THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD (May 21or 24) (8-minutes homily in one page) 

Introduction: Today’s readings describe the Ascension of the Lord Jesus into his Heavenly glory after promising the apostles the Holy Spirit as their source of Heavenly power, and commanding them to bear witness to him by their lives and by preaching the good News throughout the world. The ascended Jesus promised the Apostles, "I am with you always; yes, to the end of time,” and keeps that promise through the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Today’s Feast is a celebration of Jesus’ glory after his suffering and death – a glory in which we also hope to share. (An anecdote may be added here).

The Scripture lessons, summarized: The first reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, describes the scene of Jesus’ Ascension, with the promise of the Holy Spirit and the instruction that the Apostles were to stay in Jerusalem until they had received the Holy Spirit, the Power from above. In the second reading, St. Paul prays that Holy the Spirit may enliven the hope of Christ’s disciples in their future heavenly glory, saying, "May God enlighten the eyes of our heart so that we may know the great hope to which we have been called.” Paul also teaches us that God revealed His might in the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and in exalting Jesus over all angelic forces.  Today’s Gospel tells us that, with his return to the Father, Jesus completed his mission on earth.  But just before his Ascension, he entrusted to his disciples the mission of preaching and teaching the Good News and evangelizing the whole world by bearing witness to him through their lives. In the descriptions of Christ after his Resurrection, we are given a hint of what life will be like in Heaven.  But it is in Jesus’ Ascension that we see the Son of God and Son of Man entering fully into the life and glory of God.  The prospect of sharing in that glory should be the driving force of our lives. 

Life messages: 1) As Christians, we need to be proclaimers and evangelizers.  The difference between preaching and proclaiming is that we preach with words, but we proclaim with our lives.  Let us ask the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we may bear witness to Jesus by our transparent Christian lives. 

2) We have a teaching mission:  Jesus taught us lessons of Faith, Hope, Love, forgiveness, mercy and salvation both by living and by preaching them. Our mission is to bring them to others in the same ways.   Hence, let us learn all Jesus did and taught through daily study of the Bible and the teachings of the Church, experience Jesus in personal prayer, reception of the Sacraments and works of charity, and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, convey to others Jesus whom we have experienced. 

3) The ascended Jesus is our source of strength and encouragement: We will be able to overcome doubts about our Faith and baseless fears, anxieties and worries by meditating on Jesus’ Ascension and the lesson it teaches that we, too, are called to share Jesus’ glory in Heaven. 

THE FEAST OF ASCENSION OF OUR LORD – (May 21/24, 2020)

(Acts 1:1-11; Eph 1:17-23; Mt 28:16-20) 

Homily starter anecdotes #1: Solar Power: One of the national coordinators of Sun Day held early in May every year is Denis Hayes. He worked as researcher at a Washington D.C. ‘think-tank’ and has written a book on solar energy entitled Rays of Hope: The Transition to a Post-Petroleum World. Hayes claims that we are at the crossroads of making a critical choice for mankind – the choice between going solar or going nuclear for a power source. Hayes opts for the sun because it is “the world’s only inexhaustible, predictable, egalitarian, non-polluting, safe, terrorist-resistant and free energy source.” We’ve already learned to use the power of the sun to grow food, make wine and operate greenhouses. All we need to do is develop better technology to harness solar energy to heat houses, drive our cars and run our industry. People like Hayes are looking at the sky with its sun as the main source of our future energy supply. Today we turn our attention to the sky for another reason – to commemorate our Lord’s Ascension into Heaven. In the first reading, taken from Acts, Jesus makes a promise, “You will receive Power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you.” That Holy Spirit of the risen and ascended Lord is the power source that can give all the energy we need to live our lives to the full. (Albert Cylwicki in His Word Resounds).

#2: The Unfinished Painting: Leonardo da Vinci had started to work on a large canvas in his studio.  For a while he worked at it – choosing the subject, planning the perspective, sketching the outline, applying the colors, with his own inimitable genius.  Then suddenly he stopped working on it.  Summoning one of his talented students, the master invited him to complete the work.  The horrified student protested that he was both unworthy and unable of completing the great painting which his master had begun.  But da Vinci silenced him.  "Will not what I have done inspire you to do your best?"  Jesus our Master began to spread the Good News two thousand years ago by what he said and did and, supremely, by what he suffered.  Jesus illustrated his message and has left us to finish the picture.  Will Jesus’ life not inspire us to finish the picture? This is the message of the Ascension (John Rose in John's Sunday Homilies). 

# 3: "I have no other plan -- it must work." A beautiful old story tells of how Jesus, after his Ascension into Heaven, was surrounded by the angels who began to enquire about his work on earth.  Jesus told them about His birth, life, preaching, death and Resurrection, and how he had accomplished the salvation of the world.  The Archangel Gabriel asked, “Well, now that you are back in Heaven, who will continue your work on earth?"  Jesus said, "While I was on earth, I gathered a group of people around me who believed in me and loved me.   They will continue to spread the Gospel and carry on the work of the Church.” Gabriel was perplexed.  "You mean Peter, who denied you thrice and all the rest who ran away when you were crucified?  You mean to tell us that you left them to carry on your work? And what will you do if this plan doesn't work?"  Jesus said, "I have no other plan -- it must work." Truly, Jesus has no other plan than to depend on the efforts of his followers!  

# 4; The disciples who completed Puccini’s opera Turandot.  The Italian composer Giacomo Puccini wrote, among other operas, La Boheme, Madama Butterfly and Tosca.  It was during his battle with terminal cancer in 1922 that he began to write Turandot, which many now consider his best work. He worked on the score day and night, despite his friends' advice to rest, and to save his energy. When his sickness worsened, Puccini said to his disciples, "If I don't finish Turandot, I want you to finish it." He died in 1924, leaving the work unfinished. His disciples gathered all that was written of Turandot, studied it in great detail, and then proceeded to write the remainder of the opera. The world premier was performed in La Scala Opera House in Milan in 1926, and Toscanini, Puccini’s favorite student, conducted it. The opera went beautifully, until Toscanini came to the end of the part written by Puccini. He stopped the music, put down the baton, turned to the audience, and announced, "Thus far the master wrote, but he died." There was a long pause; no one moved. Then Toscanini picked up the baton, looked at the audience and, with tears in his eyes, announced, "But his disciples finished his work." The opera closed to thunderous applause and to a permanent place in the annals of great works. Jesus instructs us in his Ascension message to finish his work of saving mankind by proclaiming His Good News by words and deeds.

Introduction:  Today’s readings describe the Ascension of the Lord Jesus into Heavenly glory, after promising the Holy Spirit as the source of Heavenly power for the apostles and commanding them to  “…be My witnesses... throughout the whole world,” by their lives and their preaching.  We celebrate the exaltation and the end of Jesus’ earthly existence as a prelude to the gift of the Spirit.  Matthew’s Gospel begins with the promise of Emmanuel – God is with us; it concludes with the promise of the Risen Christ, “I am with you always, even to the end of time.”   So, the ascended Jesus is with us at all times and in all places, releasing a new energy upon the earth. This is the energy of the Holy Spirit Who came down upon the Apostles and is also given to each us so that we may preach the Good News of salvation to all the world, while bearing witness to Jesus by living out His word.  Hence, today’s feast is the celebration of Jesus’ glory after his suffering and death – the glory in which we also hope to share.  The Ascension and Pentecost, taken together, mark the beginning of the Church’s active life.  The feast of the Ascension tells us that the Church must be a community in mission, guided by the Holy Spirit and confident of God’s protection even in the face of suffering and death. Jesus’ Ascension is both an ending and a beginning.  The physical appearances of Jesus are at an end -- the revelation of the “Good News” is complete; the promise and mission of the Messiah is fulfilled.  Now begins the work of the disciples to teach what they have learned and to share what they have witnessed. 

The Scripture lessons, summarized: The first reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, describes the scene of Jesus’ Ascension, with the promise of the Holy Spirit, and the missionary command to the Apostles that they are to bear witness to Jesus by bringing and living out His teachings to the whole world. the world.  In the second reading, St. Paul prays that the Holy Spirit may enliven the hope of Christ’s disciples in their future Heavenly glory, saying, "May God enlighten the eyes of our heart so that we may know the great hope to which we have been called."  Paul also teaches us that God revealed His might in the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and in His exaltation of Jesus over all angelic forces.   Although risen and ascended, Jesus is still with us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus remains accessible to us now with every prayer and every breath, if we so choose, in the Holy Bible, in the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist, and in the praying community.  Today’s Gospel tells us that Jesus, returning to the, completes the Messianic mission on earth.  In the descriptions of Christ after his Resurrection, we are given a hint of what life will be like in Heaven.   But it is in the Ascension that we see Jesus entering fully into the life and glory of God.  The prospect of sharing that glory should be the driving force of our lives. 

The first reading: Acts 1:1-11explained:  describes how Jesus interacted with his disciples for forty days after his Resurrection. He instructed the Apostles to remain in Jerusalem to receive the Holy Spirit, the source of power.  Once they received the Spirit, they would bear witness to Jesus to the ends of the earth by their preaching and their lives: “You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” and become “My witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and to the ends of the earth.”  Then Jesus was lifted up in the sky and was covered by a cloud covered.  The disciples received the angelic message that the ascended Jesus would come back again in glory “in the same way as you have seen Him going into Heaven.”  Thus, the Ascension of Jesus means that the risen Jesus has entered into the glory of the Heavenly Father.  Jesus has accomplished our salvation by suffering and death, burial and Resurrection, Ascension, and the sending of the Spirit.

Today's Responsorial Psalm (Ps 47), “God is king of all the earth,” celebrates God's universal kingship.  It was originally sung in connection with a cultic procession honoring the Ark of the Covenant.  This most sacred religious object served as a pedestal upon which God was invisibly enthroned.  During an annual feast it would be taken from repose in the Temple’s Holy of Holies and returned in solemn procession.  "God mounts his throne!"  This cultic cry, our Psalm refrain today, refers to the solemn installation of the Ark within the Temple, a liturgical reenactment of the universal lordship that is God's from eternity.  Now, by his Ascension the risen Lord likewise "mounts his throne" in glory. 

The second reading (Eph 1:17-23) explained: In the second reading, St. Paul puts special emphasis on the truth that Jesus, our triumphant Lord, now rules in glory over all creation.  He prays: "May God enlighten the eyes of your hearts so that you may know the great hope to which you have been called."  In the alternate second reading (Eph. 4:4-13), Paul exhorts the disciples to live in a manner worthy of their calling and mission.  The greatest witness we can bear to the presence of Jesus in our midst is our unity with God, seen in our living with one another in peace and harmony. 

Exegetical notes: A) The Ascension: Each Sunday we profess through the Creed, "He ascended into Heaven."  Christ’s Ascension was the culmination of God’s divine plan for Christ Jesus, his return to his Father with “Mission Accomplished." The Ascension, as the grand finale of all Jesus’ words and works done for us and for our salvation, is a culmination, but not a conclusion.  Jesus is now with God in glory, and with us in the Holy Spirit: "Lo, I am with you always." The feast of the Ascension celebrates one aspect of the Resurrection, namely Jesus’ exaltation.  He did not wait 40 days to be glorified at God’s right hand. That had already happened at his Resurrection. Like the 40 days after Easter during which He appeared to many in Israel, this public Ascension into Heaven was given to us for our sakes. The forty days allowed many to experience personally Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead and his being alive in a glorified body as fact to be counted upon, reality, and the fulfillment of prophecy. The focus of this feast is the Heavenly reign of Christ, and the Lord’s being “seated at God’s right hand,” meaning He alone will be in control of the continuing plan of salvation through the Holy Spirit, unrestricted by time, space or culture. It is there, at the “right hand of God,” that Jesus continues to make intercession for all of us with the Father.  Thus, the Paschal Mystery -- Jesus' passion, death, Resurrection, Ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit – is a single, unbroken Reality which is to be understood by Faith. By His Ascension, Jesus, the risen Christ, True God and True Man, is One with the Father and the Holy Spirit in glory forever.

B) The Ascension account: The Biblical accounts of the Ascension focus not so much on the details of the event as on the mission Jesus gave to his disciples.  For example, in the accounts narrated in Luke and Acts, the Ascension took place in Jerusalem.  In Matthew and Mark, on the other hand, the event occurred in Galilee.  All accounts, however, agree that the Ascension, a real event, happening in real time and observed by real people, took place on a mountain.  In Luke and Acts, the Ascension happened forty days after the Resurrection, a period during which Jesus appeared repeatedly to his followers.  In Matthew and Mark there is no indication of the time period between the Resurrection and the Ascension.  The Gospel writers apparently were not aiming at accuracy of historical detail but were more concerned with transmitting Our Lord’s message. 

C) The Ascension message: "Preach the Good News and be my witnesses:"  Matthew, Mark and Acts record Jesus’ last words differently: 1) “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).  2) “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-21).  3) “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation” (Mark.16:15).  All are in agreement that (a) Jesus gave his disciples a mission of bearing witness to him by preaching and living the Good News.  They are to tell and re-tell the story of Jesus' life, suffering, death and Resurrection, Ascension and sending of the Holy Spirit.  (b) He assured them of the Divine assistance of the Holy Spirit in the carrying out of this mission. There is a saying you may have heard, which goes, “If you were accused of being a Christian, would they find enough evidence to convict you?” Today’s Gospel challenges us to provide enough evidence. 

D) Christmas and Ascension: The Ascension is most closely related, in meaning, to Christmas.  In Jesus, the human and the Divine become united in the Person and life of one man.  That's Christmas.  At the Ascension, it was not the Divine nature of Jesus alone that ascended to the Father.  It was the risen Jesus -- fully human and fully Divine; whole, alive and entire, in his glorified Body -- Who ascended: a body which the disciples had touched, the body in which Jesus had eaten and drunk with them both before and after His Resurrection, a real, physical, but gloriously restored body, bearing the marks of nails and a spear.  This is what, and Who, ascended.  This is what, and Who, now and forever, is a living, participating part of God. The Ascension, along with the Incarnation, is here to tell us that it is a good thing to be a human being; indeed, it is a wonderful and an important and a holy thing to be a human being.  It is such an important thing that God did it.  Even more, the fullness of God now includes what it means to be a human being. 

Life messages: 1) We need to be proclaimers and evangelizers: In today's Gospel, Jesus gives his mission to all the believers: "Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” This mission is not given to a select few but to all believers. To be a Christian is to be a proclaimer and an evangelizer. There is a difference between preaching and proclaiming. “We preach with words, but we proclaim with our lives.” As we celebrate the Lord’s return to His Father in Heaven – His Ascension -- we are being commissioned to go forth and proclaim the Gospel of life and love, of hope and peace, by the witness of our lives. On this day of hope, encouragement and commissioning, let us renew our commitment to be true disciples everywhere we go, beginning with our family and our parish, "living in a manner worthy of the call [we] have received.” Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, says: "All the baptized, whatever their position in the church or their level of instruction in the Faith, are agents of evangelization, and it would be insufficient to envisage a plan of evangelization to be carried out by professionals while the rest of the faithful would simply be passive recipients. ... Indeed, anyone who has truly experienced God's saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love."

2) We need to live a life of Christian joy in the presence of the ascended Lord. According to Luke, the disciples "returned to Jerusalem with great joy." Apparently, Jesus' exaltation and final blessing gave them, as it gives us, the assurance that, though absent, Jesus is still present, present even in the pain and sorrow we undergo. That is why St. Augustine assures us, “Christ is now exalted above the Heavens, but he still suffers on earth all the pain that we, the members of his Body, have to bear. He showed this when he cried out from above: 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?' and when he said: 'I was hungry and you gave me food.' While in Heaven he is also with us; and while on earth we are with him. He is here with us by his Divinity, his power and his love. We cannot be in Heaven, as He is on earth, by Divinity, but in Him, we can be there by love." “With a spirit of wisdom and insight to know him clearly,” we can discover Christ's presence at every turn of our life’s journeys to his final return at the end of time.

3) We have a teaching mission:  Jesus taught us lessons of Faith, Hope, forgiveness, mercy, Redemption and Love.  We cannot put these lessons on a shelf and ignore them.  They stand before us in the person of Jesus.  Although no longer visibly present in the world, He is present in his words. We must make his words real in our lives and in the lives of others. Christianity was meant to be a Faith in which Jesus’ followers would help and care for others, just as Jesus had done, and in so doing, would care for Jesus in them.   But the spreading of the Good News to all nations is not a goal that can be attained by human might and craft.  This is why Jesus promises to empower his messengers with His abiding presence and that of the Holy Spirit.   The challenge of sharing the Good News with all mankind should, therefore, begin with our admission that we have often been arrogant and overbearing.  We must learn to be humble and let the Holy Spirit lead the way. 

4) The ascended Jesus is our source of strength and encouragement: Perhaps some of the nagging doubts, which inevitably accompany the journey of Faith, could be lessened by our meditating on the Ascension and its implications. When we are too far from Faith to pray on our own, let us remember that we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous, praying for us. When the trials of life feel too heavy to bear, we must remember that Christ will come again in glory, the same glory in which he arose from the tomb, the same glory in which he ascended, and the same glory in which he currently abides. Though our limited perception might find him absent, Jesus is fully present, participating in every moment of our lives. By His Ascension, Christ has not deserted us but has made it possible for the Holy Spirit to enter all times and places. In this way it is possible for each of us to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit into agents or instruments of Christ. We are enlivened and our actions become animated in a new way, by Holy Spirit, as we serve the God, we love We have become Christs in the world.

JOKE OF THE WEEK

# 1: The Ascension mission to preach the Gospel: After attending a convention led by Billy Graham a woman wrote to him. “Dear Sir, I feel that God is calling me to preach the Gospel. But the trouble is that I have twelve children. What shall I do?” The televangelist replied: “Dear Madam, I am delighted to hear that God has called you to preach the Gospel. I am even more delighted to hear that He has already provided you with a congregation in your own home.” 

# 2: The Ascension walk-out: There was a long-winded pastor who preached salvation history from Genesis to Revelation in every sermon. On the feast of Ascension as he reached Isaiah, he remarked that the prophet said nothing about the Ascension of Our Lord. He asked his audience, “What shall we do with him?” One old man in the front seat said, “He can have my seat, Father, I am leaving.”

# 3: And after death ascend or descend? At the end of school what do you want to do?  I want to do my Senior Certificate. After your Senior Certificate what do you want to do? - I want to go to college. After college what do you want to do?
- I want to get a job. Then what do you want to do? - I want to make big money.
What do you want to do after making money? - I want to build a big house.
After that what do you intend to do? - I want to get married. What will you do after getting married? - I will have a family. What will you do after having a family? - I will retire. What do you want to do after you retire? - I want to take a rest. What will you do after taking a rest? - I don’t know. Will you die? - Oh yes, I will die too. What will happen after death? I am not sure!

Websites of the week

1) Breviary (Liturgy of the Hours) for the whole year on your desktop: 

http://www.liturgies.net/Liturgies/Catholic/loh/loh.htm 

 Fr. James Farfaglia website: http://fatherjames.org/about/ 

2) Catholic Online Directory: http://www.catholic.org/newsearch/ 

Ascension videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmE4uon5OBk

Video Sunday-Scripture study by Fr. Geoffrey Plant: https://www.youtube.com/user/GeoffreyPlant2066

32 Additional anecdotes: 1) Passing the Baton: The critical moment in a relay race is the passing of the baton from one runner to another. More relays are won or lost at that moment than at any other. The feast of the Ascension might be compared to the passing of the baton in a relay race. On this day over 2,000 years ago, Jesus passed the baton of responsibility for the Kingdom of God to his followers. Jesus commissioned them to complete the work he had begun. The saving work of Christ is now being handed over to the Church. In other words, the responsibility for passing on the Faith rests with us. Let us carry the Faith with courage and conviction and let us pass it on to those we meet. How do you and I, in the 20th century, carry out Jesus’ commission to be his witnesses to the world and his teachers to the nations? There are as many ways to do this as there are Christians. We can do what two 25-year-old university graduates did recently. After completing their degrees, one from Georgetown and the other from Marquette, they entered the Seminary. We can do what Albert Schweitzer did. At the age of 30 he abandoned his music career in Europe to study medicine and became a missionary doctor in Africa. We can do what the baseball coach of Spring Hill College, Alabama, did a few years back. At the age of 35 he resigned his position and began his studies for the priesthood. We can do what a Poor Clare cloistered nun, Mother Angelica, did. In her 50s she began a Catholic religious television channel, EWTN. (Mark Link S. J.  in Sunday Homilies, quoted in Net for Life).         

2) Great commissions: Actually, there have been many persons given exciting commissions in their lifetimes. There was Michelangelo's commission to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Sir Christopher Wren's commission to build St. Paul's Cathedral in London, Walter Reed's assignment to stop yellow fever at the "Big Ditch" in Panama, Chamberlain's orders to stop the Confederates at Little Roundtop in Gettysburg and most recently the mission of the U.S. Navy Seals to get the terrorist master-mind, Bin Laden, dead or alive. But I tell you, in my life and yours, there is an even greater commission. It is found here in Matthew 28:18-20 where Jesus Christ turns to his disciples and says, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

3) “Is this thing working?” There is the funny story of the raw army recruit standing at attention on the drill field. The drill instructor yells, "Forward, march!" And the entire ranks begin to move, all except this one raw recruit. He's still standing there at attention. So, the drill instructor strolls over to him and yells in his right ear, "Is this thing working?" "Sir, yes, sir!" the recruit yells. Then the drill instructor walks around to the other ear and yells, "Is this thing working?" "Sir, yes, sir!" the soldier yells. "Then why didn't you march when I gave the order?" "Sir, I didn't hear you call my name." Some of us are like that soldier standing around waiting for God to call our names. But the great commission given by Jesus on the day of his Ascension is a blanket order. It has everyone's name on it. And you can be sure that the man in charge says, "Go! Make disciples! Teach!” It is your mission and my mission.

4) "Torpedo evangelism." Rebecca Pippert, the author of Out of the Saltshaker: Into the World, tells of a time she was sitting in her car at a traffic light with her window rolled down. As the light turned green a car drove by and its occupant threw something into her car hitting her on the cheek. It didn't hurt but she was so startled that she pulled over immediately. When she unrolled the paper, she discovered it was a Gospel tract. She says she was the apparent victim of what she refers to as "torpedo evangelism." I'm sure the torpedoer meant well. At least I hope so, but he or she did the wrong thing for the right reason in the wrong way. We can engage people in conversation about their Faith and their relationship with God in a non-judgmental manner. We can encourage. We can invite. We can offer counsel. But we leave the hard work, the heart work, up to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. You see, we are not on some sort of spiritual mugging mission.

5) Reaching Peak Performance: One of the superstars in that professional speakers’ circuit is a man named Charles Garfield. He is a psychologist from San Francisco. He makes up to 150 speeches a year, he says. Actually, if the truth were known, he makes one speech 150 times. He began his career as a mathematician for NASA. He was part of the Apollo Project that put a man on the moon. He left NASA to study psychology. He became interested in what motivates people to reach their highest possible achievement in this life. He went to Berkeley and got a PhD in psychology. Then he interviewed 1,500 people on how they achieved what he called "peak performance." He published that result in a book, and then he started on the lecture circuit. He said the one thing that all peak performers have in common is a sense of mission. "What you need in this life if you want to have fulfillment is a sense of mission." It is giving yourself to something that is greater than yourself. That is what a mission is. That mission is found at the conclusion of Matthew's Gospel: "All power in Heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Mt 28:18-20) Not only does the Church have a mission to perform in this world, but everybody in the Church is supposed to have a part in performing that mission.

6) “They don't drink no water." The chief warrant officer was brought before the provost marshal and asked if he had received the general's order. "Yes, Sir."
"Then why didn't you comply?" roared the provost.
"Well, Sir, I didn't think it applied to us."
"And why not?"
"Because, Sir, when my men go to town, they don't drink no water."[Robert L. Jamison, "Humor in Uniform," Laughter, the Best Medicine, (New York: Berkley Books, 1981), p. 29.] Fortunately, those men who first heard the ascending Lord's orders did not look for ways to get around them but did what they told. 

7) Nietchze and Hitler: Nietchze, the German philosopher, said, "God is dead and the stench of his corpse is all across Europe." He advocated humanism and proposed the development of a "superman" of Aryan heritage, protected by selective breeding and superior education. The Nazi Party picked up his idea, and men like Hitler, Goering, Goebbels, Mengle, Himmler, and Rommel set about building such a society in Germany's Third Reich. But it all ended with bullets and bombs, chaos and suffering such as the world has seldom seen. The Christian Faith has no less a plan. But it involves a higher order. Hitler would have renewed man by his own efforts. We seek to renew the human race by the work of God. Our mission as given by the ascending Jesus is not to make converts or Church members, but baptized, obedient disciples!

8) Three-step Baptism:  In one of the great cathedrals of Europe there is a baptistery that tells the story. The water flows through it reminding us that Jesus says he is the living water. To be baptized, a person walks down three steps, each one marked by a word: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Descending the steps, the convert is plunged beneath the water to die to sin and then raised from the depths to newness of life in Christ. To leave the baptistery now he must climb three steps, each one marked by a word: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So it is that a new creature is born, a new breed of man, a citizen of a new kingdom, a breed apart. Dead to sin, he is alive to God and sent forth to grow and love and give light to a lost and dying world. He doesn't do it alone. He does it in the Church, in little communities. In these, people demonstrate, in their way of being together, God's eternal Kingdom come upon them. It took Michelangelo over ten years to paint the Sistine Chapel. Our missionary commission lasts until the job gets done, until life is over, "until the close of the age."

9) “Alter your course 10 degrees north.” Have you heard the story of a sea captain who was guiding his ship on a very dark night? He saw faint lights in the distance and told his signalman to send a message, “Alter your course 10 degrees south.” A prompt message returned, “Alter your course 10 degrees north.” The captain became angry because his command had been ignored, so he sent a second message, “I command you to alter your course 10 degrees south!” Again, a message promptly returned, “Alter your course 10 degrees north.” Infuriated, the captain sent off a third message: “I am the captain, and this is a battleship. Alter your course 10 degrees south!” Once again, a prompt reply came, “Alter your course 10 degrees north – I am a lighthouse.” These last words of Jesus are the signal we are to obey. No wonder we label the call “the Great Commission.” The tragedy of the Church – our great sin – is that the Great Commission of Jesus is our “great Omission.”

10) Plus Ultra = "More beyond!” “In Fourteen Hundred Ninety-two/Columbus sailed the ocean blue!" In 1992 the world marked the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' adventure in the Santa Maria. As we all now know, Columbus did not end up where he was headed, which is why some Native Americans are now called Indians. This man from Genoa believed, "God granted me the gift of knowledge ... (and) revealed to me that it was feasible to sail ... to the Indies and placed in me a burning desire to carry out this plan." Columbus set out with a belief that he had tested with his mind, and with a Faith to which he was willing to give his life! How many of us can walk in Columbus' shoes? When, on Friday, August 3, 1492, the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, eased away from their moorings at Palos, in southern Spain, Columbus was putting his beliefs and his Faith into the realities of life. Before the reports of his trans-Atlantic travel penetrated the Old World, Spanish coins had stamped upon them an outline of the Straits of Gibraltar. Underneath the outline of the Straits was the Latin inscription Ne Plus Ultra. It translates, "No more beyond." It meant that the world ended in the great expansive voids of water beyond the Straits. There was nothing more. But once Columbus returned home and told of what he had seen, of what he had discovered, and once that report was widely shared, new coins were minted. The inscription was changed to Plus Ultra. It translates, "More beyond!" That is the mountaintop affirmation which came to the disciples in Galilee and the word that ends Matthew's Gospel.

11) Wellington defeated: Wellington and Napoleon were fighting the battle of Waterloo. It was a decisive battle. Life for many, many persons hinged on its outcome. At last, word was transmitted to London by means of semaphores - a visual code with reflected sunlight spelling out the message letter by letter. A sentry picked up the message from his post atop a great cathedral. Letter by letter he passed on the message to London. The first word was "Wellington." The second word was "defeated." Suddenly a very dense fog settled in upon the cathedral, making it impossible for the light to penetrate the mists and allow the message forwarded on. The fog grew denser, and its darkness was mirrored in the hearts of the Londoners who had received the word, "Wellington defeated." It meant that Napoleon had won. The English of London were a conquered people. Hope was gone. Liberty was no more. England was ruled by another. But as suddenly as it had come, the fog lifted. The sentry returned to his tower, and went back to his duties, feverishly attempting to transmit the whole message. And London saw it - the good news breaking upon the city and telling the full story: "Wellington defeated the enemy!" Whether the semaphores' message to London is history or fiction, it does convey the truth of Christian Faith! That truth is the shout first heard in Joseph's garden as the earliest followers of Christ made the discovery. It is the victory message of Jesus' word to his disciples upon that Galilee mountaintop, and it is the shout heard through the centuries as human life has been understood as life lived in two worlds - one temporal, the other eternal.  

