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How Christianity is Unique

Thursday, August 6th, 2015

Transfiguration

Dan 7: 9-10, 13-14; 2 Pet 1: 16-19; Mark 9: 2-10

Deacon Larry Brockman

We Christians are so Blessed, because we are the ones who have been given revelations above and beyond all other religions! And they are all summed up so well for us today in the Transfiguration.

You see, all other people who believe in Gods see God as transcendent- high above us in every way. That’s the way Moslems and Jews and Buddhists all see God. That’s why the Jews forbid the use of the term Yahweh anymore; and out of respect, the Church has followed suit. And it’s why the Moslems react so strongly to anyone whom they consider blasphemes their God; and it is why the Buddhists monks separate themselves and purify themselves, because nothing impure can commune with Almighty God. There is a separation, a distance, a respect to be sure, but one that is more accurately characterized as fear, between them and their God.

But as Christians we have a different experience. We see Jesus Christ as both true God and true man- a Transcendent God like the one that was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, yes; and yet, the guy that Peter, James, and John ate and drank and lived with for three years- one of the boys whom they were intimate with; a friend, a confidant, someone who was immanent to them, as close to them as a brother or sister.  Jesus was someone they could relate to. He loved them as friends and confidants do; and he was there besides them as they lived their daily life.

These two extremes are highlighted in our readings today- the immanence and transcendence of God. First, Jesus travels up the mountain with them, struggling right along with them with the stress of the climb. But having arrived, the glory of almighty God is previewed with them through Jesus. And they are fearful- so fearful that they hardly know what to say.

There are many lessons to learn from this experience that the three Apostles had. First, we are all accompanied by Jesus Christ in our daily lives. He is walking right there alongside of us, just as he did with his Apostles, and particularly if we avail ourselves of the bread of life we’ve been talking about the last several Sundays; particularly if we receive Holy Communion often. And not only that, but he has left us his script- the Gospel, for living our daily lives. It is a script that emphasizes love and respect for all- a purity of heart; a script that emphasizes sacrificing self for others; and a script that emphasizes living God’s will, not our own- a purity of purpose-because that’s the way Jesus lived his own life.

This way of life is not popular in a world where self-sufficiency, independence, and self-gratification prevail; the life style of those who believe they are their own God. And it is not popular with people who live solely by the law because the law defines an objective standard in a world of subjective circumstances. The law ignores what is in the heart and emphasizes what is in the mind. But God looks for what is in our hearts, just as he looked at what was in Jesus’ heart.   And it is not popular with those who escape from the world for a life of denial and isolation. An immanent Christ, one who shows us how we can live God’s plan by example, by living it right in front of our eyes for us, is a God who is in the world, yet not consumed by it. And that is what we are all called to do as well, to live in the world and bear much fruit, just as Jesus Christ himself did.

Next, we are all called to the same glory that Jesus showed on the mountain that day. If we believe that Christ died for us to save us and was resurrected in the body to live forever in a glorified state prefigured in our reading today, then we believe that we are destined for the same glory.

Yes, we are fortunate as Christians to have had revealed to us that there is an awesome, almighty God who loves us, just as he loved His own son; a God who is both as far above us as possible and yet as immanent as Jesus in the Eucharist. We truly blessed.

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Integrating the Old and the New

Thursday, July 30th, 2015

Thursday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time

Ex 40: 16-21, 34-38; Mt 13:47-53

Deacon Larry Brockman

What a challenge Jesus gives his disciples today! You see, Jesus asks them if they understand “all these things”.

The parable of the fish, it seems to me, is pretty simple. God will separate the good from the bad at the Last Judgement, just like a fisherman separates fish caught in a net. The Disciples all got it too, they understood Jesus’ parable. And so, the Disciples boldly say “yes”, they understood.  But then came the challenge, the part about bringing forward the “old” and the “new”.

