Happy Easter

One day, during Lent, the first grade PSR teacher was teaching the kids about Easter. She asked if they knew what Easter was. A little girl in the front row raised her hand. (Little girls in the first row always raise their hands). When the teacher called on her she said, “Easter is the day when we all dress up in costumes. We go to the neighbors’ houses and they give us candy.”

The teacher said, “No, Susy, that’s Halloween. Does anyone else know what Easter is?”

Another little girl raised her hand. “Easter is when we all go down to the riverfront and there’s lots of food, and rides, and music, and when it gets dark we sit on the steps in front of the arch and they have pretty fireworks.”

“No, Mary. That’s the Fourth of July.” Does anyone else know.”

Little Johnny sat in the back row. He was a sweet little boy, but he liked to fool around in class and didn’t always pay attention. He wasn’t very successful when it came to answering questions. But, he was waving his hand frantically. He was almost jumping up and down. The teacher wasn’t sure whether he knew the answer to the question or if he had to go to the bathroom. Reluctantly, she called on Johnny.

“Teacher, Easter is when Jesus dies and they put Him in the tomb and on the third day he comes out of the tomb.” The teacher was in shock. Johnny was actually paying attention. But he wasn’t done with his answer. He went on “ and if He sees His shadow, we have six more weeks of winter.”

For most of us, Easter is all about kids. I can’t tell you how many times I stood on our soccer field, or on some field somewhere watching our kids search for eggs. On Easter morning there were eggs hidden at home and on Easter afternoon, we would go to my mother-in-law’s house and she would have eggs hidden in the yard. Easter eggs and my friend here, are as much a part of Easter as Santa Claus and colored lights are a part of Christmas.

So, how did we go from this (the crucifix) to this (the rabbit)? The tradition of the Easter bunny goes all the way back to the second century. Christian missionaries were trying to convert northern Europe. To prevent their converts from being persecuted for their new beliefs, the missionaries tried to associate Christian holidays with pagan festivals that happened at about the same time of the year.

The pagans had a feast celebrating the coming of spring called “E-A-S-T-R-E” or Easter. The symbol of this feast was the rabbit, because the rabbit was pagan symbol of fertility and spring was associated with new life. Of course, Easter is also associated with new life, eternal life. Over the years, two feasts became one and the rabbit became associated with the feast of the resurrection. The bunny is a timid, vulnerable creature, like the lamb, so the connection was natural.

So, what about the egg? How did we get the idea of bunnies laying colored eggs? And, what does that have to do with the resurrection of our Lord? In the 600’s, Pope Gregory the Great forbade the eating of eggs during Lent. That made them a special treat once Lent was over, so eggs became part of the Easter tradition. Of course, eggs are also connected with fertility. The baby chick breaking out of the tomb became a symbol of Jesus breaking out of the tomb.

The rich would give elaborate eggs decorated with gold leaf as Easter gifts. The peasants couldn’t afford gold, so they exchanged brightly colored eggs.

Bunnies laying eggs is apparently a German tradition going back to the 1500’s. German children believed that if they were good, a magic bunny would bring them colored eggs. The Germans brought the tradition to the United States in the 1700’s.

[pause]

We’re gathered here this morning to celebrate the major event of our Christian faith; the day Christ rose from the tomb and ascended into heaven. Lent is over. In spite of the weather today, winter is officially over, spring has come. Flowers are starting to bloom. There is new life on the earth just as there was new life risen from the tomb.

Today marks the day of Christ’s victory over death. Our God is a just God. That means that sins must be paid for. The wages of sin is death. Since Jesus, being the Son of God, was incapable of sin. His death was payment for our sins. Because our sins are paid for, we have the opportunity to spend eternity in the presence of God.

Christ’s resurrection gives us hope. Sometimes life can be hard. Sometimes it seems unfair. You know what? Jesus never said life would be easy or fair. On the contrary, He said we must take up our cross and follow Him. Why should our cross be light when the Son of God’s cross was so heavy?

Jesus suffered a terrible death. It was excrutiatingly painful physically and emotionally. One of His friends betrayed Him and the others ran away. Where do we get off thinking that we won’t experience trials in our own lives? Do we think we deserve a better fate?

