Easter Day Homily

A most blessed Easter to all of you!

Today we gather with great joy to celebrate the triumph of Jesus over the tomb. The tomb should be very familiar with us because we see the despair that comes with it so often played out within our world. 

Only last week a terrorist attack happened in Brussels which tragically killed 31 including the three bombers. At the start of this month four Missionaries of Charity as well as 12 others were tragically killed in Yemen due to their profession of Christ. Our own country is not far different then the rest of the world for we continue to allow the tragic murder against the unborn to take place through abortion. These are only a few examples of all which is taking place within this world that brings us into the despair of the tomb.

If we take our mind back to the death of Lazarus we would encounter the pleas of Martha and Mary: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” They would later take Jesus to the tomb and there the stone was rolled away and He would cry out: “Lazarus, come out.” Saint John’s Gospel then points out that the hands, feet, and face of Lazarus were still wrapped in a cloth. They were still wrapped in a cloth because this resurrection was not the one of the Messiah which would assure us of our salvation. Martha and Mary at the start of this story were still present with despair due to the what was in the tomb, but Christ gave them a foreshadowing of the resurrection and thus gave them every reason to rejoice and be filled with hope.

And so despite the tragedy which might be present in our life or within this world we do not have to continue to remain stuck at the tomb where we are left to despair. Christ through His Resurrection is showing us that there is something greater which is to come. From the Easter Sequence: “Christ my hope is arisen; to Galilee he goes before you. Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.”

And so today we come to the tomb and we find the stone rolled away. Despite the despair brought about by the darkness of sin and death we come to discover new life. In the account of our Gospel we do not discover Jesus in the flesh, but we do discover the cloths which were no longer binding upon the hands, feet, and face of our Blessed Lord. These have been stripped away and with them new life has been obtained for each of us. We are therefore sent away from the tomb with great joy because sin and death can no longer hold us captive. Christ has come and conquered over all of these realities through His Resurrection.

Therefore as Christians we must be sent forth from here as a new creation in Christ. This reality is made known through the Sacrament of Baptism and thus the renewal of our baptismal vows which we will soon make. Through these vows we profess our unending love for Christ and our desire to serve Him above all things. Through our participation in sin we do not profess this reality, and so may we be sent forth from here by allowing the cloths which might bind us, as they did Lazarus, to be ripped away.

Our Lord has truly triumphed over sin and death therefore may our despair be filled with joy for: CHRIST HAS RISEN! ALLELUIA!

Easter Vigil Homily

A most blessed Easter to all of you!

On this night we celebrate the Easter Vigil and thus we come to celebrate the fact that Christ has triumphed over the tomb through the event of the Resurrection. We also get to celebrate new life that is brought into the Church through the waters of baptism and through reception into it. 

This night is filled with rich symbolism which shows the great triumph over the tomb which takes place through our Lord’s Resurrection. Some might scoff at the length of the readings which are to be used on this night, but they are not made without purpose. These readings show the history of salvation and how it unfolds for us. The first reading began “in the beginning” when God created all that we hold to be dear. These readings work their way up to Jesus Christ and His victory over the tomb. These readings show that despite the darkness which might be present within this world that God has not left us abandoned, but has always been present in our midst despite the darkness of sin and the slavery in which it brings about.

We live in the midst of a world which seems to be filled with so much uncertainty. If we glance at the news we are left to believe that we have been thrust down into a permanent darkness. We see the effects of a world which has rejected the truths which are contained within the Gospels. We see this through actions of terrorism (that which took place in Brussels), people still being martyred for their faith (the Missionaries of Charity slain in Yemen) rejection of the sacrament of Marriage, rejection of the rite that one has to life because it is sacred, and this list goes on and on. Nevertheless, we cannot despair at these realities because we do not live in a world which is uncertain. Instead on this night we can confidently proclaim that Christ the light has triumphed over the darkness of sin and death and thus to the uncertainty that is brought about by it.

For on this night we received a great proclamation to this fact through what is known as “the Exsultet.” The Exsultet is a solemn proclamation that Christ has now triumphed over death and that the Resurrection has indeed taken place. It points towards this candle, known as the Pascal Candle, which represents Christ who is now resurrected. From a homily given by Pope Benedict XVI on this subject: “It reminds us that this object, the candle, has its origin in the work of bees. So the whole of creation plays its part. In the candle, creation becomes a bearer of light. But in the mind of the Fathers, the candle also in some sense contains a silent reference to the Church. The cooperation of the living community of believers in the Church in some way resembles the activity of bees. It builds up the community of light. So the candle serves as a summons to us to become involved in the community of the Church, whose mission is to let the light of Christ shine upon the world.”

Indeed, as we remember the tragedies of this world and our own life, may we always remember the light of Christ which takes victory over the darkness of night. The light of Christ always comes to prevail, so may we therefore desire to spread this same light to those whom we encounter. Tonight we look towards baptism and thus we look towards new life where we have been set free from the burden of sin and death. Truly through the events of our Lord’s Passion and Resurrection we have been set free and thus may confidently celebrate this reality as a light which burns brightly in the midst of the darkness of sin and death for: CHRIST HAS RISEN! ALLELUIA!

Good Friday Homily

This day is far different then other days of the week for today Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross and breathed His last breath as He died upon the cross. Most interestingly today also falls the Annunciation when Mary gave her “yes” to the angel Gabriel thus causing Christ to dwell among us. And thus this year the day he took on our human flesh is the same day that He came to expire upon the cross. On other days of the week we would joyously gather within this church and Mass would be offered, but that does not take place here for us tonight.

