Jn 6:60-69 Turning the World Upright

Jn 6:60-69  Turning the World Upright

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Many of Jesus’ disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” 

An atheist believes the world is what it is.  A Christian, on the other hand, knows the world isn’t what it is; it’s upside down.  I think this helps explain why the world finds Christ’s sayings so hard to accept.  After all, when you are upside down, it’s hard to follow someone so upright!

You would think it would be easier to believe someone who loves you than someone who wants to love you.  Think again.  Most parents of teenagers know just how hard it is for their teens to believe them.  Although teens may have a hard time listening to and obeying their parents, they don’t seem to have a hard time listening to their friends, especially their boyfriend or girlfriend.  When a high school boy tells a high school girl that he loves her and wants her, she has a tendency to believe him.  But when her mother tells her that this boy’s hormones are out of control and that he is a smooth talker, well, she has a tendency to dismiss her mother.  You would think by now this lesson would have been learned.  Think again.

You would think that if we sell diamonds for millions of dollars and cars for thousands of dollars, that no one would ever sell their body for twenty dollars or their soul for ten.  Think again… 

Of course the atheist is correct in saying this world “is what it is”, but it is not the same as saying it is what it was always meant to be. 

Sin has turned everything, especially us, upside down.  And since God is love and sin is inversely proportional to love (the more we sin, the less we love), it's no wonder we have a difficulty understanding God.  It's no wonder God’s sayings seem to be difficult sayings that are hard to accept.

I find it amazing how I can believe every word someone says to me, but I cannot believe in God’s word.  Or how I can repeatedly place all my trust in another human being, and repeatedly be disappointed, but I can’t seem to place my trust in God who unconditionally loves me. 

Wives should be subordinate to their husbands.  Today’s first reading is not easy to accept.  I happen to love it and for a shocking reason:  it's very pro-wife!  St. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, tells the community, “Brother and sisters:  Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.  Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.  For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church…Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her…”  (Eph 5:21-32)

This is a hard saying…what wife can accept this?  Answer:  Only those who have been unconditionally loved (served) by their husbands. 

Men often tell me, “Father, my wife ignores me.  She never does anything for me.”  If that is your case, then maybe the problem is not so much with your wife as it is with you!  What does it take for a wife to do whatever her husband asks her to do?  St. Paul tells them:  Men, if you wish to be the head of the household, then you must be the first to love; the best in loving; and the foremost teacher in love.  Remember:  the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church.

Why would I ever do anything for Christ?  Because I know He would do anything for me.  [Actually, he already did everything for me].  I would gladly be a slave for Christ because I know he would serve me before I had the slightest chance to serve Him.

Would I ever be a slave for someone?  Only if I knew they loved me.  Only if I knew they would die for me.  Christ is the head of his bride, the Church, because He earned it.  He died for her.  Here lies the true inspiration for Romeo and Juliet.

The same holds true for Christ’s body and blood.  Why did Simon Peter believe Christ?  Because Simon Peter knew he was loved by Christ.  That’s all it took. 

I’m a simple fisherman, Lord.  I don’t understand a thing you said today.  But I do know something.  I know that you love me.  And if you love me, then that’s all I need to know.  That’s all I need to know to believe in you. 

It is Christ’s love that turns our world upright.

Mt 19:13-15 Why the Kids?

Mt 19:13-15 Why the Kids?

Jesus said to his disciples:  “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 

God calls the children closer to Him because children have a stronger sense of wonder than most adults do.   Here are four wonders of the Lord that continue to shock me to this day. 

God is love.  Conservative Christians often complain that God is love.  They think it is too lenient.  Too many of them prefer the God of judgment and condemnation.  Liberal Christians rely way too much on the God of unconditional love.  They consider His love to be what they love and therefore abuse His love. Regardless of all this, we cannot blame St. John who wrote “God is love” (1Jn 4:8).  After all, he was inspired by the God of love, Jesus Christ. 

We think that all religions define God as love.  They do not.  It is quite unique.  It is not commonsense.  Our relationship with God could be something very much different.  God loves man means God gives man equal footing.  This is extraordinary.  It is something that we would never have known if it were not for the Son of God. 

God is Father.  Again, this is shocking.  After all, God could easily be the Master and we his pets.  Or God could easily be the Scientist and we his experiment.  Instead, God is our Creator who would love to be known as our Father.

Teenagers often complain to me about the amount of quality time they have with their mom and dad.  They would prefer a smaller home and fewer clothes if it meant spending more time with their father and mother.  How shocking!  How amazing!  In other words, our kids today are just like the kids from yesterday.  They don’t just want to live and breathe and have more things.  They want a sense of belonging; they want family.  They want their parents who attend their recitals, games, award ceremonies, etc…  They want to be able to snuggle up to their mom or dad in the evening and have someone to talk to during the day.  They want guidance.  They want discipline.  They may not ask for it, but are scared if they don’t have it.

