The Scriptures use the image of wind and fire to describe the power of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for this power is dynamis, from where we get the more familiar word dynamite. Like the Apostles we might wish to stay comfortable in the relatively safe environment of the upper room or our church buildings. However, this is not the plan of the Spirit. The Spirit doesn’t like to stay boxed in. He blows where he wills and does so with power. Today is a day for coming out of our comfort zones to speak boldly and publicly about Jesus. We’ve got infinite amounts of grace stored up through the Sacraments. Now it’s time to let the dynamis of the Spirit explode.

There are lots of theological ways to look at the meaning of today’s Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord. However, in today’s homily I give a perspective that few priests will probably preach on today. Today’s homily is the Ascension from a pilot’s perspective. Fasten your seat belts please.

While apparently there is no step increase in salary for a priest receiving an S.T.L., I did get a call from the Archbishop. He must have been impressed with my finished thesis because he has decided that he wants me to write another one!

I officially announced at the parish this weekend that the Archbishop has asked me to go back to school to get a degree in Canon Law. This fall I will begin three years of studies at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. to become a Canon Lawyer. The last weekend in June will be my last in my current assignment.

I’m not one that is good at moving around a lot, so please pray for me. Right now I am still trying to find a place to live in D.C. I love history and always love being in D.C. for the March for Life. Now I’ll have plenty of time for all those museums…unless I have homework…or it’s a school night.

Mary’s Month

The month of May is one in which we give special honor to our Blessed Mother Mary. Today’s homily if full of some good tips in how we can entrust ourselves more to Mary and so become more like Jesus her son. Like little children, we never have to be worried or afraid in the arms of our mother.

I was once surprised to learn that many non-Catholics use the same creed that we do and actually profess to believe in “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church” just like we do. How can that be? For most of them, they understand the word “catholic” very generically and believe that this “universal” church is in fact more of an idea or even invisible. Today’s first reading clearly shows us a church that exists concretely. St. Paul establishes actual communities with priests to lead them. When he goes to a town he calls together the church, clearly a tangible body. So why would someone want to belong to an invisible church?

Two things come to mind. First, an invisible church doesn’t make any demands on us. We can stay exactly as we are and create our invisible church to suit all our weaknesses that we’d rather not change. An invisible church can be rather convenient if you’re not looking to grow in holiness. Secondly, an invisible church can be perfect, no faults or sinners to mess things up. Sometimes when you look at the concrete church that actually exists you can’t help but see all the mess. Yet we can also take comfort in the fact that it has existed for 2000 years and no amount of sinning has managed to destroy it yet.

No matter how attractive the idea of an invisible church might be, the Scriptures and history are clear. The church is and has always been a concrete, existing, visible reality that one can find and adhere to. We tend to focus on dogma and correct teaching to know the true church, but today’s gospel gives us another way. St. John tells us that the way the disciples of Jesus can be found is by seeing the way we love each other. How are we dong on that? Would people know we are the disciples of Jesus and that they had found his church by looking at our love? It’s easy to point out how the Catholic Church is the church founded by Jesus, but would others be able to tell this apart from doctrine? Would they know we are Christians by our love?

Faithful to Hope

It seems everyone wants to be successful, but when it comes to faith this can be a dangerous goal. You see, we always tend to measure success on the world’s terms. Do people like us? Are we getting ahead? Yet, in the Scriptures we see that sometimes the heroes are the ones that seem to be most defeated. The martyrs are killed, the apostles are put in prison and then killed and on and on. This sure looks like a lot of failures. Mother Theresa gives us the perfect answer to this problem. She tells us that God does not call us to be successful, but faithful. Faithfulness, no success, is our goal.

This is why we can have great joy even amid worldly failures. This world is not our goal. We live this life knowing that Christ has already won the victory and that if we follow him, our good shepherd, then nothing can take us out of God’s hand. God would never allow the slightest evil in the world if he were not able to bring about an infinitely greater good. The Father is greater. This leads to the virtue of hope. Even in our darkest moments, with all the pain and suffering that we’ve seen even just this week in Boston and other places, in the middle of all the apparent failures, we have joy and hope. In the end, we win. Therefore, let us not despair but remain faithful to hope.

When Jesus reveals himself to the apostles after his resurrection the Scriptures tell us that his wounds were still visible. Why would a glorified body have wounds? The wounds of Jesus reveal how much he loves us, what he endured to save us. They are part of his perfect body because they perfectly reveal his mercy. Rather than condemn the apostles for their failure at the time of the passion, Jesus wishes them “Peace.” When God forgives our sins, what he is saying is that he loves us anyway. Even through our woundedness God is able to bring about great good. Our sins our swallowed up in the ocean of his Divine Mercy. Now that’s good cause for all of us to have peace.

In today’s Gospel, we read how Peter and John both saw the same evidence at the tomb. The tomb it empty. Yet faith was necessary to correctly interpret what really happened. One could conclude the body had been stolen, but you’d be wrong. Faith isn’t just some fringe nicety that we can do without. If we don’t have faith, we are doomed to misinterpret all kinds of things in life. In this Year of Faith, let us resolve today to take the new life given us at Easter and make it grow.

After weeks of prayer and fasting through these forty days of Lent, the Gospel tells us today that “the hour” has come. It is time for the celebration of the most important events in our Christian lives. Yet these are not just historic remembrances. Through the mystery of the Sacred Liturgy this week, the Church throughout the world lives once again these special moments. May the renewal of the Holy Spirit be evident in this upcoming Holy Week.

This past week has been an amazing time of excitement and joy in the Holy Spirit as we rejoice at the gift of our new Holy Father, Pope Francis. Today’s homily relives some of my personal experience of this week and considers what the election of Pope Francis might mean for the future of the Church.

Today’s homily gives an overview of the history of electing the Pope and the process that will be followed this week. If you have other questions not covered in the homily, feel free to post them below. Most of all, pray for the Cardinals and the coming of the Holy Spirit to help inspire the choice of our new Holy Father.

Part 1 – The Lamb of God

Part 2 – Eat My Flesh

Part 1 – The Development of the Sacrament

Part 2 – Why St. Peter Needed Confession and We Do Too, Practical Tips

Today I am on the road in Longview, Texas giving a parish mission at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church. Msgr. Xavier Pappu and all the parishioners have been so welcoming. Last night I had dinner at an authentic Texas Roadhouse! (It seemed very similar to the Texas Roadhouses in Kansas, but this time I was in Texas). I officially kicked off the mission this weekend by preaching at all the masses. I’ll be here for the next two days and will be posting talks from the mission. If you are in the Longview area, tell people to come to the mission or send them to the website. Thanks for all those praying back home.

Today’s homily also provides my theme for the mission, “Time to Bear Fruit.” Maybe this Lent we need to spend some time cultivating the soul and spreading some fertilizer on our spiritual life. This is what the gardener in the gospel suggests. Yet, the gospel also comes with a warning…we don’t have infinite time. Moses also serves as our great example this weekend. We’ve got to pay attention and focus on God. Don’t wait for later. Now is the time to bear fruit.

I recently spoke with my thesis director from seminary regarding a tiny paper I’ve been putting off writing for the last five years. He told me that if I could get him a draft by the middle of March and be complete by April 1st I could graduate at the convocation in May. I already have a Master of Divinity and a Sacred Theology Baccalaureate. This is for my Sacred Theology Licentiate (STL), sort of a Church master’s degree.

At any rate, I kind of made it my Lenten penance to finish this thing up. I also kind of asked God to help me…and now you understand why we’re having all these snow days and how it is in fact all my fault. God has left me snowed in to the rectory with only my laptop, hundreds of articles to read…and a style guide. The good news is that I only had about 20 pages when Lent started and I’m now at 37. I also managed to figure out how to get Microsoft Word to correctly place page numbers according to the convoluted mess contained in the above mentioned style guide.

So, please pray for me…you might get another snow day!

Paul reminds us in today’s second reading that “Our citizenship is in heaven.” To be a citizen means that you are at home, you are protected by the defenses of your city, you have certain rights. Especially in biblical times, citizenship meant the peace and security of a walled city. If “peace and security” are the best descriptors for your life right now, then we start to understand what St. Paul meant. This is not our home. Here we will never have the kind of permanent security that we would like. That’s because what we really want is heaven. Jesus gives the apostles a glimpse of this in today’s Gospel. Although we can’t have heaven permanently in this life, we are all called from time to time to go up the mountain, to pray, the talk with God, and there experience a little bit of what our true citizenship has to offer.

After fasting for 40 days, Jesus was hungry. So says the inerrant Word of God in today’s Gospel. We tend to think that this fact is obvious because we tend to think of physical hunger. Maybe Jesus was hungry for something else. Aren’t we all hungry? We are constantly seeking to satisfy a multitude of desires. A lot of them are good, but we need to keep them in the right balance. Today’s homily explores how Jesus gives us the model for success in balancing our desires with what we really hunger for, namely, God.

Remember death. That phrase is very similar to the one we hear today as we receive ashes, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Why so much focus on death as we prepare for the great celebration of life at Easter? Today’s homily explores how sometimes having a deadline might just be the life-giving trick that we need.

It has been said that all that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing. When we see injustice and evil we naturally want to do something about it. Certainly that is the case this week as we mark the 40th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade supreme court decision. All this week there will be prayer and fasting, marching in Topeka and Washington. Generations from now when abortion is relegated to the shameful past along with the holocaust of WWII, we want to be able to say that we did something. Today’s homily explores something that we might do, starting at the real root of the problem.

For the video mentioned in the homily click here.

For my previous homily on the Holy Family click here.

“Are we prepared to say that such violence visited on our children year after year after year is somehow the price of our freedom?”

I’m not…so I’ll be in Topeka on Tuesday and Washington on Friday. Maybe the President will come.

In today’s Gospel we read of the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem. However, what always puzzles me is the arrival of the Magi before Herod who, along with “all Jerusalem,” seem oblivious to the birth of the Messiah. How is it that these non-Jews from far away can show up at ground zero for Jewish Messiah watching and catch everyone off guard? What about the star? What about the Scripture? Today’s homily looks at how the Magi got it right while Herod missed it. The example of the Magi is a great gift to make sure that we don’t end up missing Jesus too.

Isn’t it amazing to think that when God came into this world he couldn’t even take care of himself? He chose to come in need of a family to raise him. As we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family today, it’s important not to simply make this about honoring Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. As important as that it, there is a tendency to think, “Well aren’t they great, but my family could never be like that.” The good news is that you are not called to be “the” holy family; but you are called to be “a” holy family. Today’s homily explores some ways in which our families make us holy and how to grow together in holiness.

One of the greatest TV moments in history occurs in the great classic, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” when Charlie Brown famously asks, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” Linus confidently steps forward with his trusty blanket and proceeds to give one of the most memorable readings ever from tonight’s Gospel of St. Luke. The story of the birth of Jesus. That’s what Christmas is all about.

Yet, the prophet Isaiah in our first reading also has an idea of what Christmas is all about. Living in a time of great darkness for the Jewish people, Isaiah prophesies the coming of the Messiah as a great light for his people. He gives him four famous titles: Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. Tonight’s homily looks at how each of these titles speak of not just a past Messiah, but our real need for a savior here and now. Our world needs the Messiah today more than ever…and he’s right here, Emmanuel, God with us. Good news indeed. In fact, that’s what Christmas is all about.

