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homilies
on the liturgy of the Sundays and feasts
by jeffrey lawrence
Connecting with God
through the Bible
3rd Sunday of Easter—May 7
“B” Readings: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 • 1 John 2:1-5a • Luke 24:35-48
Title: The Bible in Our Lives
Purpose: to show (1) the meaning of Biblical Inspiration; (2) the
importance of the inspired Bible, in Church and at home; and (3) the teaching Church as
interpreter of Sacred Scripture.
n This holy season of Easter is the perfect time to reflect on Jesus’ amazing
appearances after the Resurrection. In today’s Gospel, the disciples are still in awe
that the Lord is really back—not as a ghost, but as “flesh and bone,” as he
puts it. To prove it, Our Lord lets the disciples touch him and watch him eat like any
living man.
The disciples are mind-boggled! They know first-hand that Jesus was crucified, died, was anointed and wrapped in burial cloths and sealed in a tomb. Dead men just don’t come back to life! Yet here he is—plain as day.
“But I told you this is how it would be,” says Jesus. “Remember what I said: ‘everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and psalms had to be fulfilled.’ It’s all right there in the Scriptures!”
Sure enough, you can pick up your Bible and find prophecy after prophecy in the Old Testament pointing to Jesus’ coming . . . and also to his passion, death and resurrection. We read and prayed many of them during Lent and Holy Week and the Vigil of Easter.
The great prophet Isaiah, for instance, lived 800 years before Jesus’ ministry on earth. Yet he writes all about Christ’s sufferings to come.
King David, who composed many of the psalms, lived 200 years before Isaiah. He also described Christ’s passion with uncanny accuracy.
The prophet Zechariah, more than 500 years before Our Lord’s birth, wrote down the exact amount that Judas would receive for his betrayal—thirty pieces of silver—and that he would cast them into the Temple treasury!
How could this be?
As holy as these Bible authors may have been, no one is able to foresee the future . . . unless God reveals it to him. And this is precisely what the Lord did when he “inspired” the human writers of the Bible to put down those prophecies in writing.
The very word “inspiration” suggests a beautiful mystery: God “breathing” his divine life into the words that these ancient authors used. In a supernatural way, God is the real author of the Bible. But at the same time, the human authors—we might say in a secondary way—used their own talents and writing skills to produce the books of Scripture that bear their names. So the psalms are by God and David. The prophecies of Isaiah by God and Isaiah . . . and so on.
And needless to say, when God writes a book telling what the future will be, it’s going to be absolutely accurate! God does not deceive.
The Bible is not just limited to teaching us about Jesus Christ—although, of course, he figures in every aspect of human history. As the living Word of God, the Scriptures also speak to us here and now, teaching us and encouraging us to encounter God and conform ourselves to his holy Will—the path to eternal life.
The problem is, often the language of Scripture is hard to figure out. Some of it is poetic, like the Song of Songs. Some of it is very symbolic, like the Book of Revelation. Plus, the Bible was written and copied and translated and retranslated over thousands of years by many different authors in lots of places and historical situations, representing dramatic changes in culture and language and human experience. What we read today in English may be a far cry from what was originally put down in writing thousands of years ago. That means you have to be very careful about taking some things too literally—or not taking some things literally that may sound far-fetched but are precisely what God meant!
How do you know, then, how to interpret the Scriptures?
The simple answer is: we let God himself tell us through his Church, which he established to lead all men to salvation . . . to heaven. The Holy Spirit dwells within the Church especially to guide the Pope and the bishops in union with him for this very purpose. And in a particular way, Christ’s purpose is achieved when the Catholic Church teaches by proclaiming the Holy Scriptures and cracking open for us their true meaning.
At times this task is very straightforward. When we hear, “Thou shalt not kill,” everyone understands that murder is wrong.
But what about killing during wartime? What about abortion? What about so-called assisted suicide? What about disconnecting a comatose patient’s feeding tube? What about using the death penalty on criminals? All of a sudden, the issue is no longer quite so neat—particularly if it touches you. How do you discover what the Truth is?
To start, we need to look at the entire the Bible as a single entity. We must not pluck out a verse or a phrase here or there out of context or that seems to go against well-known truths of faith.
We also have to understand the Scriptures within the Church’s living Tradition. The Bible is only a part of what God wants to teach us. It’s like a letter written at a point in time, but there are also many other things in the Lord’s Heart that he continues to unfold for us when the moment is right. That’s one of the main reasons why Christ left us his Church: to keep on guiding us along the right path.
Even though we have to exercise good judgment in interpreting it, the Bible should definitely be an important part of every Catholic’s spiritual life. The great Bible scholar, St. Jerome, said that to be ignorant of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ. So pick up your Bible and plunge in! Read slowly and meditatively, and let God speak to your heart. Filter everything through the teaching of the Catholic Church, and you’ll be exactly on the right track. What’s more, you’ll be on the joyous and safe road to the Kingdom—the home that God has desired for you from all eternity.
