Homily for Wednesday, 27 May 2015– Ferial

Wednesday of the 8th week in Ordinary Time

Readings of the day: Sirach 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17; Psalm 79:8, 9, 11, 13; Mark 10:32-45

This homily was given at Bethany House, a shelter for homeless women and children and a ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Rochester, NY.

Have any of us ever loved in a way that defies logic; understanding; explanation? Have we ever loved somebody so deeply and yet said or done something, maybe even well-meaning, at the wrong place or the wrong time?

This, I think, is the experience of Jesus’ Apostles James and John in our Gospel reading today. It is clear from Mark’s Gospel that Jesus’ disciples love him. But they become especially confused in their love for Jesus as Jesus is about to complete his journey to Jerusalem. Today’s Gospel reading describes Jesus’ disciples as both “amazed” and “afraid.”

What were the disciples thinking and feeling as Jesus neared Jerusalem? Perhaps they were “amazed” at his teaching; his works of mercy; of healing; his miracles that they had witnessed while accompanying Jesus in his public life. But might they have asked themselves, “What good will our Lord’s going to Jerusalem bring? We believe he is our hoped-for Messiah. We love him. He has many friends, but also many enemies. Will his life be in danger in Jerusalem?”

And then Jesus confirms the worst fears of his disciples: In Jerusalem he will be mocked, spit upon, scourged, and put to death. It is no wonder that Jesus’ disciples are “afraid”! In their fear the Apostles James and John make a request of Jesus that, on the one hand, sounds extremely self- serving. “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left,” James and John ask Jesus. On the other hand, we could understand James’ and John’s request for a share in Jesus’ glory as well-meaning. James and John love Jesus. They have been with him throughout his public life and ministry. They are now faced with the prospect of his death in Jerusalem. Their request for a share in Jesus’ heavenly glory, then, is borne out of fear and confusion. Might they be speaking the words that Jesus’ other disciples are all feeling? They are “amazed” and yet “afraid.”

Jesus recognizes that his disciples love him and one another. He corrects James and John, and any disciple who sees in following Jesus an opportunity for personal glory or power over others. “You know that” the “rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them… But it shall not be so among you,” Jesus says to his disciples.

But even this correction is gentle. By it Jesus refines the love his disciples have for him and one another. Their love has one well-meaning goal: A share in Jesus’ own eternal glory. But their love; our love is in need of refinement to accept a share in Jesus’ cross if we are to have a share in his resurrection.

I have confidence that we, like Jesus’ first disciples, love Jesus and one another. And yet are we willing to accept in faith Jesus’ refinement of our love so that our love continues to grow, to be ever more other-serving and God-serving than self-serving; to accept our both share in Christ’s suffering; his cross and in his resurrection; his glory that we are promised? If we are willing to accept this and to pray for this, then Jesus will purify; perfect our love for him and for one another in the way he did for and with his first disciples.

Homily for Friday, 6 June 2014‒ Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

This homily was given during the monthly St. Kateri School Mass, the last school Mass of the 2013-2014 school year. Children from kindergarten to Grade 6, teachers, school staff, and many parents were present. This was my first homily during my first Mass as presiding priest at my home parish, St. Kateri Tekakwitha in Irondequoit, NY.

School Mass Readings: Isaiah 12:4-6; Psalm 15:7-9; 1 John 3: 1, 4, 7-8; John 15:11-12, 14, 17

My first question is this, for someone really smart here; someone who was listening very carefully to our readings we have just heard is this: What are some things our readings say about God?

“God has been good to me”; to us. “God is wonderful… God is great,” says our first reading from Isaiah. Does anyone remember what else our readings say about God? Here`s a small hint: What is the very important word that begins with “L” that our second reading says God is? Our second reading says that “God is love.”

Love is a complicated word, because we love other things and people than God (this isn’t necessarily a bad thing) and also we are called to love God. What are some of the things we love, other than God? Who are some of the people we love? Who here loves their friends; a brother; a sister; other family members; their teachers; their students?

It is very good to love these people because God, who is love, asks us to love all these people and also to love God as God loves us. Jesus says in our Gospel reading today: “This is… my order.” Now when someone, especially Jesus, orders us to do something do you think it’s usually important that we follow the order?

Jesus doesn’t order us to do many things, but he orders us to do this one thing. What, then, is the order that Jesus gives us? Jesus orders us to “love one another.”

Jesus is God, and God is love, so what Jesus is saying to us is, “Be like God, who is love, and so love one another.”

Sometimes we know that, just like when our teachers or our parents order us to do something, we don’t always do what they order us (or even ask us more gently) to do. Jesus knows this when he orders us, “Love one another.” And so Jesus is with us to help us to grow in our ability to do as he asks us; to love one another as God loves us.

In what ways is Jesus is with us to help us to grow in love? Jesus is with us and helps us to grow in love for one another when we learn together; when we pray together; when we play together; and especially when we celebrate Mass; when we receive bread and wine that has been changed into the body and blood of Jesus himself, together.

Jesus promises to be with us in all these ways to help us to grow together in love for one another and in our understanding that God is love. And there’s more: Jesus makes us that promise to one another of love; that promise, as our school song this year says, “to be everything God wants [us] to be.”*

So let us pray together that Jesus might continue to help us to grow to be “the promise to be everything God wants us to be”; to be this promise to one another; to love one another just as God loves us, because God is love.
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*The lyrics to “I Am a Promise,” the theme song for St. Kateri School in Irondequoit, NY, can be found at https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080709142052AA2NCRm. This homily contains other references to hymns the children practiced at school and that were sung during this Mass.