Bible scholars have suggested that Jesus was telling the disciples that if they understood the parables in his preaching, and so, understood his teaching, then they must become like wise householders who learn to store up and use both old and new riches. So, Jesus is challenging the Disciples to learn how to use the “Old” with the “New”- how to integrate Jesus teaching with the classical teachings of the Jewish Faith. Specifically, Jesus was referring to all of the stories and history in the Old Testament. Jesus was challenging the Disciples to open the Jewish Scriptures and interpret them in the light of Jesus’ teaching. Indeed, since Jesus is the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecy of a Messiah, then God’s word was not written down without purpose for us. There are multiple layers in the Old Testament; and these old riches need to be shared even today by those who understand.

With all that in mind, just what is it that we should take away with us from that first reading today? How can we interpret the story about Moses, the Ark of the Covenant, and the moveable dwelling that Moses constructed in the light of the New Testament and the Gospel?

Well, I couldn’t help but notice the parallel between the Ark of the Covenant and our Tabernacle. Truly, God is present in the Tabernacle that all of us see every time we enter this Church, and indeed, every Catholic Church, just like God came down in the cloud and rested on the Ark of the Covenant, and so was present to the Israelis.

Now it is very clear that the people, and even Moses, were fearful of this manifestation of the Lord. Ironic, isn’t it, when you think about it. In the Old Testament, the Lord manifests himself in clear, unmistakable ways to the people of God during the Exodus. Whether it was in the fire and lightning and smoke at Mount Sanai or in the cloud surrounding the Dwelling housing the Ark of the Covenant, there was something truly extraordinary about these manifestations. And the Israelites were struck with fear and terror at these sights, all of which mandated that they respect and honor God.

But rather than manifest himself in fire and smoke or in a cloud, Our Lord manifests himself in the Eucharist, his own Body and Blood, as a tiny wafer of bread consecrated by the Priest. We keep it in reserve in our Tabernacles. But our response should be the same as the Israelis: a healthy level of fear of God and respect.

Have you thought about that much recently- a show of respect for Jesus in the Tabernacle? Because you see, that is one of the things that is just so significant about being Catholic. When one walks into a Protestant Church, it is just a building, like any other building with four walls. But when one walks into a Catholic Church, God is there, almighty God! So, this Church is Holy Ground- and should be respected, just as the Israelites respected the Ark and its dwelling.

And then the Exodus story continues with all of the words about following the Lord. When the cloud lifted and left; that was the time for the Israelis to leave. Likewise, when we consume the Lord in the Eucharist, we leave and go out into the world after Mass. We are called to follow after Jesus example in the Gospel, just as the Israelites followed the Lord and his Ark of the Covenant.

Do you understand all these things? Because then you, too, have to integrate the Old with the New. You are challenged to respect the God of our ancestors in his ever-present form in our Tabernacle. And you are challenged to live the Gospel when you leave here with the Lord dwelling within you. And that is a real challenge.

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Opening Our Minds and Hearts to God

Thursday, July 23rd, 2015

Thursday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time

Ex 19: 1-2, 9-11, 16-20b; Mt 13:10-17

Deacon Larry Brockman

Just a few weeks ago, thunder and lightning struck my house. In a split second, my world suddenly stood still. As I busily worked away on my computer, I suddenly heard a shot like a cannon, and saw a flash of blinding light. It was as if time stood still- and yet, it was all over in a fraction of a second! My well controller, my TV, my hi-fi, my computer, and my ham radio station were all decimated in that split second; but miraculously, Jane and I were OK.  It was terrifying.

With that in mind, can you just imagine for a moment what it must have been like to be in that crowd of Israelites standing at the foot of Mount Sinai when the Lord made His presence known on that third day? There was deafening thunder, constant lightning, and fire consuming this vast mountain, right in their midst, virtually surrounding them- with the mountain wreathed in thick smoke, not just for an instant, but for an extended period of time.

