St. Maurice

First Holy Communion Sunday 5.6.2012

eddiediaz2011 — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:34:52 +0000

Today is a very special day for you, my children, and for your parents. But what makes today different from any other day? (have children give answers)
Yes, that’s correct; today you are receiving Jesus in Holy Communion for the first time. Why is this event so special, because it begins a new relationship between you and Jesus; a relationship, a friendship that will grow and become stronger for the rest of your life?
Today, you are beginning a journey, a trip that will take you on a great adventure, but when we go on a trip, we don’t go by ourself, that wouldn’t be any fun, would it? No, of course not. And for this special trip we are taking with us, a very special person who will guide you and protect you, and teach you many new and exciting things as you go along your way.
Who has taken a trip, perhaps with your parents or friends someplace you had never been before? Was it exciting, was it fun, and was it scary? Did you learn something new that you didn’t know before? When we go on a trip, a journey, a vacation we want to have fun, don’t we? And sometimes we even learn new things. For example, if you went to Animal Kingdom at Disney World, you would see and learn about many different kinds of animals and how some are small and beautiful, others are large and some even scary like a ryno or hippopotamus, and still others we might find we like so much we want to take them home with us.
God’s animal kingdom is as big as the world, filled with many animals of different colors, sizes, and beauty. And most of the time they live in harmony, they get along well with one another. They become one huge family of God’s animal kingdom.
Today you are becoming a very important and special part of God’s family too. God’s family is made up of many different colors, languages, ways of doing things and customs or traditions that your parents teach you about your grandparents and even maybe your great grandparents who lived a long time ago and who probably came from many countries outside the United States.
Your family is very important to you, aren’t they? And your mom or dad and grandparents always want to best for you, they love you and take care of you. Just like many years ago, perhaps when they were your age, they came to church to receive Jesus in their First Holy Communion, which was a very special day for them too.
Who is it that you will receive in Holy Communion today that is special? Jesus is our loving friend who will walk with you on the journey of your life as you continue to grow up and become teenagers, young adults, and perhaps parents one day yourself. Throughout all this time, Jesus will be your special friend who will never leave your side; he will be with you wherever you go. Never to leave you alone because he wants to be your special friend, you can talk with him whenever you want to; you will come here, to church, to be with other people who are also friends of Jesus, and like today, you can receive him in Holy Communion
Jesus wants to be your special friend, but you have to want to be his friend too. And the way you do that is to come to church every week and receive Jesus in holy communion, in this way he will always be with you in your heart where he will always love you.
Let’s give a big shout out to Jesus, ok? Thank you Jesus for loving me!!

