Easter Homily

Christ is risen. He is risen indeed, alleluia!

In the Gospel of Saint John; Mary of Magdala, Peter, and John come to put together the puzzle that surrounds the Lord’s Resurrection. That day they expected to find a tomb that contained a dead body, but instead the stone was rolled away. The garments that were used to bury the Lord were found rolled up and laying upon the ground and the body was gone. This tomb was empty and from it sprung forth a great hope.

It is in the Gospel of Saint Matthew that Mary of Magdalene and the other Mary come to the tomb. Here they encounter an angel who sat upon the rolled away stone who told them that He had been raised. From here they encounter the Lord and thus they approached Him, embraced His feet, and did Him homage. They were commanded by Him to be not afraid and to spread the news of His Resurrection.

Our world is in need of this news of the Lord’s Resurrection. So often we allow all that goes on around us to thrust us down into despair. We must remember that the stone has been rolled away and with it springs forth a great hope. This hope is the fact that we have been redemeed. That sin and death hold no power over God. That the emptyness of the tomb is a proclamation of what is to come for each of us.

The message of the Lord’s Resurrection does not remain closed up inside of a tomb, but is taken outward from it. This message does not end with a few select individuals, but continues to spread throughout the whole world. We too must be concerned with taking this message out into the world in order that others may come to believe in this great hope. This hope brings light into a world that has been thrust into darkness.

As those in the Gospel slowly came to put together the puzzle pieces their despair was turned into hope. They came to believe and understand the importance of the Lord’s Resurrection. Let us not only believe in word, but in mind. We too must come to understand the importance of what we celebrate. If we understand this importance we would be here each and every Sunday for we would realize that Christ lives and through our celebration of the Mass we join with Him who has redeemed us upon the cross and risen on the third day.

The world will continue to be touched by sin. Those around us, including ourself, will continue to face the reality of death. There will always be something for us to fear. Nevertheless, there is still a great hope that shines brightly. That is the hope of Christ who continues to be present with us Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. Let us continue to rejoice with Him as we continue to proclaim with the confidence of faith that Christ is risen!

Easter Vigil Homily

Christ is risen. He is risen indeed, alleluia! 

On this most holy of nights we proclaim the Good News of the Resurrection of our Blessed Lord. It is this news which springs forth from the depths of an empty tomb. Despite all that seemed to be touched by death the stone has been rolled away and life springs forth.

This night we welcome those who will be given new life in the waters of baptism. We also welcome those who will be received fully into the Church making their confirmation and first Holy Communion. Our prayers are with each of you for through this encounter with the outpouring of God’s grace your life will forever be changed for Christ.

We too need to be moved by this same outpouring of God’s grace. Our life of faith should not be regulated to a tomb to be left for dead. Instead our life of faith is to be sent forth, for it is alive, as we live each day for Christ and the Gospel.

There are some who see no hope in this world, but this empty tomb signals a great hope to us. Let us be people of hope as light has been brought into the midst of darkness. It is this light that shines forth brightly no matter what is taking place within this world. Let us be sent forth to live the Good News of the Lord’s Resurrection always.

Holy Thursday Homily

In all things Christ comes to fulfill.

Therefore this night the apostles gather with Him in prayer. In doing so they are carrying out the Jewish ritual of the Passover. It is Christ who becomes that sacrificial lamb upon the cross as He lays down His life for us out of love. In the course of this ritual He gives Himself to His apostles in the Eucharist.

In His words: “This is My Body.” “This is My Blood.” “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

The good and faithful Jew would realize that the Passover meal was to enter into that very day of the Passover itself. There is nothing that is symbolic in what is taking place. Likewise, it is at Calvary that time continues to stands still and we continue to enter into Christ’s saving action. For this reason Fulton Sheen once stated, “The Mass is the greatest love story every told.