You would think that God’s word to Moses after he ascended that mountain and came down with the ten commandments, would be something that everybody that lived through that experience would respect and honor and keep out of sheer respect for the awesome power that was Almighty God. Yet, that was not the case. Rather, the Exodus continued with the Israelis constantly whining and complaining and disobeying the law.

So, what is the lesson learned for us? Well, even if God hits us over the head directly with a loud and unmistakable message, we can easily miss it or forget it. So, then, what works? How best can God communicate with our human nature so that we “get it”, and keep it?

Well, along came Jesus and the New Order a couple of thousand years later that we hear about in our Gospel. Jesus calls a few simple minded folks to join him as Apostles and Disciples. They were nothing special by worldly standards- fisherman, tax collectors, and common folk. And Jesus goes out preaching the New Order to the crowd, not directly, but in parables.

When the Apostles ask him “why parables for the crowd?”, they got this answer: “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted”. So, I ask you, what did Jesus mean by that? Just how was this knowledge granted to the Apostles? By Faith and Grace, that’s how. The Apostles came to believe in Jesus, and by the grace of God, they went away many times after hearing Jesus speak, thought about it; pondered it in their minds. And then came to certain conclusions, to a certain “knowing” about who Jesus was and what it all meant. The peals of thunder and flashes of lightning didn’t work with the Israelis- but Faith and Grace and quiet reflection did work for the Apostles.

You know what, thousands of years have passed since this Gospel scene, and we are the people in the crowd today­- a people who are looking for a miracle; a strong, unmistakable message from God; a vision for the future. Like the crowd in Jesus time, we are looking for the easy way out, but we are not going to get it because our ears are not tuned in and our eyes are blind. Rather, Jesus speaks to us best through the legacy of the Gospel in parables; parables that have multiple layers of meaning; parables that we have to go away and read over and over again. And by Faith and Grace and reflection, we will have our eyes and ears and minds opened to the truth.

So, do yourself a favor. Set aside some time to do just that. Seek God in his Word to us, and study and ponder it. Take advantage of the many opportunities available to you to listen and reflect on God and his Word.  Then your eyes and ears and mind will be opened to the truth.

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On Preaching the Truth

Thursday, June 18th, 2015

Thursday of the 11th Week of Ordinary Time

2 Cor 11: 1-11; Mt 6: 7-15

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

Listen again to these words Paul had for the Corinthians: “For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached…”.  Then these words are followed by an appeal to the Corinthians to test and validate the preaching they have received.  Paul goes on to make it clear that knowledge, real knowledge, and first-hand experience of God are the kinds of tests needed; not what the preacher charges for his services.

You see, Paul is clearly implying that the Corinthians somehow felt that these other preachers were more credible then Paul was because they charged for their services and Paul didn’t.  We can relate to that because we are used to hearing “You get what you pay for”.  But when it comes to knowing God; that just doesn’t apply.

I get the impression that the Corinthians had just been visited by some slick tongued, new wave preacher who preached a “New Jesus”, different from the one that Paul preached.  It must have sounded good; maybe even made them feel good about themselves; but the question was- was it the truth based on real knowledge of God and his message for mankind?  Paul claims knowledge and first-hand experience of Christ as his credentials; not a noble income for his eloquent words.  And in the case of the Corinthians, Paul was not even requesting that the Corinthians defray his room and board.  There was no question of an ulterior or self-serving motivation in Paul’s case.

We live in a pluralistic society, with the airwaves and the TV constantly bombarding us with messages.  Secular voices and religious voices abound competing for our time all promising to be able to make sense out of life, or to make life better.  For example, there are megachurches out there claiming to Minister to every aspect of life- children’s programs, programs for the elderly, and sponsorship of all kinds of social settings.

But I wonder if these organizations pass the tests that Paul just suggested to the Corinthians.  Or are their messages short on knowledge of God, and big on what is convenient and pleasing to hear; all for the value of the contributions that keep them afloat.

