Sunday - August 26th - Homily - We need to have faith too.

I am going to start posting the homilies that I give at St Teresa's here.  I hope they are beneficial.

21^st Sunday – Cycle B                                                                                 Deacon Michael Leach

Jos 24:1-2A, 15-17, 18B  * PS 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21 * EPH 5:21-32      * JN 6:60-69

In the first reading, we see Joshua gathering up the elders and leaders.  He is reminding them of who God is and what the Lord has done from them.  He tells them all to make a choice of who they will follow, the false gods of their fathers or Yahweh.  Joshua’s answer, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”.   Joshua had faith, we need to have faith too.

The psalmist encourages us to, “Bless the Lord at all times”.  It is easy to do when we feel particularly blessed, but not as easy when we feel abandoned or scared or angry.  I remember one day I was feeling angry about a situation that was out of my control.  I was sharing this with a friend and his response was, “Praise be to God”.  Praise be to God.  This phrase, at that particular moment caught me off guard.  He knew it did and then he reminded me that we should bless the Lord at all times.  Another verse from the same psalm says, “When the just cry out, the Lord hears them and from all their distress he rescues them”.  We need to have faith.

Our second reading, which came from Ephesians, is one of my favorites.  Not so much about wives being subordinate to husbands and husbands loving their wives as Christ loves the Church, but the last part of the reading.  “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”.  How can two become one flesh?  We need to have faith.

We now come to the Gospel of John and the conclusion of the Bread of Life Discourse.  For the past 6 weeks the Church has lead us through this chapter, which goes to show how important it is in the life of the Church and how important it should be in our lives as well.

The followers of Jesus had seen with their own eyes the miracles that Jesus did.  They knew that he was the messiah, the anointed one.  But Jesus was telling them something that was hard to hear.  They must eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, or they would not have life within them.  How is this possible? This was too hard for them and they walked away.  Notice that Jesus did not call them back because they misunderstood him.  There are a few times in the gospels where Jesus is teaching and people misunderstand him.  He stops them and corrects their mis-understanding, but not this time.  He does not call them back and say, “I was just speaking metaphorically” or “I did not mean it that way”.  No.  Jesus said over and over again, “My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink”. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him”.  How is this possible?  We need to have faith.

Jesus’ words were true.  The followers who left did not trust that it was possible.  Jesus asked the twelve apostles if they were going to leave also, and Peter says, “Master, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.”  The apostles did not have it all figured out but through faith, they knew that Jesus was right, and their faith was confirmed at the Last Supper, when Jesus gathered the disciples in the upper room to celebrate the Passover.  Jesus took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body”.  IS my body.  Not a representation of my body.  Not a symbol of my body.  This is my body, which will be given for you.   In Saint Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he says that, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes”.  Does that sound a little familiar?  In just a few minutes we will continue this tradition.

But before that, I want to jump back up to our 2^nd reading for a moment.  “And the two shall become one flesh”.  A man and a woman come together, before God and witnesses and ask to be wed, to be joined together in holy matrimony.  Now picture this…  Christ is the bridegroom and the Church is the bride.  Two shall become one flesh.  When we share in the communion meal, we, in a real and tangible way, take Jesus into our selves.  Jesus becomes part of us, and we become part of Jesus.  Two shall become one flesh.  We need to have faith.

We need to know with all of our very being that, when we leave this building we take Jesus with us as we go.  We are sent out on a mission to be Jesus to others and to see Jesus in those we encounter.  

It’s the old things that startle and intoxicate

I ran across a website by Matthew Warner and read a post that has captured my attention and I would like to share it with you.  The link to the post can be found here.

It’s the old things that startle and intoxicate

To each man one soul only is given; to each soul only is given a little power — the power at some moments to outgrow and swallow up the stars.

If age after age that power comes upon men, whatever gives it to them is great. Whatever makes men feel old is mean — an empire or a skin-flint shop. Whatever makes men feel young is great — a great war or a love-story. And in the darkest of the books of God there is written a truth that is also a riddle.

It is of the new things that men tire — of fashions and proposals and improvements and change. It is the old things that startle and intoxicate. It is the old things that are young.

