Road to Emmaus

Road to Emmaus

They must have been dawdling. I don’t walk that distance normally.

3 years ago we did walk from Holy Family parish in Caledon, to St. Patrick’s, Wildfield, which is in north east Brampton.

It was 9 km and took us just over 2 hrs.
So Israel - with its hilly terrain, bit more of a distance - lets say it should have taken 4 hrs.

But these guys still they took better part of the day. They must have been dawdling!

Like Mary Magdelan  - they didn’t recognize Jesus along the journey. Yet at the table: In the act of blessing bread,

The recognize him. Then they Run back to Jerusalem. There's no dawdling now! And its almost a competition - who saw the Lord 1^st

Daily in this Easter week we listen to stories of the first appearances of Jesus in the Gospel, and the first works of the Church in Acts of Apostles.

The acts of apostles presents us different crew than the Gospels.

They are now Confident. Unafraid. Powerful preachers.

        Preachers who invite people into relationship.

Peter and John invite the lame beggar to look at them. 
Look vs staring. The man would have been stared at many times.
Staring pushes out, but looking invites in. And Peter and John wanted to share their relationship with the risen Lord with this man.

What has happened from Good Friday’s denying / Fleeing / get out of dodge crew? The Resurrection. That's what happened.

We might ask ourselves Will this ever end? When will this ever end? Yet In times of doubt - Our strength is from the Risen Lord

Our encounter with the Word of God - Jesus Christ.

Peace

Resurrection

RESURRECTION HOMILY 

by St. John Chrysostom

Come all lovers of God, rejoice in the splendor of this feast: 

enter into the joy of your Lord. 

You the first and you the last, receive alike your reward; 

you rich and you poor, dance together; 

you sober and you weaklings, celebrate the day; 

you who have kept the fast and you who have not, rejoice today. The table is richly loaded: enjoy its royal banquet… 

let no one go away hungry. 

All of you enjoy the banquet of faith; 

all of you receive the riches of his goodness.

Christ is risen and the angels rejoice. 

Christ is risen and life is freed. 

Christ is risen and the tomb is emptied of the dead: 

for Christ, being risen from the dead, 

has become the Leader and Reviver 

of those who had fallen asleep.

To Him be glory and power for ever and ever. 

Amen

Reflection from Fr. Cantalamesa - The Preacher to the Pope.

Each year - the Good Friday Homily is offered not by the Holy Father - rather by the preacher to the Papal household. 
Fr. Cantalamesa on Good Friday, preaching at Papal liturgy offered these thoughts:

“When, in the memory of humanity, have the people of all nations ever felt themselves so united, so equal, so less in conflict than at this moment of pain? We have forgotten about building walls.."

"(COVID-19) knows no borders. In an instant, it has broken down all the barriers and distinctions of race, nation, religion, wealth, and power..."

“We should not revert to that prior time when this moment has passed, we should not waste this opportunity."

“Let us leave to the next generation a world poorer in goods and money, if need be, but richer in its humanity."

“The pandemic has abruptly roused us from the greatest danger individuals and humanity have always been susceptible to: the delusion of omnipotence..."

“We too, after these days that we hope will be short, shall rise and come out of the tombs of our homes to a more fraternal, more human, more Christian life!”

A Homily for Palm / Passion Sunday

Palm Sunday – 2020 – COVID-19

From Triumphant Entry – to Condemnation
We enter into this week that we call HOLY

Yet a very different Holy Week.
Different from any other we have ever experienced!
With Churches shut – and Physical Distancing – very different indeed.

At the Heart of the Christian Year – is the Triduum – Three days
From Holy Thursdayevening to Good Friday evening - Day 1
Good Friday evening to Holy Saturday evening - Day 2
Holy Saturday evening to Easter Sunday evening - Day 3

Cognitive Dissonance – holding 2 competing ideas at the same time: and so Each year Palm Sunday presents us with this Cognitive Dissonance – and the 2 competing ideas are:
From Triumphant Entry – to utter Condemnation

Hate can be a deeply stimulating emotion.
The world becomes much easier to understand and much less terrifying if you divide everything and everyone into friends and enemies, we and they, good and evil.
The easiest way to unite a group isn’t through love – because love is hard. It makes demands. Hate is simple.

