Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: John 17: 1-11

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come.
Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
just as you gave him authority over all people,
so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth
by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you,
with the glory that I had with you before the world began.

“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,
because the words you gave to me I have given to them,
and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,
and they have believed that you sent me.
I pray for them.
I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,
because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours
and everything of yours is mine,
and I have been glorified in them.
And now I will no longer be in the world,
but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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One of the most popular Catholic Saints is Francis of Assisi.

He left a life of riches behind and devoted himself entirely to the Lord. He had a unique love of nature, a kindred spirit, and spent his life, “rebuilding the Church.”

Perhaps his most important contribution to the life of the Church was establishing the Franciscans, a religious order of both men and women that continues doing Christ’s work around the world today.

At the age of 45, while lying on his deathbed, Francis turned to his brothers – the first Franciscans – and said to them, “I have done what was mine to do. Now you must do what is yours to do.”

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Francis aligned himself with the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel. 

We continue with the “Farewell Discourse,” when Jesus leaves his parting words to his friends. Like Francis, Jesus was at peace knowing that he has done what was his to do.

As he says, “Father, I glorified you on earth by accomplishing everything you gave me to do.”

That’s something I hope – perhaps we all hope – to say when the sun sets on our earthly life. “Father, I’ve accomplished everything you gave me to do.”

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How do we know what is “ours” to do? How did Francis know? How did Jesus know?

First, they prayed. Their hearts were open to the voice of the Spirit.

Secondly, they were disciplined. 

It isn’t always easy to do what God asks of us – consider Jesus carrying his cross, or Francis leaving a life of wealth behind. But with prayer and discipline, we can do everything that God has given us to do, even today.

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Image credits: (1) Bethel Assembly Church in Foston, MN (2) Francis of Assisi, Biography (3) Bible

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Gospel: John 16: 29-33

The disciples said to Jesus,
“Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything
and that you do not need to have anyone question you.
Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.” 

The Gospel of the Lord.

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For the last several weekdays, we’ve been reading in John’s Gospel what’s known as the, “Farewell Discourse,” the final words of Jesus to his Apostles before his arrest, crucifixion, and death.

It seems odd that in the Easter season – when we’re focused on the resurrection – that we’d be reading words that Jesus gives right before his death. But, perhaps, we can read the Gospel today in light of Pentecost, which we will celebrate on Sunday.

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After Jesus ascends into heaven and sends forth his Spirit upon the Apostles, he leaves the life – and the future – of the Church in their hands.

And with this authority, a series of lessons – some of which are shared verbally in the “Farewell Discourse,” and others, which are taught by his actions.

Time is God’s gift to us.

For example, as he reaches the end of his earthly life at the tender age of 33, Jesus teaches his Apostles that life is not about duration, but donation.

What matters is not how much time we have, as much as how well we use it.

In his case, the Lord spent every word, every moment, every ounce of energy he had glorifying his heavenly Father and serving his neighbor. 

How do we use our own time? 

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Make a “donation” today. 

Set aside a few moments to do something good, something beautiful, for God or your neighbor. Be like Jesus, “who has loved us and given himself for us.”

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Image credits: (1) Finding Zest, Quote by Maya Angelou (2) Jesus Washes Peter’s Feet, Ford Madox Brown (3) On Assignment by God

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Gospel: Matthew 28: 16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“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.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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We’ve entered the season of graduations, weddings, and ordinations. It’s a beautiful time of year.

Some parents are watching their children graduate from kindergarten (my niece graduated this week!). Others are preparing to send their children off to college or down the aisle. I myself am celebrating eight years of priestly ordination on May 23!

These milestones – graduation, marriage, ordination – are transitions: endings and beginnings.

And with every transition, there is grace.

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Today’s Feast of the Ascension was a major transition for the Church – a type of graduation; an ending and a beginning.

Jesus has done what was his to do. Now that he’s been raised from the dead and appeared to his disciples for forty days, the time has come for him to return to his Father. He’s entrusting the life of the Church and his ministry the Apostles. 

What’s their reaction to this transition?

“They worshiped but they doubted,” the Gospel says.

The Apostles received their divine mission – to make disciples of all nations – then they see Jesus ascend into heaven, and, “they worshiped, but they doubted.”

They’re so overwhelmed by what has happened that God sends them two angels to awaken them from their shock. “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?” the angels say in our first reading. “This Jesus has been taken up into heaven.” 

Meaning, “Go, do something! Share the good news!”

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Although worship and doubt can seem incompatible, it may be an accurate description of where many Christians are at. “Doubt” does not mean being skeptical about who Jesus is; the disciples know who Jesus is. 

We know who Jesus is.

What they “doubted” was whether or not they could offer themselves wholeheartedly to this divine mission. Could they teach with the same clarity, pray with the same vigor, heal with the same love as Jesus?

I’m sure we’ve all felt that sense of unworthiness. We’re Christ’s representatives on earth, but can we really teach the faith to others – to our family, our spouse, our friends? Can we love others the way Jesus did?

Something tells me the disciples also had an inkling of what their mission might entail: rejection, imprisonment, even death. Things that Jesus experienced.

“They worshiped, but they doubted.”

Still, it was to thiscommunity of imperfect believers whom the Lord entrusts his mission, a mission that has been given to every one of us.

Go, make disciples in your family, in your social circles, in your workplace, in every nation on earth.

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The word, “disciple,” comes from the Latin, discipulus, meaning, “learner, student, follower.” A true “student” never stops learning. They’re constantly seeking the truth.

Christ’s command is to make students, learners of the Christian faith who live it and share it with others daily.

Do I consider myself a disciple of Jesus? Do I know people whom God is asking me to help “make” a disciple?

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So many of you can say, resoundingly, “Yes.” You come here week after week; you listen attentively; you pray sincerely; you invite others to, “Come and see.” I witness it all the time.

We are grateful for the tremendous good God has brought to our community, while also recognizing there’s still work to be done. 

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This is a season of transitions: endings and beginnings – the most important transition being the handing on of our faith.

How might we continue laboring together, to make disciples of all nations, even here at St. Pius X?

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Image credits: (1) Family Radio 316 (2) Eugene Christian International Church (3) Grace Lutheran church, Denison, TX