12) "I am the smartest man in the world”. A ridiculous story with religious significance has been making the rounds lately. It is about a pilot and three passengers a boy scout, a priest, and an atomic scientist in a plane that develops engine trouble in mid-flight. The pilot rushes back to the passenger compartment and exclaims, "The plane is going down! We only have three parachutes, and there are four of us! I have a family waiting for me at home. I must survive!" With that, he grabs one of the parachutes and jumps out of the plane. The atomic scientist jumps to his feet at this point and declares, "I am the smartest man in the world. It would be a great tragedy if my life were snuffed out!" With that, he also grabs a parachute and exits the plane. With an alarmed look on his face, the priest says to the Boy Scout, "My son, I have no family. I am ready to meet my Maker. You are still young with much ahead of you. You take the last parachute.” At this point, the Boy Scout interrupts the priest, "Hold on, Father. Don't say any more. We're all right. The world's smartest man just jumped out of the plane wearing my knapsack!"  For such smart people who do not believe in an afterlife, today’s feast of Ascension seems a myth. But it is the guarantee of their resurrection and ascension to Heaven for Christians.

13) Are we going to them? 95% of North American Christians will not lead a single person to Christ in their lifetime and I cry, “Lord, help us!” Some of you know the story: 36 million Americans (14% of the population) live in poverty. Of those, the portion living in our urban centers has increased from 30% in 1968 to about 47% today. Are we going to them? And are we going to the 57% of the 36 million poor who remain in rural America? Seventy million individuals in the United States are under the age of 18—are we going to them? Nearly one million foreign-born people immigrate to this country every year. Are we going to them? Thirty-two million people in America speak some language other than English as their primary language. Are we going to them? We have more unsaved and unchurched people in our nation than ever before in our history—172 million. Are we going to them? Ninety percent of the population of the United States now lives in urban settings. Are we going to them? Over 150 million people in America claim to be “born-again Christians.” We have to question what that means. And we wonder if people are not interpreting the Christian Faith as mere mental assent to correct doctrine, accepting forgiveness and professing Christ as an insurance policy – a way to get into Heaven when we die and leave this earth – missing the whole notion of discipleship, growing into the likeness of Christ. If all born-again Christians were disciples, would there not be greater signs of the transforming power of Christ at work in the world?

14) “The City of the World increasingly oozes its decay.” Peter Kreeft, professor at Boston College, has perceptively noted, “The City of the World increasingly oozes its decay.” We saw signs of it in the half-time show of the 38th Super Bowl. One hundred million people – how many children were among them? – saw Justin Timberlake rip off a portion of Janet Jackson’s upper clothing, exposing a private part of her body. We cringed at that and the media talked about it for days. But not much was said about the “dirty” dancing and lewd lyrics, including words about getting a woman naked before the song was done. Other singers through lyrics and dance displayed sexual lust as they gyrated with female dancing partners. The truth, friends, is that halftime show is not the exception in television fare. In fact, it was rather tame compared to what constantly flows from television and the Internet. “The City of the World increasingly oozes its decay.” But what about disciples of Jesus? What about the Church? What about the City set on a hill? What are we doing about “the fact that all the septic tanks on the hill are backing up”? We need disciples with a passion of shedding the Light of Christ into every dark corner of the world. 

15) Gaze Heavenward but go worldwide! Nicky often boasted about his deep Faith. Once, a storm arose and the rains threatened to flood Nicky’s house. A fireman rushed in and said, “Come, I’ll carry you away!” Pointing upward, Nicky exclaimed, “Jesus is the way!” The downpour continued and the waters reached Nicky’s waist. A fisherman rowed by and screamed, “Jump in, I’ll steer you to safety!” gazing heavenward, Nicky retorted, “Only Jesus saves!” Later, rising rainwater forced Nicky to climb onto the roof. The pilot of a helicopter hovering overhead shouted, “I’ll help you!” Nicky replied: “I trust in God alone!” Nicky drowned in the raging waters. In Heaven, he complained: “Lord, I trusted you, but You abandoned me!” God replied, “No, I didn’t! I tried to save you as fireman, fisherman and pilot! Why didn’t you do anything besides gazing heavenward?” (Francis Gonsalves in Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds; quoted in Net for Life)

16) He is the same yet different……Lech Walesa worked for years as an electrician in the Gdansk shipyards. During those years he and his fellow workers founded the movement which came to be known as “Solidarity,” Walesa became its leader. This brought them into open conflict with the Communist leaders. Eventually the workers won out. The Communist regime collapsed and freedom returned to Poland. Then on December 9, 1990, something happened which a few years prior would have been unthinkable. Walesa the shipyard worker was elected first president of a free and democratic Poland. It was a great honor for Walesa. His fellow workers were delighted. They too felt honored because of their association with him. However, there was sadness too. They knew that it would change forever the way they related to him. They knew they were losing him. They were hoping that he would not forget them and that he would help them from his new and more influential position. -- The illustration may go some way in helping us to understand what we are celebrating on this great feast of Ascension. (Flor McCarthy in New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies; quoted by Fr. Botelho and in Net for Life) 

17) The power within: Father Walter Ciszek SJ was in Russia for 23 years, five of which were spent in the dreaded Lubyanka prison in Moscow and ten of which were spent in the harsh Siberian slave labour camp. He was finally released from Russia in 1963, in exchange for two Soviet spies held in USA. He died in 1984 at the age of 84. After release he wrote a book, He Leadeth Me. In this book he tries to answer the question: “How did you manage to survive in Russia?” He says: “I was able to endure the inhuman conditions in which I found myself because I experienced somehow the presence of God. I never lost my Faith that God was with me, even in the worst of circumstances.” What was true of Fr. Walter Ciszek is true of each of us. Jesus is with us; God is with us in the power of the Holy Spirit. (Vima Dasan in His Word Lives; quoted in Net for Life)

18) Footprints: In the familiar poem entitled “Footprints” a man at the end of his life wanted to know why in tough times there was only one set of footprints in the sand. After all, the Lord had promised to walk with him all the way. The Lord replied by telling him that He had never left him in times of trial. When the man saw only one set of footprints, it was then that the Lord carried him. The Lord was with Fr. Ciszek for twenty-three years of hardship in Russia. The Lord was with the man walking in the sand. May the risen Lord be with us all the days of our life.

(Albert Cylwicki in His Word Resounds; quoted in Net for Life)

19) Run the race well: Many years ago, a great Arctic explorer started on an expedition to the North Pole. After having spent two years in the freezing and lonely place, he wrote a message, tied it to the leg of a carrier pigeon, and let it loose to make the two thousand miles journey to Norway. The bird circled thrice, and then started its southward flight in the freezing cold for hundreds of miles; it travelled and crossed the icy frozen oceans and wastelands until it reached and dropped into the lap of the explorer’s wife. The arrival of the bird proved that everything was well with her husband in that deserted, lonely and frozen arctic North. Likewise, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of the Pentecost proved to the disciples that Jesus had entered the Heavenly sanctuary after His Ascension as He had promised. Now He was seated at the right hand of God the Father, for His redemption work was over. The coming of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of the promise of Christ. (John Rose in John’s Sunday Homilies; quoted in Net for Life). 

20)"You shall be my witnesses": In a court of law, both the Prosecution and the Defense want witnesses. There is nothing more convincing than an eyewitness who was actually there at the time the events took place and can retell what happened clearly and precisely. A courtroom scene might go something like this. "I was walking along Morayfield Road near the Cheesecake Shop on my way to work. I work at one of the stores near there, you know the shop that’s next to the ..." "Thank you but please tell us what you saw and heard on the day in question." "Well, I heard this loud crash, coming from the intersection, you know the one with the car yard on the corner. "Was it the intersection of Morayfield Road and Torrens Road?" "That's right. There were squealing tyres and then a loud crash; I turned and looked in the direction of the noise and I saw three crumpled cars." "Am I right in saying that you didn’t actually see what had happened?" "That’s right, but I did see a man running down the road away from the accident. He was bleeding …." A witness is important to a trial as someone who has seen and heard something. We use that word "witness" in a two-fold sense. A witness witnesses an event and then, when that witness tells someone about that event, he or she bears witness to others about what had been seen and heard. Jesus said to his disciples, "You shall be my witnesses first of all in Jerusalem, then out in the countryside of Judea and then to our distant cousins in Samaria.” In fact, "you will be witnesses for Me" in every part of the world. (Rev. Gerhardy).

21) Gospel bombs: Some time ago now, Joseph Bailey wrote a book called the Gospel Blimp. It's about the attempt of Christian neighbours reaching out to the community for Christ. The family purchased a hot air balloon to broadcast the Gospel to the community and dropped "bombs" on the town (These "bombs" were tracts wrapped in coloured cellophane). In spite of the trouble and expense of this attempt at witnessing to Jesus, it failed miserably. The point the writer was making is that there is no substitute for loving care and personal witness, even though this is slow, time-consuming, likely to cause anxiety and even likely to create some hostility. You have probably heard these sayings, "I'd rather see a sermon than hear one", and "Actions speak louder than words." There is truth in these sayings, but there are still those times when words are necessary, and we must speak. The Gospel, by its very nature, needs to be shared. It isn’t something we keep to ourselves, but, by our words and deeds of love, the Gospel speaks to the lives of people about God's love for them and His willingness to reach out and embrace everyone in his time of need. When was the last time you talked with someone outside of your circle of Christian friends about Jesus? When was it that you last attempted to share your Faith with someone or at least invited someone to your Church on a Sunday?  (Rev. Gerhardy). 

22) Leaf of the Tree of Immortality: There is a legend that says that once there was a boy whose sister was very ill and was about to die. Someone told the family that if they could get a leaf of the tree of immortality she would be cured immediately. To get this leaf, someone had to go to Heaven. The little boy made his way to Heaven and met St. Peter and asked for the leaf. St. Peter agreed to give him the leaf and told him that one day she would eventually die but she would not die of any sickness. As St. Peter went in to get the leaf of immortality the little boy peeped into Heaven and saw all the beautiful scenes and heard angelic music. He was in ecstasy. When St. Peter came back with the leaf of immortality he said to Peter, "Forget about the leaf. Can my sister and I come and stay here forever?" St. Paul tells us "what no one ever saw or heard, what no one ever thought would happen, is the very thing God prepared for those who love him.” (Elias Dias in Divine Stories for Families; quoted by Fr. Botelho).

23) 'I want to see Heaven' There is an ancient fable which tells us about a crane that was wallowing in the mud and eating tiny snails. All of a sudden there came a beautiful, snow-white feathered swan. Looking at the heavenly bird the crane asked, "Who are you, and where are you coming from?" "I am coming from a heavenly place," said the swan. "What are these heavenly places," asked the crane. The swan looked at the miserable crane and said, "If you want to see the heavenly places, come with me. There are limpid streams of water, and beautiful gardens and trees. There is food and drink of every kind, music and amusement of your choice. There is a peaceful atmosphere. There is love, joy and eternal happiness." The crane looked at the swan with dismay and said, "Will there be mud and snails? I love to wallow in it and feed on the snails." --Man is not ready to leave his earthly abode for heavenly things. Jesus went up to Heaven to prepare for us a place in Our Father's home. (Elias Dias in Divine Stories for Families; quoted by Fr. Botelho).   

24) The ascended King of the universe: Monarchy has been the most common form of government in human history. There is a good reason for this. When the reins of power are in one set of hands, a government can act quickly and efficiently. But there is also a perennial problem with monarchy. What happens when a good king dies? How can you ensure that the next king will be just as good?  The times of greatest prosperity and peace in every civilization have come under the rule of wise kings. But most kings are not wise. Most kings, like most human beings, tend to be selfish, weak, and shortsighted. And so, history shows the same tragic pattern happening again and again: a great king brings peace and prosperity to a wide realm, only to have it shattered after his death. Charlemagne united and Christianized most of Europe, but when he died his empire was divided among three selfish and petty sons, who tore it asunder. King Louis IX of France, St Louis reigned 44 years, (1226-1270). His vast kingdom spread justice and mercy as the sun spreads light, but his sons and grandsons ended up sowing the seeds of division that would soon tear apart the rich fabric of Christendom. What the peasants of France sang upon St Louis's death is a song that reverberates throughout history: "To whom will poor folk cry out, now that the good king is gone, who loved them so?” But there is one King, wiser and better than any other, who has come back from the dead. His name is Jesus Christ, and his Kingdom will last forever, because he has ascended to the everlasting throne, where he sat at the beginning, sits now, and will sit without end. (The E-Priest).

25) St. Paschal Baylon Visits the King:  We don't think much about this, but it is the truth behind everything we believe. If Christ had not ascended into Heaven, we would not be able to pray to him at any time and in any place and we would not be able to have him close by in the Eucharist, because he would still be limited by time and space. One of the saints whom the Church commemorates on May 17, thought about this truth a lot, and learned to take advantage of it. St Paschal Baylon was a Spanish peasant, a shepherd for the first 24 years of his life.  He could barely read, but he loved Christ, and he had a special understanding of Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist.  He had to stay with his sheep from dawn to dark, which made it impossible for him to go to Mass every day.  So, he did the next best thing.  At the hour Mass was being celebrated, he would kneel on the hillsides, gazing at the Church in the valley, and pray, uniting himself to Christ Who was renewing his sacrifice and presence through the priest's ministry.  Eventually, St Paschal found his vocation to become a religious brother.  He joined the local Franciscan community and encouraged everyone by his virtue, joy, and good humor. During free moments between duties, he could almost always be found in the chapel, speaking with Christ in the Eucharist.  To casual onlookers he was kneeling on a hard-stone floor here on earth, but in truth he was enjoying the presence of our King who sits forever on his throne in Heaven.  He died when he was only fifty-two, at the very moment that the bell rang to signify the consecration at Mass. (E-Priest).

26) The Holy of Holies Open to All: But what exactly are we to be witnesses of?  Jesus tells us right before he ascends into heaven that repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached in his name. If Christ had not ascended, we would not be able to preach that.  His Ascension finishes the job of reconciling fallen humanity to God, because it brings our human nature back into a right relationship with God.  It guarantees that Christ's sacrifice on the cross was completely accepted by the Father. Reconciling fallen humanity with God is the main problem that religion still tries to solve.  In the Old Testament, the Israelites achieved this right relationship through what was called the sacrifice of atonement (at-one-ment: the sacrifice that made sinners, once again, one with God). This sacrifice took place in the Holy of Holies, the innermost chamber of the God-designed tent of worship Moses built and, later, of the Temple in Jerusalem.  The Holy of Holies was separated from the inner altar of incense by a huge, thick, ancient curtain.  Only the High Priest was allowed to pass through the curtain, and even he could only enter once a year, on the Day of Atonement.  That ancient ritual foreshadowed Christ's Ascension.  In his Ascension, Christ was taken up into the real, eternal Holy of Holies, the inner chamber of the universe, Heaven itself.  But instead of coming back out, He stays there God Incarnate --- Son of Man in his human nature as our representative, and Son of God  -- the One  Person Who IS the everlasting bridge of reconciliation between mankind and God.  Through Faith in Christ, we have no more doubts that our sins can be forgiven; we don't have to wait for the Day of Atonement; we can live constantly in a right relationship with God. This is what we bear witness to. This is the message we have received: every human heart's deepest longing can finally be fulfilled, because Christ's sacrifice has been accepted by the Father. (E-Priest).

27) Blessed Antonia Mesina's Wordless Witness: The most important way that the Church bears witness to Christ's unconquerable goodness is through the example of Christians - not our words, but our example. When you and I live as Christ lived, following him, we reveal his salvation to the world. Our English word "martyr" comes from the Greek word for "witness". The Church's martyrs are her greatest witnesses. By refusing to do evil, even at the cost of their own lives, they make the power of Christ's goodness shine out. One of the saints that the Church commemorates on May 17 is a recent and eloquent example of this. Blessed Antonia Mesina (meh-SEE-nah) was the second of ten children born to a peasant family on the Island of Sardinia, off the west coast of Italy. She grew up between World Wars I and II.

After just four years of school, she was forced to leave her studies behind and take over the housekeeping for her mother, who had fallen ill and was confined to bed. Antonia didn't let either her lack of education or her poverty keep her from loving Christ. When she was ten, she joined Catholic Action, Italy's national apostolic movement for lay people. She was a model member, energetically fulfilled her commitments and recruited other young people to join the group. Honoring Christ and living in friendship with him became her first care and highest priority. On one afternoon when she was 16, she went out to gather wood for the stove at home. Alone, she was accosted by another, older teenager, a young man who tried to rape her. She resisted, and he became violent. She continued resisting, and he continued beating her, trying to force her. But she knew that her body was a Temple of the Holy Spirit, and she would not submit. The young man became furious, and he beat her to death. Antonia refused to do evil. In that way, she was a witness to Christ's unconquerable goodness, a martyr. This is what the whole Church has done in a thousand ways throughout the ages, and what each one of us is called to do in our own circle of friends and acquaintances. (E-Priest).

28) “Dr. Carpenter is upstairs."  Many years ago, there lived a very poor family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina by the name of Carpenter. The oldest boy loved the outdoors and knew them well, but he didn't know much else. He was a teenager before his father took him on his first trip to the city, where he saw paved streets, skyscrapers, and electricity for the first time. The boy wanted to stay there and get an education. His father arranged for him to board with some family friends, who generously financed his studies when he decided to become a doctor. He graduated with honors, but declined all job offers to practice medicine in the city. He said he was going back to the mountains, where there were many sick people and few doctors. For many years he ministered to the sick. Some paid, most couldn't. He gave his very best and helped everyone he could. In his old age he was in broken health himself and almost penniless. Two small rooms above the town grocery store were his home and office. At the foot of the creaky stairs leading up to his office was a sign with these words: "Dr. Carpenter is upstairs." One morning someone climbed those stairs to find the devoted doctor dead. The entire community was plunged in grief. They wanted to erect some kind of monument to him. But they decided to simply write these words on a large tombstone: "Dr. Carpenter is upstairs." Jesus is the Divine Doctor of our souls. He is "upstairs" in Heaven, where he ascended after his Resurrection. But he is still alive and eager to help us through the Sacraments, the Bible, and the Church. Every time we turn to him in prayer, we climb the stairs to his office. Because he is upstairs, Dr. Jesus is always in. [This illustration adapted from Stories for Sermons, Vol. 2, by Fr. Arthur Tonne, p12.] (E- Priest). 

29) Forrest Gump Gets Something Right: In 1994 Hollywood released a popular film called Forrest Gump, starring Tom Hanks in an Oscar-winning title role. The film can be base at times but has some interesting insights. At one point in the story, when Forrest is feeling rejected by the people he loves, he gets an urge to just start running. So, he walks out the door, jogs across the yard, and doesn't stop. In fact, when he gets to the ocean and runs out of road, he just turns around and runs the other way. Throughout his run, he is videotaped on national news. When asked why he's running - "World peace? Women's rights?" - he answers, "I'm just running." Unintentionally, he sparks a huge national following. The humorous and meaningful event that ends his journey takes place in the middle of a desert. Forrest stops, longhaired and long bearded, and turns around. The handful of sweaty joggers who have followed him shush each other: "Quiet, he's goanna say somethin'." "I'm kinda' tired," he says, "I think I'll go home now." Forrest walks through the small and silent crowd, and one of them yells after him, "Well, what are we supposed to do?!" All people are looking for the answers to life's deepest questions. But since our thirst for truth and happiness is infinite (because that's how God made us), no finite worldly thing can satisfy us. The characters in the film mindlessly following Tom Hanks' Gump personified that thirst for meaning. The fact that their hero abandons them without any explanation illustrates the inability of the things of this world (money, fame, politics, pleasure) to provide that meaning; eventually, we get tired of them; they let us down. Only Christ is infinite goodness, power, and wisdom; only he is "the Way, Truth, and the Life" that we are searching for. (E- Priest). 

30) Aesop enlightens the judge: The amazing fact of the Ascension lifts our gaze to Heaven. Because Jesus is now in Heaven, body and soul, we are assured that Heaven is not just a nice idea, a myth, or wishful thinking. It is a real place where Jesus has gone ahead to prepare the way for us. One of Aesop's Fables shows just how new this Christian revelation really was. Aesop was a Greek slave who lived before the time of Christ. He was renowned for his natural wisdom, which was recorded in his famous fables, or short stories with deep lessons. One day he was ordered by his master to go to the public baths (in ancient times public baths were like country clubs) and get things ready. On his way, he was stopped by one of the official judges of the city. The judge asked him where he was going. Aesop, thinking that it was none of the judge's business, answered, "I don't know." The judge was offended by this reply, which he considered disrespectful, and marched him off to prison for punishment (disrespectful slaves could be punished without a trial). When they arrived at the prison, Aesop turned to his captor and said, "Judge, when I told you, 'I don't know where I am going,' I was speaking the truth. Little did I think that I was on my way to prison! You see, it is true indeed that we never really know just where we are going." Faced with this explanation, the judge had no choice but to let Aesop go free. This ironic story illustrates the absolute uncertainty of pre-Christian humanity about what happens after death - they just didn't know. (E- Priest).

31) “But what am I going to do without you?”  Caroline had tears in her eyes. “Are you sure you want to move so far away?” Her beloved great Aunt Ingrid smiled.  “Oh, Florida is not that far away.  Besides, you’ll be starting high school in a few weeks.  You're going to make so many new friends you wouldn't have time for me anyway.” Caroline couldn’t remember when her aunt had moved in with her family those many years ago; but under Aunt Ingrid’s tutelage, Caroline had matured from a sullen only child to a vibrant young woman with many interests. “But what am I going to do without you?” Caroline cried. “You'll be fine.  But just in case you get bored, I left something behind for you,” Ingrid said as she gave her niece a last long hug goodbye before stepping into the cab. When she returned to her room, Caroline found Ingrid’s package on her desk.  Inside the box was a pair of knitting needles used by five generations of women in the family; a fountain pen that had belonged to Ingrid's late husband, a writer; a coveted family cake recipe; a beautiful journal that reminded Caroline of the summer afternoon her aunt made paper in the kitchen; and a framed photograph of Ingrid and Caroline sitting at the piano after Caroline’s first lesson.  An inscription engraved on the frame read Precious moments last forever. Caroline began to understand that, even though she felt left “out on a lonely limb of the family tree” without Ingrid, the memories of family lived on in her heart and spirit and attitude, connecting her to generations long past and still to come. Caroline placed the picture on her nightstand.  Then, picking up the fountain pen and journal, she started to write a poem for Ingrid. -- The Ascension of the Lord is not the marking of a departure but the celebration of a presence.  The risen and ascended Jesus is a living and life-giving presence with us. (Bits & Pieces, April 2004 quoted by Connections).  

32) Marine Commissioning ceremony: I've had the privilege of being present when two of my nephews were commissioned as Marine officers. They had been through months of rigorous academic, physical and leadership training, and it was a proud moment for their parents when the new officers, resplendent in their "dress blues," received their second lieutenant pins. The most moving part of the commissioning ceremony was the officers' oath, ending with the solemn words, "I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion. ... I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, so help me God." My nephews' commissioning marked the beginning of a commitment of service to their country and their fellow Marines. Although the details of their future deployments were as then unknown, they had been well prepared, authorized and empowered for the work that would be asked of them. Today's readings are about a different kind of commissioning -- often referred to as "the great commission" given by the ascending Jesus to his disciples. (Sharon K. Perkins Catholic News Service). L/20

“Scriptural Homilies” Cycle A (No. 29) by Fr. Tony: akadavil@gmail.com

Visit my website by clicking on http://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle A homilies, 141 Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html for the Vatican version of this homily Or https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies  under Fr. Tony for my website version.  Fr. Anthony Kadavil, Chaplain, Sacred Heart Residence of the Little Sisters of the Poor, 1655 McGill Ave, Mobile, AL 36604

Easter V [A] Sunday (May 10) Homily (8- minutes homily in one page)

Introduction: Today’s readings tell us how the early Church accepted the challenge of keeping Jesus’ memory alive by remaining a dynamic Christian community, bearing witness to Christ by their unity, fidelity in worship and spirit of loving, humble service.  Today’s Gospel introduces Jesus as the Way to God, the Truth to be accepted, and the Life to be shared and lived.  

Scripture lessons: The first reading, taken from Acts, shows us the early Church as a loving, serving, and worshipping community (Acts 6:1-7).  Hence, it easily solved a problem of perceived discrimination by instituting the diaconate for the service of the community. In the second reading, St. Peter advises the early Christians to renew the memory of Jesus by   making their community a spiritual edifice built from the “living stones” of believers upon the “Living Cornerstone of Christ” (I Pt 2:4-5). Peter praises Christians, both Gentile and Jewish, as “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s own people.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus consoles his apostles (who are sad and disheartened at His announcement that He will be leaving them soon), by assuring them that he is going to prepare an everlasting accommodation for them in his Father’s House in Heaven. He gives them the assurance that he will come back to take them to their Heavenly abodes. It is then that Thomas says, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus answers Thomas’ question with, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” The basic doctrine of Judaism is that Yahweh is the Way the Truth and the Life. Hence, Jesus is making a revolutionary claim that he is equivalent to Yahweh. Jesus also declares that he is the safest and surest way to God, discrediting the notions that all religions are equally sure ways to reach God, or that no organized religion but only living a good life of sharing love is necessary to reach God. Jesus, however, is the Way which he calls narrow because it is the way of focused, loving, humble, sacrificial service. Jesus is the Truth who teaches revealed truths about God and God’s relation to man. Jesus also teaches moral truths by demonstrating them in his life. Jesus is the Life because, as God, he possesses the eternal life of God and shares his Divine life with his disciples through the Word of God and the Sacraments. In short, Jesus reveals the Father in the way he lives, in the truth of his word and in the new life that he brings.

Life messages: We need to accept Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life: We accept Jesus as the Way by walking his narrow way of loving, humble, sacrificial service. We accept Jesus the Truth by learning and practicing what he has taught us, as given in the Bible and in the teachings of the Church. We share the Divine life of God through making use of the means Jesus has established in his Church: a) by actively participating in the Eucharistic celebration and properly receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion;  b) by the worthy reception of the other Sacraments; c) by the meditative and daily reading of the Word of God;  d) by allowing the Holy Spirit living in the Church and within us to guide and strengthen us; and   e) by communicating with God the Source of Life, in personal and family prayers. 

EASTER V [A] (May 10): Acts 6:1-7, I Pt 2:4-9, Jn 14:1-12 

Homily starter anecdotes: 1)” My Father’s house.”  When St. John Chrysostom was summoned before the Roman Emperor Arcadius and threatened with banishment, he replied, “You cannot banish me, for the world is my Father’s house.”  “Then I will kill you,” exclaimed the Emperor angrily.  “No, you cannot,” retorted Chrysostom, “because my life is hidden with Christ in God.”  “Your treasures shall be confiscated,” the Emperor replied grimly. “Sir, you can’t do that because my treasures are in Heaven as my heart is there.”  “I will drive you from your people, and you shall have no friends left,” threatened the Emperor.  “That you cannot do either, Sir, for I have a Friend in Heaven Who has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’”  In today’s Gospel, Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, gives us the same assurance.  “In my Father's house, there are many dwelling places.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” 

#2) Surprises in Heaven: A few years ago, a minister of the United Methodist Church was forced out of his congregation and the ministry because he had the “audacity to preach heresy” during his Sunday sermon:  "I'm in a Church,” he said, “which acts as if God has a very small house, with only a few rooms and only one door.  But thanks be to God, God's house, according to Jesus, has many rooms, many places to dwell.  If it were not so, he would have told us."  To add fuel to the fire, he explained his theory with a story.  A good man died and was ushered into heaven, which appeared to be an enormous house.  An angel began to escort him down a long hallway past "many rooms".  "What's in that room?" the man asked, pointing to a very somber-looking group of people chanting a Gregorian Mass.  "That's the Roman Catholic room,” said the angel.  “Very high church.”  "What's in that noisy room?" the man asked, pointing to a group of white-clothed people dancing, clapping and singing and occasionally shrieking out loud.  "That's the Pentecostal group," said the angel.  "Very lively."  "What's in that room?" asked the man, pointing to a group of bald-headed people meditating to the sound of an enormous gong."  That's the Zen group," said the angel.  "Very quiet.  You would hardly know they were here."  Then the angel stopped the man, as they were about to round a corner.  "Now, when we get to the next room," said the angel, "I would appreciate it if you would tiptoe past.  We mustn't make any sound."  "Why's that?" asked the man.  "Because in that room there's a bunch of very fundamentalist Christians; and they think they're the only ones here."  In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives a true picture of his Father’s house.

