Jn 3:16-21 God So Loved

Jn 3:16-21 God So Loved

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For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

It’s not that the Lord never condemned. He did and he does. He condemned sin: lying, stealing, adultery, idolatry, etc. So, let’s not even think for a moment that Christians are not allowed to condemn sins. We are and we must! But what we must never do is allow ourselves to condemn or reduce an individual to their sins; to reduce someone to rubble; to caste them aside; to change their name; to call someone who steals ‘a thief’ or someone who commits adultery ‘a whore’. The Lord did not come into the world to reduce the world to rubble; to turn it into one big stone. He came to give life to the world; to turn on the light switch; to switch things up. After all, Christ did not give blood, shed tears and shred his flesh to come in second place; to lose. He gave it all to save us all. He showed us how to win.

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, and what the Father gave to the world I can give to the world. I can give His Son to the world. I can give His Son’s love to the world. I can be His love in the world.

I think that love incites two possible reactions: love and jealousy. I do not agree that indifference is a reaction to love. In fact, I’m starting to see that indifference is a cover for jealousy. Love inspires us to either become a follower or a rioter; a believer or an unbeliever. And as we can see, Jesus Christ inspired both…and in great number.

The Sadducees …filled with jealousy …heard the report [that the Apostles were no longer in prison], they were at a loss about them, as to what this would come to. Then someone came in and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area and are teaching the people.” (Acts 5:23-25)

Jealousy fueled Herod. Jealousy fueled the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jealousy fueled the Sanhedrin. Jealousy fueled Judas. Jealousy aims to separate some from others. Love aims to unite some with some others. No matter what the Pharisees or the Sadducees threw at the Apostles; no matter how many times they warned them, they kept coming back. The Apostles were imprisoned, beaten down and thrown out. And still, the Apostles kept throwing Jesus at them. And eventually the Apostles, along with Jesus won. The days of the Pharisees, Sadducees, elders and chief priests are long gone. Only Christ remains.

To love means to open oneself to another. To love unconditionally means to open oneself up to Jesus Christ. To believe in Jesus Christ means to open ourselves up to others. It means to share the Good News; to live a crazy life!

The Lord deserves my love. He has paid his love with blood. I will be counted among the living in Heaven as long as I love on earth. His words are a gift to me. They are honest and true; like no other. The Lord is the alpha and the omega of the world. He reduces all epochs, all ages, all seasons and all times by his singular and everlasting life. I refuse to be mastered by the glamour of sin, of superficiality or by the trivialness of the moment. All idols grow old. All idols eventually collapse. Only the Lord survives. Only the Lord expands. The light of Christ enlightens my life and those around me. He reveals to me the sham of staged performances and appearances. While revealing the sham of the make-over, the costumes and the clowns, he reveals the beauty of purity, modesty, virtue and the depth of character.

Love is truly amazing and crazy, “It is just as crazy to not be crazy about Christ as it is to be crazy about something else” (- Peter Kreeft).

Jn 3:7b-15 Think Eternally

Jn 3:7b-15 Think Eternally

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Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You must be born from above…Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

In order to heal those who had been bitten by snakes, Moses was ordered by God to fashion a serpent out of bronze and lift it over his head. Those who saw it and had been bitten would be saved. So my question is, Why so much drama? Why so much work? Couldn’t Moses have simply touched the sick person and everything would have been solved? No. The Lord told Moses, Do what I say. Of course he could have told Moses, “Snap your fingers and there, it’s done.” But the Lord does not ask Moses to be practical. God asks Moses to think like He does, eternally. God thinks long term. This life saving act would one day be used by the Son of God as an example – an important example – of who (and what) saves: Jesus lifted up on the Cross.

You must be born from above. It’s time to think eternally, to live surprisingly, to share lovingly. It’s time to be holy. The Lord is inviting Nicodemus to think BIG; to be different; to live not like man does but like God does.

Recently, I went to Braums with a beautiful family to get some ice cream. While we were enjoying our wonderful treat Julian’s mom asked her five-year-old son, “Why don’t you tell Father what happened to you this past Sunday at Mass?” I immediately glanced over at Julian and his face turned bright red. Now Julian is a wonderful child but was very hesitant in explaining what happened. He tried as hard as possible to make light of the situation by putting a big smile on his face and acting a little silly. Eventually, and with a lot of prodding from his siblings, he let it all out. He said, “I was not a very good boy in Church. Mommy gave me two quarters to put into the collection basket.” I said, “That’s great Julian. Did you give the money to God?” “Well”, he said, “I didn’t drop the money into the basket. Instead, I pretended to drop it in there.” “Ouch!” that hurt. But then things got worse. “When mommy told me to let go of the money, I dropped only one quarter in the basket. I didn’t put both of them like I was supposed to.” Uh-oh! This is only getting worse. Julian then defended himself by explaining himself, “I wanted to keep the money so that I could get some bubble gum!!!”

