Light Cannot Be Hidden - Homily Notes for the 5th Sunday in OT (A)

+ When I was on pilgrimage, I was blessed to go to the very place where Jesus spoke the Gospel we just heard; this Sermon on the Mount. The Mount is a beautiful hillside of beautiful flowers and chirping birds, all overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Above the hillside are larger hills and, during the time of Jesus, there were ten cities positioned atop those larger hills.

Those cities are important because, as Jesus spoke these words about how cities on mountains can’t be hidden, He likely would have been pointing to those larger hills and to those cities that sat upon them.

I mention this, not only because it is a cool tidbit, but also because by directing our gaze to those cities, Jesus was trying to make a point. What was His point?

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Well, typically, when we hear, “You are the light of the world,” our tendency is to immediately hear a moral exhortation: something akin to: “Be the light,” or “Be obvious in your faith and charity,” or “Let it be seen” and so on.

But Jesus wasn’t simply giving us a moral exhortation.

What Jesus was giving … was our identity.

You ARE the light of the world.

This is why He points out those cities. Those cities already are on a mountain top and they actually cannot be hidden. They have been established. And at night, their placement provides light atop those hills.

So, Jesus wasn’t just saying, “You must be light.” He was saying you already are. 

You already have in your possession that baptismal candle at whose giving the priest said to you, “Receive the Light of Christ.” This is your identity as a Christian, as a disciple of Jesus, He who is the Light and who gives His Light to you at your baptism.

And what was that Light He gave to you at your baptism?

Jesus gave to you the light of Faith.

At your baptism, the priest exhorted the parents and godparents: “This light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly…”

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Once we have received our identity does Jesus riff on what we are then to do: don’t hide that light; don’t put it under a bushel basket; don’t hide. 

Do you remember what Adam and Eve did after they sinned?

They hid themselves.

So, no hiding. 

In fact, like those cities, you cannot be hidden now. It is impossible. Even if you try to hide yourself, the light that is within you will give you away! When it comes to spiritual hide and seek with God, it is impossible for you to remain hidden.

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Having received this, hear now the last words of Jesus to us this morning. He says: “shine your light before others”—why? So that “they may… glorify your heavenly Father.”

The Light of Faith is never going to be simply a private thing. It is lived in the public square. This is not a matter of “imposing one’s beliefs” upon another. It is about believing that what you have been given, the Light of Faith, is truly a gift that betters the world—like a city on a hilltop that gives light in the night.

And that’s not simply a moral exhortation. 

What you do in the public square reveals who you are.

In fact, it isn't simply about revealing who we are, either. What we do is for the purpose that others may see and glorify your heavenly Father.”

What we do in the public square is not to advance our own agenda nor to defend ourselves and even less to make ourselves look good. When the Light of our Faith shines in the public square, it is given not for our benefit, but for the benefit of others—and, in particular, that they may know the glory of our heavenly Father.

And what is the glory of our heavenly Father? It is the Light of Jesus Christ, His Son..

St. Ignatius of Loyola summarized this when he said: We dedicate all of our thoughts words and actions to the greater glory of God.

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So, remember your identity: You are light of the world.

Remember the quality of that identity: A city cannot be hidden.

And live the call of that identity: Shine that light ... so that they may glorify your heavenly Father.

+ In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Honor - On the 100th Anniversary of Armistice/Veterans' Day

On November 11^th, 1919, one hundred years ago today, men and women throughout the world observed Armistice Day—that is, the first anniversary of the end of the Great War. The memory of that War, which we now call The First World War, was fresh in their memories. Indeed, many were still rebuilding their lives. And by lives, we do not simply mean houses (although they were rebuilding those, too). Many of their loved ones, family and friends, had died. And many of the men and women, who lived and who had returned, had changed.

Each year, all of them—dead and living—would be remembered and thanked and honored—and, eventually, this day became Veterans Day, the day we observe today. Unlike Memorial Day which, in May, honors the men and women who have died in the service of our nation, Veterans Day honors all who have served—both the dead and the living.

On this day, we so often hear the word “Honor.” This is a very good word which we do not often hear in our society these days. What does it mean?

Honor means “to acknowledge the sacrifice.”

You know this word from the Command: “Honor your father and mother.” What does it mean to honor them? It means to acknowledge the sacrifices they have made. I tell the children that, at the very least, we owe our parents a lot for having changed our diapers when we were little—and staying up with us when we were sick—and providing us food and shelter—and so on.

