Daily Retreat 05/03/08

2008 May 3 Sat: Philip and James, aps F
1 Cor 15: 1-8/ Ps 18(19): 2-3. 4-5/ Jn 14: 6-14

From today’s readings:  “For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that He was buried; that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve....  The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims His handiwork....  I am the way, and the truth and, the life.  ”

Philip and James

Philip’s request to Jesus (“Lord, show us the Father...”) elicited a profoundly rich theological response from Christ: “Philip, after I have been with you all this time, you still do not know Me?  Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father!”

The unity between Jesus and God the Father is one of the central themes in John’s Gospel, and the beautiful thing is, Christ desired ardently to share and extend that unity to His followers (cf. John chapter 17).  The very purpose of the Resurrection of Christ and Descent of the Holy Spirit can be found in the Lord’s commitment to establishing that unity in His Church.

Philip and James, and the rest of the Apostles that witnessed the Resurrected Christ, spent their whole lives evangelizing to the world about that God-Love that defines our lives and the entire universe.   That’s the Gospel that has been preached to us, which we have received, and in which we, like Philip and James, hope to always stand firm!

Daily Retreat 05/02/08

2008 May 2 Fri: Athanasius, bp, dr M
Acts 18: 9-18/ Ps 46(47): 2-3. 4-5. 6-7/ Jn 16: 20-23

From today’s readings:  “Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you....  God is king of all the earth....   I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you....”

Good Reason for Great Courage

In contrast to Athens, the city of Corinth gave Paul an overall warm welcome, which is why he stayed there for a year and a half before returning to Antioch and thus ending his second missionary journey.  During his stay, he wrote his letters to the Thessalonians, which are generally recognized as the oldest parts of the New Testament.  Later, on his third missionary journey, Paul would also write profound epistles to the Corinthians themselves.

The Lord’s words to Paul at Corinth are words for us as well:
“Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you....”   Christ’s comforting, joy inspiring presence is the cause of our courage!

Daily Retreat 05/01/08

2008 May 1 Thu: ASCENSION THURSDAY
Acts 1: 1-11/ Ps 46(47): 2-3. 6-7. 8-9 (6)/ Eph 1:17-23/ Mt 28:16-20
(In some regions, the liturgical celebration of the Lord’s Ascension is transferred to Sunday)

From today’s readings:  “[Jesus] presented Himself alive to them by many proofs after He had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God....  God mounts His throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord....  May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to His call, what are the riches of glory in His inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power for us who believe. ....  Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age!”

Where Christ, Our Head, Has Gone, We Hope to Follow!

The beginning of the Acts of the Apostles specifies that Jesus was on earth for forty days after His Resurrection, before ascending into Heaven.  So today, forty days after Easter, the scriptures direct our attention to this mystery, which is unfortunately overlooked by many Christians in their celebrations of Eastertide.  In Luke 9:51, Jesus begins His climatic journey to Jerusalem which was to culminate in His being “taken up.” In the original Greek, the same verb is used in this verse as Luke uses in the Acts of the Apostles to refer to Christ’s Ascension, so this day marks the corporeal completion of the Paschal mission. The First Eucharistic prayer especially highlights this importance of the Ascension, mentioning it at the anamnesis (right after the “mystery of faith” acclamation) along with the Passion and Resurrection as the completion of the Paschal triptych.  

Since baptism makes a person a member of the Body of Christ, the members share in the destiny of Christ the Head.  Since Christ has ascended into Heaven, that is the hope to which all the members of His Body press toward.  As the Catechism of the Catholic Church mentions (§662):

 "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." The lifting up of Jesus on the cross signifies and announces His lifting up by His Ascension into Heaven, and indeed begins it. Jesus Christ, the one priest of the new and eternal Covenant, "entered, not into a sanctuary made by human hands. . . but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf." There Christ permanently exercises His priesthood, for He "always lives to make intercession" for "those who draw near to God through Him". As "high priest of the good things to come" He is the center and the principal actor of the liturgy that honors the Father in Heaven.

Daily Retreat 04/30/08

2008 Apr 30 Wed: Easter Weekday/ Pius V, pp, r
Acts 17: 15. 22 -- 18: 1/ Ps 148: 1-2. 11-12. 13. 14/ Jn 16: 12-15

From today’s readings:  “God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now He demands that all people everywhere repent....   Praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His majesty is above Earth and Heaven....  When He comes, the Spirit of truth, He will guide you to all truth!”

“I have much more to tell you....”

God is divine and infinite - we are human and finite.  So, it stands to reason that we could (and should) spend our whole lives learning more about God, and getting to know Him better.  While it’s true that saintly scholars such as Thomas Aquinas learned and taught much about God, in humility, neither Thomas nor any other Doctor of the Church ever considered himself some kind of an expert about God!

It’s essential that we never lose that humility in our own Christian discipleship.  As a pastor, one of my greatest concerns is in regards to the number of Christians who seem to have little interest in deepening their faith and understanding of God.  A kindergartner who can perfectly recite the alphabet understands that this skill is just the beginning of reading, and a child who masters the multiplication tables still has so much more to learn about mathematics.  And yet, so many people are content to learn just the scantiest basics about God, and then conclude that there’s better things to do with their time and effort than ongoing faith formation.

To be sure, earthly life doesn’t end with a big pass or fail quiz about how much one has academically learned about God.  But, on the other hand, this life indeed is, and should be recognized as the crucial pass/fail test about how much we’ve accepted and applied God’s initiatives in our own lives.  If there were merely some magic formula for salvation (e.g., “I believe in Jesus as my personal Lord and savior”), then Jesus Himself would not have so diligently spent Himself in patiently teaching His disciples, and it would not have been necessary to send the Holy Spirit to guide the Church to the fullness of truth.

Even after spending three years in daily communion with Jesus, the apostles were still told by Him, “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.”  Surely then, you and I can also recognize that we still have so much to learn from Him, and He will teach us, as we progress in our readiness and eagerness to learn!

Daily Retreat 04/29/08

2008 Apr 29 Tue: Catherine of Siena, v, dr M
Acts 16: 22-34/ Ps 137(138): 1-2ab. 2cde-3. 7c-8/ Jn 16: 5-11

From today’s readings:  “He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God....   In the presence of the angels I will sing Your praise; I will worship at Your holy temple, and give thanks to Your name....  But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you.”

