ARCHIVES MARCH AND APRIL 2001
Monsignor Benjamin Franzinelli's Homilies and Reflections
WE ARE A RESURRECTION PEOPLE
Easter Sunday
April 15, 2001
First Reading:
Responsorial Psalm:
Second Reading:
Gospel:
Colossians 3:1-4, or
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Jesus Christ has Risen from the dead! Today He is our hope and salvation. The Gospel scene encourages our faith to believe and rejoice. They saw: the sinner, Mary Magdala; young John, who was scared, and Peter who denied he knew Christ - they were the first to testify to the truth, the fact of the Resurrection.
They saw the imprint of Christ’s scarred crucified body on the shroud, yet the body was gone. Until then it was difficult for them to understand what Resurrection meant. Their eyes and minds were opened to believe. Their testimony is true. This is our conviction, our faith. Christ who died dead rose from the dead - He has Risen. This testimony is true. For more than 2000 years, unbelievers have attempted to deny this truth and contradict the evidence, to no avail. They are still trying . We are now more and more convinced that in no other time in history has the Resurrection been real and His Promise for our resurrection .
Easter is the celebration day when we are renewed and lifted up with hope and love. We are a Resurrection people!
Today can be for you and I the first day of the rest of our lives. In the spirit of this Easter feast day of Resurrection let us celebrate the future, a spring time of rebirth. Our faith is renewed with the renewal of our Baptismal promises. The past is merely a prologue for the future. Flowers renew the beauty of the earth, sin is rejected; roses are bursting forth with their fragrances; trees are budding and fruiting. A new springtime gives us hope that we can, as St. Paul said this morning, " clear out the old" so that we may be refreshed and renewed.
Let your faith in Christ’s Resurrection, in His Words and Promises lift up your burdened consciences and heavy hearts. This is the moment for a new look at a new life, to see for yourselves the evidence of His Resurrection in your personal lives.
This morning we shall have that opportunity of renewal and recommitment to the promises made at our baptisms. Reject the habits and behavior that leads us to sin, reject the glamour of money and power, sins of avarice; don’t let money rule your lives to destroy your peace of mind and heart.
And don’t let the temptations of the flesh overwhelm your eyes and senses, avoid the darkness of immorality.
Believe in the power of prayer and trust in our all powerful Christ, Risen from the dead. Believe in His forgiveness of your sins. Believe in yourself, in your power to be good and a true follower of Christ, the Lord. He believes in you.
The waters of baptism give us new hope, the renewal of our Baptismal promises gives us a new life.
Born again, our new birth in the spirit raises us up. New Again, New Again, Alleluia, Alleluia!
THE GREATEST OF THE GREATEST POSSESSION
Fifth Sunday of Lent
April 1, 2001
First Reading:
Responsorial Psalm:
Second Reading:
Gospel:
For we the Baptized, today is for us a last call to respond to God’s invitation to acknowledge our need for His Mercy. Should you err and are convicted of breaking the laws of the world, they will bring you to justice. Through the eyes of Christ, our errors, our law breaking, our sins against the natural law, the Commandments of God and His Church are seen through His Compassionate Eyes of love and mercy. His Judgment is not to punish as you deserve, but extend His Merciful Forgiveness and to plead with you to sin no more. Christ’s love and compassion meets us even before we get to say we’re sorry, as we are always His Prodigal Children. He embraces us with joy - and the Heavens rejoice for the one sinner who is reconciled and humbly returns, not once, twice, three times but seven times 70 times.
For the non-baptized and those preparing for reception into the community of faith at Easter, the Catholic Church, who shall receive the Sacraments of Initiation - we, the Church, rejoice in the Spirit of Christ’s Compassion.