Or, married couples: you promised that you would love and honor each other all the days of your life—that you would acknowledge that the person next to you sacrificed their life-- all of the other possibilities, all of the other possible spouses, all of the other possible places to live and jobs to have—they sacrificed to be with you.

And acknowledging their sacrifice can take different forms, the principle one which we see today is gratitude… And that’s a good thing. We need to say thank you to our parents, to our spouse, and to our veterans.

But, I think, the best way we can honor someone, the best way we can acknowledge their sacrifice, can be summed up in this way: when a soldier comes home from war and sees the people of this land—when that soldier sees you and how you live—will that soldier say “My sacrifice was worth it”?

Live in such a way that the returning Veteran will say “It was worth it.”

In a word, live honorably. The best way to acknowledge another’s sacrifice is for yourself to sacrifice. Honorable people are not selfish people. They are sacrificial people.

Christians, for their part, look at Jesus and see the ultimate sacrifice. This is why we thank Him in Eucharistia; this is why we genuflect when we enter His presence in church; … but it is also why we strive to become like Him.

For true honor acknowledges the sacrifice and, in turn, strives to be honorable—sacrificial-- and thus worthy of the sacrifice.

May it be so, brothers and sisters!

To our veterans, we thank you in a special way, today. We pray, especially, that our men and women who are struggling in any way may receive generous support from our parish, our Church, and our nation. Our veterans should be the first for whom we care. Finally, we pray that our lives may be honorable, so that you, honorable veterans, may look on us and on this land and say about it all: “It was worth it.”

And if it is not or we are not, please pray for us. Someday, it will be. For now, know that our Savior, Jesus Christ, looks on you and says: “You are worth it.”

May you be blessed this day and always.

+ In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A Call to Battle - Homily for the 29th Sunday in OT (C)

Since the beginning of the school year, Saint Theodore parish has walked in a special Year for Prayer—a time to reflect more deeply on our relationship with God the Father and, also, a time to grow in a deeper intimacy with Jesus.

During this Year for Prayer, we have seen many blessings and many new initiatives. For example, the children and faculty at the school have begun a 40 Day challenge of praying for a particular person or group of people at our parish every day. With last weekend’s homily, we began a 30-day challenge of gratitude, to think of three things to thank God for and to do this for 30 days. Before that, our spouses were encouraged to begin again the important practice of joining hands and praying together as a couple. If that isn’t enough, we’ve added an extra Holy Mass on Wednesday evening (which has become a date night for a few parishioners) and, overall, more people are attending daily Mass. All the while, at every Staff Meeting and Committee meeting, our parishioners are opening their hearts and revealing their needs and the needs of those around them so that we can be united together in prayer for them. I’m pleased with how this special Year of Prayer has begun. If you have not joined us, I personally invite you to join us in a deeper relationship with Jesus.

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Many decades ago, people would often begin prayer with the Sign of the Cross while saying the words: “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” Back then, Catholics knew this prayer as well as we know “The Lord be with you…”

Our help is in the Name of the Lord. With these words, we call upon the Name of Jesus who promises that what we ask in His Name will be given us—He who is all-powerful, who made heaven and earth. If He has the power to make heaven and earth, does He not have the power to come to our help? Our help is in the Name of the Lord! We must be confident in this, more confident, even, than the widow who constantly bothered the dishonest judge as we heard in the Gospel today.

For, in the Gospel, Jesus tell us: “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.” Pay attention that even the dishonest one who had no respect for anyone nevertheless answered the pleas of the widow.

Why does Jesus tell us to pay attention to this? Because if such a dishonest one should come to bring an honest judgement, how much more so will a good God bring an honest judgment to those who ask Him and love Him?

Hence, Jesus says,

Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.

***

In recent days, I have begun reading a phenomenal book by Cardinal Sarah entitled “The Day is Now Far Spent.” In his first chapter, he notes that the crisis of faith—the struggle to believe in a God who cares for us and to lift up our hearts in prayer—this is The Battle of our time. A more grown-up and mature Catholic realizes that prayer is not simply pious whisperings. Prayer is a battle. And it is ferocious and requires courageousness.

See the first reading. You heard about Moses with his arms lifted up to the Lord. He was praying. But what is going on around him? A battle. This is not coincidental. There was a direct connection: when Moses stopped praying, the people around him began to be slaughtered; and when he prayed, the people were victorious!

