A - Fourth Sunday of Easter

Many years ago, I used to have a very long commute to work.  During that time, I would listen to the radio.  It would not be music or news but more often than not I listened to talk radio.  This was at a time before Catholic radio became what it is today – a wonderful and rich resource.  At the time Catholic radio choices were limited, but this was not the case for our protestant brothers and sisters, for there were many protestant radio shows on air.  Some of you may recognize the name of Hank Hanegraaff also known as the Bible Answer Man.  I enjoyed his radio show in particular.  Listeners would call in with Bible questions, and he would answer from his deep and expansive knowledge.  I mention Hank because he had a catch phrase which went something like this: “you should be so familiar with the truth that when a counterfeit appears, you immediately recognize it.”  We as Christians, should quickly recognize counterfeit voices for there are many that compete with the voice of our shepherd.   This is only truer today than back in the 90’s. For today television, the internet, social media, newspapers, etc., create a cacophony of voices each one vying for our attention.   I would suggest that the dangers of all these voices for us are broadly twofold. 

The first are the voices of distraction.   These are the voices we ourselves allow into our lives, and perhaps even encourage.   In so doing they become so distracting that before we know it, the precious gift of time has passed listening to these voices and avoiding the clear call of our shepherd.  “I know I should read my bible, but I can always do that later.”  “Today I was so busy, but I will pray tomorrow.”  “The game is on, so I won't make it to Mass.”  We all know Catholics who have fallen away or become disengaged, because the voice of the shepherd has become lost in the chorus of other voices.  Today there are so many voices of distraction.  These voices steal our time.  Time which appears limitless but is not, since we are each given only so much.   

The second danger I will call the voices of destruction.  These are voices that preach against the truth, against reality, and so against freedom.  During the early years of our church, these voices were called heresies.  In response, the church held the first ecumenical councils to help clarify important aspects of our understanding and faith and so confront heretical voices.   One example of such a heresy was the teaching that Jesus was born an ordinary man but was adopted as the son of God.  This was called adoptionism and this heresy spread in the 2nd, 3rd and 8th centuries.  To confront this and similar heresies the councils of Nicaea and Chalcedon affirmed the teaching that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine.  As in the 2nd, 3rd, and 8th centuries, so today we see books about the ‘historical Jesus’ such as, “How Jesus Became God”, “The Godless Gospel”, and “Jesus the Man”.  Each robs our Shepherd of his divine identity and corrupts his teaching.     

We commit and train ourselves to always hear the voice of the Shepherd so that we can quickly recognize a counterfeit.  The counterfeit is the thief and robber who does not enter by the gate but rather climbs over elsewhere to claim their power.  In our gospel reading, Jesus would indirectly accuse the Pharisees of being thieves and robbers since they had used their authority to expel the once blind man Jesus had healed from the synagogue.  Rather than help and encourage the blind man and rather than recognizing the authority of Jesus in working this miracle, the Pharisees doubled down to protect their own power.    We are to be wary of the voices of thieves and robbers. 

The voice of the shepherd is the only voice that is authentic and true.   It is vital that we recognize his personal call to each of us and not fall victim to counterfeit voices.  

But following the Shepherd’s voice is not always easy as we heard in our second reading.  At times we suffer from doing good.  Hank Hanegraaff would ultimately leave his evangelical protestant roots (2017) when he became a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church.  This break from his evangelical past was not painless for he would lose his protestant radio affiliates, and his audience would shrink dramatically as his influence waned.  Yet to hear the voice of the shepherd, and to respond to that call, I am sure Hank is now blessed in many new and profound ways.   

Jesus has made clear his desire for us.  His desire is that we might have life and have it more abundantly.  Let us discover the fullness of this life by hearing and obeying the one voice that matters; the voice of our Divine Shepherd.   Amen. 