Introduction: Today’s readings tell us how the early Church accepted the challenge of keeping Jesus’ memory alive in the Christian community by fashioning it into a serving and worshipping community (Acts 6:1-7), making of it a spiritual edifice built from the “living stones” of believers upon the “Living Cornerstone of Christ” (I Pt 2:4-5), and, thus, the Father’s House (John 14:1-12). Linking the first two readings to each other and to the Gospel, the Refrain of today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 33) has us sing “Lord, let Your Mercy be on us, as we place our trust in You,” because His Divine Mercy is the Source  and binding power of our unity in Him here and hereafter. Today’s Gospel gives us the image of the Church as a Church in glory in the Father’s House.  It also reminds us of the great truth that Jesus is the Way to God, that he is the Truth of God and that in him and through him we receive God’s own Life. Today’s readings demand from us real Faith not only in God the Father but also in Jesus precisely because he is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn. 14:6), and he instructs us,  “You have faith in God; have faith also in Me” (Jn. 14:1). 

The first reading (Acts 6:1-7) explained:  shows how and why the early Church developed social institutions and Church offices to keep Jesus’ memory alive. It tells us how the apostles and early Christians, as a Church community, prayerfully and amicably solved a community problem.  It is the famous account of the selection of the first deacons in the church.  The Greek-speaking widows complained that the Aramaic-speaking food-ministers were short-changing them at meals in favor of the Aramaic-speaking widows.  The apostles solved the problem by convening a meeting of "the whole community of the disciples" and informing them that they should be the ones to work through their problem.  Their task: "Select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to the task" of distributing the food (6:3).  Note the names of the chosen seven: "Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolaus of Antioch."  Every single one is a Greek!  Luke tells us that the Church believed that if the Greeks in the community had a problem, then the Greeks in the community were important and gifted enough to solve their problem.  The apostles ratified the choice of these community servants by praying over them and laying hands on them.  The apostles' choice to solemnize the choosing by the ancient ritual of the imposition of hands on those chosen suggests something very interesting about service in the Church. The Apostles seem to be saying that the role of the community servant is worthy of what would become known as “ordination.”  That is, service is so important in the life of the Church, that we cannot be the Church of Christ Jesus if we're without mutual service.  Word, and Sacrament, and Service, are the three constituents of the Church which Jesus founded, and the Holy Spirit brought to active life. 

The second Reading (1 Peter 2:4-9) explained:  gives us a view of the Church as a spiritual edifice built from “living stones” upon the “Living Cornerstone of Christ” (I Pt 2:4-5).  Our Jewish ancestors in the Faith had once been slaves in Egypt, then nomads in Sinai, then settlers for a few generations, then exiles in Babylon.  So the notion of a permanent home, one made (at least in part), of stone, held great appeal for them.  Thus, it was natural for Peter, while addressing the Jewish Christians, to use the stone metaphor to describe the place of Jesus in the plan of God. Peter quotes a famous line from Psalm 118 about the stone rejected by the builders becoming the cornerstone, and he contrasts those Jews who accept Jesus as their cornerstone with those who stumble on the stone. For all human beings, Jesus will either become a “cornerstone,” binding all together, or a “stone that will make them stumble and a rock that will make them fall.” Peter then addresses all Christians, both Jewish and Gentile, using the loftiest titles applied to Israel in the Old Testament: “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of His [God’s] own. Peter uses startling images like newborn babies, a living stone, holy priesthood, chosen race, royal people, God's chosen, God's own, etc., to promote in all Christians a new sense of identity within the community of Faith.   No one has ever expressed the dignity and importance of being a follower of Jesus more perfectly than Peter. We are, “a chosen race,” because we have received the seal of the Spirit of God at our Baptism; “a royal priesthood,” because we share in the priesthood of Christ himself, offering ourselves as living sacrifices by worshiping and serving God daily to help build his kingdom.; “a consecrated nation,” because now Christians are set apart to live the new and everlasting covenant, called to be light and salt for the world; and,  “God’s possession,” because we have been united with Him in Baptism, serve Him alone as our Master, and are  ready to proclaim the Good News of salvation, making it available to all who believe. 

Gospel exegesis: The context: The disciples are gathered together with Jesus on the last Thursday night of his life in the Upper Room for the Last Supper. The departing Jesus instructs them about how they may preserve his memory and carry on his mission. As his final hours on earth approach, Jesus prepares his disciples by explaining to them the full significance of what will happen.  He will return to his Father and send them the gift of the Holy Spirit.  And after dedicating their lives to leading others to Faith through the power of that Holy Spirit, they will be reunited with him in his Father's house.  “I am going to prepare a living space for you, a mansion, a place for you for all eternity…  I will come again and take you to that place.”

The misinterpreted words of consolation: By reproducing the consoling words of Jesus, the apostle John probably intended to bring a note of comfort to a group of early Judeo-Christians struggling to maintain their identity around the close of the first century.  John was attempting to give courage and hope to people who found themselves in the midst of a very nasty fight with their passionate and fanatical Jewish neighbors in the Synagogue.  They were frightened, vulnerable and defensive, and their survival as a community of Faith as well as their individual security and safety were in peril.  It is clear that John’s aim was pastoral, an attempt to comfort those friends of his who were afraid and who needed assurance.  "Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You have faith in God; have faith also in Me…  "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  But some later Christians have used such a text of assurance and comfort, not to comfort one another as Jesus did. Instead, they have used it as a weapon against people who don't believe in Jesus, or who don't believe in Jesus the way they do, or who don't read the Bible the way they do, or who don't talk in public about their Faith and the way they feel about it as these folks do.  These combative Christians seem to interpret the text as: "There is only one way to Heaven and that is our way!"

The tremendous claim by Jesus.  Centuries before Christ, the sages of India prayed every morning the “Shanti Mantra” (“Mantra prayer of peace”) taken from Brihadaranyaka Upanishads (1.3.28), composed in 700 BCE, in the Sanskrit language: “From falsehood lead me to truth, from darkness lead me to light, from mortality lead me to immortality” (“Aasato Ma Sath Gamaya, Thamaso Ma Jyothir Gamaya, Mrtjyor Ma Amritham Gamaya”). Centuries later Jesus gave the answer to their prayer through his tremendous claim: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life."  In fact, Jesus took three of the great basic concepts of the Jewish religion and made the unique claim that in him all the three found their full realization.  This means that he alone is the surest way to God.  He alone, Son of God and Son of Man, can authoritatively and flawlessly teach us truths about God, and he alone can give God’s life to us. John’s central message is that Jesus is both the revealer and the Revelation of God. If we wish to know who God is, what God thinks, and what God wants of us, we must attend to Jesus the Word of God.  “The Jesus of the Gospel does not only show us the way – his life of humble and generous servanthood is the way; he does not just philosophize about a concept of truth – he is the perfect Revelation of the truth about a God of enduring and unlimited love for his people; he is not just a preacher of futuristic promises – he has been raised up by God to a state of existence in God to which he invites all of us.  In embracing the Spirit of his Gospel and living the hope of his Word, we encounter, in Christ, God Himself.” (Connections).

Jesus is the Way.  We go to God the Father who is Truth and Life through Jesus, and Jesus calls Himself the "Way" because He, the Only-begotten Son of God, is also Son of Man,  the visible manifestation in human form of all that his Father is. To those who teach that all religions lead us to God or that religion used is immaterial provided man lead a good life, Jesus has the answer that he is the safest and surest way to God because he came from God and he can lead us to his Heavenly Father.  The founders of other religions had either wrong ideas about the way to God or they were not sure guides.  Lao-Tse (604-531 BC), the founder of Taoism said: “Get rid of all desires, you will have a contented life on earth, but I am not sure about the next life.”  Buddha taught people to reach self-realization through total detachment and “nirvana,” but he was not sure if these would lead one to God.  Confucius confessed that he did not know of an eternal life or the way to attain it.  The founder of Islam, Mohammed Nabi, admitted that he had no hope of the future unless Allah should put His mantle of mercy on him.  However, Jesus claims that he is the only way to God. When a Person is a Way for us to get to the Father and everlasting life, that Way is found only in our relationship with Him, that is, in our union with Him in mind and heart, in will and action. But Jesus’ sure way to God is the narrow way of the cross.  It is the least-traveled way of humble, loving, self-giving and committed service to others. To follow the Way of Jesus is to become a special kind of person, a person whose whole being reflects the Truth and the Life that Jesus reveals to us.  It is to be a person of Truth and Life who is totally identified with the vision and the values of Jesus.  The medieval monk Thomas à Kempis the author of Imitation of Christ explains Jesus’ statement, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life” thus: "Without the way, there is no going; without the truth, there is no knowing; and without the life, there is no living.” 

Jesus is the Truth. Gandhi said, “God is truth.”  Jesus is the Truth because he is the only one who reveals to us the whole truth about God.  He teaches us that God is a loving, merciful, providing and forgiving Father.  He also teaches us the truth that our Triune God lives in each one of the believers.  Jesus is the Truth also because he has borne testimony to truth, demonstrating through his life and death the love of God for human beings. Truth here is that complete integrity and harmony which Jesus himself revealed, not only in what he said and did, but in the total manifestation of his life and person.  Jesus is the Truth, the Word of God. To seek the truth elsewhere is to stumble and fall, to deal in falsehood and lies. So, we pray in the 86th Psalm, "Teach me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy truth." For us to live the Truth in that Way is also to be fully alive, to be a "fully-functioning person,” responding totally to that abundance of life which Jesus has come to give us.

Jesus is the Life.  As God, Jesus has eternal life in himself.  In addition, he is the one who gives us his life-giving Holy Spirit.  Jesus is the Life also in the sense that he allows us to share in God’s Life through the Sacraments. Christ rose from the dead for two reasons: first, to give us eternal life; second, to make us fully alive now. His Spirit animates every moment of our lives. To be fully alive is to be in God. Thomas a Kempis of The Imitation of Christ fame wrote, "Without the Way, there is no going. Without the Truth, there is no knowing. Without the Life, there is no living."

Life messages: 1) We need to know Jesus the Truth and walk Jesus the Way: Jesus asked Philip: “Have I been with you all this time and you still do not know me?” He is asking us the same question: “Have I been with you all this time – in the Mass, in the Sacraments, in the Bible in the worshipping community – and you still do not know me?”  If we really believe that Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life, then we will find fresh and creative ways to keep alive his memory. Jesus asks us to keep alive his memory by reading and praying the Scriptures, by gathering in Jesus’ name and celebrating the Eucharist “in memory” of him, by handing on the great tradition of Christian Faith and by living according to his wise teachings.  Jesus says, "If you believe in me, you will do the work I do." This is the work he's talking about: creating safe, secure, happy places for one another in which the really important work of life - transformation and big-family building - can happen. We can help one another “get a life” in the same way Jesus did - by recognizing the powerful effect we have on one another, for good or ill, and by consciously deciding to make even our smallest choices add up to safe, secure, happy spaces where every member of our big family can grow whole. 

2) We need to possess Jesus the Life.  We share the Divine life of God by making use of the means Jesus established in his Church: a) by actively participating in the Eucharistic celebration and properly receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion;  b) by the worthy reception of the other Sacraments;  c) by the meditative and daily reading of the Word of God;  d) by following the guidance of the life-giving Spirit of God, living within us; and e) by communicating with God, the Source of Life, in personal and family prayers.

JOKES OF THE WEEK- 1) “No thanks.”  Evangelist Billy Graham tells of a time during the early years of his preaching ministry when he was due to lead a crusade meeting in a town in South Carolina, and he needed to mail a letter.  He asked a little boy in the main street how he could get to the post office.  The boy gave him directions.  Billy said, “If you come to the Central Baptist Church tonight, I’ll tell you how to get to Heaven, God the Father’s house.” The boy replied, “No thanks.  You don’t even know how to get to the post office, and you are going to teach me how to go to Heaven?!”

2) To the Father’s House with two bags of currency: A stingy old lawyer who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness was determined to prove wrong the saying, "You can't take it with you."  After much thought and consideration, the old ambulance-chaser finally figured out how to take at least some of his money with him when he died.  He instructed his wife to go to the bank and withdraw enough paper currency to fill two pillowcases.  He then directed her to take the bags of money to the attic and leave them directly above his bed.  His plan was that when he passed away, he would reach out and grab the bags on his way to Heaven.  Several weeks after the funeral, the deceased lawyer's wife, while cleaning the attic, came upon the two forgotten pillowcases stuffed with currency.  "Oh, that darned old fool," she exclaimed.  "I knew he should have had me put the money in the basement so that he could take it on his way down to Hell." 

WEBSITES OF THE WEEK

 1) Outlines of Bible books http://www.catholicdoors.com/outline/index.htm 

 2) New American Bible with notes http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/  

3) Video Sunday-Scripture study by Fr. Geoffrey Plant: https://www.youtube.com/user/GeoffreyPlant2066

4) Albert Einstein’s letter on the power of love: https://youtu.be/xFmO6a0fRs8 

(Though by now we know that the letter quoted in the video is not written by Einstein himself, it has been widely attributed to him and the message, profound as ever. Thank you whoever wrote this!)

22 Additional anecdotes: 1) “You have Faith in God; have Faith also in me” (John 14:1).  Dr. Robert Schuller, that legendary advocate of “Possibility Thinking,” says that there are two words that have killed more God-inspired dreams and hopes than anything else he can think of.  These two words are "Be realistic!"  If we Christians, Dr. Schuller says, were "realistic," then nothing would be accomplished.  But if we have real, dynamic Faith in God and in Jesus His Son we can do anything.  He cites the example of Tom Dempsey--a young man who was born with half a right foot and a deformed right arm, but a ton of Faith.  Dempsey wanted to be a football player--in spite of his considerable handicaps.  And he did play football.  He became a kicker for his high school team.  But that wasn't enough.  He wanted to play college ball.  And again, he became the kicker on his college team.  But when he graduated from college, his dream became even wilder and more fantastic.  He wanted to be a professional football player!  A professional football player with half a foot and a deformed right arm!   Impossible!  No coach would accept him.  They all shook their heads - all except one. And it is ironic and more than coincidental that Dempsey became a kicker for the professional football team, The New Orleans SAINTS!  The rest, as they say, is history.  In 1972, Dempsey kicked the longest field goal ever--63 yards!  All because he was not "realistic"!  All because, Schuller tells us, Tom Dempsey had Faith in Jesus Christ who gave him the strength to do what he dreamed. 

2) “Is anyone down there?” There is the story of a man who fell off a cliff.  On the way down he manages to grab a tree limb.  Peering into a deep canyon, he calls out, “Help, please. Is anyone down there?” After an unbearable silence, a voice answers, “Yes, I am here.” “Who are you?” the man shouts. “It’s Me, the Lord!” Greatly relieved, the man says, “Thank you.  Have you come to rescue me?” “Yes,” says the Lord.  “Let go. I will catch you.”  The man thinks for a second, and then asks, “Is there anyone else down there?”  Well, we can understand the man’s reluctance to let go, but, in reality, there is no one else down there.  Jesus says it quite plainly this Sunday, “I am the Way” (Jn 14:6).  He does not say a way, but the way. 

3) They think they are the only ones up here." Bill O'Reilly of the O'Reilly Factor summed up this thinking perfectly in one of his "talking points" by telling a joke about a certain denomination and then making his point. He said, "Saint Peter was leading a group of new arrivals on their first tour of heaven. Suddenly he stopped and put his finger to his mouth. "Shhh," he whispered. "We can't make a sound when we walk by this room. Remember that." When they passed out of hearing range one of the new souls asked, "Why?" Peter replied, "Because that room is full of Southern Baptists and they think they are the only ones up here." 

4) "How many of you would like to go to Heaven?" A Sunday School teacher asked the children in her class: "How many of you would like to go to Heaven?" All of the children raised their hands except one little guy named Derrick. When the teacher asked him why he didn't want to go to Heaven, he said, "I'm sorry Mrs. Smith, but my Mommy told me to come home right after the Sunday school class, and she was fixing an apple pie for me." Well, like that little boy, Heaven is still a desire and a dream for most people. For example, 77% of Americans believe in Heaven, and 76% of Americans believe their chances of getting there are "good or excellent.” Now there are still some people who either don't believe in Heaven or don't care to go there even if there is one. The psychologist, Sigmund Freud, said, "Heaven was a human fantasy rooted in man's instinct for self-preservation." Harvard philosopher, Alfred North Whitehead, once asked, "Can you imagine anything more appallingly idiotic than the Christian idea of Heaven?" It is not idiotic for those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior and who believe in his promise of a heavenly abode as described in today’s Gospel.  

5) "Who do you think is 'very likely' to go to Heaven?” U. S. News and World Report did a poll a few years ago of one thousand respondents, and they asked this question: "Who do you think is 'very likely' or 'somewhat likely' to go to Heaven?" They asked this question about thirteen prominent figures. You will be fascinated by the results. Of all of the celebrities, the biggest vote-getter was Mother Teresa at 79%. Who came in second? Oprah Winfrey at 66%. Third place went to Michael Jordan at 65%. Fourth place went to Colin Powell at 61%. Princess Diana scored an impressive 60%. But when it came to politicians, the figures began to plummet. Al Gore and Hillary Rodham Clinton each scored 55%. Coming in next was President Bill Clinton at 52% (keep in mind this was before the later scandals). But then what is surprising is to find that even heavenly connections didn't seem to help much in some cases. Only 47% thought that the popular televangelist Pat Robertson had an inside track to Heaven. The bottom figure was O. J. Simpson who gathered only 19% of the vote. But this is the amazing part. The biggest vote-getter of all was those who were surveyed, because more than 87% of Americans surveyed, believed that they themselves were “very likely” to go to Heaven. In today’s Gospel Jesus assures his disciples that he is leaving them to prepare Heavenly abodes for them. 

6) “Show us the Father." Where is God when evil is more evident than good? "Show us the Father" when evil seems to have its way. The July, 1990, issue of Time magazine reported that at least 600,000 Americans are infected with the AIDS virus, more than 136,000 have become sick, and some 83,000 of those have died. Victims of the disease basically fall into two categories: people who have had sex with infected individuals and drug addicts who have acquired the virus from contaminated needles, which brings another monumental dilemma into the picture - drug abuse. What we really want to know is, "Where is God when evil has its way?" and the ache deep down in our souls causes us to cry out, "Show us the Father." Christian friend, it is all in knowing how to look. Many of you will remember that several years ago one of the Russian cosmonauts left his capsule and floated in space, remarking to the mission control that he did not "see" God anywhere. C. S. Lewis has said, "If a man never sees God on the earth, he will never see him in space; but if a man sees God here in the faces of men and women in his daily life, then when you hurl him into space, he will put his hand upon the face of God." Lewis concludes, "The seeing eye is tremendously important." The eye discerns such evidence as it is equipped to acknowledge.  

7) True story: True Story: The phone rang at 1:00am in the home of Leo Winters, a brilliant Chicago surgeon. It was the hospital telling him that a young boy had been tragically mangled in a car accident. Dr. Winter's hands were probably the only ones in the city skilled enough to save that boy's life. He got on his clothes, jumped into his car and decided the quickest route to the hospital would be to drive through a dangerous neighborhood, but since time was critical, he decided to take the risk. He came to a stoplight and when he did, a man in a gray hat and a dirty flannel shirt, opened the door, pulled him out of his seat and screamed, "Give me your car!" The doctor tried to explain that he was on an emergency call, but the thief refused to listen. He threw the doctor out of the car, jumped in and sped off. This doctor wandered for more than 45 minutes looking for a phone so he could call a taxi. When he finally got to the hospital, more than an hour had passed. He ran through the hospital doors, up the stairs, to the nurse's station. The nurse on duty looked at him and shook her head and said, "Doctor I am sorry, but you are too late. The boy died about 30 minutes ago. His father is in the chapel if you want to see him. He is awfully upset, because he couldn't understand why you didn't come to help." Doctor Winters walked hurriedly down the hallway and entered into that chapel. Weeping at the altar was a man dressed in a dirty flannel shirt and gray hat, whose eyes were blinded by tears. The boy's father looked up at the doctor in horror and realized his tragic mistake. He had foolishly pushed away the only man in that city who could have saved his son. (Kent Crockett, Making The Day Count For Eternity, pp. 27-28.) There is only one person that can save your soul. When you exit this life, at the moment you die, you will enter into eternity. If you intend to go to Heaven, you had better make sure you take the one Way, which is the only Way and His name is Jesus Christ.

8) “I am at home in my Father's house”: The great 18th century Bible commentator, Matthew Henry, anticipating that some would unduly mourn his passing, wrote these words of comfort and assurance: "Would you like to know where I am? I am at home in my Father’s House, in the mansions prepared for me here. I am where I want to be--no longer on the stormy sea, but in God's safe, quiet harbor. My sowing time is done and I am reaping; my joy is as the joy of harvest. Would you like to know how it is with me? I am made perfect in holiness. Grace is swallowed up in glory. Would you like to know what I am doing? I see God, not as through a glass darkly, but face to face. I am engaged in the sweet enjoyment of my precious Redeemer. I am singing hallelujahs to Him who sits upon the throne, and I am constantly praising Him. Would you know what blessed company I keep? It is better than the best on earth. Here are the holy angels and the spirits of just men made perfect...I am with many of my old acquaintances with whom I worked and prayed, and who have come here before me. Lastly, would you know how long this will continue? It is a dawn that never fades! After millions and millions of ages, it will be as fresh as it is now. Therefore, weep not for me!"

9) “Do not be afraid”: I heard a story about a fella out in Los Angeles who had a strange phobia.  He was afraid to cross the street.  He felt perfectly at ease when he was in his car riding along the street, but when he was out walking and would come to an intersection, his face would begin to flow with perspiration, his heart would begin to palpitate and his blood pressure would soar up, and his knees would become Jello.  It was a very real problem.  There are times when you simply have to cross the street.  At last he thought he’d better seek out a psychiatrist to help him with the problem.  And he found one who told him that he could help him overcome that fear.  And the psychiatrist told him that the first thing he needed to do was to imagine himself, just to sit back and use his mind, and imagine himself going back and forth across street, and going back and forth across the street unharmed.  And then after he’d done that, he was to go out at a time when traffic would be least, and go ahead and begin to cross and re-cross intersections until he felt comfortable.  But how in the world in Los Angeles could you find a time of day when it would be least busy?  The psychiatrist told him to go on Sunday morning – on Sunday morning the Catholics would be at Mass, the Protestants would be on the golf course, and the Jews would be out at Palm Springs.  So, all week long, all week long, he practiced in his mind crossing the intersection – back and forth in his imagination. And then on Sunday morning, he went out and he walked across the first intersection he came to only to be struck down by a Seventh Day Adventist who was on his way to work! -- Jesus’ word is clear.  We need not fear the future.  Death is not the end for Christians.  Death is the intersection between our earth life and our eternal life, and we need have no fear crossing that intersection.  Our doubts need not suppress the pull of our discontent. Heaven is ahead and Jesus is there.  He has prepared a place for us.  In Heaven we will be with him.

10) "No, God has not revealed himself in any religion:” Karl Barth was lecturing to a group of students at Princeton. One student asked the German theologian "Sir, don't you think that God has revealed himself in other religions and not only in Christianity?" Barth's answer stunned the crowd. With a modest thunder he answered, "No, God has not revealed Himself in any religion, including Christianity. He has revealed Himself in His Son." In no uncertain terms let me say to you this morning that there are three great religions in the world today: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. But there is only one Son of God; only One through whom God has revealed Himself and only One whose teachings stand above all others. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life for all men and women.

11) “He died and went to Heaven." Did you know it's politically incorrect to preach about Heaven? The cultural referees say it is escapist or hopelessly sentimental. Hollywood and the media generally teach that this world is all there is. According to their version, you better get all you can now, because your death is just like that of dogs and cats. I heard about a little four-year-old boy who was walking on the beach with his mother. They came upon a dead seagull. The little boy asked, "Mommy, what happened to him?" She said, "He died and went to Heaven." The little boy pondered that a moment and then asked, "And did God just throw him back down?"

12) "Birds sing after a storm," she said, "Why shouldn't we?" At age ninety-three, Rose Kennedy was being interviewed by a magazine reporter. By this time, four of her nine children had died violently. Another daughter, Rosemary, severely retarded all her life, would soon be gone. Mrs. Kennedy had outlived her husband long enough to have seen his rather profligate and unscrupulous life told and retold in the press. She was an old lady, hit by tragedies again and again. The reporter asked about all this and Rose Kennedy answered, slowly: "I have always believed that God never gives a cross to bear larger than we can carry. And I have always believed that, no matter what, God wants us to be happy. He doesn’t want us to be sad. Birds sing after a storm," she said, "Why shouldn’t we?" 

13) "I see I am not your first visitor." In his book The Transforming Friendship, Leslie Weatherhead passes on to us a lovely story of an old Scotsman who, when he was very ill, was visited by his minister. As the minister sat down on a chair by the bedside, he noticed on the other side of the bed another chair placed at such an angle as to suggest that a visitor had just left. "Well, Donald," said the minister, glancing at the chair, "I see I am not your first visitor." The old Scotsman looked up in surprise, so the minister pointed to the chair. "Ah," said the sick man, "I'll tell you about that chair. Years ago, I found it impossible to pray. I often fell asleep on my knees; I was so tired. And if I kept awake, I could not control my thoughts from wandering. One day I was so worried I spoke to the minister about it. He told me not to worry about kneeling down. "Just sit down," he said, "and put a chair opposite you. Imagine that Jesus is in it and talk to Him as you would to a friend." Then the Scotsman added, "And I have been doing that ever since." A week later the daughter of the old man drove up to the minister's house and knocked. She was shown into his study, and when the minister came, she said quietly, "Father died in the night. I had no idea the end was so near. I had just gone to lie down for an hour or two. He seemed to be sleeping so comfortably. When I discovered that he was gone, he hadn't moved since I last saw him, EXCEPT THAT HIS HAND WAS OUT ON THE EMPTY CHAIR AT THE SIDE OF HIS BED." Jesus said, "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you." And He, my friends, is a Man and God of His Word! Thanks be to God!

14) "Do not be troubled": During the Second World War, Prime Minister Winston Churchill gave some of the most stirring speeches of all times. After England had suffered a demoralizing defeat at Dunkirk, Churchill reminded the House of Commons about their commitment to ultimate victory. He said: “Victory at all costs, victory in spite of terror, victory however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival. We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas, we shall fight in the air. We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall never surrender.” With words like that, Churchill aroused the hearts of his people to remain undaunted, even though they were on the verge of destruction. He encouraged them not to lose faith, however fierce the fight became. In today’s Gospel Jesus gives one of his own stirring speeches. The scene is the Last Supper, his disciples are present, and the time is the eve of his darkest hour, the day of his death. And yet, in spite of knowing that the worst is about to occur, Jesus tells his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have Faith in God and Faith in me.” (Albert Cylwicki in His Word Resounds; quoted by Fr. Botelho). 

15) “You can make a difference!” On November 26, 1965, Time Magazine had a story that can give us all food for thought. An electrical fuse about the size of a breadbox failed, resulting in 80,000 square miles along the US-Canadian border being plunged in darkness. All the electrical power for that entire region passed through that single fuse. Without that fuse no power could reach any point in that vast region. Like that fuse box each of us has a tremendous potential for good or evil, which can affect a multitude. Jesus promises us believers all His power and even more. All we have to do is walk the way he walked and be Jesus to a waiting world! (Anonymous; quoted by Fr. Botelho). 

16) He wanted to be a dropout: It was 1950. The old cardinal of Naples was in his office and seated before him was a young priest who was asking for permission to become a drop-out. He wanted to live on the streets of Naples with the alley boys. The old Cardinal could not take it in. He knew what life was in Naples: 200,000 out of work; young boys hanging on the streets because their parents were without work and could not feed them. They lived by stealing, peddling stolen goods, begging and black marketeering. They slept on the streets and were like wild cats and dodged the police. This young priest, Mario Borelli, wanted to help them, give them a roof over their heads, bread and a bit of human warmth. That the cardinal could understand. But why must the priest become a drop-out himself? Mario knew exactly why: "If I go to these boys as a priest they will spit in my face. They are fearfully distrustful." The cardinal considered. "Give me ten days to think it over." After ten days he approved. Mario went on the streets, an old cap back to front on his head, in ragged clothes, a cigarette end in the corner of his mouth. He begged, collected cigarette butts and became a vagrant. Gradually he won the hearts of those youngsters. Soon he was even the head of the gang. When he found a primitive shelter, his youth went with him. They weren't able to do otherwise -they were drawn to him. Mario had something irresistible about him. They had no word for it because it was something they had never before experienced. How could they know that word was love? Perhaps we can now better understand why God became man. He wanted to be one with us to show us the way and save us, “God-with-us,” that is Jesus, the Way to the Father. (Pierre Lefevre, quoted by Fr. Botelho).

17) St. Augustine’s discovery of God: Late have I loved You, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved You! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for You. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which You created. You were with me, but I was not with You. Created things kept me from You; yet if they had not been in You, they would have not been at all. You called, You shouted, and You broke through my deafness. You flashed, You shone, and You dispelled my blindness. You breathed Your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for You. I have tasted You; now, I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for Your peace.  (St. Augustine, The Confessions X, Chapter 27/Section 38; quoted by Fr. Kayala).

