3rd Sun E B 2015 (Lk 24:35—48)

There are only three post-resurrection stories in Luke’s gospel. One is the story in today’s gospel about the appearance of Jesus to the disciples in the Upper Room.  Another story is about Mary Magdalene going to the tomb and finding it empty (Lk 24:1-10), while the third is about the two disciples on the road to Emmaus )Lk 24:13-35).  Luke then concludes his gospel with a brief description of the ascension.  That’s it—the end of Luke’s gospel.  Few though they are, these three stories are powerful tales that center on the theme of finding Jesus in unexpected places and in unexpected ways.     

In the story of Mary Magdalene and her companions, they go to the tomb with sadness and confusion.  What they expect to find is a tomb with the corpse of Jesus still inside.  What they find instead is an empty tomb and two messengers who wait on their arrival to deliver a surprising message.  The message is that Jesus is not among the dead.  Jesus is among the living, he has been raised, and is on his way to Galilee, as he had foretold while he was with them.

News about a dead man walking surely ought to have made the women more fearful and confused.  Instead, the very opposite happens—the unexpected.  They are no longer confused and afraid.  Indeed, they come away believing in the resurrection of Jesus.  And, their belief motivates them to hurry back and share their good news with the other disciples.  Mary and her companions fully expect the disciples to believe their report about the resurrection.

Much to their surprise and disappointment, however, the disciples do not believe their story.  In fact, the disciples are so incredulous that their immediate response is to run to the tomb to check it out for themselves.  Apparently, they do not expect to find an empty tomb, they do not expect to come away amazed, and they do not expect to discover that Mary and her companions had told them the truth.  But, this is exactly what happens.

In the story about the two disciples on their way to Emmaus, they too are like the women who went to the tomb.  These two disciples also begin their journey in sadness and confusion.  Jesus was not what they had expected him to be in life, the great warrior who would restore Israel to its rightful place among nations.  Rather, Jesus has been dealt a cruel blow by the leaders of his religion, while the enemy of Israel remains firmly in place.  The Emmaus travelers are confused over this outcome, and the earlier report of the women that Jesus is alive only adds to their confusion.  They do not believe that report because they did not expect Jesus to rise to life on the third day as he had foretold.

And here they are, explaining all this to a complete stranger who joins them on their walk uninvited, and whom they expect to have already heard the news about Jesus.  They had been pouring out their hearts, trying to teach the stranger about Jesus.  What they did not expect was to have been taught so much by the stranger.  Much less did they expect the stranger to be Jesus himself.  They discover his identity at the breaking of bread during a meal they thought of as very ordinary.  When they least expect it, they discover that all along they had been talking with the risen Jesus himself. Quite surprisingly, at the point of revealing his identity to the two travelers, Jesus vanishes.  Perhaps Jesus wants to make it clear that we can no longer expect to find him in ordinary ways.  From now on, we encounter Jesus in and through the unexpected person, place or circumstance.

This revelation during the breaking of bread inspires the two disciples to return to the others who are gathered in the Upper Room in Jerusalem.  What happens there is the third post-resurrection story found in Luke.  While the disciples gathered in the Upper Room are talking with one another about these things, Jesus unexpectedly appears to them.  Their reaction to his appearance is not what we would expect. Their conversation would suggest that they would be overjoyed at this sudden appearance of Jesus. Instead, the disciples become anxious and terrified.  They think they see a ghost.

To allay their fears and prove that he is no ghost, Jesus eats some fish in front of them and invites them to touch his flesh and bone.  This is an unexpected turn of events.  Surely the risen Jesus has no need of food and no need to prove he is back in the flesh.  And yet, proof is precisely what he offers the disciples.  Jesus is sensitive to their need for assurance and does not hesitate to provide it.

The main characters in these stories remind us of ourselves.  They expected Jesus to be one place and to appear in a certain way, while he shows up in some other place and in an unexpected way.  Like the women who go to the tomb, at times we too begin in sadness and confusion.  We don’t understand certain things.  We go some place expecting to find Jesus there, and encounter only his messengers.  Sometimes, we are like the two traveling to Emmaus. Jesus often travels with us, but we are not aware of his presence because he comes to us in disguise. We see only the stranger; the friend; the healer; the victim; the vulnerable; the teacher; the pastor; the bread and wine—but we do not see Jesus.  We do not see Jesus in others or in ourselves because we do not expect to see Jesus.  At other times, we are like the disciples in the Upper Room.  We are confident in our faith until something out of the ordinary happens.  Then, we become afraid and doubtful.  We may even try to hide from Jesus.

But, Jesus is the unexpected seeker.  Jesus does not wait for us to find him.  He comes looking for us.  He comes to us in the ordinary circumstances of our lives.  He comes to us on his terms—not ours.  Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us.  He came to show us the Father and to show us the way to the Father.  He did this in unexpected places, in unexpected ways and with unexpected people.