Suggested reading: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 104, 105, 111, 141, 304, 688, 2653,
2654.
Called to serve
the Lord
4th Sunday of Easter—May 14
“B” Readings: Acts 4:8-12 • 1 John 3:1-2 • John 10:11-18
Title: Religious Vocations for the Church of the Future
Purpose: (1) to explain what a religious vocation is; and (2) to
encourage a positive answer to a religious vocation.
Every now and then, something happens that makes you shudder at how fast life races by. The other morning, I looked in the bathroom mirror and wondered: “Who’s that old guy—and why am I shaving his face?” Maybe you catch a glimpse of your mother or grandmother in the mirror. And you whisper, “Boy. Life sure flies by.”
This prompts me to ask: Do you have a plan for your life—or does life simply “happen”? How about your children . . . your grandchildren? Do you encourage them to get their lives on track?
This may sound like philosophical musing, but it’s actually an important question. Remember from your catechism that God made us to show forth his goodness and share with us his everlasting happiness in heaven. To gain heaven, we must know, love, and serve God in this world.
God, of course, has a wonderful plan for each of us, individually, from all eternity. If we find and follow that plan, we can count on a life filled with joy and peace . . . and then, please God, we can look forward to heaven. I’m not saying that such a life will be free from pain or troubles; but no matter what happens, we can handle it and use it to grow in holiness.
The life plan that God has in mind for us is called a vocation, and when we seek it out and embrace it, the Lord blesses us powerfully.
St. Peter, certainly, found his vocation. Today’s reading from Acts opens as Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, addresses the leaders and people . . . forcefully, fearlessly. Just hours before he was cowering with fear in the Upper Room! That’s the power of vocation!
In God’s wisdom, vocations come in different forms. Some—perhaps most of us—are called to married life to make the Church grow in size and holiness through our spouse and children. Or, you may be called to the single life. Still others are invited to perhaps the greatest call of all: a religious vocation, by which we freely consecrate our life to Christ and his Church as a priest, a nun, or in another way.
Often people ask: “How do I know if God wants me to be a priest . . . or a sister?” This is a mysterious question with a mysterious answer. In the seminary, we were told that we know we have a vocation to the priesthood when the bishop ordains us! That’s the proof. But of course, that’s a somewhat unsatisfying answer.
I like to turn the question around. Ask an engaged woman how she knows that God wants her to marry this particular fellow, and she typically answers: “I just know.” And that’s exactly right. That mysterious “knowing with certainty” deep inside—that’s how a vocation reveals itself. One day it’s just there. You sense in some inexpressible way that God is drawing you to himself. It’s falling in love, and it’s practically irresistible.
A real vocation, though, is more than just a warm feeling inside. God’s call fills you with a desire for ever-greater holiness through prayer, confession, communion, good works. This is the heart of a religious vocation: to hunger to be more and more with Christ and like Christ.
Maybe you suspect that you have a religious calling. At the same time, you’re nervous to rush into a permanent commitment. Our world is so afraid of commitments! But do not fear. The seminary and convent are houses of discernment—places where you pray: “Are you calling me, Lord?”
In time, God willing, your answer will come. “Yes, stay with me and help me serve my people” . . . or “No, go back to the world. I have other plans for you.”
It’s easy to see that our Church today needs lots more priests and sisters and others consecrated to the Lord. Religious vocations have become scarcer because, in general, families don’t pray for them or encourage their own to consider offering their life to God. Vocations are very fragile. That’s why it’s so important and necessary to keep reminding our children that serving God is a beautiful, noble, and fulfilling life. As a priest, I look for every opportunity to encourage our altar boys to consider the priesthood. I try to point out their good qualities that might be the sign of a future vocation. I know our sisters do the same with the girls. How about you, parents and grandparents? Do you tell your children how proud you would be to be the father or mother of a priest, or a nun, or a brother? You need to.
Too often, the world thinks of priests and religious as people who have to “give up” a lot. They have to give up getting married, give up having children, give up sexual relations . . . not to mention the high-paying job, fancy car, designer clothes and homes and other possessions. We live in a selfish world. We don’t want to give anything up.
So you vacillate. Should I or shouldn’t I? Without a strong network of supportive friends and family, it’s very easy for the world to win out. Maybe you even put God to the test: “If You really want me to be a priest, then let it snow green snow in July!”
Jesus frequently reminds us that God will not be outdone in his generosity. Nowhere is that truer than with a religious vocation. If you offer him your life, he will reward you beyond your wildest dreams. You’ll find happiness and satisfaction that you never imagined possible. You’ll discover that you haven’t “given up” anything at all—but have actually gained tremendously.
