Author: admin

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Gospel: John 20: 19-23

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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One day, a boy asked his father, “Dad, where is God? I’ve looked everywhere – under my bed, in my closet, in my desk at school. I can’t find him.”

So, the father told his son a tale. “My boy,” he said, “one day the devil was speaking with his helpers. He asked them, ‘Where can we hide God?’”

One of his helpers replied, “Let’s hide God on the highest mountain!”

Another replied, “Let’s hide God at the bottom of the sea!”

A third suggested, “No. Let’s hide God within each person. They’ll never look for him there.”

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Herein lies both the great challenge and responsibility of Christianity, to bear Christ – in a sense to be Christ – in the world. As last week’s Feast of the Ascension reminded us, “this Jesus whom you are looking for has been taken up into heaven” (Acts 1:1).

If we want to find Jesus now, then we must look within ourselves and within one another. As Saint Paul writes, “You are the body of Christ, and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27).

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In today’s Gospel, the sun is setting as the disciples are hiding somewhere in Jerusalem behind locked doors.

The evening darkness mirrors the state of their hearts; the light of Christ is dimming within. They are anxious and afraid, feelings reinforced by their doors being locked.

Suddenly, Jesus appears to them and says, “Peace be with you.” 

Frightened, they gaze upon his body and see this is undoubtedly the same man who was nailed to a cross.

Then he breathes on them, and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” This divine exhale evokes the Book of Genesis, when God breathed life into Adam’s nostrils, making him a living being. 

Much like Adam, the disciples have become a new creation. But they have received more than physical life; they have received the Holy Spirit, who drives out their fear and grief, replacing it with enthusiasm, empowering them to continue Christ’s ministry on earth. 

This word, enthusiasm, comes from the Greek, en theos, meaning, “God within.” God is now actively dwelling within their hearts… And what a difference it makes.

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In the bright light of day, Peter bursts out of that locked inner room and preaches Christ Crucified. In fact, he seeks out the same crowds who called for Christ’s death and, in his first public sermon, says to them:

“This man, Jesus, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up!” (Acts 2:23-24).

This abrupt change in Peter’s behavior from cowardice to unstoppable courage is incomprehensible unless Peter has seen the Risen Lord and has received the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

His enthusiasm never “peters” out. In fact, none of the disciples tire or forsake their ministry. Rather, they exhibit the same intensity and conviction as Peter – some for several decades – until they are martyred for their faith. 

They preach in public. They heal the sick. They convert and baptize souls. The Apostle James does so in Jerusalem, leading the local church forward, while others like Thomas go out as far as India, spreading the Good News.

Along the way, many are repeatedly tortured, imprisoned, and rejected. Still, they never quit. Rather, they inspire others to follow their example, handing on the Holy Spirit to the next generation.

All of these early Christians embody the words of the prophet Jeremiah, “Your WORD is like a fire in my bones; woe to me if I do not preach it!” (Jeremiah 20:9)

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This begs the question: What are we enthusiastic about?

Often we interpret this word to mean, “passionate” or “devoted to.” Thus, parents could say they’re enthusiastic about their children – and rightly so. Some are enthusiastic about their career, politics, or sports. 

Are we also enthusiastic about Jesus? Is our faith like a fire in our bones? 

This is what our world so desperately needs today – enthusiastic Christian witnesses; people who are “God-centered” and aren’t afraid to show it.

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“Let’s hide God within each person,” a cunning helper says to the devil. “They will never look for him there.”

Or will we?

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Image credits: (1) Dominican Friars, English.op.org (2) Train Yourself Ministry (3) Love Is Ministry

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Gospel: John 21: 15-19

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them, 
he said to Simon Peter,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
He then said to Simon Peter a second time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” 
He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
He said to him the third time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time,
“Do you love me?” and he said to him,
“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; 
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go.”
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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“Do you love me more than these?”

There are two possible meanings of Christ’s question to Peter. 