When a tragedy happens in our life Christ’s resurrection is what makes it bearable. When a loved one gets critically ill, or dies, we trust that there is a better world ahead. When we near the end of our own lives, we believe that something better’s waiting for us. When we witness wars or natural disasters where many people die, we know that for believers, this isn’t all there is.

No, Jesus never said we would have it easy. What He said was that if we follow Him, He’s prepared a place for us in heaven. And, today is the day that proves it. Christ’s resurrection proves that we can have eternal life. God has prepared a place for each and every one of us. That’s why He sent us His Son.

So, today as we enjoy the food, as we enjoy the gifts, as we enjoy the chocolate bunnies, and the malted milk eggs, and the Peeps and the peanut butter cups, let’s be sure we take time to remember the story of my friend here. The bunnies and the eggs

were devices used to teach Christianity to the pagans. We’re not pagans. Most of us aren’t six years old like little Johnny.

We know what the day’s really all about. It’s the day when God gave us a Savior who would take our punishment for us, even though He was completely without sin. All He asks in return is that we love Him and that we loved one another as He loved us.

For those of you who are visiting our church today, we thank you for choosing to spend part of this special day with us. If you’re part of our family, but maybe you’ve been away for a while, welcome home. May God bless you and may you have a joyous Easter.

Holy Thursday

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father.

Tonight we remember Jesus’ last night on earth. Put yourself into the scene. He’s gathered all His friends together for his final Passover meal. He knows that by this time tomorrow His earthly life will be over.

What would you do if you were in His place? Share stories with the Apostles about all the good times you’ve had together? Maybe give them instructions on what to do after you’re gone? Or just try to enjoy their company one last time?

But that’s not what He did. In the middle of the meal :

He rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet.

He washed their feet!!! He got up in the middle of dinner and washed their feet!!! Jesus and the Apostles wore sandals. It was hot. There were no sidewalks. They walked the same paths as the animals. Surely their feet were very dirty. I like to wear sandals in the summer time. Trust me, I wouldn’t get up in the middle of dinner and wash my own feet, let alone anyone else’s.

So why did Jesus decide to wash their feet? The Gospel tells us:

He loved His own in the world and He loved them to the end.

It goes on to say:

When He had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow so that as I have done for you, you should also do.

He was showing them, by His example, that we’re all here to serve one another, to wash one another’s feet.

Earlier today, at the Cathedral Basilica, the priests of the Archdiocese gathered for the Chrism Mass. It’s the mass where the Archbishop blesses the oils that we use in the parishes for the following year. It’s also a celebration of the priesthood. In the second reading tonight, Paul tells the Corinthians how Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper.

When He told His Apostles “Do this in memory of me”, He created the sacrament of the Eucharist, but He also instituted the priesthood. He charged them with repeating the consecration of the bread and wine into His own Body and Blood.

In washing their feet He charged them with being of service to one another. In the breaking of the bread and the pouring of the wine, He charged them with the ministry of the Eucharist. Service and the sacraments, that’s what the priesthood is all about.

Are priests perfect? Of course not. Only deacons are perfect. Just kidding. We’re all sinners. Some of us are just worse sinners than others. According to some people, the Church, our Church, is going to hell in a hand basket. We have scandals. We have crises. Parishes are closing. Schools are closing. There aren’t enough priests. Our own pastor has three jobs. What are we going to do???

Well, in just a few hours Jesus will begin his final, tragic night on earth, because one of His first priests sold Him out for thirty pieces of silver. Soon He will take His priests with Him to the garden of Gethsamane. They won’t even be able to stay awake. Imagine being on death row and asking your best friends to sit with you and they all fall asleep. How would you feel? That’s what Jesus got from His best friends. They fell asleep! Not exactly washing His feet, were they?

Shortly after that, they will come to take Jesus away, led by one of His “friends” who has betrayed Him. What do the remaining eleven do? They take off. They hit the road. They run off and leave Him to fend for himself. No foot washing there.

Worse, the Apostle who Jesus has chosen to lead His new church not only runs away, but he denies even knowing Jesus; not once, but three times.

No, what’s going on the church today may be bad, but it’s nowhere near the catastrophe that happened on that first night. What a way to start a church. But start it did. Today, more than 2,000 years later, it continues. It survived that first crisis, just hours after Jesus started it.