During this holy season of Easter, let Jesus touch your heart in a powerful new way. Offer him your life . . . or your son’s . . . or your granddaughter’s . . . or your best friend’s. Pray to share in today’s beautiful psalm: “By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.”
Suggested reading: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 931-932. St. Thomas, Summa Theol. II-II, Q. 189, a. 10.
Grafted to Christ
5th Sunday of Easter—May 21
“B” Readings: Acts 9:26-31 • 1 John 3:18-24 • John 15:1-8
Title: Living in Christ
Purpose: to show the importance of (1) imitating Jesus Christ and (2)
living in Christ.
Picture this scene from an old, black-and-white horror picture.
There’s this upright vacuum cleaner trundling along the floor in some creepy
Victorian house. It’s chasing a woman who is totally terrified. As the camera slowly
pans around the room, you notice that the sweeper’s not even plugged in! Somehow
it’s possessed by a demon, and it’s determined to do in this hysterical lady.
What a contrast this demonic spirit is to the Holy Spirit that Jesus describes to us in the Gospel today. Our Lord tells us that he is the vine, and we are the branches. Together, we make up one single plant. We’re connected together—plugged in. So the power that flows in and through us is divine power—the very power of God.
As long as we’re grafted together, the branches thrive and we’re safe from harm. Did you ever see the lush growth of an ivy vine growing up a building or a trellis? Or the robust tangle of a grape vine in an arbor? This is not a fragile connection! That’s why Our Lord’s image is so vivid. Once God has us firmly attached to himself, we’re not going to just drop off at the slightest touch. He’s made a connection that’s meant to last.
This connection, you see, has a crucial purpose: to draw us into eternity . . . into the joys of eternal happiness . . . and to make our earthly journey a time of peace, too, no matter what challenges life may present. We’re joyfully and peacefully safe in the Mystical Body of Christ.
Even though we’re plugged into the Lord’s vital power, still, we have the uncanny ability to detach ourselves from the vine. This is what sin does.
As human beings, one of the powers that we have is free choice: true free choice, and not just the illusion of free choice. We have the power to say “No” to God—to reject his grace, to go against his will. And if we sin in a particularly grave way by committing a mortal sin, it’s as if we were to take a machete and hack off our branch from the vine. Immediately, this cuts off our divine lifeblood, and the severed branch just withers away and dies.
Why would a rational and intelligent human being do such a thing? This is one of the unfortunate consequences of original sin—that first sin in the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve. Now all mankind is susceptible to evil temptations. Somehow, we get it into our head that we know better than God what will give us happiness—so we go after these things. We merrily lie and cheat and steal and fornicate and kill and oppress others . . . all the while sawing off our branch.
Even so, Jesus never gives up on us. He keeps watching over us and calling us back. If we’re open enough to his grace, the Lord’s invitation penetrates deep into our soul. We sense that God has something much better for us than sin and guilt. We crave to be grafted back onto the One True Vine.
So with humble contrition, we kneel down and make our confession, because only the Sacrament of Penance can reconnect us to the Lord. The blackout is over; the power is back on, and divine life once again courses through our being. We resolve never again to allow ourselves to be separated from God.
And Jesus—who is so incredibly good!—welcomes us back with open arms.
These days, a lot of people say that human freedom means that we can do anything we want. But that definition is dead wrong.
What human freedom means—the freedom that God gives us—is that we’re empowered to choose to do the good—because without God’s grace, we tend to do evil!
Striving to do good means striving to imitate Jesus Christ, who is goodness. Because we’re connected to Christ, not only does he give us an example, but he also gives us the means and the power to follow him. Jesus tells us, “If you live in me, what you ask will be done for you.”
So we must begin by asking. That’s what prayer is all about.
One excellent way to pray when we’re trying to imitate the Lord is to meditate on the Gospels. In these parables and teachings and narratives, we clearly see how Jesus tries persistently to save people and to teach them to be holy and obedient to God. He’s never afraid to speak hard or uncomfortable truths. He doesn’t shy away from doing what’s right even if people misunderstand or get upset with him. Indeed, it is this single-mindedness that cost Our Lord his life.
But we have proof that God liked what Jesus did. That proof is the Resurrection—the very event we celebrate at Easter and throughout this Easter Season.
Like Jesus, we too are asked—and at the same time empowered—to live a life of holy sacrifice for God. We may not be called to be out-and-out martyrs, but at the very least we can practice some self-imposed penitence—such as fasting or self-denial of some other kind. This asceticism strengthens us to do what God wants rather than what we want—and that’s precisely what St. John means when he encourages us to “love in deed and in truth, and not merely talk about it.”
To live in Christ . . . to imitate Christ . . . to love Christ . . . these are all one and the same. In faith we must be convinced that to follow this path is holy and promises tremendous reward.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who lives in me and I in him, will produce abundantly.”
May your blessings indeed be abundant.