5th Sunday of Easter

eddiediaz2011 — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:30:27 +0000

Last week we explored the story of the Good Shepherd and found that the good shepherd has a special relationship and commitment to his sheep. The Good Shepherd calls his sheep, they hear his voice and they follow him.
This week Jesus tells another one of his familiar parables of the vine and the branches. It too was a well-known and understood profession and the interdependence between the vine and the fruit of the branches is indistinguishable. Neither can be of any use to each other except in relationship to the other. Jesus tells us he is the vine, we are the branches, and the branches have no life without the vine.
I want to read to you a quote from the beloved St. Teresa of Avila, she writes: “Christ has no body but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours; yours are the eyes with which he looks compassionately at the world, yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good, and yours are the hands with which he is to bless us now.”
The metaphor of the vine and branches shows the true inter-dependence between Jesus and his followers. In fact, the life of the vine is the life of the branches. The vine gives forth the branches and the branches bear the fruit of the vine. Vines are pruned in order to produce better, stronger, healthier ones, while the baron branches are cut off so that the life of the vine will remain fruitful.
Jesus’ statement, “I am the vine, you are the branches” is a bold and daring image. Jesus is the vine and we, the community of believers are the branches; a community that receives and nourishes its life from the vine – Jesus. Christ and his followers are bound together in mutual relationships. Christ cannot accomplish his work of love and hope without us. The vine must rely on the branches to carry on Jesus’ ministry if the kingdom is to come about. That is how important, shall I say, VITAL to Jesus accomplishing his work we are. Thus, we have received a great privilege, honor and responsibility to carry on His command to “Love one another, as I love you.”
We remain vital to his mission. Just as the Father was totally dependent upon Jesus to carry out His will in order to bring the love of the Father to the people, Jesus had to be faithful to the mission that was given to him to reveal God’s unconditional love. TODAY, Jesus is totally dependent upon us, his followers, to carry on his mission through our acts of love and self-sacrifice. Without us, God is rendered helpless – his mission of love will not be spread; in a real sense, God ceases to exist. That is how vital our role is to his mission. The branch cannot bear fruit without the vine, and the vine is without purpose if it does not produce good grapes. We know that some of the finest wines in the world are a blend of different types of grapes. The blending increases their fragrance and bouquet and richness in flavor.
Jesus’ followers were a multifaceted community called to do good works through a life of pray that forever would bond the two together. Through this community the saving power of God reaches out to the whole world as it had been long foretold. Jesus’ community was a multitude of races, cultures, and languages; whereas a few generations ago our communities were very homogeneous in its ethics and social status. Today there is much greater diversity and rapid change of character; faith communities have once again become a multitude of races, cultures, languages and religious customs.
