Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Matthew 26: 36-46

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane,  and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,^* and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.”

He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.”

When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, “My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!”

Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open. He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again.

Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.

Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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I’m sure many of you have heard of Fulton Sheen, the most popular Catholic preacher of the last 100 years. 

He was famous for many things: his style, his energy, his pomp and circumstance, and how his sermons made the Gospels seem relevant and accessible to a 20^th century audience.

When Sheen was ordained a priest, he made two promises to God: first, he would offer Mass in honor of the Blessed Mother every Saturday, seeking her intercession to protect his priesthood.

And second: he would spend an hour a day in prayer. 

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Sheen’s promise to pray a “holy hour” was transformative. He credits prayer, in particular, to making his heart more like Christ’s. 

It’s why I’ve made the same effort – to pray an hour a day – for the last 12 years. I, too, can say that prayer has fueled my love for Christ.

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But, why pray for an hour?

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It comes from today’s Gospel – from the very place where we are standing now. “Could you not keep watch with me for one hour?” Jesus says to his disciples.

Sheen claims this is the only time when the Lord asks anything of them – just to keep him company.

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While the Lord doesn’t expect all of us to keep watch with him for an hour a day, every day, we all must pray. 

It’s what made Sheen – and what can make us – a Saint.

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Image credits: (1) Dreamstime.com (2) Custodia Terrae Sanctae (3) Holy Land Sites

Gospel: John 20: 19-31

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.”

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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This homily is given at the Duc in Altum on the Sea of Galilee during our parish pilgrimage, day 3.

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Many of you have visited – or at least seen pictures of – Niagara Falls. The beauty of the falls comes from the height and sheer volume of water that rushes over the falls – some 700,000 gallons per second.

Over the centuries, people have attempted death-defying stunts at the falls, such as going over the falls locked inside a barrel. One person even tried – unsuccessfully – to swim across the rapids.

Then there was the daredevil known as the “Great Blondin,” who crossed the falls on a highwire multiple times. In one of his attempts, he planned on pushing a wheelbarrow across, balancing on a wire only several inches thick.

Before starting his long and delicate journey, a voice cried out from the crowd, “You’ll never make it! Goodbye!”

But the “Great Blondin” confidently pushed the wheelbarrow from one end of the falls to the other, then turned around and made his way back.

“Now do you believe I can do it?” He said to the skeptic. 

“Yes,” the man conceded. “Now I believe.”

“Do you believe I can do it again?” Blondin asked.

“Of course. A hundred times!”

“If you really believe,” Blondin said, “then get into the wheelbarrow!”

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In today’s Gospel, the disciples are invited to get into the wheelbarrow; to believe in what Jesus has done.

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Since Jesus’ death on Good Friday, they’ve been hiding in Jerusalem, terrified that they may be next.

You can imagine the disciples huddled together, shivering as they listen to children running through the alleyways outside, locals bartering in the streets, people chattering back and forth.

Are those same voices chattering in the streets also the ones who shouted, “Crucify him!” on Good Friday? If the disciples leave, will they be recognized? Will the same crowds call for their death, too? 

It seems they have reached a dead end. They’ve lost their leader and, perhaps, their faith in him.

Suddenly, Jesus appears and says, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

Jesus commissions them to begin telling the world about the remarkable victory he has won over death.

And they actually do!

In the Acts of the Apostles, we hear about Saint Peter standing in the middle of a large crowd, saying, “This man you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up!”

What a remarkable act of courage. Peter faces the same people who put Jesus to death – and who could also put him to death – and tells them about the resurrection. 

This sudden change in his behavior from cowardice to courage is one of the very first proofs of the resurrection. There’s no other logical explanation as to why Peter would’ve left that locked room in Jerusalem unless he actually saw the Risen Christ…and believed.

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In three days – no pun intended – you and I will have the opportunity to touch the empty tomb. To see what Peter did. We’ve already walked the same roads; we’ve dipped our fingers into the Sea of Galilee; we’ve visited the place of our Lord’s birth.

So, how deeply has this pilgrimage touched us? Like Peter, has it strengthened our faith in the resurrection, inspiring us to be more vocal about our faith, even telling others back home?

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“As the Father has sent me, so I send you,” Jesus says. 

Or, using the words of the “Great Blondin”:

“If you really believe, then get in.”

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Image credits: (1) Magdala, Duc in Altum (2) Doubting Thomas, Caravaggio (3) The Blondin Memorial Trust

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Gospel: John 21: 1-19

After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way.

Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So, they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.”

So, he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So, they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.

So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea.

The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish.

When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”

So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord.

Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish.

This was now the third time. Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”  He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to 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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We continue our parish pilgrimage through the Holy Land. Today Mass is being celebrated at the Church of the Primacy of Peter, where Jesus named Peter the leader of the Apostles, the “rock” of the Church.

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“Do you love me?”

This is the most important question God has ever asked human beings, really the only one that matters: “Do you love me?”

“Lord, Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!” Peter says.

“Lord, Lord.”

In Latin, “Domine, Domine.”

It’s from the Latin word, Domine, that we have the English word, “dominate.”

“Lord, Lord.” … “Domine, Domine.” … “Dominate.”

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It sounds strange for Peter to say to Jesus, in so many words, “Lord, dominate.”

But to “dominate” means to be the central cause or reason behind an action. What Peter is saying to Jesus, then, is that Jesus is the very center of his life.

Peter will prove this three decades from now when he offers his life for his sheep, as the Lord asks him to do. But feeling unworthy to die like his Master, Peter will ask his executioners to crucify him upside down, a reminder of how unworthy he felt.

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We are all gathered here on the shores of Galilee to say with Peter, “Lord, Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you! You are the center of my life.”

In what ways do we show Christ that he is the center of our life?

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As we continue our journey together, may Peter pray for us, that we’d have the same courage to follow Jesus, even to the point of offering our lives.

“Lord, Lord, Domine, Domine…You know everything. You know that I love you. You are the center of my life.”

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Image Credits: (1) The Delivery of the Keys to Saint Peter, Perugino (2) Church of the Primacy of Peter, America Magazine (3)