2nd Sunday of Easter @ St. Apollinaris Parish

HOMILY - SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
APRIL 28, 2019
10:30 AM, 5:30 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES



“The Big Reveal” is a literary device … an unexpected plot twist … that exposes the reader (or the audience) to a previously unknown element … resulting in a radical change in the expected outcome in a novel or story. Such a surprise ending may have been foreshadowed earlier in the work in a subtle or hidden way.



A “spoiler,” on the other hand, is an article or a review which gives away “The Big Reveal” in advance. Even letting on that there is a plot twist or surprise ending is controversial since it modifies the audience’s expectations … if not their enjoyment of the work.

Today is the Second Sunday of Easter.



The First Reading speaks of the growth of the early Church in Jerusalem. While “great numbers” of people joined the disciples, there were still “others [who] dared [not] join them.” Yet people were doing unexpected things – laying sick people where St. Peter’s shadow might touch them … “and they were all cured.”

The Second Reading is from the beginning of the Book of Revelation.

Revelation, sometimes known as the Apocalypse, is a series of mystical visions with symbolic images. Because it is symbolic, it is open to various interpretations – from being an explanation of heavenly worship before the Throne of Almighty God … to being a code book for the end of the world. Some see it as an explanation of all of Creation History – from Creation to Redemption, while others consider it to be an allegory of first century persecutions of the Church.



In today’s pericope, the author finds himself in the presence of “one like a son of man” who identifies Himself as

the first and the last, the one who lives.[Who o]nce … was dead, but now … [is] alive forever and ever.… [and] hold[s] the keys to death and the netherworld.

This mysterious person is Jesus Christ – risen, ascended, and glorified in heaven.



We see a similar scene occurring in an earthly realm – in the familiar story of Doubting Thomas. Who despite his initial firm disbelief, makes a bold profession of Faith in the presence of Christ Jesus, saying

My Lord and my God!

In each of these three readings we find something important “revealed” in some way to individuals.
The power of God working in the members of Christ’s mystical Body is revealed in the First Reading; the revelation of the Son of God in all of His glory in the Second Reading; and the appearance of the Risen Christ to the disciples, and then revealed to Doubting Thomas.



The words “revelation” and “apocalypse” both refer to an un-covering … or an un-veiling … of something that had previously been unknown or hidden.

Today we complete the Octave of Easter, and after our Lenten preparation, we move forward into the Easter Season.



Despite the “spoiler” of knowing the Gospel stories of Jesus’s passion, death, and resurrection, our Lord gives us countless surprises … revealing Himself each day in countless unexpected ways.

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ … may He reveal to us the power of God and the great ocean of  God’s mercy in the graces we receive today, and every day, through His Presence in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar … the Eucharist.

Easter Sunday @ St. Apollinaris Parish

HOMILY - EASTER SUNDAY
APRIL 21, 2019
7:30 AM, 9:00 AM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES



“This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us be glad and rejoice in it!”

The 24th verse of Psalm 118 calls out to us to rejoice in the Resurrection of Christ Jesus. For today is Easter, and we have finished our forty day Lenten journey of prayer, fasting, and charity … and we have completed the three days of Christ’s Passion in the Triduum.

Today is not only Easter, but also begins the Easter Octave – 8 days celebrating the “day the Lord has made”, the Resurrection of Our Lord from the dead in which Christ has conquered sin and death.



We heard in today’s Gospel the first few lines of the 20th Chapter of St. John’s Gospel, and heard that Peter and John upon arriving at the tomb “saw and believed” but “did not yet understand”.



Next week, in the account of “doubting Thomas,” we will hear him say, “Unless I see … I will not believe.” And Our Lord’s words to Thomas:

Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.

Faith, seeing, and understanding – these are three different approaches to growing in knowledge of the Truth.



As we enter into the Easter Season of forty days, let us pray for a deeper outpouring of the Baptismal graces of Faith, Hope, and Love. May our experience of the Presence of the Living Christ in both Word and Sacrament deepen our knowledge and understanding of “Christ our life” – “our paschal lamb, [Who] has been sacrificed”, and Who “is seated at the right hand of God.”

“Christ my hope is arisen … Christ indeed from death is risen … Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!”

Good Friday @ St. Apollinaris

HOMILY - GOOD FRIDAY
APRIL 19, 2019
7:00 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) SERVICE



We have just heard the Passion according to St. John. A customary reflection on Good Friday are what are called “The Seven Last Words from the Cross.”

There are three from the Gospel of St. Luke, one from the Gospel of St. Matthew (and St. Mark), and three from the Gospel of St. John.



