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Reflection for the Solemnity of the Holy Family 2021

By what standard?

Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.

Straight to the point. I ought to start this by saying that today’s Epistle, as outlined in the Lectionary gives us two choices. We can read all of Paul’s admonitions in Colossians 3:12-21 or we can skip over the hard parts, things that make us uncomfortable.

We all know what God wants, right – to skip over the hard parts? 

We can certainly agree that God never wants us to skip over the hard parts of His instruction. Jesus told us: “In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.” (John 16:33).

What disturbs us about Paul’s words is that we read them from a perspective that the godless world pushes on us. That perspective is one in which there is no analysis, there is no search for deeper understanding. We somehow believe that English is the anointed language by which all must be understood, and heaven forbid that anyone use the word subordinate. Obviously, I, me, comes first.

I, me first, is not of Christ.

In Genesis, God creates a model of family and as we heard in today’s gospel, His very Son, Jesus, lived within that model. But let’s not just stop at the outward appearance of that model, because the inward nature of the family model is brought to the fore by St. Paul in his writing to the Colossians.

Paul is discussing an inter-relationship among the faithful. We are first and foremost a community that practices mutual love and respect. We offer each other heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. We bear with each other and forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven us (catch that – live as the Lord lived). Above all we put on love as our mutual bond of perfection. Is that hard?

Jesus was born into a family that lived all that, and one in which each person lived a sacrificial existence, where the good of the other came before their own good. That is what being subordinate is. That is what love and obedience are. That is what total giving is.  In family we must be willing to decrease so that our wives, husbands, and children may increase. That is love in mutuality. Is that hard?

Never mistake this direction as having to do with being a slave. A slave does not have a choice in the giving of self. We do. 

The bottom line – How are we to live together? What do we consider hard? For us the standard within family and community is God’s standard. A life of total self-giving should not be hard for Christians.

Christian Witness, Homilies, PNCC, , ,

Reflection for the Solemnity of the Christian Family 2018

Lift up
family.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness”

At the Third Holy Synod of the Polish National Catholic Church, held in Chicago in December 1914 the Synod delegates resolved that the Second Sunday of October be dedicated as the Solemnity of the Christian Family. This Solemnity was meant as an opportunity for the Church to pray for the consolidation and strengthening of families. On this day we pray for all families; that they be strengthened and blessed.

It is great to have an idea, but as is said, we have to get the rubber to hit the road. So, how do we get there; how do we get families strengthened, blessed, and consolidated.

If you looked at our parish sign on the way in, you’d have noticed it now says “Rise Up With Jesus & Lift Others Here.”

This is how we get the rubber to hit the road.

We start by not ignoring our motivation. God’s entire creative effort was spurred by a desire to expand and build relationship. Since God had and has this desire for relationship within Himself, and since He made us in His relational image (Let us…), so we too desire relationship. We are motivated by relationship.

Relationship, of course, cannot be realized in motivation alone. That’s just frustrating and unproductive. So we take steps. We build friendships; we enter into relationships at many levels. Some are very close, some are more casual, but none are unimportant.

So we are motivated and so we try. But, being human as we are, we occasionally loose sight of what we must do to take relationship to the next level.

To get to the next level we must stay on message, we must build deeper and more meaningful relationships.

Of course the best proving ground for living our motivation, staying true to God’s relational life, is in our families. That is where we most intently and proactively rise with Jesus and lift each other up. In the microcosm of family relationship we motivate, comfort, provide love that is beyond reason, discipline, and sacrifice.

Now, from that microcosm, we are to expand the best of what we learn and do, rising with Jesus, raising up others, right here: consolidating, strengthening, blessing.

Christian Witness, Homilies, , , ,

Reflection for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2016

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Relationship
changed!

I, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus, urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment; I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother.

Today we encounter Paul’s shortest letter. It is a letter to his friend and co-worker Philemon and his family. This letter is only one chapter containing twenty-five short verses.

Generally any letter from Paul deals with a crisis at hand. In this case the crisis is neither doctrinal nor a confused morality. Philemon and the fellow Christians that meet at his house seem to have their faith on straight. This letter is about one man and his relationship to another. Philemon’s slave Onesimus had run away, perhaps guilty of theft in the process. Onesimus ran off and found Paul in Rome. They had likely met during Paul’s stay with Philemon. Paul brought Onesimus to knowledge of and faith in Jesus. Onesimus spent time helping and serving Paul during his imprisonment in Rome. Now Paul was sending Onesimus back as a changed man.

