Easter Sunday @ St. Peter Cheasaning / St. Cyril Bannister

HOMILY - EASTER SUNDAY THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD

APRIL 4, 2021

Last Sunday at 2:48 pm Eastern Daylight Time was the Paschal Full Moon. It was broad daylight, and you might have missed it … but once the sun set, the Full Moon was pretty obvious.

The Paschal Full Moon is the first full moon on or after the Vernal Equinox – which falls on March 21. Since last Sunday was March 28, that made its full moon the Paschal Full Moon. 

Easter is the Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon. It can be as early as March 22 or as late as April 25. 

If you ever notice on some calendars it will also list “Orthodox” or “Julian” Easter as being later than when we celebrate Easter … that’s because the Julian Calendar is about two weeks behind. 

So, according to the Julian Calendar, today is March 22, and so last week’s moon doesn’t cut it. That means that Julian Easter won’t be until the Sunday after the full moon that occurs after yesterday, and that full moon is on April 26, which is a Monday, making Julian (or Orthodox) Easter on May 2.

Nonetheless …

Today is Easter Sunday. 

Christ is risen! Alleluia! He has risen as He said! Alleluia!

This morning we heard from the beginning of the 20th Chapter of St. John’s Gospel.

In today’s Gospel we hear that St. John, on arriving at the tomb first “saw” the burial cloths; and then St. Peter, when he showed up – in second place – went into the tomb and “saw” the burial cloths; and finally, that when St. John went into the tomb and also “saw” … and believed.

Awkwardly, three very different words in Greek are all translated into English as “saw,” providing us with a rather flat reading of a very dynamic story.

Fleshing out the meaning of these distinct words in Greek, it might be more proper to say that when St. John first arrived at the tomb, he “looked” (in the Greek “βλέπει”) into the tomb at the burial cloths. St. Peter, came in behind John, and entering the tomb he “examined” (in the Greek “θεωρεῖ”) the burial cloths. Finally, St. John enters in behind Peter, and “perceived” (in the Greek “εἶδεν”) the burial cloths.

Three different words, the first meaning to “look,” the second meaning to “examine,” and the third meaning to “perceive.” All, sadly, translated as “saw.”

And so, for better or for worse, we are here, this morning, in this particular church, to celebrate Easter. 

How deeply are you participating in the liturgical action being played out in today’s Mass?

Are you “looking?” Sort of just hanging around, taking it all in.

Are you “examining?” Not just looking, but scrutinizing the details – the smells, the bells, the chanting, and the singing?

Or are you “perceiving?” Looking, examining, and understanding – not only with your mind, but with the eyes of Faith, the divine action and supernatural drama that is going on right here, right now?

Today’s Gospel reading begins with Mary Magdalene finding the empty tomb. During this week, we will hear of Jesus appearing to the ten disciples hiding in the upper room. And next Sunday, we will hear the story of Doubting Thomas.

Thomas moves from doubt to belief – by the supernatural virtue of Faith. The disciples move from fear to courage – by the supernatural virtue of Hope. And Mary moves from tears to joy – by the supernatural virtue of Love. 

Faith, Hope, and Love are the Baptismal gifts we have all received. Faith, Hope, and Love are the Supernatural Virtues that make us Christian.

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, may the eyes of our hearts be opened to be moved from looking, to a deeper participation in the Holy Mysteries of this day. 

May we be renewed in the Supernatural Virtues – the Baptismal gifts of Faith, Hope, and Love – as we recall our own Baptism, and this morning renew our Baptismal promises … remembering that if we have died with Christ in Baptism, then we shall live with Him – and ultimately we shall reign with Him in glory … for all eternity.

Happy and Blessed Easter!

Easter Vigil @ St. Peter Chesaning

HOMILY - EASTER VIGIL IN THE HOLY NIGHT, ST. PETER CHESANING

APRIL 3, 2021

In the early 1970s, a research project at Xerox – the “Alto,” a computer that used the first Graphical User Interface, or GUI (“gooey”) – introduced the computer icon. The Alto had icons for documents, folders, computers, and people. 

In 1981, Xerox released the “Star” computer into the consumer market. It was not very well received.

Apple Computer, released the “Lisa” computer in 1983, and the “Macintosh” computer in 1984. The latter used icons created by noted artist Susan Kare, who also designed the icons for Windows 3.1 … and the rest is history.

We have just – perhaps for the first time in a long time – read through ALL 7 Old Testament readings, the Epistle reading, and the Gospel for Easter Vigil.

Congratulations!

The readings take us down a path of images, tests, promises, and redemptions … covering somewhere between 5 and 10 thousand years.

We heard first, the creation account from Genesis. God creates in pairs:

Heavens and Earth,


(Waters) Above and Below, and


Land and Sea.

He then fills them with 

Sun, Moon, and Stars; 


Flying and Sea creatures; and


Land Animals and Humans. 

Three days to create space, and three days to fill those spaces.

God’s crowning achievement is the creation of humanity. The one and only creation of His that is made in His “image and likeness.”

We then heard of the test of Abraham, sometimes called the “Binding of Isaac.”

In this account: (1) the father has a plan, (2) the son bears the burden, and (3) God provides the sacrifice. Sort of like what we heard yesterday. Although, yesterday, the Father was God, not Abraham; and the son was Jesus Christ, not Isaac.

The first story served as an “image” of the second. 

And … the site of the first story, Mount Moriah, was the eventual site of the Temple of Jerusalem, which was an “image” of Paradise, the Garden of Eden.

We then heard of the Liberation of Israel from Egypt … an “image” of their freedom from sin, and our own freedom from sin and death. 

We heard the back-to-back readings from Isaiah – the Restoration of Israel and the Inclusion of the Gentiles. Then a lyric poem to God’s Wisdom, and the Regeneration of God’s people … a cleansing from sin.

