3rd Sunday After Easter Homily (Extraordinary Form)

We must remember that we are pilgrims on a journey towards eternal life. We see this echoed to us in our epistle where Saint Peter addresses us as “strangers and pilgrims” and calls us “to refrain from carnal desires, which war against the soul.” Therefore, we cannot set our sight upon things of this world, but of things which are to come.

So often people find their “joy” in the ways of this world which are disordered. None of these actions can lead someone towards true happiness and joy. Our introit calls us to “shout with joy to God.” Indeed we are to shout with joy to God despite the daily struggle because we come to acknowledge the one who truly fills us to the fullest degree.

In coming to encounter the Lord we were told in our Gospel, “A little while, and now you shall not see Me: and again a little while, and you shall see Me.” These words show the toil that must take place within us if we are to find such joy. So often people of faith are willing to give up hope instead of persevering in their practice of faith.

We know that the apostles had to undergo a lot at the time of our Lord’s Passion. Here they are being prepared for that moment for not only will He die, but He will live as He rises on the third day. So too the sufferings and toils of this life are fleeting before us for from the cross springs forth the joy of the Lord’s Resurrection. This is the virtue of hope that is stirred forth from this moment.

We too must have this virtue stirred up within the depths of our own heart. Without hope there would be a lot which would beat down upon us and cause us to surrender our faith. Despite what we may perceive to be going on within the Church we must hold steadfast in our practice of faith. Despite the temptation that continues to rip upon us we must not give up hope, but remain united with His mercy that endures forever. If and when we are able to do this we will discover that joy which was referenced in our introit.

This season of Easter is a time of great hope for the tomb was found to be empty. From the emptiness of this tomb we are able to go to persevere for there is nothing dead to be found when it pertains to the faith that we profess with our hearts, minds, and lips. Let us be sent forth from this place in order to be filled with the joy of the Gospel, no matter what takes place around us. From this joy let us live an authentic faith that is centered upon Christ and His Church that He has established on this earth. It is this Church that will assist us on our pilgrimage from this life to the life which is to come.

2nd Sunday After Easter Homily (Extraordinary Form)

Christ makes known in Our Gospel, “I am the good Shepherd.”

The shepherd is given an important role for it is up to their watchful care to provide for the needs of the sheep who have been entrusted to them. Sheep must receive water, food, and safety and the shepherd must make sure that these are provided. Psalm 23 reflects this important role by stating, “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.” “In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still waters he leads me.” “He guides me along right paths.”

From Jeremiah 23 we are told of shepherds of people who have misused their responsibility in shepherding their flock. “Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who shepherd my people: You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.” Later, it is promised, “I will raise up shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear or be terrified; none shall be missing.”

A good shepherd is willing to lay down his life for his sheep. As we are told from the lips of our Blessed Lord, “This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.” You see the Lord’s love for us is great and yet we must reflect upon the ways in which we choose to reciprocate this love. So often we are found too busy and consumed into our own wants to enter into relationship with the Lord.

The sheep know the voice of the good shepherd and thus respond to it. We must come to know this voice by cultivating such a relationship with Christ. The world is such a busy place, but we cannot forget to enter into this life giving relationship. The glamour of sin exists, but we must rebuke it by choosing to stay close to the Lord. He truly provides for our needs especially though the sacramental life of the Church.

We must pray that we will always have good shepherds in the life of the Church. At this time we continue to pray that we will soon receive a new bishop for this Diocese of Knoxville. We must remember that by virtue of our own baptism we are also called to be a good shepherd. We must live and assist others in their pursuit of God. This means that we must embrace a relationship with the Lord and turn away from those paths which keep us far from Him.

In the words of Saint John Paul II, “What a blessing it is to know Christ, the Good Shepherd, to know Him as the Redeemer who laid down His life for the sheep, to know Him as the Risen Lord, the source of everlasting joy and life. What a blessing it is to know the Good Shepherd and to believe in Him. This gift of faith is the greatest blessing we could ever receive in life.”

Let us strive to know Christ the Good Shepherd and to live a life modeled after His commands.

Easter Homily

Christ is Risen! He has risen indeed! Alleluia!

