“Truth wears a crown of thorns”

"We don't pray to be better Christians, but that we may be the only kind of Christians God means us to be; Christ-like Christians; that is, Christians who will bear willingly the cross for God's glory." --a note smuggled from the underground Church in Communist Romania

Scripture Text: (ACTS 5:34-42)
A Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel,
a teacher of the law, respected by all the people,
stood up, ordered the Apostles to be put outside for a short time,
and said to the Sanhedrin, “Fellow children of Israel,
be careful what you are about to do to these men.
Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important,
and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed,
and all those who were loyal to him
were disbanded and came to nothing.
After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census.
He also drew people after him,
but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were scattered.
So now I tell you,
have nothing to do with these men, and let them go.
For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin,
it will destroy itself.
But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them;
you may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
They were persuaded by him.
After recalling the Apostles, they had them flogged,
ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus,
and dismissed them.
So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin,
rejoicing that they had been found worthy
to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes,
they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus

In 2011, Italian scientists announced a new finding about the Shroud of Turin, which many have claimed to be Christ’s burial cloth. The scientists stated that the image on the shroud, which resembled a crucified man, was not painted on. So how did it get there? They tried to produce a similar effect on another piece of cloth using lasers. They succeeded only partially, speculating that at least thirty-four thousand billion watts of energy would be needed to produce such an image.

That would make sense if the man on the shroud had really been raised from the dead—for the power of God is certainly greater than anything man-made!

The scribe Gamaliel may have sensed this power when he heard the preaching of the apostles. Why didn’t he simply join the rest of the Sanhedrin in condemning them? He was obviously trying to be objective: If these men were telling the truth, it would be of no use to try to stop them. Indeed, this small group of disciples couldn’t have had the impact they were having without some powerful assistance!

Both the story of the shroud and Gamaliel’s reasoning tell us that Christianity is more than just a set of ideas. It is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). There is a dynamic force in the message of salvation that can reach into hearts and lives and change people from the inside out—you as well as the people in your life who don’t yet believe in Christ!

So don’t shortchange yourself—or God, for that matter—by thinking that only extra-holy people can be effective witnesses for Christ. If you can find just one opportunity today to share something about your faith, you will be making a difference. It’s not about you anyway; it’s about Jesus and his power! Surely you can rely on him as you share your story. And when you do, know that it’s not just you speaking. The Holy Spirit is there, in your words, adding his grace to your witness.

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

You're not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it. ~ Malcolm X

Scripture Text: (ACTS 5:27-33)
When the court officers had brought the Apostles in
and made them stand before the Sanhedrin,
the high priest questioned them,
“We gave you strict orders did we not,
to stop teaching in that name.
Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching
and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,
“We must obey God rather than men.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,
though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior
to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.
We are witnesses of these things,
as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

When they heard this,
they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.

Imagine being a defendant in court, having been arrested for some act of civil disobedience. You know you are guilty, and you don’t deny it. The judge, being lenient, tells you, “If you promise never to do this again, I will let you go with a warning.” But all you can say is, “Sorry, I can’t do that.”

That would take a lot of conviction, wouldn’t it? You would need to be very sure of what you were doing to openly defy a judge like that. This is exactly what Peter and the apostles did in today’s first reading at Mass. How did they know that openly defying the Sanhedrin was the right thing to do? And how did they find the courage to do it?

Peter gives us the answer: “We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit that God has given to those who obey him” (Acts 5:32).

The apostles knew what they had seen: Jesus of Nazareth, risen from the dead. What’s more, they experienced the Holy Spirit’s power convincing them that Jesus was the Son of God and Israel’s long-awaited Messiah. So despite the pressure exerted on them by the Sanhedrin, they couldn’t deny or keep quiet about all they had seen and experienced.

What about you? What have you “seen” and experienced? After all, you have the same Holy Spirit who filled the apostles. Has that Spirit brought Christ to life in your heart? Have you felt Jesus’ love or mercy? Have you had the experience of joy and confidence that comes as the Spirit moves in you?

Don’t dismiss these questions as unrealistic or “super-spiritual”! Millions of people have experienced these blessings over the past two thousand years. Why shouldn’t you? And if you’ve experienced the Spirit like this in the past, why not ask for more today? Jesus gave us the Spirit so that we could continue to grow and deepen our spiritual lives, so why would he give us only a small portion of his grace?

“You must dare, and dare again, and then dare a little bit more, and go on daring.”

“Let us be today’s Christians. Let us not take fright at the boldness of today’s church. With Christ’s light let us illuminate even the most hideous caverns of the human person: torture, jail, plunder, want, chronic illness. The oppressed must be saved, not with a revolutionary salvation, in mere human fashion, but with the holy revolution of the Son of Man, who dies on the cross to cleanse God’s image, which is soiled in today’s humanity, a humanity so enslaved, so selfish, so sinful.” - Archbishop Oscar A. Romero, (The Violence of Love)

Gospel Text: (JN 3:16-21)
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

What will we do with the light we have?

