Ephesians 5: 8-14; John 9: 1-41 (March 2, 2008; Third Sunday of Lent)

One of the imageries Jesus uses to describe himself in the gospel of John is that of “light of the world. In the gospel of today, Jesus tells us that “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5). Earlier in this gospel, Jesus Christ using the same image says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12.) As follows of Jesus, we are called from darkness into the light of Christ, the light of life. This invitation to light is emphasized both in today’s gospel and in the second reading from Ephesians.
In the gospel of today, the healing of the blind man teaches us about that move from darkness to light. While the healing of the blind man in the gospel is a physical healing, it is also a story of spiritual healing. It mirrors the gospel story of last week, the Samaritan woman at the well. She first recognized Jesus Christ as a Jew, then as a prophet and finally as the Son of God. The blind man in today’s gospel first recognized Jesus Christ first as a man, then as a prophet, then as someone from God. Finally, he believes in Jesus as the Son of Man. The more he encountered Jesus Christ, the more Christ revealed himself to him. The light of Christ showed him truly who Jesus Christ is. As Christian people, we need this light of Christ in order for us to get to know who Jesus Christ is and to see clearly his plan for us.
Without the light of Christ, St. Paul tells us in Ephesians, we are darkness. By virtue of what God has done in Jesus through his passion, death and resurrection, we have been adopted as the true sons and daughters of God. This adoption does not only guarantee us to walk in the light of Christ, it does not only make us children of the light, but we actually become the light of the Lord. For St. Paul, light is completely in opposition to darkness. Our call into light is a radical call which Christians must not return to. Living in darkness is a life of slavery, while the life of light is that of freedom. That is the reason he says to the people of Galatians that at a time when they did not know God, they were slaves to darkness, now that they have come to know God, or God has rather come to know them, why will they want to turn back again to darkness. (Galatians 4.)
The major concern for St. Paul is that Christians should live as people of the light and not as those of darkness. He has a problem with Christians living double lives: the visible life which everyone sees, most especially members of the Christian community, and the hidden lives in which, if it is possible, they will even want to hide from God. Our lives must be through and through, lives of light. As children of light, we must break from darkness. In 1John 1: 5, we are told, “God is light and in him there is no darkness. If we say we have fellowship with him and continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth.” How easy it is for us sometimes to act self-righteously in public while we continue to live a life of darkness. There are many Christians I know who are the most pious at Church, yet, they belong to the most anti-Christian secret societies. St. John says these people are only deceiving themselves. Our fellowship with Jesus, is a fellowship with the light, darkness has no place in that fellowship. If you are trying to play for the two teams at the same time: team light and team darkness, you are not only deceiving yourself, but you are actually making a fool of yourself.
St. Paul gives us three fruits of light: goodness, righteousness and truth. Christians must not think twice before they reach out to others. Their lives must be based on that fundamental principle that they are their neighbors keeper. They must die to themselves and live in Christ and generously share their resources with other members of the society. Their actions must always gear towards their neighbors good. Christians must be just in the way they treat others. Their decisions must not be based on public opinion. It is said that “majority does not make right.” Christians should not take advantage of other people. Christians must always stand for the truth. In his letter to Titus, St. Paul adds some other effects of a life lived in truth: temperate, dignified, self controlled, sound in faith, love and endurance. (Titus 2:1-8)
During this season of Lent, as we prepare to meet Christ the Light of the world at Easter, let us look into our lives and see where there are still shades of darkness. Let us get ourselves ready, so that at Easter, we can truly profess our identity, as children of the Light.

Mark 12: 28-34 (Friday, February 29, 2008)

The scribe in today’s gospel understood the basis of true Christianity. The two anchors of Christianity are: love of God and love of neighbor. These are worth more than any sacrifices. Jesus says this man is close to the kingdom of God because unlike many of the learned people of his time who placed so much emphasis on the rituals of the temple, he understood that, that relationship of love with God and neighbor is more important.

There is no other Christian Church that has as many devotions and rituals as the Catholic Church. We should not make the mistake of thinking these devotions and rituals are the basis of our Christianity. Our Christianity is rooted in what God has done in Jesus Christ – an act of love. Devotions and rituals do not make us Christians, but they however cement our relationship with Jesus. That relationship of love is primary and the devotions and rituals are secondary.

As we continue throughout this season of Lent to prepare ourselves to respond positively to the invitation Jesus Christ is offering us, let us ask ourselves one important question: Are we as loving to God and neighbor as we have been loved by Jesus?

Genesis 12:1-4a; 2 Timothy 1:8b-10; Matthew 17:1-9 (Sunday, February 17, 2008; Second Sunday of Lent) Homily by Deacon George Showalter

When we look at our lives we become aware of many desires and needs we long to see fulfilled. These needs might include happiness security, love, good health, purpose in life, peace of mind, and many others. The list seems endless. However, the greatest need we will ever have on this earth is to know God intimately! A deep relationship with Him will affect every area of our lives and actually transform us into the persons He wants us to be. Therefore, Holy Mother Church offers to us the season of Lent. It, as Fr. Peterson told us on Ash Wednesday, is not intended to be so much a season of atonement as a season of seeking a closer unity with our maker and Lord.
In our busy world, at work, at practice, at play, each with their own stresses and pressures, it is easy to neglect God and live most of the time as if He doesn’t exist. Some Catholics even settle for a token appearance at Mass on Sundays. We desperately need to have a close relationship with Jesus, our Lord and Savior. He teaches ”I am the vine; you are the branches…apart from me you can do nothing.”
Abram, of our first reading, was human, undoubtedly with the same wants and desires as ourselves. God told Abram, who had not known of or been close to God before, “Follow my directions and I will bless you. I will make your name great. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” Abram accepted God’s offer. God was as good as his word. We know the rest of the story.
Paul in his letter to Timothy wrote: “Beloved; Bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God. He saved us and called us to a holy life not according to our works but according to his own design.”
In Lent, we move persistently towards the greatest commemoration possible for any Christian.
In five weeks we will celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Is it possible for Easter Sunday to be just another of the 52 Sundays of the calendar year? Is it possible to turn one’s back of the invitation, the call, that each of us receives from God? Do we wait for Moses and Elijah? Must they appear to us?
In the Gospel proclaimed today, as God spoke from the cloud and said ”This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him,” He was not only speaking to the three who accompanied Jesus up the mountain. He was speaking to you. He was speaking to me. He was speaking to all who would hear those words proclaimed.
With that in mind, speaking of giving up things for Lent, perhaps all of us should struggle “to give up” what ever remains of an indifference we still have to the Word of God. God speaks to us. He calls to us. It was He who, as Paul writes, calls us to a holy life bestowing on us grace in Christ Jesus before time began, and then made manifest in our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
The greatest need we will ever have on this earth is to know God intimately! A deep relationship with Him will affect every area of our lives and actually transform us into the persons He wants us to be. It is my belief, the call Abram received is a call given to the world and each individual within it.
God said, “Follow my directions and I will bless you. I will make your name great. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” Abram accepted God’s offer. May we be so bold to follow his lead!
God is as good as his Word.