Sometimes people will speak of the Old and New Testaments as if they were completely different stories. A false distinction is often made between the “God of the Old Testament” (who is apparently mean and distant) and the “God of the New Testament” (who is nice and approachable). However, today’s Gospel reading and the famous “O Antiphons” of Advent tell a different story. The little baby that is to be born in Bethlehem is none other than the great I AM who revealed himself to Moses on Mt. Sinai. The Jewish people called him “Lord” or, in their language, “Adonai.”

In today’s 2nd Reading, St. Paul reminds us to “Rejoice Always!” At times in our life it might seem particularly hard to rejoice. In the wake of the terrible events that took place in Connecticut on Friday it might seem almost inappropriate to be told to “rejoice” this weekend. Yet we have to be careful not to confuse joy and happiness. St. Paul is not telling us to be happy in the face of evil, but rather to rejoice. Joy and peace are possible even in the darkest times. St. Paul certainly knew that in his own life. It is precisely when things seem most grim that we need to be reminded why we have cause to rejoice. Today’s homily attempts to bring St. Paul’s perspective to bear on what might seem like a present situation of gloom.

In today’s reading we hear of John the Baptist and all the people that were going to him in the desert to repent. Why is it that when we sin, we seem to be afraid to make even the much easier journey to a Catholic church to go to confession? Today’s homily helps answer some important questions and alleviate unnecessary fear of confession. Penance services abound this week, so it’s a great time to come back to this beautiful sacrament.

We are all familiar with the great symbol of the Christmas tree and all that it means for this time of year. Yet, for our Jewish ancestors, the time of waiting for the Messiah was focused not only a tree, but on a stump and on a shoot that was to spout from that stump. The tree spoken of here is not a Christmas tree, but a family tree…the family tree of King David.

When the prophet Jeremiah in today’s first reading speaks of a “shoot” he is referring to the Messiah who would come from the family tree of David and would save the Jewish people. Jeremiah was writing at a time of great trouble for Jerusalem, where they were desperate for the coming of the Messiah. We too have many great struggles in life. The world appears broken and inadequate in so many ways and we know that we contribute to this with our sin. We too are in need of a savior. The good news is that we’ve got one. He has come and he is coming back.

This Advent, let’s not be afraid to acknowledge all the ways in which perhaps our life seems a bit like a lifeless stump. The good news of Advent is that it will not stay this way. A shoot shall sprout from the stump. The Messiah will return. Let our prayer be that of the early church…Marana Tha…Come Lord Jesus.

What does it mean to say that Christ is King? Today’s homily discusses how the faithful in Mexico help us to answer this question. During the 1920’2 and 30′s a severe persecution of the Church was being carried out by those in power in the Mexican government. It was essentially made illegal to be Catholic and thousands of priests and faithful were rounded up, tortured, and killed. In self defense the faithful banded together in a resistance army composed of what came to be known as “Cristeros.” Their famous battle cry was “Viva Cristo Rey…Long Live Christ the King.”

One of the most well-known priests at this time was Fr. Miguel Pro. He is now Blessed Miguel Pro and is one step away from being canonized a saint. Today’s homily shares his dramatic story which culminated in his execution as a martyr for Christ. In the seconds before he died he was able to yell once more “Viva Cristo Rey.” On this Solemnity of Christ the King may all of us take up this battle cry and truly make Christ the King of our lives.

  
Blessed Miguel Pro, Pray for Us

At Bishop Miege High School where I am the chaplain, the football players have the tradition at the end of the 3rd quarter of raising their hands showing four fingers and going up and down the sideline yelling “Four!” This is to remind everyone of the importance of the 4th quarter about to begin. This is the last quarter. The game will end soon. As we come to the end of our liturgical year, the Church does something similar by focusing our attention on the end of our lives and the “four last things.”

Death, Judgement, Heaven, and Hell…these four things are put before us today to remind us that life does not go on forever. In the end there are clear winners and losers…heaven or hell…those are the only options. Probably everyone would say they want to go to heaven and sadly some people today even question the existence of hell. The hell there is! Ultimately God will give us what we want. If we say with our lives that we want God then we will have God for all eternity and this we call heaven. If we say with our lives that we want our way and ourselves and not God, we will have just ourselves and not God for all eternity and this we call hell.

The kids at school are all caught up in whether the world might be about to end because of the so-called “Mayan calendar.” Jesus tells us plainly in the gospel today that no one knows the hour of the ending of the world, not even the Mayans. The Mayans are dead and the Church is alive. Yet, if the thought of the world ending soon scares us, then maybe that’s good.

We would do well to assume we’re living in the 4th quarter of life. If we’re behind in some way, there’s time to rally and catch up. If we’re winning in some areas, don’t give up now; press on to the finish. The Church at this time of year is reminding us that life does not go on forever. Remember death, judgement, heaven, and hell. It’s as if the Church is running up and down the sideline of our lives yelling “Four!” Let’s not be afraid. This is our quarter. Let’s go out and win!

Today’s 2nd reading continues from the the Letter to the Hebrews. It was written by Christians to a Jewish audience attempting to explain how Jesus is the fulfillment of everything God had promised his chosen people throughout history. One of the most significant aspects of Jewish life at the time of Jesus was the presence of the Temple in Jerusalem. Today’s homily looks at the history and meaning of the Jewish Temple and the worship that went on there. The Temple provides an important key in understanding what happens at Mass today.

This is the first in a series of homilies explaining various elements of the Mass and Catholic worship in honor of the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Vatican II. Today’s homily focuses on some aspects of  the role of Sacred Music in the liturgy. It is also an answer to a question that comes up from time to time with regard to the role of the priest celebrant. I hope this homily is both informative and clears up some confusion.

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Topics Covered Include

• What is conscience?
• How do I form my conscience?
• Can my conscience be wrong?
• Prudential Judgement
• Intrinsic Evils
• Being a “Single Issue” Voter
• Solidarity, Subsidiarity, and Care for the Poor

We have a duty as Catholics to participate in the political process so as to help bring about the common good for all people. Participation means not only voting, but being an informed voter. As Catholics this includes making sure that we form our consciences well as true disciples of Jesus. I hope this show helps you in that process.

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Most moral issues aren’t so black and white as to be always right or always wrong. However, there are certain actions that the Church teaches are always wrong, regardless of the intentions or circumstances. These acts are called “intrinsically evil” because they are evil in themselves and can never be made right. There are 5 issues that fall into this category which we have to confront today:

5 Instrically Evil Actions

• Abortion
• Euthanasia
• Embryonic Stem Cell Research
• Human Cloning
• Redefining Marriage

These issues are non-negotiable for Catholics and must be opposed. There are 70 million Catholics in this country. If we all stick together, we won’t have to be voting on these issues much longer.

In today’s Gospel Jesus calls a young man to follow him. It is the greatest moment in his life, and yet we are told he goes away sad. His riches stand in the way of his answering the call. What stands in the way of us saying yes to God? Whatever it is, sell it, be free, and follow Jesus. God will not be outdone in generosity!

As you survey the state of marriage in our society today, it would be easy to get discouraged. Yet we see in our gospel today that even at the time of Jesus they struggled with marriage. When Jesus explains what is required of married people, some of the apostles even question if maybe it would be better not to get married at all. Today’s homily speaks of some of the tough issues surrounding marriage today, including divorce, contraception, so-called “same sex marriage” and others. Things may look grim now, but a new springtime is taking root. If we follow Jesus’ words to return to God’s plan “from the beginning” then we will soon see our society, and marriage in particular, go from worse to better.

You are a prophet! Maybe you didn’t know it, but in your baptism you were anointed “priest, prophet, and king.” Perhaps you’re wondering about just what a prophet is supposed to do. Today’s homily looks at the Old Testament for examples and especially St. John the Baptist. A prophet is someone who speaks for God, with their actions and words. What kind of prophet are you? What message are you sending by the words and actions of your life?

In today’s gospel, Jesus opens the ears of a deaf man. Maybe we think all of our senses are working just fine, but what about our spiritual senses? What about our ability to recognize someone in need? Today’s homily tells the amazing story of what God did with one simple scout who had this awareness. If we’re a little closed off to the needs of others, perhaps we need to ask God for healing, that we might hear him say to us “be opened.”

When we’re growing up, no kid seems to like rules. I remember a similar experience learning to play the trumpet. My teacher wanted me to learn a bunch of scales. I just wanted to play songs. Our readings today also speak of rules, but especially having them in the right balance. It’s good to follow the rules, but we can’t become obsessed with the rules. No musician will perform scales for a concert.

In music, perhaps the best analogy to the kind of life God wants for us is found in Jazz. You’ve got to know the rules…the scales, the key, the changes, etc…but then you get to make it up. You improvise. May we all learn well the rules of life and then improvise with our unique lives as we give God glory with all that jazz.

We’ve spent the last several weeks learning about the Eucharist as we read St. John’s gospel. However, there comes a time when you have to make a decision to act. It’s not enough just to think about the Eucharist or understand it. Ultimately, our lives must answer the key question, “How important is the Eucharist?” Today’s homily looks at how three different priests answered this question.

    
St. Edmund Campion, Fr. Walter Ciszek, and Cardinal Francis Van Thuan

This weekend’s homily continues the theme of considering various aspects of the Eucharist as we reflect on St. John’s gospel. Today we learn about what is meant by the term “Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.” What sacrifice is this referring to? What does it mean that Jesus is the Lamb of God?

We normally use our senses to understand our world and to identify what things are. However, things aren’t always as they appear. In in philosophy, we use two important terms to differentiate between what our senses can tell us about something and what that thing actually is. The properties that are perceptible to our senses we call “accidents.” This would include things like color, taste, smell, etc.. Beyond what something looks like, we call the property that actually makes something what it is “substance.”

The terms substance and accidents are philosophical terms that are important to our understanding of the Eucharist. We start with ordinary bread and wine. After the words of consecration the substance of the bread and wine is changed while the accidents remain. What still appears to be bread and wine has been completely changed into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus. The Eucharist is God although it retains the accidental properties of bread and wine.

This transformation is so important and unique to the Eucharist that a new word was created to describe what happens at the consecration. “Transubstantiation” is the word used by the Church and simply means “a change in substance.” As we go forward to receive the Eucharist today, let us be mindful of this great mystery. Jesus says that whoever eats this bread will live forever. Indeed this “bread” is much more than what it appears to be.

I always enjoy watching the Olympics. There are so many sports that I would never watch if it weren’t for the Olympics. I was watching diving the other day and marveled at all the complicated moves they are able to do. All of the athletes are so inspiring. We marvel at the “finished product” we see on TV, but I especially enjoying hearing the stories of all the hard work it took to get there. The training routines and years of discipline are truly inspiring. Why do they do it? …to win a gold medal of course.

St. Paul reminds us that we are competing for a much bigger prize in the competition we call life; we want to win the prize of heaven. If heaven is our goal, why would we expect that getting there would be any less difficult than winning a gold medal? The Christian life requires training and discipline. The early church gave each newly baptized Christian a new title, “Athlete of Christ.” It’s not easy to be a Christian. No one hands you a gold medal simply for showing up.

The lighting of the famous Olympic flame marks the beginning of competition at the Olympics. In our baptism we too are given a flame to mark the beginning of our race in life. The priest passes the torch as it were from the Paschal Candle to the baptismal candle and onto the parents and godparents. As he does so he says to the newly baptized, “Receive the light of Christ.” He might just as well be saying, “Let the games begin.”