Some scientists conclude that if there is a God, then he doesn’t do much of anything.  After all, the world spins by itself, the seasons come and go like clockwork, and the cycle of life continues to roll.  If God exists, then what does He do?

Like so many of us, scientists search for God in all the wrong places and in all the wrong ways.  With a very limited understanding of science, the Jews had no problem understanding that God was more a Creator than He was an Administrator.  Then the Lord came and shocked His disciples when He called God His Father and our Father!  In an era of scientific ignorance, the Jews and Christians never looked for God as a Manager; rather, they understood God as personable being.    

Kids may brag about their dad for being the better dad, the strongest dad and the smartest dad.  But they are most proud of their dad when he is the most loving dad; when he gets up close and personal with them.  God does not want to be known for his power, his knowledge, or his ‘presence’.  He wants to be known for his love; for being up close and personal.  He wants to be known for being a Father.

God became man.  The Incarnation is a Christian doctrine we take way too much for granted.  We celebrate Christmas as if it were to be expected.  It should not be. God becoming man is shocking, if not scandalous.  What can we compare it to?  Nothing.  It is a mystery.  Why on earth would God ever want to live on earth?  Especially after we messed things up so bad, and not just once or twice but all the time!  The answer is love.  Love does crazy things to a person, even to God… who is love.  Love makes people go bonkers.  The love that God has for us is the only imaginable explanation for the Incarnation.

But not only did God become a man, he became a poor child.  The Almighty-One became the little one.  The Unlimited One became the limited one.  The heavenly king became an earthly thing. 

In God becoming man, the Lord taught us that no matter what position you hold in life, no matter what titles you have on earth, you are nothing if you do not give and forgive.  God becoming man reminds us of how important one’s heart, one’s mind, one’s soul is in the grand scheme of things.

Eating God.  Take this all of you and eat it.  This is my body which will be given up for you.  Is this not shocking?  Do you understand what this means?  That Christ’s words were not enough to love us; He needed to die for us.  That His death was not enough to save us; He needed to transform us.  And to do so required that He give us His body, blood, soul and divinity.  “Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you” (cf. Jn 6:53).    Is this not shocking?

When we receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, we do not receive Him in order to change Him; we receive Him to let God change us!  The Lord wants us to become more like Him; that is, to be created in the image and likeness of God.

If this is not shocking, then I don’t know what is! 

John 6:51-58 Simply Shocking!

John 6:51-58  Simply Shocking!

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Jesus said to the crowds:  “I am the living bread that came down from heaven:  whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

There are very few things in this world that truly shock me.  That most musicians, artists, Hollywood stars, perverts, heterophobes openly make fun of Christians, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Sacraments does not shock me in the least.  It annoys me. [By the way, Microsoft spell-check has the word ‘homophobes’ in its dictionary but not ‘heterophobes’.  I doubt I misspelled a non-existent word]. 

Very few things shock me.  That three young ladies from a radical Russian rock group committed a sacrilege in an Orthodox Church did not shock me!  What shocked me is that they went to jail over it.  Now that shocked me as well as thrilled me.  They claim they are “political activists”, and that they were protesting against Prime Minister Putin.  But how exactly does busting into a Christian Church, dancing on the altar and praying blasphemous prayers remove a corrupt government?  How does insulting a religion replace a government?   

Of course, most of the world is shocked over the fact that these individuals received a two year prison sentence.  I am too…for a completely different reason.  But again, I am not shocked that no one in the West is up in arms over the fact that the faith of nearly two billion people was insulted.

Like I said, very few things shock me. 

Recently, an atheist organization sued the 911 memorial museum in New York City over the famous metal cross beams found amidst the ruins of the World Trade Centers.  The group claims it is a symbol of Christianity and that it does not belong in the museum.  The museum curators claim the beams belong in the exhibit because it is an actual piece from one of the buildings, and that these two metal beams became a symbol of hope for the thousands of men and women who worked in the rescue and cleanup effort.  The atheist group is willing to allow the piece to stand as long as they are given an equal opportunity to exhibit some sort of symbol representing atheism.  When asked what that symbol would look like, the lawyer did not know what to say, so he said, “Maybe a giant ‘A’”.  I personally believe it should be a piece of rubble (man's achievements without God).    Now, I do not find it shocking that our legal system is wasting tax payer money in order to resolve this issue.  I just find it annoying.  But what I do find shocking is how this intelligent (atheist) lawyer had nothing better to offer his organization (and people) than an “A”.  It reminds me of a book I read in High School:  The Scarlet Letter.