Today we rejoice for the tomb was not the end and so after three days He rose again in accordance of the scriptures. Our celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection is important for us because it affords us hope and orients our life down a path which leads towards Everlasting Life. This is the great hope that is brought forth through our celebration of His Resurrection.

The doctrine of the resurrection of the body is central to our Christian belief. As we profess in the Nicene Creed, “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” This statement of faith applies to each of us. Therefore, at a Funeral Mass we are able to proclaim despite the certainty of death “that life has changed, but not ended.”

When the Lord was taken down from the cross and placed inside of the tomb it would of been easy to think that this was the end. Likewise, whenever we face the reality of death it could be easy to look at it as if it were the end. Nevertheless, the Lord triumphs over the tomb and thus hope springs forth from it that all of those who have been touched by sin and death will be given life.

As Christians we have been marked with a seal through the event of our baptism for through these waters we were given life. In the Book of Ezekiel the faithful received a mark upon their forehead, the faithful are also given a mark upon their forehead in the Book of Revelation, and we enter into this mark through that which has been given to us at our baptism. 

Baptism is not a reality that stays in the past, but enters into the present and into the future. Through it we are given an indelible mark which will not go away even with death. Therefore, we are always marked as Christian and we should live as such. It is through our consent to sin that we turn away from God and this life that has been extended to us.

Christ suffered and died upon the cross, rose again on the third day, and Ascended into Heaven. These acts brings about the totality of His sacrificial action. Through such acts of complete love we ought to realize the seriousness of what we come to profess with our hearts, voices, and lips. Let not our life be lived in accordance with the Gospel for only a moment, but always.

This is truly what we come to profess through our celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection. The Good News that springs forth from the empty tomb must continue to be meaningful for each of us. Our life must be lived in accordance to this message, for this message is one of Everlasting Life. Let us desire this pearl of great price which is foreshadowed by our Lord’s glorious Resurrection and order our life towards it.

Easter Vigil Homily

Christ is Risen! He has risen indeed! Alleluia!

On this most sacred of nights we acknowledge the fact that Christ has triumphed over the tomb of sin and death. Our readings took us upon a journey down salvation history and this journey culminated with the Good News of our Risen Lord. At times it may seem that there is no hope for our world which has been touched by both sin and death. We cannot give into such despair for our world or self for our Lord has truly risen.

Despite dying on the cross He rose forth on the third day. So too, we who have entered into the waters of baptism, or will soon enter into these waters this night, must remember that our life follows a similar path. Through baptism we have been plunged into the death of our old self and we rise forth from these waters as a new creation in Christ Jesus. Not just for a moment, but for our whole life. Let us continue to pray for these individuals, who will soon enter into the waters of baptism, or will be received fully into the Church. May their “yes” to the Lord remain their whole life as our “yes” to Him should remain forever and not just for a passing moment.

May this most holy of nights bring forth true desire in ourself to live for the Lord and to be filled with that great hope which springs forth from the empty tomb.

Holy Thursday Homily

There are seven sacraments and each of them find their origin in Christ Jesus. Tonight we place our focus upon Christ’s gift to the Church which is the Most Holy Eucharist. You will notice that today’s Mass prayers state that tonight He took into His holy and venerable Hands bread and wine saying “this is my Body” and “this is my Blood do this in remembrance of me.” This statement draws our minds towards what takes place on Holy Thursday as we come to commemorate the Lord’s supper.

When a Jew celebrates the Passover meal it is understood that they are not simply recreating a moment of time from the past. Rather, they are entering into that very moment where time stands still. Therefore, they do this in remembrance of what took place. So too we do this in remembrance of what the Lord did when He gathered with His apostles on this solemn night. What we do at each Mass is to be taken to the point in time of His Passion where time continues to stand still.

Following this Mass there will be the opportunity to spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. This heralds back to those words spoken in the garden, “Could you not stay watch with me for one hour?” The Lord continues to invite us into relationship with Him. Let us take up this invitation and develop such a relationship where we allow Him to remain at the center of our life. With the Lord at life’s center we are called to be sent forth to share what we have received with others. Let us enkindle such a relationship with Him always remembering the important of what takes place here at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.