As we celebrate the feast of the Ascension I cannot help but reflect on the many ideas and concepts that swirl around this feast…some with unintended consequences! The word “ascension” itself conjures up images of Jesus rising up into the clouds to join the Father and the Holy Spirit somewhere “up there”…far, far away. The problem with this is it can lead us to believe that heaven is “up there” and we are “down here” and that God is far off and distant from us and from our lives. This is in stark contrast to the heart and soul of the meaning and significance of the incarnation. The truth of our God having become “incarnate” (in the flesh) in Jesus means that God is with us…not some remote deity watching us from afar. We need to recall Jesus’ promise “I am with you until the end”! These simple words are most profound…there is no need for us to stand gawking skyward with our jaws hanging open. While the physical presence of Jesus Christ as a singular human and divine presence no longer walks the earth…Christ is here, as close to us as our own breath, keeping us alive to be his presence in our world. As we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus let us celebrate the presence of the Risen One in our midst!

Before his ascension Jesus gave a clear command and mission to his disciples…to us. We are charged with preaching the “Good News” of Jesus Christ and to be that healing, loving and welcoming presence in a world filled with sickness, hatred and exclusion. Filled with the “real presence we are sent forth to stand up and be the voice of the voiceless, to speak out on behalf of those who are silenced or ignored, to make sure that hatred, racism and bigotry are not left unchecked. Filled with the Spirit we speak the truth of the Gospel to power, whether convenient or inconvenient, whether garnering us friends or marginalizing us, it is our call as disciples of Jesus Christ!

How might I be a “healing, loving and welcoming presence”? How can I “stand up” for the Gospel, in the public arena and in my personal life? How do I experience the real presence of God in my daily life?

Easter Blessings,
Fr Tim

Pretty much everyone has felt lonely, abandoned by friends or loved ones at some point in their lives. Most of us have felt fearful; wondering how we will make it through rough times with our children or parents or siblings. We suffered personal loss or illness and wonder if we will be able to go on. Today’s Gospel tells us that in the very midst of our “lost-ness”…suffering…fear or sense of abandon that we are never truly alone, we are not abandoned, we are not orphans….for the Risen Christ remains with us.

When I was little I used to think that Christ was with me….but only when I’m doing something good….or only in holy or sacred places. Oh…how wrong I was! Jesus proclaims to the disciples that no matter what they “feel”….not matter where they go, he will be with them…and even more….the Holy Spirit will be given to them and find a resting place within them. We are the inheritors of this same promise. We are never alone, never abandoned! Our God is with us always…even when we can’t feel that presence or sense it…God is with us. Even in the midst of our worst moments, our most selfish actions…even in the midst of our greatest sin…God is present and loving us through that dark moment.

How do I respond to being loved so deeply and passionately by God? How do I share God’s love with others? When was the last time I heard the Holy Spirit calling me to something…or away from something? What was or will my response be?

Easter Blessings,
Fr Tim

One of problems with apocalyptic literature is that some people think it is a crystal ball, a door we can open to see the future. But in reality the function of apocalyptic literature, like First John, that we hear today, is that it is not meant to scare us but rather to reassure us! To reassure us that in the end no matter how scary the world gets, no matter how many monsters roam the lands, no matter how many awful tragedies befall us….God’ love will prevail and ultimately we will all be cared for, nourished and loved in the Reign of God.

​Last week’s second reading was about “the great gathering”. It was a vision of every person from every race, nation, language and tribe all streaming into the Reign of God…everyone! Today’s second reading tells us that God dwells with humanity, loves humanity, cares for humanity and is making all things new. We are, ourselves living “a journey”…a journey with God and in God. It is a journey of love and Jesus became one of us to try and show us how to love one another as Jesus loves us. Love is the basis of our very existence…we exist because we have been loved into being by the One who above all else “is” Love.

We find ourselves living in the midst of almost apocalyptic like horrors…local and international terrorists, wars and threats of wars, great storms and natural disasters and we can find ourselves feeling over-whelmed and fearful. And yet scripture tells us that even in the midst of such travails love continues to exists, in us, around us and through us! Perhaps one of Jesus’ most difficult commandments was to love one another, even our enemies! In the midst of our current national political debate or should I say “conflict”….where is the care and concern for the poor and the immigrant that Jesus has commanded us to show them?

As disciples of Jesus Christ we are called to be that presence of love…even in the midst of conflict….or perhaps precisely in the midst of war we are even more called to be that presence of love and work to end the conflict to build peace and to love one another as Jesus has loved us…even our enemies. How do I live out Jesus’ commandment of love in my daily life? How do I work to build peace and social justice nationally, internationally, in my workplace, in my community and in my family?

Easter Blessings,
Fr Tim

In the second reading today we hear about John’s vision of “the great gathering”…a great multitude, so vast that it is beyond numbers, greater than all the grains of sand on all the sea shores! And we are part of that great multitude in John’s vision! It is made up of every nation, race, people and tongue ….no one is left out! God’s deep and passionate love embraces all peoples from all places, from all walks of life, from all of time, past, present and future. From all of our differences we will be gathered into one by the love of God and no one is left out.

But in the mean time we find ourselves here and now struggling with many of the same realities that Paul and Barnabas did in the early church: human indifference, greed, jealousy, resentment, fear, doubt and division. We find ourselves living in a time that is politically and religiously hyper-divisive, where the quality of mercy seems to be greatly strained. A time where one’s own needs seem to easily take precedence over the needs of others. We live in a time where religion is routinely used to shame and marginalize those who are different or who disagree with us! And yet, Jesus tells us that there are other sheep not of “this fold” who belong to him as well …and he will bring us all together (Jn 10:16).

John’s vision shows that ultimately, through God’s love, all will be one and we will find unity in the midst of our diversity. In the middle of all of this divisiveness that we find in our country and world today, what is Jesus calling me to do? How can my voice be the voice of mercy to those most in need of hearing of God’s great mercy and love for all peoples? How will I live out my discipleship of Jesus Christ this week?

Easter Blessings,
Fr Tim

“Let’s go fishing”….the disciples, dazed and confused, return to that which they know best…fishing! However, even the one thing that they thought they knew how to do, doesn’t work anymore! Every-thing has changed…and then there are these appearances of Jesus, raised from the dead! He appeared to them and breathed on them and gave them the Holy Spirit and sent them out just as he had been send by God….but they go fishing!

And so Jesus follows them and tries again to help them understand to what it is that he has sent them…to guide them on their way. Jesus tells Peter explicitly that he is to shepherd Jesus’ flock…and for each time he denied he knew Jesus, Jesus asks him if he loves him. And Peter accepts this new role but with the knowledge that it will ultimately take him to a similar death as Jesus, who is asking Peter to take up “his” cross and follow him.

The disciples are often presented as not fully understanding Jesus’ message and to what it is that Christ is calling them…but Jesus is patient and calls them again and again…just as Christ calls us. Over and over again, no matter how many times we find our nets empty and think all the fish are gone, Jesus comes to us and tells us to “try the other side”. Regardless of how many times we deny Jesus or refuse to throw our nets on the other side, Jesus is patient and will lovingly ask us again….with God there is always another chance! Where and for what is God calling me to cast my nets?

Easter Blessings,
Fr. Tim