Life After Death (2024-11-17, Sunday-33)

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 [__ver-06__]   Homily – Nov 17, 2024  /  33^rd Sunday (Year B)  ● Daniel 12:1-3  ●  Pslam 16:5  ●  Hebrews 10:11-14,18  ● + Mark 13:24-32 ●

[__01_ Introduction to Life After Death _]   From a human perspective, we are interested in the concept of life after death primarily because it can offer comfort and meaning in the face of our mortality and also the possibility of being PHYSICALLY REVIVED.

          What is LIFE after death?

          Is it simply a PHYSICAL MATERIAL REVIVAL?

The Q of what happens after we die is not only a religious one but also a scientific one. A compelling medical case was reported by doctors/physicians at hospital in Japan in 2011. A young woman, who had overdosed and died from cardiac arrest, was found hours later in a remote forest. Doctors revived her after more than six hours, using advanced technology to circulate blood and oxygen through her body. Remarkably, there was LIFE AFTER HER PHYISCAL DEATH. She walked out of the hospital 3 weeks later. This case highlights how medical science is advancing, with patients surviving traumas and illnesses that would have been fatal just a few decades ago.

While it’s easy to discuss a person surviving cardiac arrest, we might not want think about our own mortality. Yet, death remains the ultimate common denominator. As Benjamin Franklin famously said, "Nothing is certain except death and taxes"—though some manage to avoid the IRS and taxes. But if we invest time learning how to maximize our wealth and live well, should we not also prepare for the absolute certainty of death?

 [__02_Near Death Experiences_]     There is also a field I want to mention called “near death experiences” is documented by scientists and religious folks alike. 

Jesuit Father Robert Spitzer points to the field of research known as “near death experiences” which report descriptions of individuals or events who “while in cardiac arrest” come to connect with people who have died or gain information that they never knew before.  While acknowledging the potential significance of near death experiences to understand the immortality of the soul, Father Spitzer emphasizes the need for rigorous scientific research.  Check out Father Spitzer or his website,  crediblecatholic.com

 

[__03_Gospel and End of the World _]    

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about the end of the world, which is not only and what happens next – which is not only PHYSICAL –but also spiritual.

Jesus predicts the PHYSICAL destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD. 40 years after Jesus’ prediction, the Romans destroyed the Temple, a catastrophic event for the Jewish people. The Temple was not only a religious center but also symbolized the universe itself, with its art of PLANETS, STARS, NATURE, GARDEN OF EDEN, ANGELS, WATER, LIGHT … depicting the creation of the cosmos. This connection between the Temple and the universe was a cosmic image of God’s creation, truly a microcosm.

Even today, churches often reflect this same idea. For instance, if you visit  South Orange campus and Seton Hall University's chapel, you’ll see stars painted on the ceiling, a reminder of the cosmic relationship between the Church and the universe.

Our church 60^th /  110^th anniversary in 2024 – has ceiling skylights to allow the sun’s rays to reach us, connecting us to the solar system and beyond.

The destruction of the Temple was a profound sorrow, not just a “near death experience” but a “death experience” and sorrow. This destruction points to a fulfillment of Jesus' words:  “While heaven and earth will pass away, my words will not pass away.”  While the exact time of the world’s end is unknown, we are all called to prepare for the end of our own lives.

[__03_Preparation, why? _]    

The Lord Himself urges us to prepare in the way we pray and live. We pray,  for example,  “Lead us NOT into temptation and deliver us from evil.”

          All of us are tempted away from God in some way each day, and temptations we face are not necessarily clear-cut physically and material evil choices or outright dishonesty. Sometimes there is something more subtle or spiritual.

          The 1^st Commandment simply reminds us to put God first and have no other gods before him.

          We can tempted and led into evil when we come to “overvalue”  or “worship” material things, e.g.

          WORK – is good. But does “work” or doing work or making money become a temptation or an IDOL? (e.g., workaholism)

          POPULARITY – is good. But does being popular or liked become our primary goal.