This week is Natural Family Planning Awareness Week. If you are now asking yourself, “What is Natural Family Planning?” then you see the need for the week. Today’s homily considers the joy and sacrifices of married love and the great gift of family. For those unfamiliar with NFP, it will also hopefully be an introduction to something that is not only free and over 99% effective, but could also radically change your marriage and your relationship with God. Perhaps it is enough simply to say that if you follow society’s wisdom you have an over 50% chance of getting divorced. If you follow God’s plan through NFP, you have less than a 5% chance of getting divorced. Those are good odds that will hopefully make you want to become more “aware” of NFP this week if you’re not already.

After observing Jesus and learning from him, today it’s time for the apostles to “go.” The word “apostle” literally means, “one who is sent” so it makes sense. However, Jesus also asks them to take nothing with them so as to build their trust in God. They are supposed to take a walking stick and sandals. This is a good image for the Church. We are a people on the go; we have a mission and we’re not meant to stay still. At the end of every Mass, the deacon or priest tells us all to “go.” The word “Mass” actually comes form the Latin word meaning “to be sent.” There’s a lot of going and sending implied in Mass. Today’s a great day to make sure we know our mission and then to get going.

Most people tend to think of prophets as people who foretell the future. The biblical notion of a prophet is much different. A prophet is someone who speaks on behalf of God. Sometimes their messages are about the future, but most of the time they are concerned with talking to people about the present moment. The Old Testament is filled with stories of prophets. One thing they all seem to have in common is that it often doesn’t go very well for the prophets. They all end up ridiculed or dead.

The problem with prophets is that God doesn’t normally send them when everything is going well. Normally, a prophet is sent to say that God is not happy or that we need to change somehow. Not surprisingly, we tend to shoot the messenger. It’s a tough job to be a prophet. The interesting thing about the Christian life is that not only are we called to listen to the prophets that God sends us even today, but we are also called to be prophets. By virtue of our baptism, each of us is a prophet. That means we are to speak about God and bear witness to him by our words and actions, just like the prophets of old.

So how are we doing? What message does your life send? What kind of prophet for God are you?

As a fellow scientist, I feel for the excitement of of the discovery. However, as a bit of an outsider to the intricacies of particle physics, I am also sufficiently removed so as to be able to laugh just a little at the thought of a bunch of people in white coats going crazy over a “particle.”

With all that said, probably the number one reason that this discovery has received so much attention in the news is because the Higgs boson was previously given the nickname the “God Particle” (much to the disapproval of the scientific community). To the casual observer, one might think that this discovery has in some way proved that there is in fact no real “God” and that everything can now be explained as related to this “particle.” It’s an attention grabbing story, but it has nothing to do with the Higgs boson and how it got it’s nickname.

The Higgs boson is the last piece to be put in place completing what is known as the Standard Model in physics. It’s similar to what the Periodic Table of Elements is to Chemistry. For instance, if you have confirmed an element with 22 protons (Titanium) and also confirmed an element with 24 protons (Chromium), the “model” in Chemistry would speculate that there should be an element with 23 protons, even though you haven’t “seen” it yet. (fyi, Vanadium, atomic number 23, was in fact discovered in 1801). The reason that the Hiiggs got the nickname “God particle” was because all of the scientists agreed that it should exist, but no one could actually observe it. Test after test confirmed that, to fit the Model, the Higgs boson should in fact exist, it’s just that no one had been able to create an experiment that proved it.

Because of the fact that all the evidence confirmed the existence of the Higgs boson and yet it remained so hard to definitively observe and prove, some people compared this to the qualities of God. Hence the certain but mysterious Higgs became known as the “God particle.”

So what can the God particle tell us about God? Here’s the key for me. The whole process of “proving” the existence of the Higgs shows that science and faith really operate on systems that are a lot closer than people think. Look at the “scientific” process at work here. Because the physicists had such confidence in the Model they had proposed, they were convinced by the evidence that the Higgs boson existed, even though no one had been able to see or maybe ever would see it. One might say that they had “faith” in the existence of the Higgs boson. Science requires faith too!

Now some might object that “That’s not faith. They used sound reasoning and hard data to project the existence of the Hiiggs.” Exactly…and this is what faith does as well. Faith is not some random belief in something crazy that is illogical. Faith is reasonable. In the same way the physicists can make observations and apply their knowledge to form a model of physics, so we can learn about God and even arrive at enough certainty to posit a God-centered “Model” of the universe.

In the end, the Standard Model of physics was confirmed. The particle long-believed to exist has at last been “seen” and people in white coats everywhere are going crazy. If all this happens just for the discovery of a “particle,” imagine the joy when one day the God-centered model of the universe is confirmed and the long-believed to exist God is at last seen by all. People in white robes will indeed go crazy, and this time everyone will know why.

If for some reason you think there is something more important than listening to your radio tomorrow at 4:00…here is the recorded version of my part of the show. May the Holy Spirit do something beautiful with this apostolate at Vocation Boom Radio and may many more young people respond to a call to priesthood and religious life.

Vocation Boom Radio Interview VBR1226 (Air Date 07-07-12)

As you may know, Pope Benedict has recently created a process by which Anglicans can become Catholics and keep their liturgy and other practices that are important to their heritage. It’s called the Anglican Ordinariate and you can Google it for more info. Well…today the Holy See approved some of the “new” liturgical books that the “Anglican Catholics” will get to use. Basically, it’s the Book of Common Prayer as a basis. In addition to the beautiful English texts which our Anglican Catholic brothers and sisters now get to use, they were also allowed to use “their” calendar. See the full article here, but this paragraph caught my eye:

The Holy See has already approved a liturgical calendar for the ordinariates that includes Sundays after Epiphany and Trinity Sunday (rather than Sundays of Ordinary Time), Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima Sundays (before Lent), the Pentecost Octave, and Rogation and Ember Days. The use of the Revised Standard Version lectionary is permitted during Mass.

Now forgive me if I and all other liturgical geeks (that’s at least a dozen people) let out a collective “Hey, wait a minute!” For those not familiar with the history of liturgical changes made after Vatican II, one of the very sad things that happened was that the liturgical calendar was severely altered, leaving most liturgical geeks still in mourning (that would be at least 7 people). Now all of the sudden the Anglican Catholics get to use “our” traditional calendar because it’s their “heritage?” Let them have their married priests, but this is no fair.

Why can’t I use the Catholic->Anglican->Catholic calendar? (E.F. I know…I want English) If the Holy See allows this exception for one group, what’s next? Pretty soon they’ll be letting the Anglican Catholics celebrate Ascension Thursday on Thursday.

Address
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann
Religious Freedom Rally
Topeka, Kansas
June 29, 2012

Quo Vadis? These Latin words translate into English: Where are you going? This phrase, made famous from a scene described in the apocryphal Acts of St. Peter, has become part of popular Christian legend in which Peter, fleeing Rome at the time of Nero’s persecution encounters the Risen Jesus. Peter asks Jesus: “Quo Vadis?” Where are you going? Jesus replies: I am going to Rome to be crucified.

This encounter reminds Peter of his cowardly denial of Jesus during His passion and crucifixion. Peter realizes that he is committing the same mistake again by abandoning the living Jesus in His Church at the hour of crisis. Peter turns around and returns to Rome where he is martyred.

Today in the Catholic Church’s calendar, we celebrate the Feast of the Great Apostles, Peter and Paul. I imagine Our Lord is asking the question of us and our country that Peter posed to him: Quo Vadis? Where are you  going America?

Where are you going America, when our own federal government attempts to limit severely religious freedom, the first constitutional right in our nation’s Bill of Rights? Quo Vadis America, when the current administration  attempts to narrow religious liberty to include only the freedom to worship? Where are your going America, when our government considers women’s fertility as a disease to be suppressed and pregnancy as a disease to be prevented? Quo Vadis America, when this Administration defines a religious entity so narrowly that Mother Theresa and her Missionaries of Charity would not qualify?

Americans have always understood the free exercise of religion to be the first and most precious right. Religious liberty for Americans always included, not only the right to worship, but also the right to live according to our conscience.

The arbitrary Mandates, promulgated by the Department of the Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the implementation of the Affordable Health Care Reform Act, are perhaps the most egregious threat to religious liberty in our nation’s history. The President’s so-called accommodations have changed and corrected nothing.

This Administration has deceptively attempted to portray the HHS Mandates as an essential measure in the provision of health care for women, feigning the existence of a crisis regarding the availability of contraception and abortion inducing drugs. They have attempted to demonize anyone who objects to this encroachment on religious liberty and conscience rights as waging a war against women.

The reality is that we are gathered here today to just maintain the status quo, not to advance any agenda. It is the Administration who has chosen to pick this fight at this particular time. It is they who are waging a war against women and men of Faith.

Why was there no discussion of these Mandates during the months of debate over health care reform? Why was none of this specified in the more than 2,000 pages of legislative text? Does anyone really think there is a crisis regarding the availability of contraception? For Americans, who desire contraception as a lifestyle choice, it is readily available and inexpensive. The federal government already spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually to give away free contraceptives to the poor.

The HHS Mandates are not about access to contraceptives. They are about the federal government saying to people of Faith that it is not enough that you live in a culture where contraceptives are readily available, where tax dollars are already used to provide them, where they are given out in some public schools to minors without parental permission. Now we – your government – are going to force you (the Catholic Church or any Church or individual Christian or person of Faith who finds contraception and abortion morally offensive) to participate in the provision of them.

Regardless, of one’s personal belief about contraception as a life-style choice, every American should be outraged at this assault on religious freedom. For if the federal government can do this to Americans, who believe contraception and abortion to be evil, then what prevents this same government from coercing other Americans to violate their deeply held moral convictions on any other matter.

The HHS Mandates are by no means the only threat to Religious Liberty in our nation. Several states no longer permit Catholic Charities to provide adoption or foster care services. Similarly, Catholic Social Agencies, who have longed distinguished themselves in their service to victims of sex-trafficking, are now being denied federal contracts because of our refusal to provide contraceptives and refer for abortion.

We are so blest as Americans. The United States historically has been a beacon of hope for the entire world on matters of religious freedom and conscience protection. Many individuals in our nation’s history have made heroic sacrifices in order to defend these precious liberties. They endured much more than standing for a couple of hours in this severe summer heat. We must not fail at this moment to exercise our citizenship and
make certain that our voice is heard.

Where is America going? Perhaps, the more important question is: Where, as Americans, are we going to permit it to go? Your presence here today demonstrates your desire to turn America around, to return it to the principles upon which it was founded and which made it great. You are here today because you want to protect and restore our first and most precious liberty.

Let the cry go forth from Topeka, Kansas to the President, to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the Congress, to the Supreme Court, we will not accept, we will not acquiesce, we will not tolerate our liberties to be diminished or robbed from us. We will pray; we will advocate; we will vote; and we will never, never, never give up our religious liberty and conscience rights! Thank you and God bless!

Today was an incredible day for the Catholic Church in America and especially here in our great state of Kansas. As soon as the HHS mandate was created, Archbishop Naumann sought to have some kind of national event to oppose this unjust law. Finding that no “national” event was planned, Archbishop decided we would create our own right here in Kansas. Today that vision came true as thousands of people from all over Kansas gathered in Topeka at the state capitol to peaceably assemble in opposition to the HHS mandate. Governor Brownback pointed out that today’s event was the largest rally ever held on the lawn of the Statehouse.