Overturning the World’s Judgment

Having spent three years in daily communion with Jesus, the apostles must indeed have been filled with sadness at the idea that their Lord would be leaving them.  And yet, Jesus insisted that it was better for Him to go, for His departure would not mean the absence of divine presence in their lives, but rather, His return to Heaven would be the catalyst for the sending of the Holy Spirit.   And the Holy Spirit would disseminate and amplify the experience of God’s presence!

Moreover, the Advocate would completely reverse the world’s judgment on Jesus “in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation.”  For the world impugned Jesus as a sinful blasphemer and insurrectionist, but the works of the Holy Spirit testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so, the sin is found among those who stubbornly refuse to believe in Him.  And the world maintained that righteousness demanded the conviction of Jesus, but the Resurrection and Ascension certifies instead the perfect righteousness of Jesus.  And while the world condemned Jesus, the divine and definitive judgment instead establishes the eternal condemnation of the diabolic ruler of the world.

In other words, the world’s judgment and view of things is, in the end, only transitory, even when that seems momentarily so daunting and entrenched.  But since God’s judgment and view is eternal and ultimate, we Christians are reminded to adopt only the divine criteria as the guiding standard for our lives!

Daily Retreat 04/28/08

2008 Apr 28 Mon: Easter Weekday/ Peter Chanel, p, r, ms, mt/ Louis Mary de Montfort, p
Acts 16: 11-15/ Ps 149: 1b-2. 3-4. 5-6a and 9b/ Jn 15: 26 -- 16: 4a

From today’s readings:  “...the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying....   The Lord takes delight in His people....   I have told you this so that you may not be scandalized.”

Remembering What He Told Us

All four of the gospels mention that the disciples often enough did not completely understand the words of Jesus at the time they were spoken.  However, even when they didn’t understand completely, the disciples still listened attentively to the Lord, and so after His Resurrection and the pentecostal inspiration from the Holy Spirit, they were able to prayerfully recall and come to understand fully the  teachings of Jesus.

For our part, it is important that we too listen attentively and strive to comprehend the sacred words of scripture.  Yet, even after carefully listening throughout the Liturgy of the Word and re-reading the lectionary verses, it can happen that certain passages will remain unclear to us for the moment.  Often, more in-depth scripture study will be enlightening, but most importantly, if we humbly pray that the Lord will help us understand and remember His words, He certainly will give us that blessing in the time and circumstances He deems best, for His words of life are meant to guide us all our life!

Daily Retreat 04/27/08

2008 Apr 27 SUN: SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Acts 8: 5-8. 14-17/ Ps 65(66): 1-3. 4-5. 6-7. 16. 20/ 1 Pt 3: 15-18/ Jn 14: 15-21

From today’s readings:  “ Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit....  Let all the earth cry out to God with joy....  Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope....  Whoever has My commandments and observes them is the one who loves Me.... ”

The Fullness of the Faith

We all are aware we live in a competitive world - the pressures that come with that aren’t altogether good, of course, but neither is competition something altogether bad, because, after all, the spirit of competition does much to cultivate excellence - although it’s perhaps even more true that the desire and demand for excellence cultivates competition.  We’re all the beneficiaries of competition in the marketplace - the automobiles we have today, for instance, are much safer and more durable than what was manufactured twenty years ago, and the computers we have today are exponentially more powerful, yet paradoxically less expensive than what was available ten years ago.  The marketplace competition is based on a combination of the elements of price, performance,  and perception.

Cynics have noted that even religion is competitive, and, to be fair, there is some truth in the claim.  Many answers have been proposed to man’s search for ultimate meaning, each different answer competing with the others - how does one sort through them?  Simple - by seeking and demanding excellence in evaluating the criteria of price, performance, and perception.

We’re all familiar with price, the question of “How much is this going to cost me?”  And I imagine we’ve all made bad decisions by the instinctive reflex to always choose the cheapest product - but that policy so often proves to be “penny wise, but pound foolish” as we discover we’ve acquired very little value, even for a low price.  Yet in our modern world, so many settle on whatever religion will cost them the least - and here, I don’t mean cost primarily in terms of dollars and cents, as in terms of demands on a person’s time and moral fibre.  So if a religion has a more permissive ethical code, that’s a “selling point,” and so, many denominations have marked down morality to appeal to the lowest common denominator.  Christ posted His price clearly, saying, “If you love Me, keep My commandments!”  So let’s be frank: genuine Christianity always demands and costs more than imitation Christianity!

So why would does one ever pass up the cheapest product in order to pay more for something else?  Generally, it’s a matter of performance - what we get for our investment.  If a collection of products all have the same performance, then it’s a “no-brainer” to choose the cheapest one.  But when the costlier product offers more, when it has more features, better material, enhanced durability, etc., then the cheaper product starts appearing more and more for what it is - something cheap!  After all, if something’s “worth it,” then it’s worth it!  This goes for religion as well.  For a quick example, consider that many Christian denominations, for instance, count only one, or two, or maybe three sacraments, whereas the Catholic Church continues to showcase seven sacraments!  And some of those Protestant denominations, like the Samaritans in the Acts of the Apostles, have “only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,” whereas the true Apostolic Church (represented by Peter and John and their successors) is prepared to offer so much more, and even insists on more, and so “prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit.”

But it’s not just a matter of price and performance - there’s also the issue of perception.  Many times, an inferior product that is slickly packaged and aggressively marketed can outsell something clearly superior.  This goes for religion as well, which is why, in his letter, St. Peter, the first Pope, insists that Christians  “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope....”  Taking that marketing advice to heart, Pope John Paul the Great circled the globe, constantly preaching and explaining the reason for our Christian hope, and his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, is clearly determined to stick to that strategy.  But Peter’s letters were not just for his successors - just as much as John Paul II and Benedict XVI, you too ought “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope....”  But in order to give a full explanation, you and I need to study our faith, we need to pay the full price of discipleship, and utilize and advertise the full package of principled performance, and give our full heart to helping others come to the full perception of the fullness of the faith!

Daily Retreat 04/26/08

2008 Apr 26 Sat: Easter Weekday
Acts 16: 1-10/ Ps 99(100): 1b-2. 3. 5/ Jn 15: 18-21

From today’s readings:  “Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number....  Let all the earth cry out to God with joy....  If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.”