          These can become idols and lead us into temptation.

          In examining our lives for these idols or temptations, we are not just doing this to look good on the outside – on the exterior – but to have an interior life with God in friendship.

          True friendships is based not only on what we can see and touch, but also on the invisible and intangible.

[__04_Interior Life / Prepare, Pray _]    

          Jesus is calling us into a relationship with Him, to INTERIOR LIFE OF PRAYER AND ONGOING PREPARATION. And this relationship is not just an occasional prayer but an ongoing discipline, similar to studying.

          And, I suggest that studying has both a material and physical reality.

There is a principle in actual studying that we should "spaced intervals" and "summarization" can be applied to our spiritual life.

 

**Spaced Intervals: Daily Prayer**

“Spaced intervals” in prayer mean committing time each day to connect with God. Whether we're facing trouble, [It’s time to pray] anxiety, illness [It’s…], or joy [It’s…], it’s always time to pray.  But, it’s also time to PREPARE and LEARN.

This is also why we come to church every Sunday not just to read passively and listen but also to study God’s Word.  As St. Jerome wrote: ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.  Or, to re-state, our intelligent reading of the Scriptures – every day and at least every Sunday equals intelligence of Christ.

It is important that we all make effort to read the Bible. You can read the New Testament – the Gospel and all the Epistles – in 3 months, if you read for 15 minutes per day.

We need spaced intervals to pray and also to study God’s Word.

Prayer - as St. Paul writes - is meant to be unceasing - but it also is not “one and done”. It does not happen all at once.

 [__05_Conclusion _]    

The Gospel this Sunday is given to us to help us prepare for a test, an examination and final interview with Jesus who also wants us to examine our lives in a space interval, with a summary, each day. This is our nightly examination of conscience which is informed by reading the Gospel regularly.

And, we are called to take these spaced intervals to be with Christ not only in church, but also at school, in front of the computer, alone or with others.

Gospel reading is itself a prayer and summarized in the Lord's Prayer.

Regarding the day and hour of the Lord’s coming, no one knows – except … our … Father … who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom, come Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread as and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

… And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. One day the end of our lives will come, it's time to pray and to prepare.  [__end__]    

Priorites. Lourdes 110th Anniversary

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 [__v_06__]   Homily – Nov 10, 2024  /  32^nd Sunday (Year B)

● 1 Kings 17:10-16 ●   Psalm 146 ● Hebrews 9:24-28 ●  + Mark 12:38-44  ●

  [__01__]    Priorities.    A teacher walks into a classroom and sets a glass jar on the table. She silently places several large jagged rocks in the jar until no more rocks can fit. She asks the class if it is true that the jar is full and they say YES. 

She says, “Really, is this really true?” and pulls out a pile of small pebbles, adding them to the jar, shaking it slightly until they fill the spaces between the rocks. He asks again, “Is the jar full now?” They agree. 

Challenging them further, she scoops sand into the jar, filling the space between the pebbles and asks the question again. This time, the class is divided, some feeling that the jar is obviously full, but others are wary of another trick question. 

So she grabs a pitcher of water and fills the jar to the brim, and shows that now the jar is full.

She asks, “If this jar is your life, what does this experiment show you?” 

A bold student replies, “No matter how busy you think you are, you can always take on more.”

“That is one view,” she replies. Then she looks out at the class making eye contact with everyone, 

The sand and water represent the ‘small stuff’ that fills our time, “Can you see what would happen if I started out placing sand and pebbles in first?”.

“The rocks represent the BIG things in your life – what you will value at the end of your life – what your real priorities? 

The lesson is: make space for your most important priorities – the big rocks -- first.

 

[__02__]    In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus observing people putting their offerings into the temple treasury. Some make large, noticeable donations, but Jesus points to a poor widow whose small offering is greater in God’s eyes. Her sacrifice, though small, reveals her humility and her sense of priority. 