For us the baptized: Palm Sunday and Holy Week celebrates our renewal, but for renewal we need to return humbly to God and His Church for forgiveness, for peace of mind and heart. Confession within the Easter Time is recommended for us in preparation. Remember what God has done for you. Most importantly it is not only the forgiveness of our sins but also the grace to come to know Him through His words and deeds in the past and you are called to renew your faith in Resurrection. The Promise: No death but a Life bath in the Glory of God. St. Paul confesses that to know Christ is the greatest of the greatest possession which comes by way of faith.
The Spirit of God dwells in you - you are Resurrection People - a people destined to live forever. Pray, and get to know Christ better.
JOYFUL SUNDAY
Laetere Sunday, Fourth Sunday of Lent
March 25, 2001
First Reading:
Responsorial Psalm:
Second Reading:
Gospel:
Half way through lent, our liturgy celebrates joy. Today is Laetare Sunday, Joyful Sunday. Why? Is it break time, a breather from the exhausting burdens of prayer, sacrifices and fasting? I don't think so, nor do you.
Today's rejoicing is in the anticipation for the gift that Christ won for us - the Resurrection, the forgiveness of our sins and the share we have been given in the life of God that He grants us at the table of the Sacrifice of the Mass, the Eucharist. Imagine the joy of a loving embrace of a parent, husband or wife, a child - of a dear one who had been lost, strayed away and has returned, come home. That is the Gospel message.
The Scriptures on this Joyful Sunday helps our faith community to respond with the joys of appreciation for the awesome and incomprehensible Mercy God demonstrated for us in the Parable Gospel of the Prodigal Son. This Lent is the time when many who have stayed from the practice of their faith are being restored to God's loving embrace through the sacraments. God is so good.
As He has in the past, so too today, God's mercy is forever. For some who are hurting, be it our human weaknesses, disappointments either physical or emotional, the pains of loss or health, cry out loudly for God's Mercy. The joys of anticipating Resurrection, Easter falls on sad ears when you are hurting. Perhaps your faith is being tested. You're sad because you feel your prayers are not answered, maybe your asking demands are trying to test God. Christ did not promise us miracles, he promised us hope, he promised forgiveness and a hope of a life beyond our pains and disappointments . As in the past, God has kept his promise to Israel. God shall keep his promise to you. He asks for patient faith and trust in His Mercy. You too shall rejoice when your faith anticipates His Promise.
Today the 25th of March, we have an added reason for rejoicing and a deeper reason for anticipating God's Mercy. Today is the Feast of the Annunciation - Mary became the Mother of Christ - it is nine months to Christmas. The Angel of the Lord Declared unto Mary that she was to conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit and become the mother of God. God was made flesh and dwells amongst us, the Incarnation. The Church formally celebrates the Feast tomorrow, Monday, with a special Mass and prayers. Many will not be able to attend services tomorrow; let us rejoice today acknowledging God's Mercy prepared for us though the Virgin Mary, our Merciful Mother, Mediatrix of all of God's Mercy. As Christ embraces the sinner who comes back to Him, the Virgin Mary embraces us all today for our presence here, and for the continuing the practice of your faith and trust in Her Son's Mercy and power to forgive.
The Feast of the Annunciation is also the sixth anniversary of the dedication of this Sanctuary, 1995. So this day being special, let us ask Our Lord for a special gift of Grace - say after me this prayer. Let Us Pray ...Pour forth, we beseech you O' Lord, your grace into our hearts; that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, your Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection through the same Christ, Our Lord . Amen.
THE FRUITLESS FIG TREE
Third Sunday of Lent, March 18, 2001
First Reading:
Responsorial Psalm:
Second Reading:
Gospel:
The Gospel warns us and so does St. Paul warn us. Let me put the lessons together - the fruitless fig tree and the tragedies of killings and accidents that we have heard about and continue to hear about everyday. Human beings victimized in Africa, in Indonesia, the near East, the Balkans - are they more guilty of personal sin or are they any better than you or I, or less devout, less prayerful? You may judge and see appearances and behavior but God looks into the heart. Can you still claim that you are better than anyone else or deserve better than others?
