Monday May 22, 2023

John 16:29-33

Peace and many many blessings to you. Listen to this beautiful verse from today’s gospel. “Jesus answered them:

‘Do you believe at last?

Listen; the time will come – in fact it has come already –

when you will be scattered,

each going his own way…” For some reason this particular verse sticks out for me today. I imagine how different the lives of the disciples would be as they took in ministry. Did things and plans end up exactly as they had imagined?

Well 19 years ago on this very day I was ordained a priest by Archbishop Kelly of the Archdiocese of Louisville. My life has taken the most interesting turns and twists. Sometimes I look back and can clearly see the hand of God. Other times I even scratch my head wondering where all this is going. So on this my 19th year as a priest, I pray you may be open to seeing the hand of God in the twists.

Ascension Thursday May 18, 2023

Matthew 28:16-20

Did I ever tell you the story about the calendar in the closet at St Martin De Porres? It was my first year in the US as a young seminarian. I was going through a lot of cultural shock having left the beloved passionists priests in Africa whose identity I truly had become. Crushed by a indescribable loneliness I went out for dinner at Raffities in the east end. But I hated sitting alone, dinners used to be fun with the brothers but here I am in a strange country dining alone. There was a limp in my throat that was crushing me. I left the restaurant went back to the abandoned rectory and threw myself on the bed. The only prayer I remember saying was “Lord, what have I done leaving Africa.” God spoke to me that day and said open the closet. I dried up my tears and went to put some handme down T Shirts into this closet. Someone had left an old calendar from 1989. There it was on the wall. I fell to my knees and said “help me see you.” Anyway the verse on the forgotten calendar in the closest was “And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.”

He never left, but that was a difficult day. Days later I met Ameenah Ali and Myrtle Lee Baltimore. Yup Jesus showed up as a black woman and what fun we had.

Wednesday May 17, 2023

John 16:12-15

“When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will reveal everything…” So did they go back and waited? What do we do in the meantime? Will the Spirit say “Hey I am here now, it’s Pentecost. You realize that there was a celebration in place already 50 days after Passover right? The feast of Shavuot. The Festival of the Weeks was the second of three Pilgrim Festivals of the Jewish religious calendar. Baptizing it as Pentecost does not really bring the Holy Spirit down.

Those who waited for the Special entry of the Holy Spirit are probably still waiting. But those who went out and ventured to be courageous discovered that along the way they got wiser and courageous. Those who went out to other lands and tried to learn new languages found out that they were speaking in tongues (yours truly). The Holy Spirit does not come to the idle. It is through trial and error, through little failures and successes we find out what works.

Come to Rabbouni, you will see this. A church that was not meant to be, has truly become because people willed it and God blessed it. As I say, the only way to prepare for marriage is to be married. The only way to experience the Spirt is to engage in the works of the Christ.

Tuesday May 16, 2023

The two words that we hear in our study of scripture are EXEGESIS and ESIEGEIS. In exegesis we lift up from the text and in ESIEGEIS we read into the text. I will use the latter for this reflection. I did not post it on Sunday because I thought it did not flow at all. Most priests will understand this , sometimes after the homily you go like “well that was terrible…” But life goes on. Here is part of the not so well delivered homily.

Our Lord says to his disciples that he will not leave them us orphanes. The Father and I will send you another advocate, the spirit of truth. An advocate, Paraclete was one who was called or one who volunteered to stand by an accused. Even without saying a word the advocate’s very presence was a defense. Imagine if Pope Francis attended mass at Rabbouni. His very presence would speak volumes and before long we would be building our own church. This very frightened group of disciples is in need for someone powerful to stand by them.

Let me ask you this? Who is your biggest cheerleader? Who is the one person whom you have asked to understand you and accept you like no other? Your mama! Being a mother is to be the last person in that room. Even with a condemned person/child the mother with these simple words says it all “he is MY son.”

Let’s not think of the Holy Spirit as some strange unknown spirit. Could it be that His Spirit personified is mama. I tell you this, if God loves me more than mama does, then God must love me a whole lot.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mother’s week. Btw have you ever thought about visiting us at Rabbouni? You might like us.

Friday May 12, 2023

Acts 15:22-31

It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and us not to burden you beyond these essentials.