 These post-resurrection stories reveal this simple message.  God loves us; God is with us.  And after a while, we may actually EXPECT God to be with us. 

4th Sun Lent Year A Readings 2015 (2nd Scrutiny; Jn 9:1-41)

Today, we celebrate the second of three Scrutinies that the Elect will go through on their journey to become full members of the Catholic faith community.  The Scrutinies are more than special liturgical rites for those preparing to be baptized at Easter.  This is a designated period in their journey that allows for a more intense soul-searching and careful consideration of their decision.  They need our prayers and encouragement, for their decision ultimately leads to a different way of life.  Their choice makes me wonder whether I would have done the same.  Had I not been born and raised Catholic, were I not a cradle Catholic as they say, I wonder if I would choose to become Catholic?  I’m not sure of the answer.  

What leads a person to make that sort of decision is an interesting question. When pressed for an explanation, some say that they have found a spiritual home in the Catholic Church, many for the first time in their lives.  Others say their spouse or their children inspired them to become Catholic.  Still others claim that the teachings of the Church on issues close to their hearts are so compelling that their choice was an easy one.  However one explains it, I suspect that such a choice ultimately boils down to a matter of conscience.  In one way or another, the choice just has to feel right in your gut of guts, and that is perhaps the only good reason to become Catholic. 

   

What this conversion means, however, can be stated in different ways.  The more recent converts, for example, are usually very enthusiastic in the practice of their newfound faith.  Their zeal stems from a deep appreciation for what Catholicism has to offer.  The veteran Catholic, on the other hand, often takes a more low key approach to practice.  This can lead to the perception that veteran Catholics do not fully appreciate what they have in the faith.  This approach has another meaning, however.  Many veteran Catholics have learned to walk in faith without much flourish or fanfare.  For them, this is part of what it means to be Catholic.  Thus, a low key approach to practice does not necessarily reflect a lack of appreciation for what Catholicism has to offer.  

There is also more than one way to explain what “convert” means in a Catholic sense.  Although it is true that a convert is one who comes to Catholicism from another faith tradition or background, this is not the full story.  A true convert is one who has made the Catholic way of believing his or her own.  This is a necessary step for those who become Catholic as much as it is for those who have been Catholic all of their lives.  Making the faith one’s own, so to speak, is ordinarily the culmination of a spiritual process that often takes place after one reaches adulthood.  In this sense, it is more accurate to say that, sooner or later, we are all converts to Catholicism. 

Indeed, the gospel for today calls attention to the kind of faith conversion that all of us must go through. The idea in this gospel story is to turn from darkness to light by believing in Jesus.  The healing of the man born blind is a symbol for this turn, or conversion in faith. The process is highlighted in the arguments that follow the healing.  

 

In these arguments, the central focus is on what happened and who made it happen.  The arguments themselves are carried out primarily by three groups of people who cannot see.  First are the disciples. They have been with Jesus for a long time, and yet they cling to the assumption that sickness and disability are punishment for sin.  Jesus explains to them that these are not punishment at all, but something that a true follower of his will seek to alleviate.  Jesus makes this point when he says to the disciples, “We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day.”  In other words, alleviating the suffering of others goes to the heart and soul of what it means to be a true convert in faith.    

Second among those who cannot see is the blind man himself.  Jesus touched the blind man in his physical weakness in a way that eventually moved him to a spiritual awakening.  This progression is revealed in what the man says of Jesus when asked about his cure.  At first, the man only identifies Jesus by name as the one who cured his blindness.  Pressed for more details by the Pharisees, the man digs deeper and describes Jesus as a prophet, as one sent by God.  Lastly, the man experiences complete conversion when he later encounters Jesus for a second time and confesses his belief in Jesus.  The authenticity of his conversion is revealed when the man worships Jesus.  This progressive awakening in faith is often the path that we too travel in our own spiritual journey.  And like the man born blind, we can be sure that Jesus will meet us where we are with his healing touch. 
     

Our hope and prayer is to avoid the predicament of yet a third group among those who cannot see, namely, the Pharisees. They claimed to know God’s Word and God’s Law, but failed to live its spirit.  Jesus condemns their blindness as the worst sort because they refuse to see him as the light of the world.  In fact, they find every reason not to believe in Jesus.  They try to explain away the miracle of the healing rather than accept what their eyes were telling them. 

Spiritual enlightenment is one of the primary goals we focus on during Lent.  This is true for the Elect as well as for those of us who are already Catholic.  We all need to be enlightened and to grow in faith.  We still need conversion, and conversion is what the Scrutinies are all about.  Conversion means leaving behind one way of life and taking up another.  And, the way that we seek is the way of the Lord.  This conversion is a spiritual rebirth and gift of faith from Jesus, the Light of the World. During Lent, we prepare to receive this light in order to celebrate our gift of faith once again at Easter.      