The 100+ temperatures no doubt kept many away, but also strengthened the witness of those that were able to brave the heat. “We’re not going away” as Archbishop Naumann put it so forcefully. In his talk, the Archbishop chose to focus on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul today and a story of St. Peter encountering Jesus on the road outside of Rome. Upon seeing the Lord heading into Rome from which St. Peter was trying to escape, Peter famously asked Jesus, “Quo Vadis” – “Where are you going?” Jesus indicated to Peter that he was going to Rome to give his life again for his people since Peter would not.

Archbishop took these famous words and posed them as a question to America. “Quo vadis America?” – “Where are you going?” In so many ways it seems that we have lost the vision of the founders that created our country. Many seemingly no longer believe in the values that have made us who we are. Who would have thought 200 years ago that we would become a country hostile to religion? The very reason for the existence of our country is inseparably intertwined with freedom of religion.Where are we going? If something is not done to reverse our present course then our country will not long survive.

For this reason, today’s rally was not just a fight for religious freedom, but a fight for the very soul of our nation. Throughout our history, Catholics have made this country great. Perhaps it now falls to us especially to play a key role in saving our nation.

Yet we are not alone in this fight. This isn’t just an attack on the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is simply the most visible target of the anti-religious forces at work in our society and government. The HHS mandate is an attack on all people of faith in our country and all those who believe in the founding principles established in our Constitution. It was such a blessing today to see so many of the rest of our Christian brothers and sisters gathered together in solidarity. One of the keynote speakers was a Baptist pastor and I was surrounded by many non-Catholics. I pray that this will be a great cause for working and praying together.

The Bishops of Kansas in Solidarity for Freedom

Where are you going America? Looking into the future feels a bit like Scrooge being confronted with the “Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.” The future can look dreadful from here, yet Scrooge himself prayed that these are “but shadows of what might be and not what will be.” Scrooge was given a chance to change, and change he did. Let’s pray that America can do the same, before it’s too late. Days like today give us all great cause for hope. Thanks to all who made the pilgrimage from the 4 corners of the state. The media won’t cover it, but today we showed that we’re not ready to give up on our country. May God multiply our efforts and let us see the fruit of our prayers.

Pictures from the Rally

Long story short, the plane broke, again. After thinking all day that eventually they would fix the plane, they finally gave up and are getting us a new plane. I hope it’s big, with lots of TV’s…and an exercise room…and a chapel…and a pool. This better be the world’s greatest airplane.

Obviously we are not making our connection in Atlanta tonight, so it looks like a hotel…if we actually leave. To everyone down at Boy Scout camp awaiting my arrival…just hold on…I’m coming. St. Joseph Cupertino, patron of those who fly, pray for us.

That’s a 7hr and 45min Delay for Those Scoring at Home

I thank you all for following the blog on this amazing experience. Hopefully, you can see what a spiritual blessing a pilgrimage to the Holy Land is. Also notice that safety was the furthest thing from our mind here. I pray that perhaps through reading this blog you too will consider a pilgrimage to the land known as “The 5th Gospel.” I guarantee your life will never be the same. From the Holy Land for the last time, this is your friendly neighborhood blogger signing off.

Fr. Shawn the Electronic Angel

Note: The blog will remain up “forever” and I encourage you to share it with others. Continue to follow me for weekly homilies and other musings. Note the link at the top entitled “Holy Land Pilgrimage” which details every day of my journey here in the Holy Land for almost 3 months in 2006-2007. God willing there will be many more entries on the Holy Land in the future.

Mt. Calvary

One of the many places in the Holy Sepulcher that I find some powerful prayer is at the spot marking the place where our Blessed Mother stood watching Jesus on Calvary. It is slightly below the top of the hill and looking directly up to the cross. Mary could see Jesus clearly and he could see her. This was perhaps the one comfort he had on the cross, looking down and knowing his mother was there and then lovingly entrusting her to John. Through John, Jesus has entrusted the Church to Mary and she to us. Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.

Mary’s Place at the Foot of Calvary

While the mount of Calvary focuses us on the cross and the pain and suffering of sin, one cannot help but notice how close the tomb is to Calvary and analogously how close Easter is to Good Friday. Coming down from Calvary I went to pray at the tomb and God gave me a big reminder of what John wrote in his Gospel. “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” As I went to pray at the tomb I beheld a heavenly ray of light pouring down right onto the entrance of the empty tomb. The tomb is empty; the light shines into the darkness; Jesus has been raised. The entire mystery of our faith is all present right here in this church and received today in the Eucharist. This happens at every Mass! May we never underestimate the many graces available to us each day if we ask.

Light Shines Into the Empty Tomb

After an early lunch came the moment to say goodbye to Jerusalem and start to head “down” and toward home. Before heading for Tel Aviv we were treated to two more important sites. First, we went up the Mount of Olives to the town of Bethany. This is the famous home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, and the traditional beginning of the annual Palm Sunday procession. One of the sad things about Bethany is that when the Israelis built their separation wall, they literally cut Bethany right in half, including cutting some people’s homes in half. Bethany used to be part of Jerusalem, but now it is cut off and is basically a dump and the procession no longer exists. The one beautiful spot is the church which the Franciscans maintain.

  
The Famous Residents of Bethany

It was wonderful to have some time for prayer here in this place where Our Lord cautioned Martha about “the one thing necessary” and the need to sit and listen to Jesus. This church is also a witness to the greatest miracle of Jesus, the raising of Lazarus from the dead. There has been a church on this spot since the 4th century and you can still see the remains of the original church. I prayed especially for the victory of life over death. I always have to laugh at the scripture that says that, after Lazarus was raised from the dead, so many people were converting that the Jewish leaders thought about killing Lazarus. Umm…been there done that. See what power there is in the resurrection? When Jesus is Lord even of death, then what have we to be afraid of?

 
Jesus Raises Lazarus

Our final stop was at a town today known as Abu Ghosh. Mike kept it secret what this town was all about until we got there. It turns out that this is firstly the famous Old Testament town of Kiryat Ye’arim where the Ark of the Covenant stayed before there was a temple in Jerusalem. We saw it from the hill in Ein Karen on our first day, so we kind of ended where we started. However, the second famous name for this town in the New Testament is Emmaus. It was here that the disciples were journeying after the resurrection and Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread. We got to spend an hour here in prayer in one of the most beautiful churches we’ve seen. It was built by the Crusaders in the 12th century and has survived without renovation since. The acoustics were amazing and I enjoyed singing a hymn to Our Lady, the new Ark of the Covenant. It’s amazing to see how nicely things turn out when you build a church out of stone in a traditional manner. I wonder how many of our churches today will be around in 1000 years? The Crusaders really did some amazing things to restore the sacred sites in the Holy Land which were destroyed by the Muslims. May we have the same love in building up the Church and our churches the way they did.

The Crusader Church of Kiryat Ye’arim

We finished our day with a special farewell dinner for our group. It’s amazing to see how a group of strangers can become family in just 12 days. Sometimes a pilgrimage helps us to realize what was true all along, that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. We found these relationships important not just in our group but with our tour guides, bus drivers, and everyone we met. While it’s sad to see all the division in the Holy Land, I think our pilgrimage shows that we’re really not that far apart from anyone. Some day we will all sit down to dinner as family. Insha’Allah, may it be soon.

A Family Farewell

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Dome of the Rock

After some rescheduling, today turned into a day devoted to Mary. We began at Dormition Abbey on Mount Zion. This church is built over the home of the Virgin Mary. The Church teaches that at the end of her earthly life she was taken body and soul to heaven. There is some debate about whether she actually died or not. The term “dormition” therefore means “falling asleep.” We all gathered in the crypt of the church and sang Immaculate Mary in honor of our Blessed Mother. With the great acoustics of the place, I have to admit that we sounded pretty darn good and I think Our Lady was pleased.

The Dormition of Mary

From Mount Zion we headed over to the Mount of Olives to get a better view of Jerusalem. We gathered at the church Dominus Flevit which means “The Lord Wept.” It was here that Jesus wept over ancient Jerusalem, knowing that it would soon be destroyed. From here we had a beautiful vantage of the whole city and were able to do our teaching on the temple which we missed. Just as Jesus prophesied, everything in the city was destroyed in 70 AD, including the temple. There is no temple on the temple mount today as the Muslims have built their Dome of the Rock right on top of the old temple. Mike pointed out how this is not a problem for us as Christians as Jesus has fulfilled everything that the temple foreshadowed. What we have every day at Mass is more holy than the temple ever was.

Modern Jerusalem

We had Mass today at the great crusader church of St. Anne. It is built over the home of Sst. Joachim and Anne and marks the spot of the birth of the Virgin Mary. It’s amazing that this church survived the Muslim destruction, partly because they turned it into a Muslim school. The acoustics here are absolutely amazing and it was wonderful to celebrate the Sunday liturgy with song. I preached on the importance of “going” and not just letting this pilgrimage be a fond memory of happy feelings, but really an experience that demands action and a change of life. This is the good fruit that I pray will come from the seeds planted here.

Church of St. Anne

This evening, Mike gave us a presentation on the Arab/Israeli conflict. Having lived over here for 3 months previously and now for another 10 days you definitely get a different perspective. Before  I came to the Holy Land 5 years ago I didn’t even know what a Palestinian was. The big thing that starts to make people think is when you realize all the Christians are Palestinians. If we support the notion of a strictly Jewish state of Israel, we end up supporting the persecuting and ultimate elimination of all the Christians from the Holy Land. In fact, the Christians have always served as a kind of buffer between the Muslims and Jews. Both of these groups want to the completely eliminate the other from the land while only the Christians wish to see everyone peacefully co-exist. The sad truth is that the Christian presence in the Holy Land has greatly diminished in recent years. If something doesn’t change, there will no longer be Christians living in the land of Jesus. Pray for peace here, and really mean it.

 
Golden Gate Where the Messiah Will Return

As I right this blog tonight I’m writing for the last time from Jerusalem. I am currently sitting on the beautiful rooftop of the Notre Dame Center with a perfect breeze blowing through. The Dome of the Rock is right in front of me and I can see the shadowy outlines of the domes of the Holy Sepulcher. We’ve got a few more things to do in Jerusalem tomorrow, including Mass on Calvary, but then it will be time to say goodbye. We will be staying in a hotel in Tel Aviv for those not flying home at midnight tomorrow. Hopefully I will find some internet there. Happy Sunday and Happy Fathers’ Day to all those back home.

Holy Sepulcher from Our Roof

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The Tomb Where They Laid Jesus

Normally the Stations of the Cross end with the laying of the body of Jesus in the tomb. Today we got a most special opportunity. Our group was privileged to be chosen to celebrate the Latin Mass today with the Franciscan brothers. I got to consecrate the Eucharist on the very place where the body of Jesus was raised from the dead. All of the priests went into the tomb for the consecration and then beautifully came out again bringing our Risen Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. I couldn’t help but think of Jesus’ teaching about how a grain of wheat must be planted and die in order to give new life. We priests took ordinary bread and wine into the tomb of Christ, a place where the dead body of Jesus was “planted.” We came out carrying the Lord of life to nourish his people. The Mass was that of Easter morning and I can attest that it definitely felt like Easter.

