’t love? God loved us so much he gave us a free will- so that we can determine our own destiny. But our main choice is whether we return to God or not.

Now we are even loved by God when we are sinners. In Luke’s Gospel, he tells a parable about the lost sheep. Yes, God goes after each lost sheep because he loves them. God is relentless in his pursuit of each one of us too. It’s that little voice in your conscience you hear all the time.

Realistically, all of us are sinners. It may be a matter of degree, but none of us is perfect. And if we feel that we are perfect, or close to it, we are deceiving ourselves. Part of the lesson of life is to realize that and to recognize and accept the suffering, disappointment, and imperfection that are part of life for each one of us. It’s part of God’s plan that we be tested and follow his script for dealing with our test. His script is the Gospel.

We also learn by recognizing that all the bad things that happen to our neighbors but for the grace of God can happen to us as well. Even when we are on a high plateau in our lives, it is all temporary; it can and probably will change. So, understand that God and God alone is under control. Humility is recognizing the truth of one’s status. And the fact is that no matter who you are, you are not in control. When you embrace that fact and all the uncertainty that it entails, then you will know and understand yourself better, and that is true humility.

Now I say all this because this morning our Gospel calls us to recognize that worrying is another limitation we have as human beings. We worry about our problems, our status, our future, and all kinds of things. But the fact is that we really don’t have control over the events of our life, God does. So, it is pointless to excessively worry about them. Just as we must accept that suffering and imperfection are part of every life, we also have to accept that excessive worrying over things makes no sense.

Because God loves you that means, as Isaiah remarked, that he will never forget you. If you really believe that God will never forget you, then the thing that each of us must do is to trust in God. That may be easier to say than to do. Just how do we trust in God that all of those things we worry about will be taken care of?

Well, that brings us to the topic of serving just one of two masters. In 19th century US politics there was a term called a Mugwump. A Mugwump had his “mug” on one side of the political fence, and his “wump” on the other. So, a Mugwump tried to play both sides of the fence at the same time. It was a derogatory term that accurately described people who tried to finesse the system. It just didn’t work.   Jesus is also telling us you cannot do that; you cannot have it both ways. You either belong to this world and the Master of this world, which is the devil and his followers, or you belong to Christ, and have a trusting relationship with God.

If you belong to this world, you attempt to be in total control of your life. You will determine how each need will be met; you will take care of yourself- even if it is at the expense of others. And you will depend on all of your abilities. It’s all up to you; you don’t need God. So when things don’t go your way, you will worry. And you will worry and worry.

Now you can try to be a Mugwump, and be in control yourself when things are going well. And then fall back on God when things go wrong. But my point is that it doesn’t work that way. It is all or nothing with God because God reads your heart. And if you have to always be in control, then you haven’t given your heart to him.

If you belong to Christ, then He is your master in this world. That means two things. First, you know God; you have a relationship with him. And like any special relationship that you have, you have to nourish that relationship often. That means you have a regular prayer relationship with God. You can hear him when he talks to you.

Second, you must learn to trust in God always. That means you share your successes with him, and your joy with him because you know God is the source of all blessings. So, you thank God as the source of those blessings- your family, your career, and whatever talents and good things you have. But you also share your sufferings, your worries, and your failures with him. You trust that, just as he helped you with your successes, so he will also help you when you experience things beyond your control.

After all, God has promised that he will never forget you.

The Joy of Christmas is Not Over!

Sunday, January 15th, 2017

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is 49: 3, 5-6; 1 Cor 1: 1-3; John 1: 29-34

Deacon Larry Brockman

Well, the Christmas Season is over!  The trees are all taken down; the lights are gone; and everybody is back to work or school.  The cookies and egg nog are depleted.  All the parties are over.  The joy of the Season has run its course.  It’s over!

But you know what?  If that is the feeling you have, you may have missed the whole point of the Christmas season.

Christmas arrived with all its festive music and decorations and lights and feasts to remind us that a savior had been born to us.  That Savior is Jesus, the second person of the Trinity.  He came to be one of us and live as one of us.

Last weekend, we saw the manifestation of Jesus symbolized as priest, prophet and king when the Magi arrived and did the Christ child homage.  And then we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord this week, when John the Baptist witnessed the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus and identified him publically as the Messiah.  So there is still much to rejoice over because the Messiah came to be with us.

Today, our readings help us to recognize the consequences of Jesus arrival for each of us.  You see, Jesus shows us the way to live; his way to live.  His Baptism prefigured ours.  That means that we received the Spirit and a mission at our Baptism.  And his life, which plays out as the Gospel in Ordinary Time, prefigures the kind of life we are called to live.  Yes, each of us is called to follow Jesus at our Baptism by having faith in Jesus, living a Christian Life, and evangelizing in word and deed.

