Homily of Easter - basic skeleton with ad libitum additions given from the pulpit...
Homily Easter 2013
My favorite saint is Saint John Vianney…the patron saint of
priests.
My Confirmation patron…
2011 trip to Ars…
In the rectory I keep a lovely icon of St. John Vianney.
He is depicted in the icon holding a scroll that bears words
for which he is famous.
“The eyes of the world see no further
than this life…
but
the eyes of the Christian see deep into eternity.”
This morning, the glorious paschal mystery we celebrate
compels us to
see with the eyes of faith
and to look beyond what we can
perceive by our human senses
and our fallen human nature.
God has become man and has died on the deathbed of the Cross.
A man has been raised from the darkness of death.
This is no mere human reality…
but instead is
a great mystery that transcends time and space…
breaks the
chains of this world’s limitations
and extends deep into eternity.
Faith in the
Resurrection…and indeed the whole
Christian life…
requires that we perceive and understand everything
in a much deeper and more profound way
than the limitations of this world’s
chains will allow.
We are called to see deep into eternity!
We believe in the Resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead…
a mystery…a reality…that
is not seen by the world in its limitedness.
We believe in many such mysteries.
This Holy Mass we celebrate is not just what we
are doing…
nor is it
merely what can be seen and thus grasped and even manipulated.
Instead we are entering into the Liturgy of the church
and the ceaseless worship of the
angels
in
the eternal banquet of the Lamb of God…
where heaven is wedded to earth.
When we celebrate the Eucharist…the eyes of the world see
only bread and wine
but the eyes
of the authentic Christian see deep into eternity
and
behold the living and abiding presence of the eternal Son of God,
the
Risen Jesus Christ!
When we hear the Pope and the bishops speak on matter of
faith and morals…
we are not
merely hearing the voices of men chattering.
We are hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit…
who speaks through the Magisterium of the Church.
who speaks through the Magisterium of the Church.
And we must listen…or
we shall answer for having ignored the voice of God!
When we meet another human being…
we ought not
see merely a body to be objectified
or one from
whom we can gain something or whom we can control.
The Christian sees a complete person…created in God’s image
and possessing a great dignity that
demands respect and love.
The Christian looks at another person…and sees a soul!
The human person is thus to be respected and valued,
not fabricated
or discarded.
The world sees only this life’s fleeting pleasures…
what to
consume or to wear.
The authentic Christian sees that
there is a spiritual dimension to the human person
and
recognizes that life is not complete
without
a constant relationship with the living God.
That relationship…in its fullness…
includes daily prayer,
weekly Mass, and regular confession.
Without these, the eternal, spiritual
part within us withers…
and
life becomes increasingly frustrating and overwhelming
because
we have not allowed God to love and nourish our hearts.
The eyes of the world see the universe as an accident
but the eyes
of the Christian see the detailed and loving plan of the Father.
The Christian life opens our hearts to deeply spiritual and
incredibly joyful realities
and allows us
to truly live as people of hope…
who know there is more to life than what
we perceive at first glance.
Saint Paul says: seek what is above,
live for the things that
are above, not the things of earth.
The hope of the Resurrection takes us
beyond the easily comprehendible
to
the mysterious and sublime
reminding us that there
are deeper realities worth living for.
What we can sense is not all there
is.
Thus the Christian does not live only
to be satisfied by earthly happiness.
From this day on, open your hearts
and minds to see what is deeper,
what
has been given by God above,
what
is beckoning you to live for eternity.
The life of the Church has so much to offer to us all…
peace in
relationship with Christ
joy in loving
others in their complete and intricate beauty
freedom in
embracing the truth.
This morning, the Risen Christ beckons us…one by one…
calling us to see with the eyes of
faith…
to seek higher realities…
and to
gaze...this day and always…deep into eternity.
1 comment:
Amen! Beautiful inspiring homily Father! The tomb is empty, Jesus is truly risen as He promised and through our "eyes of faith" our hearts are then filled with hope and peace that He will be with us now and waiting for us in eternity.The resurrection shows that the love of Jesus is a love with a future and that future is eternal life. Jesus' resurrection shows that love, God's Love, is stronger than death. He rises from the dead so that those who believe in him and die to sin with him may also arise with him and live forever with him.
ALLELUIA!that Jesus is in our midst in every celebration of the Eucharist.This is why, I love the Eucharist and see to it to be in every chance to meet Him there!
Post a Comment