Tag: bible

Posted on

Sermon: Easter 2 RCL C – “Resurrection”

I know I’ve shared this story at a funeral, but I don’t believe I’ve ever shared it with you. 

A man was once sentenced to solitary confinement in a pitch-black prison cell. To relieve his boredom and keep his sanity, he threw a marble against the walls—day in, day out, bang, bang, bang. The marble would bounce off the wall onto the floor and then roll around the room until the man could locate it and repeat the procedure.

One day, he decided to do something different—he would throw the marble up and try to catch it as it came down. Of course, in the pitch black, he missed the catch quite often, so he would listen as the marble hit the floor and bounced around. Feeling around in the general direction of the sound, he would locate it and try again. The longer this went on, the more proficient he became, and the more proficient he became, the higher he would throw the marble. However, when he made his highest throw ever, he did not catch it, and neither was there any sound. The marble simply did not come back down. He became more and more disturbed. What had happened to his precious marble? How could it disappear into thin air like that?! He spent the rest of his life wondering what had happened to his marble, and it eventually drove him to madness, and he died. 

We all have things we wonder about and questions that we seek answers to. Sometimes, we have questions about life: Why does so-and-so not love me? How come all my luck is bad? What did I do to deserve this?

At other times, we question the world around us: Why is the sky blue or the grass green? How was the universe formed? How does Santa get into houses without chimneys? (Just seeing if you were paying attention.)

We also have questions about our faith. Does God hear my prayers? Do I matter to God? Or even, is there a God?

For life’s questions, through our faith, we learn to understand and take each day as it comes. For the questions about the world around us, we explore and study. And for the questions about our faith, we pray and study scripture. However, when it comes to these questions of faith, we also tend to try to make a few deals with God. Why do the hard work if there’s a shortcut?

I’ve never been a Janis Joplin fan in the tiniest little bit, but I remember a song of hers that we would laugh and sing as kids, if only the first verse.

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends

That’s about all we knew as kids, but it is the third verse that gets to the theological heart of the matter.

Oh, Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town?
I’m counting on you Lord, please don’t let me down
Prove that you love me and buy the next round

And there it is. “Prove that you love me.” Prove to me that You hear my prayers. Prove to me that I matter to You. Prove to me that You are there.

The first stanza of the poem, Doubt, by Norman Shirk

Let me meet you on the mountain, Lord, just once.
You wouldn’t have to burn a whole bush,
Just a few smoking branches,
And I would surely be your Moses

In the end, it all comes down to the same statement: “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” 

It is easy to criticize poor ol’ Thomas, but there’s a bit of him—maybe a little or maybe a lot—there’s a bit of Thomas in us all.

Like Thomas, in order to increase our faith, we ask the Lord to meet us halfway. However, He already has. The Lord Jesus met us halfway between heaven and hell. He met us on that hill outside of Jerusalem. He met us outside the empty tomb, and He continues to meet us every day exactly where we are. He also meets us at that altar in the Sacrament of His body and blood.

But you say, “Yes, yes, Father John. That’s real nice, but today, I want to be Thomas. I want to see Him, hear Him, and touch Him. I need the burning bush. I need the missing piece of the puzzle. I need to find the stupid marble that fella pitched up into the air and never came back down. Give me these things, and I will.”

A line from a movie I watched inspired the title of my blog—Candle in a Cave. In the movie, an older priest tells a younger one, “We are all blind men in a cave looking for a candle that was lit 2,000 years ago.” 

In some sense, this is true because I can’t show you a burning bush or guide your hands and allow you to touch the wounds of Christ. Sorry, I can’t do it. If I could, we would have folks flocking to this church by the millions to see it. Why? Because they want God to prove Himself to them, to give them a sign. Like Job, they ask God to explain Himself. 

But remember, the Lord was patient with Job for a while, but after much questioning, the Lord answered, “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? Who created the sky, the animals? Were you there when I breathed life into the dust and created you?” 

Like Job, and even during Jesus’ time on earth, we desire signs and wonders, miracles. Scripture states that at one point during Jesus’ ministry, some Pharisees and teachers of the law questioned him: “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” Jesus answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

You see, the problem is not with God; it is with us. The Lord has already given us a sign. After three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, He rose! How? Truly, the Lord only knows. As the Psalmist says, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” But Jesus rose from the grave. How much more proof does a person need? Just because there were no witnesses to the resurrection, does it mean it did not occur? No. Remember what Billy Graham said, “Can you see God? You haven’t seen him? I’ve never seen the wind. I see the effects of the wind, but I’ve never seen the wind. There’s a mystery to it.”