Jesus shows us that glorifying God isn’t about the size of our offerings or social status. True greatness is in humbling oneself before God. Jesus lived this teaching—his rejection, suffering, and death were all acts of glorifying God. He teaches, “Whoever loses his life will save it,” and “The last shall be first.”  The Gospel message is clear:  the “Looking-out-for-Number-1” mentality is not the Christian way to love mercy and walk humbly and justly with our God.  

 [__03__]    Today is significant for our parish. We celebrate the 110th anniversary of our founding. The first Mass took place in a humble home back in 1914. Now, we are blessed to gather in this beautiful church, built in 1964 after years of dedication and sacrifice by our founding members. 

Lourdes parish was their “rock,” one of their priorities. They saved prudently, invested in this sacred space, and trusted in God’s providence. We still rely on the support of our community to maintain and grow this parish, just as they did.

 [__04__]    Pope Benedict XVI once reflected on the significance of church buildings. While these buildings aren’t equal to God’s presence,  the building and edifice of our church demonstrates and witnesses to God's presence.

The earliest churches were not big parish churches like we have now. In fact, they were more similar to the Cherry and Chestnut  Street “house” Church. They were house churches, but the church was never meant to be limited to people's homes.  To some,   that age of the “domestic” church, or age of history, may be seen as somehow more pure, less political, more spiritual.  We might even question whether multiple parishes or  large organizations within a bigger parish  is really better?

Nevertheless, a growing church structure also unites us. Saint Paul observes that even in the earliest house churches, there were divisions among people. In Corinth, the early house churches, at times, lacked reverence and respect. Pope Benedict XVI wrote that,  the church community is not meant to be a domestic circle of private family and friends gathering in a house. The church is a community, a communal place for all of us to come, for conversion, for challenge, for support and prayer publicly.  The Church is also the Bride of Christ, intimately related to and a part of His body – members of the Body of Christ.  So in reality, we stand steadfast in faith on the shoulders of the Saints and our predecessors here at Our Lady of Lourdes with a shared love of divine origin with Jesus and one another.  And we pray in Psalm 62:  “Psalm 62:6: God alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken”

 

[__05__]     To align our priorities with God’s, we are called to embrace 3 key priorities that will help us to love God, love neighbor as  we love ourselves.

What I suggest we are called to prioritize are:

 REST (prayer)  > recreation

RESTORATION (fasting) > 

RELATIONSHIPS (almsgiving)

 [__06__]     First, RESTING.  You and I know that when we do not get enough rest, life can be out of control.

It’s also significant that Sunday is the day of Rest, the day of Sabbath rest. I recognize that coming to church and getting the family ready – ourselves ready – can be a challenge, yet we come here not to “work” but to put aside our “work” and to focus on God and His love for us.

The Church reminds us often of the need for silence. James’ letter urges us to be “slow to speak, quick to listen.” In our noisy world, I struggle with resting silence, preferring quick decisions or procrastination over thoughtful reflection. But silence is where God speaks to us. Silence is not an enemy but a friend. Our church is open daily for silent prayer, and I encourage you to take advantage of this time with God. Silence is and prayer are one of the “big rocks” we are called to prioritize in our lives.

 [__07__]     Second, RESTORATION and FASTING.

Are we not advertised and told about the importance of resting ourselves from too much consumption, food and drink? In a physical sense, we restore by abstaining.

We do this naturally and organically by going to sleep at night. Thus the first meal of the day is called “break fast” – we are breaking the fast from overnight before.

But, this act of fasting is not only about fasting from large meals or meant to go for long periods.

The widow in the Gospel gave all she had, and though most of us aren’t called to a life of poverty, we can still make daily sacrifices. 

Whether it’s fasting from certain foods or pleasures, abstaining from speaking to allow others to be heard, or giving up time spent on entertainment, we can offer small sacrifices to unite ourselves with Jesus. These acts may go unnoticed by others, but God sees them. Jesus teaches us to fast in secret, trusting that God, who sees what is hidden, will reward us. Through sacrifice, we grow in understanding of Jesus' love, who sacrificed everything for our salvation.