It seems as if this modern age is bent on “tolerance”, on “acceptance”, on not offending anyone. We are often told not to share our opinions too adamantly, or to express our values with too much zeal, for fear they will upset another. While we always need to be respectful of someone else’s beliefs, these other values should not be values for “all times” (Psalm 34:2).

Our faith needs to be intentional and obvious. Not an in-your-face, show-off faith, but a faith that seeks to be clearly and easily evident.

This evident faith can manifest itself in many forms: When we interact with others, we should act “so that […our] works may be clearly seen as done in God” (John 3:21). When issues of questionable morality arise, we should not be afraid to “tell the people everything” (Acts 5:20) about our views and the Church’s views. When good things happen to us, His praise should be the first things on our lips, so much so that others hear us and are glad, too (Psalm 34:2-3).

For me, an evident faith means not being afraid to bring up God in conversation. This is something I struggle with continually. Often, I feel weird or out of place talking about God or my faith in everyday conversation. I feel like I’m putting people off or breaking some unwritten rule of appropriate conversation topics. Sometimes, I even feel taboo saying, “God bless you,” after someone sneezes.

Why is it important that I bring God into all aspects of my life? Why can’t I just save Him for planned discussions with those who think the same things?

If I “live[…] the truth,” not only will I “come[…] to the light” (John 3:21), I will have the opportunity to bring others with me. I can let the “only-begotten Son” work through me to draw others toward “eternal life” (John 3:16).

I pray that God grants me the audacity to witness for Him in all areas of my life, great or small. I ask that my face not “blush with shame” (Psalm 34:6) the next time I bring God up while talking with a friend. LORD, give me the courage to have an evident faith.

Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” – Rumi (13th-century Persian poet)

Gospel Text: (JN 3:7B-15)
Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus answered and said to him,
‘How can this happen?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?
Amen, amen, I say to you,
we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen,
but you people do not accept our testimony.
If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

Have you ever tried to explain to someone what it’s like to “fall in love”? You might start by talking about your beloved and all the qualities that are attractive to you. You might try to describe how being with this person affects you emotionally; or how the relationship has changed your perspective or deepened your values or influenced you to make different choices or given your life more meaning. It’s difficult to describe. Even more challenging is how to describe what it’s like to experience oneself as the beloved.

This seems to be the difficulty Nicodemus is having in today’s gospel as he tries to understand what Jesus means when he says “You must be born from above”. It is difficult, maybe impossible, for him to comprehend this rationally. It is only by entering into a relationship with Jesus - allowing himself to be loved –that he will be able to grasp this mystery. “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.”

What happens when we allow ourselves to enter into a deeply loving relationship with another, being willing to be vulnerable and be seen as we are, with all of our strengths and faults and burdens? When we allow ourselves to be deeply loved, we are transformed. We become more patient, kinder, more forgiving, more hopeful, more compassionate, more just, more loving. We may have difficulty explaining it, but the transformation is visible and concrete.

Blessed Frederic Ozanam is a contemporary example of someone who allowed the Spirit of God to transform him. When thousands died in a cholera epidemic in Paris in 1832, many more were left destitute. Ozanam, a young university student, was moved at the hopeless state of families who had lost the support of their breadwinners. While all this was going on he was stung by another student’s remark: “In former times Christianity worked wonders, but what is it doing for mankind now? And you, who pride yourself on your Catholicity, what are you doing for the poor?”

In response, Ozanam gathered a few friends and began to do whatever he could to relieve the suffering he saw in the slums of the city. Eventually, a new organization, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, grew from Ozanam’s work and spread. Through the society, volunteers serve millions of disadvantaged people around the globe. They provide home visits, job training, housing assistance, food pantries, and medicine for the elderly. They pray with people, cared for their needs, and show the love of Christ in countless concrete ways.

God still calls us today to bear witness to Jesus through acts of generosity and loving service that are in line with our circumstances. We have to be willing to let God make us uncomfortable!!!! We have to say, “God, here are my plans, take the wheel of my life.” If we truly let God take the wheel and dare to serve others, God won’t leave us in need either.

So ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to see the needs around you. Sharing even a little of your resources, even a little of your time and attention, can make a big difference!

No one can begin a new life, unless he repent of the old

Baptism is not the work of man but of Christ, and this sacrament is so holy that it would not be defiled, even if the minister were a murderer. - St. Isidore, Doctor of the Church

Gospel Text: (JN 3:1-8)
There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him,
“How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?”
Jesus answered,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

When we encounter God, we encounter God as we are. And that means we encounter God filled with our own limits and prejudices, talents and restrictions. So much has made us who we are. Families, friends, education, background, and beliefs. These things are immutable, in many cases. And they have a substantial impact on us, shaping us, governing us, forming us. No wonder Nicodemus is so incredulous. How then, are we to be re-born, restored to our destined life as children of God?