Getting Along with the World

The inspired authors of holy scripture all assumed that future readers would be able to make common sense distinctions, but extremely literal approaches to scripture study run the risk of collapsing such differentiations.  For example, particularly in the 4th Gospel, the word “world” is used in two quite different contexts.  In the first case, “world” simply denotes the whole theater of redemption, e.g.,“For God so loved the world....  God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:16-17).

But, in addition to that neutral connotation, in other contexts, “world” is decidedly negative.  Consider, for instance, the words of Jesus to His disciples as the Last Supper:
“If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you” (John 15:19).  Here, “world” means everything opposed to Jesus, the whole temporal, material, and secular spirit that overlooks or rejects anything authentically eternal, spiritual, and supernatural.

A good part of the challenge of Christian living consists of honing the proper balance of attitude and conduct toward the “world” in each sense of the word.  “God so loved the world....”  - and so we too are called to love everyone in the world and rejoice in the whole beauty of creation.  “Because you do not belong to the world...” - so we, like Christ Himself, need to reject the worldly spirit of secularism in order to focus always and in all ways on the heavenly world that does not pass away.

Daily Retreat 04/25/08

2008 Apr 25 Fri: Mark, ev F
1 Pt 5: 5b-14/ Ps 88(89): 2-3. 6-7. 16-17/ Mk 16: 15-20

From today’s readings:  “The God of all grace who called you to His eternal glory through Christ Jesus will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little....  Blessed the people who know the joyful shout....  Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature....”

Mark His Word

Our God is alive and active in our lives - certainly all of us have experienced His blessings and His presence. But we probably take for granted much of what we know about Him - Holy Scripture reminds us about the Salvation History that began long before our time.

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Mark. His Gospel is the shortest, and probably the earliest written. The Gospel passage in the lectionary  today recall Christ's great commissioning of His  Apostles at the end of His time on earth, but in  order to grasp the full significance of that  moment, it's important to read Mark's whole Gospel  to understand those final words.

If you've never sat down and read a whole book  of the Bible, St. Mark's Gospel is a great place  to start.  The sixteen chapters can be read in just  an hour or two, and by reading the whole Gospel,  one is able to connect the teachings and actions of  Christ throughout His whole life and make them a  part of our whole lives!

Daily Retreat 04/24/08

2008 Apr 24 Thu: Easter Weekday/ Fidelis of Sigmaringen, p, mt
Acts 15: 7-21/ Ps 95(96): 1-2a. 2b-3. 10/ Jn 15: 9-11

From today’s readings:  “By faith, He purified their hearts....  Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations....  If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.”

Love and Commandments

St. John is well known as the evangelist who best stressed the dimension of divine love, but it’s essential to also note that, in both his Gospel and his letters, the love of God is emphatically connected with the fulfillment of His commandments.

There’s a tendency to resent any commandment from another as a restriction and an imposition on our freedom, but as St. John explains elsewhere, God’s commandments aren’t burdensome (cf. 1 John 5:3).  Quite the contrary - since God is our loving Creator, He knows and wants what is best for us, and so His commandments give clear direction for us to likewise choose what is best for us.

As Jesus insists, only by keeping the divine commandments, can we remain in God’s love.  And the commandments and teachings of Christ, far from being a bitter burden, show us the very source of happiness, for as Jesus explained  “I have told you this so that My joy might be in you, and your joy might be complete!”

Daily Retreat 04/23/08

2008 Apr 23 Wed: Easter Weekday/ George, mt/ Adalbert, bp, mt
Acts 15: 1-6/ Ps 121(122): 1-2. 3-4ab. 4cd-5/ Jn 15: 1-8

From today’s readings:  “They were sent on their journey by the Church, and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria telling of the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brethren....  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord....  I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine grower.”

Can you bear to be pruned?

Not even the greatest saints ever presumed that they had reached human perfection - each of them humbly realized their faults and their need of the Savior’s continual sanctification.  Jesus Himself taught that even the disciples that counted as “fruitful branches” would be subject to ongoing purification, for every branch that bears fruit, the Father “prunes so that it bears more fruit.”

In short, Christianity leaves no grounds for complacency.  While one can and should rejoice in the harvest of the good fruits of committed Christian discipleship, there’s no place in this life for resting on one’s laurels, for there’s always room for improvement.

Sometimes, you and I can take some initiative in this pruning process, such as when we apply scripture lessons to our lives diligently, and make thorough examinations of conscience, and sacramentally confess our sins regularly, and devote ourselves to legitimate penitential practices.

At other times, though, we find ourselves being pruned in unexpected (and even painful) ways, as we struggle to carry the crosses that come our way.  But, after all, since the crucified Christ is Himself the divine vine, only those branches grafted to the arms of the Cross fully tap into the divine tree of life!

Daily Retreat 04/22/08

2008 Apr 22 Tue: Easter Weekday
Acts 14: 19-28/ Ps 144(145): 10-11. 12-13ab. 21/ Jn 14: 27-31a

From today’s readings:  “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God....  Let all Your works give You thanks, O LORD, and let Your faithful ones bless You....  Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”

The Gift of Peace

One of the aspects of authentic Christianity that appeals to believers and unbelievers alike is the commitment to peace.  But, as Christ Himself explains, “Not as the world gives, do I give [peace] to you.”  

At the most primitive level, peace can be defined as “the absence of war or hostilities.”   While Jesus certainly condemns wanton violence, He never advocated the type of radically compromising pacifism that would grasp for peace even at the price of principle - if necessary, Jesus is reconciled to being the source of division in order to put an end to such false peace (cf. Luke 12:51).

We can also speak of interior peace, the freedom from all disturbances.  Here again, the world offers a pseudo-brand of such peace, for example, in the form of euphoric pop psychology which would anesthetize even the legitimate pricks of conscience.  

But the peace that Jesus gives is more than the world can give, for it is the peace that He Himself possessed!  At every moment, Jesus was fully aware of God the Father’s love and providence, which infinitely outweigh all troubles and fears.  Even in the midst of bitter exterior cold, one can bundle up in a cozy coat, and look ahead to a warm hearth of welcome, and likewise, even when faced with the most perturbing threats and problems of this life, we can take comfort in the peace that Jesus gives His followers in this life, and the fullness of peace to which He calls us in the next life.