Deacon Peter Bujwid
St. Agnes and St. Camillus, Arlington, Massachusetts

A - Fifth Sunday in Lent

In our first reading today from Ezekiel, the prophet recounts his experience of a vision. In this vision, he sees a field of bones. Here, nothing is stirring; only death is present, the bones dry and lifeless and strewn in every direction. God speaks to Ezekiel and asks him, “Son of Man, can these bones live?” To which Ezekiel responds, “you alone know that”. God instructs Ezekiel to prophesy over the bones, telling them, “Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord, “listen I will make breath enter you so you may come to life. Then you shall know that I am the Lord””. Having said as the Lord had instructed him, Ezekiel hears great rattling; like thunder. The bones began to come together. Sinews appeared which became covered in flesh. And then the flesh in turn was covered with skin, but still there was no life. Prophesy God tells Ezekiel, “Come O breath and breathe life into those slain.” And with that a vast army stands up returning to life. God explains the vision to Ezekiel telling him the bones are the whole house of Israel; there is no hope, for the bones are all dried up and lifeless. But then God promises as we read, “you will rise from your open graves, and MY spirit I will be put in you that you may live and settle on your land and thus you will know that I am the Lord.” This vision has a powerful message, one where the Spirit restores life and gives hope. For even dry and lifeless bones are subject to the sovereignty of God and to the work of the Spirit.

And it is the great sovereignty of God that we witness in the Gospel reading. Jesus’s delay in responding to the request to come to Bethany meant that Lazarus would have been entombed for four days. In Jesus’ day it was believed that the soul of a dead person would linger with the body for three days before finally accepting that there was no possible return to the body; this as flesh would begin to decompose. Four days in the tomb would make clear to everyone that Lazarus' soul was no longer present – he was dead, all life was gone. Yet this sad event would glorify God, and by this the Son of God would also be glorified, as Jesus had told his disciples. Jesus states that he was glad not to have been with Lazarus because soon his disciples would witness something that would strengthen their faith, something to help them to see clearly who he was. This he declares clearly to Martha, “I AM the resurrection and the life.” But even with that said, Martha would note the stench of the body as Jesus orders the stone used to seal the tomb to be taken away. Jesus would remind Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?”

The raising of Lazarus is a pivotal moment in salvation history. Here we see the power and the glory of our God. We witness the strengthening of faith in the disciples and those who would witness this awe-inspiring event; life returning where there was death. But this moment is also the one that finally convinces the Chief Priests and Pharisees that Jesus should be killed and with that, the final chapter of Jesus’ earthly life begins.

As we consider this Gospel reading, we are reminded of the eternal life promised to each of us by way of Christ’s death and resurrection. We are reminded that beyond death our spirit continues in life. And with the return of Christ our bones will be reacquainted one with another, sinews will be covered by flesh and then with skin. And the spirit that is breathed into us will awaken our bodies as Ezekiel saw in his vision. Paul tells us, “If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you.”

As we approach Holy Week, we do so with the insight and knowledge that the one who is to be crucified is the one with power over life and death. He has the power to put it down and the power to take it up once more. A time will come when each of us hears those words, “come out”, and we will. But are you ready? Am I ready to hear them? Are we ready to see the Lord with our own eyes as the unbound Lazarus was able to see Him once again? If the answer is yes, then how can you and I best prepare to make that meeting more joyful and complete. And if the answer is no, then what needs to change? In these last few days of Lent, we take time to examine our hearts, our consciences, our motivations, our faults and failings. We prepare to meet the Lord of Life by making a good confession. We trust in Jesus’s power to restore hope, to strengthen believe, and to save, especially when all appears irredeemable and lost – just a pile of dry and lifeless bones. We go to Jesus knowing that the Spirit that raised Christ will also give life to us. By these, our acts of faith and belief, we will gain life and will bring glory to our God. Amen. 

Deacon Peter Bujwid
St. Camillus Church, Arlington, MA.

A Wedding Homily

 

 

A Wedding Homily for

Maria and Patrick.

"This is Your Life" 

With all my love,  Dad.