No one witnessed the resurrection of Jesus, but from that day forward, we have all been witnesses to, and have experienced for ourselves, the effects of the resurrection—this new life in Christ Jesus—and it didn’t involve getting a Mercedes-Benz. Therefore, “Do not doubt but believe.” 

Remember our prisoner and his marble? When the guards later entered the cell to remove his body, a glint of light caught one of the guards’ eyes. He looked up toward the ceiling to see the most astonishing sight—a marble caught in a spider’s web. “Of all the crazy things,” he thought. “How on earth did the spider manage to get a marble up there?” He spent the rest of his life wondering.

There are many mysteries in our lives with God, things we can wonder about and seek answers to throughout our lives. However, the question of the resurrection is not one of them, for the proof is all around us.

Let us pray: Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, He who in His great mercy gave us new birth, a birth unto hope which draws its life from the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; a birth to an imperishable inheritance, incapable of fading or defilement, which is kept in heaven for you who are guarded with God’s power through faith; a birth to a salvation which stands ready to be revealed in the last days. Amen.

Posted on

Sermon: 2025 Easter Sunday

Nicolas Bertin (1668-1736). La Résurrection du Christ

Sam died. His will provided $50,000 for an elaborate funeral.

As the last attendees left, Sam’s wife, Rose, turned to her oldest friend, Sadie, and said, “Well, I’m sure Sam would be pleased.”

“I’m sure you’re right,” replied Sadie, who leaned in close and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Tell me, how much did it really cost?”

“All of it,” said Rose. “$50,000.”

“No!” Sadie exclaimed. “I mean, it was very nice, but really… $50,000?”

Rose nodded. “The funeral was $6,500. I donated $500 to the church for the services, and the reception, food, and drinks were another $500. The rest went for the memorial stone.”

Sadie computed quickly. “$42,500 for a memorial stone?! Wow, how big is it?”

“Five and a half carats,” Rose said, waggling her fingers.

Today is a good day to laugh at death and the devil, for both have been conquered once and for all.

During this past Season of Lent, we’ve been meditating on passages from The Dolorous Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ—a series of visions given to blessed Catherine Emmerich. It was initially published in 1833 and is also the primary source of the movie The Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson.

The visions provide a brutal account of the events throughout Holy Week, and we’ve looked at some of the more difficult passages, so today, I thought it only fair that I share a portion of the joyous conclusion. When studying these, it is important to keep in mind that they are visions; therefore, they are not biblical—there is no account of the resurrection in scripture. That said, perhaps they may spark our imaginations and offer some insight into that great event. 

Chapter 63: The Resurrection of Our Lord.

“I beheld the soul of our Lord between two angels, who were in the attire of warriors: it was bright, luminous, and resplendent as the sun at midday; his soul penetrated the rock, touched the sacred body, passed into it, and the two were instantaneously united and became as one.  I then saw the limbs move and the body of our Lord, being reunited to his soul and to his divinity, rise and shake off the winding sheet: the whole of the cave was illuminated and lightsome.

“At the same moment, I saw a frightful monster burst from the earth underneath the sepulcher.  It had the tail of a serpent, and it raised its dragon head proudly as if eager to attack Jesus; and had likewise a human head. But our Lord held in his hand a white staff, to which was appended a large banner; and he placed his foot on the head of the dragon, and struck its tail three times with his staff, after which the monster disappeared….

“I then saw the glorified body of our Lord rise up, and it passed through the hard rock as easily as if the latter had been formed of some [soft] substance. The earth shook, and an angel in the garb of a warrior descended from Heaven with the speed of lightning, entered the tomb, lifted the stone, placed it on the right side, and seated himself upon it. At this tremendous sight, the soldiers fell to the ground and remained there, apparently lifeless.”

Can you see the angel of the Lord suddenly appearing before those soldiers, a mischievous grin on his face, asking, “How you doin’?” I somehow suspect that after those boys woke up, they probably had to go home and change their shorts.

Honestly, I don’t know how it all happened, but I do know this: Jesus rose from the dead. Say, “Amen.” We learn from the various Gospel accounts that the women and some of the disciples went to the tomb and found it empty. All that remained were the grave clothes. Some encounter angels, and Mary actually encounters the Risen Lord. Can you imagine what they were all thinking? 

