Mass Readings – The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ
This homily takes a practical look at answering three questions:
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Study: Reflect on the Mass. What parts do you find most helpful?
Pray: Consider making a list of prayer needs for your use at Mass. Keep this list near you for reference when you go to Church.
Serve: Perhaps you know others who have been away from Mass for awhile. Consider making the effort to invite them to join you at Mass.
The Body & Blood of Christ Readings
The celebration of the Eucharist is the highest form of Christian prayer. Jesus defines the bread and wine and his body and blood, and then he commands his disciples to “take and eat…take and drink” in his memory. Besides the readings we will hear at Mass, some other crucial Scripture passages testify to this essential element of our faith:
What happens when we go to Mass? What do we encounter when we open our hearts to this hour long prayer? Here are few key points:
Of course in our fast paced, entertain-me-so-I-won’t-be-bored world, we can look upon the central prayer of the Church and wonder why the Mass doesn’t “get modern.” The reality is that the Mass continues to adapt to the culture and times. The real question is this: Do I come to the Mass with an open heart to encounter the Lord and his disciples? Do I come with a focus to offer my life to be renewed by Christ?
Here are seven ideas for getting the most out of Mass:
Jesus Christ gives us the gift of himself in every Mass. He defines what we do and commanded us to do it. Every time we come to Mass we encounter the Lord and allow his grace to transform our lives. May his Body strengthen our bodies; may his Blood flow through our veins.
After all, as his disciples, we have his work to do.
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The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci; 1494-1499, tempera on gesso, pitch and mastic, 460 cm x 880 cm, Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy.
Note: This blog was originally published on June 2, 2015.
Mass Readings – The Solemnity of the Holy Trinity
A central aspect of the mystery of the Holy Trinity is the sense of communion. Communion can thus serve as a measure showing just how far we have progressed in our journey as disciples. Simply put, are we striving to build unity with one another in all aspects of our lives? Do we foster our connections with the Lord and one another? For in the end, if we are going to enter into Heaven, then we have today to remove the obstacles that keep us from communion.
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Study: Reflect on the strongest relationships in our lives. What qualities and characteristics are present?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the guidance to see where we can build and renew our relationships.
Serve: Are there people around us that we need to forgive or assist? What steps can we take right now to start this process?
One God…Three Persons.
That’s the Trinity, and when you get right down to it, this central mystery of the Christian faith is just that – mystery. I have heard and used many images as illustrations to aid in understanding the Trinity:
These examples (and many like them) try to get at the notion of how something can be the same and different at the same time. How unity and diversity can be present at the same time; how the individual and the communal are manifested simultaneously.
It’s a mystery.
And at the heart of the mystery we have a communion of Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – a revelation that God comes to us in communion and invites us to be communion with others. We are not alone! God (in communion) invites us into this communion to create communion with one another.
Where do we find communion in our lives? Some obvious places:
You get the idea. Wherever two or more are present, the opportunity for communion is possible. The point: How strong is the communion we have have with God and one another? How united are we in faith, hope, and love?
May we reflect on the current state of our relationships today and renew them, allowing the grace of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – to bless the communion we have with those around us.
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Trinity, Andrei Rublev; 1411-1427 (est.), Tempera, 142 cm x 114 cm, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.
This post was originally published on May 26, 2015.
Like a power tool, our lives come alive with the power of the Holy Spirit when we:
Come Holy Spirit! Fill our hearts with the fire of your love!
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Mass Readings – The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary and Elizabeth – pregnant with Jesus and John the Baptist – meet and rejoice at the goodness of the Lord. Both women knew hardship, yet their faith inspires us to see God at work…in good times and in bad.
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Photo Credit: The Nativity Story, 2006.
Study: Where in my life have I experienced God’s grace and strength?
Pray: What particular needs in my life call for the help of the Holy Spirit?
Serve: Where can I use the gifts God has given me to serve another right now?
Mass Readings – Vigil of Pentecost
The image St. Paul uses in the 2nd reading this weekend is a body. Composed of different parts which do unique and special functions, the body is united when all the parts come together. So, too, all of us are united into the Body of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Look at these themes from Pentecost Mass Readings of the Day:
In other words, the Holy Spirit unites people, renews life, provides unique gifts, and is granted to the Church by Christ. This is the day that the disciples were empowered to continue the mission of Jesus; filled with the Spirit they will witness the Good News of the Lord through their words and actions.
Their example becomes our model. The same Spirit that changed their lives comes to us. The same Spirit that gave them the grace and strength to go forth gives us the power we need to offer our lives for Christ. God continues to invite us to serve, and the Lord pours forth the Holy Spirit to help us carry out the work of this day.
Are there barriers in our life? Come Holy Spirit!
