Holy Family Catholic Academy Birmingham, Alabama

To All,

In many dioceses in the U.S., the Church celebrates the Ascension of the Lord on the Sunday before Pentecost, and the readings for that day are the basis of my reflection. In our Gospel reading (Matthew 28: 16-20), the Risen Jesus appears to His disciples, and gives them a commission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

I think it might be good to reflect on these words of Jesus in the light of what is going on today. For instance, when Jesus says, “Go…and make disciples of all nations,” I don’t believe He is talking about trying to force others to be disciples, or seeking to shame or demean others for not being with “us.” He is not calling us to be cruel to those who may be different from us. Instead, Jesus says that we are to teach “them to observe all that I have commanded you.” We teach others to observe all that Jesus commanded us to do by observing Jesus’ commandments ourselves. We do that by demonstrating God’s love and compassion and mercy. We do it by working for justice and peace. We do it by serving each other, especially those considered the “least” among us (Matthew 25:31-46).

We are called to do this, not only as individuals, but as a community. In our first reading from Acts (1:1-11), we have Luke’s account of Jesus’ ascension into heaven, His return to the Father. Before He ascends, His disciples ask Him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” I have often said that if I was Jesus, I would have been frustrated with the question. Could they not understand that Jesus wasn’t talking about the restoration of any earthly kingdom? Well, today it hit me. Here I am criticizing the apostles for asking about the restoration of the kingdom of Israel, and yet, I can find myself thinking about the U.S. and its status in the world as a superpower or even the superpower.

Jesus wasn’t looking to restore the kingdom of David and Solomon. He came to reconcile us with God so we could enter the kingdom of heaven and gave us a way to help build up that kingdom on earth, by love and sacrifice and giving of ourselves.

What kind of kingdom are we seeking? And do Jesus’ words have anything to say about that? Do we wish to be “great” in our own eyes or in the eyes of the world? Or are we willing to see others and the whole of creation as God sees them? Are we willing to love and serve and be “great” as Jesus tells us to be great?

If we believe that Jesus is with us always, we don’t have to stare up at the sky wondering where He is. He is at the right hand of the Father, but He is also here with us. In response to His love, we are called to seek first the kingdom of God, loving each other as He loves us.

I welcome any comments or questions. Thanks for your time.

In the Risen Christ,

Phil, CP

To All,

In our Gospel reading for this Sunday (John 14:15-21), Jesus says, “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

I feel sometimes that these words of Jesus can be understood as saying that God’s love depends on whether we love God. But I can’t believe that! Jesus has revealed Himself to us. We hear this in our second reading (1 Peter 3:15-18): “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence…For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God.” Jesus put no conditions on suffering for us “unrighteous.” Thanks be to God! And in His Cross and Resurrection He has revealed how much we are loved and what we are called to do.

But it seems that in our divided times we are often less interested in suffering for doing good than trying to make others suffer because we have decided that they are too different from us and are therefore evil and godforsaken.

But we are not here to decide that others are godforsaken. We are called to something different. In our first reading (Acts 8:5-8, 14-17), the deacon Philip goes to the city of Samaria (again, remember the antipathy between Jews and Samaritans) “and proclaimed the Christ to them.” Luke tells us that the crowds paid attention to what Philip said, not only because of the words he was saying, but the “signs he was doing.” We do not proclaim Christ by condemning others. We proclaim Christ by acts of love, even to the point of suffering for doing what is good. This is the kind of love we know to be authentic. This is the kind of love we celebrate on Mother’s Day every year.

What Jesus promises us is that the more we are willing to observe His commandments, the more His love for us is revealed, and the more we understand our call as disciples. The more we understand our call, the more we understand the hope we have in the Resurrection, even when we may be suffering for doing good.

In all this, we are not alone. In our Gospel reading, Jesus says, “I will not leave you orphans.” By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can keep and observe Jesus’ commandments to love and proclaim Christ to the world.

I welcome any comments or questions. Thanks for your time.

In the Risen Christ,

Phil, CP

To All,

There are some verses in the Scripture readings for this Sunday that especially keep me humble. At the end of our first reading (Acts 6:1-7), Luke describes the growth of the early Christian community: “The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of PRIESTS (caps mine) were becoming obedient to the faith.” I am reminded that being a priest does not make me immune to sin.

In our Gospel reading (John 14:1-12), after Jesus explains to the apostles that He is “the way and the truth and the life,” Philip says, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus replies, “Have I been with you for so long and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father…Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? … The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.” Again, being a religious priest does not mean that I do not have more to learn and understand about being a disciple of Christ.

