"Breaking Bread" With Others? -- the Third Sunday of Easter–Year A

My Sisters and Brothers:

Today’s Gospel narrates the story of the journey of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (see Luke 24:13-35).  We might wonder why they had left Jerusalem and were on that road.  Had they lost hope the mission of Jesus would continue?  Where they headed to Emmaus because they had “packed up” and were on their way back to former ways of life after apparent defeat brought about by Jesus’ death on the cross?  Whatever the reason for their journey, Jesus appeared along the way and began to walk with them.  And even though they didn’t recognize who he was, "their hearts were set on fire" as he explained the Scriptures to them.  Finally, the Gospel tells us they recognized him in the “breaking of the bread.”

Like those disciples on the way to Emmaus, isn’t it true it’s not always easy for us to recognize the presence of Jesus as we focus on our goals and we busy ourselves with the activities of our daily lives?   Instead, we might prefer to be distracted by them, both those positive and negative.  And then, isn’t it then possible we might fail to recognize the presence of Jesus in ordinary events, and in the lives of those we meet along the way.  In contrast, isn’t it true if we take the time to look and to listen, it’s possible to find him in the very simple and real things of this world?  As Catholics, we certainly believe Jesus is present in the sharing of the Scriptures and in the Eucharist, “the breaking of the bread” at the Mass.  Yet in addition to these important mysteries of our faith, isn’t it true we also find Jesus in the very real sharing of each other’s lives?  We say Jesus is found in our community, but isn’t it true we recognize the presence of Jesus every time we engage with other people, even when outside of formal “religious” activities?

As we contemplate the Emmaus story, we might be compelled to contemplate the various ways we might “break bread” with others in our own lives.  It seems to me we can “break bread” with others when we do all we can to respect and honor everything about what makes them who they are.  We can “break bread” with others when we reverently share our lives with them, in things both simple and extraordinary.  Of course, we “break bread” with others when we share what we have, give to those in need, and offer ourselves in service to others–especially for those who are marginalized and those who are most needy.

We say we recognize Jesus when we come to church on Sunday, when we hear the Word of God proclaimed in the Scriptures, and when we receive the Eucharist.  How can this be true if we then fail to recognize Jesus in the “breaking of the bread” with others in the ordinary and everyday activities of our lives every other day of the week?   As with those disciples on the way to Emmaus, doesn’t Jesus also journey with us along the way each and every day of our lives?  Church: If we don’t recognize Jesus “out there,” how is it possible to truly recognize Jesus “in here”?  And so, with this in mind, and as we share the Scriptures and break the bread of the Eucharist, let’s resolve to do the same out in “the world” by the way we live out there with one another.  May each of us then be powerful witnesses to the presence of Jesus to all those we meet along the way!

Praise God!  Friar Timothy

 

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A Little Bit of Thomas In Us? -- My Short Reflection for the Second Sunday of Easter–Year A

My Sisters and Brothers:

Today’s Gospel tells us the apostle Thomas had difficulty believing Jesus really had risen from the dead, and had visited the other apostles.  Although the members of the community had testified to the Resurrection, he didn’t completely accept their word.  He didn’t believe until he actually saw Jesus for himself and could touch his wounds (see John 20:19-31).  Isn’t it true we all of us have a little bit of Thomas in us?  An example of this might be the way the teachings of our faith, and what we know to be right about living the Christian life, are sometimes difficult for us to believe or to accept.  Like Thomas, and before we completely believe, we might desire to have concrete proof about some or another dogma and/or instruction from those who guide us in the faith.  In a sense, we may want to “touch the wounds” before we believe!  As we contemplate this Gospel story, it may inspire us to think about our personal willingness (or not) to accept the tenets of our commonly held faith.  We may then wish to give some thought to the communal nature of the Catholic faith we share, and in the manner that we give witness to it.

The people of the early church (and even Thomas himself) moved beyond “doubts” and they shared together a vibrant communal faith life.  For example, today’s first reading tells us “the faithful devoted themselves to the apostles’ instruction and the communal life, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (see The Acts of the Apostles 2:42).   As we reflect on this passage, we might ask ourselves the following questions:  How do we continue these traditions today?  Are we faithful to the reading of the Scriptures and to the teachings of the church?  Are we loyal to our brothers and sisters in faith?  Do we participate with joy and reverence in the Eucharistic celebration?  Do we have strong personal prayer lives?  Are we faithful to the sense of community recalled by this passage?