Today, we hear three different aspects of that message in our readings.  Listen again the Paul’s words from Corinthians, whom he addresses this way:  “To you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.”  That applies to us as well- since all of us have been sanctified through our Baptism and ultimately, we are all called to be Holy as were the Corinthians.

Then, in our reading from Isaiah, we hear the Lord say of Israel, which refers symbolically to the Messiah, that:  “I will make you a light to the nations that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”   How else does that salvation reach the end of the earth except through us?  We are witnesses through the Apostles and the Gospels to all that Jesus did and promised; we were Baptized and received the Spirit of God and a mission.  And so, we are the way that the light reaches to the end of the earth.  All who are Baptized in our Faith and sent out to live that Faith can and must be evangelizers.  We evangelize through the witness of our lives that we believe, and by our actions which draw others towards the promise of salvation we enjoy.

The Gospel today speaks of John pointing to the Lamb of God.  This happened after Jesus was Baptized by John, and after Jesus spent 40 days in the desert reflecting on God’s mission for him.  As Jesus returns from the wilderness, John sees and recognizes him as “The Lamb of God”.

The Lamb of God!  The Lamb of God is the sacrificial victim in the Passover.  So John first prophesies that Jesus will offer his life as the sacrificial victim on behalf of God the Father.  Then, after repeating that he saw the Spirit of God descend on Jesus, John goes on to state of Jesus:  “He is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit”.  And indeed, after Jesus rose from the dead, and just before he ascended to heaven Jesus tells his Apostles to evangelize all people, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Jesus passes on the responsibility for evangelizing to all of us.

So, we are not done with the coming of Christ.  In fact, the joy of his coming just begins with Christmas.  The rest of the Church year memorializes the rest of the process.  We have all been called to walk in Jesus footsteps.  We are called to believe in him; to become members of his people, the Church; to live as he did according to the Gospels; and to go out and evangelize all people, assuring that they are baptized.  All of us share that calling.

The early church was successful because the Christians got this message.  In unity and love, they lived the Gospel and projected that love in what they said and did.  They held firm in adversity, even suffering death and martyrdom for their faith.  Their example was a powerful testimony that won over an empire- the Roman Empire.

It’s a challenge, but all of us can live up to this calling.  Whether at work, school, play, or leisure, we can project the love and values that Christ left to us as his legacy by always doing the right thing, not what society expects; by showing love for our family and neighbors rather than always feeding our self-interests; and by accepting the sufferings dealt in our lives with dignity and acceptance rather than in bitterness and anger.

And so, they will know we are Christians by our love.

For Christians, the real joy of Christmas has just begun.

You Are Being Called!

Sunday, December 18th, 2016

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Is 7: 10-14; Ro 1: 1-7; Mt 1: 18-35

Deacon Larry Brockman

Isn’t it exciting!  The Lord is coming and he is inviting all of us to follow in his footsteps.  We are being called, all of us.  That’s Paul’s exciting message this morning.

Here again is what Paul said:  “Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,  among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ”.  And that’s exciting for two reasons:  First, that Jesus extended the chosen people from the Israelis to all nations, the Gentiles; and second, that we are all actually being “called”.

Yes, you and I and everyone else are being called by God.  And it is that second part, being called, that most people don’t really appreciate.

I heard a very interesting interview recently with President Elect Donald Trump.  What really struck me were his words about “being called”.  Now this man has been known a real estate tycoon, a business man, and a lot of other things during his life; but now he feels that he has been “called”.  This was the essence of his response to questions in the interview.  He feels that his “calling” transcends the former emphasis in his life in business and real estate.  His focus now is on what he has been called to do, to be president of our country.

Mr. Trump didn’t specify who has called him.  He probably thinks that he has been called by the American people; but I hope that deep down he also feels that he has been called by God.

Now being called is different from other motivations for doing a job.  We can make a conscious decision to go after something.  That’s different than a “call”.   You see, being called means that you are being wooed, solicited, sought.  Someone else is after you.  That’s what is so special, that God is calling all of us.  He doesn’t wait for us to find him; but he is always seeking us.

Now I don’t know whether Mr. Trump’s statements about being called are rhetoric or reality.  For my point in this homily, it doesn’t matter.  Because, on the merits of his words alone, Mr. Trump is describing a conversion of the heart.  When we are “called” by God and we listen to that call, and then respond to it by making a basic change in our focus on life, then we have “repented” and have experienced a change in heart.  Mr. Trump’s words describe the beginning of that process as he approaches his term as President.  It remains to be seen how that process plays out for him.  But his words illustrate the process well.