In our time, we are called to open our hearts to the welcoming of the many races, cultures, and languages that through the power of Christ who lives in each of us becomes a mosaic church of great beauty, wonder, and mystery. We are a cacophony of sounds and a coat of many colors.
What an awesome gift and responsibility we have been given; we are an integral part of accomplishing God’s mission of forgiveness and unconditional love. We are free to accept God’s gift to be conduits of his grace. God is depending upon us to take up the urging of St. Teresa of Avila to be Christ wherever we find ourselves, branches that draw their strength from the vine.
Let us be about the work of loving service to our neighbor.

4th Domingo de Pascua temporada

eddiediaz2011 — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:07:57 +0000

Es una cosa terrible para ir a través de la sensación de vida que no existe nadie que te entiende y mantendremos contigo pase lo que pase. Demasiadas personas pasan por la vida sintiendo de esta manera. ¿Lo que nos ha causado a sentirse tan aislados uno de otro?

En el Evangelio de John, leemos la historia de Jesús, el buen pastor. ¿Qué hace Jesús diferente a los otros pastores que habían llevado a Israel en el pasado? Jesús utiliza esta imagen específicamente para describirse a sí mismo porque era una profesión conocida y entendida de su día. Las personas estaban familiarizadas con los pastores que Dios habían levantado desde el éxodo de los pueblos de Egipto: Abraham, Moisés, David y Amos eran todos pastores por el comercio. Fueron llamados por Dios para guiar a la gente. Eran pastores buenas porque hicieron la voluntad de Dios. ¿Pero lo que hace Jesús, el Buen pastor diferente a los demás?

En tanto el antiguo y Nuevo Testamento, liderazgo fue y es hoy mejor caracterizado como uno que se llama, quien no tiene lo a él o ella por su propia voluntad. Es un llamado, una misión para hacer la obra de Dios. Es la llamada de Dios que el pastor escucha demasiado y por lo tanto debemos. Como tal, es un honor y una experiencia humillante para la persona llamada por Dios en liderazgo. Aquellos que agarra el liderazgo de su poder y prestigio Jesus compara a la mano de obra, el obrero que no tiene ningún compromiso personal, él no le importa; él no tiene ninguna relación con las ovejas. Porque él no tiene compromiso o relación con la oveja, lo hace por el dinero y cuando vienen problemas él huye; él no le importa porque las ovejas no pertenecen a él; no tiene ningún interés en cuidar de ellos, sólo quiere el dinero.

El criterio importante del buen pastor es su voluntad de establecer su vida por sus ovejas. Tiene una inversión personal en cuidar y protegerlos. Esto es lo que hace a Jesús el buen pastor. Esta inversión es una relación personal entre el pastor y ovejas. Jesús tiene una preocupación personal para sus ovejas, razón por la cual, dice, “llamar a Mis ovejas conocen mi voz y me siguen.”

Nosotros, que somos hijos de Dios, como llamadas de San Juan en hoy es segunda lectura, conocer la voz del Señor; Hemos escuchado lo llamándonos cada uno por su nombre. Somos sus propia; somos amados hijos e hijas de Dios. Jesús establecen su vida para nosotros, para darnos la vida eterna.