It seems to me today’s “world” often promotes values starkly different from what’s presented in the story of the Acts of the Apostles.  For this reason we recall that even Thomas himself may have remained in that “world” had he not “seen and believed.”  Today’s “world” tells us we need not follow the wisdom of the ages, especially that of the Christian faith described in the Scriptures and handed down by the traditions of our faith.   “The world” in contrast seems to tell us we need only to be faithful to what we believe to be important for our own needs and personal enrichment.  This same “world” also seems to tell us the guidance of other people isn’t necessarily relevant (in other words, it’s likely better for us to find our own way and to go with it).  The philosophy of “the world” often seems especially antagonistic about the unselfish value and good of serving others (that is, unless there is some kind of profit attached to it!).

My friends, as in today’s Gospel, let’s stand with those who have not seen and who still believe (but if like Thomas we need a little extra motivation to overcome our doubts, let’s strive to make that happen too).  As people of faith, we believe because we have seen the power of the Risen Lord alive in the lives and deeds of our sisters and brothers in the community.  As we carefully try to discern the “wisdom” of “the world” (and to reject it when necessary), let’s remain faithful to Jesus.  And let’s always and enthusiastically proclaim it to those, like Thomas, who might doubt and/or who have not yet come to faith!

Praise God!  Friar Timothy

 

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Stay Awake! – Palm Sunday–Year A

My Sisters and Brothers:

Today, as we observe Palm Sunday, we have the opportunity to reflect on the Gospel story of Jesus’ passion and death (see Matthew 26:14–27:66). Part of the story involves the account of the “agony in the garden of Gethsemane.” Accordingly, Jesus took his three closest Apostles, Peter, James and John, and he went into the garden to pray on the night before he was crucified and died. In the narration of this event, we recall the famous words of Jesus’ prayer to God the Father: “If it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” What’s also interesting about Gethsemane is Jesus’ appeal to the three disciples to “remain there and to keep watch with him.” We find he asks them to do this three times, but over and over he returns only to find them sleeping. Because of this, he chastised them saying: “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Of course, we know the rest of the story. Those weak men who couldn’t stay awake to watch with Jesus would eventually lead the church after his resurrection and ascension into heaven. And eventually, Peter and James would endure brutal deaths as well because of their testimonies to the Lord Jesus. John, who was the only Apostle to die of old age, would devote his entire life to the writing of Scriptures and to the teaching about Jesus as the manifestation of God’s love. Those men may not have been able to stay awake and keep watch with Jesus in Gethsemane, but they certainly spent the rest of their lives watching and waiting for the day of the Lord. Their destinies became only possible after they would suffer through the events of Holy Week, endure persecutions for the sake of the Name of Jesus, and then give their whole lives in service to the Christian message.

The message for us is Jesus also wants us to stay awake, to watch and to wait for him for the duration of our own lives. He also recognizes our humanity, and welcomes us to follow him even though we are imperfect sinners. And so, let’s not forget even Peter denied he knew Jesus just a day after he fell asleep and failed to keep watch with him at Gethsemane!

Jesus asks us the same question he asked his Apostles: “Can you not stay awake for even a short time and keep vigil for me?” Oh, we may not literally be sleeping when he calls to us, but we might have “fallen asleep” to the responsibilities we have as his devoted followers. We may have “slacked off” with the obligations we have to give witness to him in this world. Our good intentions of discipleship may have been neglected, and we may have failed to live up to what we are called to be in this complicated world. And so Jesus says to us: “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

During the coming week, as we journey through these final days of Lent and enter into those special days called “the Passiontide,” we will recall the most poignant events of our Christian faith. All of these events are recounted in today’s Gospel. We remember all of the necessary events that occurred before Jesus’ glorious resurrection from the dead: We will recall his sharing of the “Last Supper” with his disciples, his prediction of the denial of Peter the Apostle, the account of Jesus’ “Agony in the Garden” of Gethsemane, the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, the arrest of Jesus by the servants of the chief priests and the elder, the interrogation of Jesus before Caiaphas the high priest, the tri-fold denial of Peter the Apostle, the despair of Judas the betrayer, the handing over of Jesus and his trial before Pilate the governor, the stripping, humiliation and mocking of Jesus by the Roman soldiers, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion and death of Jesus, and his burial and the securing of the tomb by the guards. During these days we are challenged by our faith to keep watch and to stay awake with Jesus. These events made possible our salvation, and so let us “keep our eyes open” with anticipation and with respect!

My friends, although our “spirits may be willing, and our flesh may be weak” may we never close our eyes, and fall asleep to the responsibilities and obligations we have as followers of the Lord Jesus. Let’s diligently, and with great devotion, “watch and pray” with Jesus during these coming days, and throughout our entire lives. My sisters and brothers: Let’s always remain alert and be confident! Let’s “stay awake,” because the day of our Salvation is upon us!