Daily Retreat 04/21/08

2008 Apr 21 Mon: Easter Weekday/ Anselm, bp, r, dr
Acts 14: 5-18/ Ps 114(115): 1-2. 3-4. 15-16/ Jn 14: 21-26

From today’s readings:  “ We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them....  May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth....  The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name— He will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

How to Love God

In an age of unbridled anarchy, obedience itself is derided as demeaning - even divine obedience, as if the fulfillment of God’s commandments were somehow an impingement on human freedom.  The tragedy of Eden’s fall is relived again and again as man gives ear anew to the Tempter’s tired tune: “God is a deceptive, divine despot who curtails human freedom for His own selfish ends!”

Emboldened by an audaciously exaggerated autonomy, man soon stops believing in God, or else starts treating Him as a senile grandfather, who, for the sake of good P.R.,  might be still occasionally honored in public, but can be safely ignored in private.  

But in his Gospel and letters, St. John repeatedly emphasizes the point Jesus Himself brought up more than once: love of God always goes hand-in-hand with obedience of God’s commands.   In other words, it is an outright lie for one to claim to love God while dismissing His commandments as “no longer applicable.”   

Divine mercy still can appeal to those who transgress God’s law but then repent; however,  those who obstinately attempt to usurp or replace God’s moral laws with their own indulgences thereby define themselves as too self-reliant to ever stand in need of God’s commandments, corrections, or clemency.

Daily Retreat 04/20/08

2008 Apr 20 SUN: FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Acts 6: 1-7/ Ps 32(33): 1-2. 4-5. 18-19 (22)/ 1 Pt 2: 4-9/ Jn 14: 1-12

From today’s readings: “Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word....  Lord, let Your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in You....  Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ....  Do not let your hearts be troubled.... ”

Christ Our Hope

It’s still Easter!  The Church insists that Christ’s victory over sin and death is not something to be celebrated in just one day - rather, for fifty days, beginning on the Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection, all the way until Pentecost Sunday, and indeed, continuing unabated on every Sunday of the year, we, God’s people, ennobled by His sacrifice and sacramental adoption, we celebrate, and proclaim to all the world, that Christ is risen, and that makes all the difference not just in our lives, but also in the whole fabric of human history!

For this reason, Pope Benedict XVI has proclaimed the theme of “Christ Our Hope” throughout his visit this week to the United States.  Recordings and texts of all of his appearances are available at this website:  http://www.uspapalvisit.org/

Christians can never tire of savoring anew that eternal truth: Christ is our Hope!  Even at Ground Zero, which Pope Benedict XVI will visit today, and wherever it seems hope has been  obliterated, the Resurrection of Christ is the guarantee that evil never has the last word, for Christ Himself is the everlasting Word!

Daily Retreat 04/19/08

2008 Apr 19 Sat: Easter Weekday
Acts 13: 44-52/ Ps 97(98): 1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4/ Jn 14: 7-14

From today’s readings:  “ The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit....  All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God....  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?”

Communion

At the Last Supper, Jesus spoke quite a bit about His unity, His communion, with God the Father.  He was concerned that His disciples understand that unity and communion with Him (Jesus) was equivalent to unity and communion with God the Father.

So, when Philip asked Jesus to “show us the Father,” his request betrayed the disciples’ own lack of understanding in this fundamental matter.  For Philip and the others were evidently looking for a theophany, a personal revelation of God, such as when He appeared to Moses in the Book of Exodus.   But as Jesus patiently and persistently explains, He Himself is the incarnated theophany, God-in-the-flesh, so that “whoever has seen Me [Jesus], has seen the Father.”

For many people today, the whole concept of “unity with God” is dismissed as abstract and personally irrelevant, even though, in point of fact,  the quest for unity with God is actually the defining task of our earthly existence.    Thus,  Jesus gave His all to show that unity to God was not to be reduced to some meaningless merely mental pursuit, but rather, because of the Lord’s incarnated theophany, unity with God is the intimate and intensely personal communion with His loving Divine and Real Presence.

Daily Retreat 04/18/08

2008 Apr 18 Fri: Easter Weekday
Acts 13: 26-33/ Ps 2: 6-7. 8-9. 10-11ab/ Jn 14: 1-6

From today’s readings:  “We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you that what God promised our fathers He has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm, You are My Son; this day I have begotten You....  I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Room for You!

“In My Father's house, there are many dwelling places.”  The words of our Savior smack of hospitality, generosity, true charity, and comfort.  The Father's house is spacious and roomy - there's room there for you, and for me!  At the end of the long journey of our life, how comforting to know that Jesus has already prepared a place for us, a place with Him, no less!

So it's no wonder that no life here on earth, even one endowed with many blessings, no terrestrial house should be seen as a permanent home.   For all of us Christians, we who are baptized, are united to the Body of Christ - the Body of Christ, which suffered to achieve our redemption, died, was buried, rose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven.  So, logically, we who are united to the Body of Christ share in the same eternal destiny.  For the unity we enjoy with Christ is absolute:  Baptism and all the sacraments are much more than just a symbol - they effect a reality, the sacraments unite us and incorporate us to the Body of Christ.  Through Baptism, St. Paul reminds us that we are baptized into the Life of Christ, into the Redemptive sufferings and Death of Christ, and finally, into the Glorious Resurrection of Christ.

And this unity, this oneness, is further effected in the Holy Eucharist, when we receive Our Lord, and we give room for Him in our lives, so that He can remain in us, and we can remain in Him.  This is what it means to eat the Bread of Life, to nourish ourselves with the very flesh of Christ!  Since the Lord Himself has prepared such room for us, the least we can do is give Him generous room in our lives!

Daily Retreat 04/17/08

2008 Apr 17 Thu: Easter Weekday
Acts 13: 13-25/ Ps 88(89): 2-3. 21-22. 25 and 27/ Jn 13: 16-20

From today’s readings:  “From David’s descendants God, according to His promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus....  For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord....  Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”

The Lord’s Farewell Discourse

The Lord’s words at the Last Supper make up the longest section of the Gospel of St. John - chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, and chapter 17 (the final prayer).  The Apostles understood that Jesus was giving them His farewell discourse, but of course, there was much that they did not understand about what He had spoken to them until after His Resurrection.