You see, God’s message is not about meeting our worldly needs and wants.  Rather, it is about meeting our spiritual needs.  It would be great if the brothers and sisters in our Churches would be generous so that everyone’s worldly needs were met as well.  But the main focus of our faith must always be on understanding God’s truth and then applying it.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus contrasts two styles of prayer.  The first method is long winded, with lots of words.  It apparently is pleasing to the ear as well.  The second is remarkably simple and characterized by humility, concern for others, and truth.  But it is the second style of prayer that we need to adopt as Christians, a humble and sincere desire for God and His truth.  Once we understand and know God, then we can properly deal with social justice and meeting the worldly needs of others.

Most governments, and ours is no exception, have clearly shown that efforts to meet the physical needs and wants of the people go astray unless they have got the underlying motivation correct.  That’s what Paul was trying to say.  Teach the Jesus of the Gospel; preach the values of Christianity according to the Gospel; and then practice the values we preach and teach.

Sometimes this is harder to do than it seems because the truth is not acceptable to some people.  But the truth has a nagging and stubborn quality about it.  It doesn’t go away no matter how much one tries to water it down, because God is there to remind us through our consciences.  Respect for God, respect for all life that he created; the sanctity of marriage;   honesty; forgiveness, forbearance, and respect for authority- these are the kinds of values that God has preached through His Son Jesus to us in the Gospel.

All of these are based on love of God, and that calls for us to love our neighbors as ourselves.  But it is not the other way around.  It is not all about making others feel comfortable or accepted first.  It’s about learning God’s truth first; and then loving our neighbors as God loves us by applying it.

Recently, we have been hearing echoes of the kind of preachers Paul warned the Corinthians about.  They have been preaching a different Christ.  They have suggested the Church needs to change its teachings to get with the modern world.  The Church must stand firm for the truth.  As Paul put it:  “By the truth of Christ in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced…”

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What Tobiah Had That Seven Others Didn’t

Thursday, June 4th, 2015

Thursday of the 9th Week of Ordinary Time

Tob 6: 10-11, 7: 1bcde, 9-17, 8: 4-9a; Mk 12: 28-34

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

So “To love him… and to love your neighbor…is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices”!  This is what Jesus found so worthy in this Scribe because it showed that the man understood that a commitment to God must be with the heart, not just with the head.  God is looking for something more than compliance, even lavish compliance.

Do we have burnt offerings and altar sacrifices today that turn God off?  Maybe not literally; but how about this:  Some attend Mass every Sunday, but they leave early and race out of the parking lot to get to the Sunday special before the crowd arrives.  Other folks can give their fair share in the collection by all reasonable standards of measure, but they ignore a grieving or disaster stricken co-worker or neighbor.  Still others can smile and compliment the priest on his great message every Sunday, but forget the message the moment they return to their regular weekly routine.  God is looking into our hearts continually, looking to find who we really are, not who we think we are.  And our actions speak louder than our words and our wallets.

It seems to me that the story in Tobit kind of reinforces what God is looking for.  First of all, the story in the Book of Tobit is one of the most engaging and fascinating tales in the Bible.  It grieves me that our selection has left out the part about the fish.  Yet I am confident that just telling you that much will get some of you interested in reading the whole story.

From the selection we do have this morning, something is really clear.  Sarah must have been an unusually attractive woman.  Seven other men tried to marry Sarah.  All met a disastrous end and died on their wedding night.  One would think that after the second husband’s demise, the third through 7th suitors would have learned something; but apparently not.

Now, all 7 were entitled to marry her legally.  This is clear from the description of how meticulous her father Raguel was in the rest of the book.  Raguel would have followed the customs of the Jewish culture to the letter.  Each one of the seven former husbands would have followed the required law as well.  But something was amiss in their motivation.  Whether it was lust over Sarah’s beauty or Raguel’s riches, we don’t know, but they were preoccupied with themselves and their own will.  Clearly, the Lord intended Sarah for someone else.

