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What Keeps Us From Commitment?

I was recently asked to celebrate Mass for a group of young adults in Toronto during the Easter Octave.  This recording is a sort of homily/talk on commitment – more specifically, what keeps so many young people today from making commitments in their life.

The focus was on three reasons (though you could most certainly articulate more):  fear, the desire to keep your options open, and a lack of vision.

May we all pray we see beyond these reasons and remember that we are to be agents of hope in the world.

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Easter Sunday

THE MEANING LIES IN OUR POTENTIAL

It is for us to take the resurrection for granted; after all, it is such a popular notion in our modern world. However, I am not sure we understand it much better than the first Christians did.

Do we really understand what God has done for us? In order to answer this question, we must also answer why the resurrection is so necessary? (and it is far too easy to say, “so that we could be freed from sin”) I do not believe we can really understand the meaning of the resurrection without also understanding the meaning behind our own free will.

To find out why this is so necessary, you’ll simply have to tune in, but I will give you the punchline: The resurrection complete the choice that we have been given by God. It is the ultimate answer to why we have free will. In the resurrection, we understand the height of our potential.

CLICK HERE for the Readings for Easter Sunday: (Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Ps 118; I Corinthians 5:6b-8; John 20:1-9)

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Holy Thursday

A NEW FAMILY IN CHRIST

We often forget that the Last Supper was a family affair, because after all that they had been through with Jesus, and all that they had left behind, the apostles had become a family.

Families are groups of people who are bonded by love, time, sharing and concern for the other.  In a special way, we are created as a new family in Christ.  Together, we share a meal and we look out for one another.  By doing so, we give witness to God.

However many of us are like Peter in the story:  we don’t want to accept help or service.  But we learn from experience as well as from the Gospel – service brings joy.  By design, we are made to serve one another.

CLICK HERE for the Readings for Holy Thursday:  (Exodus 12:1-8,11-14; Ps 116; I Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-15)

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Palm Sunday

TAKE TIME

Due to the length and glory of the readings for Palm Sunday, there is no homily this week.  However, I will pass along the simple reminder that I gave to everyone at the parish:  Take time to pause this week.  This is the holiest week of the Church year, but too often we go about our usual business, at the usual pace until Good Friday.  Granted, the world does not stop, but we will we can only receive as much as we give.  Take some time to reflect on the characters of the Passion.  This year, which character relates to you?  Where you find yourself in this story?  What passages strike you as new or meaningful this year?  Take time to pause and reflect with your family.  This week, carve out a little extra prayer time, re-read the Passion, call up a friend and spend time with them.  Break your usual routine.

CLICK HERE for the Readings of Palm Sunday:  (Luke 19.28-40; Isaiah 50.4-7; Ps 22; Philippians 2.6-11; Luke 22.14-23.56 )

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Fifth Sunday of Lent

LAZARUS:  UNTIED AND FULLY ALIVE

(Note:  The Readings for Year A were chosen due to the Scrutinies)

St. Ireneus said that “that the glory of God is a human being fully alive.”

It is a summary statement of our faith – when we are fully alive, just by being, we give glory to God.  And conversely:  God is saddened when death reigns in us on any level.  What keeps you from being fully alive? What aspects of your life are below the surface, restricting and alienating you?

The lesson of Lazarus is that we cannot save ourselves, but it is through Jesus that we are saved.  At the sight of death, Jesus commands,  “take away the stone!”  The message is as true for us as it was for Lazarus; yet, this is no easy task.  As to how it is accomplished, listen in and find out.

CLICK HERE for the Readings of the Fifth Sunday of Lent:  (Ezekiel 37:12-14; Ps 130; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45)

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Lenten Mission Day Five

GRACE AND EMPOWERMENT (Part Five of a Five Part Series)

As we come to the end of this Lenten Mission, we now turn away from the pain and loss we have experienced, and towards a life made new.  Forgiveness and healing only come when we begin to move forward and so that is what we must now do.

In order to move forward, we can no longer view life as a hardship, but as a gift.  But how do we do this?  How do we keep ourselves from growing weary; from falling into a cycle of cynicism and disillusionment?