That’s why the Church now reviews anew Christ’s parting words - starting today, the daily Gospel reading will follow that farewell discourse, thus directing you and me to meditate afresh with Easter faith on the Lord’s last will and testament, for “if you understand this, blessed are you if you do it!”

Although Jesus explicitly states that He is indeed leaving, He paradoxically also insists that He will nonetheless continue to stay with His Church, for, as He explains to the Apostles, “...whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”  God’s abiding presence is, in fact, the central theme of the Last Supper!

Daily Retreat 04/16/08

2008 Apr 16 Wed: Easter Weekday
Acts 12: 24 -- 13: 5a/ Ps 66(67): 2-3. 5. 6 and 8/ Jn 12: 44-50

From today’s readings:  “The word of God continued to spread and grow....  May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear Him....  I came into the world as Light, so that everyone who believes in Me might not remain in darkness.”

Last Light

In St. John’s Gospel, the Last Supper and the Lord’s Farewell Discourse to His disciples begins with Chapter Thirteen.  So today’s verses, from the end of Chapter Twelve, recap the Lord’s final teachings to the general crowds before His Passion, and because of the urgency of this exhortation, the Gospel specifically notes that Jesus “cried out” His words of life, for all to hear.

Jesus stresses His unity with the heavenly Father, and in illuminating His divine mission, He explains, “I came into the world as Light, so that everyone who believes in Me might not remain in darkness.”  Without light, of course, we just fumble around in the darkness in a blind search for truth - tragically, that’s exactly what those who have rejected and ignored Christ end up doing with their lives.

But in the Light of Christ, the brilliant splendor of Truth shines fully!    This crucial insight is highlighted many times throughout the Gospel of John, so when Jesus “cried out” and reiterated this point in His final address to the crowds, He was again calling all to be guided by His Light to the fullness of all life!

Daily Retreat 04/15/08

2008 Apr 15 Tue: Easter Weekday
Acts 11: 19-26/ Ps 86(87): 1b-3. 4-5. 6-7/ Jn 10: 22-30

From today’s readings:  “It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians....   Glorious things are said of you, O city of God....  I told you and you do not believe.”

Never Enough

Particularly in the 4th Gospel, there are a number of times recorded when the crowd asked Jesus for clarification or proof, but even when He gave more than was asked, it still wasn’t enough for some people.  Rather than looking for reasons to believe in Jesus, such people were plainly searching desperately for reasons not to believe in Him.   So, regardless of what He would do or say, they would find some excuse to dismiss Him.

Every Christian has had some experience of the transforming presence of Jesus.  When you and I take the time to consider the history of these experiences, we can easily be overwhelmed in coming to realize just how much God has done for us.  On the other hand, we’re not immune to temptation, so if we start listening to the Devil’s suggestions, we too could end up imagining something inadequate on the Lord’s part in our life.

In moments of greatest temptation of whatever sort, it’s essential to remember Christ’s assertion, “My sheep hear My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of My hand.”  Temptation cannot take us away from Jesus, unless we give in to it.  For, even in the midst of temptation, if a person just prays and listens, the voice of Jesus can always be heard, directing us to the safe embrace of our Good Shepherd!

Daily Retreat 04/14/08

2008 Apr 14 Mon: Easter Weekday
Acts 11: 1-18/ Ps 41(42): 2-3; 43: 3-4/ Jn 10: 11-18

From today’s readings:  “God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too....  I will go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy....  I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep....”

More About Our Good Shepherd

One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Good Shepherd is the disposition to lay down his life for his sheep.  Jesus, in fact, mentions this trait several times.  So I bring your attention once again to this peculiarity of the Good Shepherd, his readiness to lay down his life for his sheep, because, like so many things Jesus said, the idea itself is disturbingly mind-boggling, but because we’ve all heard it before a number of times, we’ve become too numb to be shaken by the extraordinary words.

For, in the normal order of things, while it’s unquestionably noble and the supreme sacrifice of love for a man to lay down his life for his friends, it’s tragic for any man to lay down his life for mere sheep, whether it’s ten sheep, a hundred sheep, or even a million sheep - there’s no way any number of sheep can be counted as outweighing the life of a single human being.

Now, even the most confused literalist doesn’t believe that Jesus is here espousing a reckless style of actual shepherding, whereby the sheepman is expected, for instance, to be the wolf’s dinner to insure that sheep may safely graze.  So, are we then just to dismiss this self-sacrificing aspect of the Good Shepherd as  an inappropriately over-driven hyperbole?

Actually, the Lord’s figure of speech is not an exaggeration at all - if anything, it’s actually a restrained understatement to help us fathom the limitless love behind the divine decision that, in the person of Jesus, God Himself would lay down His life, willingly, for the sake of His “sheep,” His creatures, i.e., for you and for me, and for all of humanity.

In his novel Charlotte's Web, E.B. White writes of a spider who lays down her life, who gives her all, so that a runt pig may live.  Now, any farmer would, of course, be happy to trade all his resident spiders for any size of pig, no matter how small, and yet, despite the intrinsic worthlessness of her own arachnid life, Charlotte’s self-sacrifice successfully ennobles even the apparent worthlessness of Wilber’s swinish life.  That’s the transforming power of self-sacrifice!

To an infinitely higher degree then, the value of human life, which in itself, is already beyond simple human appraisal, was immeasurably ennobled by the inestimable self-sacrifice of the divine life of Jesus. As St. John writes, “Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are!”  No longer mere exalted creatures of God - we are God’s children, because the loving self-sacrifice of Jesus has ennobled our very nature!  

Jesus, the Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep.  He didn’t throw away His life, His life wasn’t taken from Him!  He lays down His life for His sheep, simply so that, in taking it up again,  we sheep may have a full share in His divine life!

P.S. Remember to pray for our Holy Father and good shepherd, Benedict XVI, as he travels to the USA.....