18) Showing the way: Like the shepherd, and like Jesus, a mother has a close and deep relationship to her flock or family. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do to protect them from danger. And there’s nowhere she wouldn’t go to seek out the one who strays or gets lost. A mother’s love for her family functions even when she can no longer protect her children herself. There’s a beautiful story in the autobiography of Jimmy Cagney, the famous Hollywood actor. It takes place in Cagney’s youth when his mother is on her deathbed. Around the bed were the four Cagney boys and Jeannie, their only sister. Because of a stroke, Mrs. Cagney could no longer speak. After she had hugged each of her five children, she lifted her right arm, the only one that was still functioning. Jimmy describes what happened next: “Mom indicated Harry with the index finger of her useless hand, she indicated me with her second finger, she indicated Eddie with her third finger and with her fourth finger, she indicated Bill. Then she took the thumb, moved it to the middle of her palm, and clasped the thumb tightly under the four fingers. Then she patted this fist with her good hand.” Jimmy says her gesture was beautiful. Everyone knew what it meant. The four brothers were to protect Jeannie after their mother was gone. It was gesture that no words could have duplicated in beauty and meaning. (Mark Link in Sunday Homilies; quoted by Fr. Botelho).

19) Gandhi’s “Dandi March”: The “Dandi March” initiated on March 12, 1930, was a landmark in India’s freedom struggle. Mahatma Gandhi walked with 78 hunger strikers (Satyagrahis) for 23 days from Sabarmati Ashram to the coastal town of Dandi about 380 kilometers away in defiance of the salt tax imposed by the British. In his book My Experiments with Truth, Gandhiji writes that he instructed people: ‘to make salt along the seashore wherever it was most convenient and comfortable.” The 75th anniversary of this event was commemorated in 2005 with Indian and foreign pilgrim-yatris retracing this historic “way.” Indeed, great leaders have imprinted wondrous “ways” on the sands of time. --You’ve probably read the “Footprints in the Sand” anecdote. When the man complains that he saw only one set of footprints in the sand during his trials and sufferings, the Lord replies, “Those footprints are mine! It was then that I carried you!” We can joyfully sing that popular song, “We’re on Our Way to Heaven” not because we’ve discovered salvific ways to Life, but because Jesus – the Way and the Vehicle – carries us heavenward. (Francis Gonsalves in Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds; quoted by Fr. Botelho).

20) They knit together with prayer: A group of women meet one or two evenings a week.  They light a candle and offer a prayer together, perhaps sing a hymn.  Then they begin their sacred work. The women are part of a ministry that has touched many lives in many churches and parishes.  They knit and crochet prayer shawls.  The shawls are given to individuals suffering through a time of transition, crisis, illness or need.  A wedding, the birth of a child, a broken bone, an illness, the death of a loved one -- all are occasions for the “hug” in the shape of a shawl.  While stitching, the maker of the shawl holds that person in her thoughts, making the very act of knitting a prayer. Those who receive the shawls say that they feel loved, cared for and, most of all, surrounded by God’s love and compassion.  They are deeply moved to know that someone has cared enough to pray for them and to make a cozy, warm, comforting gift.  The mother of a young girl battling cancer told the knitters in her parish that her daughter said that when she felt bad, she wrapped herself up tightly in the shawl and it made her feel better.  Another woman refused to take her shawl off during her final months of life because it was her “scarf of love.”  Many who have known the solace of a prayer shawl in their last months ask to be buried with the shawl around their shoulders. But the knitters believe that they receive as much from making the shawls as do those who receive them.  Their simple knitting and gentle prayer become offerings and symbols of God's compassion for others -- and God is as present to them as they knit as He is to those who will wrap themselves up in the loving warmth of the shawl itself. [From “Knit Together with Prayer” by the Rev. Susan S. Izard, Spirituality & Health (November/December 2004.  For more on the prayer shawl ministry, visit the website shawlministry.com.] --To do the simplest work of compassion and charity in God's spirit of love is to do the very work of Christ; the most hidden and unseen acts of kindness will be exalted by Christ as great in the Kingdom of his Father.  On the night before he died, Jesus asks his disciples to take up “the work that I do” – the work of humble servanthood that places the hurts and pain of others before our own, the work of charity that does not measure the cost, the work of love that transcends limits and conditions. (Connections). 

21) Are you sure this is the way?” During the 2nd World War, in Malaya, a prisoner happened to escape from the prisoners' camp. He was assisted by a native fellow who led him through a thick forest and from there to freedom and back home. The native fellow walked ahead, and the man followed him from behind. With great difficulty they were finding their way through thorns and bushes, and ups and downs, and twists and turns, and the man got very tired. He then asked the native fellow, “Are you sure this is the way?” The native fellow looked at him, and in broken English he said, “There is no way. I am the way. If you want to be free and go home, then you have to just follow me.”--- In the same way, in the Gospel Reading of today Jesus says to us, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” As we journey with him through our earthly life in the midst of our problems and difficulties, sufferings and pains, disappointments and discouragements, stress and strain, to the House of our Heavenly Father, and we have to just follow him.(Fr. Lakra).

22) Many “dwelling places” in the Father’s house:  The following story gives insight into God’s mysterious ways and how we are led into “the many dwelling places” in the Father’s house (cf. Ginger Lloyd, “More than Coincidence” in Guideposts, April 2013, p. 49).  Ever since my husband, Ricardo, lost his job and we lost our home, I’d said the same prayer every day, “Lord, help us find an apartment. Lots of light, warm and homey, a new kitchen, a clean fully tiled room. Outdoor space, like a balcony would be nice, but asking way too much. A decent place would do.”  Ricardo didn’t believe in prayer. But he didn’t have any other answers. We were renting part of a rundown house in Rockford, Illinois, not ideal conditions to raise our eight-year-old son. It was dark and cramped, the floors cold and bare. The kitchen appliances were constantly breaking down and there was no storage for our things. The shared bathroom was filthy. But there was nothing else in the area that we could afford. Then I found mouse droppings and roaches. I’d had it. Walking back from doing errands one day, dreading returning to our squalid little space, I cried, “Lord, we can’t live like this! Where is the apartment I’ve been praying for?” Turn here and go up two blocks. The voice popped into my head so suddenly, so strongly, I didn’t question the thought. I turned and walked. At the end of the second block, the voice spoke again: Turn right and go up three more blocks. I obeyed. The house I came to was nothing special. But the urgent voice commanded me: Walk up to the door. Ask about the apartment. What apartment? I didn’t see a “For Rent” sign. But I’d come this far. I knocked and a young woman answered. “Do you know where I can find an apartment for rent?” I blurted. Her eyes widened. “How did you know? We didn’t even list it yet.” From inside, her husband asked who was at the door. “Someone about the apartment”, she said. The man appeared puzzled but offered to show it to me. Light cascaded through the windows and across the carpeted floor. Brand new appliances gleamed in the kitchen. There were plenty of closets. The tile in the bathroom sparkled. “How much is the rent?” I asked tentatively. “How much can you afford?” the man asked. I told him. “That’ll do.” Ricardo couldn’t believe it – “You found it how?” I told him about the voice, the commands, how the apartment had every detail I’d prayed for. With each thing I mentioned, the expression on his face shifted, from disbelief to a dawning belief – especially when I added, “Actually, it has more than I asked for. There’s even a balcony.” (Ginger Lloyd).

 23) The surgeon is late: There is a story of a father who had to pay heavy prize for his foolish action. The phone rang at 1:00am in the home of Leo Winters, a brilliant Chicago surgeon. It was the hospital telling him that a young boy had been tragically mangled in a car accident. Dr. Winter's hands were probably the only ones in the city skilled enough to save that boy's life. He got on his clothes, jumped into his car and decided the quickest route to the hospital would be to drive through a dangerous neighborhood, though the time was critical, he decided to take the risk. He came to a stoplight and a man in a grey hat and a dirty flannel shirt, opened the door, pulled him out of his seat and screamed, "Give me your car!" The doctor tried to explain that he was on an emergency call, but the man refused to listen. He threw the doctor out of the car, jumped in and sped off. This doctor wandered for more than 45 minutes looking for a phone so he could call a taxi. When he finally got to the hospital, more than an hour had passed. He ran through the hospital doors, up the stairs, to the nurse's station. The nurse on duty looked at him, shook her head and said, "Doctor I am sorry, you are too late. The boy died about 30 minutes ago. His father is in the chapel if you want to see him. He is awfully upset because he couldn't understand why you didn't come to help." Doctor Winters walked hurriedly down the hallway and entered into that chapel. Weeping at the altar was a man dressed in a dirty flannel shirt and gray hat, whose eyes were blinded by tears. The boy's father looked up at the doctor in horror and realized his tragic mistake. He had foolishly pushed away the only man in that city who could have saved his son. (Kent Crockett, Making the Day Count For Eternity, pp. 27-28.). As Jesus stands before us to lead us, confidently we should walk on our way to the Father. Our actions, our words and our life should be a testimony to the contemporary world that we walk in the right path. Christian belief is not to argue about Jesus, but to listen to Him and follow Him. (Fr. Bobby Jose) L/20

“Scriptural Homilies” Cycle A (No. 26) by Fr. Tony: akadavil@gmail.com

Visit my website by clicking on http://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle A homilies, 141 Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html for the Vatican version of this homily Or https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies  under Fr. Tony for my website version.  Fr. Anthony Kadavil, Chaplain, Sacred Heart Residence of the Little Sisters of the Poor, 1655 McGill Ave, Mobile, AL 36604

Easter III [A] (April 26) 1-page summary of an 8-minutes homily (L/20)

Introduction: Our Scripture lessons for today have one common, encouraging theme: No matter what happens in our lives, the risen Jesus is always with us.  God is always near to those who seek Him and who want to live in His presence, doing His will.  

Scripture lessons summarized: The first reading, from Acts, is taken from the beginning of Peter's first public proclamation about Jesus and tells us how God raised Jesus from death, thus fulfilling the Messianic prophecies about the promised descendant of David. The Refrain for today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 16), has us singing, “Lord, you will show us the path of Life.” In the second reading, Peter exhorts the early Christians to place their Faith and Hope in God Who has saved them through the precious Blood of His Son and Who has raised Jesus from the dead.  The Emmaus incident described in today’s Gospel shows us a God who will not abandon us when we are hurt and disappointed. The message of today’s Scripture readings is that the followers of Jesus are to maintain contact with their Risen Lord through prayer, the Eucharist, and the Bible. The readings also remind us that our belief in Jesus’ presence in the consecrated Bread and Wine should help us to understand better his presence in the Bible and in the believing and worshipping community.  Putting the two appearances (to the Emmaus disciples and to Peter), together, it is clear that the risen Jesus wanted Peter to act as spokesman for him, and that the faithful who seek to follow Jesus should seek his company in prayer, the Eucharist, and the Bible under the direction of Peter and his successors.   

Life messages:

1) Jesus meets us on our Emmaus Road.  The risen Lord meets us on the road to our Emmaus, both in the ordinary experiences of our lives, and in the places to which we retreat when life is too much for us.  We, too, have hopes and dreams about better health, healing, financial security and better family relationships.  These often shatter.  The story promises us, however, that Jesus will come to us in unfamiliar guises to support and strengthen us when we least expect the risen Lord.  Emmaus moments come to us when we meet the risen Christ on our life’s journey through rough times. 

2) We meet Jesus on a daily basis in our life’s journey. The Church instructs us to hear Jesus on a daily basis through prayer, through the faithful reading of, and meditation on, the Bible, through our experience Jesus as we participate in the Eucharistic celebration, where the risen Lord gives us Himself as our spiritual Food and Drink,  through our personal and family prayers, and through our family meals.  When we meet Jesus in the Eucharist and through  the Word of God, we commune with him in prayer, and thus renew our relationship of mutual loving service. These meetings, then, enable us to encounter the risen Jesus living in all the people we meet and, in them, to offer our Lord humble, loving, selfless service.

3) Do our hearts burn when we listen to the risen Lord in the Bible?  Christ comes to us most clearly in the Word.    Vatican II (Dei Verbum 21) tells us that Jesus is to be equally venerated in the Eucharist and in the Bible.  Therefore, we need to study the Bible, learn the Bible, pray with the Bible, memorize the Bible, meditate on the word of God with burning zeal, and practice what the Bible teaches.  

EASTER III [A] (April 26) Acts 2:14, 22-33 1 Pt 1:17-21, Lk 24:13-35 

Homily starter anecdote:

#1: “I give him a shave every morning.” Len Sweet (https://timeforthought.co.uk/tag/karl-barth/) tells this story about Karl Barth, the famous Swiss theologian. It may be a true story or an evangelized version. Karl Barth was riding a streetcar in his home city of Basel, Switzerland. He took a seat next to a tourist, and the two men started chatting with one another. “Are you new to the city?” Barth inquired. “Yes,” said the tourist.” “Is there anything you would particularly like to see in the city?” asked Barth. “Yes,” said the tourist, “I would like to meet the famous Swiss theologian, Karl Barth,” was the reply. “Do you know him, asked the tourist?” Barth answered, “As a matter of fact, I do know him. I give him a shave every morning“The tourist got off the streetcar at the next stop, quite delighted with himself. He went back to his hotel and told everyone, “I met Karl Barth’s barber today!”  Len Sweet tells the story to make the point that we, like the disciples who were on the way to Emmaus, often fail to recognize Jesus when he is among us. It’s about recognition (or the lack of it). We meet people who know him, who love him and revel in his grace. We read their books and listen to their podcasts. Sometimes we even get to meet them. We are content to say, ‘I met your evangelical superhero here today.’ The crazy irony is the missed opportunity for meeting Jesus living with us and within us. Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 2: Bad news and good news: "I've got some good news and some bad news to tell you. Which would you like to hear first?" the farmer asked. "Why don't you tell me the bad news first?" the banker replied. "Okay," said the farmer, "With the bad drought and inflation and all, I won't be able to pay anything on my mortgage this year, either on the principal or the interest." "Well, that is pretty bad," said the banker. "It gets worse," said the farmer. "I also won't be able to pay anything on the loan for all that machinery I bought, not on the principal or interest." "Wow, is that ever bad!" the banker admitted. "It's worse than that," the farmer continued. "You remember I also borrowed to buy seed and fertilizer and other supplies. Well, I can't pay anything on that, either principal or interest." "That's awful," said the banker, "and that's enough! What's the good news?" "The good news," replied the farmer with a smile, "is that I intend to keep on doing business with you." [John C. Maxwell, “Developing the Leaders Around You” (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers), p. 71.] I don't know if that was good news for the banker or not. Two of the disciples of Jesus were on the road that leads to Emmaus. They were as low as that farmer because their Master had been crucified like a common thief. But now they have heard reports that their Master is not dead at all. Reliable sources have told them that He has appeared to some of their most trusted friends. Is he really alive? The disciples are troubled and afraid. Should they believe the good news or the bad?  And that's our dilemma, isn't it? DO WE BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS OR THE BAD? The Good News is that Christ is alive. The bad news is how little impact that event is having in the world today. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 3: Broken dreams: Dr. J. Wallace Hamilton, in his book Horns and Halos in Human Nature, tells of one of the weirdest auctions in history. It was held in the city of Washington, D.C. It was an auction of designs, actually patent models of old inventions that did not make it in the marketplace. These 150,000 old inventions were declared obsolete and placed on the auction block for public auction.  Prospective buyers and on-lookers chuckled as item after item was put up for bid, such as a bed-bug buster or an illuminated cat that was designed to scare away mice. Then there was a device to prevent snoring. It consisted of a trumpet that reached from the mouth to the ear and was designed to awaken the snorer and not the neighbors. One person designed a tube to reach from his mouth to his feet so that his breath would keep his feet warm as he slept. There was an adjustable pulpit which could be raised or lowered. You could hit a button and make the pulpit descend or ascend to illustrate a point dramatically. Obviously, at one time somebody had high hopes for each of those designs which did not make it. Some died in poverty, having spent all of their money trying to sell their dream. They represented a mountain of disappointments. One hundred fifty thousand broken dreams! Is there anything sadder? Today’s Gospel describes the shattered dreams of two of Jesus’ disciples at the tragic and unexpected death of their Master whom they trusted as their promised Messiah. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20  

Introduction: Our Scripture lessons for today have one common, encouraging theme: No matter what happens in our lives, the risen Jesus is always with us.  God is near to those who seek Him and who want to live in His presence, doing His will.  The Emmaus incident is the story of a God who will not abandon us when we are hurt and disappointed. As Francis Thompson put it, He is The Hound of Heaven Who relentlessly follows us when we try to escape from His love.   The message of today’s Scripture readings is that the followers of Jesus are to maintain contact with their risen Lord through prayer, the Eucharist, and the Bible.  The readings also remind us that our belief in Jesus’ presence in the consecrated Bread and Wine should help us to understand better his presence in the Bible and in the believing and worshipping community.  Putting the two appearances (to the Emmaus disciples and to Peter), together, it is clear that the risen Jesus wants Peter to act as spokesman for him and that the faithful who seek to follow Jesus should seek his company in the Eucharist, in prayer, and in the Bible under the direction of Peter and his successors.  

 The first reading (Acts 2:14, 22-33) explained: Today we hear the beginning of Peter's first public proclamation about Jesus, telling the gathered people about and how God raised Jesus from death, thus fulfilling the Messianic prophecies about the promised descendant of David.  The reading is taken from the first and the longest of Peter's five discourses preserved in the Acts of the Apostles.  During his speech, Peter refers to Israel's beloved King David, quoting Psalm 16 (ascribed to David), and asserts that David, "foresaw and spoke of the Resurrection of the Christ." Today's reading tries to describe a time before the earliest Christians realized that God was calling them to embrace all people. At this stage, they acted as though they were only the first few Jews to have caught on to the Messianic identity of Jesus, and their goal was only to convince other Jews of what they had realized. 

 The second reading (1 Peter 1:17-21) explained: Peter exhorts the early Church, made up of Hebrew and pagan converts, to place their Faith and Hope in God Who has saved them through the precious Blood of His Son and Who has raised Jesus from the dead.  Peter repeats the assertion made in Acts, that Jesus' death and Resurrection was part of God's plan from all eternity.  Hence, Jesus' sufferings and subsequent glorification by God should serve to center the Christian's Faith and Hope in God Who has accepted those sufferings as an act of Redemption for all mankind. From this reassuring truth, Christians should sense God's providence, both in their own current situations and in the whole of their lives, and they should understand the place of their present struggles in a wider context.  The root of our Faith must be the Resurrection of Jesus, and Peter argues that it is essential for everyone in the Christian community to experience the risen Jesus alive and present in everyday life.

Gospel exegesis: Luke's Emmaus Gospel is a beautiful, theological dramatization of one of the encounters of the disciples with their risen Lord during those wonder-filled days after the discovery of the empty tomb (Mk 16:12-13). It is the story of how on Easter Sunday two disciples of Jesus, discouraged and devastated, set out on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus -- a distance of about seven miles -- and were overtaken by a stranger going along the same road.  They began to speak to him about all that had occurred in the Holy City during the previous week.  Most probably, Cleopas and his companion were husband and wife, residents of Emmaus and disciples of Jesus who had witnessed His crucifixion and burial. 

Cleophas and companion:  “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.”(John 19:25). From the Gospels we also learn that this wife of Clophas/Cleophas  was also the mother of James the Less and Joses, and that she had been a follower, as well as a helper, of Jesus and his immediate disciples (Mark 15:40, 41: cf. Mark 16:1 and Luke 24:10).  Mark 16:1 tells us that “Mary the mother of James brought spices to prepare the body of Jesus.” Then, in Luke 24:10 “The women [who went to the tomb, and to whom Jesus appeared] were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James.” This may explain why, after his appearance to Mary Magdalene in the garden early in the morning (and not counting an unrecorded appearance to Peter),  Jesus was next seen by Cleopas and his wife, Mary---- and this before he appeared to any of the “regular” disciples. These two disciples chose to leave Jerusalem on the afternoon of the third day after the death of Jesus – the very day they had received news that the tomb was empty.  They were “prevented” from recognizing the Stranger, Jesus, perhaps partly by preoccupation with their own disappointment and problems. As they journeyed on, Jesus showed them how the Scriptures had foretold all that he had done and suffered, including his death and its purpose.  His coming to them and walking alongside of them illustrates the truth that the road to Emmaus is a road of companionship with Jesus who desires to walk with each of us.  "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). The incident further illustrates that Jesus is with us even when we do not recognize him.    

Encounters with God:  The Old Testament describes how the Chosen People encountered God in unexpected ways.  Gen 18:1-15 describes how Abraham, at Mamre, entertained three “angels” (interpreted as a first hint that God is TriUne) unaware. Running from his troubles, Jacob laid his head on a stone while he slept and saw a stairway to Heaven.   He is presented as wrestling all night with a manifestation of God in the flesh.  Moses turned aside from his flock of sheep to see why a bush would burn and not be consumed and heard the Voice of God from it.  Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up in the Temple.  Saul of Tarsus met Jesus on the road to Damascus, and Jesus got Saul's attention by knocking him to the ground and striking him blind.  God’s Self-disclosure to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus was unexpected, but in a radically different way from the encounters mentioned above. 

Invitation accepted: The Jewish custom required that Cleopas and his companion invite Jesus to dinner.  Hence, they invited Jesus for a night’s rest in their house--and Jesus accepted the invitation.  During the meal, when Jesus broke the bread and gave it to them, the disciples realized that this stranger was Jesus, the risen Christ, and Jesus immediately vanished.  Later they said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us when he opened up the Scriptures to us?”  Since they could not keep the Good News to themselves, the Emmaus disciples walked back seven miles to Jerusalem to share their story with the other disciples.  The Fathers of the Church note how well the details of this Emmaus episode match our process of coming to Faith in Jesus Christ.  First, there are questions and a search for answers.  Then comes a moment of discovery when our eyes are opened and our hearts within begin to burn with longing.  Finally, there is the desire to tell the story to all who will listen.  

Liturgical setting: Luke’s Gospel, written toward the end of the first century, was mainly meant for Christians who had not witnessed Christ in the flesh.  Luke tells us that we can meet and experience the risen Lord through the reading and interpretation of Scripture (v. 27), and the “Breaking of the Bread,” as the Lord's Supper (vv. 30-31) was known then.  The story of the encounter on the Emmaus Road is presented in a liturgical fashion using liturgical language such as the commentary: "he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them" (v 30); "the Lord has risen indeed" (v. 34).  Thus, the risen Christ is revealed through the telling of the story, the interpretation of Scripture, and the Breaking of the Bread.  Jesus began revealing himself through the Scriptures (vv. 25-27) and completed the revelation through the Eucharist (vv. 30-31).  This means that Christ still reveals himself to us through Word and Sacrament.  The word "companion" derives from two Latin words, "cum" meaning "together with," and "panis" which means "bread," implying that companionship is the result especially of eating together, breaking bread together, something which is at the heart of the Eucharist.

Lessons from Emmaus:  Luke’s Emmaus story teaches us that (1) Jesus' death and Resurrection fit God's purpose as revealed in the Scriptures; (2) the risen Jesus is present in the Word of God and especially in the Breaking of the Bread; 3) suffering is necessary for the Messiah "to enter into his glory"; and 4) we have a risen Savior, One Who personally walks with us in our daily paths, talks with us through His Word and with Whom we can talk through prayer.  He is the One Who opens our minds to understand and respond to His Word.  (The bishops at the Second Vatican Council recorded these compelling words which are still deeply relevant to the Church today: 'The Church has always venerated the Divine Scriptures just as it venerates the Body of the Lord, since from the table both of the Word of God and of the Body of Christ it unceasingly receives and offers to the faithful the Bread of Life. It has always regarded the Scriptures together with sacred tradition as the supreme rule of Faith and will ever do so” (Dei Verbum 21). Jesus is with us, is concerned about us, and provides for us regardless of what life may bring. Further, the Father, at Jesus’ request, has given us the Holy Spirit so that we may teach others about Him.  Let us, therefore, with the perception of His presence, walk with Jesus, talk with Him, depend on Him, worship Him, and tell others about Him. 

Life messages: 1) Jesus meets us on our Emmaus Road.  The risen Lord meets us on the road to our Emmaus, both in the ordinary experiences of our lives, and in the places to which we retreat when life is too much for us.  We, too, have hopes and dreams about better health, healing, financial security and family relationships.  These hopes and dreams often shatter. The story promises us, however, that Jesus will come to us in unfamiliar guises to support and strengthen us when we least expect our risen Lord.  Emmaus moments come to us when we meet the risen Christ on our life’s journey through rough times. 

2) The road to Emmaus is a road of companionship. Jesus, now freed from the space-time limits of his earthly life, is present in our midst and wants to be our Friend.  The risen Lord desires that we walk with Him and with one another: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.  For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:2-3).    He wants to join us in our travels of life: “I am a Companion of all who fear You, and of those who keep Your precepts” (Psalms 119:63).  “Where two or three are gathered in My Name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20). 

3) We meet Jesus daily in our life’s journey. The Church instructs us to hear Jesus on a daily basis through our faithful reading of, and meditation on, the Bible;  through our participation in the Eucharistic celebration at which we receive Jesus as our spiritual Food and Drink ; through our personal and family prayers; and through our family meals.  When we meet our risen Lord through the Word of God, we commune with him.  We renew our relationship with Jesus through prayer. All these meetings prepare and enable us to encounter the risen Jesus living in all the people we meet and to do Him humble, loving and selfless service in each of them.

4) Do our hearts burn when we listen to the Risen Lord in tradition teaches us that the reading of the Scriptures, the study of the Scriptures and the proclamation of the message of the Scriptures are the primary ways in which we meet God.  Vatican II (Dei Verbum 21) tells us that Jesus is to be equally venerated in the Eucharist and in the Bible.  Therefore, we need to study the Bible, learn the Bible, memorize the Bible and meditate on the word of God.  We know that Christ lives in the Bible, and so we need to spend time in the Bible to have a deep, intimate, loving, caring, long-term relationship with Jesus Christ.  We know we are to brush our teeth every day.  Likewise, we are to read the Bible every day, making it habitual, because people either read the Bible daily or almost never. When we read the Scriptures daily we meet and converse with Jesus Christ! Abraham Lincoln, whom many consider the best President of the United States, said: “The greatest gift that God gave to human beings is the Bible.”  Another President of the United States, John Quincy Adams, said that it was a principle of his to read the Bible through each and every year.  Yet another great President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, said, “A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.”  Goethe, the great German philosopher, said that the beauty of the Bible grows as we grow in our understanding of it.  

5)  We need to find Jesus in the Breaking of the Bread.  In the Gospel story for today, we learn that we find Christ is in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.  When we approach the altar to receive the Sacrament, we see and receive Christ.  In John 6, Jesus says, “Whoever eats My Body and drinks My Blood shall live with me eternally.”  The Eucharist is true "soul food," the Bread of life for eternity.  It feeds us and fulfills our spiritual needs.  It is a pity that often we don’t realize what is happening during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, the sacred banquet of all believers.  In this meal, we are in communion, not only with Jesus, but also with our family and friends who have preceded us in death.  The Eucharist is not simply Bread and Wine for today – it is  a banquet for all eternity.

Jokes of the week

1) Risen Lord in the train.  On her first train trip, a little girl was put into an upper berth by her mother.   The mother then assured her that Jesus would watch over her during the night.  As the lights were switched off the girl became alarmed and called out softly: "Mom, are you there?"  “Yes dear,” her mother replied.  A little later the child called in a louder voice: “Daddy, are you also there?” “Yes”, was the reply.  After this had been repeated several times, one of the passengers lost patience and shouted: “We’re all here. Your father, your mother, your brothers and sisters and cousins, your uncles and aunts – all are here.  Now go to sleep!”  There was silence for a while.  Then, in a hushed voice the child asked:  "Mom, was that risen Jesus traveling with us?”

2) The Risen Lord is watching: Up at the head table in the cafeteria, one of the nuns had placed a big bowl of bright red, fresh, juicy apples.  Beside the bowl, she placed a note which read, "Take only one.  Remember, Jesus is watching." At the other end of the table was a bowl full of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, still warm from the oven.  Beside the bowl was a little note scrawled in a child's handwriting which read, "Take all you want.  Jesus is watching the apples!" 

3) Where is God? A couple had two little boys, ages 8 and 10, who were excessively mischievous. They were always getting into trouble and their parents knew that if any mischief occurred in their neighborhood, their sons were probably involved. The boys’ mother heard that a priest in the downtown parish had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The pastor agreed but asked to see them individually. So, the mother sent her 8-year-old first, in the morning, and fixed the appointment of the older boy with the priest in the afternoon. The priest, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, “Where is God?” The boy’s mouth dropped open and he made no response. So, the priest repeated the question in an even sterner tone, “Where is God!!?” Again, the boy made no attempt to answer. So, the clergyman raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy’s face and bellowed, “WHERE IS GOD!?” The boy screamed and ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him. When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, “What happened?” The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied, “We are in BIG trouble this time, Dave. God is missing - and they think WE did it!” 