New Light on the Empty Tomb of Christ

Today I was also blessed to discover something I was never able to see before in the Holy Sepulcher. I was in the sacristy before Mass and noticed on the wall a sword hanging in a box. After reading the inscription, I realized that this is the sword of Godfrey of Bouillon. He was the first crusader to breach the walls to reclaim Jerusalem in 1099. In addition to his sword they also have his spur and his famous cross. I was particularly drawn to this cross which has come to be known as the Cross of Jerusalem. Just before I left for the Holy Land, I received official word that I am to become a Knight of the Holy Sepulcher. This is a great honor that some of the current Knights petitioned for me and was then approved in Rome by the Holy See. The order originated with Godfrey and continues today to protect the Holy Land. Normally this means financial help. Priests can’t do much in the way of that, but I’d like to think that my being here and this blog is helping to promote the Holy Land. Hopefully all of you that are reading will realize how important it is to protect and preserve these special places where our Lord lived. Maybe you will be on the next pilgrimage. I pray that I will be a worthy knight with the faith and courage of Godfrey.

Relics of Godfrey of Bouillon

Just when you think things can’t get any better, Mike pulls another amazing special event. After fighting the zoo of pilgrims all day, tonight we had the opportunity to make a Eucharistic holy hour all by ourselves in the Church of All Nations. You may remember that this is the church in the Garden of Gethsemane. There we prayed and kept watch for an hour just as Jesus had asked the apostles to do. Jesus was right there on the altar, back in the Garden, offering himself for us in all his suffering. I felt I could almost see Jesus there on the rock and wanted to comfort him with my prayer.

The Rock of Agony

The Church of All Nations

We ended our holy hour and then got a treat I will never forget. The brother that cares for the church allowed us to enter the gate of the actual Garden of Gethsemane and walk around among the olive trees at night. Experts say that at least some of these trees may well be over 2000 years old. I thought looking at them from the outside during the day was amazing. Walking around the garden at night was an unforgettable experience. I almost felt like I was there the night Jesus was arrested. We began our day with the Good Friday procession, celebrated Easter at the empty tomb and then ended up back at Holy Thursday. It might not be the exact order of the Tridumm, but in 1 day today I experienced the 3 days in a powerful way for which I will always be grateful.

 
The Garden of Gethsemane at Night

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]]> http://www.shawnthebaptist.org/2012/06/the-three-days-in-one/feed/ 9 http://www.shawnthebaptist.org/2012/06/the-three-days-in-one/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/shawnthebaptist/blog/~3/fhvW90fDeSg/ http://www.shawnthebaptist.org/2012/06/holy-thursday-friday/#comments Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:34:39 +0000 Fr. Shawn P. Tunink http://www.shawnthebaptist.org/?p=1760 Although today is Friday, we spent the day retracing the footsteps of Jesus on Holy Thursday. We began our day in the Upper Room of the Last Supper known as the Cenacle. It’s amazing to think of the events that took place in this room. We are all familiar with the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Yet Jesus also instituted the priesthood as well as the Sacrament of Penance here, not to mention Pentecost and Confirmation. I found it especially moving as a priest to be in this room where the priesthood was born and where the Sacraments so connected with the priesthood were giving to us.

The Cenacle

The Scriptures tell us that after finishing the Last Supper in the Cenacle, Jesus and his apostles sang a hymn and then got on a bus and went across the Kidron Valley…no wait…no bus, but they did go across the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane. We followed this path of Jesus to the Church of All Nations…but we did actually use a bus.

The Church of All Nations

The Church of All Nations (built by donations from all over the world) is built on the site of Jesus’ Agony in the Garden. Outside the church is an enclosed area with olive trees, some of which are 2000 years old and would have been there on that fateful night as silent witnesses to the agony. The central focus inside the church is the Rock of Agony. It was here that Jesus prostrated himself and sweat blood as he courageously made the decision to abandon himself to the Father’s will and undergo his passion. Celebrating Mass at this rock was a very moving experience. Praise Jesus for what he did for our salvation.

The Rock of Agony

From the Church of All Nations we withdrew “about a stone’s throw” to the cave where Jesus left the apostles praying. It was here that they fell asleep and failed to pray as Jesus had instructed. Again and again we seem to be hit with the message that we need to pray. How important it is to spend time talking with the Lord to gain strength. This cave marks the spot where Jesus was arrested and taken to the high priest. May we all continue to persevere in prayer so as to avoid falling into the temptation of betraying Jesus as Judas did in this place.

   
Sleeping Apostles and the Cave of Gethsemane

Following the path Jesus would have taken after his arrest, this time we actually did walk right back to where we were on Mt. Zion to the house of Caiphas, the high priest. The church marking the spot is today called St. Peter in Gallicantu, or St. Peter at the Cock-crow. The courtyard of the high priest is of course where Peter denied Jesus and the cock crowed just as Jesus had foretold.

St. Peter in Gallicantu

I used the series of icons in the crypt church in my talk on confession that I gave on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The icons show Peter’s denial, his weeping bitterly, but then his reconciliation with Jesus after the resurrection on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The he power of confession is amazing. Peter has an incredible fall in denying Jesus, just as Judas did. The difference is that Peter got to be reconciled and Judas despaired. We ended out time at St. Peter’s by visiting the Sacred Pit in which Jesus was imprisoned on the night before he died. Thank God for his mercy and the chance to begin again.

The Conversion of St. Peter

Returning to Notre Dame we had our afternoon rest and evening meal and then headed down to the Western Wall for a special treat. Since tomorrow is Saturday, sunset today marks the beginning of the Sabbath or Shabbat as it is called here. Many of the Jews gather at the Western Wall to welcome Shabbat with prayers as well as music and dancing. We went down and watched. It was nice to see everyone having a good time as well as honoring God’s command of rest. We could use more of this. We’re getting up early tomorrow to make the Way of the Cross, so until then, Shabbat Shalom and Good Sabbath.

 
Beginning Shabbat at the Western Wall

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Mt. Tabor and the Church of the Transfiguration 

Despite having lived here for 3 months previously, there are still many places that I haven’t been. Today was a day I was really looking forward to because we were going to some new places for me, most importantly the site of the burial of St. John the Baptist. We don’t know for sure where John was buried, but tradition has long identified the place as Samaria, Herod’s capital of Israel. We visited the ruins of the church containing the original tomb of St. John. His body has since been moved and lost, but being at this spot was a very moving connection with my patron. I got to give a little talk about John and it was amazing to be some of the only pilgrims that ever come to this site. St. John the Baptist, pray for us.

 The Tomb of John the Baptist

The next site we visited was also new for me. In the city of Nablus one will find Jacob’s well. This is the famous well where Jesus had his encounter with the Samaritan woman. There is one priest who lives there who has taken care of the church for decades. He has personally painted all the icons on the walls of the church and it is truly magnificent. Check out all the pictures below.

Church of Jacob’s Well

Of course the highlight of the church of Jacob’s well is…well…the well. This site is actually fairly certain as wells tend not to get destroyed. We got to lower the bucket down and I can attest that the woman in the Scripture was correct; the well is indeed deep. We all got to drink from the well and pray that the life-giving water of God’s grace might increase in us.

Jacob’s Well

Finally it was time to make our ascent up to Jerusalem. Obviously this is a moment that most of us have been waiting for. We arrived in time for dinner at the Notre Dame center for Catholic pilgrims. I lived here for 5 weeks while in seminary and it was a little like coming home. The head waiter even remembered me from seminary. Wow! Unlike my previous visit during the winter, this evening is absolutely beautiful and I am currently sitting outside on the roof looking at the Dome of the Rock as I write these words. We made a quick trip to the Holy Sepulcher right before it closed just to show people the way. Tomorrow many of us will be heading down early to pray. Tonight we sleep in Jerusalem. Praise God, it is good to be back!

Dome of the Rock at Night

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1st Century Fishing Boat

While out on the sea we could get a better vantage point of all the cities that Jesus visited during his public ministry. We began from near Tabgah where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes. We then passed the Church of the Primacy of Peter and then stopped to park ourselves opposite the Mount of the Beatitudes.

From the Sea of Galilee 

While stopped, Mike gave us some great teaching on the public ministry of Jesus and helped to point out where all the cities were located. It was so nice to be able to put into perspective where Jesus would have walked and prayed. Basic things like how far it is between places became much more concrete. I especially enjoyed turning off the boat engine and just having some quiet time to pray and take it all in. Jesus would have no doubt taken time on the many boat rides with the apostles to teach them just the way we did.

Mount of Beatitudes from the Sea

The destination of our boat ride was the town in which Jesus made his home during his public ministry, the little town of Capernaum. St. Peter’s house was located in this town and it is likely that Jesus also made this his home in Capernaum. We had Mass right on the site where they lowered the paralytic through the roof into Peter’s house. The remains of the 4th century Byzantine church are clearly visible through the floor of the modern church.

Inside the Church of St. Peter

The Mass that we celebrated today was in honor of the Most Holy Eucharist because it was here in Capernaum that Jesus gave his famous discourse on the Bread of Life detailed in John chapter 6. I read the Gospel at the Mass and I was very moved by the last line. “This teaching Jesus gave while in the synagogue at Capernaum.” Some of the best kept remains in all Israel are the remains of the synagogue in Capernaum which was clearly visible through the window of the church. As I read the last line of the Gospel I almost wanted to change the words and point out the window, “This teaching Jesus gave…right over there!” I resisted, but it was a great moment. I prayed for a great increase in faith in the Eucharist, that we would be believing and not reject this teaching as many apparently did on that day 2000 years ago.

The Synagogue

We left Capernaum by bus, but I’ll never forget our beautiful boat ride. It’s easy to feel close to Jesus and the apostles traveling the same waters they did and hearing and smelling the same things. It also reminded me just how close together all these places are and what a small part of the world Jesus spent his life in. What a beautiful experience this morning.

Capernaum, The Home of Jesus

We interrupt this pilgrimage day for lunch…

  
St. Peter’s Fish – Before and…after 

After our afternoon rest and evening meal we headed back down to the sea for a very special event. One of the churches on the shore is known as the church of the Primacy of Peter. It is built on the spot where Jesus appeared to the apostles after the resurrection and had breakfast with them. Most famously, it is here where Jesus reconciled Peter after his three denials, allowing him three times to say how much he loved Jesus. Just as Peter was reconciled to Jesus on this spot, so we took the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation here.

Church of the Primacy of Peter 

I love to tell people about this spot because it was here that Peter got to hear personally from Jesus that he was forgiven. What if Peter never had this encounter with Jesus on the seashore? He might have gone the rest of his life embarrassed and doubting his relationship with Jesus. Instead, Jesus quickly heals him and prepares him to carry on his mission as “the Rock.” Confession is meant to do the same thing for us, to set us free from past guilt and fear and allow us to carry on our mission with new boldness and conviction. It was a moment in my priesthood tonight that I will never forget as I heard confessions right on this spot that I have so often talked about. Praise God for his beautiful mercy and the gift of the priesthood that allows us to hear his voice offering us his forgiveness.

Priests in Capernaum
Notice Father Tom Anxious to Grab the Power of the Keys from Peter

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Morning Prayer at the Sea of Galilee

After breakfast we boarded the buses and headed for Nazareth. On the way we stopped at the site of Jesus’ first miracle in Cana. It was here that Jesus was invited to a wedding along with Mary and the apostles. The main site in Cana is what is known as “The Wedding Church.” This special church marks the spot where Jesus changed the water into wine at that famous wedding 2000 years ago.