Quizás no estamos familiarizados con alguien personalmente que es o ha sido dispuesta a deponer su vida para usted. Sin embargo, que pienso y me recuerda todos los días de nuestros soldados que están dispuestos, si es necesario para fijar sus vidas para usted y para mí. Voluntariamente van a la guerra para nosotros y para nuestra libertad.

¿Conoces a un soldado? (PAUSA) Para mí, no personalmente, sin embargo cuando me encuentro con un soldado siempre agitar su mano y decir: “gracias por su servicio a mí y a nuestro país.” Junto a alguien dando un riñón para salvar la vida de un ser querido, puedo pensar en ningún ejemplo mejor de pastores buen día moderno. Aunque tengo que decir, no tengo ningún amor por estas guerras interminables.

Mi pregunta inicial fue, “Lo que nos ha causado a sentirse tan aislados uno de otro?”

Me dirijo a nuestro buen pastor, Jesús, para la respuesta y la solución. Jesús fueron contra las autoridades de su tiempo porque eran corruptos y guiando al pueblo mal camino. Llamó a los líderes religiosos, “sepulcro lavado blanco”. Se trata de lenguaje fuerte para un hombre de paz. Jesús presentan como aquel que pondría su vida a la gente volver a Dios, su padre y para mostrarles que Dios es amante de todos y está con nosotros y no contra nosotros. No se ejecutaría lejos de su misión a predicar un Dios de amor, compasión y perdón, aun cuando sabía que le costaría su vida. Su mensaje sigue siendo claro hoy, “Love uno al otro como te amo”.

Estas cualidades del buen pastor son las cualidades que necesitamos para vivir en nuestra propia vida cotidiana; que producirá una sociedad que vive por esa cualidad esencial que ejemplifica a nuestro buen pastor, esa voluntad de establecer su vida por sus ovejas, tú y yo. Y cuando llegamos a ese día cuando las necesidades de otras personas son tan importantes como mis necesidades, cuando la vida de otra persona es tan importante como el mío; luego habrá que acabar al aislacionismo que domina a nuestra sociedad hoy.

Estamos alcanzando el objetivo a ser buenos pastores mutuamente, como Jesús nos ha enseñado a ser. ¿Quien puede llegar a esta semana y ser un buen pastor que? AMÉN.

4th Sunday of Easter Season

eddiediaz2011 — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:06:55 +0000

It is a terrible thing to go through life feeling that there is no one who understands you and will stand alongside you no matter what happens. Far too many people go through life feeling this way. What has caused us to feel so isolated from one another?
In John’s gospel, we read the story of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. What makes Jesus different from all other shepherds that had led Israel in the past? Jesus uses this image specifically to describe himself because it was a well-known and understood profession of his day. The people were familiar with those shepherds that God had raised up since the peoples exodus from Egypt – Abraham, Moses, David, and Amos who were all shepherds by trade. They were called by God to guide the people. They were good shepherds because they did the will of God. But what makes Jesus, the Good Shepherd different from all the others?
In both the Old and New Testaments, leadership was and is today best characterized as one who is called, who does not take it upon him or herself on their own accord. It is a calling, a mission to do God’s work. It is God’s call that the shepherd listens too and so should we. As such, it is an honor and a humbling experience for the person called by God into leadership. Those who grab leadership for its power and prestige Jesus compares to the hired hand, the workman who has no personal commitment, he does not care; he has no relationship with the sheep. Because he has no commitment or relationship with the sheep, he does it for the money and when troubles come he runs away; he doesn’t care because the sheep do not belong to him; he has no vested interest in caring for them, he only wants the money.
The all important criterion of the good shepherd is his willingness to lay down his life for his sheep. He has a personal investment in caring for and protecting them. This is what makes Jesus the GOOD SHEPHERD. This investment is a personal relationship between shepherd and sheep. Jesus has a personal concern for his sheep, which is why he says, “I call my sheep, they know my voice, and they follow me.”
We who are children of God, as St. John calls us in today’s second reading, know the Lord’s voice; we have heard him calling us each by name. We are his own; we are beloved sons and daughters of God. Jesus lays down his life for us, to give us eternal life.
Perhaps we are not familiar with anyone personally who is or has been willing to lay down their life for you. However, I think of and am reminded daily of our soldiers who are willing, if necessary to lay down their lives for you and me. They willingly go to war for us and for our freedom.
Do you know a soldier? (PAUSE) For me, not personally, however when I meet a soldier I always shake their hand and say, “Thank you for your service to me and our country.” Next to someone giving a kidney to save the life of a loved one, I can think of no better example of modern day good shepherds. Although I need to say, I have no love for these endless wars.
My opening question was, “What has caused us to feel so isolated from one another?”
I turn to our Good Shepherd, Jesus, for the answer and the solution. Jesus went up against the authorities of his time because they were corrupt and leading the people astray. He called the religious leaders, “white washed sepulchre.” This is strong language for a man of peace. Jesus presented himself as the one who would lay down his life to lead the people back to God, his Father, and to show them that God is all loving and stands with us and not against us. He would not run away from his mission to preach a God of love, compassion and forgiveness, even when he knew it would cost him his life. His message remains clear today, “Love one another as I love you.”
These qualities of the Good Shepherd are the qualities we need to live by in our own daily lives; which will produce a society that lives by that essential quality that exemplifies our Good Shepherd, that willingness to lay down his life for his sheep, you and me. And when we reach that day when other people’s needs are as important as my needs, when another person’s life is just as important as mine; then we will have put an end to the isolationism that dominates our society today.
We are reaching for the goal to become good shepherds to each other, as Jesus has taught us to be. Who can you reach out to this week and be a good shepherd to? AMEN.