It’s survived heresies, barbarian invaders, bad priests, bad bishops, and even bad popes. The young church was divided in two, the eastern church and the Roman Church. Catholics have been forced to worship in secret because our Church was illegal in some places. Ireland for example, or Germany during Hitler’s reign. It’s still illegal to be a Catholic in China and a lot of third world countries. There were more Christian martyrs in the 20th century than there were in the first nineteen centuries combined. Through all that, Jesus’ church has survived and even thrived. Some will tell you that we have a crisis today that we will never get past. Don’t believe it.

Today my son, Patrick, and I went out to the country to clear some brush. We got a few scratches from some of the thorn bushes. No big deal. But, for the last six weeks, we’ve been looking at this crown of thorns in front of the ambo. Take a good look at it. These suckers are long and very sharp. Tomorrow, they will take one like it and put it on our Lord’s head. They won’t set it there gently. No, they’ll jam it down nice and tight and the blood will pour from head, into his eyes. The blood and the sweat will burn His eyes. Every time He falls, with His hands tied to the cross, He won’t be able to catch Himself. The force of the fall will drive the thorns even deeper. And, that’s just the beginning of the suffering He will endure for you and me.

Soon the Apostles will be on their own. They’ll be scared. If they killed Jesus, surely they’ll kill them too. Up until now, life’s been good. The Master has been there to lead them; to protect them. Now they’re going to have to figure what to do. They don’t understand yet about the resurrection. As far as they know, they might have been duped.

If Jesus is really the Son of God, how could He let Himself be killed. Will He come back on the third day? Is He gone forever? Is He really who He said He was? They’ll find out soon enough, but in the meantime, they must have been terrified. Three days can go by very quickly when it’s a holiday weekend. But three days of fear can seem like an eternity.

Tomorrow Jesus will die. The Apostles will go into hiding. We know what’s coming; the most glorious day of all, the day that Christ rose from the dead to save you and me from our sins. But, tonight and tomorrow are days to recall the sadness and the fear of His death. If we’re truly going to share in the experience of the Easter Triduum, we also have to feel the emotions of that Thursday, Friday and Saturday. And, as He told us, we have to wash one another’s feet.

Wednesday of Holy Week

Today is the last full day of Lent. Tomorrow, Holy Thursday, begins the Triduum, the finale in the story of Jesus’ life and death; and the beginning of the story of His glorious resurrection. For the last forty days, we’ve been preparing for what’s to come in the next four days.

In today’s Gospel, we read about Judas, Christ’s betrayer. If I were to meet Judas, I guess I would ask him “What the hell were you thinking??? You knew who He was. You’d seen the miracles. You’d walked with Him and talked with Him. What the hell were you thinking???”

Judas knew that Jesus was the Son of God. He knew that Jesus would know what he, Judas, was up to. He told the Apostles:
“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to Him, one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord” He told them that it would be better for His betrayer if he had never been born.

Judas even had the intestinal fortitude to say to Jesus, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi.” Who was he trying to kid?

Clearly Judas had a conscience. After Jesus was captured, he gave back the money and hanged himself. So, what was he thinking?

A lot of people today betray Jesus in a lot of different ways. Some do it intentionally, some don’t. Some do it in big ways, some in small. Some know better, some don’t. We live in a culture of death. How must Jesus feel when an innocent child is killed before it has a chance to live. I imagine He feels worse about that than He did about His own death.

What does He think when he sees a child abused? Or when He sees an elderly person mistreated by the very people who are supposed to care for him or her? What does He feel when He sees people abusing their bodies with drugs?

The thing is, He loves us so much, He’s willing to forgive anything. He even forgave those who took His life.

Which brings us back to Judas. What happened to him? Jesus said it would be better for him if He had never been born. But He forgave the people who killed Him. Did He forgive Judas? When He said “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.” was Judas included in that? I’d like to think he was because we have a loving, forgiving God. After all, someone had to betray Jesus for the prophesy to be fulfilled.

I guess we’ll get the answer to that question someday. But for now, we’ll just have to wonder.

The Right to Die?

What an absurd concept. Of course we all have a right to die. And we all will. What we don't have is a right to choose when we die. And someone else certainly doesn't have a right to choose when we die. Life, liberty and the persuit of happiness are listed in that order for a reason. Life must be first.

