Second Sunday of Easter

Posted on by Cassie

The appearance of the risen Jesus moves the disciples from a state of fear locked behind closed doors to an experience of joy and wonderment.  The Lord’s greeting, “Peace be you,” was a common Hebrew greeting.  Yet hearing those words on the lips of the one who suffered and died, and now stands among them, gave them a new richness.  Peace (in Hebrew, shalom) is not just the absence of conflict; it is an experience of deep confidence that dispels fear and is full of hope.  As Jesus showed them the wounds in His hands and His side, they knew that the risen one was truly their beloved master who died on the cross.

The mandate Jesus gives His disciples is a summary of His life and ours: “as the  Father has sent me, so I send you”.  As the word of God, Jesus revealed the Father for all to see—through His teachings, His healing signs, and finally His total self-gift on the cross.  Now Jesus sends us, His disciples, on that same mission.  We are to be to the world what Jesus has been to the world.  We are to embody the Fathers love, to teach and heal, to comfort and bring peace, to love as Jesus loved.

Jesus enlivened and empowered His disciples as he breathed on them and said “Receive the Holy Spirit”.  Much as the Creator breathed life into the first human being, Jesus breathed His Spirit into God’s new creation, the community of disciples empowered to forgive, heal, teach and love.

God Bless

Msgr. Powell

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

Posted on by Cassie

As we begin Holy Week with Palm Sunday, we commemorate our Lord’s passion and death.  In this celebration we see paradoxes at work between triumph and tragedy, and between rejoicing and rejection.

During the opening ceremonies we celebrate Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, then in the Gospel reading we read Mark’s version of the Passion.

What effect should these two remembrances have on us?  One effect is to reaffirm our faith in Jesus.  These people didn’t ask questions of Jesus like, “are you the one who is to come?” or “where did you get all this?” They simply exclaimed their faith in Him, “Hosanna!” and they expressed it in action by laying down their cloaks for Him.

Another effect Palm Sunday should have on us is to solidify our hope.  We live in a  world where death abounds in the midst of life.  Every day our news is filled with death because of war, domestic unrest, abortion, drug overdoses, suicides and hunger.

Nonetheless, the passion and resurrection of Jesus prove that life will prevail over death.  They give us hope that even when death  has done its worst, life will win out.  So with hope in our hearts, we continue to do life affirming things such as caring for the sick, helping the poor, ministering to the abandoned and working for peace.

Triumph and tragedy marked the life and death of Jesus.  In some degree or other they mark the life of every Christian’s journey to Jerusalem.  But we don’t have to just endure the tragic.  We can also triumph over it because of our faith and hope in Jesus.

God Bless

Msgr. Powell

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Posted on by Cassie

Philip is the apostle who was also tested by Jesus before the multiplication of the bread.  His name is Greek, so one could understand that the Jews from Greek background, also in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, would come to him to have access to Jesus.  Their request empties more than just having physical access to Jesus: “Sir, we want to see Jesus”.  However, Jesus’ reply to their request sends everyone back to the paschal mystery of His death and resurrection.  The Son of Man is just about to be glorified, and from now on, Jesus is to be seen only with the eyes of post-Easter faith.

Jesus takes this opportunity to provide one of the most enlightening theological accounts of His upcoming death and resurrection: “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (verse 24).  This tells us everything.  One might say it is the law of nature.  Yes it is, but for Jesus it comes as a free choice and from a total willingness to serve.  There is no other way to be a disciple of Jesus, to be a Christian, than being a loving servant like Him and giving away one’s life “in this world” so as to “keep it for Eternal life” (verse 25).

God Bless

Msgr. Powell