Peter’s Joy

ST. MARY OF THE VALLEY | 2013

Bottom line: Like St. Peter – and his successor, Pope Francis – we will know the strength that come from joy.

The Mass is the most important thing we do as disciples. I know that your bed or sofa is more comfortable than our chairs. I cannot offer you something more entertaining than television, the mall or your computer. But I can promise you this: If you receive forgiveness and become a disciple, the Mass will become more and more meaningful to you. And you will experience joy, joy that endures.

The cross will still be there. Jesus has told us we have to take up our cross daily and follow him, be his disciple. Like St. Peter – and his successor, Pope Francis – we will know the strength that come from joy. “Krist uskrsnu! Uistinu uskrsnu!” Christ is risen! Yes, he is truly risen! Amen.

RELATED HOMILIES | 2022 Homilies

• The Greatest Gift (2016)
• Peter’s Joy (2013)
• Peering into the Tomb (2006)

Discerning Signs of Hope

SINGLE HUMANITY | 2019

Some Christians wake up on the Easter morning to their daily “passion”: persecutions, familial conflicts, marriage on rocks, others are shocked by the news of the death of their beloved ones, and still others are standing around the hospital bed, paralysed by what they dread to happen. In that moment, obviously, we are “forced” to reflect: what’s the meaning of the victory we sing about when, in fact, materially nothing changes in our life? Our joyous Easter greeting, in the end, risks becoming a mere mask of the pain and sense of deception we carry deep within us.

That’s why living Easter as a real-life changing experience demands more than just shouting out the habitual, joyous greeting. The starting point would be confronting the Easter message with what we are actually living: pain, loss, fear, deception. In short, the Easter event becomes really a liberation in the measure that it changes us from our lying position, which is a sign of defeat and death, and enable us to stand straight with confident hope for better tomorrow. To experience such liberation it requires us, as the Gospel testifies, putting us on the road that leads us out there to see and discern the signs of hope.

Tell Us, Mary: Say What Thou Didst See Upon the Way?

KUALA LUMPUR | 2019

Today, in the face of war, famine, dispossession, injustice, the darkness of sin, the loss and death of our loved ones, we cry out to God to act quickly and decisively to destroy what remains of death’s powers. But God waits patiently, offering every opportunity for the enemies of Christ to come to their senses and embrace the ways of God’s kingdom. And we must wait too; but not passively. By our words and actions we boldly announce God’s Easter victory over death – light has triumphed over darkness, truth over falsehood, love over hate, grace over sin. In God’s new order, distress, sickness, death, displacement, sin and violence will no longer hold sway. They will be replaced by joy, peace, hope, truth and love.

RELATED HOMILIES

• Life has Descended into Death – (2016)
• Christ Leaves No One Behind– (2013)

The Risen Church

DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE | 2020

The Church which proclaims the resurrection of Christ will never be a powerful church – this is not our identity. We are not to be a “powerful church” as the world measures power because all of the world’s measurements, judgments and calculations end at the tomb. Rather, we are to be a “risen church” because we live in the dawn of the new day! We are not stopped by the weight of the tomb. The tomb is emptied and broken and our Lord walks forth from its confines never to return! Everything is different and this is who we are! The risen church – even when hope seems lost – is revived again and again because our bridegroom is risen and he gives us the power to rise!

Where is Jesus in My Life?

A CONCORD PASTOR COMMENTS | 2015

It’s THE  Easter question and it’s as much a question for me as it is for you: where is Jesus in my life? Is he still hanging on the Cross, a murky mirror of my own pain and suffering? Am I stuck in Good Friday, awash in troubles, with little trust or hope? Have loss and confusion and disappointment and the dull ache of sadness rolled a stone against my heart, entombing me in my fears and my anxieties? Or am I making my way towards the tomb, one, heavy step at a time, slowly making my way to find Jesus, even a Jesus who has died, so that I might get at least that close to him? Or perhaps I’ve arrived at the tomb and concluded by virtue of my own inspection that indeed – there is no Jesus – just an empty hole in the earth which others  (fools that they are!) take as proof of something that is – not. Or:  perhaps like the two Mary’s and Salome, I’ve arrived at the tomb to find in its unexpected, unanticipated emptiness the healing of yesterday’s pain and suffering and reason to hope that all is not lost; that even what I thought was gone forever, what I was sure I had buried, what I thought I’d never find or see or love again: LIVES !

MORE ARCHIVED HOMILIES

• Easter Vigil Homily (2018)
• Easter Homily (2016)

Christ’s Resurrection: A Fact of Life

BC CATHOLIC | 2022

The readings this Sunday lay great stress on the facts of Christ’s Resurrection: Christ has died, but he is not dead. He has risen! He is alive!