Something beautiful is happening in the early church. They are recognizing that the comforter whom Jesus promised is with them. The presence of this Holy Spirit or rather the active listening to the Spirit is what will lead the church for the next two thousand years. The Spirit will influence great people down through the centuries. People like St. Bonaventure, St Cecilia, St Ghandi and St Nelson Mandela. I always pray that we be sensitive to the promptings of the spirit in our lives. Remember no one person or institution owns her. She is courage, fear, love, determination. Think of all the moments you have stepped out in faith. Gods spirit was with you. Yes Spirit of God, lead me, guide me along the way.

Thursday May 11, 2023

When I was at the minor seminary in Zambia, there was a trick question which was posed to first year students. The more seasoned students with the help of the wonderful Jesuit priests would often ask “Did you hear God calling you to the priesthood?” Well, the first year students would go on and on about how they “heard” God or how this “voice” spoke to them in their dreams. Don’t get me wrong, God can certainly speak to people in that manner. Be careful though with people who hear voices. There is a pill for that.

So how does God speak? How did God’s voice come through during the first Apostolic Council of Jerusalem? The apostles battled ideas and decided it was not necessary for the Gentiles to keep all Jewish laws. The apostles put their heads, their experiences, their convictions aside and made the tough call. You know, being certain about anything or everything can be dangerous. There has to be room for uncertainty. It all worked out in the end for them. I pray today for all who have uncertainty, for all who are not 100% sure about anything. You are the holy courageous ones because sometimes you go with your gut.

Wednesday May 10, 2023

Acts 15:1-6

I hope you take the time and have a read of this beautiful passage. It will remind you of that beautiful saying “The more things change, the more they remain the same.”

I have mentioned before that the first council of the church was held in 48AD-50AD. This Apostolic Council was held to discuss if the Gentile Christians would keep all the Jewish rules prescribed by Moses. At the center of this argument was the question of circumcision and pork chops. Seriously the whole church gathered to discuss this. Think of the total waste of money spent in traveling and lodging to go answer this question. I wonder if women sometimes look at men and think “are they serious.” Anyway history can be brutal sometimes. How does this preach?

How many silly things have derailed your life? How many relationships have been broken over nonsense. I am reminded today to stay focused on what really matters. Look how many people were being added to the faith and the church did not meet to celebrate this but they met to talk about circumcision. Jesus help me. Anyway there look and celebrate what God is doing in your life. May we not be distracted by things that are superficial. I once heard this beautiful saying “the church is like a swimming pool, all the noise comes from the shallow side.” Go deep my friend.

What are the silly things that got between your relationships? Politics? Masks? Gold chalice or Crystal?

Monday May 8, 2023

John 14:21-28

This beautiful passage was written about 120AD to a very young and frightened church. Remember it is almost 90 years after the death and resurrection of Christ. Christians are being hunted down and put to death in great numbers. Yet it is also a time of great growth in the early church. This growth is happening in the Gentile world among the Hellenists. Not even Jesus could have planned this. It is a reminder to us to leave room in our lives for mystery. We never know how life will turn out or where our blessings will come from. Let us pray today for the connections that will come into our lives. We pray that we see God reaching out and directing us. That also means praying for the courage to put all in Gods hands.

Much love to you.

Thursday May 4, 2023

John 13:16-20

In today’s Gospel passage our Lord washes the feet of his disciples. We are told that this was a job of slaves and (don’t stone me here, women). In doing this he invites his disciples to always remain humble and always remain servant to each other. I think St John retells this story because he sees a troubling tendency within the early church. The beauty of being a servant was quickly disappearing and the flight to be prince and king rising. This is a gentle reminder for all of us in ministry. We have to know how to change another person’s diaper. I learned something about that when I became a dad. The only way to do it is if you are filled with love for the one you serve. Love makes you do the humbling things. By the way, consider it a privilege when someone invites you to be vulnerable with them. Happy Thurby

Wednesday May 3, 2023

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

On this May 3 we celebrate the feast day of St. James and Phillip. Listen to this line from Corinthians “then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles;” So who is James and why is he mentioned. James was the bishop of Jerusalem. Remember the Jerusalem church was the mother church. When Peter and Paul got into their fight over pork chops and circumcision, it was James who called them to Jerusalem to settle this matter. Church historians will tell you that the first council of the church was held in Jerusalem and James presided over it. He is called in extra biblical sources as “James the brother of Jesus who was called the Christ. Now this makes us Catholics very uncomfortable because we think it puts into question the immaculate conception. We say actually James was Jesus cousin not his brother. The early church was not bothered that Jesus had brothers and sisters. Anyway I don’t want to start a fight here, you can refer to him as cousin.

