Good Friday @ St. Apollinaris Church

HOMILY - GOOD FRIDAY TRE ORES SERVICE
APRIL 14, 2017
7:00 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) SERVICE



THE SEVEN WORDS FROM THE CROSS

Three from Luke, three from John, one from both Matthew and Mark.

1. Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”
2. Luke 23:43: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
3. John 19:26–27: “Woman, behold, your son.” “Behold, your mother.”
4. Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
5. John 19:28: “I thirst.”
6. John 19:30: “It is finished.”
7. Luke 23:46: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”

Traditionally, these seven sayings are called words of
1. Forgiveness,
2. Salvation,
3. Relationship,
4. Abandonment,
5. Distress,
6. Triumph, and
7. Reunion.

1. In Baptism, we receive God’s forgiveness Sacramentally for the first time, throughout our life in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and near the end in the Anointing of the Sick.

2. Salvation is won for us in Christ’s saving Passion which we commemorate every day in the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

3. Baptism, again, establishes us in relationship with the Most Holy Trinity, as well as making us members of the Church. The other Sacraments strengthen or repair those relationships throughout our life.

4. The abandonment that Christ felt was the weight of sin. Sin is a separation from God or a separation from one another. We are called to live in right relationship with God and each other through Jesus Christ.

5. Christ’s distress – manifested here as His thirst – is a thirst for souls. He shows how far He is willing to go to save us. Are we willing to allow Him into our lives?

6. This is not the end. What is finished is our redemption, and it is a cry of triumph and victory of souls won for Christ. This is the beginning of a new creation in Christ.

7. Christ’s reunion with the Father in surrendering His Spirit to God is an example to us of how we are called to live out our life in the Trinity. In the Godhead, nothing is held back. When we surrender everything to God, we receive back one hundred fold.

Good Friday at St. Apollinaris Church

Evening Service - Good Friday

Holy Thursday @ St. Apollinaris Church

HOMILY - HOLY THURSDAY EVENING MASS OF THE LORD'S SUPPER
APRIL 13, 2017
7:00 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASS



A mnemonic is a memory device, sometimes a pattern of letters, ideas, or associations that help to remember something.

For example, the colors of the rainbow: “ROY G. BIV” gives us: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet … which also helps to remember the color code on component resistors in electronics.



Musicians use mnemonics to remember the strings on their instruments. To remember the lines on the treble clef, there is “Every Good Boy Does Fine,” or if they have a sweet tooth, perhaps, “Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge.” Violinists know that “Good Dogs Always Eat,” which I’m sure Toby will be glad to know. But as any guitarist will remind even the rectory dog: “Every Animal Does Grace Before Eating.”



Mnemonics can be great fun, and can contribute to not only passing a test on any given subject but also tend to stick in our minds for many years.



The word “mnemonic” comes from the Greek meaning  “to remember” or “be mindful.” And tonight, on this Holy Thursday, we have gathered here to remember.

In today’s first reading from the Book of Exodus, we hear about the first Passover and how it was to be a “memorial feast” and a “perpetual institution.”



Building on this memorial at the Last Supper, Jesus establishes the new covenant, which is to be done “in remembrance of [Him]”.

In this remembering … that is, this looking backwards we are to “proclaim his death”; St. Paul then tells us to look forward “until he comes”; and in the next verse after today’s reading, St. Paul reminds us to look within … saying we “should examine [ourselves]” to eat and drink the Body and Blood of Our Lord “worthily”.

This creates a sort of “active remembering,” not only looking back; but also looking forward, as well as looking within.



In today’s Gospel from John chapter 13, we hear about Jesus washing His disciples’ feet at the Last Supper. Something that we will commemorate in action following the homily.

Jesus shows us 3 steps to form ourselves as His disciples through this process of “active remembering.”



The first step is humility. Humility comes from remembering where we’ve come from, understanding where we are going, and realizing who we are before almighty God. Jesus, despite being God, takes on the nature of a slave, and washes His disciples’ feet.

The Gospel is silent on what the first eleven disciples might have said or done. Perhaps they said nothing. Perhaps they didn’t even notice Who it was Who was washing their feet. But Peter notices. And Peter objects!

Which brings us to the next step, which is holiness.

In order to aspire to holiness, it is imperative that we allow Jesus to wash us “all over”. While this is an allusion to Baptism, there is more.

In many situations, we do things our way, objecting to allowing God’s grace into areas of our lives that are … well … like feet: stinky, sweaty, dirty … maybe peeling, calloused, scarred. But it is those places where we most need the healing power of Christ … the saving power of Jesus … to redeem us … indeed, from sin; but also from ourselves.



We forget that we are weak and sinful. We forget that we do not always know the way. We forget that we have a Savior Who suffered and died to save us.

Two chapters further in John’s Gospel, Jesus tells us to “remain in [Him] … because without [Him] [we] can do nothing.”

Let that sink in. Nothing. Nothing. Nada. Zero. Zip.