This night we call to mind this reality of God’s love for us as we continue to rejoice in the gift of the Eucharist. May Eucharistic devotion be stirred up within the depths of our heart that we may do all things for the greater glory of God. To look upon the Eucharistic is to look upon Christ and to receive the Eucharist is to receive Christ. 

Let us always be changed by this life giving encounter with Him and be found willing to live our life for Him always.

Passion Sunday Homily (Extraordinary Form)

Today we celebrate Passion Sunday which is the start of Passiontide. Through these weeks we are able to enter further into the mysteries of the Lord’s cross. 

As our Preface states, “Who did establish the salvation of mankind on the tree of the Cross: that whence death came, thence also life might arise against, and that he, who overcame by the tree, by the tree also might overcome.”

Through the grasp of sin we reject the Lord who lays down His life upon the cross in order that we may redeemed. In our Gospel we were instructed, “They took up stones therefore to cast at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple.” We join with this crowd when we sin for we join with them as we turn away from the Lord.

This instance was not the time of His Passion and so the Lord passes away from them. In that moment He becomes veiled from their sight. So too when we look around the Church we see that all sacred images have been veiled. These images are taken from our sight until they are restored at Easter. So too through sin we push these images from our sight as we banish all that is good and holy from our midst.

Thankfully, with the Lord we are able to rejoice in His Cross and Resurrection. It is these which have set us free from all that holds us captive. Where Christ is found there is hope for there is nothing which is greater than Christ.

As we move further into these most sacred of days I invite you to make use of the sacrament of confession. On Tuesday we will have eight priests here who will assist with the sacrament of confession starting at 6pm. It is through confession that we enter sinful to encounter the mercy of God which means that we are able to walk away from the sacrament made clean. In other words sight has returned to our eyes that have been left blind by sin.

May these last days of the Lenten season be fruitful for all of you. May this time assist you in drawing close to the Lord and removing from your midst all that separates your sight from Him. Very soon we will rejoice again at the Good News of the Lord’s Resurrection which will bring hope to our midst. As we prepare for this most sacred of times let us begin to live for Christ in order that we may be sent forth to praise Him through our thoughts, words, and deeds.

5th Sunday of Lent Year A Homily

On this 5th Sunday of Lent we draw ever closer to Easter and the reality of the Lord’s Resurrection.

In our Gospel Christ restores life to Lazarus and proclaims, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

The resurrection of the body is not important for only Christ, but also for each of us. As we proclaim when we profess our faith through the Creed, “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”

Through the Resurrection we are able to confidently say that death does not have the last word. As Christians we do not live without hope for we have been given the joy of the resurrection. In this life we will continue to be touched by the reality of sin and death, but we not have to despair because we are able to look forward at what is to come.

The Resurrection is not only important some 2,000 years ago or in the far future. Each and every time that we gather on Sunday we join ourself to the resurrection. Here we come to proclaim this great victory that has been made over sin and death. We come to be nourished by Christ who serves as food for our journey.

In the Gospel of Saint John we are told, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever.” This verse perfectly proclaims that profession of life that we make through our belief in the Lord’s Resurrection. When we come to be nourished by Christ present among us we are given that strength to move forward day by day with God’s help.

As Saint Paul professed to the Galatians, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me.” Therefore, we must come to better live our life for Christ. That is precisely the purpose of this Lenten season. Through practices such as fasting, almsgiving, and prayer we are to more perfectly live for Christ.

Another way that we can live for Christ is to allow His mercy to enter into our life. Therefore return to the sacrament of confession and allow the Lord to be the one who heals you. On Tuesday we will have eight priests here who will assist us with the sacrament of confession. Use this and other opportunities to be reconciled with God for He is merciful and just.

As the Lord says in the Gospel of Saint Matthew, “Have no fear!” Our world is filled with anxiety, but Christ comes in order to bring us comfort. Are we willing to allow Him to enter more fully into our life to bring such comfort? Through the Lord’s Resurrection we have received our ultimate hope. Now let us be found willing to move towards and to embrace this great reality each day.