Join us as we seek to understand:

  • The Secrets of the Spiritual Life:  Acceptance and Gratitude
  • The Eucharist
  • Reconciliation
  • New Ideas of Prayer

And may God bless our journeys and the new life we will all find during this upcoming Easter Season.

(NOTE:  this recording is 58 minutes.  The first half is a 48 minute presentation and the second half is a question and answer period lasting 10 minutes)

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Fourth Sunday of Lent

THE PRODIGAL FATHER

Every time I read this parable, I am struck by an intricacy I didn’t notice before.  This time I noticed the reason Jesus told the parable in the first place.  I’ll bet you missed it – I know I have for years.  Jesus tells the story to the scribes and pharisees because they began to complain about all the sinners gathering around to listen to Jesus.

And while it is true that the story speaks about the sinner, it really is a story about God.  God is not in some house sitting in judgement; God is prodigal, that is, “wastefully extravagant.”

Nevertheless, we have much to learn from the two sons – one is lost, the other is self-righteous.  As for what they have to teach us?  Well, you will just have to listen to find out!

CLICK HERE for the Readings of the Fourth Sunday of Lent:  (Joshua 5.9, 10-12; Ps 34; 2 Corinthians 5.17-21; Luke 15.1-3, 11-32)

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Lenten Mission Day Four

COLLECTIVE HURTS (Part Four of a Five Part Series)

The series continues as we move from the very personal hurts to the more collective hurts that keep us from a relationship with God.  Unfortunately, these hurts have often been caused by those who hold positions of power in the Church – either because of terrible mistakes or communication that has failed to be understood by those on the receiving end.

Join us as we explore the explanation to, and effects of:

  • Women, who are not allowed to be ordained
  • The role of an increasingly-educated laity alongside the modern clergy
  • The clergy scandals and abuses.

In each issue, we address the spiritual side of Church teachings, as we ask ourselves what we can learn from the sufferings of others as well as our own.

(NOTE:  this recording is 57 minutes.  The first half is a 46 minute presentation and the second half is a question and answer period lasting 11 minutes)

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Third Sunday of Lent

THE CHALLENGE OF CONTINUAL CONVERSION

(Note:  The Readings for Year A were chosen due for the Scrutinies)

The Gospel story of Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well presents us with a reoccurring theme in John’s Gospel:  Belief in Jesus will save you but not before you are challenged by it.

For most of us, the challenge of faith is found in the continual conversion; that is, the surrender of self that happens through a constant alignment with God’s will.

If our faith is going to be transformative, then we must be aware of God’s presence in all aspects of our lives.  This will mean at times, we will go through “the motions” and at other times, we will be truly aware.

Thus, John’s story reminds us that conversion is a process, and we are to take some comfort in that.

CLICK HERE for the Readings the Third Sunday of Lent:  (Exodus 17:3-7; Ps 95; Romans 5:1-2, 5-8; John 4:19b-26, 39a, 40-42)

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Lenten Mission Day Three

PERSONAL HURTS (Part Three of a Five Part Series)

Throughout this series, the underlying prayer and hope has been to reconcile all the things that keep us from, or diminish our relationship with God through the Church.  While the last two days have been somewhat foundational, day three focuses on the specific hurts caused by divorce, homosexuality and reproductive technologies.  Sadly, there are many misconceptions about the Church teachings on all three issues, so we seek to gain understanding so that we may move towards healing.

Join us as we explore why the Church teaches:

  • Divorce is NOT a reason to leave the Catholic Church;
  • Annulments do NOT invalidate children or say a marriage did not take place;
  • Homosexuality is NOT sinful, nor are they unwelcome in the Church;
  • and why reproductive technologies must be approached from the children’s, rather than the adults point of view.

In each issue, we address the spiritual side of Church teachings, as we ask ourselves what we can learn from the sufferings of others as well as our own.

(NOTE:  this recording is 56 minutes.  The first half is a 38 minute presentation and the second half is a question and answer period lasting 18 minutes)