As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, I cannot help but reflect on the many ideas and concepts that swirl around this feast…some with unintended consequences! The word “ascension” itself congers 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 image 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 distant 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, disinterested 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 in the same manner as he did some two thousand years ago, Christ is here. As close to us as our own breath, keeping us alive to be his presence in our world. We need to recall last Sunday’s Gospel in which Jesus told the disciples that when we keep his word God makes us his dwelling place!

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, violence 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, bigotry and misogyny are not left unchecked. As we have just marked the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, by a white police officer, as we witness the destruction of decades of civil rights advances with the dismantling of all the DEI programs across our government, nationally, regionally and locally, in our educational systems, hospitals and in the private sector, in large and small companies and organizations. Make no mistake about it, this is systemic racism overtly and openly ripping apart our civil rights, exposing the monstrous reality of white supremacy and white nationalism. Creating a reality where people of color, women, members of the LGBTQ community, immigrants and refugees are not welcome and their very safety is threatened.
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Filled with the Holy Spirit we are called to 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!

As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, we know that in the midst of the chaos that swirls around us
we are not alone, because that Divine Presence that dwells within us, remains, guides and guards us as we struggle to live
out our discipleship of Jesus Christ.

As we struggle to find ways to respond and to resist the decisions and action being taken by the administration and our
elected officials that are and will bring serious harm and suffering to millions of our sisters and brothers, let us do so by
choosing, each day, to do what is right and honorable; what is decent; what is kind and just. To choose good over evil, and to
love one another as Christ has loved us. And, let us demand that our elected officials do the same!

We do not walk this journey alone, we walk with our God, and that makes all the difference! The Lord is with you!

Easter blessings of the Risen Christ,
Fr. Tim

I would imagine that most 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, siblings or friends. Or, for African American, people of color and women -- they worry if they and their loved ones will make it through the violence spawned by racism, white supremacy and misogyny that plagues our country, and our world.

Or, like the people of Ukraine and the Middle East, who have endured such horrible loss and personal suffering, wondering, how will they carry on?

Or we may have suffered or be suffering a terrible illness and wonder if we will be able to make it through it.

Today’s Gospel tells us that in the very midst of our losses and “lost-ness” -- our suffering, our fear or sense of abandon -- that we are never truly alone; we are not abandoned, for the Risen Christ remains with us.

When I was little I used to think that Christ was with me….but only when I was doing something good or only when I was in holy or sacred places. Oh, how wrong I was!

Jesus proclaims to the disciples that no matter what they “feel,” no 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, dwelling within 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 -- whether I acknowledge or embrace that presence or not! The “Presence” is still there! And each moment is charged with the possibility of different outcomes, precisely because of that “Presence”; because of the love that is that Presence. And transformation is possible, but only if I am open and present to the encounter -- the encounter with that Divinity that dwells within me!

When I embrace the presence of that Divinity that dwells within me, then new and different possibilities abound for my life. Embracing that Divine Presence within me and embracing it in “the other” is how I can work to overcome the sins of racism, misogyny and white supremacy.

When I acknowledge and embrace God’s very presence in “the other,” then I will truly see them as they are…see them as “God bearers” -- they themselves, dwelling places of God!

This message of the “Divine indwelling” is a critical part of the core message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, along with Christ’s great command, to “love one another as I have loved you”. These truths leave NO space for racism, misogyny and white supremacy! None!

Let us continue to hold in prayer all of the millions the victims of the wars and famine around the world, especially those exacerbated by the callous and self-centered policies and decisions of our elected officials. Let us not just pray, let speak out and make our voices heard. The Bishops of the United States have called us Catholics to write and to call our elected officials and demand that all of the social safety nets that they are dismantling be reinstated. We need to be relentless in making our voices heard. We need to stand firm in our discipleship and protect the vulnerable and marginalized. We need to stand up with and for our federal workers and contractors -- for their jobs, for their dignity and for their futures!

Let us work to find meaningful ways to fight systemic racism, misogyny and white supremacy in our nation and in the world around us.

How do I respond to being loved so deeply and passionately by God? How do I share God’s amazing love for each person with others who are different from me? 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 of the Risen Christ,
Fr. Tim

In these Easter weeks we hear from the Book of Revelations. One of the problems with apocalyptic literature, like in the Book of Revelation, 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 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’s 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 those who had survived the time of great distress, and they were at “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 for the Book of Revelation, tells us that God dwells with humanity, loves humanity, cares for humanity and is making all things new. We ourselves, are 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 he 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, a national premeditated governmental meltdown, 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 “Divine Love” continues to exists…in us, around us and through us, supporting us, guiding us in the darkest of our days!

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 of our political leaders for our government workers, our neighbors, for the poor and the immigrant? Where is their care for the starving people in Gaza, in South Sudan and all the other places where USAID once stemmed food crises and helped slow the spread of famine and starvation? Where is the care 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 to 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 we work to build peace and social justice in this nation that is so deeply divided? How can we respond to the growing international crises wrought by the callous and outrageous actions of our government? How do I respond with the love and care Christ calls me to in my workplace, in my community and in my family? Such deep and difficult questions/realities. But, we do not face them alone, for we do not walk alone. We walk with Christ by our side, and that is what makes all things possible; all things bearable.

May that Divine indwelling continue to guide us and guard us on our journey each day as we continue to move forward building up the Reign of God.

​Easter blessings of the Risen Christ,
Fr. Tim

The image of Jesus as the good shepherd is one of the oldest images of Christ in Christanity.

I remember seeing it in the catacombs of Rome…painted on the walls of ancient caverns by a people of faith from long ago. What is it about this image that has capvated the minds and hearts of Christians for centuries?