Are there parts of life in need of renewal? Come Holy Spirit!
Are there gifts we have that need to be used and directed? Come Holy Spirit!
Jesus freely gave the gift of the Spirit to his disciples – may we turn to the Lord with conviction that as we call for the Holy Spirit in our lives we will be given what we need for the work of this day.
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
V. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Mass Readings – The Ascension of the Lord
We say in the creed, “He ascended into Heaven” yet we often do not consider what that means for our lives here on earth:
With Heaven as our home we can evaluate and review our words and actions in preparation for the day when the Lord calls us to follow Him from this world to the next.
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Study: Transitions are a time of uncertainty. Consider a time when you experienced a transition: how did it feel? How did you face it?
Pray: When faced with the unknown we come to the Lord for direction. Pray that the Holy Spirit will send both wisdom (to know what to do), and strength (so you can do it).
Serve: Who in your life is alone right now. How might you walk with another in a time of transition and uncertainty?
Mass Readings – The Ascension of the Lord
There are moments in life when it is difficult to say good-bye. Whether it is a relocation through work, the completion of school, or the death of a loved one, we know that these events challenge us to move on with the transitions in life.
The Feast of the Ascension marks one of these transitions in the Church. This feast demands that we ask the question, “Now what?” as the Lord is taken from our midst. The disciples must now discover the new ways that God is at work in their lives – especially now that Jesus is no longer with them.
But unlike other transitions, where people pass out of our lives and are separated from us by physical distances or death, Jesus leaves his disciples in a different way. By ascending into heaven he does not move out of our lives, but rather he comes into contact with all life. Through his ascension the Holy Spirit comes upon all people, and Jesus touches our lives in a new and mysterious way.
The mystery of the Ascension is closely connected to the Resurrection of Jesus. The early Church recognized that the saving work which God did through Jesus included both of these events. We say in the Creed, “…he rose from the dead…(and) ascended into heaven…” in the same breath – for these two events show that the Lord’s work is unlike anything else ever done before.
Through his Resurrection, death and sin no longer have power over Jesus Christ; his sacrifice on the Cross offers hope for the whole world. Through his Ascension, all people can know Jesus and the Spirit; taken up to heaven, the Lord is now present to all people regardless of time or space.
This feast reminds us that Christ does not abandon his people. The Lord is near, and we enjoy his presence even though we cannot touch him as the disciples did. We know that God walks with us, and we trust that the Lord will give us the strength to carry out the mission of the gospel through the transitions we face in this life.
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This blog was originally published on May 5, 2013.
Study: Where have I made sacrifices in my life? What do these sacrifices reveal about my values and priorities?
Pray: Reflect on those who are suffering right now. Draw near to them in your prayer, asking the Lord to give them strength.
Serve: Who is carrying a cross in your life today? How can you help them?
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast (10 minutes, given at Cathedral on April 3, 2015)
For what would you give your life? For who?
Perhaps this is too extreme as a starting point. Perhaps the first question should be where in my life have I made consistent sacrifices? Where in my life have I given up something because I believed in something more important?
Sacrifices reveal the depth and character of our heart. They show our values, principles, and convictions in straightforward and direct ways. Our sacrifices quickly point out the hidden parts of our soul – either to be confirmed/denied by the words we speak – and proclaim to others our inner self.
In general sacrifice means giving our lives – sometimes in simple service, minor inconveniences, labors of love, seasons of selflessness, or in extreme cases: offering our lives. We make sacrifices all the time.
So did Christ.
As we read the Passion of the Lord today we discover the love Christ has for every human soul; the Lord willingly hung upon the Cross for our sins – sacrificing his innocent life for the pains and hurts we have inflicted upon one another. His sacrifice reveals his love for us (even on our worst days) as something so precious that it is worth all the pain and humiliation that the devil could provide.
Where do we see ourselves in the Passion? What crosses have we been given to carry – participating in some small way with the Cross of Christ? Or are we like Simon of Cyrene or Veronica – assisting with others in their own journey to Calvary? Are we making sacrifices or offering support for others in their need? We read the Passion every year on Good Friday to remind ourselves not only of what the Lord has done for us, but also that we, too, have a part to play. Our crosses participate in the Cross of Christ; our support for one another shares in the comfort which others offered to Jesus.
May this Good Friday drive us to our knees – thanking the Lord for what he did for us, and inspiring us to walk willingly with others in their need.
This post was originally published on April 3, 2015
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Walking with the Lord in Holy Week (March 9-12, 2015 – Our Lady of the Valley – Green Valley, AZ) This parish mission takes the listener on a journey with Christ – from his entry into Jerusalem, through the Last Supper, his Passion, and his Resurrection.
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 