So the first thing that happens in a conflict is that we choose a side.
Because that is easier than trying to hold 2 thoughts in our heads at the same time.

The second thing that happens is that we seek out facts that confirm what we want to believe.  Comforting facts. Ones that permit life to go on as normal. Facts like: "He’s a revolutionary" or "He breaks the Sabbath" or "He says ..."

The third thing that happens in a conflict is that we dehumanize our enemy. There are many ways of doing that, but none is easier than taking the name away from him or her.
Crucify Him / Crucify Him

As we move through this week that we call Holy – 
I challenge you to turn to God in Prayer – 
to take time to reflect on the readings and prayers.
To join us – even if only Virtually – and know 
the Power – the compassion – the mercy of God.
The God who challenges us to hold 2 conflicting concepts together at the same time: Triumph and Condemnation 

There is a lot of noise out there. The twenty four hour news cycle.  
Social Media.  Talk radio.  Blogs.  Commentary.
Over the next week, a week like none other in the Church’s calendar, a week like none other in our world, 
we will hear words of love and accusation, 
     we will listen to stories of intrigue and betrayal,
and we will participate in veneration and prayer.
The noise out there will be in stark contrast to what we will hear, read, see and do here – in church / in Liturgy.  

This is a week of drama, of judgement, of a mother’s sorrow, of suffering and isolation.  Yet perhaps most of all, this is a week of invitation; of putting aside all the noise out there and coming to understand the love, the mercy, the forgiveness, the ultimate reason of why Jesus did what Jesus did.  

How do we attack?

In the Gospel today - Jesus is a point of division. Some recognize him as a prophet, others as the Messiah. Still other people attack Jesus - not so much for what he says (remember he spoke with such authority) yet they attack where he is from.  Can any prophet really come from Galilee??? 
The region of Galilee in the northern part of Israel was often considered (in the time of Jesus) to be a "back-water" area - like being a "hill-billy" if you will. How often do we attack people based on where they are from? Their cultural or racial background? How they dress, or the colour of their skin, or the accent they speak with? When they speak truth to us - we cannot attack the words - so we attack where they are from. That they are not from here. They are from "away" - they are not really one of us!
The more times change, the more they stay the same.

Peace

Friday in the 4th week of Lent

The best laid plans of mice and men! I planned to offer a reflection at least every other day - if not daily - here - and it has not been so.
Fr. Jeremias, Fr. Bob, and I have been alone here in the Rectory since Tuesday's orders came from the Province and the Archdiocese to close the church and the office. It has led to us cooking our meals together and praying together.

We have also continued to answer the phones and return messages, as well as care for those who are sick and isolated. I think of those who are frail and who are dying and how this difficult time is even harder for their families as there is even more isolation. 

I think of the many unsung heroes - like grocery store and delivery couriers - who are ensuring that the vital necessities of life are available to us all.

Thursday's daily reading from the book of Exodus detailed the ultimate distraction that the people of Israel faced in the desert at the base of Mount Sinai.  The making of and the worshiping of the golden calf was a clear breaking of the Law that Moses received from God - the Ten Commandments. While we think we do not worship golden calf statues in our lives - what are the things we place so quickly before God?
Money. Prestige. Status. Name Brands - in fashion, vehicles, jewelry, watches, shoes, athletic gear, fragrance...

This sabbath-like time can be a true grace for us - as we push pause on our hectic lives. I pray that you will also use this time to strengthen a prayer life - now possible with fewer distractions!

Peace

Monday of the 4th week in Lent

Monday is usually my day off. I typically sleep in, and have a later "brunch". But these are not typical times!

Fr. Jeremias preached this morning about the healing of the son of the Royal official. While Jesus was in Cana and the boy was in 
Capernaum there was a physical separation - but the healing showed that there was no spiritual separation.

As we continue through this Covid-19 state of emergency, we are separated physically from the sacraments, yet we are not spiritually separated from each other.  Like Jesus and the Royal official's son - we are closer than ever to each other in prayer.

Many of you have seen this image of a priest celebrating Mass with the photos of people in the pews.

While we do not have pictures in the pews - I do think of you parishioners as I look out into the church during the daily masses we are celebrating. Since we are so often creatures of habit - sitting in the same area Sunday after Sunday - as I look out I imagine you sitting in the places you often sit in the assembly!

Be assured of our continued prayers for you and your family!

Peace