Fasting is part the restorative process of our lives – physically and spiritually. It an important rock and priority.

 

[__08_]      Third,  Relationships  and Almsgiving = charitable giving.

Talk about the first 10 percent and personal responsibility 

In the bible, we are told about the importance of giving our first 10% financially to God and charity.

This is also known as tithing.

I suggest this principle of charity and love can apply to our moral choices as well – and the commandments – to honor thy father and thy mother, to make our parents and family a priority.

To avoid turning any of our pleasures – such as sports or media or politics – all of which have good elements into an idol – into God.  Our culture co-opts Sundays for sports, shopping and a host of other demands while the Ten Commandments require Christians to keep holy the Sabbath.  We need to revisit our priorities as a culture or perhaps as families and work with love to repair any damaged relationship that we or our family members might have with God and/or one another. 

I suggest we could apply this principle of the first 10 percent (or more than 10 percent) to difficult relationships. 

Often we are inclined to blame the other person or turn ourselves into a victim.

But, the principle of charity urges us to take responsibility and to consider – in any conflict or problem – where is my “first 10 percent”

What do I need to repent of, what contrition and sorrow for my sins can I offer to our Lord and Savior.

The Gospel reminds us of a woman who had 2 small coins but also 3 large priorities correct – to rest in God’s presence, to restore herself through sacrifice and to give back to God for the good of the community.  You might even recall that Jesus told us that He desires mercy more than sacrifice.

In Jesus's love for us, he willingly gave himself up to rejection, humiliation and excruciating suffering for our sins, he patiently waits for us in the tabernacle and in the confessional and feeds us with his body and blood.  And it is that same Jesus who inspires and assists us in building our house, not on sand but on the rock of his church.  Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

Patrick Lynch Funeral Mass Livestream Link: Friday Nov. 8 at 10 am

 Patrick Lynch Funeral Mass Livestream Link: Friday Nov. 8 at 10 am

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Intersections. Equality. Charity (2024-11-03, 31st Sunday)

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 Homily – Nov 3, 2024  /  31^st Sunday (Year B)  ● Deuteronomy 6:2-6 ●   Psalm 18 ● Hebrews 7:23-28 ●  + Mark 12:28b-34  ●

[__01__]    The Gospel of Mark offers us the familiar but eternal wisdom of the Holy Trinity through the Commandments that unify around God’s love for us and our love for God and our neighbors in return.  I’d like to talk about the Commandments marking a crossroads, intersection, and decision point in our lives. As an example …

 

[__01__]    Recently, I was standing outside the house of my sister and brother-in-law, the house where they are mother and father to 3 children, the youngest of whom is 7 years old and named Henry.

          Henry rides a scooter.

          And, the scooter riding is often taking place in front of their house where the road reaching a point on a path where the road splits into two separate directions, forcing you to choose which way to go.  Young Henry was riding his scooter on the road when he noticed a piece of discarded plastic cutlery on the ground and he shouted to me saying, “there’s a fork in the road.” Perhaps he expected me to pick it up. He had places to go on his scooter. I picked it up and then said, “Hey, Henry, this is amazing what you noticed lying on the ground.”

          He did not know where I was going with this.

          I asked him “Henry, do you know what these 2 separate streets going out like this are called?”

          He said, “an intersection [question mark] ?”.

          “Well, yes, this is an intersection, but this is also called a fork in the road because of how the 2 streets appear if you were to view them from up above, like from a helicopter.”

          A few minutes later, his mother appeared and  Henry explained, “Mom, we found a fork in the road and this is fork in the road because if you went up high and looked down you would see it looks like a fork.”  He was enthusiastic to learn about a fork in the road and I was glad to share it with him.