When we think short-term, we tend to think desperately. When we think desperately, we risk everything. When we risk everything, everything goes out the window! Teenagers, by their very nature, think in French or Latin; that is, À la mode or carpe diem. Of course, not too many teenagers will hold on to fifty cents for some bubble gum. But they will do things or hold on to things that offend God. Little Julian thought fifty cents was more important than God. He thought some bubble gum was more important than God. He thought in the short term. Don’t we do the same? “I will break whatever commandment I have to so that I can be happy.” “I will do whatever it takes to become popular (or successful).” “I will do whatever it takes to get accepted at this or that school or to pass this or that test.” Why do we think like this? Because we think today “is the most important day ever”, much more important than God, or His commandments, or my future, or my reputation. We have a very hard time imagining better days ahead or things making much more sense in the long run.

Christ invites us to be holy (like him), to think eternally (which means think big), to live surprisingly (differently) and to share lovingly. It’s never easy because we hardly ever think eternally.

This morning I celebrated Mass for our elementary school kids. As I looked out at my young congregation and saw all the children hold hands while they recited the Our Father, I recalled as a child what I thought about that. I couldn’t stand holding hands. I hated it. We had assigned seats and I hated holding this one kid’s slimy, filthy, disgusting hand for so long. But now, as an adult, I look out there and I love seeing it. I see so many things differently as an adult. Will we not see things differently from heaven…or from Hell?

Once upon a time reputation was considered a virtue. It was hard earned. It took years to achieve. You didn’t want to lose it and you made sure you fought for it. The early Christians had an amazing reputation: “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32).

What happened? Look at where we are today? The Christians shared all they possessed because they had only one person in mind: Jesus Christ; they had only one thing in mind: Heaven. The community of believers believed in Jesus and in Heaven, two eternal truths. THINK ETERNALLY. Everything else turns to sand.

Jn 3:1-8 Born from Above

Jn 3:1-8 Born from Above

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Jesus answered Nicodemus, “What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I have told you, ‘You must be born from above.’”

A few nights ago, I celebrated a junior ring ceremony at Ursuline Academy. It was a beautiful event full of faith, tradition, elegance, friendship and unity. All the kids were dressed in their beautiful red graduation gowns. They all looked the same. So what do we do when everyone looks the same? What happens? Well, we start looking for differences. And I have to admit, I looked too. I think it is a consequence of the Fall. I caught myself looking at the types of shoes the kids were wearing. After a few minutes, I discretely looked around the audience to see what others were doing. I was not alone. Many had their eyes focused on the shoes the kids were wearing. I thought to myself, “Aha! I am not the only one that fell into this trap.” I guess there is nothing wrong with looking for differences, as long as they are not defects we are seeking. We all know that if we look long enough at anyone, we will always find defects. What an awful tendency we have of looking down rather than looking up. No wonder the Lord speaks of looking up; of being “born from above.”

I cannot emphasize enough the important role Christians have in society. We have been called to rock the earth; to shake things up; to shake people up. “As the first Christians prayed over Peter and John, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”

To me, it is just as impressive to see someone shake as it is to see the ground shake. It’s nothing short of a miracle to move a soul to repentance as if it were a mountain of dirt.

The Lord invites his people to not only stop seeking what is below and to start seeking what is above, but also to be from above. That is, BE ANOTHER CHRIST! Be bold. Be courageous. Be holy.

Nicodemus was a man that had too much to lose. That is the reason why he felt comfortable being around Jesus, but only in the dark. He never got around to coming around. He was a man of good intentions but not so good with action.

“It’s the economy stupid.” I’ve noticed something. I’ve noticed how schizophrenic we are. When you go to most school, it’s all about the brain. When you go to see a movie, it’s all about the heart. When you go to a restaurant it’s all about food. When you vote, it’s all about the economy. But life isn’t like that. Communists thought they could quiet us with guaranteed employment. Scientists think they can conquer us with power and tools. Experts think they can satisfy us with their wealth of knowledge. Politicians think they can appease us with all their promises. They are all wrong! When we eat food it goes everywhere within our system. When we look at the sunset it moves the heart to sing, the soul to dance and the mind to write poetry. When we work it’s not for money it’s for a purpose. When we elect someone, it’s to be represented properly.