For me, I think at first I would have been like them—afraid, shocked, wondering what those evil men had done with my Lord’s body. Perhaps after a while, pieces would come into focus, only to blow away like wisps of fog. 

The quote from N.T. Wright, which Diane shared with us on Good Friday, holds true not only for John’s Gospel but also for all the Gospel accounts and events of those days. He said, “I don’t know that any of us will ever be able to hold all this in our minds at any one time.  John allows the images to build up, one upon another, upon another, until we’re overwhelmed by them. . . . The only way forward is to allow all the different ideas and levels, the clashes of meaning and misunderstanding, to echo around until they produce prayer, awe, silence, and love.” (John for Everyone, Part Two, p.104)

The same must have been true for the Disciples on that first Easter Sunday. Like us, they had all this information—the prophecies from Isaiah and Ezekiel about the coming Messiah, the salvation of the Gentiles, and the Psalmist’s words regarding the piercing of the Messiah’s hands and feet. They also had the sayings of Jesus: “The Son of Man must be killed.” “Destroy this temple, and in three days, I will raise it up.” “This is my body… my blood.” All this information and so much more before Jesus’ death, yet none of it coalesced until after the Resurrection. However, they kept watching and were patient. They remained focused on God, and then, like a rose blooming, it all came together.

St. Paul said to the Colossians, and it is also true for us, “the mystery hidden for ages and generations” has now been “revealed to his saints. To them”—to you!—“God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:25b-27)

It would be like stepping out of that tomb on the first Easter morning. While inside, objects are shrouded in shadows and darkness. Your mind races. What happened here? Then you step out into the clear light of the new day and realize this is all God’s doing, and it is all about God’s love for you. Everything, from the first day when God created the Heavens and the Earth, to Jesus’ first breath in the manger on that first Christmas some 2,000 years ago, to the sunrise of that first Easter Sunday, to this very day, everything has been and is about God’s love for you and His desire to draw you to Himself. 

Laugh at death. Step out of the darkness and the shadows of your self-created tomb and walk in the light and life of Christ Jesus. Rise with Him into life eternal.

Alleluia. Christ is risen.

The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.

Posted on

Sermon: Great Vigil

From Catherine Emmerich: “TOWARDS the close of the Sabbath-day, John came to see the holy women. He endeavoured to give some consolation, but could not restrain his own tears, and only remained a short time with them. They had likewise a short visit from Peter and James the Greater, after which they retired to their cells, and gave free vent to grief, sitting upon ashes, and veiling themselves even more closely.

Later that evening, “about nine o’clock at night,” the Blessed Virgin went out alone. Catherine Emmerich writes, “I saw her stop suddenly in a very solitary spot, and look upwards in an ecstasy of delight, for on the top of the town wall, she beheld the soul of our Lord, resplendent with light without the appearance of a wound, and surrounded by patriarchs. He descended towards her, turned to his companions, and presenting her to them, said, ‘Behold Mary, behold my Mother.’ He appeared to me to salute her with a kiss, and he then disappeared… This sight filled her with inexpressible joy, and she immediately rejoined the holy women, who were busily employed in preparing the perfumes and spices.

The Lord, speaking through the Prophet Ezekiel, said, “I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act.”

On this day, Jesus has been going about His Father’s business, descending into Hell and proclaiming release to those held captive. Now, He is bringing them forth, just as Ezekiel prophesied. 

The bones of those held captive in Hell were restored, and the flesh returned. The sinews and skin were knit back together, and their bodies became whole. Then “the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.” And Jesus, banner in hand, leads them out of the pit and into the light of God. It is this great exodus that Catherine describes and that the Virgin Mary witnessed.

In the end, it is all a mystery, yet we begin to see in that mirror dimly what has occurred; however, we also begin to glimpse our own future.

Gregory of Nyssa, one of the Cappadocian Fathers and a primary contributor to the Nicene Creed, wrote in the 4th century, “Ezekiel, with prophetic spirit, has surpassed all time and space and with his power of prediction has stood at the very moment of the resurrection. Seeing the future as already present, he has brought it before our eyes in his description.” 

There is the release of those held captive in Hell, but it is also a vision of our release from death. It is quite a spectacular scene and offers great hope to those who call upon the Name of the Lord. However, this resurrected life isn’t only about a distant future after we’ve been in the ground for so many years; Jesus has made it available to us today. 

St. Paul, writing to the Romans, states, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Through our baptism, we are raised—resurrected—with Christ Jesus, and the resurrected life is ours today.