USEFUL WEBSITES OF THE WEEK

1. The beginner’s guide to life of faith: http://www.beginningcatholic.com/

2.  Catholic Community Forum: News, reflections, homilies, patron saints (http://www.catholic-forum.com/)

3) Focus On the Family: http://www.family.org/

4)The  Catholic Internet Directory: One of the most complete sources of Catholic information available on the Internet. A must visit! http://www.catholic-church.org/cid/

Videos & movie

1) https://youtu.be/8YlzWPPiH4A - Jesus at Emmaus video-1

2) https://youtu.be/dmmTWQn95xQ - Jesus at Emmaus video-2

3) https://youtu.be/NARNL7VEUNs - Road to Emmaus Movie and Story Full HD 

4. Video Sunday-Scripture study by Fr. Geoffrey Plant: https://www.youtube.com/user/GeoffreyPlant2066

26- Additional anecdotes: # 1: The risen Lord with the most beautiful smile. A young boy was walking home through the park after attending a Sunday school class.  Somehow, he couldn’t stop thinking about the lesson for that day about Jesus’ teaching on the Last Judgment. What impressed him most was what the teacher said, "When you give something to another person, you’re really giving it to Jesus, and you will find the risen Jesus in everyone you meet." As he continued through the park, he noticed an old woman sitting on a bench.  She looked lonely and hungry.  So he sat down next to her, took a chocolate bar he had saved and offered some to her. She accepted it with a beautiful smile, and he watched her smiles as she chewed the chocolate.  Then they sat together in silence, just smiling at each other. Finally, the boy got up to leave.  As he began to walk away, he turned, ran back to the bench, and gave the woman a big hug.  When he arrived home, his mother saw a big smile on his face and asked, "What made you so happy today?"  He said, "I shared my chocolate bar with Jesus."  Before his mother could ask more questions, he added, "You know, she has the most beautiful smile in the world." Meanwhile, the old woman returned to her little apartment where she lived with her sister.  "You’re all smiles," said her sister.  "What made you so happy today?"  She replied, "I was sitting in the park, eating a chocolate bar with Jesus.  And, you know, he looks a lot younger than I expected."  Today’s Gospel tells us that we will meet and experience the risen Jesus in unexpected places and persons. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 2: Euryclea’s moment of recognition: In Homer's 8th century B.C.  Greek epic poem, The Odyssey, we read the tale of Odysseus, the ruler of the Island country, Ithaca.  Odysseus was the valiant warrior who fought bravely in the Trojan War. But according to legend, his homeward journey after that war was interrupted for many years as Poseidon, (the god of the sea, angered by Odysseus' blinding of Poseidon's son, Polyphemos the one-eyed Cyclops), and Helios, (god of the sun, enraged by the slaughter of his cattle by Odysseus' men), worked against the best efforts of Odysseus' patron, Athena (the goddess of wisdom), and Zeus (Father of the Gods), to bring Odysseus home at the end of the time prescribed by his destiny.  Odysseus' journeys carried him far and wide as he encountered mythic beasts, powers and lands, many of which have passed into common parlance: the Cyclops, the Procrustean bed, Scylla and Charybdis, the Sirens' voices. Meanwhile back at his home, Odysseus' wife Penelope and family feared him dead. Finally, however, the day came when the gods released Odysseus and he arrived home at last. In his 20-year absence, as Athena had told him, his young son had grown up, and Penelope, his faithful wife had been, for the past three years, besieged by suitors. Athena had commanded Odysseus to destroy these men, restore his kingdom and rule there in peace with his son Telemachus to succeed him. Then Odysseus, disguised by Athena as a poor stranger in need of temporary lodging, made his way to the faithful keeper of the pigs and thence to the housekeeper, Euryclea. She welcomed the apparent traveler and washed his feet as was usual for a guest, telling him about her long-lost master, Odysseus, whom she had served as a nurse when he was young, remarking that the child had been gored by a wild boar, and had a nasty scar on his leg from the tusk. As Euryclea finished washing the stranger’s feet, her hand brushed against that old scar. Instantly her eyes were opened and she recognized, with great joy, her beloved friend and master! Today’s Gospel describes how the Emmaus travelers recognized their fellow traveler’s identity as the risen Lord at the breaking of the bread. (Scott Hoeze). (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 3: “I met some guy in here last week who looks just like you!” A man wrote to Reader’s Digest to tell about his father-in-law, whose name is Eugene. Eugene was in a restaurant with some business associates when a distinguished-looking gentleman rushed up to his table. Hardly able to contain his enthusiasm, the man began to pump Eugene’s hand vigorously, all the while addressing him as Joe, fondly recalling the great times they had together in the Army. Eugene, who had served in the Merchant Marines, gently told the man that he was mistaken, and had evidently confused him with someone else. The stranger, obviously embarrassed, apologized profusely and left. A week later, while leaving the same restaurant, Eugene bumped into the stranger again. This time, the stranger hugged him, and repeated to all within earshot the poignant story of two Army buddies who had not seen each other in years. Finally, before Eugene could speak a word, he said, “You know, you’re never going to believe this, but I met some guy in here last week who looks just like you!” We could understand that happening. He hadn’t seen his old Army buddy in many years. We can even understand about the man in the hospital thinking another woman was his wife. But how do you explain Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb not recognizing the Risen Christ? And how do you explain the two disciples on the road to Emmaus walking and talking with Christ for seven miles that same day, and they, too, did not recognize him? Today’s Gospel tells that story? (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 4: "Are you Jesus?"  Several years ago, a group of computer salesmen from Milwaukee went to a regional sales convention in Chicago.  They had assured their wives that they would be home in time for dinner.  But the meeting ran overtime, and the men had to race to the railway station, tickets in hand.  As they barged through the terminal, one man inadvertently kicked over a table supporting a basket of apples.  Without stopping, all the men reached the train and boarded it with sighs of relief.  But one of them paused, feeling a twinge of compunction for the boy whose apple stand had been overturned.  He waved goodbye to his companions and returned to the boy.  He was glad he had because the ten-year-old boy was blind. The salesman gathered up the apples and noticed that several of them were bruised.  He reached into his wallet and said to the boy, "Here, please take this ten-dollar bill for the damage we did.  I hope it won't spoil your day."  As he started to walk away, the bewildered boy called after him, "Are you Jesus?" Jesus comes to us in various disguises. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 5: The story of "Wrong Way Riegels" is a familiar one, but it bears repeating. On New Year's Day, l929, Georgia Tech played UCLA in the Rose Bowl. In that game a young man named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble for UCLA. Picking up the loose ball, he lost his sense of direction and ran sixty-five yards toward the wrong goal line. One of his teammates, Benny Lom, ran him down and tackled him just before he reached the end zone. The Bruins were forced to punt. Tech blocked the kick and scored a safety, demoralizing the UCLA team. The strange play came in the first half. At halftime the UCLA players filed off the field and into the dressing room. They sat around on benches and the floor. But Riegels put a blanket around his shoulders, sat down in a corner, and put his face in his hands. A football coach usually has a great deal to say to his team during halftime. That day Coach Price was quiet. No doubt he was trying to decide what to do with Riegels. When the timekeeper came in and announced that there were three minutes before playing time, Coach Price looked at the team and said, "Men, the same team that played the first half will start the second." The players got up and started out, all but Riegels. He didn't budge. The coach looked back and called to him. Riegels didn’t move. Coach Price went over to where Riegels sat and said, "Roy, didn’t you hear me? The same team that played the first half will start the second." Roy Riegels looked up, his cheeks wet with tears. "Coach," he said, "I can’t do it. I’ve ruined you. I’ve ruined the university’s reputation. I’ve ruined myself. I can’t face that crowd out there." Coach Price reached out, put his hands on Riegels' shoulder, and said, "Roy, get up and go on back. The game is only half over." ["To Illustrate," Leadership (Spring 1992), p. 49.] No appearance of Christ after the Resurrection is more vivid or beautiful than the episode that takes place on the Road to Emmaus because it is a story of singular grace and charm. The two disciples, like Roy Riegels, were traveling in the wrong direction. They had "fumbled" and were running away from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They thought the game of life was over. Imagine their surprise when Jesus told them that the same team of disciples who had fled from the cross was going to start the second half of the game. He was telling them there would be a tomorrow. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 6: Jesus on a Maple tree? There is an 80-foot tall maple tree in Milford, Connecticut that hasn’t changed much over the years. There are new leaves every spring, of course, and the leaves fall off every autumn. And there is the spot where a limb came off when Hurricane Gloria blew through in 1985.The spot where the limb was blown off caused quite a stir in the neighborhood sometime back. One of the residents, Claudia Voight, looked at the tree one day and saw what looked like the face of Jesus. "It took my breath away," she recalls. "I told my friend to come over and pretty soon we had the entire neighborhood here looking." Word spread quickly throughout the area and before anyone realized it the maple tree became a popular attraction as car after car drove by to see the face of Christ on the tree. Drivers slowed down as they passed by, while others parked and walked through yards to see firsthand this strange apparition. Eve Mizera, another Hawley Avenue neighbor, brought her 17-year-old son over to touch the tree in the hope it would cure him of the seizures that he suffers. "You never know," Eve says. Another resident, Cathy Cornwall, says she brought her three children over to see the tree. "We have a lot of single mothers in the neighborhood," she explains, "and teenagers who have to make tough decisions in these times." Cathy also sees the face in the tree as a message of hope. She says it’s "like a message to have faith in ourselves and to have hope for the world." ["Face of Jesus seen in a maple tree," The Morning Call (Allentown, PA, July 25, 1992), p. B-25.] This brings us to our question for the day. Where in the world do we find Jesus? Today’s Gospel gives us the answer that Jesus meets us on our life’s Emmaus road. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 7: It takes the signal nine hours to get to earth. In 1972, NASA launched an exploratory space probe called Pioneer 10. The mission of Pioneer 10 was to fly to Jupiter, take pictures of the planet and moons and send back data about the atmosphere, magnetic field, and radiation belts. Many scientists did not think this would be possible, because they feared that the probe would be destroyed in the asteroid belt, and up to this point, no probe had made it past Mars. But, Pioneer 10 completed its mission in November of 1973, and continued to travel into space. By 1997, the probe had traveled six billion miles from the sun. In spite of the great distance, scientists are still able to pick up radio signals from the probe that they can decipher. What is more remarkable is that these signals are sent by an 8-watt transmitter, which is only as powerful as a night light, and it takes the signal nine hours to get to earth. (Rev. Matt Sapp, http://www.ccountry.net/~svchurch/svcc/sermons/mark10d.htm) It is always amazing to me that a generation that takes for granted the wonders of science is so quick to dismiss the power and the purpose of the Creator who set it all in motion in the first place. God is alive. God is personal. God cares about us and God desires to reveal Himself to us just as Christ revealed himself to those two disciples on the road to Emmaus. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 8: "But I’ve got this problem, I can’t sleep at night.'' Dr. Tony Campolo, in his film series, You Can Make a Difference, tells the story of a Christian colleague with a PhD. in English Literature who quit his job and became a mailman because Christ opened up a new tomorrow in his life. Tony went to the man’s apartment to try to persuade him to change his mind. Here is how Tony describes that encounter: Tony says, "I couldn’t change his mind, so I came back with the old Protestant work ethic thing. I said, 'Charlie, if you’re gonna be a mailman, be the best mailman you can be.' He looked at me with a silly grin and said, 'I’m a lousy mailman.' I asked, 'What do you mean, you’re a lousy mailman?' He answered, 'Everybody else gets the mail delivered by one o’clock; I never get back until about five thirty or six.' 'What takes so long?' I wanted to know. He said, 'I visit! That’s why it takes so long. You wouldn’t believe how many people on my route never got visited until I became the mailman. But I’ve got this problem, I can’t sleep at night.' I asked, 'Why can’t you sleep?' He said, 'Who can sleep after drinking twenty cups of coffee?' I began to get the image of this mailman on the job. He was no ordinary mailman. I could picture him going from door to door and at each home giving more than the mail. I could see him visiting solitary widows, counseling troubled teenagers, joking with lonely old men. I could see him delivering the mail in a way that was extra-ordinary for the people on his route. He’s the only mailman I know that on his birthday the people on his route get together, hire out a gym, and throw a party for him. They love him because he’s a mailman who expresses the love of Jesus everywhere, he goes. In his own subtle way, my friend Charles is changing his world, changing the lives of people, touching them where they are, making a difference in their lives. It may not sound like much, but that man who is delivering mail like Jesus would deliver mail, is an agent of God who is changing the world." [Tony Campolo, You Can Make a Difference, (Word, Inc., l984), pp. 54-55.] We can return to our "Jerusalem" and wait for the energizing power of the Holy Spirit to help us to travel like the PhD mailman, in a new direction doing the work that we feel Christ has called us to do. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 9: "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugar water or do you want a chance to change the world?'' On March 20, 1983, John Sculley, President of Pepsi Cola and one of America’s fastest rising corporate stars, stepped off the elevator and into the penthouse suite of the San Remo apartment building in New York. He was there to give Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Computer, an answer to his offer. For months, Jobs and his staff, badly in need of a brilliant leader to manage their rapid growth, had been trying to lure Sculley away from Pepsi. Sculley had discouraged their efforts. He had no interest in leaving Pepsi and he knew almost nothing about computers. Besides, he was slotted for the top spot at Pepsi and his salary, stock options and perks were beyond anything Jobs could hope to match. Still, Jobs persisted. Their conversation unfolded like this, according to Sculley: "We were on the balcony's west side, facing the Hudson River and he finally asked me directly: 'Are you going to come to Apple?' 'Steve,' I said, 'I really love what you're doing. I'm excited by it. How could anyone not be captivated? But it doesn't make sense. I'd love to be an advisor to you, to help you in any way. Anytime you're in New York, I'd love to spend time with you. But I don't think I can come to Apple.' Steve's head dropped as he stared at the pavement. After a weighty, uncomfortable pause, he issued a challenge that would haunt me for days: 'Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugar water or do you want a chance to change the world?'" (Youth Worker, Spring, 1993.) When the two disciples recognized it was the Lord Jesus who shared dinner with them even though they had failed and forsaken him, they never felt more loved. Their hearts burned with His love. Jesus declared to them that the game of life was only half over. They were to turn around and get back to Jerusalem and await further instructions and a new assignment. The schedule would go on as planned. Jesus was giving them a chance to change the world. That brings us to a question that we should often ask ourselves as we travel on our own Emmaus road. Are we affecting the world--or is the world infecting us? (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 10: “What exciting thing is going to happen today?" In A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh, Pooh and Piglet take an evening walk. For a long time, they walk in silence. Silence like only best friends can share. Finally, Piglet breaks the silence and asks, "When you wake up in the morning, Pooh, what's the first thing you say to yourself?" "What's for breakfast?" answers Pooh, and then asks, "And what do you say, Piglet?" Piglet says, "I say, I wonder what exciting thing is going to happen today?"[Robert D. Dale, To Dream Again, (Broadman Press, Nashville, 1981).] You and I can't really plan to meet the risen Christ because we never really know when or where He's going to show up. But you can be sure of this: He will show up. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 11: "And the light in his eyes does not go out":  Alexander I. Solzhenitsyn demonstrated the power of the Word of God in his book, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, a book based on his own prison experiences. Ivan notices that one of his fellow prisoners in the Gulag Archipelago is not broken, and the light in his eyes does not go out, as it seems to in all the other convicts. This is because each night in his bunk before the glimmering bulb is turned off, this man reverently unfolds some wrinkled pieces of paper that have somehow escaped the censor. On them are copied passages from the Gospels. The Book of Life was the secret of this man's strength and endurance deep in the darkest corner behind the Iron Curtain. [Earl C. Davis in Sermons and Services for Special Days, Jack Galledge, ed. (Nashville Convention Press, 1979).] That is one way we encounter the risen Christ – in the "Breaking of the Bread of Life" which is the Word. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 12: For Helen Keller it was a gigantic breakthrough:  Young Helen Keller was imprisoned by her circumstances. She could neither see nor hear. She could feel with her hands, but without sight or hearing, how could she know what it was she was feeling? One day her teacher Ann Sullivan took Helen down a familiar path to the well house. Someone was drawing water there. Ann let the water run over one of Helen's hands and in sign language spelled into the other, WATER. Suddenly something happened within Helen. Something dramatic. Something life changing. It was only a five-letter word, but for Helen Keller it was a gigantic breakthrough. She now had a name for a familiar part of her life, water. If this substance had a name, other familiar objects and sensations must have names as well. It was as if she had suddenly burst forth from a closely guarded prison. Now she could be a whole person, experiencing the world as a real human being in spite of her handicaps. Such a breakthrough is always exciting. Such a breakthrough came to two of the disciples of Jesus on their Emmaus journey described in today’s Gospel. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 13: "Don't worry, Miss, I've got you."  Our tendency is to look for Christ in the extraordinary, the spectacular, the breathtaking. Remember in Superman: The Movie when Superman first reveals his superpowers to the world? Lois Lane is dangling from a cable, high atop the Daily Planet building, screaming at the top of her lungs. Just as she begins her long fall to earth, Superman changes into his flashy red, yellow, and blue outfit and swoops up to catch her in midair. "Don't worry, Miss," he assures her, "I've got you." "You've got me," she exclaims. "Who's got you?" Just then the helicopter that has been perched on the edge of the building begins to fall straight toward them and the crowd below. But Superman merely grabs it with his one free arm and gently sets both it and Lois safely back on the landing pad. When he turns to leave, an astonished Lois stammers out the words, "Who ARE you?" "A friend," Superman replies warmly, and as he flies straight up into the air with a sort of half twist, Lois faints in a heap. [Jack Kuhatschek, The Superman Syndrome (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995), p. 133.] That's the way we would like to have Christ to come to us. And that is why we miss Him. Christ reveals Himself as He has always revealed Himself – "through the Word and through the Sacraments," that is, through the study of Scripture and the Breaking of the Bread. That is why, when we need encouragement, we go to our Bibles or we go to our Church because there Christ is revealed in all his glory. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 14: "We pursue him in order to show him the way." There is a gripping story of a traveler who was walking along the road one day when a man on horseback rushed by. There was an evil look in his eyes and blood on his hands. Minutes later a crowd of riders drew up and wanted to know if the traveler had seen someone with blood on his hands go by. They were in hot pursuit of him. "Who is he?" the traveler asked. "An evil-doer," said the leader of the crowd. "And you pursue him in order to bring him to justice?" asked the traveler. "No," said the leader, "we pursue him in order to show him the way." [Fr. Anthony de Mello, Taking Flight (New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1990), p. 65.] The picture we have in the New Testament is of a God who pursues us so that He may show us the way. Christ comes to the two disciples. They do not recognize him, but it is Jesus who takes the initiative. He walks with them and interprets Scripture for them. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 15: The next morning the soldier was back in the trenches. There is a story of a British soldier in the First World War who lost heart for the battle and deserted. Trying to reach the coast for a boat to England that night, he ended up wandering in the pitch-black night, hopelessly lost. In the darkness, he came across what he thought was a signpost. It was so dark that he began to climb the post so that he could read it. As he reached the top of the pole, he struck a match to see and found himself looking squarely into the face of Jesus Christ. He realized that, rather than running into a signpost, he had climbed a roadside crucifix. Then he remembered the One who had died for him . . . who had endured . . . who had never turned back. The next morning the soldier was back in the trenches. ["To Illustrate," Preaching Magazine, (Jan-Feb 1989).] Maybe that's what you and I need to do in the moments of our distress and darkness – strike a match in the darkness and look on the face of Jesus Christ. For Christ is here. He comes to us just as he came to those two disciples on the road to Emmaus, even though we may not recognize him. He takes the initiative. He knocks on the door. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

# 16: Healing of the grandfather: The grandfather of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber was lame. Once day they asked him to tell a story about his teacher, and he related how his master used to hop and dance while he prayed. The old man rose as he spoke and was so swept away by his story that he himself began to hop and dance to show how his master did it. From that moment he was cured of his lameness. When we tell the story of Christ, we achieve two things. We enable others to experience Him, and we ourselves experience his power even more. We can see that happening in today’s Gospel. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

17) "We are winning!" A young boy was playing left field in a Little League game when a man yelled over the fence, "Hey son, who's winning?” The little boy replied, "We are!" "What's the score?" "They have 23 -- We have 0." "They have you 23 to 0?" The man was confused. "I thought you said you were winning." "Oh, we are," explained the little boy. "You see, we ain't come to bat yet!" It was easy for the disciples to quit. The One in Whom they had placed their hopes was dead. It was 23 to nothing in their life that Easter morning. (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

18) Karl Barth’s barber:  Karl Barth, one of the twentieth century's most famous Protestant theologians, was on a streetcar one day in Basel, Switzerland where he lived and lectured. A tourist to the city climbed on the streetcar and sat down next to Barth. The two men started chatting with each other. "Are you new to the city?" Barth inquired. "Yes," said the tourist. "Is there anything you would particularly like to see in this city?" asked Barth. "Yes," he said, "I'd love to meet the famous theologian Karl Barth. Do you know him?" Barth replied, "Well as a matter of fact, I do. I give him a shave every morning." The tourist got off the streetcar quite delighted. He went back to his hotel saying to himself, "I met Karl Barth's barber today."  That amuses me. That tourist was in the presence of the very person he most wanted to meet, but even with the most obvious clue, he never realized that the man with whom he was talking was the great man himself.  It reminds me of Mary's reaction on Easter morning. In her grief, she thinks the man she is speaking to is the gardener. It is not, of course. Until he calls her by name, she does not realize that she is already speaking with the risen Christ. And, of course, it reminds me of that scene on the road to Emmaus, when later that same Easter day, two of the disciples walk for a while with the resurrected Jesus, and they, too, have no idea with whom they are conversing. (Rev. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com. Quoted by Fr. Tony  Kayala) (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

19) And it opened my eyes: (from the Confessions of St. Augustine). Augustine made a life in Rome and Milan between the 4th and 5th centuries, and, after his conversion to Christianity, he returned to Hippo, in Africa as its Bishop. After Rome fell and faded into dust, Augustine's writings were what largely that kept Christianity alive and made it the most influential movement the world has ever known. It is remarkable that between the 8th and 12th centuries Augustine’s writings were more widely read than any other. And that was 400 to 700 years after his death.  But he was not always a saint. Before he was converted at age 29, he lived to fulfill every lust and pleasure. But Augustine had one great quality that saved his pitiful life - a praying mother. She never gave up on him, and then one day he stopped long enough to listen to the voices around him. Augustine had just heard a sermon by Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan. We are told in public speaking and preaching classes not to read long quotes but I'm going to do it anyway and read something that Augustine wrote. These two paragraphs shaped the hearts and minds of hundreds of thousands of people throughout history. Augustine is looking back on his conversion to Christianity and the convictions of his heart. Here's the quote:  "One day, under deep conviction: I cast myself down I know not how, under a certain fig-tree, giving full vent to my tears; and the floods of mine eyes gushed out...So was I weeping in the most bitter contrition of my heart, when, lo! I heard from a neighboring house a voice, as of boy or girl, I know not, chanting and oft repeating, "Take up and read; Take up and read." Instantly, my countenance altered, I began to think most intently whether children were wont in any kind of play to sing such words; nor could I remember ever to have heard the like.  So, checking the torrent of my tears, I arose; interpreting it to be no other than a command from God to open the book, and read the first chapter I should find... Eagerly then I returned to the place where Alypius (his friend) was sitting; for there had I laid the volume of the Apostle. I seized, opened, and in silence read that section on which my eyes first fell: 'Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying; but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh...' No further would I read; nor did I need to, for instantly at the end of this sentence, as if before a peaceful light streaming into my heart, all the dark shadows of doubt vanished away. [Adapted from John K. Ryan, trans., The Confessions of St. Augustine, Book 8, Chapter 12, Section 29 (New York: Doubleday Image, 1960), p. 202; quoted by Fr. Kayala.] (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

20)  Schindler's List: In the 1993 Academy Award winning movie, Schindler's List, Oskar Schindler is a selfish businessman who, halfway through World War II, turned his profitable factory into a very unprofitable cover operation to save Jews from the gas chambers. At the end of the movie, as the war ends, Schindler is standing with the people he has saved. He looks around at their faces and then he starts to break down. He holds up his watch and says that if he had sold that he could have saved another five people. He does the same with his cuff links. Then he starts to list all the ways he could have saved more people if he had been just less lazy and less self-centered just a little bit sooner. He had discovered his mission, but he regretted that he hadn't discovered it sooner. We too have a mission. We are on a meaningful journey, a pilgrimage, our Emmaus journey.  Christ doesn't want us to have any regrets, and so he reminds us of this again today. (E-Priest). (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

21) Pulling Carts and Building Cathedrals: Centuries ago, when our fellow Christians were building the astonishing Gothic Cathedrals of Europe, the whole town or city would contribute to the work. Sometimes they would do so directly. They would quarry the stone from somewhere outside the city, and every townsperson would put their own stones onto carts. Some of the carts and wagons became so heavy that they would require hundreds of people to pull them to the building site. Yes, the people themselves would pull those carts. They would harness themselves to the carts with ropes, or just grab onto ropes attached to the carts full of stone for the rising cathedral. And all together they would pull the cart along. Sometimes they would sing hymns as they pulled. Most of the time they would pull in silence, each one praying to the Lord in the quiet of his heart, thinking about how much Christ had sacrificed himself on the cross to be able to offer them salvation, and offering him prayers and their own sacrifice in thanksgiving, and in penance for their sins. They had no iPods to listen to as they worked, and no pay-check to look forward to. What gave them the strength to carry on that backbreaking work, week after week, month after month, decade after decade? It was prayer. They pulled those carts loaded with stone, and while they pulled, they prayed. We too are pulling our carts through life, loaded with the stones of suffering, frustration, and hardship.  And if we become men and women of prayer, we will not only find the strength to keep on pulling, but the Holy Spirit, the master architect, will even build those stones of suffering into beautiful cathedrals, glorifying God and filling hearts with joy for all eternity. The same should be our aim while we are on our life’s journey to Emmaus. (E-priest). (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

22) You are my sunshine: Like all good parents, when Karen and her husband found that another baby was on the way, they did what they could to help their three-year old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. When they found the baby was going to be a girl, they would gather Michael in their arms and he would sing to his sister in Mummy's tummy the only song he knows, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine." The pregnancy progressed normally, then the labour pains, but complications arise during delivery. Finally, Michael's sister is born but she is in serious conditions. The days inch by but the little girl gets worse. The pediatric specialist tells the parents, "There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst." Michael keeps begging to see his sister. "I want to sing to her," he pleads. But children are not allowed in the ICU. Finally, Karen makes up her mind. She will take Michael to the hospital whether they like it or not, figuring that if he doesn't see his sister now, he may never see her alive. She dresses him and marches him to the ICU, but the head nurse bellows, "Get that kid out of here now!" Karen glares into the nurse's face, her lips a firm line, "He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!" Michael gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live, and begins to sing in the pure hearted voice of a three-year-old: "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy, when skies are grey..." Instantly, the baby responds. Her pulse rate becomes calm and steady. Keep on singing Michael! "You never know dear how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away." The baby's ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten's purr. Michael's little sister relaxes at rest, -healing rest seems to sweep over her. Keep on singing Michael! Tears conquer the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glows. Funeral plans are scrapped. The next day -the very next day- the little girl is well enough to go home! - In an article about the incident, Woman's Day magazine called it "the miracle of a brother's song." Karen called it a miracle of God's love. The medical staff simply called it a miracle. We call it the Lazarus story all over again. Love is stronger than death. The awareness of the real presence of the risen Lord works such miracles in our lives too. (William Bausch in The Word In and Out of Season; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

23) “The Church of the Second Chance.”  In the book titled “Saint Maybe” the main character has done something horrible. As he is aimlessly walking around he happens to see a church by name, “The Church of the Second Chance.” He wanders in and sits down. During the service his mind is opened to the possibility of making amends for his sin, a ”do-over.“ Today’s Gospel is a good example of the truth that God does not expect us to be perfect. But he wants us to recognize His presence with us and seek His help. St. John, the Gospel writer, seems almost to get a kick out of the clueless and sad couple Cleopas and his wife, finally recognizing the Risen Lord, “the God of second chances,” at the “Breaking of the Bread.” Here as they are running away from the Lord of the Second Chance, He welcomes them, and they run back seven miles to Jerusalem to convey the Good News of the Lord’s resurrection to the fellow apostles. (Fr. Steve Humphrey). HR (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

24) The Dismissal is most important: A teacher was once speaking to her students about the Eucharist. She asked the students which was, in their opinion, the most important part of the Mass. Without batting an eyelid, one student replied, "The Dismissal- Go, the Mass is ended!" Initially the teacher thought the student was joking, but he was absolutely serious and meant just what he said. So the teacher asked him to explain, and this is his answer: "The whole purpose of the Mass is to nourish us spiritually -first, with God's Word in the Liturgy of the Word, and second, with God's Life in the Liturgy of the Eucharist, culminating in the Holy Communion. And God nourishes us so that we can go forth and bear witness to Him by our lives, our words and our actions." The teacher was impressed and urged the student to continue. And so he added, "The Eucharist does not end with the Dismissal Rite. On the contrary, it begins there. Like the two disciples at Emmaus, we must go forth and tell others what the Lord Jesus means to us." (James Valladares in Your Words, O Lord, Are Spirit, and They Are Life; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

25) Valmiki and St. Francis Xavier: The meeting of Jesus was a life changing experience for the two disciples. In history, we see many people whose lives have been changed by unexpected events. The Uttara Khanda (the seventh and last book of what we call the Valmiki Ramayana)  tells the story of Valmiki's early life  as a highway robber named Valya Koli, who used to rob people after killing them. Once, the robber tried to rob the divine sage Narada for the benefit of his family. Narada asked him if his family would share the sin he was incurring due to the robbery. The robber replied positively, but Narada told him to confirm this with his family. The robber asked his family, but none agreed to bear the burden of sin. Dejected, the robber finally understood the truth of life and asked for Nerada’s forgiveness, and meditated for many years, so much so that ant-hills grew around his body. Finally, a divine voice declared his penance successful, bestowing him with the name "Valmiki": "one born out of ant-hills." According to the legend, one unexpected question shook his life, and transformed a robber into a sage. The ambitious dreams  of Francis Xavier to shine in the world over as one of its most intellectual luminaries were thwarted by the famous words of Jesus, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world if he loses his own soul?" St. Ignatius de Loyola dinned this reminder into Xavier’s ears, and it proved a life-changing experience. For Francis Xavier, representing the Jesuits, landed in Goa, and spent his days nursing the sick and teaching them Christian doctrine.  "Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life," says the proverb.  That is what Ignatius de Loyola did for Francis Xavier. That is what Jesus did to the disciples who were on their way to Emmaus. (Fr. Bobby Jose). (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

26) “Go to Mass every Sunday… work in a soup kitchen!” Archbishop Rembert Weakland of Milwaukee said in an interview in the magazine The Critic: “If younger people are having an identity problem as Catholics, I tell them to do two things: Go to Mass every Sunday, and work in a soup kitchen. If one does those two things over a period of time, then something will happen to give one a truly Catholic identity. The altar and the marketplace-these two must be related to each other; when they are, one works better, and prays better.” (Quoted by Fr. Botelho). (Fr. Tony (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20   

“Scriptural Homilies” Cycle A (No. 25) by Fr. Tony: akadavil@gmail.com

Visit my website by clicking on http://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle A homilies, 141 Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html for the Vatican version of this homily Or https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies  under Fr. Tony for my website version.  Fr. Anthony Kadavil, Chaplain, Sacred Heart Residence of the Little Sisters of the Poor, 1655 McGill Ave, Mobile, AL 36604

EASTER II [A] (April 19) Divine Mercy Sunday (1-page summary of an 8 minutes homily) L/20

Watch the video on how to observe DMS in 2020= https://youtu.be/btiU8-JeOag?list=RDCMUC-z10o42s5ZsZ-RTID7ZOZw  

Introduction: The readings for this Sunday are about God’s Divine Mercy given to us through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, our need for trusting Faith, and our need for the forgiveness of our sins.  The opening prayer addresses the Father as "God of everlasting Mercy."  In first section of the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 118), we repeat three times, “His mercy endures forever!” God revealed His mercy, first and foremost, by sending His only begotten Son to become our Savior and Lord by His suffering, death and Resurrection.  Divine Mercy is given to us also in each celebration of the Sacraments, which were instituted to sanctify us. 

