Cause & Effect / Good Friday (2013-03-29)

This is my homily for Good Friday March 29, 2013.  I am a Catholic chaplain in Teaneck at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) campus and for the FDU Newman Catholic Association and at New Jersey City University (NJCU) in Jersey City. We celebrate Catholic Mass - during Fall and Spring semester - every Sunday Evening (5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.) at the FDU University Interfaith Chapel, 842 River Road, Teaneck, NJ.

[01]   When we hear the term “EFFECT” or “EFFECTS”, we might immediately think of something which would be an illusion, or would be an exaggeration, or a computer-generated image made possible by Pixar … George Lucas … or someone at a computer keyboard in California.

Such engineers and designers create SPECIAL effects for our EYES, EARS … and at certain magnitudes and volumes …for our WHOLE BODY.

The Passion of our Lord is also a WHOLE-BODY experience … not only because of the CAUSE ..but also because of the EFFECT.

 [__02]   In the Passion of our Lord, we also reflect and remember the cause of death –

·         The cause of sacrifice

·         The cause of forgiveness

·         The cause of love

As we read in the Gospel of John, “For God so loved the whole world that he gave his only Son that those who believe in him might not die but have eternal life.”  (John 3:16)

[__03]   WHAT ARE SOME SPECIAL EFFECTS WE SEE ON A VIDEO OR MOVIE …OR SCREEN ?

 ·          Fire   ·         Explosion ·         Earthquake ·         Tsunami ·         Flood ·         Disappear / reappear

What the engineer at Pixar Studios or Disney is trying to do is get us to experience only the EFFECT in our hearts and minds … while overlooking / forgetting that the “CAUSE“ is really coming from their Apple Computer.

They would want you to think the “tsunami” effect is real …even if the “cause” were imaginary or artificial.

[__04]    We read the Passion, considering both the cause and effects.

What are the special effects of the Passion?  (Adolphe Tanqueray, The Spiritual Life, n. 133 (“Jesus, the meritorious cause of our spiritual life.”)

[__05]   First – DEPTH. This depth is not a dark abyss, or chasm, but the depth of God’s mercy.

All of our sins/faults can be forgiven – pardoned – when we ask forgiveness.

We read in Psalm 51, “A humble contrite heart O God you will not spurn” (Psalm 51:__)

As Catholics, we see penance and absolution through a priest who is called to share God’s mercy and love with us.

Similarly, praying at Mass, we experience Jesus offering himself up for our sins through the consecration, through the Eucharist. This is my body, given up for you. 

The special effect of DEPTH … and DEPTH PERCEPTION for us.

 [__06]      Secondly – POWER, STRENGTH.

Through Christ’s Passion we are empowered, strengthened.  As Paul writes, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

Jesus gives us a conscience – an ability to know right from wrong. It is not always easy to do the right thing… to “save” ourselves in various ways, physically and spiritually.

It is easy to be tempted.  But, Jesus gives us the special effect of power – through our conscience… to grow in virtue, purity, true love.

The special effect of POWER. …

[__07]       This power also enables us to imitate Christ, to take up our own cross daily.

Isn’t the CROSS both the CAUSE and the SPECIAL EFFECT of our spiritual life …

“If any will come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

The Passion – the special effect – reminds us that we are also participating in Christ’s suffering when we PRAY, when we FAST .. when we GIVE charitably

And, we participate when we love – lay down our lives as Jesus did … symbolized in the washing of the feet at Jesus’s Last Supper and in our Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper.

This love is described in by our Holy Father Pope Francis WHO CELEBRATES HOLY THURSDAY MASS AND THE WASHING OF THE FEET TODAY at the Casal del Marmo juvenile dentention facility … a correctional facility, a jail for youth ….  Reminding us also to seek to help those most in need, those who might be imprisoned – physically or spiritually in our midst.

From his homily of today, Holy Thursday – Pope Francis --

[The washing of the feet] is the example set by Our Lord, it’s important for Him to wash their feet, because among us the one who is highest up must be at the service of others.

This [washing of the feet here reminds us] to help the person in need … [who might be just across the room …not just across the country or the world.]

And thus in helping each other we will do good for each other.

…. this sign is Christ’s caress, because Jesus came just for this, to serve us, to help us.

In this regard, the Gospel is about finding our own path to salvation, but also teaching others the CAUSES and the EFFECTS – brought about in reality by the Son of God. He is the reason – the cause - for the hope that is within us. (1 Peter 3:15)

[__fin___]