No matter where we are on our spiritual journey, we are all called to grow closer to God in Jesus Christ. We are all called to grow in holiness. But we cannot do this on our own – Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. In Him we receive what we need to follow His commandment to love as He loves. We need not let our hearts be troubled. Jesus has prepared a place for us. In the words of our second reading (1 Peter 2:4-9), Jesus has called us “out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

And so, again in the words of our second reading, we, as “living stones,” are called to let ourselves be “built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This is not always easy. It does not always come automatically. In our reading from Acts, seven deacons are commissioned by the apostles. Why? Because the widows of those who were Palestinian Jews who only spoke Greek, the “Hellenists,” were being neglected “in the daily distribution.” Once again, prejudice reared its ugly head, even in the church Our call to holiness leads us to reject the ways of the world in how we treat each other. Instead, we are to follow the ways of Jesus.

We are called, then, to follow Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We are called to come together as “living stones” to offer “spiritual sacrifices,” not only in our liturgies and worship, but in our responding to the needs of others. We are called to work for justice for all those in need, and to continue to do the works of Jesus -- of healing and reconciliation, of love and mercy and compassion. May we not give in to the darkness of hate and fear, but put our trust in the love of God in Jesus Christ, who has prepared a place for us to be with Him forever.

I welcome any comments or questions. Thanks for your time.

In the Risen Christ,

Phil, C.P.

To All,

In our Gospel reading for Sunday (John 10:1-10), Jesus uses both the image of a shepherd and the image of a gate for the sheep to describe His love for the world: “…whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out…Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep…Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” Jesus knows us and calls us by name. He seeks to give us “pasture,” a setting, so to speak, where we can grow and thrive. And He has done this by giving of Himself, as we are reminded in our second reading (1 Peter 2:20b-25): “By his wounds you have been healed.”

As I was reflecting on all this, I came to the question of what it means to have life “more abundantly.” Does it mean to have more material wealth, or more worldly power over others? I seriously doubt that is what Jesus means. I believe it has something to do with being free from slavery to sin; being free from fear; being relieved “of the bo***ge of self.”

So, what does it mean to have “abundant life?” St. Peter connects Jesus’ sacrifice to how we are called to live our lives: “Beloved: If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps…He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.”

Could it be that love and sacrifice and “living for righteousness” are part of abundant life? Or do we see sacrifice as something we endure until we are rewarded in heaven? I think Jesus is calling us to something beyond worldly logic or consideration. Jesus calls us beyond our fear of losing something if we give of ourselves to others. But we cannot find abundant life in accumulating things only for ourselves. To answer God’s call to love as Jesus loves gives us a peace and joy the world cannot give. Another thing to consider is found in a prayer offered by a Buddhist at a prayer service for peace I attended at Madonna University in Livonia, MI, near Detroit, some years ago:

May I be happy. May I be peaceful. May I be free.
May my friends be happy. May my friends be peaceful. May my friends be free.
May my enemies be happy. May my enemies be peaceful. May my enemies be free.
May all beings be happy. May all beings be peaceful. May all beings be free.

Not only may abundant life involve giving of ourselves for others, maybe, just maybe, our having abundant life can’t be fully realized until there is abundant life for all.

I welcome any comments or questions. Thanks for your time.

In the Risen Christ,

Phil, CP

ICYMI:

Our Sister Parish, St. Mary's Catholic Church-Fairfield, had a Disaster Awareness Day Event on yesterday (4/19) with Mr. Jordan West, Meteorologist on WVTM 13 News. Well-attended; awesome engagement; and a lot of information shared about how to prepare for natural disasters.

We appreciate Mr. West taking time out to share information with us about the weather and how to prepare. And the refreshments were good too 🤣 🍩 ☕️🧁💧

A great time was had by all!

The Annual Holy Family Catholic Academy Scholarship Jazz Brunch was an awesome event! We extremely appreciate all the people who put this fundraising event together; all our Sponsors who supported this event. The food was delicious (as you'll see a plated photo 🤣)

Music by Cashmere Williams🎶🎸
Food by Flavor Lane Catering

Looking forward to next year!

To All,

The Gospel reading for this Sunday (Luke 24:13-35), recounts another appearance of the Risen Jesus to His disciples. This time, Jesus appears to two disciples who have left Jerusalem after seeing Jesus crucified. As Luke tells us, they were “downcast.” Jesus comes and starts walking with them. At the time, they don’t recognize Him.