2nd Sunday of Easter

eddiediaz2011 — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 19:17:54 +0000

On Easter Sunday, we spoke about the first witnesses of the resurrection of the Lord, Mary of Magdala, Peter, and John. And we discovered how each of them had a different faith reaction to the empty tomb. This week we encounter the fourth person, Thomas, one of the apostles, who was not present the first time Jesus appeared to the group in the locked upper room for fear of the Jews.
In this story of Thomas we often refer to it as “the doubting Thomas story.” However, nothing could be further from the truth. Thomas gives witness to us as the first of the 2nd generation of believers. Having not been present the first time Jesus appeared, he did not have the advantage that the others had in seeing Jesus, not as a resuscitated corpse but as Jesus himself, the one they knew and believed it was he because they saw his wounds. Thomas just wanted the same evidence that they had. Upon seeing Jesus, he had no need to put his hands into Jesus’ side, as the scripture tell us, “He saw, and believed.” No further proof was necessary.
There is a saying that has been around for a long time, “for those who believe no proof is necessary, and for those who do not believe no amount of proof is enough.” Our faith is based greatly upon the testimony of those who have gone before us. Like Thomas, we all start out with a weak faith, but grow into a deep and abiding FAITH through our encounter(s) with the Lord.
We are able to come to believe based on two facts: First, receiving of the Holy Spirit. As our Gospel tells us today, Jesus “breathed on them” and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit…” Our ability to breath assures us that we still have life within us. Jesus breathing on the apostles was a sign of the life giving breath of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, the very essence of who God is, breath of life. Second, we come to believe through the testimony of the eye witnesses and of those who have gone before us, who have not seen and yet believed.
We are not talking about scientific proof, for even in the realm of science, there are doubters, skeptics those who do not believe even with all the science laid out before their own eyes. I guess we are skeptics by our nature (no I don’t think so) but rather through our nurture. What I mean by this is what others have taught us or told us to be true, even when we, ourselves, have not witnessed it, i.e. planets, solar system, galaxy, universe, scientists tell us that the universe is expanding, how do we know that to be true? We take it on faith in others knowledge and their experiences.
The gospel today assures us that to have doubts is not a bad thing and that we should not condemn ourselves for having doubts, but rather, embrace them and seek answers to strength our faith life. We understand a lot of what is happening in our world today, we continuously educate ourselves to keep up on the tools, knowledge that we need for our work. BUT our faith languages at a grade school level when last we had any formal teaching about our faith.
How is it that we keep up with the mundane things happening in the world around us, i.e. the latest winner of AMERICAN IDOL or DANCING WITH THE STARS and even North Korea’s launching and crash of their long, range missile this week. On the other hand, we do little to keep up with our faith and teachings of the church. For example, who has read or even heard about the American Bishops encyclical on Immigration? I bet we know something about our fence that is being built all across our southern border with Mexico, but have never even heard of the Bishops letter. Why is it that we don’t take the time to grow in our faith?
Returning to our First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear today of a much idealized view of the early Christian community as we read, “… and they held all things in common.” They wouldn’t have gone off and sold their homes to give the money to the apostles for equal distribution, people would have become homeless themselves and in need of shelter. In order for this to make sense, we must interpret it to mean something much more doable and practical. In practice, believers gave what they could so that all might have something and not go hungry, naked or have a roof over their heads. Recall the Final Judgment scene from Matthew’s gospel with the separation of the sheep and the goats, “…what you have done for the least of my brothers and sisters, you have done for me.”
Throughout the Easter Season, we will be reading from the Acts of the Apostles recalling for us the development of faith in the early Christian community through the teachings of the apostles as recalled by St. Luke, the primary writer of the Book of Acts. All to remind us, the succeeding generations after the apostles, that our growth in faith in the Risen Lord is a process of coming to faith, not something that magically happens and that through this process we come to believe because we believe what the witnesses who have gone before us assure us of. We need not fear our doubts and questions, if those in the first century beheld the risen Christ and still did not believe then we can give ourselves a break too. However, doubting without seeking the answers to our questions and the on-going development of our faith will lead us into chaos as has happened with so many of our neighbors today.
I am reading this book entitled, AMERICAN GRACE, a study of religion in America, the authors have found that the fastest growing population in America today is the category entitled “non-believers’.” This is astonishing to me, but we see it in the shrinking numbers of Roman Catholics as one of many Christian churches. Their study shows that if it were not for the number of Hispanics increasing the number of Catholics, we would be the Christian church losing the greatest number of members.
Let me finish with another look at Thomas. First, recall that the apostles were locked in the upper room for fear of the Jews. We are left questioning, was Thomas not afraid of the Jews since he was not with the rest of the group? Or perhaps, was he too afraid to be associated with the group? We will perhaps never know the full story of Thomas but our questions linger on. One thing we are assured of is that his faith was stronger than his doubts. As St. Gregory once said of Thomas; “Our faith owes more to the faithlessness of Thomas than to the faithfulness of all the other apostles put together.”
Thomas had no need to put his hand into Jesus’ side; his statement of faith says it all: “My Lord and My God.” Thomas gives us much food for thought about our own behavior as we reflect upon the resurrection and what it means to each one of us in our faith journey – are we too afraid to witness our belief in the resurrection for fear of ridicule or having our faith challenged in some way by someone who many not be a believer? Are we not knowledgeable enough in our faith to be able to express ourselves intelligently to others when they ask us of our church and our faith? Something for us to think about?