Scripture lessons: The first reading (Acts 2:42-47) tells us how the early Church grew every day because of the acts of mercy -- sharing, sacrificial agápe love -- practiced by the early Christians. In the second reading (1 Peter 1:3-9), St. Peter glorifies God, the Father of Jesus Christ, for showing us His mercy by granting His Son, Jesus  Resurrection from the dead and a glorious Ascension into Heaven, thus giving us the assurance of our own resurrection. Today’s Gospel vividly reminds us of how Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a sacrament of Divine Mercy.  The risen Lord gave his Apostles the power to forgive sins with the words, “Whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain, they are retained" (Jn 20:19-23).  Presenting the doubting Thomas’ famous profession of Faith, “My Lord and my God,” the Gospel illustrates how Jesus showed his mercy to the doubting apostle and emphasizes the importance of Faith for everyone.  

Life messages: 1) We need to accept God's invitation to celebrate and practice mercy in our Christian lives: One way the Church celebrates God’s mercy throughout the year is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Finding time for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is another good way to receive and give thanks for Divine Mercy. But it is mainly through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy that we practice mercy in our daily lives and become eligible for God’s merciful judgment.  

2) Let us ask God for the Faith that culminates in self-surrender to God and that leads us to serve those we encounter with love. Living Faith enables us to see the risen Lord in everyone and gives us the willingness to render to each one our loving service.  The spiritual Fathers prescribe the following traditional means to grow in the living and dynamic Faith of St. Thomas the Apostle:  a) First, we must come to know Jesus personally and intimately by our daily and meditative reading of the Bible.  b) Next, we must strengthen our Faith through our personal and communal prayer.  c) Third, we must share in the Divine Life of Jesus by frequenting the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist. St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) presents it this way: “If we pray, we will believe; if we believe, we will love; if we love, we will serve.  Only then we put our love of God into action.”   

EASTER II [A] (April 19) (Full text) Acts 2:42-47, I Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31

Homily starter anecdote #1: Divine Mercy in action: A TIME magazine issue in 1984 presented a startling cover. It pictured a prison cell where two men sat on metal folding chairs. The young man wore a black turtleneck sweater, blue jeans and white running shoes. The older man was dressed in a white robe and had a white skullcap on his head. They sat facing one another, up-close and personal. They spoke quietly so as to keep others from hearing the conversation. The young man was Mehmet Ali Agca, the pope’s would-be assassin (he shot and wounded the Pope on May 13, 1981); the other man was Pope St. John Paul II, the intended victim. The Pope held the hand that had held the gun whose bullet tore into the Pope’s body. This was a living icon of mercy. John Paul’s forgiveness was deeply Christian. His deed with Ali Agca spoke a thousand words. He embraced his enemy and pardoned him. At the end of their 20-minute meeting, Ali Agca raised the Pope’s hand to his forehead as a sign of respect. John Paul shook Ali Agca’s hand tenderly. When the Pope left the cell he said, “What we talked about must remain a secret between us. I spoke to him as a brother whom I have pardoned and who has my complete trust.” This is an example of God’s Divine Mercy, the same Divine Mercy whose message St. Faustina witnessed. (http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac0308.asp)

# 2: Edith Zierer the Jewish holocaust survivor: “The Pope saved me from death:” Edith Zierer, a Holocaust  survivor now living  in Israel, recalls how Karol Wojtyla, who later became Pope John Paul II, carried her to safety after she fled a Nazi concentration camp when she was 13 years old. Polish-born Zierer was 13 when she ran away from the Nazi camp at Czestochowa in Poland after the Soviet army liberated it in January 1945, five months before World War II ended in Europe. She was heading towards her hometown in Poland to find her parents, who, she would later learn, had died in the Holocaust. Exhausted, she reached a train station and sat there for two days without food or water while people ignored her. "Suddenly, there he was," Zierer said, referring to Wojtyla, the seminarian, in his priestly robe. "He brought me some tea and two pieces of bread with cheese and then carried me to a train carriage. He sat with me and put his cloak on me because it was freezing. We came to Krakow and then I ran away because people started to ask why a priest was walking with a Jewish girl."  After spending, a few years in orphanages in Poland and France, Zierer emigrated from Europe to British-mandated Palestine, where she later married and bore a son and daughter in what became Israel. She now has five grandchildren. She wrote to Wojtyla after he became Pope in 1979, saying she was the little girl he had saved at the train station in Poland decades ago. After a correspondence ensured, the Pontiff invited her to the Vatican in 1998. She last met him in 2000, when he visited Israel on a millennium pilgrimage and met several survivors at the Vad Vashem Holocaust museum. She said she and the Pope kept up their correspondence, writing mostly during Christmas and before birthdays. "I received a letter from him last year and I knew it was the last," she said. "He included a picture from his private collection and his handwriting was very shaky. I wrote to thank him for the memory that never left." Edith Zierer, 84, mourned the death of her former savior, and remembered the warm look in the seminarian Karol Wojtyla's eyes in the railway station years ago and God’s mercy expressed in his actions. "He was a kindred spirit in the greatest sense -- a man who could save a girl in such a state, freezing, starving and full of lice, and carry her to safety," she told Reuters. "I would not have survived had it not been for him." (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3067156,00.html). Pope John Paul made mercy the core of his priesthood. He saw mercy as a light against darkness. And has the world known darker times than when the Nazis and Communists oppressed millions of people? On April 27, 2014, Divine Mercy Sunday, John Paul II, along with Pope John XXIII, was officially recognized as a Saint. It is no accident that Pope St. John Paul II who was instrumental in spreading the observance of Divine Mercy Sunday was canonized on that Feast. 

# 3: St. Faustina and the Image of Divine Mercy:  St. Faustina of Poland is the well-known apostle of Divine Mercy.  On the 30th of April, 2000, at 10:00 AM on the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday, the Feast requested by Jesus in His communications with St. Faustina), His Holiness Pope St. John Paul II celebrated the Eucharist in Saint Peter’s Square and proceeded to the canonization of Blessed Sister Faustina. [John Paul himself would be canonized on this same Feast Day – April 27 in 2014 – by Pope Francis.] Saint Faustina invites us by the witness of her life to keep our Faith and Hope fixed on God the Father, rich in mercy, Who saved us by the precious Blood of His Son.  During her short life, the Lord Jesus assigned to St. Faustina three basic tasks: 1. to pray for souls, entrusting them to God's incomprehensible Mercy; 2. to tell the world about God's generous Mercy; 3. to start a new movement in the Church focusing on God's Mercy.  At the canonization of St. Faustina, Pope St. John Paul II said: “The cross, even after the Resurrection of the Son of God, speaks, and never ceases to speak, of God the Father, Who is absolutely faithful to His eternal love for man. ... Believing in this love means believing in mercy."  “The Lord of Divine Mercy,” a drawing of Jesus based on the vision given to St. Faustina, shows Jesus raising his right hand in a gesture of blessing, with  His left hand on his heart from which gush forth two rays, one red and one white. The picture contains the message, "Jesus, I trust in You!" (Jezu ufam Tobie).  The rays streaming out have symbolic meaning: red for the Blood of Jesus, which is the life of souls and white for the water of Baptism which justifies souls.  The whole image is symbolic of the mercy, forgiveness and love of God. 

Introduction: The readings for this Sunday are about God’s mercy, the necessity for trusting Faith and the need for God’s forgiveness of sins.  The opening prayer addresses the Father as "God of Mercy." The Response for today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 118), is “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His Love is everlasting!” In the first section of that Psalm, we repeat three times, “His mercy endures forever.”  God revealed His mercy to the world, first and foremost, by sending His only begotten Son to become our Savior and Lord by His suffering, death and Resurrection.  Divine Mercy is offered to us also in each celebration of the Sacraments.  The first reading (Acts 2:42-47), shows us how the early Church grew every day because of the acts of mercy and sharing, sacrificial agápe love, practiced by the early Christians. They expressed their love and mercy by sharing what they had with everyone in need. In the second reading (1 Peter 1:3-9), St. Peter glorifies God, the Father of Jesus Christ, for showing us His mercy by granting to His Son, Jesus Resurrection from the dead and a glorious Ascension into Heaven, thus offering us the assurance of our own resurrection, entry into Heaven, and “imperishable and unfading" Heavenly bliss.  In today’s Gospel, as we recall Jesus’ appearance to the Apostles on that first Easter evening, we are vividly reminded of the Sacrament of Reconciliation – the power to forgive sins which Our Lord gave to His Apostles, saying, "Whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain, they are retained" (Jn 20:23).  Today’s Gospel also emphasizes the importance of Faith in the all-pervading presence of the risen Lord of Mercy.  To “believe without having seen” is every later Christian’s experience. We are invited to receive liberation from doubts and hesitation by surrendering our lives to the risen Lord of Mercy.  Let us ask God our Father to open our hearts so that we may receive His Mercy in the form of the Holy Spirit. 

The first reading (Acts 2:42-47) explained: Here we see how the early Church grew every day because of the acts of mercy -- sharing, sacrificial, agápe love -- practiced by the early Christians. They expressed their love and mercy by sharing what they had with everyone in need. Some of them even sold their property and entrusted the money to the Church so that the poor might be helped and supported. We are told that they got the inspiration and good will for the practice of love and mercy because of their sense of being one believing community, living a common life in Jesus. They were strengthened by their punctual and active participation in the “Breaking of the Bread”– the Eucharistic Liturgy.  They became single-minded and merciful because of what they learned from the apostles and because of their fellowship and shared prayer life. 

The second reading (1 Peter 1:3-9) explained: St. Peter glorifies God, the Father of Jesus Christ, for showing us His mercy by granting His Son, Jesus Resurrection from the dead and a glorious Ascension into Heaven. Jesus’ Resurrection, in turn, offers us a guarantee for our own resurrection, entry into Heaven, and “imperishable and unfading" Heavenly bliss. St. Peter encourages the early Christians by assuring them that their sufferings under the Roman emperor, the Jewish authorities, and their own pagan family members will be amply compensated by the Heavenly reward waiting for them. 

Gospel exegesis: Today’s Gospel: The first part of today’s Gospel (verses 19-23), describes how Jesus entrusted to the apostles His mission of preaching the “Good News” of God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and salvation.  This portion of the reading teaches us that Jesus uses the Church as the earthly means of continuing His mission.  It also teaches us that the Church needs Jesus as its source of power and authority, and that it becomes Christ’s true messenger only when it perfectly loves and obeys Him.  The risen Lord gives the apostles the authority to forgive sins in His Name, together with the power of imparting God’s mercy to the sinner, through the gift of forgiving sins from God’s treasury of mercy.   In the liturgy, the Church has proclaimed the mercy of God for centuries through the Word of God and the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ.  The Gospel text also reminds us that the clearest way of expressing our belief in the presence of the risen Jesus among us is through our own forgiveness of others.  We can’t form a lasting Christian community without such forgiveness.  Unless we forgive others, our celebration of the Eucharist is just an exercise in liturgical rubrics. 

The second part of the Gospel (verses 24-29), presents the fearless apostle St. Thomas, in his uncompromising honesty, demanding a personal vision of, and physical contact with, the risen Jesus as a condition for his belief.  Thomas had not been with the Apostles when Jesus first appeared to them.  As a result, he refused to believe. This should serve as a warning to us. It is difficult for us to believe when we do not strengthen ourselves with the fellowship of other believers.  When the Lord appeared to Thomas later, He said: “Blessed are those who have not seen but have believed.”  Thomas was able to overcome his doubts by seeing the risen Jesus.  Modern Christians, who are no longer able to "see" Jesus with their eyes, must believe what they hear.  That is why Paul reminds us that "Faith comes from hearing" (Rom 10:17).  

The unique profession of Faith: Thomas, the “doubting" apostle, makes the great profession of Faith: “My Lord and my God.”  Here, the most outrageous doubter of the Resurrection of Jesus utters the greatest confession of belief in the Lord Who rose from the dead.  This declaration by the “doubting" Thomas in today’s Gospel is very significant for two reasons.  1) It is the foundation of our Christian Faith.  Our Faith is based on the Divinity of Jesus as demonstrated in His miracles, especially by the supreme miracle of His Resurrection from the dead.  Thomas’ profession of Faith is the strongest evidence we have of the Resurrection of Jesus.  2) Thomas’ faith culminated in his self-surrender to Jesus, his heroic missionary expedition to India in A.D. 52, his fearless preaching, and the powerful testimony given by his martyrdom in A.D. 72.  

Life messages: 1) Let us accept God's invitation to celebrate and practice mercy. One way the Church celebrates God’s mercy throughout the year is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” So, we see that all of us are to be reconcilers and mediators, becoming channel to one another of the Risen Lord’s peace and forgiveness.  Finding time for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is another good way to receive Divine Mercy. The Gospel command, "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful," requires that we show mercy to our fellow human beings always and everywhere.  We radiate God's mercy to others by our corporal and spiritual works of mercy, by our kind and supportive words, and our by our prayers for all our brothers and sisters. 

2)  Let us ask God for the Faith that culminates in self-surrender to Him and leads us to serve those we encounter with love.   Living Faith enables us to see the risen Lord in everyone and gives us the willingness to render to each one our loving service.  It was this Faith in the Lord and obedience to His missionary command that prompted St. Thomas to travel to India to preach the Gospel among the Hindus, to establish seven Christian communities (known later as “St. Thomas Christians”), and eventually to suffer martyrdom.  The Fathers of the Church prescribe the following traditional means to grow in the living and dynamic Faith of St. Thomas the Apostle.  a) We must come to know Jesus personally and intimately by our daily and meditative reading of the Bible.  b) We must strengthen our Faith by the power of the Holy Spirit through our personal and communal prayer.  c) We must share in the Divine life of Jesus by frequenting the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist.  St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) presents it this way: “If we pray, we will believe; if we believe, we will love; if we love, we will serve. Only then we put our love of God into action.”  

3) We need to meet the challenge for a transparent Christian life -- "I will not believe unless I see."   This "seeing" is what others demand of us.  They ask that we reflect Jesus, the risen Lord in our lives by our selfless love, unconditional forgiveness, and humble service.  The integrity of our lives bears a fundamental witness to others who want to see the risen Lord alive and active, working in us.  Christ’s mercy shines forth from us whenever we reach out to the poor, the needy and the marginalized, as St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) did.  His mercy shines forth as we remain open to those who struggle in Faith, as did the Apostle Thomas in today’s Gospel.  We should be able to appreciate the presence of Jesus, crucified and raised, in our own suffering and in the sufferings of our brothers and sisters, thus recognizing the glorified wounds of the risen Lord in the suffering of those around us.   

4) Like St. Thomas, let us use our skepticism to help us grow in Faith.  It is our genuine doubts about the doctrines of our religion that encourage us to study these doctrines more closely and thus to grow in our Faith.  This will naturally lead us to a personal encounter with Jesus through our prayer, study of the Word of God, and frequenting of the Sacraments.  However, we must never forget the fact that our Faith is not our own doing but is a gift from God.  Hence, we need to augment our Faith every day by prayer so that we may join St. Thomas in his proclamation: “My Lord and my God." 

5) Let us have the courage of our Christian convictions to share our Faith as St. Thomas did, and to recognize the “nail marks.”  We are not to keep the gift of Faith locked in our hearts, but to share it with our children, our families and our neighbors, always remembering the words of Pope St. John XXIII: “Every believer in this world must become a spark of Christ’s light.” “We all have scars from our own Good Fridays that remain long after our own experiences of resurrection.  Our ‘nail marks’ remind us that all pain and grief, all ridicule and suffering, are transformed into healing and peace in the love of God that we experience from others and that we extend to them. The “nail marks” of Jesus are all around us in the lives of those walking their own Calvarys.  Jesus calls us to be willing to place ourselves in the pain and struggle of others and bring the joy and peace of Easter into hearts, entombed in winter cold and darkness.” (Connections).   

JOKE OF THE WEEK: 1) Traffic cop’s mercy:  A priest was forced by a police officer to pull over for speeding.  As the officer was about to write the ticket, the priest said to him, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."  The police officer handed the priest the ticket, and said, "Go, and sin no more."

2) Photographer’s mercy: The story is told of a politician who, after receiving the proofs of a picture, was very angry with the photographer.  He stormed back to the man's studio and screamed at him: "This picture does not do me justice!"  The photographer replied, "Sir, with a face like yours, what you need is mercy, not justice!" 

3) "Law v Mercy” In Reader’s Digest, Jim Williams of Montana, writes: "I was driving too fast late one night when I saw the flashing lights of a police car in my rearview mirror. As I pulled over and rolled down my window of my station wagon, I tried to dream up an excuse for my haste. But when the patrolman reached the car, he said nothing. Instead, he merely shined his flashlight in my face, then on my seven-month-old in his car seat, then on our three other children, who were asleep, and lastly on the two dogs in the very back of the car. Returning the beam of light to my face, he then uttered the only words of the encounter. 'Son,' he said, 'you can’t afford a ticket. Slow down.' And with that, he returned to his car and drove away.” Sometimes mercy triumphs over law. So it is for sinners who call out to Jesus.” (Sent by Fr. pgolden@richmondcathedral.org on March 1, 2013)L/20

Eucharistic Holy Hour for Divine Mercy Sunday (USCCB): http://www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/prayers/divine-mercy-sunday.cfm  

Divine Mercy Official website: 1) http://divinemercysunday.com/                    

2)  http://www.divinemercyministries.org/  

3) http://thedivinemercy.org/news/story.php?NID=2453   

4) http://www.divinemercysunday.com/homily_starter.htm   

5) http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/JohnPaulII/DivineMercy.asp 

6) http://www.catholicbible101.com/divinemercyofjesus.htm  

7) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYKwqj5QViQ&feature=player_detailpage  (Fr. Ray Kelly surprised a bride and groom by singing a custom-made cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" at their wedding, demonstrating divine mercy).

8) https://youtu.be/ZUy1xUgge34  (Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC: The Divine Mercy Devotion) 

9) https://youtu.be/rtvH9iR9Ix8 (The Divine Mercy of St. Faustina - 8 Essential Points.) 

10) 

10. Video Sunday-Scripture study by Fr. Geoffrey Plant: https://www.youtube.com/user/GeoffreyPlant2066

Visit my website by clicking on http://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle A homilies, 141 Year of Faith “Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html for the Vatican version of this homily Or https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies  under Fr. Tony for my website version.  Fr. Anthony Kadavil, Chaplain, Sacred Heart Residence of the Little Sisters of the Poor, 1655 McGill Ave, Mobile, AL 36604

21 Additional anecdotes: 1:  "Law vs Mercy” In Reader’s Digest, Jim Williams of Montana, writes: "I was driving too fast late one night when I saw the flashing lights of a police car in my rearview mirror. As I pulled over and rolled down my window of my station wagon, I tried to dream up an excuse for my haste. But when the patrolman reached the car, he said nothing. Instead, he merely shined his flashlight in my face, then on my seven-month-old in his car seat, then on our three other children, who were asleep, and lastly on the two dogs in the very back of the car. Returning the beam of light to my face, he then uttered the only words of the encounter. “’Son,' he said, 'you can’t afford a ticket. Slow down.’” And with that, he returned to his car and drove away.” Sometimes mercy triumphs over law. So it is for sinners who call out to Jesus.” (Sent by Fr. pgolden@richmondcathedral.org on March 1, 2013).

2) Baseball player experiences Divine Mercy: During Babe Ruth’s baseball career, he drifted away from his Faith. One night he was very ill in a New York hospital, and a friend suggested he makes his peace with God. As a result, Babe Ruth asked to see a priest. After celebrating the sacrament of Reconciliation, Babe Ruth wrote:

“As I lay in bed that evening, I thought to myself – what a comfortable feeling to be free from fear and worries. I could simply turn them over to God.” Wow! What an expression of Trust in God’s Love and Mercy.

3) “Everybody is somebody” because of Divine Mercy: On 11th April 2009, the woman ruling the British Empire wasn’t Queen Elizabeth. It was a 47-year-old unemployed spinster named Susan Boyle. A lot of you probably know her story. Susan grew up in a small town in Scotland, a devout Catholic, the youngest of nine children. She had learning difficulties when she was a child, and the other children often made fun of her. She lived at home all her life, never married — “never been kissed,” as she puts it – and she spent her time caring for her mother and father and attending Mass every day. She also liked to sing in her church choir. As she grew up, and grew older, she put up with taunts from local school children, who made fun of her eccentric ways and her frizzy hair and frumpy clothes. But Susan’s mother knew that her daughter had something special to give. Susan had a powerful singing voice, and her mother always encouraged her to do something with it. After her mother died, Susan grieved for almost two years, before finally summoning the courage to do what her mother had always wanted her to do. Susan won a slot on a British TV talent show. Last Saturday night, the night before Easter, millions of Britons watched as she shuffled awkwardly onto the stage — this middle-aged out-of-work woman with uncombed hair and an unglamorous face. The audience laughed and some rolled their eyes.  

But then she opened her mouth to sing. “I Dreamed A Dream,” she sang. Watch her performance: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnn6mShs1P8). And she did it in a voice that was powerful, and clear, and even thrilling. After the first few bars, the audience was on its feet, cheering. It was, literally, the performance of a lifetime. Susan Boyle became an overnight sensation. In just one week, the video of her appearance has been viewed nearly 20 million times around the world on YouTube. She’s appeared on talk shows, been interviewed by papers and magazines. Oprah has invited her on to be a guest. “I did this,“ Susan told a reporter, “for my late mother. I wanted to show her I could do something with my life.” I thought of Susan Boyle on Wednesday, when Archbishop Timothy Dolan climbed the pulpit at St. Patrick’s at his installation Mass and declared in his first homily: “Everybody is somebody.” Susan Boyle certainly proved that. No matter what others may think, the beautiful truth is that everyone carries the spark of the Divine. Every life has meaning and dignity. Everybody is somebody. 

4) Divine mercy experience of Rev. Fr. James Alberione. The founder of the religious congregation to which I belong is Rev. Fr. James Alberione. A holy man with a prophetic vision, he harnessed the pastoral potentiality of the modern means of communication at the service of evangelization. The Holy Father, Pope St.  John Paul II will beatify him today - April 27, 2003 – in Rome. Fr. Alberione founded five religious congregations, four aggregated Institutes, and the Association of Pauline Cooperators, all of which comprise the “Pauline Family”. In 1923, he was struck down with a serious illness that led him into a kind of crisis about the future of the religious family launched just a few years earlier. He needed some kind of assurance in the midst of uncertainties. He looked for confirmation in the most difficult moment of his life. The Divine Master kindheartedly obliged by appearing to him in a dream, assuring him of His Divine assistance and presence. Here is Fr. Alberione’s personal account of that awesome experience. In a particularly difficult moment, reexamining all his ways of doing things to see if there might perhaps be impediments to the action of grace on his part, it seems that the Divine Master may have wanted to reassure the Institute that had only gotten underway a few years before. In a subsequent dream, he had what seemed to him to be a reply. Jesus, the Master, in fact, said to him: “Fear not. I am with you. From here I will enlighten. Have a contrite heart.” The “from here” came forth from the tabernacle; and with power, such as to make one understand that from Him, the Master, must one receive all enlightenment. He spoke of this with his spiritual director, noting in what light the figure of the Master had been enveloped. His reply to me was: “Be at peace; dream or otherwise, what was said is holy; make it a practical program of life and of light for yourself and for all members.” From that point on he became more and more oriented to and received all from the tabernacle.  (Cf. Abundantes Divitiae, n. 151-155).         Indeed, the experience of Blessed James Alberione, a “true missionary of the Church” and a modern apostle for our times, is similar to that of the apostle Thomas, who experienced the compassion of the saving and merciful Lord as predilection. 

5)  Iranian mother saves son's killer from hanging, with a slap of mercy and forgiveness: Tehran: An Iranian mother spared the life of her son’s convicted murderer with an emotional slap in the face as he awaited execution with the noose around his neck, a newspaper reported on Thursday. The dramatic climax followed a rare public campaign to save the life of Balal, who at 19 killed another young man, Abdollah Hosseinzadeh, in a street fight with a knife in 2007. Shargh newspaper said police officers led Balal to a public execution site in the northern city of Nowshahr as a large crowd gathered on Tuesday morning. Samereh Alinejad, mother of the victim, who had lost another son in a motorbike accident four years ago, asked the onlookers whether they knew “how difficult it is to live in an empty house”. 

Balal, black-hooded and standing on a chair before a makeshift gallows, had the noose around his neck when Ms Alinejad approached. She slapped him in the face and removed the rope from his neck, assisted by her husband, Abdolghani Hosseinzadeh, a former professional footballer. “I am a believer. I had a dream in which my son told me that he was at peace and in a good place … After that, all my relatives, even my mother, put pressure on me to pardon the killer,” Ms Alinejad told Shargh. “The murderer was crying, asking for forgiveness. I slapped him in the face. That slap helped to calm me down. Now that I’ve forgiven him, I feel relieved.” Balal said the “slap was the space between revenge and forgiveness”. “I’ve asked my friends not to carry knives … I wish someone had slapped me in the face when I wanted to carry one,” he said. A high-profile campaign was launched by public figures - including popular football commentator and TV show host Adel Ferdosipour and former international footballer Ali Daei - appealing for the victim’s family to forgive the killer. See the video commentary below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=cwh17osBCNI
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/iranian-mother-saves-sons-killer-from-hanging-with-a-slap-20140418-zqw3f.html#ixzz300Il5O32

6) "Well, then, I will have mercy."  The Emperor Napoleon was moved by a mother's plea for pardon for her soldier son.  However, the Emperor said that since it was the man’s second major offense, justice demanded death.  "I do not ask for justice," implored the mother, "I plead for mercy." "But," said the Emperor, "he does not deserve mercy."  "Sir," cried the mother, "it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask for." The compassion and clarity of the mother's logic prompted Napoleon to respond, "Well, then, I will have mercy."  The Second Sunday of the Easter season invites us to reflect on God’s infinite love and mercy for His people, as detailed in the Bible and as lived and taught by Jesus, and to practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. 