“The Resurrection above all constitutes the confirmation of all Christ’s works and teachings,” says the Catechism of the Catholic Church. By his Resurrection, Christ gave “the definitive proof of his divine authority, which he had promised.”

In order that our faith might be “in accordance” with our reason, God willed that “external proofs of his revelation should be joined to the internal helps of the Holy Spirit.”

Rising

SUNDAY WEB SITE | 1997

The postmodern world has problems with resurrection. It has problems with anything transcendent. This life is all there is. You only go around once. Grab all the gusto. It doesn’t get any better than this. Bound by immediate distraction, enthralled by skills of indulgence, we are jarred by talk of heaven. It is inappropriate. Discomfort with transcendence churns in us Christians as well. We want to make good sense of our faith, especially to those who think our beliefs a bit outdated. Our own discourse becomes less a matter of heaven and hell, forgiveness and redemption, than of self-fulfillment, illness and recovery, and how to be our own best friends.

Jesus with Us Though Invisible

YEAR C HOMILIES | 2021

During this time of pandemic, or any difficult time, it is good to remember that Jesus is with us though invisible to us. Jesus was, in effect, on his own during his agony in Gethsemane because the apostles went to sleep, but if you ever go through some kind of agony in Gethsemane, like Mary Magdalene during her first visit to the tomb on Easter Sunday morning, you are not alone because Jesus is with you, beside you. The beautiful and well-known poem Footprints concludes this way…

RELATED HOMILIES

• Jesus’ Resurrection Shows He is the Answer (2016)
• Jesus Continues in the Church (2015)
• Christ is Risen! (2011)

HOLY WEEK HOMILIES

Alleluia, Jesus is Alive!

FR. JUDE LANGEH, CMF | 2019
Claret Media Cameroon

The Resurrection renews and restores good over evil, salvation over sin and life over death. Easter teaches us that Death is not the end of the story. Jesus regains his eternal glory with the Father. He is the Lord, who will prevail over all humankind, his enemies included. For us his embattled followers this is good news. The Resurrection is first and foremost, a faith reality. The Truth and Belief in the resurrection is also founded upon a historical data of mankind. Thus today, to see, to testify and to believe are strong expressions to guide our meditation. Jesus shows himself, eats in company of some of his disciples and gives them certain recommendations.

Christ is Risen!

CHRIST IN THE DESERT MONASTERY | 2019

Peter goes in and sees that the body is not there.  There is no comment about the faith of Peter.  The other disciple, probably John, goes in and the Gospel says this:  Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. As with the disciples, this faith must become our own and it must become so powerful that we act out our declaration:  Christ is risen!  We know from the Scriptures that faith may not take away all of our defects or even keep us from all sin, but it does show us the path on which we are to walk: complete trust in the Lord Jesus and a faithful following of His teachings.  Christ is risen!  Let us proclaim and act towards each other and the world in a way that leads our neighbors and families toward Him into the Kingdom.

The Resurrection’s Importance

HOMILIES – YEAR C ! 2019

I’ll tell you two reasons why Jesus’ resurrection is important to me.

FIRST REASON:   It’s  the ultimate vindication of Jesus’ approach to life. Jesus was killed by the power groups of his time – the guardians of the status quo and of law and order…

SECOND REASON:  He is no longer constricted to a single, brief historical moment or a limited geographical location – Palestine, 2000 years ago. I can relate to him now, personally. I can be in contact with him…

The Pro-Life Message

PRIESTS FOR LIFE ! 2022

Preaching on life is particularly appropriate on this day for the double reason that this is precisely the feast of life, and that many people will be in the Church today who do not hear our message the rest of the year. The pro-life message can be incorporated into the Easter homily in a very positive and clear way, as the following [five] points suggest…

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

Fr. Al Cariño | 2003
LifeIssues.net

The Gospel reading (Jn. 20: 1-9) talks about the “mystery of the empty tomb”. At the end of the reading, John, speaking for himself, said that he saw and believed. At that time, he and Peter did not yet understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. But seeing the empty tomb, he believed. The “light” began to shine on him. He believed that Jesus would not remain buried in the “darkness” of the tomb.

The empty tomb, though very important, is not enough. It is not an absence that we seek but a PRESENCE. The Easter gospels tell us of this presence. Where? In many places. Outside of the tomb, Mary Magdalene met Jesus after which she excitedly told the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” In the upper room where after Jesus showed His followers His hands and side, Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” On the road to Emmaus where the two disciples reflecting on their encounter with Jesus, said, “Were not our hearts burning inside us as he talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” These are definitely real experiences of the Risen Lord’s presence.