Without Jesus. We. Can. Do. Nothing.

And so, we must remember that we are weak … to remember that we need to be saved … to remember that we need a Savior ... and remember that we, indeed, do have a Savior.



And the third and last step, which comes two verses after our Gospel ends is happiness. The missing verse is:

If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.

Or to vary the translation slightly:

If you understand this, [happy] are you if you do it.

And so, today we commence the Sacred Pascal Triduum.



And we remember. Looking back 2,000 or so years ago to the days and events surrounding His passion, death, and resurrection. We look forward to our own future glory united to Him in His resurrection and when He comes. We look within to examine our hearts next to His Most Sacred Heart. Asking for the graces to follow Him in humility, in holiness, and in happiness.

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, let us engage in “active remembering” … looking back, looking forward, and looking within ourselves. To follow Christ all the way to the Cross … through humility, with holiness, and in happiness.

For indeed,

[Jesus] loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.[And,] [i]f you understand this, blessed are you if you do it."

Photos from Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) at St. Apollinaris, Napa, CA

Tuesday of Holy Week @ St. Apollinaris School

HOMILY - TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK
APRIL 11, 2017
8:45 AM ORDINARY FORM MASS (4TH GRADE)



Today we find ourselves ramping into Holy Week.

In many ways – liturgical colors, liturgies, and events – Holy Week can seem like a mish-mash of differing things all thrown together without much continuity.

We read the Passion on Palm Sunday – vested in red; and then the next three days look like regular Lenten weekdays – vested in violet; Holy Thursday is an evening Mass with washing of feet; and then Good Friday we hear St. John's Passion – vested again in red.

In the Gospels, we're before the Last Supper on Monday, today we're in the Last Supper, tomorrow we're before it again, and the Thursday we commemorate the Last Supper in a unique way.

But the continuity can be found in the readings from the Prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah is the first of the four Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel), and was written around the 6th century BC (2500 years ago!)

Isaiah has three major division called First (or Proto), Second, and Third. We're looking specifically at Second Isaiah, and in particular at what are called the Servant Songs.

There are four Servant Songs, more like poetic readings, about God's servant whom He sends to guide Israel back to God, gather the nations to God, suffer for God's people, die, and be vindicated in the end.

The first is in Isaiah 42, the second in Isaiah 49, the third is in Isaiah 50, and the last in Isaiah 52-53.

And on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of Holy Week, we read the first three Servant Songs from Isaiah. We heard the reading of the Passion on Palm Sunday, and then hear the prophecies in Isaiah about the Suffering Servant. On Good Friday, we will read the last Servant Song from Isaiah, and then read St. John's Passion.

So, the Passion readings are like bookends, with the Servant Songs being read in-between.

All of these Servant Songs are foreshadowings – that is, prophecies – about Jesus. And they were written 500 years before he was born!

And so, if you're looking for continuity in Holy Week – with all the busyness of the liturgical prayers and actions, and the busyness of family gatherings on Easter, and the busyness of Easter Break – look to Isaiah, and read through the four Servant Songs which are used on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week; and on Good Friday.

Palm Sunday @ St. Apollinaris Church

HOMILY - PALM SUNDAY (YEAR A)
APRIL 8-9, 2017
7:30 AM, 5:30 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES
12:00 NOON EXTRAORDINARY FORM MASS (HOLY FAMILY MISSION, RUTHERFORD)



The Stations of the Cross originated as part of pilgrimages to Jerusalem, in an effort to walk the Via Dolorosa, or the Way of Sorrow. That is also the name of a street located in the Old City of Jerusalem and it is believed to be the path that Jesus walked on His way to Calvary.

It begins at the Antonia Fortress, and ends – now, at least – at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It covers a distance of 600 meters – just under 2,000 feet, or about 3/8ths of a mile.

The Way of the Cross, in its present form is 14 scenes which occurred along the way to Calvary and has existed since the 17th century. This particular devotion was brought from the Holy Land by Franciscan friars.



The version of the Stations that we pray here at St. Apollinaris repeats a certain phrase throughout.

This is for me.

Said, over and over again:

This. Is. For. Me.

Too often we can get caught up in a “cause and effect” perception of Our Lord’s Passion. The theological term is “Atonement.”And, indeed, Jesus has paid the price of our sins … or rather, the price of _my_ sins. But that comes across sounding heavily juridical – as if it is a fine imposed by a court for a criminal offense.

Yet in the text of the stations we pray throughout Lent, we hear other – different – words:

consolation, love, mercy, freedom, surrender, gratitude, strength, thanksgiving, wonder, awe, solidarity, compassion, wholeness. 

THIS. IS. FOR. ME.

As we enter onto our final journey within Lent 2017 … as we commence Holy Week … let us pray for the Grace to recognize … and realize more fully … that “Jesus did this for me.”



May we embrace our crosses daily. And follow Him. Wherever that may lead.

Photos from Palm Sunday at St. Apollinaris, Napa, CA