On the other hand, something really stood out about Tobiah.  Tobiah met all the legal requirements to the letter as well.  But Tobiah was, first and foremost, following the wishes of his father, and he trusted in the Angel, God’s messenger, for guidance.

Following the wishes of the Father; trusting in the subtle guidance of a guardian angel- does that sound familiar?

Not only that, Tobiah’s mental attitude was different.  His first priority after entering the bridal suite was to offer a prayer to God.  And what a beautiful prayer it was as well.  He blesses and praises God; and then asks for a blessing from God for a long and fruitful marriage according to God’s will.

Loving God and our neighbor is a matter of the heart.  When we come to Mass; we should come eager to participate.  When we give; we should give of our time, talent, and treasure in ways that help us in our continual conversion of the heart; and when we hear the word of God, we should do our best to make it live in us.

That’s a tall order for all of us, to love God and our neighbor that way.  In involves accepting God’s will and trusting in Him as we go along.  That’s what the Scribe understood.  It’s what Tobiah put into practice.  And it is our challenge this morning.

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Recognizing the Mighty Works of God

Thursday, May 28th, 2015

Thursday of the 8th Week of Ordinary Time

Sirach 42: 15-25; Mark 10: 46-52

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

I have not been with you for the last three weeks.  Rather, my wife and I have been away on vacation.  We visited our son in Seattle and took an Alaskan Cruise.  When I read this morning’s first reading, I couldn’t help but recall both of these experiences from our trip,  because the works of God had been so manifest in both of them.

You see, my oldest son was told long ago that he couldn’t have children.   But when my son and his wife picked us up at the airport, it was clear that his wife was carrying a child.  It was their joyous surprise for Jane and I, and the answer to many, many prayers.  For what seemed so impossible was all of a sudden a reality. And this, truly, was something of the heart- a deep longing for fulfilment had been realized.  It was truly an answer to a prayer, and a manifestation of the wonderful works of God. What a joyous dinner we all had that night celebrating.

And then there were the multiple works of God that manifest themselves on that cruise. The weather was absolutely perfect the entire cruise. And in fact, it was in the 70’s, clear and cloudless, with bright sunshine at all three Alaskan ports we visited. The scenery was just magnificent, we were even blessed with an unfettered view of a Bald Eagle in the wild.  Words cannot express the beauty of the world we visited in those 7 days. Yes indeed, as Sirach says, “As the rising sun is clear to all, so the glory of the Lord fills all his works.”

My wife and I returned to reality earlier this week. And that’s when the words of the Gospel Reading struck me. Clearly, I had been blessed with vision of the wonderful works of God while I was on vacation- both works of the heart, and the physical beauty in the world around us. Like the beggar whose eyes were opened by the Lord, the cruise and my son’s announcement opened our eyes.        But when we are living our day to day lives, we can easily be blind, blind to the goodness that God works in our daily lives, and blind to the beauty of the world around us.

Indeed, each of us is blessed by talents, gifts, relationships, and environments which carry the same goodness and glory of the creator with them  that these gifts God gave us on our vacation do. We have only to open our eyes, and see them.

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Christians Are the New Chosen People

Friday, May 8th, 2015

Thursday of the 5th Week of Easter

Acts 15: 7-21; John 15: 9-11

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

Listen once more to these words from Acts:  “And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by granting them the Holy Spirit just as he did us.”

You know, all of us here bear a special gift- our Catholic Faith.  That gift guarantees us the fullest revelation of God’s message of His plan for mankind.  So we are truly a chosen people.  In that respect, we are no different from the Jews of Jesus time. They were the chosen people then by virtue of the writings and traditions of Moses and the prophets.  Indeed, the Jews enjoyed the fullest revelation of God’s plan for man up until the time of Jesus.