The Wedding Church at Cana

While at the Wedding Church I had the great blessing of helping many of the married couples with us renew their wedding vows. It was so beautiful to  see the faithfulness of these couples. Marriage and family is very much under attack in our culture and we need strong witnesses like this. Married couples are called to be a sacred sign to the world of the way that God loves us. It’s no surprise that such an important sacrament is under fire from the evil one. I pray that God may continue to bless all those called to the vocation of marriage. We prayed today especially for all those spouses at home that could not join on our pilgrimage.

Stone Water Jar Found at Cana
Now That’s a Lot of Wine

Leaving Cana we finally arrived in Nazareth, the town where Jesus lived for the first 30 years of his life. In the first century, Nazareth contained only about 150-200 people. We saw the excavations of many of these first century homes, most nothing more than caves for protection. Two of these houses have great significance for us. The first was the home of St. Joseph and eventually the home of the Holy Family. Here we heard a beautiful reflection on the life of St. Jospeh given by Troy followed by Holy Mass. Just as in Bethlehem where every day is Christmas, we celebrated today the Solemnity of the Annunciation in the very place where event happened.

St. Joseph and Jesus

After celebrating the Mass of the Annunciation, we when to visit the Church of the Annunciation. This large modern church is built right over the site of Mary’s original house in Nazareth. Upon entering we were all drawn to the little cave in the crypt where our Blessed Mother grew up and had the amazing encounter with the angle Gabriel. I prayed the first mystery of the Rosary in surrounded by the very stones which first heard these words from the mouth of Gabriel.

Mary’s House 

In yet another incredible gift of providence, we arrived at Mary’s house just as the Angelus bells were ringing at noon. For those unfamiliar, the Angelus is a prayer that recalls the encounter between Mary and Gabriel. It is normally prayed three times a day at 6, noon, and 6. To pray the Angelus right in the place where it all happened was beyond description. The thing that most struck me was when we came to the verse that reminds us that because of Mary’s yes, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” We say this prayer three times a day, but it really happened right here. In this little cave God became man. I couldn’t help but notice the inscription under the altar which reads simply, “The Word became flesh HERE.” What an amazing site this little cave is.

The Word Became Flesh Here

After lunch in Nazareth we headed back home for some much needed rest. I must say that it is quite a bit different being here in the summer heat verses the winter coolness of my last trip. After dinner, Mike had an adventure in store for us. We hiked down the Mount of Beatitudes where we are staying to a special cave built into the side of the mountain where tradition indicates that Jesus spent his time alone praying. This is the view that Jesus would have seen (I think I could pray better with a view like this too!)

View from the Cave of Jesus

One nice thing about the weather is that it gets much cooler in the evening. It was a nice hike down to the cave followed by a visit to the seashore. We visited the site where a waterfall enters the Sea of Galilee. It was here that the apostles would wash their nets after fishing and is also the place where Jesus called the first apostles. I prayed that many more people would say yes to God’s call the way Mary, St. Joseph and the Apostles did. Today was an amazing witness to the power of saying yes and remaining faithfully committed. If today had a theme, I would call it a day of faithfulness.

The City of Tiberias

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Note: Please notice that any of the pictures in my blog may be enlarged by clicking on them. Each post also contains a link at the bottom entitled “See More Pictures” that contains more of my pictures from the day hosted on a separate photo site. Be sure the check them out.

Shawn the Baptist at the Jordan River 

While at the baptism site, we recalled how this was also the place where the Israelites crossed over into the Promised Land. What an important boundary this little bit of water is. It marks the crossing from the wilderness to the land of promise as well as the crossing from death to life in baptism. Just as the Israelites had to renew their covenant with God after crossing the river, so we too renewed our baptismal promises. It was a very special moment that gave us all a new sense of purpose and commitment.

Fr. Brian Helps Us Renew Our Baptismal Promises
Note His Fancy Apergillium

Leaving the Jordan River we entered the oldest city in the world, Jericho. It has been continuously inhabited for at least 10,000 years. It is also the lowest city on earth by elevation. The main highlight of our visit here was to make the climb up to the Temptation Monastery. It is built right into the side of the cliff overlooking Jericho. It marks the spot where Jesus spent his 40 days and nights being tempted by the devil. It was very hot and we all certainly got our exercise. Even though you ride a cable car most of the way up, there are still 200 stairs to climb. While there, Mike reminded us that the key to overcoming temptation is to be committed to meditation. We cannot overcome temptation on our own, but by remaining in union with God, he will deliver us from the test.

  
Mt. of the Temptation Monastery

Our final trek was north to the Galilee where will be spending the next three days. It was so wonderful to see the Sea of Galilee again. We are actually staying inside the walls at the Church of the Beatitudes on top of the mountain overlooking the sea. You might doubt the location of some places in the Holy Land, but there is no doubt that the Sea of Galilee is still right where it was 2000 years ago.

The Sea of Galilee 

We ended our day by celebrating Mass outside the front of the church as it was much too warm inside. I got to give the homily and it just so happened that today’s Gospel from Mass was on the Beatitudes from the Gospel of Matthew. You can’t ask for a more obvious blessing of Divine Providence. It was wonderful to read and preach on these 9 keys to be blessed right in the place where Jesus spoke these words. We are truly blessed. We don’t have to wait for heaven to be blessed, but we are blessed right here and now, even if our circumstances might seem otherwise. I pray all of you at home enjoy a blessed day.

Our Mass at the Church of the Beatitudes

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Church of the Visitation

After visiting the Church of the Visitation which contains the well where Mary and Elizabeth met, we went across the street to the Birthplace of John the Baptist. I got the opportunity to lead a reflection on the life of this great saint. I focused particularly on the prayer of Zechariah and how we was able to place the birth of John in the perfect context of salvation history. I pray that the Holy Land will help us all to experience the great physical context in which the stories of the Bible take place. It is so important that we know our story.

Birthplace of John the Baptist 

We then moved on to one of the highlights of any pilgrimage to the Holy Land; we visited the Church of the Nativity and reverenced the birthplace of Jesus. I was wonderful to be able to celebrate Mass in St. Catherine’s Church on the site and then to visit the cave where Jesus was born. For Mass we celebrated the Mass of Christmas as every day is Christmas here in Bethlehem. I was particularly moved by the places in the Missal where the texts had been slightly changed, often adding the word “HERE” in many places to emphasize that the events spoken of at that first Christmas are all true and they took place right “HERE.”

Birthplace of Jesus 

After all the busyness of Manger Square and the rest of the city of Bethlehem, we headed slightly outside of town to one of my favorite places in Bethlehem, the Shepherd’s Fields. These are the same fields where the shepherds first received the news of our Savior’s birth. Unlike when I was here previously in the winter, today there were many sheep out in the fields. It was very peaceful and wonderful to imagine the multitude of angels that would have filled the sky one special night 2000 years ago.

The Shepherds’ Fields 

As the star marking the place of the Savior’s birth reminds us, “Here of the Virgin Mary Jesus Christ Was Born.” What a blessing to be present “here” for this special time. Tomorrow we’re off to Galilee.

Star Marking Birthplace of Jesus 

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We made it! The rest of the group arrived earlier and are waiting for us at the hotel in Bethlehem. We are currently on the bus from the airport going “Up to Jerusalem.” The Scriptures always speak of going “up” to Jerusalem because it is located on top of a mountain.

Bethlehem is only about 4 miles to the south of Jerusalem, so we are going “up” just as Jesus and the apostles did. Of course Jesus never had a nice air conditioned bus, but other than that we’re just like Jesus.

Now, we’re looking forward to dinner and some rest. Tomorrow we set out for the site of the Visitation. Thanks for all the prayers. Praise God, we are here.

Here’s a happy picture of New York from the way in this afternoon. Unfortunately, it looks much darker now, but I’m still looking at New York. We’ve been having a maintenance issue with the plane and we’ve already fixed it once and then come back. It looks like we should go soon.

If someone told you the flight to the Holy Land was 15 hours instead of 10, people would still go. You could just look at this as 4 to 5 hours of the smoothest flight imaginable. No turbulence on the ground!

Tomorrow…make that “today”…in Jerusalem, er Bethlehem. You get it. Just pray. We know it will turn out for the best.

Flight Aware JFK to Tel Aviv

Greetings pilgrims! We’re all pilgrims of course, but special greetings from 86 of us on our way to the Holy Land. It’s high noon and we’re currently 37,000 feet high on our way to New York. I will be your official blogger and electronic tour guide. I look forward to bringing everyone back home a little closer to the holy places and proving a bit of a journal to reminisce after our return home. My camera and iPad are at your service. Feel free to interact by leaving comments and letting me know if you have any questions or want pictures/video of anything in particular.

Here’s some live flight info for you:

God is love. We hear that a lot, but somehow it seems like we need more than just that line. Augustine famously described the love of God as a communion of love that necessarily had to involve more than one person. Lover, beloved, and love are the titles he used. This can help us understand a bit more about the Trinity.

Blessed Pope John Paul II took the understanding of Augustine regarding the Trinity and applied especially to the family. Our God is not a solitary God, but rather a family of persons. We on earth are called to image this love in our families. This is why the Church takes marriage so seriously. Our families are a most precious gift by which can come to know a little bit more about the love of God, even if we do it imperfectly here due to sin. May God bless all families in the mission to be a reflection of the love of the Trinity.

In today’s first reading, the Holy Spirit is described as a “strong driving wind.” We’re all familiar here in Kansas with just how powerful the wind can be. It can literally push you…or your house…over. On Pentecost, the Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit was a force like this. If we look at our lives, what drives us? Is it the Holy Spirit? Perhaps we’re driven by a lot of the things that St. Paul mentions in our second reading…immorality, lust and the like.

The Holy Spirit is also described as being fire. Fire can be destructive but also purifying. If we are driven more by the spirit of the world than the Holy Spirit, then maybe we could use a little purification from the Spirit. Renewing the face of the earth is a big task, but it starts on person at a time. Don’t be afraid to unlock the doors and let the Holy Spirit start driving.

Today is the 4th anniversary of my ordination as a priest. In honor of this occasion, I received a rather unique gift. Some of my parishioners commissioned an artist to design a coat of arms for me. While Popes and bishops are required to make use of arms, it is optional for the rest of the clergy. Like bishops, however, there are official rules for how a priest’s coat of arms are designed. The primary symbol is the black hat (galero) with the two tassels.

For the elements on the shield (called “charges”) I worked with the artist to create something meaningful and that people might recognize as belonging to me. My first thought was of course to honor my patron St. John the Baptist. For this I thought of a river. It just so happens that the coat of arms for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has a river. I therefore decided to borrow the symbols from the archdiocesan arms. This is especially fitting since the tower by the river represents Ft. Leavenworth and I was born in Leavenworth.

The tower in my arms therefore evokes my place of birth, but also primarily the Church. Notice that the way to enter is through the gate with a keystone and 12 smaller stones. The defense of the top of the tower is marked by 4 large stones representing the 4 evangelists. Notice also that one must cross the river (baptism) to enter the church (through Jesus and the apostles). The strong tower by the river could also signify St. John standing strongly by the river and the tower is also often used as an image of Our Lady.

Those who know me will have no difficulty with the thuribles. I love the Sacred Liturgy and don’t mind some Holy Smoke every now and then. Together they represent Divine Worship and our prayer rising up to God, as well as liturgy in general.