As they are walking, Jesus asks them what they were discussing on their way. Then, one of them, named Cleopas, starts talking about Jesus and their hopes that He was the Messiah. He speaks about Jesus’ death, and the news that the tomb was empty. You can hear the pain in Cleopas’ voice, and the words almost pouring out of him as he expresses his grief at what happened. And this grief, perhaps similar to what Thomas felt, has kept them from taking heart in the news that some women had, of angels telling them that Jesus was alive.

Jesus takes the opportunity to interpret the Scriptures, so that they realize that the Messiah had to suffer and die and then “enter into his glory.” Cleopas and his companion convince Jesus to stay with them for the night. And when they are eating, and Jesus breaks bread with them, they recognize Him, and at that time, He vanishes from their sight. The disciples return to Jerusalem and share their experience of the Risen Christ with the other disciples who have also seen Him.

It’s not difficult to feel “downcast” these days. There is much suffering in our world. There is war and violence and cruelty. We may be tempted to think that some people who are suffering deserve what they are getting, but that is not the way of Jesus. We are not to rejoice in the suffering of others. It is in this context that I hear these words in our second reading (1 Peter 1:17-21): “If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one’s works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning, realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct…with the precious blood of Christ…” We are to treat each other with reverence.

Easter tells us that we do not have to stay downcast, but we can continue in hope, working for justice and peace, helping to build up the kingdom. The Gospel tells us that the two disciples recognized Jesus in the “breaking of the bread.” We who have not seen Jesus, in the flesh, so to speak, still encounter Him in the Eucharist, and take Him into ourselves.

In the midst of hate and fear and despair, how do we see ourselves and each other in the “breaking of the bread?” Do we see ourselves as beloved of God, people for whom Jesus died and rose again? Do we see each other as brothers and sisters, as fellow pilgrims on the journey, called not to demean and exclude, but called to have reverence for each other and to support each other? Do we see ourselves as disciples, messengers of the Good News of Jesus Christ, called to live out the Eucharist in love and service? Do we see ourselves together as the Body of Christ, the Church, a community of faith, given a mission to share the love of God in Jesus Christ with the world, so that others may be healed?

May we open our hearts to take Jesus ever more deeply into our lives. May His love open our hearts to recognize each other as beloved of God.

I welcome any comments or questions. Thanks for your time.

In the Risen Christ,

Phil, CP

To All,

Happy Easter! This Sunday concludes the Octave of Easter, but continues the season of Easter until Pentecost. This Sunday is also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. As always, our readings for this Sunday have much to say about the times in which we are living.

In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles (2:42-47), we have perhaps an idealized depiction of the early Christian community: “The devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers…All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and divide them all according to each one’s need…They ate their meals with sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”

Believing in Jesus seems to have brought people together, not drive them apart. They praised God and cared for each other. Now some might say, “Well, Father, that was only for the ones who believed in Jesus.” Well, then how did people come to join them? Were they impressed by Christians offering condemnation, or by them sharing the love of God in Jesus Christ by word and deed?

The importance of community is also seen in our gospel reading (John 20:19-31). This Gospel passage relates the encounter between the Risen Jesus and the apostles, and then between Jesus and the apostle Thomas. I do not see this account as a judgment on Thomas’ doubt. I see it as another example of Jesus’ healing. Jesus heals Thomas’ grief and disillusionment and despair. But notice where Jesus does this. Jesus could have appeared to Thomas anywhere. He could have appeared to him at his home, or in the street, or in the Temple area. Instead, Jesus appears to Thomas in the midst of the other disciples; in the midst of the community. In fact, Thomas is there because the other disciples somehow convinced him to join them in the upper room.

So, if the love of God in Jesus Christ is to lead us to love one another, how is it that we are so tempted to rush to condemnation and even violence in the name of God? For many who do not believe in Jesus, it may seem foolish to believe in the Resurrection. But for some time now, I see an even more prevalent doubt. That is the doubt of another’s humanity, especially those considered to be too different.

Just as Thomas touched Jesus’ wounds and had his faith restored, we need to try to understand the wounds of others and see their humanity. Maybe we would refrain from pointing at undocumented immigrants or Muslims or trans people or liberals or conservatives or any group people tend to hate, and declare them unworthy of God’s love. Are not all of us unworthy? And how can we have a devotion to God’s mercy and then withhold it from others?

In our second reading (1 Peter 1:3-9), St. Peter writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” May we not give the lie to that hope by seeking the destruction of others. Instead, may we offer the hope we have in Jesus to others by loving and serving them.

I welcome any comments or questions. Thanks for your time.

In the Risen Christ,

Phil, CP