If you want to know how Jesus thought, how he was raised then read the letter of James. This is someone who grew up in the same house with our Lord. His letter is so practical that every believer should read it. “If someone is hungry and you say I will pray for you, what good is your prayer?” Listen, read the book of James.

Tuesday May 2, 2023

John 10:22-30

“The Father and I are one..” Do you know how much confidence Jesus had to have to make a statement like that? He believed it in his heart that he was the Logos who was there from the very beginning. Not because he was a miracle worker. By the way, we have no miracles in the gospel of John, only signs. He believed it because he did the hard work of finding the voice of God within. The world offered plenty of reasons for Jesus to doubt himself. Hake he was a carpenter. Remember that was a hair above the slave and woman. He had people question time and time again. His daily struggles with the disciples gave little indication that he was God.

My point to you is this. When you find your truth about you, hell breaks loose on you sometimes. Stick to your truth no matter what the world throws at you.

I am a priest. If only you had an idea how much hate mail, excommunications, loneliness I have had to endure to be able to say that. But this happens to everyone. When you say “I am a mother” the devil throws everything at you to get you off balance. Let us pray for all of us, that we find our truths and stick with them. Find the voice of God within.

Friday April 28, 2023

John 6:52-59

I do not know if there is anything really in our life that carries the same significance as did bread for the ancients. Yes we still hold on to it’s importance here and there but I do not think it is to the same degree. Well, at least here in Kentucky. Bread was the staple, the most basic but yet the most luxurious. I bet just like we have, bread came in different degrees of importance. Barley bread for the commoners and wheat bread for the sophisticated. I wonder which kind of bread Jesus meant when he referred to himself as the bread of life?

So pardon me for this analogy. Instead of bread, think fuel. I know this is terrible but I also know how Americans go absolutely crazy about gas. You can raise and lower the price of bread without an outrage or much of an outrage. Touch our fuel and we vote you out. Imagine Jesus saying, I am the fuel (gas, petrol) of the world. Fill up with my being and you will have life.

Hey I know I lost you at fuel. But, think about it. Without God, how far can you go? How far can you go without a spiritual life?

Thursday April 27, 2023

John 6:44-51

The gospel of John is an interesting read and study. It is called “High Christology” gospel because it presents Jesus as the Logos, the one who was there from the very beginning. In today’s passage we read “Jesus said to the crowd:

‘No one can come to me

unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me..”

John is writing at a time when there is great resistance to Jesus. This is a time when people lost their lives for ever professing their faith in the Nazarene. To these very afraid Christians, John writes “you were chosen, God has drawn you to Jesus.

Think about the people who the scriptures tell came to Jesus. It was those who thought they never had a chance. The Sinners and Tax Collectors, the prostitutes and fishermen. If you look close enough you will see that these early believers had something in their lives that was not good enough or perfect. That my friend is the secret, that is what draws them to Christ. Is there some part of your life that you think disqualifies you? That is actually your draw, your magnet which the Father put in you. Love it and you will have life.

Tuesday April 25, 2023

1 Peter 5:5-14

Whenever I read these early manuscripts of the church, I ask myself what the author was responding to. St Peter says “All wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favour the humble.” Peter is noticing a very dangerous attitude that is growing in the early church. The tendency to want to be a lord and be served. He invites the early church to always have a servant heart. I truly did not know what it meant to be a servant until I became a parent. Isn’t it true that every parent or caretaker is the servant of servants. What I love about being a parent is we do servant things with a loving heart. We do servant things almost expecting nothing back (maybe a thank you if we raise them right). This self sacrificing love is what he implores of us to take. To anticipate each others needs.

Pope Francis has tried very much to remind the clergy that they are servants. Poor guys, they have been lords for so long and have never really been parents so it is a tall order. But this call is for all of us. Stay humble and grow the church. The question is, can you confidently say that you are a humble person?

Monday April 24, 2023

John 6:22-29

A very happy Monday to you. We have two great Signs performed by Jesus in today’s gospel passage. Remember that the gospel of John is the only gospel in which the word “MIRACLE” is not used. Yes in this gospel there are no miracles just signs. Signs point to something, we don’t arrive at the sign, we keep going. The hope is we arrive at that place in our lives where we can see that Jesus is indeed Son of God, the Logos who was there from the very beginning.

