homily Archives - Page 6 of 19

Nourished on Truth

Carmelite homily for Wednesday (Easter V), May 27, 2020 – Lectionary 299 (John 17:11-19)

In today’s Gospel Jesus says, as he prays for the Apostles, ‘consecrate them in truth; your word is truth; I consecrate myself for them so that they may be consecrated in truth.” There’s a lot of truth language here, but there needs to be because there’s a lot of lies. Society says, ‘oh, there shouldn’t be any pain; there really is no death; do what you want as long as you don’t hurt anyone.’ There’s a lot of lies. Advertisers! They promise everything, just buy the product. Truth needs to be discerned; discerned deeply. Saint Therese writes, “I can nourish myself on nothing but truth.” That is true – where true nourishment is. Not in lies, not in emptiness, not in falsehood – but in truth. But it takes a little bit to get there; it takes a lot of work to get to that food.

Total Delivery

Carmelite homily for Tuesday (Easter V), May 26, 2020 – Lectionary 298 (John 17:1-11)

In today’s Gospel Jesus is praying for the ones that the Father has given him. But it’s a two-way street. The Father gives us to Jesus, but then do we give ourselves then to Jesus? Saint Therese writes, “For a long time I have not belonged to myself since I delivered myself totally to Jesus, and he is therefore free to do with me as he pleases.” That’s our mission; that’s our part. Yes, the Father has given us this great gift of life; has given us Jesus. And we need to give ourselves to Jesus. To follow Therese’s example and deliver ourselves totally to him.

The Mystical Life

Carmelite homily for Monday (Easter V), May 25, 2020 – Lectionary 297 (John 16:29-33)

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells the Apostles they’re going to be afraid; they’re going to run; they’re going to abandon him; they’re going to go to their homes. But he tells them, ‘take courage and be not afraid.’ But they don’t see the bigger picture; they don’t see the hand of God; they don’t see the plan of God. They don’t see Jesus for who he really is. Blessed Titus Brandsma writes, “Carmel, unlike the children of our day, is not afraid of the mystical life.” That’s the call of today’s Gospel – the mystical life, the spiritual life. To connect heart to Jesus, to connect mind to Jesus, to take on the mind of Jesus. To see the deeper plan, to see God’s hand. And when we see that, and live that, we cannot be afraid.

Remaining Here With Us

Carmelite homily for Sunday, Ascension Day, May 24, 2020 – Lectionary 58 (Matthew 28:16-20)

Today we’re celebrating Ascension Sunday. Most dioceses in the United States move the Feast to today. And I like the depictions of the Ascension, like in old prayer books or the Old Masters, the Apostles are all looking up into the sky and there’s a cloud, and from the bottom of the cloud are sticking Jesus’ feet. The message is ‘he hasn’t left us completely’ or ‘we are to follow in his footsteps.’ He remains with us. That’s exactly what Saint Therese of Lisieux understands in this Feastday. She writes, “You returned to your realm of light, and still remain hidden here to nourish us in our vale of tears, with Holy Communion.” Yes, we celebrate Ascension – Jesus departing for heaven – but there’s a lot of Jesus remaining with us still. Jesus in each one of us; Jesus in our neighbor; Jesus in the Sacraments; Jesus nourishing us in Holy Communion. So it’s partial Ascension?

To Grieve and Rejoice Properly

Carmelite homily for Friday (Easter VI), May 22, 2020 – Lectionary 295 (John 16:20-23)

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells the disciples, they will grieve and then they will rejoice. And he uses a metaphor of a woman in labor. When she’s in labor, all she knows is the labor and the pain, and once she’s given birth, all she knows is the joy and the gladness. Saint John of the Cross writes, “Human beings know not how to rejoice properly nor how to grieve properly.” I think he’s getting at what Jesus is getting at in today’s Gospel. We just see the moment – the pain of the moment or the joy of the moment. We don’t see the bigger pictures or plans of what God has in store. That’s the call of today’s Gospel: to trust God when we want to rejoice; to trust God when we want to grieve; to trust God that it will all work out to God’s plan.

Adversities

Carmelite homily for Thursday (Easter VI), May 21, 2020 – Lectionary 294 (John 16:16-20)

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells the disciples, ‘in a little while you will not see me and you will mourn; and in a little while you will see me and you will rejoice.’ We know what is the mourning, what is the rejoicing – it’s the crucifixion; it’s the resurrection. But they didn’t know. But I think they’re called to trust and we’re called to trust. Saint John of the Cross writes, “See that you are not saddened by the adversities of this world for you do not see the good that they bring.” I think that’s exactly what Jesus is telling us and telling the disciples in today’s Gospel – to trust God, to trust him, to trust.

Lavishly Rich

Carmelite homily for Wednesday (Easter VI), May 20, 2020 – Lectionary 293 (John 16:12-15)

In today’s Gospel Jesus says that , ‘the Spirit of Truth will take what is Jesus’ and give that to us.’ Giving us that richness, that greatness, to trust the Spirit to give us what Jesus has. This is why, I think, Saint Teresa of Avila can say, “How can we share our gifts lavishly if we do not understand that we are rich?” That’s the call of the Gospel. The Spirit will take is Jesus’ and give to us. But why? So we can give to others, to share lavishly, because we are rich.

Tasting the Things of God

Carmelite homily for Tuesday (Easter VI), May 19, 2020 – Lectionary 292 (John 16:5-11)

What I like about the Carmelite saints is that they see things a little bit differently, a little more deeply. For example, this is what Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity writes, “If you do not practice sweet silence, it will be impossible for you to taste the things of God.” I think it’s in silence that the brain, the mind can say is this indeed so? Is this indeed correct? Is this indeed God? Is this indeed holy? That’s what, I think, Jesus is inviting us to in today’s Gospel where he’s talking about sin, righteousness, and condemnation, and saying, ‘it’s different than you think.’ I think practice sweet silence; think these things out. I think the Gospels are always saying, ‘think differently, think deeply.’ That’s the invitation of today’s Gospel.

Elevation of the Soul

Carmelite homily for Monday (Easter VI), May 18, 2020 – Lectionary 291 (John 15:26-16:4)

Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity is a Carmelite we don’t hear enough of. She was a contemporary of Saint Therese of Lisieux in the Carmel of Dijon, France. And she writes, “Always love prayer; but when I say prayer I do not mean reciting a vast quantity of vocal prayers every day; rather, I mean the elevation of the soul to God through all things.” I think that’s the key to today’s Gospel where Jesus says, ‘Do not fall away in persecution.’ If we have elevated the soul; if we live in the heavenly realms; if we live in sanctity; if we live with Jesus, how can we fall away? I think that’s the call of today’s Gospel: to elevate the soul in all things – persecution, joy – every moment, every day.

Belonging to the Holy Spirit

Carmelite homily for Sunday (Easter VI), May 17, 2020 – Lectionary 55 (John 14:15-21)

In today’s Gospel Jesus says that if you love him, you will keep his commandments; the Father will send the Advocate, the Spirit the world cannot accept. What does all that mean? I think it means – what is our starting point? Do we start with ourselves? Do we start with God? Saint Therese of Lisieux writes, “My thoughts belong to the Holy Spirit; they’re not mine. Without the Spirit of Love we cannot call God our Father.” I think the call is to begin with God; begin with the Holy Spirit. That’s where it all begins with anyway, so let us start there. And we’ll find the Advocate is in our lives. God is with us. The Spirit helps us to call God our Father.