Finally, the motto underneath is the famous line of St. Philip to Jesus, “Show us the Father” (Ostende Nobis Patrem). St. Philip is my secondary patron and the saint who put the “P” in Shawn P. Tunink. I love St. Philip’s request because when he finally gets up the courage to ask Jesus for exactly what he wants, the thing he most wants is to see God, the beatific vision. Now, Jesus kind of had to correct him a little bit, but I like that too. It shows humility and that we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for what we want, even if we don’t get it perfectly right.

The motto also expresses a prayer for a renewal of fatherhood in our world. More than ever today we need strong and holy fathers. There is truly only one Father, Our Father in heaven. If I, or any other man, am to be called father, it must be my mission to show others “The Father.”

The official description (called a blazon) and explanation follow. Much thanks to Fr. Guy Selvester for his great talent in designing these arms and to my parishioners for a perfect anniversary gift.

Blazon and Explanation

of the

Armorial Bearings of

Rev. Fr. Shawn P. Tunink

BLAZON: Gules between two thuribles Or with smoke emanating from them Argent, a tower embattled with an open portal composed of twelve stones and a capstone Or; in base a barrulet wavy Argent.

EXPLANATION: The armorial bearings of Fr. Shawn P. Tunink reflect the local Church to which he belongs, his baptismal patrons, and his love of the Sacred Liturgy. The field is colored red; a color often associated with Divinity and with the Holy Spirit as a way of expressing the desire that all the endeavors undertaken by this armiger have God at their source. The gold tower is symbolic of the Church. Its open gate is composed of a keystone and 12 smaller stones signifying Jesus and the 12 apostles. The river below the tower, which one must cross to enter, alludes to Baptism and the bearer’s primary patron, St. John the Baptist. The tower and the river together are borrowed from the coat of arms of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas in which the bearer is incardinated as a priest. Therein the tower and the river represent Fort Leavenworth, the bearer’s place of birth, and the Missouri River. The two smoking thuribles, evoke the incense used in divine worship as a sign of our prayers rising up to God and being pleasing in His presence, and allude to the bearer’s love of prayer and the Church’s Sacred Liturgy.

The shield is ensigned with the black galero of a priest, with black cords terminating in two black tassels in accord with the ancient custom of the Church and the decrees of the Holy See. The motto appears below the shield on a scroll saying, “Ostende Nobis Patrem” (show us the Father). This phrase, uttered by St. Philip, expresses the desire to see God and is very meaningful to the bearer as St. Philip is his secondary baptismal patron.

The armorial bearings of Fr. Shawn P. Tunink were designed and emblazoned by the Very Rev. Guy W. Selvester, a priest of the Diocese of Metuchen, NJ.

When Jesus ascended to heaven, he did not abandon his apostles. Rather he becomes present in a new and even more powerful way. The divine assistance he gives from heaven will be all the more necessary considering the mission he has given them. He tells them to go to the ends of the earth preaching the Gospel. Their mission is the make the Church “universal” or, in the Greek, Catholic. Today the Church does exist even to the ends of the world. We must carry out this same mission. The good news is that we are not alone. Jesus is with us as well.

In 1967, the theologians Lennon and McCartney pronounced their famous dogma, “All you need is love.” It sounds so simple and peaceful. Yet, as another later theologian (and Eurodance phenom) Haddaway asked in 1993, “What is love?” We use the word love to refer to a lot of different things. I “love” everything from my dog, to pizza, to my spouse, to God. Using the same word to refer to such different things has indeed created confusion.

Fortunately, in the original languages of the Bible, there is actually more than just one word to talk about all these different kinds of “love.” Today’s homily focuses on 3 of those words from the original Greek of the Bible: eros, philos, and agape. If you understand the distinctions between these three, then maybe Lennon and McCartney were right.

To the Bishop Miege High School class of 2012. Congratulations on your achievements. Having finished your finals and passed all your classes, it is clear that you know a lot about a lot of things. However, as you leave Bishop Miege, here are just three more things that I hope you will know.

Jesus tells us today that our mission is to go and bear fruit, much fruit. Yet, in order to achieve this mission he reminds us that we have got to stay connected to him, as branches on a vine. Notice that remaining connected to Jesus, the vine, also means that we must stay connected to all the other branches. We need all those branches. To be united in Jesus is to become a family. This is what we see in the Acts of the Apostles and this is what we are called to be today. It’s more challenging with a couple billion of us, but we are truly all brothers and sisters, united in our connection to Jesus.

Today we hear the beautiful story of the Good Shepherd. We probably don’t think much about it, but this means that Jesus is calling us sheep. What kind of sheep do we think we are? We normally picture sheep as being cute and fuzzy, like Binkles my little stuffed sheep. Today’s homily reveals the true story…the dark side if you will…of sheep. On this World Day of Prayer for Vocations let us give thanks for our shepherds. Let’s be the kind of sheep we normally picture in our minds. Let’s all do our best to “Be Like Binkles.”

The following homily was given at the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas

What a contrast we see between Peter and the apostles before Pentecost and then the radical change afterward. They get such courage from the Holy Spirit. They are a great example for how each of us is called to give our testimony about Jesus. Peter boldly proclaims, “We are witnesses.” The Greek word here is martyroi…”martyrs” in English. We shouldn’t expect it to be easy to preach the good news about Jesus. Yet, if we really know what good news it is, then nothing should hold us back. We too are called to be His witnesses.

“He saw and believed,” is says of St. John in today’s Gospel. What did he see that caused him to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead? What evidence is there for the resurrection? If you go to Jerusalem you can see the same thing that John saw on that first Easter…an empty tomb. Something about the empty tomb touched the faith of St. John that allowed him to believe. Why do we believe? What evidence do we have? Probably many of us can describe an experience when we have in fact encountered Jesus. Our challenge this Easter is to go share the good news. Other people need to know about Jesus. We are called to be witnesses; we are called to be living evidence of the resurrection.

This day marks the most tragic event in the history of the world. God loved us so much that he came in person to show us his love…and we killed him. Yet, as Jesus hung dying on the cross he prayed, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.” If we realize today how much we need God’s mercy and are willing to change our lives to put God first, then we will have something to celebrate tomorrow night. If we are willing to ask for forgiveness then we can even dare to call this darkest of days…good.

This evening we sing an ancient hymn composed by St. Thomas Aquinas for the Mass of Corpus Christi in the 13th century. While most people will probably never read much of the volumes of theology he wrote, almost everyone is familiar with the words of his famous chant, Pange Lingua. We use the last two verses which begin with the wordsTantum Ergo in the liturgy of Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Tonight this chant serves to accompany the procession at the end of Mass whereby we spiritually follow Jesus as he leaves the upper room and goes to the Garden of Gethsemane. Tonight we sing of his glorious body and receive that same body through the gift of the Eucharist. Tonight we are Jesus’ “chosen band.”

Sing, my tongue, the Savior’s glory,
of His flesh the mystery sing;
of the Blood, all price exceeding,
shed by our immortal King,
destined, for the world’s redemption,
from a noble womb to spring.

Of a pure and spotless Virgin
born for us on earth below,
He, as Man, with man conversing,
stayed, the seeds of truth to sow;
then He closed in solemn order
wondrously His life of woe.

On the night of that Last Supper,
seated with His chosen band,
He the Pascal victim eating,
first fulfills the Law’s command;
then as Food to His Apostles
gives Himself with His own hand.

Word-made-Flesh, the bread of nature
by His word to Flesh He turns;
wine into His Blood He changes;
what though sense no change discerns?
Only be the heart in earnest,
faith her lesson quickly learns.

Down in adoration falling,
This great Sacrament we hail,
Over ancient forms of worship
Newer rites of grace prevail;
Faith will tell us Christ is present,
When our human senses fail.

To the everlasting Father,
And the Son who made us free
And the Spirit, God proceeding
From them Each eternally,
Be salvation, honor, blessing,
Might and endless majesty.

How quickly on this Palm Sunday the cries of the crowd change from “Hosanna” to “Crucify Him.” It is a reminder to all of us that our faith can be very weak at times. All seems well in a moment of triumph, but then a moment of weakness finds us abandoning God. We need to strengthen our faith, to “keep watch and pray.” This week has been given to us as just such a time. This week we recall the greatest mysteries at the center of our Christian faith. It is a week to be set apart gaining spiritual strength and love. A week we simply call “holy.”

In the first reading today, the prophet Jeremiah foretells that soon God will do something new. He will make a “new covenant” with his people. If we really want to grow in holiness, we have to be open to God working in new ways in our life. This may mean getting out of our comfort zone and trying something new. Ultimately God wants everything from us, our entire life. Yet, he does not ask for it all at once. He gives us little opportunities to say yes to him everyday. If we give God just a little to start with, like a small grain of wheat, God will allow us to bear fruit abundantly.

By the end of Jesus’ public ministry, perhaps people had gotten used to the way he worked, even in his miracles. If someone was sick, or lame, or blind, you bring them to Jesus and he will heal them. As miraculous as that sounds, it had become somewhat commonplace with Jesus. Perhaps that is why in today’s Gospel Jesus does something so unexpected. He wants to stretch his disciples and show them that he is victorious not just over sickness and suffering, but over death itself.

Perhaps it seems strange that we as Christians would use the cross with such pride, that we carry it as a banner of victory. On the cross Jesus looks like he’s been through war and looks defeated. Yet we know this is not the end of the story. Jesus indeed fought and died for the price of our freedom, but his death brought life to the world. If we follow Jesus, we must take up our cross. When we do, we shouldn’t be so surprised that we will end up looking like him, as though we’ve been through war. May we fight well this earthly battle that we may indeed share in the victory to come.

Our catechumens received a new title at the beginning of Lent. They are now known as the elect. The work elect means to chose and these men and women have been chosen for baptism this Easter. All of us should reflect on how special it is that God has chosen us. The gift given us in baptism is even more radical than if we were blind from birth and all the sudden could see like the man in the Gospel. In our baptism we were called from a life of darkness to walk in the light. May all of us use this Lent to strengthen this most important commitment of our baptism.

A human being is full of desires. These were put there by God. Yet they are not ends in themselves. God’s plan is to lead us by our desires to him. In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the ordinary thirst of a Samaritan woman to lead her to life-giving water in the spiritual life. Where are our desires leading us? Are they perhaps out of control? Lent is a great time to reorder our desires toward God, the only one who can truly fill us.

Have you taken time lately to look at the owner’s manual for your car? You might be surprised to find a few new features there. God has also given us a spiritual owner’s manual for our lives. In it are many rules that tell us what we need to do in order to live life to the fullest. Do we take time to look over our spiritual owner’s manual? Or do we rather think that God’s rules are impositions that restrict our freedom? Today’s homily explores why we should instead see God’s rules as fatherly instructions for our happiness.

Archbishop Naumann is currently in Rome along with the bishops of KS, MO, IA and NE for the “ad limina” visit required of bishops every 5 years. This morning, Pope Benedict delivered to following address to them regarding the crisis of marriage and family in our country.

“In this talk I would like to discuss … the contemporary crisis of marriage and the family, and, more generally, of the Christian vision of human sexuality. It is in fact increasingly evident that a weakened appreciation of the indissolubility of the marriage covenant, and the widespread rejection of a responsible, mature sexual ethic grounded in the practice of chastity, have led to grave societal problems bearing an immense human and economic cost”.