Therefore, prayer is not only a battle. Prayer affects the outcome of the battle.

Most people are blissfully unaware that there is a battle raging around us. I could mention some of the more universal problems in our world and in our Church. But, on a more local level, I have seen the battle raging. So, for example: I have spoken with one person who has been oppressed by demonic things happening in their home; another person seeing demonic things changing their work environment; and another person who is struggling with an unexpected hatred that has descended upon their family. And that’s what I’ve experienced in just the past week.

Your prayer will affect the outcome of these battles, brothers and sisters.

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Indeed, Moses, who here prefigures all future priests, needs help in his prayers. He cannot pray alone and be victorious.

This small detail provides us insight into another important dimension of prayer: not only is prayer a battle, not only does it require confidence and courage, but it also requires others. Prayer is not only an individual action, but a communal one as well. This is why Holy Mass is so necessary. As the priest lifts up his hands and arms at the altar, you are lifting his hands and arms as well. And as we pray together, we start to gain victory in the battle: "For where two or more are gathered in my Name, there am I in their midst," says the Lord!

Hear again those last words of the Gospel. After Jesus tells his disciples the parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary, He asks them a question:

            When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?

When the Son of Man comes at the very end of time, at the end of all things, as the battle rages on, will Jesus, the just judge, who comes to cast judgment upon the Earth (cf 2^nd reading), find that we have been victorious? Will He find us on His side—or just another casualty?

Who will have the courage to pray? Who will have the faith to persevere in prayer?

Brothers and sisters, “be persistent,” as Paul says, “whether it is convenient or inconvenient.” For, blessed are those servants whom the Lord finds doing what He has commanded them.

Let us approach now with confidence, for 

+ Our help is in the Name of the Lord. Who made heaven and earth.

Our Father and Our Priests - Homily for the 17th Sunday in OT (C)

This week's homily is only available via audio and can be accessed here.

Let us continue pray for each other!

~Father Gerber

On His Terms - Homily for the 16th Sunday in OT (C)

What did you take away from the trip?

I was in my doctor’s office and I had returned from hiking with a few friends in Rocky Mountain National Park. My doc, a Methodist, was curious if I derived any spiritual fruit from a week out in God’s creation. Hence, he asked:

What did you take away from the trip?

If you have been on vacation this summer, I ask you that question, too. What did you take away from your trip? What insight did you learn about God or others or yourself?

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For me, I learned that one of the reasons why I love the mountains is because you must live on nature’s terms. You wake up when the sun rises (or when two squirrels are fighting outside your tent) and not when you have set your alarm. You go to the restroom when the trail allows it, which may be a few miles—and not simply a few steps down the hallway. And, unless you want to carry a ton of water—water which is the heaviest thing in your pack—you sometimes have to wait for nature to give you a creek. When you are in the mountains, you live in on nature’s terms.

“And that appeals to me,” I told my Methodist doctor, “because that’s closer to the actual way we are supposed to live with Jesus.”

Hear me correctly: I’m not saying we’re all supposed to go to all granola and off-the-grid.

Rather, what I’m saying is, it is so easy to live according to my terms: to do what I want, when I want to, because I want to. But being out in the wild reminds me that, no, I’m not supposed to live on my terms. I’m supposed to live on His terms.

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That’s actually the point of the Gospel today. We heard about Martha and Mary. Mary is at home, presumably praying, and Martha is doing all of the work as she plays host.

Most preachers are going to hone in on the whole “one was busy, one was not—and we should avoid being busy” sort of homily. And that’s fine. But that’s not why Jesus takes Martha aside. After all, Martha was doing a good thing by playing host—just like Abraham had done in the first reading. Sometimes work and busy-ness have to be done.

But Jesus takes Martha aside not because of her busy-ness, but because she thinks that this is the best way to love Him. “I’m going to cook and clean for him,” she thinks. “That’s how I can best love Him.” And maybe that’s how Martha always has been. Maybe cooking and cleaning is the sweet spot for her—something comfortable, something that she is used to.

But that’s Martha just loving Jesus on her own terms.

Jesus takes her aside and says, “No. The better way to love me is to be with me. Love me how I want to be loved, not in the way that you think I want to be loved. Love me on my terms.”

***

Do you love Jesus on His terms? What are His terms?