So, ask yourself this: If I have been given the resurrected life today, do I still live as though I am nothing more than a pile of bones? Or do I take in this breath of God that has been breathed into me and allow it to fill me with faith, hope, and love? 

This is the night we declare, “Christ is risen!” Believe it. Embrace it. Rise with Him into a glorious new life.

Are you ready?

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

Posted on

Sermon: Wednesday in Holy Week

The Last Supper by El Greco

Throughout the Gospels, the disciples struggled to grasp who Jesus truly was, along with the significance of his actions and words. 

The disciples and Jesus are out on the sea when a storm rolls in, and the disciples fear they will drown. Jesus calms the storm, yet the disciples are even more afraid. He asks them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Jesus had fed the 5,000, and he and the disciples were out on the boat, but the disciples had forgotten to bring anything to eat. Jesus said to them, “Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” How did the disciples respond? They said to one another, “It is because we have no bread.” Jesus then asked them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? [Ya nitwits! — Fr. John’s commentary] Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?  Do you have eyes and fail to see? Do you have ears and fail to hear?”

Jesus tells the disciples that he must die, leading to that unfortunate scene with Peter and the “Get behind me, Satan!” business. And then there is today. 

They are gathered in the upper room for their last supper together. Jesus says, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” Peter wants to know what he means, but seems afraid to ask, so he tells John to ask Jesus, “Who is it that will betray you?” John asks, and Jesus responds, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Jesus then dips a piece of bread into the dish and hands it to Judas Iscariot, saying to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” Scripture then states, “Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, ‘Buy what we need for the festival’; or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out.”

Jesus just said, whoever I give this piece of bread to will be the one who betrays me! He dips the bread into the dish and hands it to Judas. Why then do the disciples not understand? Why, instead of saying that Judas went out to do the deed, does scripture not say, “The disciples understood that it was Judas who would betray Jesus, so they pounced on him and beat the living daylights out of him!” Come on, fellas! Seriously? 

Why did the disciples fail to grasp who Jesus truly was, the things He did, and what He said? Answer: for the same reason we don’t fully comprehend who Jesus truly is, the things He does, and the things He says. “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

Much of who Jesus—God—is was hidden from the disciples, just as He is hidden from us. Coming into the full knowledge of God would be like walking into the core of the sun. It is beyond our current condition to fathom.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is so high that I cannot attain it.

Instead of understanding everything, God tells us, “Understand this,” and He stretches out His arms upon the hardwood of the cross. You don’t need to understand how it works, what happened, the nature of sin, the Holy Trinity, or why the disciples allowed Judas to walk out and betray Him. You only need to understand the “Why?” behind it all. What is the answer to “Why?” You. 

Posted on

Sermon: Palm Sunday – “His Most Blessed Mother”

Today, in The Dolorous Passion by Anne Catherine Emmerich, we turn our attention to Jesus’ most Blessed Mother. From Chapter 45:

“What words can, alas, express the deep grief of the Blessed Virgin? Her eyes closed, a death-like tint overspread her countenance; unable to stand, she fell to the ground, but was soon lifted up, and supported by John, Magdalen, and the others. She looked once more upon her beloved Son—that Son whom she had conceived by the Holy Ghost, the flesh of her flesh, the bone of her bone, the heart of her heart—hanging on a cross between two thieves; crucified, dishonoured, condemned by those whom he came on earth to save; and well might she at this moment be termed ‘the queen of martyrs.’”

I wondered about all we have been discussing during this Season of Lent, and then I thought of Jesus’ most blessed Mother. It was thirty-three years ago that she gave birth to him, and she knew Him well. He didn’t have to speak for her to understand how He was feeling. She may have been present when he rode into town on the donkey, the crowds joyful and excited, waving palm branches and shouting, “Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord.” However, one look at Jesus’ face, and she knew something was wrong—terribly wrong. 

Over the course of the next few days, she came to understand the inner torment He was experiencing, but there was nothing she could do. A day later, news arrived through one of Jesus’ terrified disciples that He had been arrested. There was the trial, the long road to Golgotha, the crucifixion, and now… now she sits at the foot of the cross, watching her Son die—the Son who was conceived in her by the Holy Spirit.

She was oblivious to the crowds around her, unconcerned about the danger she was placing herself in. Nothing distracted her from her Son on the cross. Not one thing could make her take her eyes off of God because she knew that if she was going to get through this, it would be only through Him, for He had come to save her as well.

