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June 2, 2019

Ascension

Let us pray to set our sights on our Church Universal, that we may work diligently to spread the Good News of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to set our sights on the needs of parents who struggle to raise their children with autism or disease or disability. May we walk among people who need strong shoulders and immense resources.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to set our sights on our desperate poor here on earth, for our families who stray from our nests, and for people who face catastrophic need from storms and floods.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to set our sights on the person of Christ Jesus living here on earth among all who most need healing, love and forgiveness. May we walk in faith, integrity and service.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to set our sights on healing and hope for people with mental illness and who may not want to live another day. May we as believers offer remedy and insight to people who question their very existence.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to set our sights on the needs of people who are ill or homebound, that we may serve to alleviate fear among those who sit at the bedsides of the dying. For our beloved dead and in this Mass we pray for…

We pray to the Lord.

Dear Followers of the Christ,

Today we celebrate The Ascension of the Lord. This feast may seem confusing. In the western part of the United States, this feast is celebrated on Sunday. In the eastern United States, The Ascension of the Lord was celebrated last Thursday, the traditional forty days after Easter. The feast was moved to Sunday because it is a major feast of Jesus and could be celebrated by the majority of Catholics.

The first reading from Mass today is from the Acts of Apostles. This text, Acts 1:1-11, tells the story of the Ascension of Christ Jesus. There is one phrase that always captures my attention, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?” I am always with the disciples who must have been so intrigued and confused about all of Jesus’ actions. His death was not expected and then he rises from the dead and they wondered about the meaning of his resurrection. And now he disappears into the sky! Can you imagine what the disciples must have thought about that?

Many years ago, I had a dream about the Ascension. I was in a crowded Jerusalem street in the market place, shoulder to shoulder with people in the hustle and bustle of life. Suddenly at the end of the street amid all the people, Jesus began his ascending into heaven. As he left the ground, he turned to all the people in the crowded street. He seemed to look into all of our eyes at once, including mine. As he left, he said to all of us, “Okay, you guys, you do it, you take over.”

I always found this dream so empowering. I felt he was talking to me in this very vivid dream. As the years go by, I still believe he was speaking to every one of us who follow him. He was asking us to take his place and to do the things he did on earth. He wants us to learn how to heal people, how to invite people into forgiveness, how to raise the dead and offer his touch to the marginalized. He wants us to find in him a gracious way of being tender to people and to put down our armor that keeps people at arm’s length. He wants us to find his peace in the world by working for justice. He wants us to create community and make sure every person belongs in such a space. He wants every person to realize that no matter who they are, the Father has created them, and in the end, they will be just fine.

I believe this dream is not just whimsy. The Ascension is a call and challenge for all of us to get to work. This work means that we witness to all people that we believe in Christ Jesus who walked the earth and that his mission is worthwhile. The Ascension is not meant for us to look up into heaven and reminisce about the past. This feast means that we will focus on the ground, where the work needs to be accomplished in Christ Jesus. So get to work, everyone, and enjoy your life inspired by God for the benefit of our poor, lonely and marginalized. Don’t look up; look around.

Blessings to you,

Fr. Ron

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May 26, 2019 Sixth Sunday of Easter

Prayers of the Faithful

Let us pray for peace within our Church, in every faithful heart, in every effort to heal and reconcile in the name of Christ Jesus. May this Easter season transform us into a Church of love.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for peace within our families and in all of our relationships. We pray for people divided by hurt and despair. We pray for new life for those we love.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for peace among young couples seeking marriage, among our graduates deciding on their future, among all who seek new life in Easter.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for peace among those who are unsettled in their lives. May we all seek the solace and comfort of Christ Jesus in every difficult choice and decision.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for peace among those who lead us in our nation in every form of government. May hope be the rock on which our nation’s future will be built.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for peace for our loved ones who are ill and those who face depression and addiction. May Christ heal and sustain our family members. We pray for our dead. In this Mass…

We pray to the Lord.

Dear Followers of Jesus,

On this sixth Sunday of Easter, we listen to John 14:23-29. We are edging closer to the end of Easter that will culminate at Pentecost in two weeks. Next week, we celebrate the Ascension of Christ Jesus.

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. This phrase of the gospel reminds us that following Jesus is not always easy. God’s love is countercultural. God’s love and commandments invite us deeper into union with God that does not always follow our human lives. Jesus explains that the Holy Spirit will give us all peace, a peace that the world cannot give. This peace is far reaching in the world and deep within our lives. This peace forms our conscience and penetrates hate, violence and pride.

Sometimes the peace the Holy Spirit offers us goes against our vision of life, our politics and even what we have learned. If we remain rooted in God through personal prayer, the Eucharist and the riches of our own baptism, a deep and abiding peace will flourish in our lives. We need a new reliance in this Easter season on the reality of God, our place in God’s life and a deeper understanding of our reliance on the Holy Spirit.

God invites us to live fearlessly. We should not be afraid, reluctant or bashful about living our faith in the world. We are given all we need to live in faith. Sometimes we forget that the Holy Spirit is present to us and that the Holy Spirit will be the force of comfort and strength we need to live out of our own needs, to live a life that is reflective and loving in our world.

Easter is a sheer gift to us. Yet, we hesitate to commit our lives even when we are sure of the Lord’s presence and his gifts of reconciliation, salvation and new life. We cannot let this gift of mercy and love be ignored by us. This gift must be taken to our hearts and shared in our daily lives. Love is what we are looking for in life. Peace comes to us when we are willing to offer such faith, hope and love to others. Peace is also not just an illusive gift from God. Peace comes to us when we believe that God is more powerful than our sin, our doubt and our grief. Peace is incredibly beautiful and shows within us when we finally move toward it. We all know people who exude the peace of Christ in our daily interactions. Perhaps we can imitate them.

Love, peace and mercy are all gifts to the first disciples and it is those gifts from God, from the resurrection of Christ, which formed the early Church. I wonder what will form the Church in the future if we do not find these gifts in our hectic lives? We worship on the shoulders of those who believed before us. Our gift to this next generation of believers will certainly reveal to our children and grandchildren what we take seriously and what we believe today.

In peace,

Fr. Ron

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Fifth Sunday of Easter: Prayers of the Faithful

Let us pray for our Universal Church that we may be made new in our faith, our hope and our love in Christ Jesus. May Christ’s name be proclaimed in all we do on earth.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for unity and love where division and hatred have made a home. We pray for harmony in our nation, hope within our families and love within our service toward one another.

We pray to the Lord.

Let is pray for our children and grandchildren who graduate this spring. May hope abound for our young people who step into the next chapters of life.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for farmers and growers in this spring season. We pray for farm workers who face flooding and destruction of pastures and livestock especially in the heartland of our nation.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for the ill and the uncared for. May our elderly find integrity in aging, and may our sick discover the healing touch of Christ Jesus.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our beloved dead and for those who grieve here on earth. In this Mass…

We pray to the Lord.

Jean Vanier: Impression painting by: Ronald Raab, CSC

I painted this impression of Jean Vanier this morning.

His funeral took place on Thursday, May 16, 2019.

Here is a link to the ceremony.  WATCH: CLICK HERE