Our biggest problem is that we never seem to get to the bottom of things, and if we never get to the bottom of things, we won't get on top of things. If we keep seeking short term solutions then we will lose sight of permanent solutions. Our schools, our homes, our families and our children are suffering not because we don’t have enough stuff or staff or funding or timing. We are suffering because we do not seek what is above. It is the Lord that provides direction. If we don't seek that which is above us, we won't have much below us. We seem to come to the Lord during tragedies and funerals. It seems like we only reach out to Him during the night.

Jesus Christ is the only one that invites us to be more than just sentimental, practical and intelligible. He is the only one that invites us to be more than human. He wants us to be from above.

Don’t let that which is from below drive you! It’s not about the economy; it’s about dignity, and the Lord supplies plenty of that to man.

Jn 20:19-31 Easter Insecurities

Jn 20:19-31 Easter Insecurities

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

We tried to get rid of him. We killed him and then we buried him. But God refused to go away. He came back, like an ugly truth, resurrected and still bearing the signs of his crucifixion.

When we can’t stand the truth we tend to call it ugly. We want to bury it. When the truth hurts, we tend to want to kill it. But truth does not go away; it always seems to come up to the surface; just like the Lord, who rose from the dead.

“Unless I see…” In one way or another, we can all relate to Thomas. He thinks like so many of us do. He has a very contemporary mind. I don’t mean in the sense that he demands proof in everything in order to believe in something. That’s simply an excuse to cover something deeper! What I am referring to is that Thomas suffers from what many contemporaries suffer from: insecurity. And insecurity is a very serious problem. It causes people to lie, to react harshly, aggressively, and even spitefully. Just like modern man makes excuses for everything from atomic bombs and wars to abortion and euthanasia. Insecurity cheapens life like lies cheapen the truth.

…I will not believe.” Why do we turn away from God? Why do we put conditions on the God of love? It’s because we are insecure. Thomas has a very personal problem. He thinks his problem is with one person in particular: Jesus. He doesn’t like what happened. He doesn’t think it was fair that he was left out. We can relate. If there are prizes to give then everyone has to receive one. If all the participants receive a certificate then I better receive a certificate. And if I don’t, “Woe to that person, it would be better if that person had never been born!” But let’s be honest. Does the Lord have a problem or do I have a problem? Do my insecurities get in the way of friendships, teammates and choices? Did the Lord do something wrong? Did my friends do something horrible?

By all accounts, it appears as though Thomas had been absent for just a brief amount of time. Maybe he had gone out to get some supplies for the others. Maybe he volunteered or maybe Peter sent him. Either way, there is one thing for sure: He was not there when the Lord appeared. He was not there to experience the Easter joy! Why? Why? Thomas must have asked this a thousand times: Why did the Lord appear when I was not there? Why did He choose that exact moment to appear to the others but not to me? It must be because He never cared about me. Look at my life. I’ve always been full of doubts and loneliness. When people ask me how I am I can’t seem to say more than, “Not too bad.” I don’t think God ever loved me. In fact, I know He loves the others more than me. He knew that I had gone out for a moment. He knew I wouldn’t be there. He knows everything. Why would he do this to me? Wait a minute…I know what he wants. I know why…I know why. He knows I question everything. This is his way of telling me, “Leave…you don’t belong here with the others. I don’t need you. I don’t want you.” Well, I’m not leaving. I won’t leave and I won’t believe unless I see him for myself.

When the Romans began crucifying people, this type of pain was literally beyond words to describe. Nothing in the language could accurately describe the intense anguish caused during crucifixion. So the Romans invented a new word: Excruciating, which means “from the cross”.

Thomas was surrounded in the upper room with insecurities and people. And if insecurities are like nails, then people (even friends) can be like hammers. Thomas saw himself getting hammered by his friends, especially his best friend, every single day. Eight long excruciating days would pass before Christ appeared again; and every single day of waiting must have felt like a nail going deeper and deeper into Thomas’s skin. Only the Lord could convert his insecurity into His security; only the Lord could take him down from his cross. “Do not be afraid” is an invitation from God to free ourselves from all forms of insecurity. Insecure people cut themselves. Insecure people have eating disorders. Insecure people take drugs. Insecure people, like bullies, make life miserable for others.

This Gospel passage offers much to meditate on. Christ appeared to all the Apostles, but like Thomas, he did not appear to me. Let us rejoice and be glad for Christ says, “Blessed are they who do not see but believe!”

The Lord showed Thomas his hands, feet and side. There were no nails. Let us rejoice and be glad and may we never exchange His security with our insecurity. May Christ’s nails never appear in my flesh! No wonder why the Lord repeats twice to his men, “Peace be with you.”