Easter Sunday

eddiediaz2011 — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:15:55 +0000

Having gone down into the grave with Christ on Good Friday, it is fitting to celebrate the risen new life that we have received from Christ through His Resurrection on this Easter Sunday morning. Our gratitude on this holy day is the prayer of the believing heart.
Today’s readings tell of a love story that is fraught with all the trials, tribulations, hopes and joys that are the makings of a true and lasting love. The extraordinary dynamics of love underlying all the events of this past week are testament of God’s love for his son Jesus, and for us.
Easter is the time of fulfillment, God’s promise of forgiveness is kept through Jesus’ completion of his sacred mission. Easter is a time of new beginnings and new hopes.
In our first reading, Peter recalling of all the events that took place in Jesus’ life clarifies for us once more Jesus’ mission and that His power to drive out demons and perform healings was a sign of his having been anointed by God with the Holy Spirit. It was through his baptism that Jesus received this anointing. It is through our baptism that we receive the same anointing of God’s Spirit.
It is clear when Jesus’ ministry began but not so clear when it ended or that it had an ending at all. Jesus’ ministry of love has continued down through the ages by those who were anointed by the Holy Spirit and commissioned to go forth and proclaim the Good News. This commissioning has now been passed onto us and continues through our witnessing of God’s love for all people. As Christians we are gospel witnesses to carry on with Christ’s mission to return our world to its former glory as a place of justice, peace, and love as Jesus taught us through his witnessing God’s love and forgiveness.
Today we read John’s gospel that recall the events that took place after the resurrection on the third day. John conveys to us the individual responses of Mary of Magdala, Peter, and John himself as an eye witness to these events. We read of three distinctive responses to the empty tomb. Mary of Magdala was the first to discover the empty tomb. Having found it empty, her response is one of anxiety and fear as she runs to tell Peter and the others about what she has seen. She was fearful that someone had stolen Jesus’ body which was a cause of grave distress for her.
As I said before, this is a love story which includes all human emotions. She loves the Lord as perhaps her best friend, a true soul mate which is a necessary part of true love. You often hear husband’s and wives referring to each other as being their best friend. Best friends hold no secrets and share all of who they are with the other. Mary exemplifies these qualities of a loving relationship and it is clear that Mary and Jesus shared a loving relationship from their interactions. Remember Mary was the one who exposed her sin to Jesus and he reciprocated in his self-revelation by forgiving her sin and raising her up. It is through her encounter with Jesus that changed her life so radically as to make her story a part of this trilogy of love.
Peter and Johns (“the other disciple whom Jesus loved”) response to Mary’s fearful cry respond in running to the tomb. Here John adds details that the other gospels do not. John, being younger, reaches the tomb first but does not go in. He is respectful of Peter’s privileged status within the community of the disciples. Jesus himself would support this privileged status of Peter’s when he calls Peter, “The Rock,” on whom I will build my church.”
Clearly, Peter has repented of his denial of Jesus showing us that he realized that he had hurt his dear friend in a crushing blow, but now shows his true love for the Lord even in his perplexed response to the empty tomb. Peter exemplifies his true humanness in his weakness of denying that he even knows who Jesus is. Later he realizes his grave mistake to the point where he weeps, laments his mistake and in showing his willingness to admit it, Jesus shows his belief and trust in Peter and gives him the title, “Rock.” Believing and trusting in the one who we love are two more of the essential qualities of a loving relationship. Peter and Jesus share these qualities that are the hallmark of their love relationship.
Finally, we come to the third person in this triad of loving relationships with Jesus; John known as the younger who shared an endearing love with Jesus. John refers here to himself as “the other disciple whom Jesus loved…” The other three evangelists’ call John the “beloved disciple.” It is obvious that Jesus had a special soft spot in his heart for this young man John. We get a strong sense that perhaps Jesus even sees him as a younger brother who he feels more responsible to look after than the other apostles who are older and more experienced in the ways of the world. Jesus appears to take on the role of mentor to John, always keeping him close to himself (recall the picture of the Last Supper). Their love exemplifies the quality of commitment and true belief in each other’s genuine feelings for each other that are somewhat more exclusive and tangible than with the others.
It seems that John accepts this special relationship with the Lord because he knows of the other gospels where they have first called him the “beloved disciple.” It is only later in his own gospel that we can see how he grew in his self-understanding of how special and unique his relationship to Jesus really was. The proof of this is in John’s immediate and unhesitant response to the empty tomb as he writes in his own words and reveals his special love for Jesus, “he saw and believed.” Thus, John, as the third person in this triad of loving relationships with Jesus completes the essential qualities of a loving relationship; namely, commitment and belief in each other that no circumstances can ever break you apart.
Mary of Magdala, Peter, and John bring together for us the essential qualities of a true and lasting love affair. Many people never experience this type of love that is so complete and fulfilling for both people. A strange thing about love is that it is never complete, it can always grow stronger. Love also changes over time growing in trust, knowledge, forgiveness, commitment and unwavering belief in and respect for the other.
On this Easter Sunday morning, when we celebrate Christ’s Resurrection we are reminded that it is his love for us that never wavered, he never gave up on his apostles, and his commitment of love to us is unshakeable and unconditional. It is in this context that we are caught up in the love of God recalling all that He did, remaining faithful to His mission of revealing God’s eternal and abiding love for us, even in our imperfection.
This triad of love that we experience through John’s gospel today shows us just how unique every loving relationship is, and how God, in Jesus loves each of us in a unique and special way also. It is in the assurance of this unconditional love that we are able to carry on Jesus’ ministry to “love one another as I have loved you.” It is in this context that the whole world cries out: Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!!!