Jesus said to the crowds: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”  Christ not only shocked his audience, he shocked his Apostles!  He shocked the hell out of them!  He shocked them because he surprised them at how far he was willing to give himself for them.  The leader; the giant; the Lord was willing to give himself for his subjects.  That was unheard of! 

There is nothing shocking about a leader being vane, egotistic, arrogant, selfish or self-centered or self-entitled.  There is nothing shocking about the loner, the abused, the poor guy, the loser or the freak being at the center of a massacre.  By now we've all become numb to massacres, drug related violence, etc.  We've all become accustomed to shocking the heaven out of the world!  Big deal!  Unfortunately, it is to be expected.  

That we have public school massacres in such anti-religious settings is not shocking.  What is shocking is that we do not have more of them.  That we have hate crimes committed by LBGT activists against the Family Research Council and other Christian organizations is not shocking.  What is shocking is that we do not have more of them. 

But what is truly shocking; so shocking that it shocks the hell out of this world, is to be humble, self-giving, selfless, sacrificing, forgiving and giving to all, including those who insult you.  That is shocking!  

From the Lord’s incarnation to his self-emulation, the Lord shocked our senses, our preconceived notions, our understanding of how things worked.   With every single word He spoke; every single miracle He performed; every single contact He made; every single pardon He gave, the Lord gave himself to us.  But what is shocking is that it wasn't enough.  He  also wanted to give His body, blood, soul and divinity to us.  He literally, physically, realistically and objectively wanted to give His life to us.

When we receive the Lord in the Eucharist today, let’s do what the Lord would do.  And let's never take His life in us for granted.

Mk 14:12-26 Corpus Christi

Mk 14:12-26  Corpus Christi

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While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.”  Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many…”  Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

There is an old Chinese saying about faith and feelings.  Fact, Faith, and Feelings are three men walking on a wall.  Fact goes first, Faith second, and Feeling third.  As long as Faith keeps his eyes focused on Fact, all three stay on the wall and make progress.  But as soon as Faith takes his eyes off Fact and turns around to see how Feeling is doing, Faith falls off the wall, and Feeling follows, while Fact walks on.  The point of this little saying is obvious:  the object of our faith is not feeling but fact, not subjective experience but objective truth. (Peter Kreeft, Jesus Shock, pg. 126-127)

When faith is rooted in facts, it’s much easier to stay on track. 

It’s much easier for a twelve-year-old to keep her promise of purity than it is for a seventeen-year-old who is dating.  The reason is obvious:  the child's faith, feelings and the facts are one.  They speak loud and clear!  What will keep a seventeen year old from breaking their promise will not be their feelings but their faith in God and his Word made known to them.  It is admirable that a child consecrates their purity to the Blessed Virgin Mary before their teenage years, but it is essential that they repeat it every single year after that.  Only in this way will their feelings be guided by faith which is rooted in facts.

Faith is my response to God's facts (or the facts of God).  If my faith depended on my feelings, then my faith would come and go as quickly as my feelings come and go. 

I believe that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist.  I believe He is objectively, physically and literally present in the Eucharist.  I don’t believe it because I feel it or see it or sense it.  I don’t even believe it because I completely understand it.  I believe it because He said it, and that makes perfect sense to me even without the use of my senses.

Christ said to his Apostles, “Take it; this is my body.”  No explanations.  He did not tell his Apostles, “Take it and feel my presence.”  Feelings are not a bad thing, but if they get in the way of the facts, then they are a bad thing.  It’s that simple. 

People often ask me what I feel as I am holding in my hands the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.  The answer I give them usually shocks them:  If I don’t feel anything, then I feel terrible.

I don’t consider myself a very sentimental guy.  But ever since my ordination, I have experienced a physical problem that happens to me while I celebrate Mass.  It doesn’t always happen, but when it does, it always happens during the consecration of bread and wine; that is, at the moment I lift the Blessed Sacrament up for adoration.  That’s when I feel like my heart is about to explode out of my chest.  It doesn’t happen to me because I’m holy.  It doesn’t happen to me because I’m special.  It doesn’t happen to any of the priests I know.  But it happens to me, and when it does, it doesn’t feel good at all.  But regardless of how I feel, I will always, while celebrating the Mass, take my time with the holy words of consecration; take my time in raising the Lord for all to see, and lift as high as I can the Blessed Sacrament for all to adore. 

This is regardless of how I feel because I know one thing:  THIS IS MY LORD’S BODY AND BLOOD.  Take it!

This “take it” means a lot more than just receiving.  It means, “TAKE IT!”  Get it?