After the Glory to God, and the lighting of the altar candles, we heard St. Paul tell us, in his letter to the Romans, about the effects of Baptism.

And, with the restoration of the Alleluia – for the first time in 40-some days – we heard how the women were “utterly amazed” at the three surprises they beheld: (1) the stone door of the Tomb was rolled away, (2) two angels were waiting to give them a message, and (3) the message of the angels – “Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified … has been raised.”

Images … Restoration, Regeneration, Resurrection.

The image of our first parents in the likeness of God … has been restored. 

Sin no longer has any hold over us. 

We have been “crucified … and died with Christ” … and “death no longer has any power over” us.

God has fulfilled the covenant promises. God has restored us as His beloved Sons and Daughters. 

It looks like we’ve made it … through Lent of 2021 … and have made it to Easter.

Christ has risen! Alleluia, alleluia! Indeed he has risen! Alleluia, alleluia!

Good Friday @ St. Peter, Chesaning

HOMILY - GOOD FRIDAY OF THE LORD'S PASSION, ST. PETER, CHESANING

APRIL 2, 2021

In Anglo-American Common Law, the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur infers a duty of care, breach of that duty, and causation from the very nature of an injury.

The Latin phrase res ipsa loquitur literally means “the thing speaks for itself.” 

The first use of res ipsa loquitur appears to be from the Roman statesman Cicero, and it wasn’t until 1865 that it entered the mind of English judge Sir Charles Edward Pollock, a Baron of the Court of the Exchequer ... and the rest is history.

This legal doctrine has entered into many locations touched by English Common Law, besides the US and England, it appears in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, South Africa, and Hong Kong.

Today is Good Friday. And we have just heard the lengthy reading of the Passion of St. John.

What a mess.

The Chief Priests, the Scribes, and Pharisees were supposed to uphold the Law of Moses. But they wanted Jesus dead. And they were willing to cut a few corners and to stir up a riot in order to get their way.

Pilate, as military governor, was supposed to uphold the Roman Law, keep the peace, and exact strict justice. Yet he was scared. He had a history of upsetting the Jewish people – accidentally desecrating the Temple with images. He threatened a slaughter, and was forced to back down. This earned him an imperial rebuke. Then he raided the Temple treasury to build an aqueduct, and later on did slaughter a group of Jews whom he thought were and uprising. He tried to keep those quiet.

So, here comes another crowd, and it's just one man … if he was that … a man.

The arrest, the scourging, the carrying of the Cross, the crucifixion and death. 

What in the world is going on here?

The thing speaks for itself. 

Hatred. Fear. Violence. Death.

And what about Jesus? 

Does He not take this all on despite His innocence?

He says very little. He doesn’t fight back. He accepts it all calmly and without reservation.

His actions speak for themself.

Love. Courage. Peace. And life.

Of course where the story ends today, we make it up to His death. 

But stay tuned tomorrow night and Sunday. 

Because after three days … He will indeed rise again.

Holy Thursday Mass @ St. Cyril Bannister

HOMILY - EVENING MASS OF THE LORD'S SUPPER

APRIL 1, 2021

The past thirteen months of the Corona Virus have turned our world on its head. Thirteen months ago, we shook hands, hugged, kissed, shared utensils, drank out of the same glass, and … gasp! … even breathed on each other. Imagine that!

Now we live in a world of vaccines, hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes, surgical masks, vitamins, and social distancing. 

It would seem that nothing – anymore – is clean enough.

Today is Holy Thursday. And our Gospel is from the beginning of Chapter 13 of St. John’s Gospel … the washing of the Disciples’ feet.

We hear at first what Our Lord knew: (1) His hour had come, (2) the devil had induced Judas, and (3) God the Father had given everything into Jesus’s power, and that He had come from the God and was returning to God.

We even hear that beautiful line: 

He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.

The word, “end” here means having reached a goal or a purpose.

And after telling us what Jesus “knew,” St. John tells us what Jesus “did.” 

He washes His disciples’ feet. 

Weird.

After His Transfiguration, where a select group of disciples have seen His glory, he now takes on the lowest role – that of a servant or slave. 

Certainly not something one would associate with glory. 

Certainly not an elevated position.

Certainly not what a “master,” “teacher,” or “Lord” would – or should – do.

Jesus’s purpose is to remind the disciples – and to remind us – of humility.

On Palm Sunday, I spoke of the humility of Christ … and the hymn found in the second reading from the second chapter of St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. 

though he was in the form of God … 

he emptied himself,
     

taking the form of a slave … 

he humbled himself …

And in this humble role, Jesus proceeds to make His disciples “clean” – the word here means both “clean” as well as “pure” – in a physical sense, in a ritual sense, in an ethical sense – and in a spiritual sense.

And Our Lord calls what He is doing a “model” … an “example” … a “thing to be imitated.”

What are we imitating? 

Humility. 

Holiness. 

And in the verses just following what we heard read this evening, our Lord promises “blessedness” … in the Greek, makarios … “Happiness.”

The world tells us to pursue happiness – for its own sake. Yet starting there it is very easy to get lost, and we see that in the world – many people are lost. Because to start there is backwards … it turns the reality up-side-down.

Our Lord teaches us to be humble – as He is humble. He teaches us to be holy – as He is holy. And with that as a foundation … imitating His humility and His holiness … only then can we be truly happy … blessed in His grace, in His mercy, and in His love.

As we approach this altar to receive Him – Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity – Christ Jesus our “master” … our “teacher” … our “Lord and God” – let us do what He has done for us … for one another … to one another … so that we might indeed be blessed in Him.

May our imitation of Christ’s humility lead us to holiness … and ultimately eternal happiness with Him for ever.