My mind though leads me somewhere else today. Did you notice how the people got in their boats and went searching for Jesus. Read the passage one more time and catch that little detail. Yes Jesus seems irritated by them but their hunger for him picks my interest and raises the question. Am I hungry for God? Does my soul yearn for Him in my life? Getting into their boats they crossed the sea searching for Him. You know my friend that the boat is our lives. As we see signs that point to Him, may we continue the journey of faith. I know you are searching

Love you more than you will ever know.

Friday April 21, 2023

Acts 5:34-42

I absolutely love this passage. I know you will read it for yourself but listen to these words by a member of the Sanhedrin—- Gamaliel is his name “What I suggest, therefore, is that you leave these men alone and let them go. If this enterprise, this movement of theirs, is of human origin it will break up of its own accord; but if it does in fact come from God you will not only be unable to destroy them, but you might find yourselves fighting against God.’

If God has ordained, if God has built it, if God is watching over be careful. Brothers and sisters say these words over your life. May God sustain what he has ordained in me. This applies to relationships as well, if it’s from God it will stick. If it is not from God you will know in very short order. God bless and I love you.

Thursday April 20, 2023

Acts 5:27-33

We continue to hear the stories of our beginnings as a church. Today the apostles are brought before the Sanhedrin because they were warned to stop speaking in his name but they (the apostles) filled up Jerusalem with stories of him(Jesus). So they are given another chance to cease and desist. Peter says “Obedience to God comes before obedience to men.”

Take what you can from this story, I am touched the apostles were so believed by the mass. There must have been something about their testimony that people felt called to. There must have been a real and tangible presence of Jesus that the movement caught fire. Remember these guys were preaching in hostile times and environment. All the apostles except St. John died for this.

We at Rabbouni may know something about cease and desist. But also through the mysterious hand of God our little community is vibrant and I am eternally grateful. Listen people read your passion and so find what fires you up and obey it

Tuesday April 18, 2023

John 3: 7-15

A very beautiful afternoon to you. As we continue to reflect on resurrection, I bring you this last line in our gospel passage “…the Son of Man must be lifted up

as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’

There is a little problem though. The story goes that everyone got a bite from a snake. I don’t like that part, why could God not spare them the bite. I like comfort, I like no trouble, no pain. But these scriptures tell us about life as it is not life in the clouds. There are things that come along with being alive, being an adult. How I wish it were not so but here on earth!!!! Things will stink. So here is what I hear. Those who cannot seem to take their eyes off their troubles and look for life usually suffer unnecessarily. Look up!! Look to Christ, look for solutions. Crying all day and saying poor me may not be the answer. Listen I am not suggesting tears are a waste of time. No, they are a necessity for happy living. But find courage and time to also look, search, work for a healing. The Son of Man is our answer.

Monday April 17, 2023

John 3:1-8

What is your sense when you read the Acts of the Apostles. I get this sense that everyone knows what Peter and the disciples are talking about. They drop names such as Herold or Pilate somewhat suggesting everyone knows these people. And that for me is what is fascinating. The journey from fear to fearless. Clearly the Apostles have seen something or experienced something. We know they saw the Risen Lord and experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever had the experience of talking to self and saying “they can’t hurt me anymore.” There is a renewed courage that comes with that realization. Pilate and Herod can not steal the joy of the disciples. As you go about your day today, say to the killers of joy, ”wait until you hear this good news.”

The gospel passage invites us to be born again. To find courage to let go of a world that is all to common and reach out for something uncertain. It is scary and tough to start anew but really do you have a choice?

Friday April 14, 2023

John 21:1-14

Peace and many many blessings to you. You did not hear from me yesterday because I am at empty. My dog for 17 years, Tazi, died yesterday and I am dealing with a difficult church issue which you will hear about Sunday and of course the mass shooting aftermath.

Sometimes all you can do is barely do. Today our Lord appears and asks the disciples to throw their nets on the right side. What if they had always thrown their nets the left side… what if it’s all they knew? Throw your net on the right side. I am definitely catching nothing emotionally or spiritually these past two days. Maybe God is speaking to you as well, maybe he is saying leave it alone and come back to it tomorrow or today is not the day. Regardless being a resurrection people is about fighting to find life. Rest in peace Tazi and may healing come to those who struggle.