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Contents: Volume 2: 7th  Sunday of Easter  -C-  May 12th 2013

1. -- Lanie LeBlanc OP

2. -- Fr. Paul O'Reilly, SJ

3. -- Barbara Cooper, OP

4. -- Elaine H. Ireland

5. --

6. -- (Your reflection can be here!)

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Subject: 7th Sunday of Easter

     My mind went all over the place after reading this Sunday's scripture selections!  The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles tells about both Stephen and Saul and the reaction of the crowd to them.  The mentality of the crowd prompted me to think about Jesus and the reaction of crowds toward him at various times in his short ministry.  I also thought about some bumper stickers that I have seen recently including  "Jesus was a radical" and "Jesus was a liberal".

     What is true in each of my mini mind-scenarios is that crowd mentality does not usually favor anyone who is different from the mainstream population.  People are often quick to judge others and usually on first appearances or even hearsay. Changing the mind of a crowd is also difficult at best.  We often need a reminder to love one another.

     I found myself guilty of too quick judgment myself in a situation this week.  I was surprised (and convicted) at my own negative reaction (thinking how little prejudice I usually feel) when I saw a shocking pink spiked haircut on the TV screen.  It turns out that the person sporting it was advocating a most worthwhile cause!

     We know we are called to see Jesus in everyone that we see; sometimes that is harder than others.  The underlying reason for unconditional and universal love is based on the Gospel message given in this Sunday's reading.  Jesus  talks about the oneness with the Father, for Him and for all of us.  Jesus prayed for us (and still does) "that they may be brought to perfection".  Each and every one of us is well loved... even if each of us is still a work in progress!

    God works in all of us in ways we do not know.  Remember that Saul became Paul, thankfully for us Gentiles.  Who we are and will become is in God's time and that holds true for those we meet as well.

     Many times those who are counter-cultural are also prophetic. Christians are supposed to be that way; perhaps someone we  have shunned, laughed at, or even ridiculed was one of God's unusual instruments. May we tune our ears and train our eyes to be more open to the surprising ways of God and to the unlikely people often chosen to do the greatest things!  Only then will we become one.

      Lord, may we remember how much we are loved even though we often fail at the work of loving ourselves and others.  Lord, may You help us to see You in everyone we meet.   Lord, may You help us to filter our reactions to people and temper our human impulsivity with your divine wisdom.

Blessings,

Dr. Elaine (Lanie) LeBlanc OP

Southern Dominican Laity

lanieleblanc@mindspring.com

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Year C: Ascension

"'You see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.'"

I have a friend who is a politician -but don't hold that against him. Unfortunately, he's not a very good politician. After 25 years of trying really very hard, he has never yet been elected to Parliament. And, no, this time he still didn’t make. But he's still hopeful. His problem, however, is that the place where he lives is a stronghold of one main party and he belongs to the other main party. So the chances of him ever getting elected are really pretty slim. A few years ago, shortly after his latest ballot-box disaster, we met up in a convenient location not far from here. And I asked him what he would do if he ever was actually elected to power. And I told him that I didn't really want to hear what was in the party's manifesto - I wanted to know

what he would really do if the people chose to give him the opportunity. He thought for a moment and then he said: "I would find out what people really want - what they truly need - and give my life to get it for them."

Today we celebrate the Resurrection and the Ascension of Jesus - his return to the Father - to his position of Power and Kingship. And we hear what he wants for us - his manifesto - the program to which He has given His life and the Gospel that he sends out his disciples to preach - It is this: Repentance for the forgiveness of

Sins. He does not preach lower taxes, better schools, more health centers, more Police or a stronger army - he asks Repentance for the forgiveness of Sins. Why is that so important that the Son of God died and rose so that we might have it?

One of the sorrows of being a doctor - as St Luke the physician  probably once knew - is that there are diseases - cancers of the Soul - which no medicine can cure. So many people live lives of quiet desperation. There are truly amazing numbers of people whose lives are blighted by a suffering, a memory, a fear or a guilt which they can never - ever - relinquish. It may be the guilt of an action they have never ceased to regret. Or it may be a crime done to them which they cannot either forgive or forget, or in any other way put behind them. It may be a critical failure in themselves or in someone else which has prevented them from achieving their hopes and deepest desires in life. It is one of the sorrows in the life of a doctor that there is no tablet, no injection which helps people like these. My clinic is full of them.