Praise God! Friar Timothy

 

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God Will Settle Us! – the Fifth Sunday of Lent–Year A

My Sisters and Brothers:

In today’s first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel, we’re told God would “settle his people on their land” (see Ezekiel 37:12-14). This matter about the “settling of God’s people” seems to indicate they would have been empowered to do many things, including the ability to surmount any great and/or small challenges and/or difficulties facing them. As people of faith, don’t we want to proclaim God promises “to settle” us as well! But, if you’re like me, isn’t it true we might sometimes think it’s easier to say this than to believe it!

For some reason, this makes me think of my experiences with Mathematics classes! We might all remember a difficult class or two we had to endure when we were students. Math classes were always so for me! When going through school, a self-perceived “Achilles heel” always besieged me when I took any of those many and dreaded math classes! For me, this was certainly my reality starting with the multiplication tables in elementary school, and then at every other step of the way until I “endured” my last obligatory college math class! On more than one occasion during my academic career, I nearly lost hope I’d be able to get through this or that required math class, but somehow I always managed to survive! Those classes are all behind me now, and can I honestly look back and admit they weren’t as difficult as I feared, dreaded, or proclaimed them to be. All along the way, I now know my parents, my classmates, and my teachers, empowered me to make it through the various levels of mathematics. Because they truly encouraged me to overcome my fears, and my self-perceived mathematical weaknesses, those classes really weren’t as bad as I had always imagined them to be.

To use my math classes analogously, isn’t it true all of our lives have had seemingly overwhelming challenges and/or obstacles?  Of course some of these may have been much more serious and life-altering than academic classes, but isn’t it true we might sometimes have been tempted to surrender our ability to deal with whatever great or small things have been presented to us?  I believe we can admit it might have seemed a whole lot easier just to run away from such challenges!  And, let’s be honest, there might have been times when we’ve felt our lives of faith were similarly stymied and threatened.

Isn’t it true it’s been possible for us at this or that moment to place obstacles before our relationships with God? Can’t we admit it wasn’t then difficult to allow those distractions to blind us from the otherwise robust relationships we’d been invited to have with our Lord? Perhaps (if you are like me), there were unfortunate moments when it was possible for us to conclude there were greater powers in our lives than those of the Lord Jesus Christ! This was certainly the case with Martha in today's gospel– at the moment Jesus arrived and found her brother Lazarus in the tomb she wasn’t able to completely trust Jesus was actually totally in control.

Martha doubted Jesus’ power to raise Lazarus from the dead, and she seemed to convince herself he couldn’t bring him back. Although Jesus assured her Lazarus would live again, she skeptically proclaimed: “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days” (see John 11:1-45). But even so, Jesus approached the tomb and he called Lazarus out of its darkness and into the light of life! Metaphorically, isn’t it also true Jesus calls us out of any similar kinds of bondage to darkness (i.e., from sins, from troubles, from doubts, from distress, and/or from whatever other kinds of negativity might otherwise have control over us)?

The rising of Lazarus from the dead tells us we too will rise with Jesus on the last day–but even more, it’s a sign Jesus will lift us out of death to sin (and out of all that other possible negativity) even in the here and now. And although we will be doubted and challenged by those skeptical about the power of Jesus, as people of faith we know we are capable of conversion and change. We have confidence each us are able to walk out of the darkness of our metaphorical tombs and into the light of right relationships with Jesus! All we need is confidence to overcome our fears and faith to believe in the Lord’s promise to liberate us! And I believe it’s likely we’ll find the obstacles we’ve encountered along the way weren’t actually as difficult as we first imagined they might have been!

My friends, let’s not be overcome by the negative self-defeating, and self-perceived “Achilles heels” we might have. Surely there will be many challenges in our everyday lives (such as those with our own metaphorical math classes, and whatever other issues and/or obstacles might come our way), but may we never lose hope! Let’s remember God’s covenant to protect and “to settle” his people, something assured to us through the prophet Ezekiel as he proclaimed: “I have promised it, and I will do it.” And so, just as God “settled” and restored Israel to life, and just as Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, so too does our God promise to conquer and to overcome the obstacles, the darkness and the sins that might otherwise bind us. Therefore, as we hope for peace and security in this life, and for everlasting life with God in heaven, let’s believe our awesome God will “settle us” today, tomorrow, and always! About this, let’s be confident and unafraid! And let’s not only say it, but may we always believe it in our hearts as well!

Praise God! Friar Timothy

 

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