Suggested reading: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 787-795. St. Thomas, Summa Theol., III, Q. 48, a. 2.
How to love
as God loves
6th Sunday of Easter—May 28
“B” Readings: Acts 10:25-26. 34-35. 44-48 • 1 John 4:7-10 • John
15:9-17
Title: The Greatest Love, the Sacrifice of One’s Life
Purpose: to explain and encourage the virtue of love as (1)
self-forgetfulness and (2) total dedication.
We just listened to two short readings from St. John—one from
his First Letter, the other from his Gospel. Together, they add up to no more than a dozen
lines. Yet if you do a little counting, you’ll find that our blessed evangelist uses
the word “love” nineteen times!
We’re told that love comes from God, so it’s the best gift we can give one another. Christ himself commands us to love others as he has loved us.
What is this love that we’re talking about? How is it possible to “command” someone to love?
In the world today, we use the word “love” a lot. I love God, Mom, my wife, my dog, vanilla ice cream, back rubs, baseball, and warm spring days. I think when I was 8 years old, I loved my 3rd grade teacher, too.
It’s easy to love a person when she’s nice to us . . . or a pet when it licks us . . . or ice cream when we lick it and it tastes good . . . but these feelings and delights related to the five senses and emotions are not exactly what the Lord means. You cannot command these things. Give all the orders you want, but you’ll never make me love tuna fish!
No, the love that Jesus speaks of comes from the mind and the will. The Lord reminds us that we are thinking creatures with the gift of free choice. He tells us today that if we’re serious about enjoying real friendship with God in this life and in the next, then we need to do our best to think and choose and act in a particular way—in a loving way.
As always, Christ is our Model. He loved us—and all men of all times—by taking our sins upon himself and dying for us. This supreme sacrifice—this martyrdom—is the essence of love: “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends” (John 15:13-14).
Is this what Our Lord asks of us—that we suffer and die for others?
Perhaps, but probably not . . . at least not in a literal sense as far as most of us are concerned. Even so, there are important characteristics of Jesus’ love that we do have to strive to imitate. One is that I must put the other person first—his interest ahead of mine. Another is that I must be prepared to go to just about any lengths necessary to live out this love. In other words, it is not enough just to feel affection or kindness towards others. My love must be practical. I have to do all I can to help my neighbor both spiritually and materially. As St. John puts it, “Let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:18).
To put the other person first means that you have to think about him rather than yourself. An excellent way to figure out what this requires in a particular circumstance is to ask yourself: “If our roles were reversed, how would I want the other person to act towards me?” Yes, it’s the old “Golden Rule.”
So, for example, that kind of thinking might convince me to take the money I’ve been saving for a little vacation and use it to help somebody who’s in real need. There’s a case where doing a loving deed also feels good. We all enjoy seeing others benefit from our kindness.
But then again, putting the other guy first might be a risky or painful proposition. A fireman faces this reality when he chooses to run into a burning building to rescue someone. This kind of love might cost him his health or even his life. The same goes for the generous soul who offers to give bone marrow or who risks ridicule by standing up to defend another person who takes an unpopular, but morally correct, stand on some issue—perhaps concerning divorce and remarriage, or birth control, or not ordaining women.
As we’ve all experienced, loving another human being by putting his interest ahead of our own can be difficult if we don’t especially like the person . . . or if he’s an outright enemy . . . or if he’s disagreeable to us in some other way—perhaps someone who’s poor, sick, dying, suffering, or even repulsive to us. But we must remember that God loves all his people, including all of these. They are precious to him, and he wants us to love them, too. Jesus doesn’t give us a loophole. There are no exceptions to his command to love. At the very least we must pray for them, respect their rights, avoid uncharitable thoughts and words about them, be polite to them, forgive them, and do good deeds for them whenever possible.
This, of course, is exactly what Christ did. He has given us the supreme example of how to love all men. So do the lives of the martyrs and saints.
It is good to remember, too, that God never demands anything from us that is impossible. Along with the commandments, the Lord gives us his grace to follow them. For our part, we must ask every day for the blessings and divine assistance we need to spread our love freely and generously—to be the kind of lovers of God and man that Christ asks us to be.
Our Lord promises still another blessing if we do our best to obey: “All this I tell you that my joy may be yours and your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). Couldn’t you use a little more divine joy in your life?
Ask Christ today to open your mind and heart to his loving word and his commanding love. May God bless you for your faithfulness.
Suggested reading: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1822, 1823, 1825, 2196.
Reverend Jeffrey Lawrence is a priest of the Diocese of Peoria, Ill., serving at St. Stephen’s Parish in Streator, Ill. A convert from Judaism, Fr. Lawrence practiced law, was creative director and a principal in an advertising agency, and was a consumer magazine publisher before his ordination to the priesthood as a “late vocation.” This is his first homily series for HPR.
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