I could mention the Commandments; for He says, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Or I could mention our daily sufferings, for He says “If you love me, you will pick up your cross and carry it daily.” Or I could mention your marriage; “Love your [spouse] as Christ loved [us]…”

Those are His terms. “If anyone says that they love Jesus, but hates their brother, they are a liar” says St. John (1 John 4:20). Sure, they may think they are loving Him, but Jesus says otherwise.

For my part, as a priest, I think about the Holy Mass—the very Mass that I was ordained for.

So many people have opinions about what Holy Mass should be. It needs to be this or that; and it can be boring. And do I really need to be here?  And it’s so easy to be a Martha: when it doesn’t go our way and we don’t feel like we are getting anything out of it, we can be like Martha and complain.

Many priests, not wanting to rock the boat, oftentimes cater to Martha. The priest says, “oh, let me make the Mass more entertaining, or shorter, or relaxed. I’ll turn a blind eye to those absences or to those who leave early without an emergency. How can I make it easier for you? We’ll have a Mass for young people and a Mass for old people and a Mass that has contemporary music and a Mass that has no music and –”

When it comes down to it, isn’t that just catering the Mass to our own terms?

***

When I was at the doctor’s office, he told me that my broken finger wasn’t progressing as much as he would like. So, we had two options: one, continue to exercise it daily or, two, we could do a steroid injection into the joint.

“You mean,” I said to him with open eyes, “I have a choice between daily exercise or a needle being stuck into my finger? Into that little space in my joint?!”

“Yes.”

“Exercise for me, please!”

After all, do you realize how painful it is to get a needle into your finger? – into the joint­ of your finger?

“But, Father Gerber, the needle is actually the best option. We really should do that. Otherwise, you’re not going to get better.”

And he said it with an apologetic look. He knew it would hurt. He wanted an easier way. But he knew this was the better part.

Those were his terms. And he was telling me those terms from years of experience and study. In essence, those weren’t his terms—it was good medicine’s terms.

***

Priests are spiritual doctors and, unfortunately, many priests struggle with the terms that Jesus has given for the Holy Mass—terms which require a lot of reading, prayer, and the example of good doctor priests.

I see the struggle that people have with Mass, as do many of my brother priests, and—admittedly, we priests struggle to recommend the proverbial needle: those hard decisions about music and attendance and reverence: to come early, and don’t leave after communion (unless its an emergency), and so on. Because such things are challenging, they stretch us beyond our own terms, and we may be perfectly comfortable where we are; and such terms may hurt. Some priests, because of the scandals, worry: will the people believe me anyway?

Such bad thoughts have led a generation of priests to become uncertain and unconfident in their training as spiritual doctors—years of training as numerous as a medical doctor. But here’s the thing: uncertain priests make us as confident as do uncertain doctors—which is to say: not at all.

And what happens when we are not confident in a doctor? We go to WebMD. And we think we  don’t need a doctor and that we can cure ourselves: “Physician, heal yourself.” The same happens when we lose confidence in a priest. We start to believe in weird things and weird spiritual cures; we do religion on our own terms; we may even think that that we don’t need the Mass. We start to become Martha instead of Mary.

And that temptation is so real. Shoot: I would have chosen exercise over the needle every day—and twice on Sunday. But I wanted healing. I wanted the better part.

So, I’m sorry that there is an entire generation that has grown up with the mentality that Mass is supposed to cater to our desires and that Christianity is just about feeling good. Christianity is not about just feeling good—it’s about being healed.

And Mass isn’t about what we get out of it.. It’s about giving God the bare-minimum of an hour of our love.

And that’s why Mass is difficult: because when it forces us to love God on His terms for just one hour, we oftentimes see that the whole rest of the week we have been living on our terms.

***

Let me draw this all to a conclusion…

For doctors, the terms of their art and science is found in the principles of medicine. Good doctors give patients not what they want, but what they need—and in accordance with good medicine.

For priests, the terms of their art and science is found in the documents of the Church and the sacred books of the Roman Rite. Good priests give their people not what they want, but what they need—and in accordance with the documents of the Church and these sacred books.

Please pray for priests, that they will be good spiritual doctors. Pray, too, that we may be open, that when a priest must change something in the Mass or call us on to a higher way of life, that we may have confidence that he is doing so not simply on his own terms, but because the Divine Physician, Jesus Christ, is calling the priest to do so.

Yes, some may complain, like Martha. All the more reason for us to pray that we may always be like Mary.

(I chose the needle, by the way. I’m glad I did. But I won’t ever forget it.)

+ In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.