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Today is a reminder that no one knows us, hears us, loves us or cares about us as much as the Lord. This is the truth. Let us trust in the Lord.

Mk 16:9-15 Demons Away!

Mk 16:9-15 Demons Away!

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When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.

Yesterday, a comment was left on a Catholic blog site that made reference to a Pro-Life victory. It read, “The week ended on a very good note when another important pro-life bill to keep abortion providers and promoters out of public and charter schools was signed by Governor Brewer (Arizona). The bill was initiated by the Arizona Catholic Conference in an effort to continue Arizona’s longstanding policy of favoring childbirth over abortion.”

Imagine for a moment an abortion provider speaking to a large number of middle school or high school students and indoctrinating them in the benefits of fetal disposal. Would it be too unimaginable if a child stood up and spoke out, saying something to the effect: “My mom was having doubts about not having me. Someone like you would have encouraged her not to. You have no place here. As you can see, we all made it through your web, but too many of our peers did not.”

Yesterday, the documentary “Bully” went into general release. Ellen Ratner, a Fox news contributor, wrote an opinion regarding it. She states that this film is a reminder that it is time to restore our humanity. Is that the solution to our problem??? If so, it ain’t working! What exactly does it mean “to restore our humanity”? After all, only humans (or the human race) bully, discriminate, engage in global war, and commit crimes and atrocities on one another. I think it’s time that we stop hiding our human weaknesses with some sort of wishy-washy generic call to “humanity!” It’s also time to stop blaming animals for our weaknesses.

During Lent, while I was praying the Stations of the Cross with the kids from St. Monica, I reflected on a written meditation by some expert at one of the stations. It went something like this: “Sometimes people can act like animals. They can say mean things about someone because of the color of their skin. They can treat others unkindly.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! I had to say something. I told the kids, “Do animals treat others differently because of the color of their skin? No. Do they make fun of others because they are short or tall or have a big nose or four eyes? No. So, why in the world are we saying that people can ‘act like animals’???” I know why. And the answer is sickening. It’s so we can keep Christ out of the world. It’s so we can deny Christianity its pivotal place in society. Christians do not act like animals nor do they act like human. They are to act like Jesus Christ. And if a Christian does not act like Jesus Christ, then it means that they are a “bad” Christian. And if you ever run into a “humanist” that acts like Jesus Christ, then he is acting like a Christian. But there are plenty of humanists that would consider Christianity as weakness and cowardice. After all, did not the great god of Mother Nature consider “survival-of-the-fittest” something to be proud of? Does it not make our race purer, healthier, and stronger?

Being more human will never solve problems such as intolerance or indifference; but being more Christian will! The day will come when we become more tolerant of the Risen Lord and on that day we will see the fall of all forms of injustice. This day the Lord has already made, in the life of His Son and in the lives of His Saints! We can all look forward to this day, when another’s life is more valuable than one’s very own; when we exchange seven very human qualities: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride for seven very heavenly qualities: chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness and humility. Of course we can blame these things on the devil (and we should), but the devil did not find a welcoming home among the animals. He found it among the humans. But when it came to the child Jesus, I do not need to remind anyone that there was no place for Him. The day of Christ’s resurrection is the day the Lord has made. The day of his crucifixion is the day we have made. Both days are good for we now have a clear understanding of who the Lord is and who we are.

Let’s make some space. The Apostles did. They understood that they must be obedient to God rather than to men (cf. Acts 4:20-21).

“This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it.”

Jn 21:1-14 Revealing Christ

Jn 21:1-14 Revealing Christ

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Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.

It’s just a normal sea. It’s just a quiet evening. It’s just another day. Some Apostles went fishing. The results were the same like always: they caught nothing. By dawn, they noticed a man sitting near a fire. He called out to them. They realized it was the Lord. Jesus was in their midst. No drum roll. No fanfare. No lights, no camera, but tons of morning action.

The Lord loves to reveal himself in the most common of ways and moments. He wished to have breakfast with his friends. He prepared the fire, helped with the catch and prepared the meal.

The Lord loves to take the ordinary and turn it into something extraordinary. He loves to take human acts and transform them into Christian acts. How? With his presence. Jesus said to his disciples, “Come and eat with me….” That’s it. And it was very special.

How can I take today and make it special? What can I do today to make a difference (small or large) in someone’s life? Ask these questions. It’s important that you do before it is too late. Think of ways that you can turn someone’s mourning into morning. That’s what the Lord did. And he did it by revealing himself to others.