There is no skeptic who does not feel that many have doubted before. There is no rich and fickle man who does not feel that all his novelties are ancient. There is no worshipper of change who does not feel upon his neck the vast weight of the weariness of the universe. But we who do the old things are fed by nature with a perpetual infancy. No man who is in love thinks that any one has been in love before. No woman who has a child thinks that there have been such things as children.

G.K. Chesterton, The Napoleon of Notting Hill

Mother's Dictionary of Meanings

The following came from the monthly newsletter from Knights of Columbus council 3607 called The Lance.  I thought it was worth posting… enjoy

Mother's Dictionary of Meanings

Dumbwaiter:   One who asks if the kids would care to order dessert.

Feedback:    The inevitable result when the baby doesn't appreciate the strained carrots.

Full Name:   What you call your child when you're mad at him.

Grandparents:   The people who think your children are wonderful even though they're sure you're not raising them right.

Hearsay:    What toddlers do when anyone mutters a dirty word.

Independent:    How we want our children to be for as long as they do everything we say.

Puddle:    A small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes into it.

Show Off:   A child who is more talented than yours.

Sterilize:   What you do to your first baby's pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby's pacifier by blowing on it and wiping it with saliva.

Top Bunk:   Where you should never put a child wearing Superman jammies.

Two-Minute Warning:   When the baby's face turns red and she begins to make those familiar-grunting noises.

Whodunit:   None of the kids that live in your house.

The Wisdom of Children

The following was taken from a publication called The Lance, which produced by the Knights of Columbus Council 3607.

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The Wisdom of Children: 

Mr. Goldblatt," announced little Joey, "there's 

something' I can't figger out." "What's that Joey?" 

asked Goldblatt. 

"Well according' to the Bible, the Children of Israel 

crossed the Red Sea, right?" 

"Right." 

"An' the Children of Israel beat up the Philistines, 

right?" 

"Er--right." 

"An' the Children of Israel built the Temple, right?" 

"Again you're right." 

"An' the Children of Israel fought the 'Egyptians, and 

the Children of Israel fought the Romans, and the 

Children of Israel was always doing' something' 

important, right?" 

"All that is right, too," agreed Goldblatt. "So what's 

your question?" 

"What I want know is this," demanded 

Joey. "What were all the grown-ups 

doing?"

Forgive me when I whine

Below is a story that was submitted to The Lance.  The Lance is a monthly publication from the Knights of Columbus Council 3607.  I enjoyed it and I hope it brings a smile or provokes an inward reflection.

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Today, upon a bus, I saw a very beautiful woman and 

wished I were as beautiful. 

When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble 

down the aisle. She had one leg and used a crutch. 

But as she passed, she passed a smile. 

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine. 

I have two legs; the world is mine. 

I stopped to buy some candy. 

The lad who sold it had such charm. 

I talked with him, he seemed so glad. 

If I were late, it'd do no harm. 

And as I left, he said to me, "I thank you, you've been 

so kind. It's nice to talk with folks like you. You see," 

he said, "I'm blind." 

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine. 

I have two eyes; the world is mine. 

Later while walking down the street, I saw a child I 

knew. 

He stood and watched the others play, but he did not 

know what to do. 

I stopped a moment and then I said, "Why don't you 

join them dear?" 

He looked ahead without a word. 

I forgot, he couldn't hear. 

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine. 

I have two ears; the world is mine. 

With feet to take me where I'd go. 

With eyes to see the sunset's glow. 

With ears to hear what I'd know. 

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine. 

I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine.

Blessed

Below is a homily that I wrote for the folks at Calhoun State Prison a few weeks ago.