But things changed, didn’t they.  Because Jesus came and delivered a different message- the Good News of the Gospel.  Some of the Jews listened to that new message and the Christian Church was born.  But the Jews brought with them all the baggage of thousands of years of tradition and scripture and the law.  Now I want to be sure to emphasize that the Mosaic Law in all its detail was a good thing.  It was, after all, God’s word in as pure a form as mankind could express it at the time.  So, the Jewish converts wanted everyone who believed in Jesus to carry that baggage as well because they had their sights on complying with the letter of the law revealed by God over time, just as they had always done.

Our readings today set the record straight.  We would do well to listen to the essence of the message, because we find ourselves privileged as the chosen people bound by many Church laws and precepts.  And the Church rightly teaches that a true believer embraces all that the Church teaches.  But there is a little matter of priority and emphasis, isn’t there?  In all the words of scripture and the Catechism, where is the core of the teaching?  What is the most important thing in God’s eyes?

Jesus was quite critical of the Pharisees and Scribes precisely over this point.  In truth, the same dilemma applies to all Religious peoples.  For example:  Moslems obey the Ramadan fast law, and zealously guard against anyone who would draw an image of the prophet Mohammed because that’s what their aggregate teaching says.  Orthodox Jews believe in ritual washing of food; and dietary separation of dairy and meat for the same reason.  Hindus believe that cows are sacred.  I could go on and on.  And I don’t want anyone to misunderstand me, I’m not meaning to be critical.  I’m just trying to point out some details.  There are many things each of these Religions teaches.  But what is the most important thing in these and all religions?

For Christians, I think we heard it summarized in our two readings today.  First, God looks into the heart.  Yes, it is what is in our heart that matters.  Do our hearts believe in God, I mean really believe in God?  Do we believe in the story of Jesus as our savior?  And do we accept that God’s will is the blueprint for our lives so we can follow in his destiny?  Do we trust in Him no matter what happens?

Second, what kind of a God do we believe in?  Is he a distant, judging, critical God?  Or is he a God of love?  Jesus tells us pretty clearly in the Gospel.  He tells us that we should “Remain in my Love”.  So it is the loving God that we need to believe in.  And if we believe that God treats us with Love, then we have to believe that He treats everyone else with the same love, too.

And so, when a person believes in God in the heart; and embraces the love of God in his heart; then God will give them “His Holy Spirit” as it says in Acts.  This doesn’t just happen for Catholics, but for all who believe in God in their hearts, and act out of love.

The Apostles were evangelizing the world, and had to make adjustments to embrace those they converted.  We are called to evangelize, and to make adjustments as well.  Love of our neighbor is the most important evangelization we can do, especially those who are filled with the same Spirit of God, whether they are Catholic or not.

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Peter’s Pretty Bold Talk

Thursday, April 16th, 2015

Thursday of 2nd Week of Easter

Acts 5: 27-33; John 3: 31-36

Deacon Larry Brockman

 

Pretty Bold Talk, that’s what Peter’s speech to the Sanhedrin was.  You see, the Apostles had been herded in front of the authorities once before this, and told not to preach about Jesus.  And they magically escaped from them that first time.  So this was the second time the authorities summoned them.  Just think about it for a moment.  The authorities arrested, tried, convicted, and executed Jesus using the most painful and humiliating form of execution they had- the cross.  And in the time just after Jesus was buried the Apostles cowered together behind closed doors afraid that they would suffer the same fate as Jesus.  .

But, emboldened by the Resurrection, Jesus’ followers preached fearlessly in Jesus’ name, even after being arrested once, and despite the authorities command to stop.  They were bold and fearless, that’s how real the Resurrection was to them- a life changing experience; an experience that wiped out all fear of what those who run the world could or might do.

Now, in the Gospel, Jesus tells his Apostles early in his 3 year ministry that whoever listens to him, listens to God himself.  He tells them that most everyone will not listen; but everlasting life will be given to those who do listen.  Jesus showed his Apostles that everlasting life was real when he appeared to them in his Resurrected state. After that, nothing could hold them back. No more cowering in an upper room out of fear. The only thing that mattered was their faith in Jesus and following his commands.