Surely for the postmodern, mostly urban culture of the West, this image may well seem a bit arcane and less accessible than it was to our ancestors. Jesus is depicted, through the use of this image, as a shepherd, who was, in that me and in that culture, a relatively unimportant, and certainly not powerful, figure.

The disciples and all those who followed Jesus around experienced Jesus as kind and gentle, like the “good” shepherd who watches over the sheep with great care and concern and even risks his/her own safety for the sake of the sheep.

And we as a church have, of course, just received a new “good shepherd,” with the elecon of Pope Leo XIV. He invoked this
image in his first words to the world:

“Peace be with you all!

Dear brothers and sisters, these are the first words spoken by the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for God’s flock. I would like this greetng of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world.

Peace be with you! It is the peace of the risen Christ. A peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering. A
peace that comes from God, the God who loves us all, unconditionally.”

This image of God as a good shepherd, as a kind and gentle god, was somewhat unique in Jesus’ me, but then so was the idea of a god who would be willing to suffer and die for us.

I believe that this image of the Good Shepherd has endured precisely because of its radical departure of a more common
image of a distant and disinterested and sometimes even vengeful god. A reality that was much more common in the
religions of the ancient world.

The gods were deities to whom you made sacrifices to appease their anger and rage for any possible slights or missteps against them you may have made, and thus survive for another day.

This image of “the good shepherd” tells us that our God loves us and cares for us and journeys with us as we travel through the valleys and hills of our lives. Our God holds us in his hands!

But too, it may well speak to us of what we are called to be…in Christ’s image…“good shepherds” of the lost and vulnerable, of the poor and the forsaken. As disciples of Christ we are called to reach out to the poor; to reach out to the marginalized and the ones society and our new administration dismisses or demeans. As disciples we are called to stand up for them and
with them demanding justice and the protection of their rights.

And as we have just recently celebrated Earth Day, we recognize that truly “good shepherds” also recognize the importance of all of creation and the responsibility for our environment, for our sheep depend on a healthy ecosystem. So as “good shepherds” we are also called to care for creation, to be aware of how our lives impact the earth and the lives of all other living creatures.

And so we ask ourselves: how am I being called to be a “good shepherd”…in my family, in my school or place of work, in my
community, in my nation, and in the wider world? What am I willing to risk “as a good shepherd” for the sake of the flock…for the sake of creation…for building up of the Reign of God where all people are respected, valued and loved?

And special Easter blessings to all mothers and to all the women who “mother”, care for, protect, teach and mentor the young and not so young. Thank you! May the peace of the Risen Christ
be with you always!

Easter Blessing,
Fr. Tim

In the readings this Sunday, the spiritual dynamic seems to be multifaceted: God draws near...sensing our own unworthiness, we protest...grace overcomes our weaknesses, failings, and fear resulting in abundance far beyond our imagining…and our nets overflow with God’s love and grace!

In today’s Gospel, I am sure Peter remembers well what he had done before the cock crowed three times, and the other disciples know as well — they had abandoned Jesus in his darkest hours. But, each one eventually opens their heart and responds to Jesus’ call.

What is God calling me to in my life? Jesus’ directive to “launch out into the deep?”  When I hear God’s call how do I move from protest to grace?  Am I willing to follow Jesus’ directive to “launch out into the deep?”

I always smile at Peter’s response to Jesus revealing himself to the disciples, yet another time…“Let’s go fishing.” The truth is, the disciples, dazed and confused, return to that which they knew best…fishing! However, even the one thing that they thought they knew how to do, doesn’t work anymore!

Everything 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 gift of the Holy Spirit, he gave them a mission and sent them out to proclaim the Good News...but instead, they went fishing!

And so, Jesus follows them and tries again to help them understand what their mission is and what it is that he is sending them to do — he makes another attempt to guide them on their way.

Jesus tells Peter explicitly that he is to shepherd his flock…and for each of the three times he denied he knew Jesus, Jesus asks Peter if he loves him.

And Peter eventually 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 he is patient and calls them again and again…just as Christ continually calls us to follow him.

Over and over again, no matter how many times we find our nets empty and think that all the fish are gone, Jesus comes to
us and tells us to try the other side of the boat. Regardless of how many times we deny Jesus or refuse to throw our nets on the other side of the boat, Jesus is patient and will lovingly ask us again…with God there is always another chance! Where is God calling me to cast my nets?

Imagine for a moment how the disciples must have felt. I think that we all know how Peter and the other fishermen must have felt. After a long and fruitless night they’re tired and disappointed…and they are confused about what has happened to Jesus, dawn arrives and the nets are empty. We’ve all invested time and energy into things that simply did not pan out; we’ve known failure in one guise or another.

In the midst of the daybreak of their disappointment, with empty nets in hand, Jesus called Peter to go back out into the
deep and lower their nets one more time. Disciples trust, even when their nets are empty, that there are fish out there to be caught. Jesus calls the disciples to action, to show their faith in him.

Even though Peter three times denied he knew Jesus, he was given the opportunity to three times proclaim his love for
Jesus!

We are called to measure our fruitfulness, not by individual success, but by our faithfulness to our call…our call to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Our trust remains not because of what we can do, but rather, because of what God can do
through us.

And so we continue to stand up and to witness to truth and justice in the face of disinformation and lies and utter disregard for the rule of law in our nation. Knowing that the Holy Spirit will guide us and that we are not abandoned, even
in these dark days, the Risen Christ walks by our side.

​May the peace of the Risen One be with you always,
Fr. Tim