Enumerated, they are:

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Lk 23:34)Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. (Lk 23:43)Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother (Jn 19:26–27)My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? (Mt 27:46/Mk 15:34)I thirst. (Jn 19:28)It is finished. (Jn 19:30)Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit. (Lk 23:46)

And they are traditionally known as words of:

1. Forgiveness, 2. Salvation, 3. Relationship, 4. Abandonment, 5. Distress, 6. Triumph, and 7. Reunion.

Forty-some days ago, as a spiritual exercise going into Lent, I began what I now call a “Mindfulness of Forgiveness.”



It started out sort of slow … repeating to myself “I forgive,” over and over. Every day. Whenever something … a situation, a memory, or just a turn of mood … got my goat or raised my ire … I would redouble my efforts. And I’d have to remind myself, pretty much every day, too.

Going through Lent, I’ve remembered people who I didn’t necessarily forgive over the course of half a century. And moving through these forty-some days, I’ve learned the power of mindful forgiveness.



Both parish priests here at St. A’s spend roughly 3 hours in the confessional each week.

And, Sacramentally, forgiveness is “easy.”

But in receiving God’s grace in that Sacrament … it’s important for us to not only “receive,” but also to “give.” And in that “giving” … of “for-giving,” we share in the power of God’s grace … and can do so by paying it forward … as well as paying it backwards … with our own forgiveness.



As we reflect on the great gift of God given to us in the Person of His Son … and reflect upon His Passion, Cross, and the Eucharist and all the Sacraments … let us seek always to give as good as we get … imitating Him by taking up our own crosses … every day … and following Christ Jesus, Our Lord.

5th Sunday of Lent @ St. Apollinaris Parish

HOMILY - 5TH SUNDAY OF LENT
APRIL 7, 2019
4:30 PM (SAT), 10:30 AM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES



A popular TV show that has been around for nearly 25 years is Judge Judy.

While it constitutes a form of Reality TV, Judge Judy does, in fact, adjudicate real-life small claims disputes within a simulated court room.



As Reality TV, both parties receive an appearance fee of around $500, as well as $35 per day during the taping of a show. They also receive airfare and hotel expenses for themselves and their witnesses.
In essence, taking your case to Judge Judy is sort of an all-expense-paid vacation to settle a lawsuit.



In the real world, court can often be stressful, and litigants seek to strategically refute each other’s claims. Yet there are expenses of both time and money involved in pursuing a court case … including the possibility of losing.

Today is the Fifth Sunday of Lent.



In the Gospel, we hear about how “the scribes and the Pharisees [have] brought a woman who had been caught in adultery.” They then ask Jesus to adjudicate the case, and lay out the law for Him to make a decision.

However, the scribes and the Pharisees have no real interest in justice. In reality, they are setting Jesus up in a lose-lose situation.



If Jesus doesn’t embrace the “open and shut” nature of the case – stoning her according to the Law of Moses – then He is showing open disdain for God’s Law … and the scribes and the Pharisees have a reason condemn Him as an apostate – someone who won’t follow the Jewish Law.

On the other hand, if Jesus condemns the woman and allows the crowd to stone her, He will be arrested by the Roman authorities – because the death penalty could only be tried in a Roman civil court.

While the scribes and the Pharisees think they are pretty clever – having set a trap for Jesus – and they think they’ve got it all figured out.



But Jesus turns the table on them by saying:

Let the one among you who is without sin 
be the first to throw a stone at her

The scribes and the Pharisees certainly thought that they were free from sin. But if they’re the ones to start throwing stones, the Romans will arrest them, and they will be charged with attempted murder.
Instead of being boxed-in by the trap set for Him, Jesus operates outside-the-box and reverses things on those who were looking to trap Him.



We hear of God’s “outside-the-box” thinking being spoken of in the First Reading from the Prophet Isaiah, who in speaking through the prophet says:

[Behold!] I am doing something new!

God is admonishing Israel to let go of the past … to let go of their “baggage” … and to allow Him to act in their midst in a new way.



St. Paul, in the Letter to the Philippians, after presenting his qualifications and genealogy – things very much sought-after by Jewish leaders – refers to all of this … his historical “resume” … as

so much rubbish

when compared to

the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Monday is our parish Reconciliation Service. There will be about half-a-dozen priests available for confession.

Hopefully in our Lenten reflections we have come to the conclusion that our human condition leaves us far short of the glory of God. That is, no one among us is without sin.

In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we have the opportunity to allow God to do “something new” in our lives. We get to take out the spiritual trash – “so much rubbish” – which we have been holding onto … for how long? and for what reason?



The Sacrament of Reconciliation puts us in the position to “[re-]gain Christ” and “through faith in Christ” to obtain “[our] righteousness from God” … “to know [Christ Jesus] and the power of his resurrection” in our lives and in ourselves – through the power of the Sacrament.

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ … let us open ourselves up to God’s plan for … “something new” … without baggage … without shame … without guilt.

Let us move forward toward Holy Week and “continue [our] pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus” our Lord.