This formula is the pattern that has been set for all of us. That’s what the celebration of Easter is all about, reminding us that the same promise made to the Apostles has been made to us.  We have heard about the Resurrection from the multiple Gospel accounts, eye witnesses who spread the word through countless generations to us.  And now, we are being called to be witnesses to the world, not just to the Resurrection, but to all that Jesus said and did during his ministry.

The other day, someone posted a cartoon on Facebook that made a fascinating point.  The cartoon showed Jesus sending his Apostles out two by two after the Resurrection.  And under it was the caption.  “And if they don’t like what you say, change your story”.  But Jesus was not running for office- Jesus was God’s messenger, and God’s word is absolute- not related to what it takes to be popular, and not related to the times.  Jesus words in our Gospel validate that the truth of God’s message takes precedence over everything else.

Did you know that the Government called some of our bishops in to a meeting when the HHS mandate was being considered  and basically told the bishops it was time to for the Church to get with it and come around to the 21st century.  They were pressuring our bishops to do just what the cynical cartoon I mentioned above said to do.  The bishops politely told the HHS no.

We are called to do the same in our lives, to be witnesses for Christ.  God’s word takes precedence, not what is politically correct; not what is expedient; and not what it takes to just get along.

There are lots of opportunities for us to be witnesses.  We may not be called on the carpet in front of the authorities as the Apostles were, but people challenge our Catholic teachings all the time- teachings on Abortion, on marriage, on the Eucharist,  on belief in God, and on the dignity of all human persons.  They challenge us in our jobs, in our social settings, and in our communities.  And we are called to be witnesses of the truth, just as Jesus was in our Gospel.  We are called to speak up, and not be silent on the inconvenient and unpopular truth of the word of God.

And have no fear, because God does not ration his spirit; He will inspire all of us to do and say the right thing if we vow to be his witnesses to the truth.

That’s pretty bold talk, isn’t it?

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Religious “Mugwumps” (U)

Thursday, April 9th, 2015

Easter Thursday

Acts 3: 11-26; Luke 24: 35-48

Deacon Larry Brockman

So, how important is the Resurrection of Jesus to you?  Is the Resurrection just some religious doctrine that promises you everlasting life in the vague future?  Something that you put on the back burner while you live this life; or is the promise and reality of the Resurrection life changing to you, something that has affected your life style in a meaningful way from the first instance you heard of it?   

There’s a term used in American Politics called “Mugwump”.  It has its origins from an Algonquin Indian term for a great warrior.  But today, it means a person who can’t make up his mind on an issue;  One who has his mug on one side of the fence; and his wump on the other side of it.   

Some people come to Church each week, and celebrate with us.  Others come twice a year- Christmas and Easter.  But then they go back into the world, perfectly content, and even relishing, in the values of the worldly culture.  They are lured by the smug confidence and the commitment of the people of this world in one conviction-  the world is all there is, and one is a fool to not take advantage of it while they can.   

And so, these sometimes Catholics can’t seem to make up their minds.   Do they believe that Jesus gave eternal life to all who believe and follow him?  Or do they live this life for themselves to the fullest?    They are like Thomas, who heard all the prophets predict the death and Resurrection.  He heard Jesus himself predict it.  And yet even after it happened just as Jesus predicted and just as the prophets predicted, Thomas would not believe what the other Apostles told him because he didn’t see first-hand.  Rather, they need proof of the truth – like being able able to put their hands in the side of the risen Christ.  Life and the pleasures of this world seem so much more real to them on Monday then the promise of the Gospel did on Sunday.   