        

 [__02__]   Children, in these instances and in their innocence, have ways of impressing us with their awareness, intelligence and interpretations.

          A child may surpass expectations in this way.

 

[__03_]    The Gospel this Sunday demonstrates an example of an intersection and crossroads.

          Jesus encounters a scribe who engages him in conversation about the Commandments and their basis.

          The encounter stands out because Jesus and the scribe appear on equal footing intellectually and spiritually. They see eye to eye.

          They demonstrate love and trust to each other.

[__04_]        This is a scribe who has not been in Jesus’ inner circle of disciples, but gets the message better than Jesus’ “regular” and close followers.

          For example, Jesus’ own disciples are known to argue with pride among themselves as to who is # 1, who is the greatest, who has more “likes”.

          Jesus asks for their commitment, and sadly they give him their competitiveness.

          Have we not done the same ourselves to prove ourselves better in our own eyes or in the eyes of others?

          Jesus wants them to know and us to know His Wisdom - that true greatness is based on our willingness and ability to love and this summarized in what is known as the greatest commandment in Gospel today:

          “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,  with all your soul,

with all your mind, and with all your strength. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

[__05_]        Thomas Merton, a Catholic contemplative and writer, observed this about the definition of true love and charity and how our love is truly made perfect.

          That is, our love is not perfected or upgraded based on emotion or passion or gift-giving.

          See “No Man Is an Island, Sentences on Hope, p. 170”

          Charity, Merton writes, in order to be perfect needs an equal [an equal partner].

          The lover is not content to love others as inferiors or subordinates but rather raises them to his own level.  A lover wants to share everything with his or her beloved.

          Also, when we love someone we desire the perfection of the other person, not just perfection in ourselves but in their goodness, virtue and well-being.  St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that love is simply willing the good of another for the sake of that other person, not ourselves.

          This is also the motive in coming to church as friends and family that we are seeking heavenly perfection together.  And Jesus offers us Himself out of love at each and every Mass in the Eucharist as we offer ourselves and our gifts to Him.  When we receive Him in the Blessed Sacrament worthily, we can know experience His love, a love that softens and transforms our hearts and even our relationships if we let Him.

        

[__06_]        When I realized that young Henry could understand both “intersection” and “fork in the road”, I was reminded that he may be shorter in stature but equal in status and value.  We need to understand that each Mass, indeed each day, places us at that fork in the road in today’s Gospel. 

            

[__07_]       Jesus’ message about love and equality embedded in the greatest commandment is direct but not always clear in the circumstances of our lives:

          To love your neighbor as you love yourself.

          Sometimes, I find this being an interpreted as “take care of others and don’t forget to take care of yourself.”

          But that modern holistic perspective is not the commandment. Rather, it means that we are called to follow God’s way to love others as much as we love and care about ourselves.

          I care about my own health, well being, happiness, recognition, very much. Do I apply the same level of focus to others? Do you?

          If we do this, I believe that we will naturally and intentionally follow the commandments:

 

è Honor thy father and thy mother, because rather than finding fault with our parents (which we can easily do), we are called to recognize them as our equals

è If you are an adult child taking care of a parent or family member, you might be tempted to regard them as inferior. Your sick, infirm, elderly loved one is your equal.

è The same is true for parents welcoming children – the child is your equal. The unborn child is also your equal.

Love is perfected by recognizing the dignity and equality of other people, for equality can only be understood properly in relation to one’s God-given dignity.

 

And, this Christian ideal of equality helps us to follow all the commandments, thou shalt not steal, commit adultery, bear false witness, kill or endanger innocent lives…

 The Christian life is all about helping each other as equals to heaven and meeting each other at the intersections of life that we experience.