Today we we come to humble ourself before God and His great love for us. We will humble ourself before the cross which is the instrument of our salvation and we will humble ourself before Christ who is present within the Eucharist as we come forward to receive Him.

It can become easy to take these two realities for granted, but we cannot begin to encounter them as one who is filled with pride as if we are owed something. The Eucharist and the cross should bring us to our knees in humble adoration because what we encounter is Christ and our salvation. The thought of receiving Christ and being redeemed should make us feel humbled. These are two gifts which none of us are worthy to receive and yet Christ has extended these gifts unto us.

Let us be humbled by the cross for by it we impart upon a path of penance. Penance to rid ourself of our attachment to sin and made in atonement for our sins and for those of the whole world. Saint Teresa of Avila: "You have entered religion not to indulge the flesh but to die for Jesus Christ.” In our coming forward to embrace the cross in humility may we begin to die for Christ in order that He alone may be the one whom we serve.

What a gift that the Eucharist is for through the Eucharist we receive Jesus Christ. Whom do we serve? Christ or the flesh? Let us purge ourself of our disordered passions through our embracing of the cross in order that the answer to this question may be Christ alone.

St. Leonard of Port Maurice: “If you obey the Commandments of God, if you detest the corruption of this world, if you embrace the Cross of Jesus Christ in a spirit of penance, you will be that one alone who is saved.”

Christ came and saved us upon the cross, but now we must ask if we accept what was offered. If we accept the cross we must reject the ways of the world which rip us away from Him and His Church on this earth. Mortal sin puts our relationship with Him to death. Through mortal sin we reject the cross and we are left dead to the graces of the Most Holy Eucharist.

Let yourselves be set free by the cross. Let your heart be set aflame with love for Christ who is present with us in the Eucharist. Confess your sins and do penance and thus be truly set free to love and serve the Lord above all things. May we truly humble ourself to these gifts which are made manifest today for through them we are assured of God’s great love for us.

Holy Thursday Homily

The actions of Jesus in our Gospel reflect a much deeper liturgical action which is about to take place. What He is doing is preparing them for what He will soon have to undergo and thus they will also have to participate within themselves.

According to Saint Augustin: “He laid aside His garments, when, being in the form of God, He emptied Himself; He girded. Himself with a towel, took upon Him the form of a servant; He poured water into a bason, out of which He washed His disciples’ feet. He shed His blood on the earth, with which He washed away the filth of their sins; He wiped them with the towel wherewith He was girded; with the flesh wherewith He was clothed, He established the steps of the Evangelists; He laid aside His garments, to gird Himself with the towel; that He might take upon Him the form of a servant, He emptied Himself, not laying aside indeed what He had, but assuming what He had not. Before He was crucified, He was stripped of His garments, and when dead was wound up in linen clothes: the whole of His passion is our cleansing.”

Therefore, my dear brethren, may we set our sight upon the cross and the effects of our Lord’s Passion. From the Lord’s Passion our cleansing from sin has taken place. This ritual which Christ goes through within our Gospel sets our sight upon the Passion and how from it we receive the great gift which is the Most Holy Eucharist. Through the Eucharist Christ continues to dwell with us in His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity under the appearances of bread and wine. 

Who is it who dies for us? Who is it who gives Himself to us in His Body and Blood?

The answer to these questions is God Himself who came to dwell among us on this earth and thus comes to die for us upon the cross out of love. If Christ did not come to die upon the cross as the second Person of the Holy Trinity, fully human and fully divine, then we would not be redeemed and what we would receive in the Eucharist would only be bread and wine.

These days which lie ahead help us to draw close to our Lord. These days will assist us in renewing our hearts and continuing to lift them up to the Lord through our worship of Him. We surround ourself with so many distractions, but Christ asks each of us as He asked his apostles in the garden of Gethsemane: “Can you not keep watch with me for even one hour?”

It is for this reason that following this Mass that the Church keeps watch with Christ. We will process with the Eucharist and it will placed in the repository and then we will depart in silence. I invite you to remain and to keep watch with Christ during this time of prayer. Realize this is God who has come to dwell with us out of love and through obedience even came to accept death upon the cross. The Eucharist is Christ’s love for His Church because it is only possible through His offering of self upon the cross.

In the Roman Canon we are further reminded of what takes place on this day. “On the day before he was to suffer for our salvation and the salvation of all, that is today he took bread.” Again we are reminded of the cross and what the action of death upon the cross has gained for us. For it has gained freedom from sin and death. The Israelites were enslaved, but through God’s great mercy they were liberated from this slavery.

From the love of Christ which springs forth at the Last Supper the great gift which is the Eucharist as well as the gift of the priesthood in which Christ instituted for His Church. From these gifts we too are sent forth to love and serve the Lord. From these gifts we too are sent forth to live Christian charity with one another as Christ shows through the action of the washing of feet.

Following this homily I will wash the feet of the faithful following a similar order to our Gospel. Through this action may our minds be set upon Christ and His Passion. Through this action may our hearts be set upon the Eucharist. As we set our sight upon the cross and the Eucharist may we truly become thankful for these gifts and for the salvation that they have brought about within our life. From these gifts may we be sent forth to the love the Lord more fully and may we come to give of ourselves through acts of Christian charity.

Palm Sunday Year C Entrance Homily

Christ joyously enters into the city of Jerusalem. He comes here of His own free will in order that our salvation may be brought about. May we join with Him on this entrance into Jerusalem which leads towards the cross. May we come to embrace the cross in order that our life may be transformed as we enter into the joyous celebration of Easter with hearts made pure. These days, which lie ahead, will assist us in this preparation for through the days of Holy Week we will be prepared to encounter Christ who stands victorious over the tomb.