So, this is an example of what Paul is talking about this morning.  The only thing I would add about the “calling” process is a little more on what it takes for this change to be true repentance.  Repentance is a change in heart, but one in which we change from some sinful path to a righteous path.

Now most people are not interested in change.  The fact is that most of us resist change in general.  We become used to, and in many cases comfortable with the way things are.  And so, when we are “called” to make a change, especially for the better, we fight it, just as we avoid anything else uncomfortable.

Such was the case with Ahaz in our first reading.  The King and his Israeli subjects were simply was not interested in changing things.  They weren’t interested in following some God given sign to reform.   They didn’t want to listen to any of Isaiah’s prophetic predictions.  And so, Ahaz cleverly says that he won’t ask for a sign.  Isaiah responds by chastising the king and the Israelis about their stubbornness.  Whether they like it or not, the Lord is going to send His Messiah.  And that Messiah will be born of the virgin.

A thousand or so years later, the Messiah arrives.  That’s our Gospel story.  And what was striking about that arrival was the way that the Christ arrived.  He didn’t arrive as a well to do citizen anointed by the authorities to shepherd the people of Israel to a renewed worldly greatness like his ancestor King David did.  Rather, he came as a simple peasant boy, later carpenter, later journeyman preacher; and he was anointed by the Holy Spirit, not by the authorities.  He did come as Isaiah had predicted, born of a virgin.  And he came as Matthew quoted the Angel, with this mission:  “For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.    She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Yes, Jesus came and did His Father’s will.  And in doing so, He saved us from our sins.  Now, we are all called to follow after Jesus Gospel example.  It is an example that we can all understand.  It is not hidden or protected; it is not something theoretical and transcendent.  It is the example of one who became one of us and lived in every way as we do, but without sin.  And all of us are “called” to it; we are actively sought to respond to it.  We don’t have to seek it; it is being continually offered to us.

Yes, you and I are called; and that is so exciting!

The Fruits of Perserverance!

Sunday, November 13th, 2016

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mal 3: 19-20a; 2 Thes 3:7-12; Lk 21: 5-19

By Deacon Larry Brockman

So, we should not be afraid of the end! For, as Jesus says: “By your perseverance, you will secure your lives”. 

For the last several weeks, we’ve been hearing about the Kingdom of God. And while Jesus seems vague about it, it’s just because we have a tendency not to listen to what He says. He has said the kingdom is already here; it is amongst us. That’s because if you follow Jesus by doing his will and defending your faith; then you already have everlasting life in you. It simply can’t be taken away from you. And that’s something we can all be joyful about.

But the kind of life we have in the Kingdom of God is not the kind of life we typically seek in this world. We seek comfort; good things to eat and consume; fun things to do; leisure time; the path of least resistance; and ways around suffering and pain.   While none of these things is bad in themselves, they are a problem if that is all we seek. They are a problem if our focus is only on self-gratification; they are a problem if we are not focused on others; and they are a problem if our main focus is not on pleasing God.

Our readings clearly reinforce this today. First, Malachi chastises the clearly bad doers of this world. If you do evil, and are consumed by it; then in the end you will be swept away in an eternal fire, and nothing will be left of you. It is such a vivid description of the hell that awaits the truly evil doers and unbelievers. They are the people whose focus is entirely empty of God.

Paul then talks about some people this way: “We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others”. Don’t you just love it! The pictures that came to my mind were the multiple “demonstrations” around this country by folks who are upset with the results of the election. Where do they get the time? Aren’t there more productive things for them to do? Paul says it this way: “Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food”.  And Paul backed up his assertion by talking about his own situation. He was a visitor; but did not expect to be kept by the people he was visiting. Rather, he says: “On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you.” That is our responsibility. To work quietly according to God’s plan to do God’s will; and that means minimizing the burden that we are on our society. These are people whose focus is on themselves.

And then there is the Gospel. People are impressed by the elegance of the Temple adornments. Jesus set’s them straight. It will all come to nothing. So it is with all of us. Whatever we seek in this world in the way of things and comfort; it will all come to nothing in the end. What matters is whether we believe in Jesus Christ and stand up as His witnesses.

Now the authorities ask Jesus an interesting question as Jesus says that it will all come to nothing in the end. They ask Jesus “when”. They want to know when the end will really come. These are people who have a glimmer of faith and concern, but who are diverted somewhat from their goals. So, they want to know when, presumably so they can be prepared.

Jesus’ answer is very sobering and has two parts to it: First, don’t be taken in by those who claim to know when the end will come. Nobody knows; and those who claim they know mislead. They often have their own interests in mind; and very frequently advocate things that detract from what our real goal should be- to live God’s plan for us and trust in him.