Considering the controversy swirling around the Terri Schiavo case, I thought it would be good to point out the Priests for Life website. There is some good material there, including links to other relevant sites. One document of particular intereset is the US Bishops statement on Nutrition and Hydration.

This is one area where we should all have as much information as possible because, if they murder Terri, you and I might be next.

Thought for the Day

If separation of church and state is such a good idea, why does Congress take two weeks off for Easter.

Monday of Holy Week

I had a dream the other night. It was strange because I usually don’t remember dreams, but I remember this one like it really happened. I got a phone call to come and do a communion service at another parish. I should have known better, but I said I’d do it. It was one of those last minute things where I pretty much had to hang up the phone and go straight there. I didn’t have time to prepare anything or even look at the readings for the day.

When I got there, it was almost time for the service to start. I went into the sacristy and they didn’t have any albs or dalmatics. They had this huge closet full of vestments but nothing that I needed. The only thing I found was one, old, faded green dalmatic. Since it was past time to start, I went ahead and put it on and went out into the church where they had already started without me. I got there just in time to read the gospel.

I gave some kind of homily that wasn’t very good. And that’s all I remember.

But the dream made me think. There’s nothing worse than to be in a situation where you’re not prepared, especially in front of a bunch of people. The thing I remember most vividly about my dream was how uncomfortable I was. It was my fault. I should have said no if I didn’t have time to get ready to do it right.

It’s Lent. We have six weeks to prepare for the celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection. As of today, we have less than a week left. Am I ready? Are you ready? We’ve had five weeks. What is there left for us to do? Have we spent more time planning the Easter dinner than we’ve spent preparing ourselves?


What about that day that will come for each of us when we stand face-to-face with Jesus? Will we be ready for that? We don’t know when it will be. We just know that it’s coming. On the other hand, we’ve had our whole lives to get ready.

With Lent, we know exactly how much time we have to prepare. This year, Easter is March 27. Next year it’s . We know that. But I’m afraid that a lot of us, especially me, are procrastinators. We put things off.

The good thing is that we still have a few days. What can we do this week to get ready for Easter? One good place to start would be right here, tomorrow. It works out that this year we have Eucharistic Adoration during Holy Week. We can spend as much time as we like in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. What an opportunity to just sit and talk with God about whatever’s on our mind. Better yet, we can sit quietly and listen to what He has to say to us.

We also have the usual Holy Week opportunities to worship. Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening are all at the same time, 7:00. That’s so people like me can remember. Also, don’t forget the pot-luck dinner on Thursday. Supper and the Last Supper, without even having to move your car. And, they’re both free!

So you don’t get bored, Deacon Mike, Father Gary, and I will each be preaching one night. I’m not going to tell you who does what, because I want it to be a surprise. Really, I don’t want you staying home on my night.

Seriously there’s a reason they call this Holy Week. It’s nice to have new clothes for Easter. We want to have a nice Easter meal. There’s shopping to do and egg to color, and egg hunts to go to, but it’s more important for all of us to remember what this season is all about and to do our best to keep Holy Week holy.

March 18, 2005

You've heard the expression “don't shoot the messenger.” I like that expression, because many times I am the messenger. In fact, at ordination, deacons and priests kneel in front of the Archbishop. They place their hand on the book of the Gospels and the Archbishop says,

“Receive the Gospel of Christ,

whose herald you now are.

Believe what you read,

teach what you believe,

and practice what you teach.

In effect, we're ordained to be messangers. And, sometimes, the messenger might just get shot.

Jeremiah was not a popular guy. The people of Jerusalem thought they were protected by the covenant with King David. Sort of like some of our modern-day protestant brothers and sisters, they thought they were saved without having to do anything. Jeremiah thought that judgment was at hand and tried to warn the people. They didn't want to hear his message and they didn't like him.

“All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine.” Many of them wanted to kill him.

The same can be said of Jesus in today's Gospel. He's probably the most unpopular person in Jerusalem. The people want to put him to death. Like Jeremiah before Him, He brings an unpopular message. In fact, the message He brings is the best possible news of all. He is the Son of God. But His message requires action from them.