Daily Retreat 04/13/08

2008 Apr 13 SUN: FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Acts 2: 14a. 36-41/ Ps 22(23): 1-3a. 3b-4. 5. 6 (1)/ 1 Pt 2: 20b-25/ Jn 10: 1-10

From today’s readings: “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.... The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want....  For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls....  Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep.... ”

Good Shepherd Sunday

The fourth Sunday of Easter is known as “Good Shepherd” Sunday, because the Gospel reading always is taken from the section in Chapter Ten of St. John’s Gospel, in which verses Jesus develops the metaphor of Himself as the Good Shepherd.  The psalm takes up this imagery as well, as does the second reading, which concludes, “For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.”

Interestingly, Jesus also calls Himself, not just the Shepherd, but also the “gate for the sheep.... Whoever enters through Me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly!”  

In general, gates are designed to keep bad things out, and good things in.  Gates are positioned front and center (or at least the main gates are), allowing for clear access and optimal visibility.  So Jesus is the gate to Truth, because in His teaching, He always took care to be clear and accessible, so that by following Him, everyone could be enclosed in the fullness of truth and virtue, and keep sin and error out!

But instead of entering through the Gate of Christ to the fullness of Truth, some claim to have access to Truth through stealth or occult means, or some secret “back door.”  Such people may even study a sampling of Christ’s teachings, and then somehow presume that they know better than Jesus, or, at least that they know better than the Body of Christ, which is the Church!

Others, unwilling to enter the fullness of the Truth, attempt to just sit on the fence.   Even if they profess to recognize Jesus as the source of Truth, they hedge on a full commitment when it comes to leaving behind ALL sin and error which, as Jesus insists, has no place in the Christian sheepfold.

Still others, finding the Gate of Christ solidly shut to their own misconstrued ideas of Truth, futilely attempt to undermine the solid wall of Christ’s teachings.

But remember, there’s a reason for every gate - it was erected specifically to keep the bad out, and the good in, and so that when one is ready to enter, one doesn’t have to steal in furtively, or sit on the fence, or dig through dirt in vainly attempting to undermine the whole wall.

True, on the day of our baptism, all of us Christians decided to enter fully the Gate of Christ.  But ultimately, we’re not locked in - every temptation is a crisis which forces us to either re-commit to stay in Christ’s sheepfold by following His lead, or to go off on our own, to our own peril!  

The Good Shepherd stands as the Gate, first calling His sheep lovingly by name to stay close by Him, then clearly warning those who start to stray.  But still, some sheep insist on rejecting Christ’s voice, running away from Him and thereby tragically treating the Good Shepherd and Guardian of souls like a stranger!  Yet elsewhere in the Gospels, Jesus insisted that He diligently seeks out even those sheep who have strayed....

So, there’s a few questions for you and me today: Where are we grazing in relation to the Gate of Christ?  Are we fully in His flock, entirely out of it, or just trying to sit on the fence?  Do we recognize Him as the one Gate to the fullness of Truth, or are we yet looking for an easier way?  Do we follow the Good Shepherd obediently, or have we decided to fend for ourselves by going in a direction He’s warned us not to take?  Are we sheep that have finally found the Good Shepherd because He indeed has sought us and found us?  Or are we sheep still even partially straying, perilously exposing ourselves to wolves and thieves who steal and slaughter and destroy -  lost sheep, while the whole found flock is praying, and Jesus Himself stands ready to open to the fullness of Truth and complete safety, because as He said, “I am the gate. Whoever enters through Me will be saved....”

Daily Retreat 04/12/08

2008 Apr 12 Sat: Easter Weekday
Acts 9: 31-42/ Ps 115(116): 12-13. 14-15. 16-17/ Jn 6: 60-69

From today’s readings:  “The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace....  O LORD, I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid....  ”

Can You Accept a Hard Saying?

At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take and eat - this is My Body!”  And similarly, taking up a chalice of wine, Jesus instructed, “Take and drink - this is My Blood!”  And He commanded His disciples to “Do this in memory of Me!”

At the Last Supper, what did Jesus give His disciples - His Body and His Blood, or just a morsel of bread and a sip of wine?  For nearly 2000 years, the Catholic Church has unswervingly maintained that the divine words of Christ were surely efficacious, for reality always necessarily conforms to His divine commands.   Thus, in spite of the manifest impossibility, when He unequivocally ordered, “Lazarus, come forth!”  a dead man was instantaneously changed into a living man, in order for reality to comply with the word of the Lord.  So, there can be no doubts about what happened when the mouth of the Lord declared, “This is My Body....  This is My Blood!”   At that instant, reality again obeyed the command of divinity, and so, despite the apparent impossibility, the lowly bread miraculously became the Body of Christ, and the common wine was likewise transubstantiated into the Blood of Christ.

Exactly one year before the marvelously acquiescent reality of that Last Supper, Jesus taught His disciples thoroughly so that they wouldn’t miss the miracle - in Chapter Six of the Gospel of St. John, the Bread of Life discourse, Jesus insisted, “I am the Bread of Life....  The Bread that I will give is My Flesh for the life of the world....  He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has life eternal.... My Flesh is real food, and My Blood is real drink.”  These are hard sayings, but every faithful disciple is conformed, as is reality itself, in order to accept the word of the Lord!

Daily Retreat 04/11/08

2008 Apr 11 Fri: Stanislaus, bp, mt M
Acts 9: 1-20/ Ps 116(117): 1bc. 2/ Jn 6: 52-59

From today’s readings:  “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?...  Go out to all the world and tell the Good News....  Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you do not have life within you....”

How Can He?
 
Of all the hard sayings Jesus unveils in His Bread of Life discourse (Chapter Six of the Gospel of St. John), the most scandalous was His shocking climax:  the Bread of Life, of which He spoke, was His very flesh for the life of the world!
 
So, it’s no wonder that the Jews were flabbergasted and quarreled about His incredible claim!  Had our Lord  merely been speaking metaphorically, allegorically, or figuratively, He certainly would have realized His obligation to clarify the natural misunderstanding that had arisen among His listeners.  
 
But instead of apologizing for stretching the poetic license, Jesus reconfirms the literalism of His words, insisting “My Flesh is true food, and My Blood is true drink.”  And the Bread of Life is not just intended as some exotic gourmet intended only for the elite, for “unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you do not have life within you.”  
 