This is why Jesus focuses on the Spirit. Re-birth is something outside of our control, it is Spirit and water. We cannot change ourselves, but we can trust in the power of God to transform us. Water washing over us cleanses us. This is the power of baptism; we are bathed and washed clean by the power of God. We are, truly, “born again.”

This can be a scary concept, disquieting and discomforting. Maybe this is why Nicodemus points out the absurdities of the situation. No longer of this world, but from above. No longer flesh, but Spirit. And this Spirit is wild, untamed. We cannot see it, we cannot know where it is going. But, Jesus assures us that it will take us with it.

And perhaps this is what is scariest – all of those immutable things, they are safe, they are comfortable, they are, if not always known, at least familiar. Jesus here invites Nicodemus (and us) into a new world, the world that is above, a world infused with the Spirit of God. It won’t be the same. It will be liberating and transformative. A new way of living, even. But that also means an unknown way of living. And a way of living that will be strange, unfamiliar, and perhaps even dangerous. For, all those around us may not understand why we are this new way. We can invite them into the life of the Spirit, true, but they will be just as challenged and discomforted as were we, initially. Yet, the Spirit blows where it wills, taking us with it, so that we might find new life in the Kingdom of God.

“Be realistic: Plan for a miracle”

“Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.” ― C.S. Lewis

Scripture Text: (ACTS 2:42-47)

They devoted themselves

to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life,

to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.

Awe came upon everyone,

and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

All who believed were together and had all things in common;

they would sell their property and possessions

and divide them among all according to each one’s need.

Every day they devoted themselves

to meeting together in the temple area

and to breaking bread in their homes.

They ate their meals with exultation and 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.

“Miracles.” What does this word bring to mind for you? Spectacular healings? Multiplication of food? Suspension of the laws of nature? Signs and wonders relegated to biblical times? As Catholics, we have living proof that miracles are not things of the past. Every time a new saint is canonized, we are reminded that miracles still happen. We see in these saints evidence of God breaking into our world and transforming people in concrete ways!

Today we celebrate the canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II, two modern-day examples of God’s power to perform miracles—and not just the physical healings that have been attributed to their intercession. Who could deny the miracle of John XXIII opening the Church to the modern world and speaking timeless truths in a new way to a world that desperately needed it? Countless lives were changed around the globe because of what he did. Countless people—unbelievers as well as believers—stood in awe of how vital the Church is and how active a role it can play in the world. And who could not but stand in awe of the largely bloodless way that the walls of communism came down during the papacy of John Paul II? Or think of the lives that were touched when they saw him forgive the assassin who tried to kill him. The world looked on in amazement!

As we are inspired by the lives of these two holy popes, we know there’s always more of God’s mercy. Even now, two thousand years after Christ’s birth, we see just the beginnings of how God wants to inspire awe in the world! So together let’s celebrate the new saints -  John XXIII and John Paul II—and let’s keep expecting miracles! 

When God interrupts your life, He is calling you to follow Him in a new way

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – St Matthew

Scripture Text: (ACTS 4:13-21)

Observing the boldness of Peter and John

and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men,

the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed,

and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus.

Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them,

they could say nothing in reply.

So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin,

and conferred with one another, saying,

“What are we to do with these men?

Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign

was done through them, and we cannot deny it.

But so that it may not be spread any further among the people,

let us give them a stern warning

never again to speak to anyone in this name.”

So they called them back

and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Peter and John, however, said to them in reply,

“Whether it is right in the sight of God

for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges.

It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”

After threatening them further,

they released them,

finding no way to punish them,

on account of the people who were all praising God

for what had happened.

Do we really believe? 

We who are sure that we have a much better hold on religion after centuries upon centuries of religious experience and clarification and living a faith which is not new to our families or our country?  Are we satisfied with being polite and nice and doing what is convenient?  Or do we let the world see him alive and at work in us and through us?  Are we living the daring and demanding life which Christ calls us to?  Or are we keeping Jesus in the tomb? 

If Jesus is indeed risen, if he is not only still alive but even more alive than he ever had been in this world, if he comes personally and lovingly to us every time we celebrate the Eucharist, why is that not more evident in the way we live? 

This is still a world of sin, crime, and grief, waiting for the Kingdom of God to appear in its fullness.  The world is waiting for a complete proclamation of the Good News.  Is it us that it awaits, waiting for us to be the people we claim to be and that God calls us to be, his lights in this darkness?

Are we keeping Jesus in the tomb?