Christians are chosen people; called by name to reveal the Son. The world is our stage; our story is never ending. History is Acts One, Two, etc. We are the main actors regardless of whether or not we act. If we act we can make a difference. If we do not act, we make a difference. If we speak we can make a difference. If we fail to speak, we will make a difference. Our history is filled with grace and sin; success and failure. We are writing history as we live! Sitting back and doing nothing is a part played out by many. Going out and making a difference may appear to be reserved to just the powerful and the mighty. But that is not true. As in the case of Jesus Christ we know that one man can make a difference. In the case of the Apostles, we know that a few good men can make a difference. Our entry into the Universe of being (of existing) is a clear sign that I am significant. Even the photograph of a dying child in Africa makes a difference in the hearts and minds of thousands of people. And most likely, this child did not even know it.

Think Small. Most of us think that we have to do something BIG. But the Lord’s birth took place in a tiny village. He grew up in a small town. He traveled in a very small area of the world. His followers were a small band of brothers. He performed miracles one person at a time. He died only once. He died on one cross. He rose from one tomb. And till, He made a difference by making his presence felt.

“The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone” (Ps 118). This Easter I made a simple but special resolution. I will convert my human acts into Christian acts. The simple will become special. The ordinary will be extraordinary. The common will become elegant. In everything I do, I will invite Christ to reveal himself; to make his presence known. Why not? It’s not that hard and my experience in doing so has been wonderful! Therefore; when I write, Christ has to be revealed. His name, his life, his words and his actions have to be mixed in with my heart, my words and my actions. Otherwise, it is temporary at best, worthless at worst. The Lord deserves to be in my visits, in my messages, in my actions. This way, I can offer up my day and my life, all I say and all I do to the Lord. Does the Lord not provide everything for me? Of course he does. He gives everything: the stage, the people, the circumstances, the inspiration and grace. Who am I to leave him out??? He is the cornerstone.

Lk 24:35-48 Startled and Terrified

Lk 24:35-48 Startled and Terrified

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The disciples were still speaking when Jesus stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Do you have anything to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.

In today’s Gospel, we read that the Lord ate a piece of baked fish and all his disciples were “incredulous for joy and were amazed”? You’ve got to be kidding me! How can eating a piece of baked fish be so meaningful? Was this the first time they had seen Jesus eat? Of course not! So what is the big deal? It’s simple and profound. The Lord wanted to prove to his disciples that he was not a figment of their imagination; that he was not the result of some bad fish; or that he was the result of some sort of collective psychological stress. He wanted to let his men know that he was back with them: literally, physically and objectively. And he did it with the most mundane of acts of humans: he ate in front of them.

I love to startle people. Actually, I love to surprise them. I love to turn human acts into Christian acts. I don’t know why but I occasionally get these weird thoughts in my head and then I find myself in the perfect location to act on them. For example, this morning I went to a bank teller to withdraw some money. I was in my uniform. As I was walking towards the exit, a Muslim woman was walking slightly in front of me. As we were both nearing the door to leave, I told her, “I go first.” She suddenly stopped. She looked me up and down with her eyes nearly out of their socket. I had definitely taken her aback and in a state of shock she asked, “Why???” I replied, “How else can I open the door for you?” A great big smile appeared on her face and she quietly said, “Thank you.” There you have it! A simple and/or mundane act of humans (walking) transformed into a startling and terrifying supernatural Christian act (if you wish to be the first, then you must serve) that produced a burst of love in the name of Jesus Christ.

This is what we do. This is how we live. Get used to it.

The Lord told his disciples, “The Christ must suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

I was struck by the simple fact that the Lord immediately commanded his brothers and sisters to go and preach repentance; that is, the forgiveness of sins, and to start doing so in the city of Jerusalem. In Jerusalem! Out of all the places to start, Jerusalem? Yes! Jerusalem: the place where Jesus was crucified; the city where everyone was breathing murderous threats against them; the city where the majority of inhabitants were Jewish; the city where they were locked in out of fear. Isn’t this the ground zero for Christians? Yes. And yet, this is the place where the Lord wanted to rebuild his kingdom, where his disciples were to begin preaching.

And what were they to preach? Revenge? No. They were to preach forgiveness. You got to be kidding me! Forgiveness? Yes. Forgiveness of sins. And to do it in the name of Jesus Christ, the one who had been betrayed, denied, tortured and put to death. How more startling and terrifying can you get?

Forgiving someone's sins can be like opening the door for them, which can be like opening the tomb for them. The Lord did promise that we would do what he did, and even more.

O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth (Ps 8:2ab).