7) Divine Mercy and Zacharias Moussaoui. Zacharias Moussaoui was sentenced for a role in the devastating 9/11 tragedy. The Frederick News Post (Apr 14: Good Friday) reported it with the headline: "Suspect wishes pain for victims." Wow. "'So you would be happy to see 9/11 again,' the prosecutor asked. Moussaoui said: 'Every day until we get you.' He told jurors that he has 'no regret, no remorse,' and was disgusted by the heart-rending testimony of victims and relatives and only wished they have suffered more." Have you read any more tragic thoughts and wishes? When this Chaplain describes the words and actions as objectively "evil," he means that, objectively, wanting to murder people, and to plague them with more harm and rub it into their lives is an evil thing. Subjectively, perhaps Zacharias Moussaoui is mentally deranged and not totally culpable for his words and actions. We don't and can't know this as a literal matter of fact. The question was raised by both defense and prosecution in his sentencing. Point: Mercy is just for such people – the free offer of God, to even the harshest of offenders, like Zacharias Moussaoui, of forgiveness and reconciliation if he chooses to accept it. We need to pray for Moussaoui that he may ask for and receive God's pardon and love. This man and his sentiments are just one more reason why Jesus came to Earth-to save souls, even the most overtly plagued ones. (Fr. John J. Lombardi) http://www.emmitsburg.net/grotto/father_jack/2006/mercy_sunday.htm  

8) Mayor’s mercy: One night in 1935, Fiorello H. La Guardia, Mayor of New York City, showed up at Night Court in the poorest ward of the city.  He dismissed the judge for the evening and took over the bench. One case involved an elderly woman who was caught stealing bread to feed her grandchildren.  La Guardia said, "I've got to punish you.  Ten dollars or ten days in jail." As he spoke, he threw $10 into his hat.  He then fined everyone in the courtroom 50 cents for living in a city "where an old woman had to steal bread so that her grandchildren should not starve."  The hat was passed around, and the woman left the courtroom with her fine paid and an additional $47.50.  

9) Mary Duray, Connecticut: Mary and her husband suffered the tragic loss of their son, and it was her understanding of Divine Mercy that helped her and her family forgive those that took his life during a robbery. Mary tells us how her attendance at a Mother of Mercy Messengers (MOMM) Divine Mercy Program helped her overcome great obstacles and allowed her to forgive and even to pray for them. Knowing that as long as there is life, there is hope, the family did not seek the death penalty for his murderers. How differently does the person filled with God's mercy see and react to the world. (http://mercyimages.com/video_MaryDuray.php ) 

10) “What I don't know is where I am going." The story is told about Albert Einstein, the brilliant physicist of Princeton University in the early 20th century. Einstein was traveling from Princeton on a train, and when the conductor came down the aisle to punch the passengers' tickets, Einstein couldn't find his. He looked in his vest pocket, he looked in his pants pocket, he looked in his briefcase, but there was no ticket. The conductor was gracious; "Not to worry, Dr. Einstein, I know who you are, we all know who you are, and I'm sure you bought a ticket." As the conductor moved down the aisle, he looked back and noticed Einstein on his hands and knees, searching under the seat for his ticket. The conductor returned to Einstein; "Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry. I know who you are. You don't need a ticket, I'm sure you bought one." Einstein arose and said, "Young man, I too know who I am; what I don't know is where I am going." And that is the Good News of Easter; that we know where we are going. We have been told by the Savior that his life and death has promised us life eternal. (Steven Molin, Elated....Deflated. Quoted by Fr. Kyala) 

11) Ask for Mercy: In order to receive mercy we must ask for it and be ready to accept it. If we do not accept it sincerely we will not change our attitude towards our past life. We read in history that in 1829 George Wilson was condemned to death for robbing the mail and killing the policeman who was on the way to arrest him. President Andrew Jackson granted him a pardon but George Wilson refused to accept it. The judge said 'Pardon is a pardon only when one accepts it. George must die'. Mercy is mercy when we accept it. We read in the life of Voltaire that he wanted to live six weeks to repent for his sins. The doctor told him he would not live six days. He died unrepentant. Having mercy at his door he refused to accept it. (Elias Dias in Divine Stories for Families; quoted by Fr. Botelho).

12)  “The miracle over Hudson River:” A banker on a business trip in New York City, Fred Berretta had just checked into his hotel room. He had about 20 minutes downtime before he had to meet his colleagues. For some reason he decided to clean out his briefcase, something he hadn't done in a long time. As he emptied it out, he came across a booklet he had stuffed into a pocket years ago on praying the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy. He recalls having prayed it a few times years ago. Only two weeks prior, Fred had made a New Year's resolution to try to get into better spiritual shape. Here in this hotel room was an opportunity to fulfill it. So he followed along in the booklet and prayed the chaplet, a prayer our Lord gave to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska in the 1930s, during a series of revelations that has sparked the modern Divine Mercy movement. He would be among the 155 people to board a jet airliner at LaGuardia Airport bound for Charlotte, N.C., his hometown. Ninety seconds after takeoff, the jet would apparently hit a flock of geese, the engines would explode, and the plane would lose power at 3,200 feet. The aircraft would be out of reach from any airfield. It would lose thrust and altitude. Everything would become eerily quiet. Fred would cinch his seatbelt. His left hand would clutch the armrest, his heart would race, his face would be flushed. "Prepare for impact," the pilot would say over the PA system. As the ground surged into view, Fred would look at his watch. It would be 3:30, the Hour of Great Mercy! "I prayed with every fiber of emotion and sincerity I could muster, 'God, please be merciful to us,'" Fred would recall two weeks later. You've probably heard about the crash landing of Flight 1549 in the Hudson River on Jan. 15, 2009. No one was seriously injured. Then, there were the news images of a US Airways Airbus floating gently down the frigid Hudson, like some sort of breaching, people-friendly, aquatic creature. The passengers stood on its wings, calmly awaiting rescue. 

13) Seven Secrets of the Eucharist: We might never have learned Fred Berretta's story if it weren't for Vinny Flynn. Following the crash, Fred felt compelled to send an email of thanks to Vinny, the former executive editor at the Marian Helpers Center, in Stockbridge, Mass. 

Fred had never heard of Vinny until about two hours before he boarded Flight 1549. Following morning meetings on Jan. 15, Fred had found himself in the unusual position of having some free time on a business trip. It was noon. He had stepped inside Manhattan's St. Patrick's Cathedral. He had stayed for the 12 p.m. Mass. Afterwards, he had gone into St. Patrick's gift shop. A book had caught his eye — Vinny's Seven Secrets of the Eucharist (Mercy Song, Ignatius Press, 2006) -- which, with citations from St. Faustina's Diary, gives a greater understanding of the mystery of the Eucharist. Fred also purchased a St. Michael's scapular. In an interview with thedivinemercy.org this week, Fred explained what happened next: "I got into a cab and went to the airport [LaGuardia]," he said. "My flight was delayed about 15 minutes, so I sat there and started reading Vinny's book. I was really taken by it. I boarded the plane and continued to read. Just as we were rolling out for takeoff, I put the book away and closed my eyes and began to reflect on what I had been reading. "Some of us looked at each other," he said. "There was nothing to be said. I knew that the only thing I could do was pray." Which is exactly what Fred did when he suddenly realized it was the Hour of Great Mercy and he would probably be dead in a matter of seconds. He trusted, truly, for the first time. All these fragments of thought seemed to piece themselves into place. The plane was going down, yet everything was making sense. He admits he was in shock. But he also felt at peace, a deep peace. God had allowed him to find the Divine Mercy booklet in his briefcase. God had steered him to Vinny's book. God did all this, he thought, to prepare him for death. He hunched over in his seat to brace for impact. He prayed for God's mercy. Then he prayed two Hail Marys and one Our Father. He made it halfway though a prayer to St. Michael, the archangel, when the plane hit the water, came to a stop, and bobbed up and down like a toy in a kiddy pool. (http://thedivinemercy.org/news/story.php?NID=3493).

14) "Sir, that is what I am afraid of." There is a story about a soldier brought before General Robert E. Lee. Accused of misconduct, the soldier was trembling. The general said to him, "Do not be afraid, son. Here you will receive justice." The soldier looked at the general and said, "Sir that is what I am afraid of." Like that soldier, Peter would have reason to tremble. Peter had boasted about his bravery, how he would always stand by Jesus. Yet when Jesus needed him most, he nodded off. Perhaps one could forgive him for falling asleep, but later - when he was wide-awake - he denied Jesus. "I do not know the man." Some rock! In strict justice, Peter should have been punished - at the very least, removed as head of the Church. In Christ's passion, however, a deeper justice is at work. That is what we will discover this Divine Mercy Sunday. God's justice has a name - it is called the Divine Mercy. Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil, the Triduum we have just experienced, are the three great days of grace - of Divine Mercy. Now we need to live out the mercies we have received by passing them on to everyone else. 

15) Macbeth never had peace in his life: One of the famous tragedies of William Shakespeare is Macbeth.  When Macbeth was returning after a victory, he was met by three witches. The first witch greeted him, "Thane of Glamis".  The second witch greeted him "Thane of Cawdor", and the third witch greeted him, "King hereafter". As they disappeared messengers reached with the good news that he was appointed as the Thane of Glamis and Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth went home and shared this strange experience with his wife. She enkindled his hopes, and persuaded him to murder Duncan, the king, who came to his house as his guest. As Macbeth thrust the dagger into the heart of Duncan he heard a voice, "Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep…" (II, 2:35-36). Thereafter Macbeth never had peace in his life. His life became miserable. In his frantic attempt to get peace he committed murder again and again. When Macbeth sinned against the king he lost his peace. Jesus was aware that sins destroy the peace of man. So when he wished them "peace" he also granted them the power to  destroy sin. To destroy a powerful enemy we need a powerful weapon. Jesus put this weapon in the hands of the Church when communicating to his Apostles the power to forgive sins through the sacrament of Reconciliation. Jesus said to the apostles: "Those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven. Those whose sins you retain, they are retained." (Fr. Bobby Jose).

16) Uplifting One Another: Have you ever watched geese fly in V-formation? While a thing of beauty to watch, the formation is essential to the geese for survival. If you listen, you can hear the beat of their wings whistling through the air in unison. And that is the secret of their strength: the lead goose cuts a swath through the air resistance, which creates a helping uplift for the birds behind it. In turn their flapping makes it easier for the birds behind them, and so on. Each bird takes its turn at being leader. The tired ones fan out to the edges of the V for a breather, and the rested ones surge towards the point of the V to drive the flock onward. If a goose becomes too exhausted or ill and has to drop out of the flock, it is never abandoned. A stronger member of the flock will follow the failing, weak one to its resting place and wait till the bird is well enough to fly again. Together, cooperating as a flock, geese can fly at 71% longer range, with up to 60% less work. (YouTube: “What geese can teach us about teamwork”; quoted by Fr. Botelho). 

17) Cure for Sorrow: There is an old Chinese tale about a woman whose only son died. In her grief, she went to the holy man and said, "What prayers, what magical incantations do you have to bring my son back to life?" Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said to her, "Fetch me a mustard seed from a home that has never known sorrow. We will use it to drive the sorrow out of your life." The woman went off at once in search of that magical mustard seed. She came first to a splendid mansion, knocked at the door, and said, "I am looking for a home that has never known sorrow. Is this such a place? It is very important to me." They told her, "You've certainly come to the wrong place," and began to describe all the tragic things that recently had befallen them. The woman said to herself, "Who is better able to help these poor, unfortunate people than I, who have had misfortune of my own?" She stayed to comfort them, then went on in search of a home that had never known sorrow. But wherever she turned, in hovels and in other places, she found one tale after another of sadness and misfortune. She became so involved in ministering to other people's grief that ultimately she forgot about her quest for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that it had, in fact, driven the sorrow out of her life. (Brian Cavanaugh, The Sower's Seeds; quoted by Fr. Botelho).

18) Hope for the Flowers: A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then, it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could. So the man decided to help, he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly! So God, in His mercy, challenges us giving obstacles in life. (Anonymous; quoted by Fr. Botelho). 

19) “Don't be crying! It's OK! He is alive!”  I remember one occasion when I led a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. One of the young men in the group was quite mentally limited, although his grasp of God, of Jesus, and the events of the Gospel was uncanny. We arrived at the tomb of the basilica, and we joined the long line, waiting our turn to enter. One lady came out of the tomb, and was obviously deeply touched by the experience of her visit to such a sacred spot. She sat down outside the entrance, took out a tissue, and began wiping her tears. My friend, who was back in the line, spotted what was happening, and responded instantly. He ran straight up to her, put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Don't be crying, it's OK. He's alive; don't you know that?" The whole thing was so spontaneous and genuine that the woman stood up, and gave him a warm hug. The simple fact was that he could not understand how anybody could be crying at this tomb, of all the tombs in the world. --- Jesus thanked the Father for giving a message that was so simple and straightforward that the intellectual and the worldly-wise would fail to grasp it, and yet it could be fully accepted by someone with the mind of a child. Happy are they who have not seen yet believe. (Jack McArdle in And that's the Gospel Truth; quoted by Fr. Botelho).

20) President's mercy: Years after the death of President Calvin Coolidge, this story came to light. In the early days of his presidency, Coolidge awoke one morning in his hotel room to find a cat burglar going through his pockets. Coolidge spoke up, asking the burglar not to take his watch chain because it contained an engraved charm he wanted to keep. Coolidge then engaged the thief in quiet conversation and discovered he was a college student who had no money to pay his hotel bill or buy a ticket back to campus. Coolidge counted $32 out of his wallet -- which he had also persuaded the dazed young man to give back! -- declared it to be a loan, and advised the young man to leave the way he had come so as to avoid the Secret Service! (Yes, the loan was paid back.) [Today in the Word (October 8, 1992); quoted by Fr. Kayala.]

21) The story of Oshea Israel and Mary Johnson: One of the stories of the “Forgiveness Project” that caught my attention was the story of Oshea Israel and Mary Johnson.  Oshea had shot and killed Mary’s son - a boy Oshea didn’t even know.  There was no way Oshea could pay Mary back for what he had taken from her.  And Mary owed him nothing.  It’s not an easy story.  As Mary said, “I hated everyone for a while.”  But over time Mary came to forgive Oshea.  She visited him in prison.  She helped him when he was released.  In the process they both changed. Mary gave Oshea the one gift he needed to begin his healing: total forgiveness. Mercy doesn’t undercut justice but surprises it!  It is the linchpin that supports forgiveness and compassion. Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life and instills in us the courage to look to the future with hope. We might think of mercy as the grace for conversion.  (Stories Seldom Heard; quoted by Sr. Patricia).L/20

9 Things You Need to Know About Divine Mercy Sunday

(Jimmy Akin, apologist at EWTN & Catholic Answers (Editor's Note: This blog was originally posted April 4, 2013)

(https://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/9-things-you-need-to-know-about-divine-mercy-sunday?gclid=Cj0KCQjwu6fzBRC6ARIsAJUwa2RMBFruIgjVNikuRTFrdJKMv7nrzRKs6AJQ0xSRB14aVM1ZodBCiCEaAjMEEALw_wcB)) .

Divine Mercy Sunday is a recent addition to the Church's calendar, and it has links to both private revelation and the Bible.

Millions of people look forward to and are profoundly moved by this day.

What is it, and why is it so important to them?

Here are 9 things you need to know. 

1. What is Divine Mercy Sunday?

Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter. It is based on the private revelations to St. Faustina Kowalska, which recommended a particular devotion to the Divine Mercy.

It also has links to the Bible and the readings of this day.

To learn more about St. Faustina, you can CLICK HERE. 

2. When was it made part of the Church's calendar?

In 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina and, during the ceremony, he declared:

4.”It is important then that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter, which from now on throughout the Church will be called ‘Divine Mercy Sunday.’

“In the various readings, the liturgy seems to indicate the path of mercy which, while re-establishing the relationship of each person with God, also creates new relations of fraternal solidarity among human beings” [Homily, April 30, 2000]. 

3. If this is based on private revelation, why is it on the Church's calendar?

In his theological commentary in The Message of Fatima, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger wrote: “We might add that private revelations often spring from popular piety and leave their stamp on it, giving it a new impulse and opening the way for new forms of it. Nor does this exclude that they will have an effect even on the liturgy, as we see for instance in the feasts of Corpus Christi and of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. From one point of view, the relationship between Revelation and private revelations appears in the relationship between the liturgy and popular piety: The liturgy is the criterion; it is the living form of the Church as a whole, fed directly by the Gospel. Popular piety is a sign that the Faith is spreading its roots into the heart of a people in such a way that it reaches into daily life. Popular religiosity is the first and fundamental mode of “inculturation” of the Faith. While it must always take its lead and direction from the liturgy, it in turn enriches the Faith by involving the heart. 

4. What does the Church do to encourage the celebration of devotion to the Divine Mercy on this day?

Among other things, it offers a plenary indulgence:

To ensure that the faithful would observe this day with intense devotion, the Supreme Pontiff [Pope St. John Paul II] himself established that this Sunday be enriched by a plenary indulgence, as will be explained below, so that the faithful might receive in great abundance the gift of the consolation of the Holy Spirit.

In this way, they can foster a growing love for God and for their neighbour, and after they have obtained God's pardon, they in turn might be persuaded to show a prompt pardon to their brothers and sisters. . . .

a plenary indulgence, granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any Church or Chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honour of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!").

((For more information about the plenary indulgence, CLICK HERE.( https://www.ncregister.com/blog/joseph-pronechen/how-to-get-a-plenary-indulgence-on-divine-mercy-sunday)  

5. What is the Divine Mercy image?

The Divine Mercy image is a depiction of Jesus based on a vision that St. Faustina had in 1931. There have been a number of paintings made of this image. The original, though not the most popular one today, is shown above.

A basic explanation of the image is: Jesus is shown in most versions as raising his right hand in blessing, and pointing with his left hand on his chest from which flow forth two rays: one red and one white (translucent). The depictions often contains the message "Jesus, I trust in You!" (Polish: Jezu ufam Tobie). The rays streaming out have symbolic meaning: red for the blood of Jesus (which is the Life of Souls), and pale for the water (which justify souls) (from Diary - 299). The whole image is symbolic of charity, forgiveness and love of God, referred to as the "Fountain of Mercy.” According to the diary of St Faustina, the image is based on her 1931 vision of Jesus [source]. 

6. What is the Chaplet of Divine Mercy?

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is a set of prayers used as part of the Divine Mercy devotion. They are usually said using a standard set of Rosary beads, often at 3 p.m. (the time of Jesus' death), but with a different set of prayers than those used in the Marian Rosary.  

7. How is the Divine Mercy devotion linked to the Scripture readings for the Second Sunday of Easter?

The Divine Mercy image depicts Jesus at the moment he appears to the disciples in the Upper Room, after the Resurrection, when he empowers them to forgive or retain sins. This moment is recorded in John 20:19-31, which is the Gospel reading for this Sunday in all three yearly Sunday liturgical cycles (A, B, and C). This reading is placed on this day because it includes the appearance of Jesus to the Apostle Thomas (in which Jesus invites him to touch his wounds). This event occurred on the eighth day after the Resurrection (John 20:26), and so it is used on the liturgy eight days after Easter. (It also, however, includes the appearance of Jesus to the disciples on Easter evening, a week earlier, in which he empowered them to forgive or retain sins.) 

8. How did Jesus empower the apostles to forgive or retain sins?

That part of the text reads: [21] Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."
[22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
[23] If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

He thus gave them a special empowerment with the Holy Spirit to forgive or retain sins. 

9. How does this relate to the sacrament of confession?

It relates directly to it. Jesus empowered the apostles (and their successors in ministry) with the Holy Spirit to either forgive or retain (not forgive) sins. Because they are empowered with God's Spirit to do this, their administration of forgiveness is efficacious--it really removes sin rather than just being a symbol of forgiveness a person is thought to have obtained already. Because they are instructed to forgive or retain, they must discern which they are to do. This means that they need to know about the sin and whether we are truly repentant of it. As a result, we must tell them about the sin and our sorrow for it. Hence: confession. And the Church Fathers understood Christ's ministers as having this power. 

Lent V [A] Sunday (March 29) 1-page summary for an 8- minute homily

Introduction: Death with hope in resurrection, challenging us to be alive and not spiritually dead by mortal sin, is the central theme today. 

Scripture lessons summarized: Reporting his vision in the first reading, Ezekiel bears witness to the reanimation of the dead Israel in preparation for her return to the Promised Land. He assures them that God's life-giving Breath will restore His people, give them new life and resettle them in their land. St. Paul, in the second reading, assures the early Roman Christians who were facing death by persecution, and us who are surrounded by a culture of death, that the same Spirit, Who raised Jesus from the dead and Who dwells within us, will raise our mortal bodies to life on the Last Day.  Paul considers the Resurrection of Jesus the basis for our hope of sharing in Jesus’ Resurrection. For John, in today’s Gospel, the raising of Lazarus is the final and greatest sign of Jesus, the Deliverer, a symbolic narrative of his Final Victory over death at the cost of his human life and a sign anticipating his Resurrection. Describing this great miracle, the Church assures us that we, too, will be raised into eternal life after our battle with sin and death in this world.  Thus, resurrection hope is the central theme of the Scripture readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent. The readings assure us that our Faith in Jesus, who is “the Resurrection and the Life,” promises our participation in his resurrection and new life. 

Life messages: #1: “Roll away the stone, unbind him and let him go.”    We often bind ourselves with chains of addiction to alcohol, drugs, sexual deviations, slander, gossip, envy, prejudices, hatred, and uncontrollable anger, and bury ourselves in the tombs of despair. Sometimes we are in the tomb of selfishness, filled with negative feelings such as worry, fear, resentment, hatred, and guilt.   If we want Jesus to visit our dark dungeons of sin, despair and unhappiness, let us ask Jesus during this Holy Mass to bring the light and the power of the Holy Spirit into our private lives and liberate us from our tombs. Are there times when we refuse to let God enter into our wallets, fearing that faithful tithing will endanger our savings?    When we receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Jesus will call our name and command, "Come out, Mary”, “Come out, Joe"! This is Good news for all of us: “Lazarus, come out!” This can be the beginning of a new life.

 2) We need to be ready to welcome death any time.  We live in a world that is filled with death.  We kill each other in acts of murder, abortion, euthanasia, execution, war, and terrorist activities.  We kill ourselves through suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking, overwork, stress, bad eating habits, and physical neglect.  The most important question is:  am I ready to face my death?  All of us know that we will surely die, but each of us foolishly thinks that he or she will not die any time in the near future.  Let us be wise, well-prepared and ever ready to meet our Lord with a clear conscience when the time comes and to give Him a clean account of our lives. L/20 

LENT V [A] SUNDAY (March 29): Ez 37:12-14; Rom 8:8-11; Jn 11:1-45  

 Homily starter anecdotes: #1: A sign of resurrection:  As Vice President, George H.W. Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev (November 1982).  Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev’s widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed.  Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev’s wife performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed in Communist Russia: she made the sign of the cross on her husband’s chest.  There in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all made a gesture suggesting that her husband had been wrong. She hoped that there was another way of life – a life best represented by Jesus who died on the cross, and that this same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband and raise him up on the Day of the Judgment.  In today's Gospel, Martha expresses her Faith in Jesus’ assurance of the resurrection of her brother Lazarus. 

#2) Carrying a dead soul in a living body?  In Virgil, there is an account of an ancient king, who was so unnaturally cruel in his punishments that he used to chain a dead man to a living criminal.  It was impossible for the poor wretch to separate himself from his disgusting burden. The carcass was bound fast to his body -- its hands to his hands; its face to his face; the entire dead body to his living body.  Then he was put into a dungeon to die suffocated by the foul emissions of the stinking dead body. Many suppose that it was in reference to this that Paul cried out: "O wretched man that I am!"  Today’s readings invite us to turn away from sin, approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation and revive the dead soul we are carrying within our body, thus becoming eligible for the glorious resurrection Jesus promised to believers at the tomb of Lazarus. 

# 3) “Mike, come out!” “Joe, come out!” Dr. A. L. Jenkins was an emergency-room doctor for 48 years in Knoxville, Tennessee. In this capacity, Dr. Jenkins saw the best and the worst side of the field of medicine. But his most vivid memories are of those moments that are medically unexplainable. Dr. Jenkins recalls one man who was dead on arrival in the emergency room. It was Dr. Jenkins’ policy to attempt resuscitation anyway. After fifteen minutes of CPR, the previously dead man began to show signs of life. The man sat up, looked around him, then said to Dr. Jenkins, “Oh, I wish I was still out there! It was beautiful!” The man would never explain what he meant but would only repeat that the place he had been was “so beautiful, so beautiful.” (Kristi L. Nelson, “From near-death to dynamite,” The Knoxville News-Sentinel, date unknown). Now, many explanations have been given for so-called near-death experiences, including chemical changes in the brain. But, all explanations aside, it is amazing how these experiences affirm what the Bible teaches us about life beyond the grave. There will come a time when the doctor can do no more for us, but somewhere on the other side, Christ will say, “Mike, come out!” “Joe, come out!” “Sally, come out!” This is a story that affirms resurrection.

Introduction: Resurrection hope is the central theme of the Scripture readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent. We can see the progression in themes from the thirst for living water (on the Third Sunday of Lent), through the desire to be healed of our spiritual blindness (Fourth Sunday) to our ultimate desire to share in eternal life with the risen Lord (Fifth Sunday).  

Scripture lessons summarized: Death and resurrection are the themes that permeate today's Scripture lessons.  The Psalmist (Responsorial Psalm, Ps 130), singing, “I trust in the Lord, my soul trusts in His word. More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord,” awaits Yahweh’s redemption both for himself and for Israel. Reporting his vision in the first reading, Ezekiel bears witness to the reanimation of the dead Israel in preparation for her return to the Promised Land. He guarantees his community in exile that Yahweh will one day bring them back to live in the freedom of the Promised Land. He assures God’s people that do not even death will stop Him from carrying out this promise.  Yahweh states, "I will open your graves, have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel." St. Paul, in the second reading, assures the early Roman Christians, who were facing death by persecution, and us, who are surrounded by a culture of death, that the same Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead and Who dwells within us will raise our mortal bodies to Life on the Last Day.  Paul considers the Resurrection of Jesus as a reality, the ground of our Faith and the basis for our hope of sharing in Jesus’ Resurrection. For John, in today’s Gospel, the raising of Lazarus is the final and greatest sign of Jesus, the Deliverer, a symbolic narrative of Jesus’ victory over death at the cost of his own human life, and a sign anticipating his Resurrection. Describing this great miracle, the Church assures us that we, too, will be raised into eternal life after our battle with sin and death in this world.  Thus, resurrection hope is the central theme of the Scripture readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent. The readings assure us that our faith in Jesus, who is “the Resurrection and the Life,” promises our participation in resurrection and new life. 

The first reading: Ez 37:12-14 explained: The haunting vision of the valley of dry bones described by Ezekiel (37:1-11), forms the background for today’s first reading.  The imagery may well have come from an actual battle site, probably that of the battlefield after the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon in 586 BC.  After a few years, the Babylonian soldiers uprooted many of God's people and dragged them into slavery in Babylon, some 750 miles from their homeland.  This was the beginning of the period known as the Babylonian Captivity, or simply the Exile.  Ezekiel was a priest of the Temple of Jerusalem up to 597 B.C., when he was deported to Babylon with King Jehoiachin and the first deportees.  In his vision, the release of the Jews from the captivity and slavery of Babylon is described as a rising from their graves to return to a new life in their own homeland.  Through the prophet, God assures the exiles that they will live again. They will be raised from death and filled with life. They will experience new life, life that springs from God’s own Spirit. The prophet urges his devastated nation to look beyond that catastrophe to a future that vindicates God's justice and promises the restoration of the nation through the Spirit of God.