Despite our differences – politically, culturally, socially – we are all joint heirs – loved by God and inheritors of his grace.   By seeking his wisdom and help to love each other according this equality of status, we are not far from the kingdom of God.    [__end__]   

All Saints Day (2024-11-01)

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 Homily – Nov 1, 2024  /  All Saints Day  ● Revelation 7:2-24, 9-14 ●   Psalm 24 ● 1 John 3:1-3 ●  Matthew 5:1-12 a ●

[__00-a_]  Today is the Solemnity of All Saints.  And, this is really a 3 day “devotional”  dedicated to remembering the dead:  beginning with All Hallows Eve or All Saints Eve = Halloween (October 31) à All Saints’ Day (November 1) à All Souls’ Day (November 2).

          At Saturday 5:30 pm Mass tomorrow, we will read the names of our beloved deceased of the past year for All Souls Day.

          November 1 is a day to recall our communion with all saints, both those we name and do not name.

          As an example of being named….

 

[__00-b_]     Who are the top 5 basketball players of all time?

          In terms of point scored: “

LeBron James      Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 

Karl Malone          Kobe Bryant  Michael Jordan   

 [__00-c_]      Who are the top singers of all time?

          According to Rolling Stone magazine, they are:

Aretha Franklin  Whitney Houston Sam Cooke      Billie Holiday         

Mariah Carey     

           But these lists of the top 5 or top 10 do not encompass everything about the sport of the basketball or the art of music. There are many others.

          Moreover, I should ask you: how do you feel about the names on this list? Do these individuals appeal to your heart, to your mind?

          You may be compelled by the talents and gifts of others not named here or not even well known at all.

          There are many talented performers who do not get recognized or renown. Yet, they make contributions in their own way even if they have neither a household name or a Hall of Fame name.

 

[__00-d_]     November 1 is All Saints Day and in the Catholic devotional and church calendar, there is what we might consider an “honor roll” or “hall of fame”.

          There are major feast days where we recognize saints: March 19 for Saint Joseph; March 17 for Saint Patrick; May 30 for Saint Joan of Arc; September 5 for Mother Teresa of Calcutta;  July 22 for Mary Magdalene.

          These and others might be in the Catholic “top 5”

          Mary, Mother of God, would also be in the top 5.

[__00-e_]     In a sermon on All Saints Day, Father Ronald Knox of England asked why we have All Saints Day, what purpose does it serve?

          His perspective was that All Saints Day reminds of the diversity of talents and gifts and sacrifices made by many saints.

          You and I may also be called upon to make a diversity and an abundance of sacrifices in our lives.

          All Saints Day reminds us not to be too specialized in our devotions and our expectations of what is Christian heroic virtue. It comes in many forms and includes but is not limited to:

è Love thy enemy and pray for those who persecute you (do not love only those who love you).

è Surrender not the minimum to God out of love, but the maximum – this will the Gospel on Sunday November 10, about the widow’s mite who gave all that she had. She is identified but un-named. She is one of the “All Saints”. November 10 is also a remembrance and celebration of our parish’s 110^th anniversary. Our parish has been built sustained by holy men and women – some of whom we know by name, some we do not. We are still called to give all we can to God.

è Purify our hearts not our appearances.

 These are saintly virtues but they may not win us name recognition.

 [__01__]     But even in the pursuit of material things, are we not called to focus on the fundamentals and interior change rather than superficial glory.

          It would be nice if we could become basketball stars and gain a high shooting percentage just by memorizing Michael Jordan’s statistics and wearing his number 23 jersey.

          There is value to imitating the great ones, but that’s not how it’s done. Michael Jordan, e.g.., was known to the first one at practice, the last to leave the hardest working player on the team.

 

 [__02__]    All Saints Day reminds us that there are many ways for us to imitate our Lord and Savior  and to enter heaven one day.

          Access to heaven is different than a Hall of Fame which is voted on by others and often a popularity contest. No one elects or vote you or “likes” you into heavenly glory.

          Rather, this happens due to our personal relation to and imitation of of our Savior and to be with him in Paradise where will be seen and known forever regardless of how celebrated and decorated – “famous” -  we are in this life.

  [__end_]