Paul knew that in sending Onesimus back, Philmon would have to confront the reality of his faith. Paul’s lesson here, his teaching of the Gospel, is focused on getting relationships straight. For Paul, the essential fruit of the Gospel is transformed relationships. Who was Onesimus now – and how was Philemon supposed to relate to him?

Philemon and Onesimus were both to learn that being a Christian means being transformed and being part of a new relationship between oneself, God, the rest of humanity, and the world.

Faith in Jesus is to bring change to our lives. It is not just an interior thing, but also an exterior one. They way we relate and interact with others is to demonstrate our faith – faith truly lived. This changed relationship often stands at odds with the surrounding secular order. Philemon could easily and rightly have Onesimus killed in dozens of horrible ways for even the slightest of offenses, much less running away. Thus the social conflict that emerges from being Christian in an anti-God world. Paul focuses on this interpersonal conflict and the way we must revise and reform our relationships. How will our relationships be changed despite the world’s rules? How will Philemon react? Will Christ or the world rule our relationships?

Paul reminds Philemon of his encounter with the Jesus. So we must be reminded. The strength of our life in Jesus is tested in relationship. In daily crises let Jesus change our lives and our way of relationship.

Christian Witness, Homilies, , , ,

Reflection for the 12th Week in Ordinary Time 2016

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All children of one
God and model.

Brothers and sisters: Through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s children, heirs according to the promise.

This beautiful text from Paul’s letter to the Church at Galatia calls to the forefront the new model we live in Jesus. It reminds us that we are changed and have become children of One God and Father when we have clothed ourselves in Christ.

In putting on Jesus in baptism we take on the new man, the new person. We take up a privileged position with and in Christ. In fact this new union is Paul’s main emphasis in each verse By faith in Christ Jesus, and being baptized into Christ… we are clothed… with Christ, one in Christ Jesus, and belong to Christ. Since Jesus is the Son of God, all who by faith are in Christ are now also sons of God; co-heirs in Him to heaven’s promise and all being children of One Father.

The positive privileges of union with Christ far outweigh and greatly surpass the old set of relationships under the old Law, Jews were the children of God and Gentiles were sinners. But now we are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

This must have been a shocking declaration for a Jew to hear. In Jewish literature, “sons of God” was a title of highest honor, used only for the members of righteous Israel, destined to inherit the blessings promised at the end of time. But now all are called “sons of God.” All are equal. All have the same privilege and rank under One Father.

The wonderful day we gained heaven was the day we came to Him, as Paul tells us: through faith and baptism in Christ Jesus. Let us think kindly on that day for in it we were blessed to grab hold of our Heavenly Father, we clung to Him and felt His loving embrace as our Father.

As baptism pictures the initial union with Christ by faith, being clothed with Christ portrays our participation in the moral perfection of Christ. The title sons of God and the two ceremonies of baptism and being clothed with Christ point to the reality of our new relationship with God. We are literally changed and our way of living is opened to perfection. Our new relationship with our Father results in a new relationship with one another.

As we reflect on this Father’s Day, let us think of that man, or those men, in our lives brought us to our Heavenly Father, who gave us the privilege of not just being sons and daughters of men, but true children of God.

Christian Witness, Homilies, , , ,

Reflection for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2016

thefirstmiracle_wide_t

Yesterday
was it easier?

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short…

I was listening to the song “Yesterday” by the Beatles. Paul McCartney wrote the lyrics.
McCartney wonders why his girl has gone away. Yesterday was so much easier, happier:

“Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday”

McCartney wants to go back to yesterday, fix his mistake. He blames his angst on having “said something wrong.”

Was that all there was to it, saying something wrong ruined a relationship? Based on experience we could all say that we doubt that. Certainly friends, husbands, wives, children, and co-workers have said something wrong at one time or another. If that were all it took to destroy a relationship we wouldn’t have marriages, family members, friends, or co-workers. We would all be alone!

Looking a little deeper we see McCartney saying that love was a game to play – yesterday. Love was easy and fun.

Some would comment that since that song was written our concept of love has changed. It is supposed to be about romance, candlelight, fun in… all the easy games to play. When that ends, when the passion fades, when the candlelight is no more than melted wax, and the flowers have dried out we move onto the next game.

Perhaps that was McCartney’s mistake. His words weren’t a wrong statement, saying something wrong in and of itself. Perhaps, and likely, his words were just a bit too transparent and shallow. Hey honey, this is fun, this is a great game – but I’m not serious.