So what about today? The truth of the Gospel seems to be unwelcome news for a lot of people. How many people call themselves Catholics but ignore the Church's teachings when they don't agree with them? How many Catholics practice artificial birth control? How many Catholics are divorced and remarried without even trying to have the first marriage annulled? I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but how many Catholics go to mass when they feel like it? On Easter Sunday, this church will be nearly full for all three masses. Well, maybe not nearly full, but fuller than usual. How many of those twice-a-year Catholics will present themselves for communion? St. Paul tells us that if we receive the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily, we're guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ. How many of us choose to ignore that fact?

Here in St. Louis, we've seen what happens when people don't follow the faith. Parishes are being closed in North County and South City. Just like the citizens of Jerusalem hated Jeremiah for his prophesies, and just like they hated Jesus for speaking the truth, we have people today actually hating the Archbishop, or the Pope or “the church” for closing parishes when the fact is, parishes are closing because people aren't going to church. Some have moved out to the county. Some have moved out of St. Louis. But, a lot of them have just stopped going to mass. Whose fault is that? The Archbishop's? The Pope's? The pastor's?

So many people I visit at the hospital are listed as “Catholic” on their chart. But when I ask them about communion, or being anointed, they will tell me that they haven't been to mass in a long time. But they still call themselves Catholics. Obviously we have a problem with delivering the message.

As Easter approaches, we have an opportunity to bring people back to Christ. If you know someone who hasn't been to mass in a long time, why not ask them to come with you? Hopefully they won't be like the citizens of Jerusalem and want to shoot the messenger. Hey, it can't hurt. It might just turn out to be the best thing you've ever done for them.

The Lord is Close to the Brokenhearted

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the Lord delivers him.”

Face it, life isn’t always easy. Things don’t always turn out the way we want them to. On Monday, we talked about faith and college basketball; about how much faith it takes for a bunch of young kids to go up against a nationally ranked team and expect to win. Of course, there’s a difference between that kind of faith and the faith that we have in God. Obviously, half the teams who play basketball on any given day are going to lose. There can be only one winner in a game. It takes more than faith to win a basketball game.

On the other hand, our faith in God can never be wrong. If we follow the teachings of Christ and His Church, we will go to heaven. All of His faithful followers will win. There’s no limit on the number of us who can get in. Seating is unlimited. If I go to heaven, I’m not taking a place away from someone else. If we do what He told us to do, we can’t lose.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,and from all their distress he rescues them.

Sometimes, it seems as if we can’t win, especially if we’re focused on the things of this world and not the things of the next. I spoke to my son, Patrick, yesterday. He had applied for an internship this summer in Oklahoma. He’s a meteorology major at the University of Missouri and is very interested in severe weather. An internship in Oklahoma would have put him right in the middle of Tornado Alley. He was really hoping they would accept his application.

Unfortunately, they turned him down. He was very disappointed. I wouldn’t be much of a father if I told him, “It’s ok, son. You didn’t get the thing that you wanted, but cheer up. You’re going to heaven.” He might never talk to me again. When you’re 21, heaven seems a long, long way away.

But I did tell him that everything happens for a reason. He wasn’t meant to spend the summer in Oklahoma. I don’t know why. I believe that something better will come along. He has applied to other programs. All of them are closer to home. Maybe that’s why this one didn’t work out. Only God knows what the future holds, and He’s not telling. Patrick firmly believes that He is a child of God. He may not broadcast it, but he knows it. He’s disappointed, but still very hopeful.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.He watches over all his bones;not one of them shall be broken."

Most of us are considerably older than 21. It seems that the older you get, the more you think about your final destination. As we struggle with the troubles of this life, we’re more aware that they aren’t all that important compared to the life to come. Isn’t that what Lent is all about. It’s a time to reflect on our earthly lives and how well we’re prepared to enter the next life. God has made it very clear what we need to do.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the Lord delivers him.”

Bold type is from today's Responsorial Psalm

March 9, 2005

It’s been four weeks since Ash Wednesday. In the Gospel today, we see that Jesus is moving ever closer to the inevitable day when He will suffer and die. In the past, He’s not denied that He’s the Son of God, but now He’s getting more open about it. Talking to the Jews today about His relationship with the Father and the fact that whoever doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent Him.