But it is one of the joys in the life of a priest that frequently people like this do find rest, peace, repentance and forgiveness - even after many years of carrying a burden of guilt, anger, disappointment or whatever - in the love of God and especially in the sacrament of reconciliation. Of all the things I have ever done in life, I have never felt more useful to humanity than the time I have spent hearing confessions.

Just recently, I gave a woman of 34 her First Holy Communion. She had been baptised a Catholic, but not brought up in any Faith. Her short life had been dominated by drugs, abuse and other things I’d rather not talk about. And when I met her, she was dying of AIDS. She asked for Confession and Holy Communion because she wanted to die at one with God, and at peace with herself, her family and friends.

By then, I had been a priest for some years. But it was only after that I realised why it is that when the Lord at his Ascension, sends out his disciples to bring the Christian Good News to the ends of the Earth, the message he sends is repentance for the forgiveness of Sins. In the End - the real End - the Final End - there is nothing else that matters.

Let us pray that we too may be given the grace to know God’s Peace in our own lives -- and to bring it to the very many people in this world who need it so desperately.

Let us stand and profess our Faith in God and in the only things that really matter.

Fr. Paul O'Reilly, SJ <fatbaldnproud@yahoo.co.uk>

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7th  Sunday of Easter  -C-  May 12th 2013

One of the situations in today's society that distresses me is the deep divisions and rancor among people, even Church people. Differences of opinion have always been a part of life, and I believe that they can lead to "thinking" which is a healthy sport that pushes us to learn and grow.

But we seem so willing to rush in and help stone people who we don't "approve of". Or if we don't actually throw the stones, we will take care of the "garments" of those who do. Excommunicate, shun, verbally attack, emotionally batter, ... hate.... so much of it "in Jesus' Name". I guess it's an improvement over stoning, or burning people in the town square, but barely. Now we can destroy others on FaceBook.

There is much to grieve in our world and in our Church.

And yet ...

A recent NOVA program on PBS traced the evolution of life on earth from the initial formation of our planet to the present day. Through billions of years, earth has baked and froze, become rain forest and desert, evolved all kinds of fascinating life through the changes in the environment. We, humans, are the first life form that has an influence on the future of our planet and all who live on it. The Ice Age, extinction of species, development of new species, the miracle of trees and plants, water and desert, all happened without human agent.

Like that creation, I think we have a tendency to float along and "go with the flow".  ... and yet!

Here we are, with the ability to make choices.  Perhaps that is the sweet side to today's bitterness - it's harder to just float along. We have to choose. Will we choose to fight, or cooperate? Will we destroy our planet through greed and war, or will we learn to respect and preserve it? Will we wake up and make some choices, or just drift along encased in our shell? Will we kill like Saul and the crowd, or will we be open and receptive when the Spirit moves us? Will we rise up to new life with Jesus, or prefer the dark, safe place of a tomb?

"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come" Let the hearer say, "Come" Let the one who thirsts come forward, and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water."

God's grace is always present and active to transform us. How thirsty am I? What kind of water do I want to drink?

Barbara Cooper, OP

Vancouver Island, BC Canada

bcoop60@yahoo.com

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A Touch of the Spirit

Sunday Scripture reflections with Elaine Ireland

MAY 12

“May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened.” (Eph 1:17-23)

Have you ever had an “eye-opening” experience, when the way you’ve looked at something or someone suddenly changes? Like Paul’s conversion, “scales” fall from your eyes and you see things as they are. This happens when the eyes of your heart have been opened.

It sometimes takes others, like the angels in today’s reading from Acts, to awaken us. And, like the disciples, we may need to be told, “Get your heads out of the clouds, open your eyes, and get moving. There is much work to be done in the Kingdom.” If our view is only skyward, if we ignore the kingdom in our midst, we are missing Jesus’ message and his command.

We pray: May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened, that we may know the hope that belongs to his call: Go; make disciples of the whole world. Look at each other through eyes of love, compassion, and peace. Amen.

© 2012, Elaine H. Ireland.  (If you’re interested in receiving Elaine’s weekly Scripture reflections, email her at ehireland@loyola.edu.)

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Volume 2 is for you. Your thoughts, reflections, and insights on the next Sundays readings can influence the preaching you hear. Send them to jboll@preacherexchange.org.  Deadline is Wednesday Noon. Include your Name, and Email Address.

-- Fr. John