Easter: On Being Catholic

DIOCESE OF ST. PETERSBURG | 2022

Many people who do not regularly attend Mass come to Church on Easter. I am not saying that all the additional worshipers on Easter do not regularly attend Mass, many are visitors, vacationing in Florida or coming from out of state to spend time with their parents or grandparents. But those who do not regularly attend Mass come on Easter for one simple reason: they are Catholic. They want to pray with their Catholic community. They want to celebrate the New Life of the Lord they received at their baptism. They are here for the best of reasons, they want to draw closer to their Savior and they want to do this through the beauties and sacraments of the Catholic Church. Catholicism runs deep, very deep. And that is wonderful. So, shat does it mean to be a Catholic? I could answer this question in a theological way, but, instead, I want to consider our participation in three of the many fundamental elements of Catholicism: the Church, the Eucharist and Easter…

RELATED HOMILIES

• Vehicles of Divine Mercy  (2019)
• The Cross and the Candle  (2016)

You Know What Has Happened!

DOMINE, DA NIHI HANC AQUAM! | 2006

We are not here this morning to celebrate a vegetative regeneration myth. Jesus was not raised from the tomb b/c a god of a myth must rise from the dead so the flowers and grains of the Earth might rise in spring. No. We are not here this morning to celebrate the defeat of our subconscious’ death wish. Jesus was not raised from the tomb because our neurosises need fuel for another year. No. We are not here this morning to celebrate the triumph of an archetypal Hero over an archetypal Death. Jesus was not raised from the tomb because we need a Jungian happy-ending to our quest. No. We are not here this morning to celebrate the triumph of empowered self-esteem over the oppressive, patriarchal structures of organized religion. No. Jesus was not raised from the tomb because our pet-ideologies would be empty without some revolutionary symbol of victory. No.

We Should Be On Our Knees

HOMILIES – YEAR C 

For a discerning analytical reader of these texts, either Jesus rose from the dead or he didn’t. There are no other options. If he didn’t rise from the dead, Christians are the greatest of fools. If Jesus did rise from the dead, then he is Lord and God. There are no other options. Either this is the greatest hoax in the history of the human race or we should be on our knees. All the Gospels are in agreement that when Jesus was arrested, his disciples fled. This is the worst propaganda you can think up. This is not a great headline, news flash, disciples flee. The Gospels are in agreement that the women who came to the tomb were doing so in grief, to anoint his body. Again, this is not a stunning declaration of faith. And then the unexpected happened, this very large stone was somehow moved from the entrance and the tomb was empty.

The Easter Egg

BUILDING ON THE WORD | 2007

One of the most common symbols of Easter is the Easter egg. Eggs have been associated with Easter from the earliest days of Christianity. But what is the meaning that the egg is meant to convey? Usually when we ask this question, the answer is something like “new life” or “Jesus coming out of the tomb.” These answers are appropriate. But I suggest to you that if we reflect on the egg a bit deeper, we can discover a more complex meaning that is useful for our lives.

The egg contains within it the bird-to-be. But if that bird is to live it must peck over and over again on the inside of the egg until, after a number of days, it breaks through the shell and steps out. None of this can happen without the egg falling into pieces. You see the egg is not simply about life, it is also about destruction. If the bird is to mature, the egg must be broken. New life demands the shattering of the old. This is what makes the egg such a suitable symbol for Easter. Easter is not simply about new life or the beginning of springtime. By modeling Jesus’ death and resurrection, the egg tells us that we must break what is old if we are to find what is new. We must shatter what confines us if we wish to be free.

RELATED HOMILIES

• Alleluia Is Our Song (2004)
• The Challenge of Easter (2019)
• Easter Doubt and Faith (2010)
• Letting Christ Out (2013)
• The Curious Omission (2016)
• The Easter Egg (2019)

Corruption: Being Spiritually Blind

DIOCESE OF SACRAMENTO | 2022

APRIL 24, 2022 – Divine Mercy Sunday

No one likes or admires a person who lives a double life. People who live double lives present only one side of themselves to us. This side usually makes a favorable impression upon others. However, there is that other side of them that completely contradicts who we think they are. They hide that side of themselves, because they know we would see them for who they truly are. Thus, they would lose our approval – and, probably, our friendship. If we are honest, most of us would admit that there are things for which we are ashamed – especially in our past. This is because we are all sinful and have made selfish mistakes. Hopefully, however, we have repented of these sins. There came a time when we rejected those things which were harmful to our life as Christians.

Becoming a Visible Easter People to All Around Us

ST. LOUIS REVIEW | 2022

Easter is a day of high expectations and Scripture readings and songs that are full of hope and joy. But when we think about the first Easter Sunday, it wasn’t all hope and joy. Throughout this Easter season, we will be given the opportunity to remember the post-resurrection encounters that people had with Jesus. Some were distraught, some were unbelieving, some were angry and felt abandoned and some had just given up hope. They all expected the crucifixion to end Jesus’ promise that He would give us everlasting life.