Blessed


By Michael Leach

How blessed are we? Sometimes we recognize when we are blessed. Like when we sneeze, there is usually someone around to hear it and they respond “bless you”. Sometimes we are blessed and never know as much. There could be some terrible danger lurking around the corner and for whatever reason we go another way. The Israelites were held as slaves by Pharaoh and used for manual labor. This went on for many generations. God blessed them with Moses and allowed them to be led out of slavery, out of captivity into … where? Where were they delivered too? I could just imagine their initial excitement. To be a free people again! Then to wander around the dessert for days on end… weeks on end... years on end. What were they to eat? God will provide and God has provided. They had “Whatchamacallit”. Anybody here remember that candy bar? The whatchamacallit? The manufacturer, the Hershey Company, didn’t quite know what to call it at first. Their marketing department decided on “whatchamacallit” as a marketing scheme. It worked quite well for them. Actually, the Israelites where blessed with something called referred to as, manna from heaven. Manna is described twice in the bible. The book of Exodus 16: 1-36 and Numbers 11:1-9. Exodus says that manna is “a fine, flake-like thing” and shows up like hoarfrost on the ground. Hoarfrost is something that you may be familiar with. It is just patchy dusty frost that shows up on a cold clear night. The book of Numbers says “Manna was like coriander seed and had the appearance of bdellium. When they had gone about and gathered it up, the people would grind it between millstones or pound it in a mortar, then cook it in a pot and make it into loaves, with a rich creamy taste.” Exodus says that raw manna tastes like wafers that had been made with honey. That doesn’t sound too bad, but it doesn’t sound too good either. Manna literally means “what is this”. I just can’t imagine eating it day in and day out for years on end. The Israelites are starting to wonder if this will ever end. They forget that they were delivered from slavery and they were blessed daily by God.

I imagine none of you wants to be here in this place. But for some of you, you have been delivered from the slavery of addictions. Addictions to drugs or alcohol or whatever else. Some of you have found the Love of God in this place. Some of you take the time to reflect on and study God’s word daily for many hours a day, which can be difficult on the outside. I’m not trying to glorify your position in this institution, I’m just trying to bring up some opportunities that you have because you are here.

In the first reading from Isaiah the point is being made about how God provides. He opened a way in the sea for their departure from Egypt. He provides a way through the dessert always providing with water and nourishment. All of this for a people who he formed for himself. The psalmist proclaims that the Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy. In the midst of our tears the Lord hears us. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing. Saint Paul tells us that nothing of this earth can compare to the good… the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus. I think what is amazing about Saint Paul is that he is continually working on his relationship with Jesus Christ. You would think that they were pretty tight. Jesus knocked him off of his horse and they had a conversation, he had a conversion… Saint Paul was on the right track. Started out on the wrong track but was set straight. And yet he still says that he is working on his salvation. He says “It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I for my part

do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.” Saint Paul says that he can’t be content with what he has done, but with what is to come. It is good… always good to have had a relationship with Jesus. It is more important to continue to work on that relationship. Think of your Christian life as a swim up river. Unless you are making progress by actively swimming upstream, you will be taken back downstream. Just pausing in the river will send you back. One of the seven deadly sins is sloth. I’ve never truly understood sloth until recently. Fr Robert Barron has put out a dvd series called the seven deadly sins and the seven lively virtues. Sloth has to do with boredom or indifference to things of God. It is not the same thing as laziness or being lazy. A person can be full of energy to discuss politics, be a work-o-holic, be full of energy for other topics but still not have an interest in God. It is not the fact of not believing in God, it is being comfortable with where you currently are and no interest in going any further. It is a spiritual laziness. The antedote for sloth is zeal. Pray fervently to God for guidance. Ask God specifically what he wants for you. Ask God to give you direction in your life. Look at some examples from the bible on spiritual direction. When the angel told Mary that she would bear Christ, she first said yes, then broke the news to Joseph and then immediately left to go visit Elizabeth. She had a mission. When Jesus was baptized, He immediately went in to the desert to pray and to fast. Jesus had a mission. You, my brothers in Christ, have a mission. God has a plan for you and your life. Every single solitary person on this planet has a plan although they may not know it yet. You need to ask for the plan and listen for the response. Sometimes God will not tell you directly, He will send other people your way to give you stuff to do. He may need you to comfort someone around you. He may need you to do some job or task. He may want you to fail at whatever you are doing so you can grow in Him.

Now we finally come to the Gospel. Jesus tells us about the woman who was caught in adultery and was to be stoned to death. The Pharisees wanted to test Jesus and see if he would condemn the woman who broke the law, which is punishable by death. Jesus asked the Pharisees to let the one among them who has not sinned cast the first stone. One by one they walked away, for all have sinned. We are all sinners and therefore deserve nothing. But God in his infinite wisdom and mercy and love sent his only begotten Son to us, to become human, to take on all of our sins and to die for them.