Jesus is with a young couple. Certainly this was a joyous moment in their lives. They have entered into a lifelong commitment – not just a game. They had friends and family – all who cared were with them. All are celebrating. And, the problems didn’t wait until tomorrow – they were here today. The dawn would bring the realization that they had failed in their first task as hosts – tomorrow’s yesterday was turning into a failure. Then Jesus steps in. His Father’s plan is in action. His power was revealed to His disciples. Tomorrow’s yesterday was saved. The best wine was served.

Letting Jesus into our lives, our marriages and relationships makes each day more than a game. His first miracle becomes a recurring miracle. Each day in Jesus has true meaning, joy, and the fullness of real and eternal love – the best.

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Reflection for the Solemnity of the Christian Family 2015

Dumpster-Blog

What if things aren’t
so great?

And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day’s journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.

Today our Holy Church celebrates another of its unique Solemnities – that of the Christian Family. Many pastors will speak today about the unique and beautiful ideal that is the Christian family. This is certainly the model we should be pursuing. We have the example of the Holy Family as our model – Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.

In the gospels we read of all the wonderful things that emerge from the blessings of family. Mary came to the assistance of her kinswoman Elizabeth when she was expecting. Joseph protected his family when Herod sent his army to kill them. John proclaimed the coming of His cousin, Jesus. This is certainly the kind of mutual support and overall family goodness we strive for, we hope to find in our lives. But what happens when things go wrong, when our lives don’t exactly match up to the ideal?

The Holy Family faced one of those moments. Jesus went missing. Things weren’t going according to plan. He couldn’t be found. He wasn’t with family and friends. Some Biblical scholars and historians estimate the festival crowds in Jerusalem at about 3 million people. A boy of twelve was somewhere among 3 million people… Scary stuff.

Our lives are filled with scary stuff. When those moments come – abuse, divorce, addiction, poverty, homelessness, infertility, infidelity, and so many other struggles – and we think about the Christian family – we feel that God must have turned His back on us. We are abandoned and alone. We can’t possibly live up to the ideal.

God didn’t abandon Mary and Joseph in their moment of fear. He didn’t abandon His Son in the midst of 3 million people. God has not and will not abandon us. Remember, we are worth so much that He offered up His Son’s life for us. When problems center down on us we have one stronghold we can rely on. It is one stronghold with two aspects. The first aspect is that the Father has adopted us all. We are brothers and sisters to Jesus. We have the Holy Spirit with us to strengthen and uphold us – God who gives us life and complete love. The other aspect of our Father’s provision is the Holy Church and each local parish. This is the Body of Christ in all its reality – brokenness striving to heavenly glory. Mutual love and support so that we may assist each other as one family when things aren’t great.

Christian Witness, Homilies, PNCC, ,

Reflection for the Solemnity of the Christian Family 2014

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God bless our
family.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

In the time of advance technology and information, our families are almost continually confronted by bad influences and polluting information. One of the worst influences is that of so called atheists who claim there is no God, and who reject the salvation He offered to mankind in His Son, Jesus.

An atheist might say that God is nothing more than a mythical figure, made up in our imaginations to allay our fears and insecurities.

In a way they are correct. If we, as Christians, were to understand God as a mythical figure, a distant and powerful being that acts only as an occasional wish-giver, we would be without faith and understanding. We would be worshiping and following a false and fake god. Our God is very much different.

Our God is relational, and our understanding of Him is relational. This is His ultimate reality – the binding together of all of us in relationship to Him and each other.

God’s very character starts in relationship – the inter-relatedness and unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. From that source relationship, He created us as a people desiring relationship – with Him and with each other. In coming to save us, Jesus did not just show up. He was born into family – into relationship, and throughout His life on earth He continued to build relationship.

In rejecting God, people reject the true source of relationship and the understanding that relationships, especially within family are truly blessed, are very good.

As the Creator and Builder, God set forth the family as the first and finest example of relationship. Within the Christian family we learn to love, honor, and respect others and to go on to further build relationship. It is there that our desire for relationship with God is nurtured. It is in the context of family that we become heirs to Jesus’ promises. We are brought into the family of faith, and we receive the promise of everlasting life in relationship with God and each other. In the nurture of family we learn to become like our God Who is defined in relationship.

Within the Christian family, at home and in our Church, we find God’s blessing and true life. We find how connected we are to God and to everyone who is in Him. We are blessed.