They are also like the Jews in today’s first reading.  Dazzled by the apparent miracle Peter and the Apostles worked.  How fickle that they should believe in Jesus when he entered Jerusalem; then doubt him and call for his execution a week later; then after the resurrection,  blow like the wind back again, attracted to the miracles worked by the Apostles in Jesus name.  But that is how it is with many people, isn’t it.  Their faith is weak.   

Jesus anticipated the Mugwumps of the world.  So he returned to his Apostles a second time when Thomas was there.  And he let Thomas put his hands in his side.  Then he ate a piece of fish- showing that he still had a human body like us but that he had transcended death into a Resurrected state.   

Jesus message I our Gospel today was very clear- the whole message summed up in the last two lines of this Gospel:  “Thus it is written that the Messiah 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.”  He ends with this:  “You are witnesses of all these things”.   

That’s where all of us come in.  We are to be the witnesses of all this.  We have heard the prediction of the prophets.  We have seen the fulfillment in the Gospel.  We have witnessed the Resurrection through the eyes of the Apostles.  And now, through the strength of our Faith, we need to radiate the certainty of our conviction that the Resurrection has changed our lives.    We need to do this whenever and wherever we relate to the great multitude of sometimes Catholics because we are not Mugwumps.  We are witnesses to all that Jesus said and did. 

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On Keeping a Covenant With God

Thursday, March 26th, 2015

Thursday of 4th Week in Lent

Gen 17:3-9; John 8: 51-59

Deacon Larry Brockman

When will we learn!  When will we learn what it means to keep God’s covenant.   

There is one thing for sure.  There is no question but that God has promised us everlasting life and happiness.  He has done it in the Multiple Covenants he has made with his people over the millennia.  First Adam and Eve, then Noah, then Abraham, and then Moses.  The message was simple each time:  “I will be your God and take care of you forever.  In fact, I will do one better than make a contract with you.  I will make a Covenant with you.”   

You see, a Covenant is an everlasting agreement as opposed to a contract which has escape clauses and finite lengths.  There is always just one thing about God’s covenants.   It is very accurately summed up in our first reading as:  “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”  That means keeping God’s word.  And yet, despite those four covenants between God and His people; the people broke the covenants by straying from God’s word.   

And so, God sent His only son, Jesus, to us.  He sent him in the form of a man, that’s what we call the Incarnation.  “The Word became flesh” as St. John put it.  We didn’t have to listen to third party prophets; rather, we had only to listen directly to the Word of God speaking to us in the flesh.  His Gospels, the Good News, recorded all that he did and said.   

That brings us to today’s Gospel.  The Jewish leaders hung up on Jesus assertion that:  “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never die.”  They still didn’t understand the covenant being offered by God: everlasting life for those who believe in God, His Son, and His Word.  Because people of this world focus on this world; they are skeptical of anything beyond this world.   

Then, there was the clincher.  Because later on in today’s Gospel Jesus tells us a mindboggling truth:  “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.”  Some Catholic commentators on the Gospel say that these words are beyond comment, because they tell us unmistakably, in Jesus own words, that he is God.  That means the New Testament Covenant words were spoken with the ultimate authority.   

You know, we are not just observers in all of this history.  We are part of it.  The Gospel was written for our benefit.  God so loved us that he gave His son and the Covenant promise to all of us.  The question is: are we skeptical and looking for worldly solutions?  Or do we believe in and live God’s Word?  Are we keeping His covenant?    Just like the cynical Jewish leaders of Jesus time, our world is full of cynics and unbelievers.  They demand proof in human terms rather than accept on Faith; they apply humanity’s limited logic and reason to divine law rather than accept that God means what he says; and they value and glorify only things that are of this world; rather than value the Covenant promise of life everlasting.  Some of them claim alternate revelation from God that denies Jesus is both God and man.  They “stone” those who believe by persecuting them, ridiculing them, bullying them, and even putting them to death.   

So, when are we going to learn what it means to keep God’s covenant?  When we learn to believe; and to follow God’s word no matter what happens to us.

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