“In this regard, particular mention must be made of the powerful political and cultural currents seeking to alter the legal definition of marriage. The Church’s conscientious effort to resist this pressure calls for a reasoned defence of marriage as a natural institution consisting of a specific communion of persons, essentially rooted in the complementarity of the sexes and oriented to procreation. Sexual differences cannot be dismissed as irrelevant to the definition of marriage. Defending the institution of marriage as a social reality is ultimately a question of justice, since it entails safeguarding the good of the entire human community and the rights of parents and children alike.

“In our conversations, some of you have pointed with concern to the growing difficulties encountered in communicating the Church’s teaching on marriage and the family in its integrity, and to a decrease in the number of young people who approach the Sacrament of Matrimony. Certainly we must acknowledge deficiencies in the catechesis of recent decades, which failed at times to communicate the rich heritage of Catholic teaching on marriage as a natural institution elevated by Christ to the dignity of a Sacrament, the vocation of Christian spouses in society and in the Church, and the practice of marital chastity”.

“On the practical level, marriage preparation programmes must be carefully reviewed to ensure that there is greater concentration on their catechetical component and their presentation of the social and ecclesial responsibilities entailed by Christian marriage. In this context we cannot overlook the serious pastoral problem presented by the widespread practice of cohabitation, often by couples who seem unaware that it is gravely sinful, not to mention damaging to the stability of society. I encourage your efforts to develop clear pastoral and liturgical norms for the worthy celebration of matrimony which embody an unambiguous witness to the objective demands of Christian morality, while showing sensitivity and concern for young couples”.

“In this great pastoral effort there is an urgent need for the entire Christian community to recover an appreciation of the virtue of chastity. … It is not merely a question of presenting arguments, but of appealing to an integrated, consistent and uplifting vision of human sexuality. The richness of this vision is more sound and appealing than the permissive ideologies exalted in some quarters; these in fact constitute a powerful and destructive form of counter-catechesis for the young. … Chastity, as the Catechism reminds us, involves an ongoing “apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human freedom”. In a society which increasingly tends to misunderstand and even ridicule this essential dimension of Christian teaching, young people need to be reassured that “if we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, absolutely nothing, of what makes life free, beautiful and great”.

“Let me conclude by recalling that all our efforts in this area are ultimately concerned with the good of children, who have a fundamental right to grow up with a healthy understanding of sexuality and its proper place in human relationships. Children are the greatest treasure and the future of every society: truly caring for them means recognising our responsibility to teach, defend and live the moral virtues which are the key to human fulfilment. It is my hope that the Church in the United States, however chastened by the events of the past decade, will persevere in its historic mission of educating the young and thus contribute to the consolidation of that sound family life which is the surest guarantee of intergenerational solidarity and the health of society as a whole”.

Today Jesus gives his apostles a special glimpse of who he really is. Standing in the presence of the transfigured Christ with Moses and Elijah bearing witness the apostles know for sure that Jesus is God. Were we there we would indeed exclaim with Peter, “It is good that we are here!” Yet, they cannot stay on top of the mountain. Live is not live always on top of a mountain. Today’s homily explores how to manage the peaks…and valleys…of our life.

There’s going to be a test at the end of Lent, and it’s not going to be about whether you managed to avoid dessert for 40 days. The test has six questions and you have to get all six right in order to pass. The good news is that today’s homily gives you not only the questions, but also the answers.

On Easter, the priest is going to ask us to renew the promises of our Baptism. Do we even know what those promises are? Do we know why they’re important? If someone asked you the question, “Are you saved?” would you be able to answer? Today’s homily will steer you safely through Lent and onto getting an A+ on the test this Easter.

If we saw a man like in today’s Gospel who couldn’t walk or even move we would probably recognize that this person was in a very serious and sad condition. When Jesus encounters this man in the Gospel, he too recognizes a serious illness that needs healing, but not the one that we would automatically think of. Jesus looks right past the fact that the man is physically paralyzed, and instead sees that, even more seriously, he is spiritually paralyzed. The man is stuck in sin.

Jesus shows us that spiritual sickness is far more serious than any physical sickness. As we begin Lent this week, are there ways in which we are spiritually paralyzed?  Let’s all pray that this Lent we can make a good confession, take on some spiritual discipline, and hear those beautiful words of Jesus, “Your sins are forgiven…rise and walk.”

This week we celebrate the ongoing legacy of a system of education that has been handed on to us as a treasured gift from past generations. Our Catholic schools continue to exist for one reason: to pass on the faith. This begins with outstanding teachers who form the minds of young Catholics in our great Tradition. Yet, intellectual knowledge of the faith is not enough. In a real sense, the faith cannot just be handed on; it must be caught anew by each generation. Our Catholic schools provide a wonderful environment for the Holy Spirit to work powerfully in our students. May God bless our dedicated educators as they work tirelessly to not only inform, but truly transform the lives of our children.

People are often confused by the meaning of celibacy practiced by those in religious life. Sometimes people think that priests are celibate because it gives them more time to devote to ministry. Sadly, sometimes people might assume that marriage is less holy than priesthood. Neither are the real reason for the celibate vocation. Rather, the celibate person serves as a prophetic witness to the reality of heaven.

Marriage and family are good, holy even. Celibacy is a sacrifice precisely because the priest or religious gives up something good. Yet, as good as this life is, it is not the greatest good. The celibate person is meant to be a sign reminding us of heaven. In heaven there is no marriage because it is as though we are all married to God. That relationship of love with God is so real that celibates forgo the early sign of marriage to point to the reality of the heavenly marriage awaiting us.

So, never feel sorry for your priests or religious, or wish for them to be married. We freely and joyful choose to give our lives completely to God. Pray that we may be good prophetic signs that point people to heaven.

Today we rejoice in the manifestation of the Jesus to world, symbolized by the arrival of the “magi” in Bethlehem. The journey of the magi began long before Christmas. In them we can find a model for our Christian journey. Through the light of reason alone, interpreting the stars, the magi know that something special has happened and they follow the star. Needing more than just reason, they receive the last piece of the puzzle from God’s chosen people and form the Scriptures. This leads them to a personal encounter with Jesus in Bethlehem.

Our lives are meant to follow this example. What signs is God giving us? Are we following and using all the tools available in the Church and Sacred Scripture? Have we had a personal encounter with Jesus? Hopefully we can say yes to these things. However, one more thing remains. The Gospel says that after encountering Christ, the magi return by “another way.” We too must follow another way after meeting Jesus. May this new year be a time when each of us encounters Jesus in a new way and follows him more closely.

We might think of Mary’s title “Mother of God” as saying something about Mary. Some even think that the title is too exalted for a mere creature, even the greatest of creatures such as Mary. Yet this title is important not so much for what it say about Mary, but rather what it says about the baby the Mary gave birth to in Bethlehem. Mary’s title answers the famous question in the Christmas carol, “What Child is This?”

Mary’s child is God. If we refuse to admit that Mary is “Mother of God” then we end up saying that Jesus was not God when he was born. The truth is that Mary gave birth to Jesus and Jesus is God. The title “Mother of God” is therefore not so much about Mary, but rather reminds us that this child born of the Virgin Mary is truly God in the flesh. This is what we celebrate at Christmas and this is why we honor Mary today.

In the classic Peanuts show “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” Charlie Brown famously asks, “Can anyone tell me what Christmas is all about?” His friend Linus then proceeds to give perhaps the most famous reading of St. Luke’s Gospel account of the birth of Jesus. St. John has his own version of the story, what one might call the “advanced” version of the Christmas story. John tells us, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” He also says beautifully that “The light shown in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”

The truth is that there remains much darkness in all of our lives. It is precisely to this situation that Jesus came and continues to come. God did not abandon the world 2000 years ago and he has not left us alone either. God has been and always will be with us. In times of darkness, the light shines all the brighter. In whatever situation we find ourselves this Christmas, God comes to us just as he did in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. This light brings us great hope, and that’s what Christmas is really all about.

The opening scene of today’s gospel is filled with names of people and places that readily evoke the expectation of Christmas: Gabriel, Nazareth, Joseph, Mary… Yet, the name that would most stick out to a Jew at the time of Jesus would have been that of David. God had promised that a king of the line of David would rule over his people forever. Exile and destruction had left many questioning if God had forgotten his promise. The family tree of David seemed to be annihilated, that is until the angel Gabriel brings good news to the a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph of the House of David.

Has it been a while since you’ve been to confession? Maybe you’re worried or just reluctant to go because you feel you don’t know how to go confession. This weekend’s homily provides some practical tips and an explanation of the basics of making a good confession.

Advent is a time filled with many treasured symbols: the Advent wreath, the Christmas tree, favorite foods and songs. In today’s homily I introduce my favorite Advent symbol: the orange construction cone. At first it may seem like an unlikely symbol for such a peaceful season, but if you look at the readings today, they’re all about road construction. Isaiah says plainly that our job this Advent is to build a highway for God.

How’s you’re road to God looking these days? Have you patched so many potholes that it looks more like a mine field? This Advent God invites us to put a big “under construction” sign out. We’ve got to do the hard work of repairing our road/lives through some spiritual resurfacing. No one likes construction while it’s going on, but there’s nothing nicer than a brand new road. The Sacrament of Penance is our chance to resurface our road and start over.

Finally, the season of Advent is one that can easily get out of control is we’re not careful. If we follow the wisdom of society we will wind up being very busy and arrive at Christmas exhausted and glad it’s over. To avoid this we need to slow down. Picture that construction worker on the side of the road with his big orange “SLOW” sign. Consider it a sign from God this Advent. Slow down, take time for prayer and quiet, and think of the beautiful new road God has planned just as soon as you get through this construction zone.

Jesus tells us over and over in the Gospel today to “watch.” This is our attitude for the season of Advent. Just as the new translation of the Mass is causing us to have to watch carefully the words we use and pay attention, so we are meant to pay closer attention to our spiritual lives this Advent. This watchfulness of Advent is not a passive sitting back. Rather, the collect of today’s Mass prays that we will have “the resolve to run forth” to meet Christ at his coming.

Advent recognizes two comings of Christ. The obvious one is the coming of Jesus at Christmas. Yet, these first weeks of Advent urge us to prepare for a more important coming, the return of Jesus in Glory. This anxious expectation gives Advent and the Mass a sense of direction. We are not sitting around idle waiting, rather we are on a mission. May this season of Advent increase our resolve and an eagerness to welcome Christ at his coming.

Like a pop quiz or a thief in the night, Jesus will return. The good news is that we know the questions that are on the test. We even know the answers. In the evening of life we will be judged on our love. How well did we care for the least of those among us? How well did we use the gifts God gave us? That is the emphasis of today’s Gospel. God has given each of us special gifts according to our ability and each of us is called to greatness. Let’s resolve not to compare ourselves to others but to do the best we can with the talents we have been given. If we do that, we will hear at the end of our life, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Paul uses the language of sleep to describe death. This makes death sound so temporary and indeed it is. The early Church had seen firsthand how Jesus could raise someone from the dead. They had experienced the resurrection of Jesus, a word literally meaning “to get up again.” It is not surprising then that the Christians refused the pagan practice of cremating the remains of those who had died. Instead they created large underground cemeteries such as the catacombs in Rome. There they placed the bodies of their loved ones awaiting that great day of awakening. This weekend’s homily explores the Church’s traditions regarding care of the body after death and explains what the Church really teaches about cremation.