The second reading: Rom 8:8-11 explained:  In the second reading, St. Paul reassures the Romans of a future resurrection to a life of unending glory for all those who during their time on earth have been loyal to God and His Son Jesus.  This coming resurrection has been won for us by the suffering, death, and Resurrection of Jesus.  Paul advises the Roman Christians, and us, to allow the Holy Spirit who dwells within each person to renew and sanctify them/us, thus making them/us eligible for resurrection.  “If the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through His Spirit dwelling in you.”  This indwelling Spirit of God, whom we have received in Baptism, will release us from the "grave" of the flesh and allow us to live the life of the Spirit. The Spirit-filled life is a life of intimacy with God.  In this passage, Paul stresses the empowering action of God the Father, Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Gospel exegesis: Picture of death and resurrection: The five Sundays of Lent, combined, give the picture of death and resurrection in faith and in life. 1) The first two Sundays depict Jesus' own death and Resurrection in daily life Temptation/Desert/Rejection and Transfiguration/ Mountain/ Belovedness.  2) Then we have three Sundays with three scenarios of death and resurrection:
a) The Samaritan woman at the well (sociological death to become the first missionary) 🡺her Faith in Jesus🡺 her missionary approach to the people of her town. b) The Man Born Blind (Physical and spiritual death to growth in Faith 🡺 he recognizes Jesus, the man 🡺Jesus the prophet 🡺 finally Jesus the Lord 🡺 daring missionary to proclaim the healing and the Lord despite threats of ostracism)🡺his Faith. c). Lazarus – (Physical death to actual revivification)🡺 belovedness to Mary and Martha and to Jesus 🡺 their Faith. d.) Passion Sunday: Moving from another "mount" (donkey) 🡺to "crucify him". Life is a constant journey of Baptism to the desert to the Transfiguration to simple realities of our daily life and mission and occasional anniversaries and jubilees. (Quoted by Fr. Kayala). This is the longest single narrative/story in the four Gospels – 45 verses.  This story marks a key turning-point in John’s Gospel: not only is it the last and greatest “sign” Jesus will perform, concluding the “Book of Signs,” but it is effectively Jesus’ last public appearance before His Passion and death. As our catechumens are preparing for their Baptism at Easter, the today’s Gospel calls us to reflect on Baptism as a dying and rising with Jesus. In Baptism we die to sin’s power over us, rising as children of God. In Baptism we join ourselves with Christ, who conquered death once and for all so that we who believe in him may have eternal life.

 Resurrection or reanimation? Traditionally, we have often referred to what happened to Lazarus as a “resurrection,” but we need to ask ourselves if that description is really accurate. It is perhaps more accurate to speak of this chapter in terms of the “reanimation” of Lazarus, or his “revivification” or “being brought back to life” – because we believe that true resurrection is a very particular category which no one except Jesus will experience before the end of time. The Gospels describe two other “reanimation of life” given by Jesus: first to the dead daughter of Jairus (Mk 5 : 22-43, Lk 8: 41-56, Mt 9: 18-26)  and to the widow’s son being taken to the place of burial (Luke 7: 11-`17). 

Jesus in our culture of death: We live in a world that has been caught up in death for a long time. We kill each other in acts of murder, abortion, euthanasia, execution, war, terrorist activities, and drunken, reckless driving. We kill ourselves through suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking, overwork, stress, bad eating habits, and physical neglect.  We watch calmly as others die from poverty, hunger and malnutrition, homelessness, unemployment, poor education, disease, lack of health coverage, child abuse, arms proliferation, discrimination, pollution, destruction of the environment, unsafe working conditions, and all the laws, policies, practices and attitudes which contribute to these conditions. (Gerald Darring). “The right to life … is basic and inalienable. It is grievously violated in our day by abortion and euthanasia, by widespread torture, by acts of violence against innocent parties, and by the scourge of war. The arms race is an insanity which burdens the world and creates the conditions for even more massive destruction of life.” (Pope St. Paul VI, 1974). Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. He is the God who will put His spirit in you that you may live. Our Lenten celebration must serve to remind us that the Paschal Mystery represents a victory over death.  “

The motives behind the miracle: According to John, the raising of Lazarus is the sixth of seven signs and it is the climactic culmination of Jesus’ public ministry. In addition to revealing Jesus as the Lord of life, the Lazarus story presents Jesus as the one whose ministry fulfilled the servant prophecies like Isaiah 42:7, 49:9, and Psalm 16:1-11. It is the longest single narrative/story in the four Gospels, covering 45 verses. It is also Jesus’ last public appearance before His Passion and death. In addition, it is the last and greatest of the miracles worked by our Lord to demonstrate that He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God, and that through Faith in Jesus believers will receive eternal life.  In other words, Jesus wanted to make this miracle, the last recorded, a convincing demonstration that he is what he claims to be -- the Messiah, sent by God to give new life, eternal life, to mankind. As this miracle took place a few miles from Jerusalem, Jesus also knew it would give his enemies the impulse and motivation to carry out his condemnation death by crucifixion, which was the “debt” he, "the suffering servant" of God, was to pay for the sins of mankind. Jesus explains the “why” of this miracle as, “It is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” First, when Jesus brings Lazarus back to life, people will give God glory for the miracle.  Second, in this Gospel, Jesus' glorification involves the cross, and verses 45-53 make it clear that Lazarus' raising will lead to Jesus' death and Resurrection.  This is another way of saying that Jesus’ death on the cross will lead to his glorification.  This miracle story, taking place as Jesus is on his final journey to Jerusalem, prepares us for his death and Resurrection. The story is presented in five distinct, self-contained scenes: Jesus receiving the news of Lazarus’ death, the disciples’ protesting Jesus’ return to Judea, Martha’s pleading with Jesus, Mary’s arrival as Jesus stands waiting in the road, and the miraculous raising of Lazarus.

The moving story of sorrow and Faith:  John's Gospel begins with a wedding and closes with a funeral.  There are four primary characters in this story: Jesus, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.  Martha, Mary and Lazarus, siblings, were good friends of Jesus. John tells us that he “loved” them.  The funeral rituals of Jesus’ day were obviously different from ours, though very like those practiced by Orthodox Jews even today.  When somebody died, there was no embalming. Instead, the body was wrapped in linen and, before sunset on the day of death, was put into the burial vault -- a cave carved into limestone rock – often with myrrh, frankincense and perfumes.  (There is some later evidence (early 3rd century) of a rabbinic belief that the soul hovered near the body of the deceased for three days). Then there was intense mourning for seven days followed by a less intense mourning period of twenty-three days.  Lazarus’ sisters had sent word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus was ill and perhaps would soon die. On receiving the message, Jesus waited two days so that the will of God might be demonstrated, and God be glorified by His Son, through a major miracle.  At last, Jesus went to the house of Lazarus, knowing very well that his friend had died. On his arrival, Jesus pacified Martha with one of the most treasured of his teachings, which brings great consolation at funeral service, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.  Whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Jesus offers “eternal life,” which begins with Faith now and lasts forever in its fullness. Then Jesus asked one of the most important questions found in the Bible, “Do you believe this, Martha?”  Martha answered, “I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” Martha pronounced her confession of Faith as a response to Jesus who had revealed himself as the Resurrection and the Life.  Her Faith did not depend upon seeing her brother raised from the dead. Proof begets knowledge and confirms Faith; Faith does not rest on proof but precedes it.  As John writes this story for his persecuted early Christian community, Martha represents that grieving community in asking the perennial question: "If Jesus gave us eternal life, why are believers still dying?"  John's story offers a challenging response and offers us all those words that bring such consolation at funeral services: “I am the Resurrection and the Life; whoever believes in me even if he [or she] dies will live, and everyone who believes in me will never die.”

 The supporting community and the reassuring Jesus. Martha returned home and told her sister Mary that Jesus wanted to talk with her.  Mary went immediately, surrounded by grieving friends, to find Jesus. Then comes that classic line, the shortest verse in the Bible.  “Jesus wept.”  The Greek translation literally means that Jesus “burst into tears.”  This showed that he was not only the Son of God, but also the Son of Man, fully human, sharing our grief and our sorrow and comforting us with his declaration, “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.”  Mary’s friends who grieved with her are the model of a supporting Church community.  There is something therapeutic about having friends around us when we are grief-stricken.  Hence, the Church must be a community offering compassion and consolation to one another.  Often, in our busy and active culture, we don’t have time to live deeply with our feelings and to share deep love or deep sorrow.

The touch of human sentiments: While the miracle of raising Lazarus from grave shows Jesus’ Divine power over death itself it also shows him as a wonderfully sensitive human being.  His love for Lazarus and his sisters is palpable. Martha's and Mary's complaint that Jesus' presence would have averted Lazarus’ death shows us how real their friendship was.  So do Jesus' tears. The story also represents the best of that special human quality in Jesus of openly expressing real feelings. This interpretive description of Jesus’ greatest miracle is also John’s reflection on the significance of the Resurrection. 

Life Messages: #1: “Roll away the stone, unbind him and let him go.”  There are so many dark areas in our private lives.  We often bind ourselves with chains of addiction to alcohol, drugs, sexual deviations, slander, gossip, envy, prejudices, hatred, and uncontrollable anger, and we bury ourselves in the tombs of despair. Sometimes we are buried in the tomb of selfishness, filled with negative feelings such as worry, fear, resentment, hatred, and guilt.   Jesus asks us today to seek his help and that of the community around us to loosen those chains and come out of tombs of our own creation.  Is there an area of life where hope is gone? Why not invite Jesus to visit this area?  If we want Jesus to visit our dark dungeons of sin, despair and unhappiness, let us ask Jesus during this Holy Mass to bring the light and the power of the Holy Spirit into our private lives and liberate us from our tombs. Are there times when we refuse to let God enter into our wallets, fearing that faithful tithing will endanger our savings?    When we receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Jesus will call our name and command, "Come out!” Jesus calls each of us by name to come out of our graves and to help others to do the same. “Lazarus, come out!   Mary, come out!   Jim and Joe, Kathy and Lisa, come out!” This is particularly Good News to someone who is addicted, whether to a chemical substance or to unsavory habits. “Lazarus, come out!” This is Good News for the person who has lived an empty, meaningless life, “Lazarus, come out!” This is Good News for the tired, the hurting, the person at his or her wit’s end. “Lazarus, come out!” This is good news for all of us: “Lazarus, come out!” This can be the beginning of a new life. 

2) We need to be ready to welcome death any time.  We live in a world that is filled with death.  We kill each other in acts of murder, abortion, euthanasia, execution, war and terrorist activities.  We kill ourselves through suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking, overwork, stress, bad eating habits, and physical neglect.  We watch calmly as others die from poverty, hunger and malnutrition, homelessness, unemployment, poor education, disease, child abuse, arms proliferation, discrimination, pollution, and destruction of the environment.  The most important question is:  am I ready to face my death?  A strange question and its truthful answer are found in the sacred scriptures of the Hindus. “What is the greatest wonder in the world?” The answer is: “All of us know that we will surely die, but each of us foolishly thinks that he or she will not die any time in the near future."  Let us not be foolish; let us be wise, well-prepared and ever ready to meet our Lord with a clear conscience when the time comes.  Thomas a Kempis wrote: Every action of yours, every thought, should be those of one who expects to die before the day is out. Death would have no great terrors for you if you had a quiet conscience …. Then why not keep clear of sin instead of running away from death? If you aren’t fit to face death today, it’s very unlikely you will be tomorrow …. (The Imitation of Christ, 1, 23, 1) (CCC #1014). 

JOKES OF THE WEEK ON DEATH: 1) A dear old lady knew that she was about to die and hence asked her pastor to give her the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.  After being anointed she said: “Soon I’ll be rocking in the bosom of Moses.”  “No dear,” corrected the pastor, “the Bible says the bosom of Abraham.”  She replied: “Father, at my age, you don’t care too much whose bosom it is!”

2)  A funeral director called a man for further instructions about his mother-in-law’s body.  “Do you want her embalmed, cremated or buried?” “All the three!’ the man answered promptly. “Don’t take any chances.”

3)  After an atheist died, a friend looked at him in the casket, shook his head, and remarked: “All dressed up and no place to go.”

4)  A man was surprised to read the announcement of his own death in the obituary column of the local newspaper.  Ringing up his close friend, he enquired, “Did you see the announcement of my death in the paper this morning?” ” Yes,” was the frightened answer in a shivering voice. “But where are you speaking from?  Heaven or Hell?” 

5)  Alexander the Great once found his philosopher friend Diogenes standing in a field, looking intently at a large pile of bones.  Asked what he was doing, the old man turned to Alexander and replied, "I am searching for the bones of your father Philip, but I cannot distinguish them from the bones of the slaves." Alexander got the point: everyone is equal in death.  From the greatest to the least, from the most beautiful to the most ordinary, death is the universal equalizer.

6) The pastor was visiting a terminally sick parishioner in the hospital.  As he started consoling the patient the sick man said: “Don’t worry about where I am heading to, Father.  I have friends in both places.” 

7) Three friends were discussing death and one of them asked: "What would you like people to say about you at your wake service while your dead body in the coffin is visible to everyone?" The first of the friends said: “I would like them to say, he was a great humanitarian who cared about his community.” The second said: “He was a great husband and father who was an example for many to follow.” The third friend said, “I would like them to say, ‘Look, he’s moving in the coffin!!’"

8) Dwight L. Moody. Moody said, "One day you will read in the newspaper that D. L. Moody of East Northfield, Massachusetts is dead. Well, don't believe a word of it. I will have gone up higher, that's all. Out of this old clay tenement into a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. And at that moment, I will be more alive than I have ever been."

Website of the week: 

http://www.catholiclinks.com/classic/links.php 

Making the Most of Holy Week: https://liturgicalyear.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/making-the-most-of-holy-week/ 

Video of Lazarus episode: 1) https://youtu.be/D0M7vvX6__M?list=PL8AWBBV1qdaxEvKBIuad60i7_5VWEkQCm 

 https://youtu.be/sfvzTm1mOCQ  3) Lenten Sundays’ video reflections: http://www.stanthonycatholic.org/holy-days-reflections.htm 

Fr. Geoffrey Plant’s Scripture study on Lent V: https://www.youtube.com/user/GeoffreyPlant2066 

29 Additional anecdotes

1) "There is no reason to fear death.” Lee Trevino was sitting under a tree when lightning hit. "It bolted my arms and legs out stiff, jerked me off the ground," he recalls, "and killed me. I knew I was dead. There was no pain. Everything turned a warm, gentle orange color. I saw my mama who had been dead for years. I saw other people from my life. It was a newsreel like you read about – my life passing before my eyes. But it was so pleasant, so wonderful, I felt great. I thought, boy this dying is really fun. It was when I woke up in the hospital badly burned and in pain that I knew I had come back to life again for some reason." Eternal life means that we do not have to live our lives fearing death. Lee Trevino said after his experience, "There is no reason to fear death." [Willie: An Autobiography. Willie Nelson with Bud Shrake. (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1988), pp. 218-219.]

2) What a friend we have in Jesus: One of the simplest and the most consoling hymns ever written is: ‘What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit; O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer.’ Joseph Scriven wrote this hymn in 1857. He was a Christian missionary working in Canada, when he heard that his mother was seriously ill in Ireland. He could not go there to be with her. Instead, he wrote a consoling letter enclosing it with the words of this hymn, and mailed it to her. He offered to her in her illness the company and the comfort of Jesus. He knew that in times of illness and loneliness, there is none who can give us a better company and comfort than Jesus. There can be no greater friend then Jesus. (John Rose in John’s Sunday Homilies).

3) "Now, when will I die?" A little boy was asked to give blood to his injured brother because he possessed the same rare blood type. Realizing that his brother would die without this blood, he agreed. When the transfusion was completed, the young donor asked the doctor, "Now, when will I die?" We are moved by the innocent courage of a child who would give his blood to his brother thinking that it would cost him his life. Our Lord, however, knew for certain that the blood needed to save humankind was a total transfusion. To raise Lazarus and us to eternal life, our Lord literally had to bleed to death for us. To give life to us, Jesus had to give his life for us.

4) “Look, he is moving!” I am reminded of the story of three buddies who are all killed in a car crash and they are immediately in Heaven going to orientation. They are all asked the question, "When you are in your casket and friends and family are mourning you, what would you like to hear them say at your funeral?" The first guy said, "I would like to hear them say, ‘He was a great doctor and a great family man.'" The second guy said, "I would love to hear them say, 'He was a wonderful husband, a great school teacher and made a huge difference in our children of tomorrow.'" The last guy said, "I would like to hear them say, 'Look, he is moving!'" Lazarus was moving, because Lazarus was once again alive.

5) “What I want to know is how can I come back?"  When Tiger Woods won the Masters and was holding at the same time, all four major titles to what is known as golf's "Grand Slam," he was asked in the press conference what he would say to the great golfer, Bobby Jones, if he walked into the room. Of course, Bobby Jones has been dead for many years and Tiger Woods said, "I would ask how he came back, because when I go out what I want to know is how can I come back!" I've got the answer for Tiger Woods - believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will find out that death does not have the final say - Jesus does. He has conquered the fear of death and He is the only hope because Easter Sunday tells us that Jesus paid it all.

6) “I’m having my autopsy”: Over the years, Reader’s Digest has printed many quirky items from the daily lives of ordinary people. Many of these items are quite amusing. A woman wrote in with a funny excuse she heard from a co-worker. The man explained his absence from work by saying, “I’m having my autopsy. But with any luck I’ll be in tomorrow.” (“All in a Day’s Work,” April 2006, p. 69). I don’t know what kind of medical procedure the man was having, but few people are able to return to work the day after their autopsy. Perhaps Lazarus, the man Jesus raised from the dead, came back to work five or six days later, but there is no indication they did an autopsy on his body.

7) Good news and bad news: John and Jim were professional players with the Atlanta Braves who lived and breathed baseball. These guys breathed, discussed, ate, and slept baseball. One of their big concerns was whether there would be baseball in Heaven. They loved baseball so much that they were not sure at all they wanted to spend eternity in heaven unless they could play baseball. They had an agreement that the first one who died would somehow get a message back to earth, letting the other know whether baseball was in heaven or not. Well, it happened. John died, and Jim grieved. He grieved for days - deeply saddened over his friend John’s death. About two weeks went by, and then it happened. Jim was awakened in the middle of the night by the calling of his name, “Jim, Jim, Jim, wake up! This is John.” “John, where are you?” “I’m in Heaven - and I have some good news and bad news. It’s exciting, Jim. We do have baseball in Heaven. It’s great. We play every day and there are marvelous teams, and tough, exciting competition.” “That’s great,” said Jim. “But what’s the bad news?” “Well,” said John, “You are scheduled to pitch next Tuesday.”

8) He had been “turned loose, untied.” Robert McAfee Brown was a chaplain in World War II. He was on a troop ship with 1,500 Marines on their way home after having served in Japan. To his surprise, he was approached by a group of Marines asking him to lead a Bible study during the voyage. One day, after the group had studied the passage about the raising of Lazarus, a Marine came to Dr. Brown saying, “The story is about me!” The young man had gotten into a lot of trouble before going into the service. He could not stand the thought of facing his family. The story of Lazarus gave him hope and courage to face the consequences back home. He had been “turned loose, untied.” [William Barclay, The Gospel of John, Revised Edition (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1975), pp. 102-103.] Christ had rolled away the stone of his past life. That’s what Christ does for us. He gives us the power to start again, to live again. He said to Lazarus, “Lazarus, come out!” Then to those who were present, “Take off the grave-clothes and let him go.”

9) “Is that Jesus knocking?” There was a nurse who, before listening to the heartbeats of children, would plug the stethoscope into their ears and let them listen to their own hearts. One day she tucked the stethoscope into the ears of a four-year-old. Then she placed the disk over his heart. “Listen,” she said, “What do you suppose that is?” Thump, thump, thump. He drew his eyebrows together in a puzzled line and looked up as if lost in the mystery of the strange tap-tap-tapping deep in his chest. Then his face broke out in a wondrous grin. “Is that Jesus knocking?” he asked. Well, maybe so. Maybe Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart this day. Maybe Jesus is ordering the door rolled away from your tomb. “Lazarus, come out!”

10) Ghost story: There was an article about a judge in Yugoslavia who was electrocuted when he reached up to turn on a light while standing in the bathtub. He was zapped and fell out of the tub. His wife called the doctor who pronounced him dead. In accordance with government health regulation, the judge's body was immediately placed in a vault beneath the cemetery chapel. In the middle of the night, the judge regained consciousness. He had no idea where he was or what had happened. When he DID realize where he was, he ran to the closed vault door and began shaking it and yelling for help. The guard who was there was terrified and fled. Fortunately, the guard got some help; came back; opened the door and released the newly revived judge. The judge phoned his wife that he was coming home. She screamed and hung up the phone. Next he tried going to the homes of several friends. They took one look at him, thought he was a ghost and slammed the door in his face. Finally, he found a friend who hadn't heard he was dead. He convinced that friend to act as a go-between. Gradually, the judge was able to convince his friends and family that he really was alive! Lazarus from John's Gospel could have identified with that judge.

11) “But for the last 25 years, I drove a hearse." There was a guy riding in a cab one day. He was new to the city and was looking for a good place to eat, so he leaned forward, tapped the cabby on the shoulder and said, "Hey, Buddy." The driver let out a blood curdling scream and lost control of the cab. He nearly hit a bus, jumped the curb and stopped just inches from going through a huge plate-glass window and into a crowded restaurant. For a few minutes, there was dead silence in the cab. All you could hear was two hearts beating like bass drums pounding out a quick march. The driver finally turned around and said, "Man, you scared the living daylights out of me." The passenger, who was white as a sheet and whose eyes were as big as dinner plates, said, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize tapping you on the shoulder would scare you so badly." The cabby said, "Well, it's not your fault. This is my first day driving a cab. But for the last 25 years, I drove a hearse." (Patricia Ridpath, Laughter the Best Medicine, Reader's Digest).  If I'd driven a hearse for 25 years and somebody tapped me on the shoulder, you can bet I'd have screamed like a little girl. I'm kind of goosey anyway. Just ask Mary or the staff. If I'm concentrating on something it's not hard to startle me. To say that Mary, Martha, the Disciples and the mourners gathered at the grave Lazarus were startled, would be putting it mildly.

12) Carpe Diem, seize the day:  In the movie, Dead Poets’ Society, Robin Williams plays the role of John Keating, a transformational teacher in a rigid, regimented private school. On the first day of Literature class, Keating takes his students down to the school lobby where trophy cases display the photos of earlier graduating classes. "Look at these pictures, boys," says Keating. "The young men you behold had the same fire in their eyes that you do. They planned to take the world by storm and make something magnificent of their lives. That was over 70 years ago. Now they are all fertilizing daisies. If you will listen, they have a message for you." As the students gazed at the class photographs, Keating begins whispering, "Carpe Diem, Carpe Diem, seize the day, seize the day." Life is a gift here and now. Enjoy it as God wishes and be ever ready to share His eternal life.

13) “I was alive. What a blessing.” Sometimes it takes a traumatic moment to awaken us to life. Jane Marie Thibault is a professor of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Louisville. Jane is nationally known for her work in clinical gerontology. In her book, A Deepening Love Affair Jane writes: "I began seeing life as a gift when I survived a collision with an 18-wheeler on October 2, 1990. After crawling out of my battered car, I wobbled around a field in a daze. What I remember most is being totally aware of the greenness of the grass, the blueness of the sky, a few puffs of cloud overhead, and some birds squawking raucously in the tree. I was alive. What a blessing. What a precious gift everything was at that moment."

14) “They have swords, we have songs." Huber Mates, a teacher and journalist, was imprisoned in 1959 when Castro tried to destroy the Church in Cuba. A letter Huber smuggled out of prison to his wife and children contained these words: "I know that I will die in prison. I am sad not to see you again. But I am at peace. They have swords, we have songs." The people of the Resurrection have songs to sing. Golf pro, Paul Azinger, put it this way while he battled cancer, "We are not in the land of the living going to the land of the dying. We are in the land of the dying going to the land of the living." There is a resurrection for you. Get a life. In the lily bulb there is a flower, in the seed an apple tree, in cocoons a hidden treasure, butterflies will soon be free. In the snow and cold of winter there's a spring that waits to be. If resurrection rings through all of nature, could there not be a resurrection for me?

15) “What is the greatest problem you see in your university?" Harvard University is considered one of the greatest academic institutions in America and around the world; its students have the highest SAT scores, the brightest minds. A few years ago, the President of Harvard University was asked, "What is the greatest problem you see in your university?" He said, "Emptiness! There is no meaning or passion for life. Everybody is bored--no fulfillment." Fancy titles and good credentials do not guarantee even a bright mind a good testimony unless they are connected to the living God. When Jesus made this bold claim, "I am the Resurrection and the Life," he was connecting us to the living God--for He is God the Son. Our existence is not filled with some run-of-the-mill expectation--but by resurrection power. We are called to life.

16) We can find humor even in cemeteries:  Every once in a while a series of epitaphs comes across the Internet. I’m glad that we can find humor even in cemeteries. Here are some of the best ones I’ve seen: “Harry Edsel Smith of Albany, New York: Died 1942. Looked up the elevator shaft to see if the car was on the way down. It was.” Or this one from an English cemetery: “Anna Wallace The children of Israel wanted bread, and the Lord sent them manna. Clark Wallace wanted a wife, and the Devil sent him Anna.” In a New Mexico cemetery: “Here lies Johnny Yeast . . . Pardon me for not rising.” In a Uniontown, Pennsylvania cemetery: “Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake. Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.” In a Silver City, Nevada, cemetery: “Here lays The Kid. We planted him raw. He was quick on the trigger, But slow on the draw.” In a cemetery in Hartscombe, England: “On the 22nd of June, Jonathan Fiddle went out of tune.” In another English cemetery we find this last thoughtful epitaph: “Remember man, as you walk by, As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, so shall you be. Remember this and follow me.” To which someone replied by writing on the tombstone: “To follow you I’ll not consent . . . Until I know which way you went.” We are not making light of death. We simply hope to put it in the proper perspective. We want to see it in the light of an empty tomb. The story of the raising of Lazarus helps us do just that.

17) "So from that day on they plotted to take his life" Army Captain David Roselle lost his right foot when the Humvee in which he was riding hit an anti-tank mine in Iraq. Roselle was airlifted to a hospital in Germany and later to Walter Reed where he worked hard to walk again. After taking a leave to witness the birth of his son in Colorado, Captain David Roselle returned to his command post in Iraq to finish the job he had started. Other wounded military personnel have done the same. They are going back to finish the job they started. The highest form of courage belongs to those who won't quit. Real courage means being perfectly aware of the worst that can happen, yet doing the right thing anyway. Jesus went back to Jerusalem. In raising Lazarus from the grave, Jesus set in motion his own crucifixion and burial. "So from that day on they plotted to take his life" (Verse 53). When He set His face toward Jerusalem, He set His face toward the cross and death. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the 20th century pastor who gave his life resisting Adolph Hitler in Germany, opens his book, The Cost of Discipleship, with these words, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."

18) "Nothing. I just helped him cry." Leo Buscgalia tells about a four-year-old child whose elderly neighbor had recently lost his wife. Seeing the man crying, the kid went over and climbed up in the old man's lap and sat there. Later the little boy's mother asked, "What did you say to Mr. Jones in his grief?" The kid replied, "Nothing, I just helped him cry." Some of the best things that we can do is to help our friends cry in their sorrow. Every time a heart is broken, every time a grave is opened, every time a divorce happens, every time a child suffers, every time the pain comes, Jesus cries. He weeps because He cares. When buildings are bombed, and wars won't cease, when children are abused and tsunamis sweep over the innocent, Jesus weeps; his heart is touched with our grief. St. Joseph Catholic Church sits directly across the street from the site of the Oklahoma City bombing. Less than a year after that tragic day, the church erected a statue of Jesus weeping. When terror strikes, when evil reigns, when the wrong has its day, Jesus weeps. Jesus is deeply troubled that death still has its grip on us. 

19) The Lord of the Rings: There is a scene in the movie Return of the King, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s saga The Lord of the Rings, in which Aragorn gives the dead soldiers who had deserted their king a chance to regain their honor if they will help to defend the City of Kings which is under attack by evil powers.  He enters a cave through a small crevice in the mountain.  It is dark and the sound effects make it clear that this is not a pleasant place.  He steps over piles of dry bones heaped up against the walls of the cave.  Suddenly, in the center of a large room, these skeletal creatures begin to threaten him, even though they are not really alive.  Aragorn offers them a chance to redeem themselves by making good on their pledge to defend the good against evil, and to be a part of a community that will restore the kingdom.  The prophet Ezekiel, in the background for today’s first reading, has a similar experience.  In a vision or dream, he is with God in a valley of dry bones (37:1-11).  God tells Ezekiel to instruct the bones to listen to the Lord.  God restores their bodies with muscle and flesh and gives them breath, raising them to life and the knowledge that God is the Lord.  This powerful image of God’s Spirit being breathed into the bodies brings us back to the creation story in Genesis and also to the way in which the Holy Spirit makes us spiritually alive.

20) No sequels to Lazar episode: Every now and then, you’ll find a fi