4th Sun Lent Year B 2015 (Jn 3:14-21)

The focus of today’s gospel is the love of God.  There are many things one might say about love—whether human or divine—but two are prominent in this gospel message.  One is to say that when we love someone, we desire to be close to that person.  Love always seeks an intense personal closeness—an emotional, spiritual and physical bond—that melts the two hearts into one.  Closeness is what we want most of all when we love someone.  We want to spend time with them, talk with them, get to know them if we don’t already, and share our life with them.  This does not always happen, we know, but this is the experience most of us want—to be physically and emotionally close to the one we love. 

 

The other thing to say is that love thrives on the hope that it will be reciprocated.  We first and foremost want those whom we love to return our love, to love us back, so to speak.  We often look for signs in that regard.  And, as long as those signs are there, we feel satisfied in the relationship.  A failure to return love, on the other hand, is often the cause of much hurt and disappointment in a relationship.

 

The gospel message for today shows that God is not different from us in these two respects.   Because he loves us, God desires to be close to us both in spirit and in body, and to have his love returned.  God was not content to remain hidden away in his heaven, unseen and unapproachable by us except in spirit and prayer.  Rather, his profound love for us compelled him to send his only Son to live among us, to be one of us, to be like us in every way. 

 

During his life on earth, Jesus demonstrated in clear terms that our relationship with God is an intense personal relationship of love, even insisting that we call God “Daddy” in today’s lingo.  Jesus also made it plain that he loves the father by loving us.  In fact, Jesus loves us in the same way that the father loves him.  For, he says to his disciples, “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love” (Jn 15:9).  The question is, how do we remain in God’s love?  How do we love God back?

Jesus provides the answer when he asks us to keep his commandments.  For he says to his disciples, 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 (Jn 15:10).  This is how others will know that we are his disciples.  By imploring us to remain in his love, Jesus is asking to have his love returned; he wants us to love him back.  This is the reason behind the two great commandments of love for God and neighbor.  And, the Apostle John reminds us that we must not give mere lip service to these commandments.  Rather, he insists that we must love in deed and in truth (1 JN 3:18).  "Actions—not words" is the guiding principle in returning our love to God. 

We know what those actions are.  Jesus proved his love for us to the greatest extent by giving his life for our sake, and now he wants his love returned through service to God and neighbor.  He is our model.  We would do well to imitate Jesus by feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, welcoming the stranger, and giving shelter to the homeless. 

 

Our service does not end with taking care of bodily needs, however.  We are also called to provide spiritual care—to comfort others, to counsel others, to forgive others, to pray for the living and the dead.  All these very ordinary deeds done in the name of Christ are true works of mercy.  They are signs that we are returning our love to God, and God will not fail to notice.  Jesus assures us that, whoever gives a cup of water to drink in his name will have their reward (Mk 9:40).

During Lent, we often focus on caring for the needs of others.  Three traditional practices associated with Lent provide opportunity in that regard—prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  We usually think of almsgiving in terms of giving money to the poor.  According to the Psalmist, "Blessed is he that considers the needy and the poor" (Ps 40:2).  Notice that the Psalmist says “considers” rather than “gives” to the needy and the poor.  This way of putting it suggests that anything done to assist the needy and the poor out of genuine charity is almsgiving.  Thus, almsgiving includes much more than giving money to the indigent.  Every deed carried out to benefit our neighbor in the name of Christ, no matter how small, is almsgiving.  How our actions affect the poor are worth considering. 

When it comes to prayer, Jesus is our first model.  We read in Scripture that Jesus often went out alone to a secluded place and prayed.  Rarely is the content of his prayer revealed to us.  What we do know, however, suggests that during his prayer Jesus spoke openly and honestly with his heavenly Father, holding back nothing.  Since he came to do the Father’s will, we can be sure that he spent time in prayer discerning what the Father might want.  Sometimes prayer is the only way we learn how to help others. 

   

Almsgiving and prayer are two legs of a traditional Lenten practice.  The third is fasting.  We usually think of fasting as giving up something, a favorite food or treat. This is certainly appropriate.  Vatican II in fact encouraged the renewal of this practice, especially before celebration of the Easter Vigil.  But, there are other ways of fasting.  In a less dramatic way, for example, we might give up criticizing or judging others.

The prophet Isaiah offers more insight into what it means to fast.  Isaiah quotes the Lord when he says, "This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own" (Is 58:6-7).

Sometimes it is easier to help a stranger than our own.  Lent is also a time to consider how well we love those closest to us.  They too need our alms, prayers, and fasting.