Palm Sunday

eddiediaz2011 — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:00:42 +0000

On this last Sunday of Lent, we look at the significance of Christ in our lives. Something we have been reflecting on for the past 5 weeks. Remember we are still in Lent. The Tritium does not begin until Holy Thursday night.
For five weeks we have been on a journey coming to know our Lord and our relationship with him in a new and deeper way. Perhaps we have been taking extra time for prayer and contemplation on the life of Christ or have spent time giving of ourselves in some way to help our community and our family. Lent brings us squarely into Jesus’ journey into the desert where he struggled to know himself and what his mission in life was to be. When he emerged he was baptized by John the Baptist and began his public ministry, traveling around his home area teaching, preaching and healing all those who came to him. Lent has been our opportunity to walk with the Lord along his journey so that we might come to know our own calling to ministry.
Throughout lent we hear from the Prophet Isaiah who so often predicts the coming of the savior, but the savior would not be what the people expected, a warrior king; but rather, a servant slave who took on our humanity and joined himself as one with us. Isaiah speaks often about “the suffering servant.” In fact, we often refer to Isaiah as the suffering servant songs book.
In today’s reading Isaiah tells us of the peoples long Babylonian captivity having disobeyed God’s ways and thinking they were better off in being led by their own ap-pointed king and a great army they fell into captivity. During their long years of captivity they are no longer driven by self-interest but are ready to let God shape their lives. The prophet describes well the suffering servant who would show them a new way of living. He speaks of how this servant must endure much humiliation and suffering while never wavering from the truth of knowing God’s presence in his life’s mission.
In our second reading from Phillip, he describes the two characteristics of this suffering servant as: humility in that he would have to endure much humiliation; and second, after that period he would rise in exaltation as God. Thus Jesus relinquishes his godlike state to choose the form of a slave taking on our humanity. Through this act God becomes one with his creation.
Each year we read The Passion narrative from one of the three evangelists on this Palm Sunday when we recall Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem where his journey would eventually end. On Good Friday each year we read The Passion from the Gospel of John. This year we read Mark’s account of these momentous events that cause such a huge transformation experience not only in Jesus but also in his followers and hopefully in us. Mark does not dwell on the details of the event much like Matthew and Luke but rather he shows through the chronological sequence of events the contradic-tion of Jesus’ life and the paradox of God’s reign. It is the women who stand with Jesus in his suffering while the men betrayed him, denied him as their friend, some fell asleep, and still others fled. In the end, he hung there alone; it is here that we finally realize that it is only in his suffering and dying that he is raised by the Father to his former glory. Ironically, it is the paid gentile Roman soldier, who recognizes Jesus as “the Son of God.”
This is the lesson for us; the greatest agony brought the final true recognition of WHO Jesus was, “SON OF GOD.” Mark’s passion narrative focuses our attention on his theology of the cross. For Mark, the cross is a necessary means to an end. It is the way to forgiveness of our sins and the key to salvation. Just as the Prophet Isaiah foretold of the suffering servant who would come to save his people, Mark knows Isaiah and understands clearly that Jesus is the suffering servant so long predicted would come. Through his self-sacrifice, our God’s love for us is poured out as water and blood that flowed from the lance that pierced Jesus’ side.
Through this act of complete surrender and total self-sacrifice on Jesus’ part, in obedience to the Father, our salvation has been purchased for us. The Master has become the slave who willingly lays down his life so that we might have eternal life. Mark’s account of The Passion is a reminder to us of the constant challenge to follow in the footsteps of the Master. For where the master goes, so goes the disciple. St. Mark’s only intent in his recalling the passion is to answer the questions, “Who is this man?” and “Why did he come?”
This week let us carve out some fraction of time to immerse ourselves each day in a different scene of the Lord’s Passion, and give ourselves the gift of experiencing God’s immense love for us. I leave us with three questions to ponder and reflect upon: 1) Why has God stooped so low to be one with us? 2) Why did Christ empty himself so completely for me? And 3) why does God love us with such abandon?
Let me finish with a short story (because I don’t know how to tell long stories). A young man boarded a train who was wearing at-shirt that said, John 3:16. The man next to him said, “I ‘m not a religious man but I’m curious what does it mean? The man recited the verse, “Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him may not die but may have eternal life.” The man responded, “I don’t understand.” The man wearing the t-shirt said, “neither do I, I can’t fathom how God could send his Son to die for us. But I don’t need to understand in order to be grateful.”
I leave you to ponder these great events. AMEN.