We can learn many things from this most blessed of all women. We can learn love, patience, perseverance. We can learn what it means to hunger for God and to comfort one another. Therefore, I encourage you this Holy Week to take Mary as your companion. Ask her to reveal to you the things she witnessed and to help you experience the true Passion of our Lord. Ask her to guide you beyond your own fears and away from the crowds and the noise. Ask her to allow you to join her at the foot of the Cross, and then ask her to show you perfect love—perfect love that was crucified for her and for you.

Let us pray: O Holy Mary, my most gentle Lady, faithful Advocate of all Christians, in view of the extraordinary merits that were yours and which made you most pleasing to God, and in view of your every comforting gesture you made to your Son, as well as the countless tears you shed during his most bitter Passion, I ask you to have pity on me, poor creature that I am. Take me under your maternal care and include me among the number of your servants, whom you hold dear and embrace with your special love.

O glorious Virgin Mary, my only hope, before my soul should leave this body of mine, come and reveal your face to me. Direct your gentle and beautiful eyes of mercy toward me, the very eyes that had joyfully and so often looked upon the fruit of your womb, Jesus, and were wetted because the many tears shed during his Passion. Most holy Mother of Jesus, come and stand at my side together with your group of attending virgins and the holy assemblage of saints, as you had steadfastly and perseveringly stood unto the end, when your most beloved Son was about to die on the Cross. After my Lord Jesus Christ, your only Son, I find none so generous and eager to console someone in need as you, most amiable Mother of the Afflicted. Amen. (On the Passion of Christ: According to the Four Evangelists, p.117)

Posted on

Sermon: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

A man was painting the home of an 89-year-old lady in Spokane. She had a large family Bible prominently displayed on the coffee table and remarked that it was 116 years old and a priceless heirloom. The painter commented on how remarkable that was and added, “It doesn’t matter how old the Bible might be; what’s on the inside is what matters.” She immediately replied, “Oh, I know. That sure is the truth. Why, we have family records and births and marriages, and deaths that go so far back, all recorded in that Bible; we could never replace them.” 

Episcopalians may be accused of being the “frozen chosen” or because of the Book of Common Prayer, “Those Who Read to God,” but no one can ever accuse us of not reading our Bibles.  I think we read more Holy Scripture on a Sunday than any other church out there.

In the study of Holy Scripture, I know of some who set themselves a plan to read the entire Bible in a year, some in three years, and others – well, others are pretty much like that lady having her house painted. It’s a good book to have around to record family relations or press flowers, but other than that…  

I suppose we all have our favorite books of the Bible, but I’ve also heard folks say that if it’s not printed in red (meaning the words of Christ), they can’t be bothered.  It is also true for many that they, with perhaps the exception of the Psalms, don’t read any of the Old Testament.  Their reasoning is, “I don’t like the God of the Old Testament.” 

Yet, what we learn from studying the Gospels is that Jesus was a big fan of the Old Testament. He quoted it about 80 times, the most memorable instance being when he spent 40 days in the desert and rebuked the devil. It seems that Jesus was considering Deuteronomy when the devil came along because all three of those rebukes came from that book.

For us, the Old Testament also enhances our understanding of God and shows how everything that occurred points to the need for a Savior.  This is what Jesus referred to in our Gospel today when he said, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” To truly know God and Jesus, we must study both the old and the new- the God of the Law and the God of the Law revealed and fulfilled.  The same God, but a more complete and accurate picture.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whom we celebrate today, understood this.  He wrote, “My thoughts and feelings seem to be getting more and more like those of the Old Testament. It is only when one knows the unutterability of the name of God that one can utter the name of Jesus Christ; it is only when one loves life and this earth so much that without them everything seems to be over that one may believe in the resurrection; it is only when one submits to God’s law that one may speak of grace. It is not Christian to want to take our thoughts and feelings too directly from the New Testament.”

The Holy Bible is more than just a collection of Sunday school stories and nice sayings; it is the history of our God.  In both the Old and New Testaments, it serves as the place to discover Him, know Him, and be known by Him.  

Posted on

Sermon: Lent 5 – Piercing the Side of Jesus

Jesus has spoken His final words, “It is finished” (John 19:30), and given up His spirit, yet the soldiers doubt He is dead. Anne Catherine Emmerich, in The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, picks up the story from there in chapter 48, “The Opening of the Side of Jesus.”