Then take it from this point of view if you and I are not any better than anyone else. The image of the fruitless tree is closer to us. At our door step is the slaughter of the unborn infants by abortion and abortifacients and yet we want to ignore our responsibility in the use of the birth control pill (and the refusal of couples to bear fruit). When the Lord looks for fruitfulness of your lives, in the children you have offered to Him for His Divine plans to give hope to others through you, where do you stand as the " fig tree"?
St. Paul reminds us that our ancestors were no better than we. God continues to save us today over and over again; we who believe, we Baptized, plus ... Christ has fed us the spiritual food of Angels prepared for us at the Sacrifice of the Mass. We have the Rock that provides us the Word and teaching of God. We grumble because of the burdens that life imposes upon us especially in the world we live in. The fig tree that does not give of its fruitfulness is fertilized and cared for year after year. And it is God that saves us from extinction. Will God be pleased with us if we do not repent and take care?
We have gained access to a faith that offers hope - a hope that does not disappoint because of the love and mercy that God pours into our hearts for the forgiveness of our sins. We also have our Baptism, - a water that cleanses, water that purifies, water that quenches the thirst to know God. The woman at the well came for water to drink but Jesus gave her not merely water to satisfy her thirst to know Him, but also to cleanse and purify - and a faith that offers hope that does not disappoint.
IT IS GOOD TO BE HERE
Second Sunday of Lent, March 11, 2001
First Reading:
Responsorial Psalm:
Second Reading:
Gospel:
Today our church presents to us the experience of the Transfiguration described for us in the Gospel. It took place approximately just a week after Jesus had announced to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and be put to death, but that He would rise from the dead..
You heard the story of that event when he took Peter, James and John up the mountain and were given a glimpse of the Glory that was to come. Peter enthusiastically exclaimed "wow, it is good to be here" - a preview of the glory of the promised heaven.
The first reading from the Book of Genesis prepares us for this Gospel and St. Paul's letter to the Philippians. In Genesis, Abram enters into a personal agreement with God; Abram had faith, believed, and trusted in God's Promises. Because of that Faith, God chose him to be a Father of many people - the Father of Our Faith.
In the Baptism Christ won for us and with our faith in His Word and His Sacraments, we have become God's own people, sharing a unique relationship with the promise to receive His Glory, His Resurrection together with reconciliation and special care. The history of our faith and the Mission of Christ was revealed in His Transfiguration. The event on Mount Tabor of the Transfiguration of Christ in conversation with Moses and Elijah mark the beginning of His last days, the beginning of His Passover from death to life. His Baptism by John the Baptist began His Mission to reveal Himself as the Incarnate Son of God, Emmanuel.
The Voice from heaven was heard at Christ's Baptism in the Jordan - "This is my Beloved Son hear Him"...
On the mountain of the Transfiguration that voice was heard again testifying to the identity of Jesus Christ as He begins His final missionary journey to accomplish the redemption of mankind. The Mission of Christ was to reconcile humanity to the Father and to demonstrate by His Sacrifice the love that God has for us who believe in the promises of Christ. It is for us a continuation of the promise God made to Abraham to be His Chosen People. What faith in a personal relationship with Him did for Abraham, faith in Jesus Christ and in His Word would do for us.
During Lent we are called to remember that relationship with God. We are called to make a sacrifice that will help us to remember how real and intimate that relationship is. We asked that the Lord accept this sacrifice this morning and our Lenten Sacrifices for the Glory and Honor of His Name. He is our God, we are His People.
Be imitators of me says St Paul; stand firm in your faith and conduct yourselves as believers of Christ's Promises. Whatever you have to put up, whatever the measure of your sacrifices and your self discipline during Lent don't weaken. And don't be enemies of the cross who attempt to justify their casual laxity, and self indulgence, doing what is comfortable, what makes them feel good, and self righteous.