Second, be prepared always. That’s really the essence of Jesus’ warning to be prepared to defend your faith always. All of us who believe need to be tested in the crucible of this world. All of us will be challenged or persecuted or tested in our faith sometime during our lives. For some, it comes down to making the right choice in the midst of temptations. And there are plenty such temptations- cheating in money matters, relationships, or tests for example. For others, we will be directly challenged in a matter of faith: whether to have an abortion; or whether to follow our conscience when a boss or authority tries to get us to do something wrong. Still others will be directly persecuted just for their faith, like the Christians in ISIS held territory.

Rather than try to anticipate the end, we just need to hold firm when we are tested. Fortunately for most of us, we are given a chance over and over to reconcile with God whenever we do slip up. That’s what the Sacrament of Penance is for.

So remember this always. Be ready at all times to live your faith. Then “By your perseverance, you will secure your lives”.

How Should We Give to God?

Sunday, October 23rd, 2016

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sirach 35: 12-14, 16-18; 2 Tim 4: 6-8, 16-18; Luke 18: 9-14

Dc. Larry Brockman

One of the most difficult things for all of us is to discern just how, what, and how much we give to God.  I’m not just talking about money, either.  Rather, I’m talking about time, talent, and treasure.  Today, our scriptures give us three different views on giving to God.   

Sirach says to: “Give to the most high as he has given to you- generously, according to your means.”  So, each of us is admonished to give generously of our treasure.  Then he says: “But offer no bribes.”  Indeed, bargaining with God is not a healthy way to ask God for help.  Then Sirach implies that the cry of the downtrodden will be heard by God.  Clearly, the emphasis in Sirach is on generosity and sincerity of heart.  Give to the Lord generously and your needs, not your wants, will be provided for.   

Then, there is the story of Paul.  Paul has given himself generously to the Lord, but rather than treasure, Paul has given his time and talent.  He gave up everything to become an Apostle to the Gentiles.  Before his conversion, Paul was a Pharisee in good standing, and from a wealthy family.  After his conversion, Paul was shunned by his fellow Pharisees, and lived from day to day as a tentmaker.  Paul travelled tirelessly throughout the Eastern part of the Roman Empire to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.  He was imprisoned several times, mistreated by some, and living from day to day throughout his ministry. 

Yet Paul is joyful, even offering forgiveness to his persecutors.  Because Paul recognizes that “the time of my departure is at hand”.  Paul is hopeful that the crown of righteousness awaits him.  Notice, that he does not declare himself as righteous.  Rather, he recognizes that the crown awaits him following his judgment; and Paul is confident that his devotion and dedication to the Lord will be rewarded.   

That brings us to the Gospel- one of the most well known passages in the Gospel.  First, we are told that the parable is addressed to those who consider themselves righteous.  Well, you know what, that’s all of us here today, isn’t it?  After all, we are here, whereas an awful lot of folks haven’t bothered to get up and come to worship God.   And we all contribute something to the collection.  We are doing our part.  Those others have more important things to do- golf or outings or many other things; and they contribute nothing to the church. 

But you see, our salvation is not “relative”.  We cannot judge our righteousness based on the righteousness or lack of it in others.  Our status with God is standalone- it is based on our relationship with God, and our relationship alone.   

Jesus wants us to not only give of our time, talent, and treasure; but to do it from our hearts; to do it out of humility and love.  And as this Gospel tells us, the tax collector gave out of humility and love.  It isn’t how much we give, but whether we give out of love, with the right intention.   

Recently, my wife had a major operation.  She was in the hospital for almost a week, and so, she had several different nurses caring for her.  I visited her there daily.  It is fair to say that all of these nurses were qualified; and all of them gave her care according to their training.  But, there were significant differences in the quality of care as viewed by their patient.   Some of them did everything by the book; they were clinically outstanding in their practice.  But they projected neither compassion nor caring as they ministered to their patient.  These acted out of duty.   

Others were equally proficient from a clinical perspective.  But they had a way of making their patient feel accepted, valued, and cared for.  These acted out of compassion and love.  I am sure that anyone who has spent multiple days in a hospital can relate to the difference.   

Well, so it is with our need to give to the Lord.  We need to give to the Lord, not out of duty; but out of love.   

God is the giver of all things.  There is nothing that we possess- no talent, no time, and no treasure- that he has not given to us.  Even those things we think we have acquired by our own skill are given to us by God, because without God, we can do nothing.  Every breath that we take, we owe to God, and that is reason enough to love God back and want to give something back to him. 

As to how much we give to him, the more the better.  For as Sirach says, God will give back to us seven-fold.  And God is rich in Mercy to those who love Him.