The executioners still appeared doubtful whether Jesus was really dead, and the brutality they had shown in breaking the legs of the thieves made the holy women tremble as to what outrage they might next perpetrate on the body of our Lord. But Cassius, the subaltern officer, a young man of about five-and-twenty, whose weak squinting eyes and nervous manner had often excited the derision of his companions, was suddenly illuminated by grace, and being quite overcome at the sight of the cruel conduct of the soldiers, and the deep sorrow of the holy women, determined to relieve their anxiety by proving beyond dispute that Jesus was really dead. The kindness of his heart prompted him, but unconsciously to himself he fulfilled a prophecy. He seized his lance and rode quickly up to the mound on which the Cross was planted, stopped just between the cross of the good thief and that of our Lord, and taking his lance in both hands, thrust it so completely into the right side of Jesus that the point went through the heart, and appeared on the left side. When Cassius drew his lance out of the wound a quantity of blood and water rushed from it, and flowed over his face and body.

The Prophet Ezekiel received a vision from God. In this vision, an angel of the Lord guided him, and Ezekiel saw the heavenly temple and the New Jerusalem, where God brought about the salvation of His people. He reports that the angel led him to “the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.” (Ezekiel 47:1-2) However, if we refer back to the original Hebrew Scriptures, we discover that, while accurate, they do not state that the waters originated from the south side of the Temple. Instead, the Hebrew Scriptures indicate that they came from the “right side” of the Temple.

How should we understand the nature of the Temple that Ezekiel describes?   

Following the Triumphant Entry, Jesus went to the Temple in Jerusalem. Upon his arrival, He became enraged because, as He stated, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21:13) He then drove the moneychangers and others out with a whip. When asked by what authority he was doing these things, Jesus replied, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” They responded, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. (John 2:19-21)

Ezekiel prophesied that water would flow from the right side of the Temple and the Temple was Jesus. Catherine spoke of this, and it is confirmed in Scripture: “One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.” (John 19:34) 

What purpose does the water serve? Fifty years after Ezekiel, the Prophet Zechariah tells us, “On that day”—that is, the day the Lord intends to bring salvation to His People—“On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.” (Zechariah 13:1) 

The stream flowed from the right side of the Temple, and the Temple was Jesus. Water and blood flowed from Jesus’ right side after He was pierced with the spear, and this water and blood offered forgiveness of sins to all who would believe in Him. Jesus says, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37)

Today, it may seem that the stream from the side of Jesus is only available to us in a spiritual sense, but that’s not the case. Writing in the fourth century, St. Augustine tells us, “The Sacraments flowed out of the side of Christ.”

We who are touched by the waters of Baptism and who partake of the Lord’s body and blood in Holy Communion are the recipients of the same water and blood that flowed from the side of the crucified Lord and in the words of the Eucharistic Prayer, we receive “the innumerable benefits procured unto us by the same.” (BCP 335) That’s good stuff right there. You should say “Amen.”

When Jesus’ side was opened, and his most Sacred Heart pierced,  the very Gates of Heaven were opened. The blood and water, the River of Life, flowed out, creating a pathway for the healing of our souls and bodies.

Following the great tribulation in the Book of Revelation, John tells us, “The angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the” New Jerusalem. (Revelation 22:1-2)

On a scorching day in July 1864, weary from the heat, Robert Lowry, a Baptist minister, lay on a couch with no energy to do anything else. As he rested there, he meditated on this vision of the river of the water of life in John’s Revelation. The story goes, “While he was thus breathing heavily in the sultry atmosphere of that July day, his soul seemed to take new life from that celestial outlook. He began to wonder why the hymn-writers had said so much about “the river of death,” and so little about “the pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” (Source)

With this in mind, a hymn started to take shape in his mind. When the lyrics and music finally came together, he leaped up from the couch, sat down at his organ, and composed it in its entirety. You’ve likely heard it. The first stanza and refrain:

Shall we gather at the river,
where bright angel feet have trod,
with its crystal tide forever
flowing by the throne of God?

Refrain:
Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
the beautiful, the beautiful river;
gather with the saints at the river
that flows by the throne of God.

Through the sacraments, we participate in and receive the blood and water that flowed from Jesus’ pierced side. Therefore, with Robert Lowry, we can confidently say, “Yes, we will gather at the river, the beautiful, beautiful river.” 