We might imagine the Risen Lord standing next to Peter’s boat, holding Peter’s fishing nets in his hands. Symbolically caught in Christ’s grip is Peter’s livelihood, his past, and the family he works so hard to feed.

Are you ready to give up your past, your comfort, your steady career, your future, even your family for my sake? Do you love me more than these?

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On a deeper level, Christ was likely referencing the night of his betrayal. Although Peter proclaimed at the Last Supper, “Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be,” he still fearfully denied knowing Jesus three times that night.

This was their chance at reconciliation. 

And so, Peter humbly confesses, “Lord, you know everything you know that I love you.”

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Love implies responsibility. Consider what Peter’s love for Christ brought him.

First and foremost, it came with the call to feed Christ’s sheep – and in so doing, to leave his life behind. For the next and final thirty years of his life, Peter will possess the keys to the kingdom, preaching to the nations, while leading the Church on earth.

Secondly, it brought him a cross. The day came when Peter was called to die like his Lord. But, feeling unworthy of leaving this life in the same manner as his Master, he asked to be turned upside down.

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While none of us may ever occupy the chair of Peter, or be asked to die for our faith, we can all learn from his example.

If we love the Lord, then we, too, must follow the path of surrender. Along our faith journeys, there will be people and things – even good ones – which we must part with in order to serve the highest good, Jesus Christ.

And along this path, there will always be a cross – a cost – for being Christ’s disciple.

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“Do you love me more than these?” Yes, Lord, let me show not only in word, but above all, in action.

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Image credits: (1) Adam Cappa, Facebook (2) Pasce Mea Oves, Nicholas Poussin (3) Dreamstime.com

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Acts: 20:30, 23:6-11

Wishing to determine the truth
about why Paul was being accused by the Jews,
the commander freed him
and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene.
Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them.

Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees,
so he called out before the Sanhedrin,
“My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees;
I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.”
When he said this,
a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees,
and the group became divided.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection
or angels or spirits,
while the Pharisees acknowledge all three.
A great uproar occurred,
and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party
stood up and sharply argued,
“We find nothing wrong with this man.
Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
The dispute was so serious that the commander,
afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them,
ordered his troops to go down and rescue Paul from their midst
and take him into the compound.
The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage.
For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem,
so you must also bear witness in Rome.”

The Word of the Lord.

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Saint Paul is in trouble… again… because of his preaching. 

In nearly all, if not all, of his sermons we can find at least one of the following themes: Jesus Christ is the Son of God; he died for our sins; he was raised from the dead in accordance with the scriptures; and we are saved – not by following the Law – but by grace.

It’s this final point that gets Paul into trouble in our first reading.

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He’s been preaching inside the Temple in Jerusalem, angering mobs of Jews who believe he’s trying to nullify their religion. But Paul insists that his message does not invalidate, but rather fulfills the Law and the prophets.

In their rage, the mobs shout, wave their garments, and throw dust in the air, calling for his execution. While standing trial, realizing his death is almost certain, Paul makes one claim in self-defense:

I am a Roman citizen.

It was considered reprehensible – if not punishable by law – to strike a Roman citizen. Paul knew this was his way out.

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What’s key here is not the fact that Paul saves his life; it’s why he saves it.

He’s not afraid of death. He risks his life each day of his ministry and willingly accepts his death in Rome. But Paul refuses to die until the appointed time; the Lord had revealed to him in prayer there was more work to be done.

Secondly, Paul teaches us that – while he is not afraid of martyrdom – he is also not afraid to live. There is an undeniable dignity to each human life and to every second we walk this earth.

But the time we are given is not meant for worldly glory or self-satisfaction; rather, it’s meant to be used to spread the kingdom of God.

As Paul later writes, “I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better. Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit.”

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Like Paul, may we not only value the time we are given, but also use it well – for the glory of God.

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Image credits: (1) John Paul II Catholic Church (2) National Catholic Register (3) LinkedIn