Christian Witness, Homilies, , ,

Reflection for the Feast of the Holy Family

LK017

We are
family!

“Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

In 1979 Sister Sledge recorded and released the dance song “We Are Family” The song eventually reached number one on the disco charts. It was also the theme song for the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates. The song’s authors, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards composed it based on how a record executive described Sister Sledge (who are actually four sisters). The song is an expression of family and general solidarity. It is also the anthem of the We Are Family Foundation, which is named after the song. The foundation, established after the 9/11 attacks, works to educate people about mutual respect, understanding, and appreciation of cultural diversity.

The model of the Holy Family is a model for the entire Church as the family of Christ. This concept of family solidarity did not just start in 1979 – it starts with God from the beginning of time.

Paul wrote of life in the family of faith. Paul cared deeply for the Churches he established, but not only. His care was for the entire Church. He knew that the Church is the body of Christ and we are all joined together as one family. When the Church at Jerusalem was in need, Paul went to his people to encourage their charity toward their family in the faith. Paul’s focus on life in the family of faith is summarized in his letter to the Galatians where he says: “So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.”

Doing good to all sows the seeds of faith among those who do not know Jesus. They can only come to know Him and enter His family if we offer love and welcome. We need to do this in this time of opportunity. Our family of faith, both at home and in the Church must model true life in Christ. What we live as the Christian family sends the strongest message.

Let our life at home and in Church be holy – holy and loving as one true family – and thus a shining light to all.

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Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle Supports Youth Programs

Make February 2014 – the month of love – a month to win in more ways than one!

The Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle

2014, will be a big year for the youth of our Church and our parish. This summer we will once again be sending our young people to the annual KURS summer encampment and to CONVO 2014 at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio from July 21st through 25th. The 2014 CONVO theme is “In the beginning….”

We need your support to give our young people a great beginning in 2014. To start them off right we are holding a month long Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle this coming February to support our youth. Each raffle ticket gives the purchaser a chance to win up to $1,180. The Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle will include drawings for $40 daily prizes and a $100 daily prize on Valentine’s Day. The raffle is drawn each day of the month, giving the ticket holder 28 chances to win! Winners are returned to the raffle bucket, making them eligible to win again and again. Your support will help cover our young people’s summer expenses with the ultimate goal of paying their way completely.

Tickets cost only $10 each. Feel free to contact Deacon Jim at 518-372-1992, Stephanie Dominy at 518-369-1346, or any parish member to purchase a ticket.

We thank you for your support of Youth Ministry and the School of Christian Living at Holy Name of Jesus parish in Schenectady and wish you good luck!

February 2014 raffle calendar

Christian Witness, Homilies, PNCC,

Reflection for the Solemnity of the Christian Family

Christian Family - Follow Me

Family
the center of love

And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” And he said to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.

As a young man of 12 (prior to the acknowledged age of maturity for a Jewish young man – the age of 13), Jesus was already maturely aware that He had been sent to carry out His Father’s will, to be close to His Father in heaven in all that He was to say and do. Of course Mary and Joseph did not fully understand that. They would have expected Jesus to still be immature in the knowledge of God.

Jesus clearly points out that He had to be about His Father’s work regardless of whether the world or His human parents saw Him as mature or immature. He shows us that the perceptions of the world do not matter as long as we stay focused on our true work.

How hard it is for us to stay true to God’s work among the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Children’s lives are fully programmed. Youth are busy with studies, sports, extracurricular activities and homework of course. Many parent’s work lives seem never ending now that we are connected 24/7 will smartphones. Retirement doesn’t mean sitting in a rocking chair anymore.

Staying true to God, to our faith in Christ, to the work the Holy Spirit calls us to do, requires an environment that places being in the Father’s presence as the greatest good. All the education, money, talent, and activities in the world are worth nothing if we loose our souls – our relationship to God and our heavenly family – in the process.

The environment that is our support, that shows us the way to eternal success, and that keeps us true and present to God is family –the Christian family. Family that believes in love, which is truly connected to the truth of love, will place God first and foremost in its life. That family will pray together, will worship together, will live in faithfulness to each other, will support and prepare each other for a life that is forever.

What a worthless gift we leave if we only provide for the near term. God’s family – provides forever.

Jesus sat in His Father’s presence in the temple, feeling at home, breathing the air of His own proper place. As families in Christ – centers of love – let us follow Jesus. Let us be present to God, breathe His life as our greatest goal, our desired good, and as our gift of love to each other – parents, children, and grandchildren.

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