How can this Man give us His Flesh to eat?  For those who don’t believe in His divinity, the words of Jesus will forever be spit out as tasteless hyperbole.  But for those who recognize Jesus as the true Son of God, for those who eat His Body and drink His Blood, the Lord’s words of life are joyfully digested as the recipe for the Bread of Life, the Eucharist, the true Bread come down from Heaven, having within it all sweetness!

Daily Retreat 04/10/08

2008 Apr 10 Thu: Easter Weekday
Acts 8: 26-40/ Ps 65(66): 8-9. 16-17. 20/ Jn 6: 44-51

From today’s readings:  “Do you understand what you are reading?...  Blessed be God who refused me not my prayer or His kindness!...  I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven; whoever eats this Bread will live forever; and the Bread that I will give is My Flesh for the life of the world!”

Christ’s Flesh for the Life of the World

The Lord’s Bread of Life Discourse in John 6 has a formidably steep progression of divine Eucharistic teaching.  Starting with just the crowd’s renewed physical appetite, Jesus adeptly leads them to ponder how to start working for the Food that remains unto life eternal.  When the crowd first reminisces about the magnificent miracle of manna in the desert, Jesus suggests that He is leading up to something even greater than that, even linking belief in Him with eternal life, and resurrection on the last day.

But the crowd, which had initially been eagerly devouring all His words, suddenly started to choke on them, and have trouble stomaching how such a full meal deal could be cooked up by just Jesus.  And so they began gnawing and grumbling at His words.   But rather than apologetically deboning His earlier servings,  Jesus actually piles on an even meatier helping, favorably contrasting His “Bread of Life” recipe with the manna of old which, however miraculous and nutritive, nonetheless simply couldn’t starve off death.   In contrast, Jesus is prepared to fill the plate with so much more, saying “I AM the living Bread that came down from Heaven; whoever eats this Bread will live forever; and the Bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world!”

Daily Retreat 04/09/08

2008 Apr 9 Wed: Easter Weekday
Acts 8: 1b-8/ Ps 65(66): 1-3a. 4-5. 6-7a/ Jn 6: 35-40

From today’s readings: “There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem....  Let all the earth cry out to God with joy....  For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life....”

Fruit of Persecution

Far from dampening the Spirit’s work in the Church, the martyrdom of St. Stephen and the ensuing persecution actually contributed to the spread of the Faith - because the disciples “were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,” the sharing of Christian faith likewise was diffused over a ever-widening area.  As Tertullian observed in the second century, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church!

Popes John Paul the Great and Benedict XVII have often reiterated how this is true in our own times as well!  And not just in regards to those who have died for the Faith – remembering that “martyr” means “witness,” we too see that each one of us has a part to play in planting such seed.  Against the backdrop of persecution, holiness of life and zeal in faith together form the most eloquent testimony to the truth of Christianity, and such witness is the seed of the Church as well!

Daily Retreat 04/08/08

2008 Apr 8 Tue: Easter Weekday
Acts 7: 51 -- 8: 1a/ Ps 30(31): 3cd-4. 6 and 7b and 8a. 17 and 21ab/ Jn 6: 30-35

From today’s readings:  “Lord, do not hold this sin against them....  Into Your hands I commend my spirit; You will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God....  Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven - My Father gives you the true bread from Heaven.”

Bread of Life

After the multiplication of the loaves, the crowds chased after Jesus in hopes of another free meal.  When Jesus then explained that they should work for imperishable food, and explicitly linked that with belief in Him, the crowds grew excited, and challenged Him to match the miracle of the manna, when the Israelites were given a steady supply of bread from Heaven for forty years.

Instead of turning down the challenge, Jesus ups the ante with a triple contrast: “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but My Father [who] gives you the true bread from Heaven!”

While the Jews certainly believed in the one true God, their experience of Him was mainly mediated by Moses, the man who was rightly revered as their great liberator, leader,  and lawgiver.  Even though it was recognized that almighty God Himself is the actual Liberator, Leader, and Lawgiver who worked through His servant Moses, in common parlance, God’s words and works were often attributed to Moses.  Now, there’s nothing wrong in itself with that practice within common sense limits- even Jesus spoke this way at times, e.g., Mark 7:10, when He quoted one of God’s commandments, saying, “For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother....’ ” But when Jesus insists here (John 6:32) that “it was not Moses...but My Father...,” He is deliberately contrasting the mediated experience of God through Moses and the Old Testament with the more immediate experience of God in the New Covenant.

The contrast continues, as Jesus reminisces about Moses with the past (the verb gave), but vividly presents the current work of the Heavenly Father in the present (the verb gives).  And while not denying the miraculous nature of that desert manna which was justifiably recognized as “bread from Heaven,” Jesus insists that His present discourse is about a new, more veritably celestial Food which He Himself authenticates as “the true Bread from Heaven,” that “comes down from Heaven, and gives life to the world!”

Well, that certainly excites the crowd, so that they plead, “Sir, give us this bread always!”  But, the true Bread from Heaven is then revealed as not just a treasured token, or memorial mouthful, or suitable souvenir of any sort, for Jesus explains and identifies, “I AM the Bread of Life -  whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst!”

Lord, give us this Bread always!

Daily Retreat 04/07/08

2008 Apr 7 Mon: John Baptist de la Salle, p, rf M
Acts 6: 8-15/ Ps 118(119): 23-24. 26-27. 29-30/ Jn 6: 22-29

From today’s readings:  “Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people....  Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!...  Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you....”

Witness and Testimony

The word “martyr” is used for St. Stephen and all those who die in loyally testifying to their faith, but originally, the word simply meant “witness.”  Because those who die in persecutions are the supreme witnesses of the Faith, the term “martyr” gradually came to refer primarily to these who lay down their lives as the ultimate testimony of their true love for God and His Church.

However, there was a reason that the early martyrs suffered death:  generally, they were the most outspoken and zealous in proclaiming the Faith with their lives, before they were called to proclaim it with their deaths!  This is certainly true in Stephen’s case, as Scripture records, he  “was working great wonders and signs among the people.... [And his opponents] could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.”

In other words, all of us need to be martyrs, loyal “witnesses” to the Faith!  While few, if any, of us will be called to the glorious vocation of literally dying for our faith, all of us are called to stand tall in living and giving testimony to the Faith for which the martyrs died!