The Promise of Easter

eddiediaz2011 — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 06:45:53 +0000

Dear Family,

The first thing to recognize about the Triduum is that it is “The Three Days”. It is a unified observance that extends over three days, and it forms its own unique and central part of the liturgical year. For many people today, these three days are still as part of Lent; for others, they stand as three separate and somewhat independent days celebrating different events in the life of Christ. But Lent ends on Thursday afternoon, and the Triduum is best seen as one integral observance that includes a variety of liturgical moments.
The Triduum is more than its liturgies, too. Keeping these three days, means exactly that – three full days live as one central moment in the life of every Christian and of the Christian community as a whole.
The liturgy of the Triduum begins with the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper and concludes with the last Mass on Easter Sunday. Between these two gatherings for prayer and worship, the Christian church is called to enter into a period of prayer, fasting and vigiling, which reaches a climax at the Easter Vigil. The principal liturgies even suggest the unity of the Triduum by the way they end and begin. On Thursday, there is no dismissal or conclusion; on Friday we gather and leave with no introductory or concluding rites; and at the Vigil we gather around the fire and begin without the usual introductory rites. We begin on Thursday and don’t conclude until after the Vigil, with Easter Sunday as a kind of extension of the celebration of the Vigil.
Understanding the Triduum as one three-day-long liturgy can help us find the right approach to each of the various ritual moments within it. The Evening Mass on Holy Thursday is a liturgy of entrance into the Triduum, not primarily a celebration of the institution of the Eucharist or of the ordained priesthood. Good Friday’s main liturgy commemorates the death of the Lord, but as a part of the whole paschal mystery (note that we call it “Good Friday”), which is celebrated in its fullness at the Easter Vigil, when our newest members enter into the death and resurrection of the Lord through the waters of baptism. Easter Sunday is a day of reveling in the mystery we celebrate at the Vigil, a day for the glow of the feast to be enjoyed and savored.
These days are the hinge of the year, the central moment around which all else revolves. The Triduum gives meaning to Lent, which precedes it, and to the Fifty Days of Easter that follow. As the Lent-Easter cycle is the core of the year, so the Triduum is the core of Lent-Easter. These days are central because they draw us into the heart of our identity as church. The paschal mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrections is the core of our faith and our participation in that mystery through the celebration of baptism defines what it meant to be Christian and what it means for the community to be church.
Peace and All Goodness,
Father Roger

Life in the Spirit Seminar

eddiediaz2011 — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:32:07 +0000

The St. Maurice Prayer Group is sponsoring a Life in the Spirit Seminar. There will be a series of talks and discussions over seven weeks. We invite you to join us every Tuesday at 7:00 pm in the Chapel.

April 10- God’s Love
April 17- Salvation
April 24- New Life
May 1- Receiving God’s Gift
May 8- Praying for Baptism in the Holy Spirit
May 15- Growth
May 22- Transformation in Christ

It is important that you make the effort to attend all seven talks. For more information call:

Anna 954-967-9533 or Jack 954-467-8228

Holly Week Mass Schedule

eddiediaz2011 — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:28:09 +0000

PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION
March 31st
4:30 p.m. English
6:30 p.m. Spanish
April 1st
8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

HOLY THURSDAY
April 5th
The Lord’s Supper
7:00 p.m.

GOOD FRIDAY
THE PASSION AND DEATH OF THE LORD
April 6th
3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

HOLY SATURDAY, EASTER VIGIL
April 7th
7:30 p.m.

EASTER SUNDAY
April 8th
8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. English
12:30 p.m. Spanish