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4/15/01 My Easter Sunday Homily - 2001
The Time is Now!
I need a little help this morning. First, take your right hand, put it up against your forehead, swipe it across while taking a deep breath, and breathe out. Boy that Lenten season is tiring, Holy Week especially. For the last forty days we have been on a long journey of fasting, prayer and performing acts of charity. Look back at all you were able to do over those forty days. Maybe you gave up smoking, drinking, eating candy, or using harsh language. Maybe you lost some weight or made a decision to say the rosary every day. Maybe you gave of your time to a charity or other organization in an attempt to better serve the Body of Christ, His Church. In all of the effort to make all of these changes, it takes a lot of energy. It takes lots of perseverance to make it through forty days. It is very intense time. Look at what Jesus did in the story of the temptation in the desert – forty days. So it is tough, and you have good reason to be tired. So sit a take a rest.
Long enough. There is no stopping now. Today is just the beginning of the Easter season. It is time to rejoice in the glory of the Resurrection of the Savior of the World, the time to proclaim that Jesus is alive and well in our society. Jesus is risen from the dead and that is good news. The gates of Paradise are reopened and all are welcome to enter. I mentioned last week that “Something must draw us to be here Sunday after Sunday, someone must.” This is it, my friends, and rightfully so. The glory of the Resurrection is beyond our full comprehension, but what it does is show us the way to salvation. Knowing that Jesus has conquered the forces of sin and death (what a teacher of ours calls “the deep yogurt”) is what offers us hope – hope that we have a place in heaven reserved for us when we return to the Father one day.
All of the above is going to take a lot of energy, too. This is the time to go out and share in the apostles mission, proclaiming that Jesus Christ is alive and well in the world. We proclaim it in the stories we share as the apostles did – telling people of the way Jesus was rejected by people and was crucified. Yet, as all looked bleak, He did something that no one else could do, and we could not do without His help and example – He rose from the dead. That is our mission and the time is now. One more deep breath. {pause}
Now we are rested and ready to approach the Lord’s Table to be nourished once again for the mission which lies ahead. THE LORD JESUS IS ALIVE! ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!
4/2/01 -- I'm looking forward to being one of five deacons at the Chrism Mass on April 10th at Holy Name Cathedral, 3pm. This is a special day. It is a day when a large number of priests and parishioners from all over the Archdiocese come to share in the blessing of new sacred oils for the Archdiocese. Each parish tries to send at least a representative to bring the new oils home for usage by the RCIA, confirmations, baptisms, anointing the sick, and other various occasions. I look forward to being a part of this day, working with Cardinal George (for the second time in two weeks). Last Thursday I helped him at the cathedral at the request of Father Marshall for the Campus Ministries Mass for all local college students. There were about 450 students from six or seven local colleges (such as UIC, Wright College, etc). It was a little intimidating to work with the Cardinal at first, but once mass began, it was business as usual. Super cool. And I get to do it again in just about a week!
3/20/01 -- With just under two months to go, life continues to be more and
more complicated and fulfilling at the same time. It is a tough
thing to balance the parish and school schedules. Preparation is
moving along for the first mass at Saint Christopher.
Nevertheless, I cannot imagine that day happening without the love and continued support of my family and friends. Everyone is very patient with me, thank God.
As I look back over the last year since returning from the Holy
Land, I know of the ever abundant blessings I have received from
the Lord of Heaven and Earth. I have seen a glimpse into His true beauty through several trips and now in the wonderful parish assignment at St George. People are great. I look forward to serving them full time in July and beyond.
A closing thought. Let us all continue to pray that on our Lenten journeys we may walk that lonely road with Jesus to the Cross. It is the Tree of Life; how blessed that Tree to bear the Son of God for the forgiveness of sins. Turn to see the King.
2/19/01 -- In a mere three months and three hours, I will be ordained to the priesthood. It is no picnic to try and fathom this reality. Being a man who is a sacrament of Christ's presence in the world. I am still working on my personal invitations and prayer cards. How am I going to finish all of the work I have to do before then, let alone the work that will be coming once that day occurs? It is a whirlwind roller coaster ride.
That is what I have likened this journey to for these last five years - a roller coaster. The point is not just about the speed or height or depth, it is every twist and turn and loop imaginable in addition. It is a hard life with enough of the above to make your stomach queasy, but it is a fun ride nevertheless!
(Check back here for regular updates on my progress toward priesthood and to view excerpts from some of my homilies.)
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