In Monday’s Gospel Jesus healed the official’s son on the Sabbath. Now He’s openly claiming to be the Son of God. As John tells us, “they tried all the more to kill him.” Jesus has come as a sign of God’s love. He has come to pay the price for our sins. We know how the story is going to turn out. We’ve heard it before.

There’s a story told about a judge whose son was indicted for a serious crime. The case should end up in the judge’s court. Everyone was waiting for the judge to recuse himself, but he refused. He was going to try his own son.

As the trial went on it was plain that the judge wasn’t showing any favoritism to his son. But the skeptics all said, “Just wait. When it’s time to give a verdict, he’s going to let his son off the hook.”

The trial was winding down. The defense and the prosecution made their final statements. Everyone waited to see what the judge was going to do. To everyone’s surprise, the judge found the boy guilty. Not only that, he imposed the maximum possible sentence. Then he stood up, took off his robe, and came down from the bench.

The judge instructed the bayliff to place the handcuffs on his wrists. He would serve the sentence in place of his son.

Of course the story’s not true. Who would be willing to take the punishment for someone else? We know the answer, don’t we? God came down from heaven, in the form of a human being so He could pay the price for our sins. As He said. There’s no greater love than to lay down you life for your friends.

Monday of the 4 Week of Lent

March 7, 2005

Does anybody like college basketball? I’m not a huge fan, except when it gets to be this time of the year. They call it March Madness. There’s a good reason why. When it gets down to the end of the season and to the tournaments, teams who are supposed to win sometimes don’t. Which means that teams who are supposed to lose sometimes win.

For example, this weekend four of the top ten teams in the country lost. I guess the biggest upset was Ohio State beating Illinois. It was the first time Illinois has lost all year. Ohio State scored on a three point shot with 5 seconds left in the game to win by 1. I didn’t see that game but imagine how exciting it must have been.

The number 3 team in the country, Kentucky, lost to Florida 53-52 . Florida pulled ahead when they made two free throws with just twelve seconds left in the game. Kentucky still had a chance to tie the game, but their shot at the buzzer was no good.

The number 6 team, Duke also lost. But they lost to number two North Carolina, so that was no surprise.

What was a surprise was that the number 7 team in the country, Kansas, lost to our own Missouri Tigers. That was an exciting game. Missouri and Kansas have a rivalry that goes all the way back to the Civil War. You talk about holding a grudge. At one point Missouri was ahead by 15 points but Kansas almost won the game in the last minutes. But Missouri hung on to end a four game losing streak to Kansas. I did see that game, and it WAS exciting.

Another game that was really exciting that I watched was played right here in St. Louis. SIU is the number 25 team in the country. They played the Bears from Southwest Missouri State. On paper, the game should have been a blowout and in the beginning it was. At the end of the first half SIU was ahead by 23 points. But the Bears made a miraculous recovery, tying the game with 2 minutes left. They held on to win the game by 4 points.

I know you’re probably thinking, “ok, deacon, thanks for the sports report. But where’s the homily? Did you spend the whole weekend watching basketball?” No, I didn’t spend the WHOLE weekend watching basketball. I did spend time doing other stuff. But I’ll admit I did spend some of the time I should have been working on a homily watching hoops. I don’t want to be like the prophet, without honor in his native place. But, as usual, the Holy Spirit provides. Today’s Gospel is about faith. The royal official had faith that Jesus would heal his son. There was no logical reason to believe it. But his faith was strong.

How much faith does it take for a bunch of 18, 19, 20 year old kids to believe that they can beat one of the top basketball teams in the country? How do a bunch of kids come out or the locker room after halftime, losing by 23 points, and believe that they can come back and win the game. There’s no logic to it. No one knew they could do it. But the players had faith in their own ability, faith in their teammates and faith in their coach.

[pause]

So how much faith do we have? Isaiah tells us in the first reading that when we get to heaven the “things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind.
Instead there shall be rejoicing and happiness.” Does it make sense? Probably not. But we have faith.

No, I didn’t spend the WHOLE weekend watching basketball. I spent some time visiting hospital patients. Some of the people I visited were very ill. Some are nearing the end of this life. How can we bear to face death unless we believe that we’re going to a place where there is eternal life?

Now that we’re more than halfway through Lent, I hope that all of us have the kind of faith it takes to accept anything that life hands us, even death.