Give thanks to the Lord our God, for He has literally opened Himself for you so that you may have access to Him.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, inexhaustible Fountain of love and grace, I bless and thank you for the ruthless piercing of your sacred side after you died.  It was then that you, holiest of all who are holy, were brutally struck on your right side by one of the soldiers holding a military lance.  It pierced so deeply that it entered the most tender part of your heart and from that wide-open wound there flowed a life-giving fountain of blood and water.  Would that the whole world had been sprinkled, it might then be saved!

O most devoted Jesus, you are the source of all our hearts’ secrets and you dwell in the hearts of those who love you!  O crucified Lord; you are the object of all contemplation!  O Divine Treasury of all gifts and graces, Christ the King and Redeemer of the faithful, you permitted your sacred side to be pierced by the head of a lance.  Open for me, I ask, the door of your mercy and permit me to enter through that wide opening in your side to the innermost recesses of your most sacred heart so that my heart may become powerfully inflamed and be united to you by the insoluble bond of love.  May I live in you and you in me and may we remain united forever.  Amen.

Posted on

Sermon: Lent 3 – The Nailing of Jesus’ Hands

From The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Anne Catherine Emmerich, Chapter Thirty-Eight: “The Nailing of Jesus to the Cross.”

“The executioners did not allow Jesus to rest long, but bade him rise and place himself on the cross that they might nail him to it. Then seizing his right arm they dragged it to the hole prepared for the nail, and having tied it tightly down with a cord, one of them knelt upon his sacred chest, a second held his hand flat, and a third taking a long thick nail, pressed it on the open palm of that adorable hand, which had ever been open to bestow blessings and favors on the ungrateful Jews, and with a great iron hammer….” 

You know how that is going to end.

In the beginning, after God created, Adam and Eve were free to live in the Garden, with only one stipulation—God said, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17) Did they listen? No, they reached out their hand, took, and ate the fruit. What was the first thing they realized afterward? They were naked. Break out the fig leaves. They believed that by eating, by reaching out, and taking what they wanted, even though it was contrary to God’s command, all things would be revealed to them. Instead, they and their sin were the ones revealed, and they became ashamed before God. Ever since, we’ve gone to great lengths to hide our nakedness, both physically (the worldwide fashion industry is worth $1.8 trillion) and spiritually. 

At the other end of Holy Scripture, in the Book of Revelation, we get our clothes—not ones we’ve made, but those gifted by God. Clothes that make known our faith in Jesus. John writes, “I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes.” (Revelation 7:9) When he asks who these people are, he is told, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:14) It is only through Jesus that we are properly clothed, enabling us to stand before God. How did Jesus accomplish this great work?

As Jesus walked, a man with leprosy approached Him and fell down before Him. The leper said, “‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.’ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” (Matthew 8:2-3)

While in Sidon, the people brought a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment and begged Jesus to help him. “Taking him aside from the crowd privately, [Jesus] put his fingers into his ears [He touched him], and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.” (Mark 7:33-35)

One day, while Jesus was teaching, the ruler of the synagogue came and pleaded with him to save his daughter, who was near death. Jesus agreed, but by the time they arrived, the daughter was already dead. Jesus told them not to worry; the girl was only sleeping. The people laughed at Him. “Jesus put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand, he said to her, ‘Talitha cumi,’ which means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’ And immediately the girl got up and began walking.” (Mark 5:40-42)

Jesus and the disciples had fed the 5,000. Afterward, Jesus sent the disciples back across the lake in a boat while He went up a mountain to pray. A great storm began to blow. Jesus came to them, walking on the water, and impetuous Peter said, ‘Lord, if that is really you, tell me to come to you.’ Jesus replied, ‘Well, come on.’ Peter got out of the boat and also walked on the water, but “when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” (Matthew 14:30-31)

Jesus stretched out His hand, touched the leper, and healed him. Jesus stretched out His hand, touched the deaf/mute, and restored his hearing and speech. Jesus stretched out His hand, touched the dead little girl, and gave her life. Jesus stretched out His hand, grabbed hold of Peter, and saved him. 

Jesus saved us all and made it possible for us to clothe our spiritual nakedness with white robes, making us worthy to stand before His Father by stretching out His hand one last time. When He did, they drove a spike through it. However, what the devil and all the others who opposed the will of God failed to understand was that the result this one last time would be exactly the same as it had always been. He stretched out His hand on the hard wood of the cross, and He healed, He restored, He gave life, and He pulled us from the grasp of the enemy. With the blood He shed, He washed our robes, and He washed our souls.