Daily Retreat 04/06/08

2008 Apr 6 SUN: THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
Acts 2: 14. 22-33/ Ps 15(16): 1-2. 5. 7-8. 9-10. 11 (11a)/ 1 Pt 1: 17-21/ Lk 24: 13-35

From today’s readings: “Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through Him in your midst....  Lord, You will show us the path of life....  You were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ.... Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Burning Hearts

Just a few years ago, during a home visit, I was teaching a family in my parish how to pray the rosary.   After we had prayed together, one boy made an unforgettable comment.  Trying to explain his unbelievable joy in sharing this prayer and meditating on God’s love in the mysteries of salvation, he blurted out, “I can’t explain it, but I feel that my heart is on fire for Jesus!”

Unintentionally and unknowingly, the boy had repeated the same sentiments that the astonished Emmaus disciples had stammered to each other when they realized how real Jesus was and how close He had deigned to come, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Only when the boy spoke his own authentically ardent words, did I realize how my heart was burning as well with the realization anew of how real Jesus is and how close He deigns to come to us.  Whenever children line up to receive their First Holy Communion, clearly there are burning hearts, and we all share in the glow of the moment.  Then too, when some soul starts to really read the Bible, and grasp even dimly that the Word of God is open before him, the heart is afire with that Word that needs to be shared.  When a tortured sinner finally sues for peace in the Easter Sacrament of God’s forgiveness, and receives more peace than even hoped for, the human heart melts in the warm embrace of divine mercy.

Every one of us Christians can look back on similar moments in our own lives, moments of our own unmistakable encounters with the Risen Lord, and passionately ask anew, “Were not our hearts burning within us then while He spoke to us in His way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

A beautiful, heart-warming question, without a doubt, but, if I may suggest it, still, not really the right question for us now.  For today is Sunday, the Lord’s day.  Two again, and again, too many of us modern disciples find ourselves obstinately headed toward Emmaus and other earthly destinations, when really, today in particular, we should be with knee and head bent toward the heavenly Jerusalem!  Today is Sunday, the Lord’s day, for on this very day, Jesus Himself again draws near us, though so many eyes still fail to recognize Him.  

And the verbatim upbraiding sounds again, even more merited by our own modern futile conduct:  “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?” Words certainly meant for us, for you and me, just as much as for Cleopas and his companion, but we tragically tend to tune out Christ when He dares to speaks to us that way.

Two again, and again, too many of us modern disciples will sadly assume that Christ has more pressing things to do than to remain with us.  Or is it more that we merely think of more pressing things for us to do than to remain with Him wherever He leads us on that path of life?  But regardless,  in the end,  He is Emmanuel, “God with us!”  That’s why He came - to remain with us!

So today, the day of the Lord, once again, the Word will be spoken, Bread will be broken, and for those whose eyes are opened, the so very real presence of the resurrected Lord is recognized anew, and thus, our own ardent question raised with believing joy in sharing the prayer and meditating again on God’s love in the mysteries of salvation: “Are not our hearts NOW burning within us while He speaks to us in this way and opens the scriptures to us?”

Daily Retreat 04/05/08

2008 Apr 5 Sat: Easter Weekday/ Vincent Ferrer, p, r, ms
Acts 6: 1-7/ Ps 32(33): 1-2. 4-5. 18-19/ Jn 6: 16-21

From today’s readings:  “ The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly....  Lord, let Your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in You....  It is I - Do not be afraid!”

Why Walking on Water?

Chapter Six of the Gospel of St. John is best known for the Lord’s “Bread of Life” discourse, His profound preparatory Eucharistic teachings, which will be covered in the daily gospel readings throughout next week..

But two miracles in Chapter Six precede and lead up to the Bread of Life discourse - first, the Multiplication of the Loaves (cf. yesterday’s gospel), and then the eerie incident of Jesus Walking on the Sea (today’s gospel).

Often, clear parenthetical explanations are provided in the gospels about Jesus’ words and actions, so that we, the readers, are sure to get the main points.  But other times, such as the gospel passage today, the evangelists’ terse accounts clearly leave the reader wondering: why?  how?  what’s the meaning here?    

But, in fact, those lingering queries are not due to sloppy, incomplete reporting - instead, they reflect skillful pedagogy!  Because, by intentionally leaving unanswered questions, Jesus (and the evangelists) deliberately put the apostles (and, us, the readers) in an investigative, reflective frame of mind, and that is something essential for embarking next into the profundities of the Bread of Life discourse!

Daily Retreat 04/04/08

2008 Apr 4 Fri: Easter Weekday/ Isidore of Seville, bp, dr
Acts 5: 34-42/ Ps 26(27): 1. 4. 13-14/ Jn 6: 1-15

From today’s readings:  “And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus....  The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?...  The Jewish feast of Passover was near....”

Church Chews on John 6

Most Catholics and many other Christians recognize Lent as the penitential season of 40 days leading up to Church’s celebration of Easter.  And while everyone knows about Easter Sunday itself,  far fewer people are familiar with Easter as a proper festive season stretching seven full weeks from the Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection all the way to the day of Pentecost, the descent of the Holy Spirit on the nascent Church, the fiftieth day of celebrating Christ’s Easter victory.

As always, the lectionary Scriptures set the meditative tone for the Easter season.  To recall and be inspired by the Easter transformation of the first disciples, the Church reads through essentially the entire book Acts of the Apostles.  This is obviously noted in the weekday readings, but even the first reading on Sundays (normally taken from the Old Testament) also comes from the Acts throughout Eastertide.  

During the initial week of this season, the Gospel readings first logically cycle through each evangelist’s account of the Resurrection, but starting in the second week of Easter, the lectionary returns to a number of pre-Resurrection discourses of Christ found only in the Gospel of John. These Gospel passages, which the Church thus considers anew, are among the most mystic teachings of the Lord, since none of them can be properly understood without the light of Easter faith.

So, for instance, the Gospel readings this week have been from chapter 3 (of John), the Lord’s introductory teachings on the baptismal re-birth of water and the Holy Spirit.  Then today, the lectionary presents the entrée of John 6, one of the most crucial chapters in the entire Bible, since it provides us with the best taste of the topic which Jesus Himself saw fit to patiently preach about in savory details exactly one year before His Passion.  So, open your Bibles to John 6, and let’s carefully chew on every word to insure that not even a fragment of the Lord’s loaves goes to waste....