So, I say that we are truly blessed. We are blessed by God’s Love for us. We are blessed that God is ever present, ever loyal, ever loving, ever forgiving & everlasting. God is waiting for you. All you have to do is knock and ask.

Good Shepherd Sunday

Below is a homily that I shared recently.

Good Shepherd Sunday – Mike Leach

There are a great deal of things or ideas, that I could talk to you about from today's readings.  From the first reading we have Peter talking to "the builders", the leaders of the people and elders.  You can think about it in modern times as Peter talking to people like our bishops, our judges and senior officials of the government.  Peter  was talking about how a man was healed.  Peter Said "… then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean... whom you crucified,... whom God raised from the dead;... in his name this man stands before you healed..." whom you crucified... whom God raised from the dead... This is very strong language.  Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and had strength and courage to say these things, to testify that it was in Jesus' holy and precious name that this work of healing was performed.  To quote the end of the first reading..."There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved."

You and I often times need the strength and the courage to say things to others.  We can rely on the Holy Spirit to help us in those moments.  It is by God's grace that we are able to overcome obstacles in our lives.  Obstacles could be temptations to sin or the need to stand up to those people in our community who need to hear the Truth.

From the psalms ... Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his kindness endures forever... I have also read in other translations, his mercy endures forever.  God is good, amen?  Have you ever thought about how long forever is?  We deal with clocks and calendars, but with God, there really is no time.  How long is God good?  Forever.  How long will his kindness and mercy endure? Forever.  How long will God wait for us?  As long as it takes... hopefully we will not wait forever to go to God.  Think about the parable of the prodigal son.  The father leaping off the front porch a running to greet the returning son.  Even before the son asked for forgiveness he was forgiven.  We are told by Jesus to forgive how many times?  77 times 7 or 70 times 7 depending on the verse.  Does that mean we are to forgive 539 times or 490 times? NO! We are to forgive until there is no need to forgive any longer or rather, we are to always forgive.  Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us... Jesus also said that the way we are to be forgiven is how we forgive each other.

From the Second reading... "See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God." Children of God makes us automatically think that if we are children, then our Father is God.  Our Father who art in Heaven.  The reading goes on to say "what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him" We don't exactly know what God looks like, but we can be assured that when it is revealed to us, we shall be like him.  It is really hard for me to imagine what it will be like when I'm face to face with God!

Now on to the Gospel.  Jesus is described as the good shepherd.  Good doesn't quite cut it though.  Jesus is the ideal shepherd or the model shepherd.  The reason He is ideal for the job first is because He is God.  The second reason is that he is fully human.  A shepherd, in order to know his sheep and care for them, has to live among them. He has to be close to them. Jesus not only came from heaven to earth to be near his sheep, he actually became like them. The shepherd became a sheep, took on our nature, and lived life in the same way as we do (except without sin). This is why he is the good shepherd, perfectly qualified to know us and to care for us. He is like us in our flesh. There is no shepherd like Jesus.

Jesus lays his life down for his flock... we are his flock.  Jesus said that He knows His own and they know Him. I have not witnessed a shepherd tending to his flock, but have heard stories about it.  A shepherd spends much time with his sheep.  It is really quite remarkable that they learn the sound of his voice. And when he calls for them they actually come to him.  If they hear the sound of a stranger's voice, they will stop.  If they hear the stranger's voice again, they will run away and scatter.  Fortunately for us, Jesus knows each and every one of us by our first name and we know Him by His first name, Jesus.

Jesus also said that He has other sheep that do not belong to the fold. He must bring them also and they will listen to His voice. Consequently, they will be of one flock, having one Shepherd.

When Jesus spoke of His other sheep, He was referring to the Gentiles who at the time were not inheritors of the Old Testament promises of God for His chosen people. He was referring to all the people throughout the world, no matter their language, their nationality, their race or their culture. All are called to be of one flock, to have one Shepherd. Through faith in Jesus and the Sacrament of Baptism, all are born again of the godly seed to belong to the One Body of Christ. Through the Sacrament of Baptism, all are equal as children of God.

The Heavenly Father loves His Son Jesus because He voluntarily laid down His life for all of mankind. Jesus laid down His life so He can take it up again.  Our hope lies in the resurrection.  Our hope to live in eternal life with the Father is through Jesus Christ.  Alleluia. Happy Easter and May God Bless You.