Too often, we follow the example of Adam and Eve—reaching out our hands and grabbing whatever we desire, regardless of God’s commands. Instead, we should follow the example of Jesus—reaching out to heal, restore, and show others how they might be raised to eternal life. Like the friends of the deaf/mute, we are to bring others to Jesus so that He might touch them.

When you see the outstretched hands of Jesus nailed to the cross, meditate on what those most sacred hands accomplished, and then commit yourself to continuing that work. Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12) May we stop always grabbing at the things we want and instead stretch out our hands to continue the healing, restoring, life-giving work of Jesus.

Let us pray… Lord Jesus Christ, most gracious Creator of man and Restorer of his wounded nature… I praise and glorify you for your ever-consuming love for our salvation, for your being so violently stretched out on the hard wood of the Cross, waiting there to receive you…. I praise you for the pungent piercing of your hands….

You allowed your hands to be transfixed by evil men, and in this way your sacred hands, while nailed to the Cross, paid back the heavy debt incurred by Adam, who had extended his deadly hands to the forbidden tree.  By your precious blood you wiped away that long-standing debt.

O faithful servant of Jesus, raise your eyes upward, and with a sad heart and grieving face, look upon your God and Redeemer hanging between the lofty arms of the Cross… He stretches out his most loving arms to you; he shows you his open wounds; he bends his head to kiss you; he is prepared to receive you in his favor and without any hesitation to forgive your every sin… Far be it for us to glory in anything but the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

O good and gentle Jesus, beloved Son of God, in following your Father’s will you deigned to take unto yourself the substance of our flesh … and to offer it on the altar of the Cross for the world’s salvation. Have mercy on me, your servant, who now asks your forgiveness and grace.  Relying on your goodness and the infinite merits of your Passion, pardon all my sins committed against you, whether recent or old, knowingly or unknowingly.  Your merits far exceed mankind’s wickedness and your abounding atonement is much greater than all my iniquity, no matter how frequently committed. Knowing this, I come before you under the protection of the Cross and hope for still greater mercy. From the depths of my heart I ask and seek the remedy that will bring me to salvation. Amen. (On the Passion of Christ: According to the Four Evangelists, p.74-78)

Posted on

Sermon: Joseph

In our study of the Gospels, certain characters beyond Jesus always capture our attention. There is, of course, Jesus’ mother, Mary, the disciples, John the Baptist, and even some antagonists—Pilate, Herod, the religious leaders. However, it seems to me that one character often fades into the background: Joseph, Jesus’ earthly “step-father.” Perhaps that is where he prefers to be, in the background, but as the head of the Holy Family, he should be regarded as one of the primary figures in the life of our Savior.

What do we know about him? He was of the lineage of King David, which was quite special. He worked as a carpenter, an honest trade. He was older than Mary and likely respected in the community. I don’t think he was wealthy, but given his profession, he was comfortable. It seems that his life was probably uncomplicated right up until he discovered that Mary was pregnant. Since they were not yet married, everyone, including Joseph, assumed Mary had committed adultery; therefore, Joseph could have accused her, and she would have faced stoning. Instead, he decided to walk away quietly. However, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” So, instead of walking away, Joseph followed the angel’s instructions.

It required a great deal of faith, but what Joseph did was truly sacrificial. He would have been justified in accusing her, but he chose not to. He would have had to swallow a bit of pride, yet it would have been even more convenient to just walk away; however, he looked upon Mary and took her as his wife. He regarded her with love. How much did he love her? He loved her enough to say that he would give up everything. He would sacrifice all he had for her. 

The love Joseph demonstrates is a sacrificial love. It is completely about and for another, regardless of whether there is any benefit for the one who loves; in fact, it may cost them a great deal. The purpose of such sacrificial love is to see Christ born in another. This is the sacrificial love that Joseph showed to Mary, and it serves as an example for us. We seek to follow Joseph’s example so that we, too, can see Christ born in another.

It’s not an easy question to answer, but what part of yourself would you sacrifice to witness God being born in another?  What is so important in you that you couldn’t sacrifice it? If that’s not enough, who would you be willing to sacrifice it for? Who wouldn’t you?

St. Josemaria Escriva writes, “This is the truth of a Christian’s life: self-giving and love—love of God and, for God’s sake, love of one’s neighbor—founded on sacrifice.” The life of St. Joseph exemplified both, as seen in his life of sacrifice. He may prefer to remain in the background, but in our Christian walk, we can look to him as a model for how we are to live and love.

Blog at WordPress.com.