When the angel spoke to the women at the Tomb in today’s gospel, he told them “Go quickly and tell his disciples” to meet him in Galilee. This is the language of the org chart. The angel recognized where the disciples, the most prominent followers of Jesus, are in the organization and gave them instructions from their direct report.

Several minutes later the women meet Jesus himself and he tells them to “go tell my brothers to go to Galilee”. His desire to see him is understandable. All the disciples ran away when danger arose, some fell asleep when he needed them most and Peter, their leader, denied him three times before the authorities. Our first thought might be that they have a lot for which they must answer. Yet Jesus calls them “my brothers”. He uses the language of family and speaks of them with affection.

Has he forgotten their betrayal, has there been no judgement? Far from it. The resurrection is itself the judgement of God. For centuries the LORD sent prophets, teachers, kings and poets to show his people how to live. He shared his very mind with them, but they did not change. He therefore sent his son. God’s judgment is that reformation isn’t enough, there must be transformation. Jesus did not show us a new way of seizing earthly power or of obeying the divine law, he showed us a new way of being human.

Continue reading “Homily – Easter (Fr. Smith)” →

BEFORE READING OF THE PASSION: As we read the Passion of St John today, I ask you to pay attention to when Jesus knew that everything was finished.

HOMILY:

The Passion according to St John is majestic and perfectly integrated into his whole gospel. I asked you to listen to when Jesus found everything finished. Let us ask what was finished and why then.

The moment was after Jesus had told Mary to “Behold her Son” the beloved disciple, usually called John, and John to behold Mary as his mother. Both too much and too little can be made of this passage.

Continue reading “Homily – Good Friday (Fr. Smith)” →

(In lieu of a homily for Palm Sunday, the following reader’s guide was read before the Passion.)

Peter and Judas are prominent in all the Passion stories, but it is only in Matthew, which we read today, that they, or rather their fates, are clearly contrasted. Both know they are sinners but take vastly different paths,

Peter was the spokesman for the Apostles and although he often put his foot in his mouth, he was rewarded for his exuberance. His declaration of faith in Jesus as the Messiah is reported in Matthew, Mark, and Luke but only in Matthew is he renamed the rock, and only here is he given the keys to the kingdom. (Mat. 16:13-19) He is unquestionably the most honored of the apostles. Yet as in Mark and Luke when he argues with Jesus over Jesus’ prophecy of his impending execution, he is called Satan, a stumbling block. (Mat. 16:23) The harshest words ever spoken by Jesus.

Continue reading “Homily – Palm Sunday (Fr. Smith)” →

 We modern people have difficulty accepting the black-and-white statements of Jesus. We pride ourselves on seeing the exceptions, the grey parts of life. Given the world’s present clumsy polarization, this is quite ironic and perhaps we can now acknowledge that Jesus has a particularly pertinent insight. He reveals who is good, bad, or ridiculous but perhaps we could better say who will be good, bad or ridiculous.

Continue reading “Homily – 4th Sunday of Lent (Fr. Smith)” →

Jesus enters a situation today of great discord and division and leaves one of peace and concord. Let us see how.

This community is broken in many ways with three particularly bad fractures.

The Jews and the Samaritans hated each other. Their enmity went back centuries. David’s kingdom was held together under Solomon but in 922 BC was divided between the 10 tribes of the North, Israel, and the two of the south, Judea. In 721 BC the Assyrians conquered the north, deported many of the inhabitants and resettled other people in Israel. They intermarried, accepted the worship of the LORD, and became known as the Samaritans. There was always friction between them and the Jews of Judea, but it became irrevocable when the Jews destroyed the Samaritan temple at Mt. Gerizim in 129 BC. (See footnote below)

Samaria was situated between Judea and Galilee but as the Samaritans were very hostile to Jews who would take a detour around it. Jesus however says that he “had” to pass through Samaria. This was not for practical reasons but in obedience to his earthly mission to make us one as he and the Father are one. (John 10:30) He knew it would be neither easy nor pleasant.  The first fracture was between Jews and Samaritans and Jesus confronts this intentionally and directly. It will not heal itself.

Continue reading “Homily – 3rd Sunday of Lent (Fr. Smith)” →

Last week we went into the desert with Jesus to be tempted, today Jesus leads us up the mountain to be tricked. It is however for our own good and keeping this in mind will help us understand the Transfiguration. 

Continue reading “Homily – 2nd Sunday of Lent (Fr. Smith)” →

When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, he probably expected that they would march straight to the promised land and in due time conquer and settle it. The people had endured such horrors that they should be eager and determined to have their own nation. Yet within a few weeks, they complained about bad food, quarreled among themselves and some even plotted a return to Egypt. The biblical authors were very clear that the Israelites left Egypt not only because of brutal working conditions but attempted genocide. However, they discovered that freedom was difficult and the temptation to either misuse it or reject it was enticing. Jesus shows today that he understands freedom and can make us truly free.

Continue reading “Homily – 1st Sunday of Lent (Fr. Smith)” →