Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: John 3:16-21 Men loved darkness rather than the light
Homily summary: In today’s reading the Apostles were arrested for preaching about the new way. The reading shows that there is a tremendous bitterness toward Christians. Pagans wouldn’t have minded about Christianity. But Jewish people resented Christ.
Walk on the spiritual path along with St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal into the Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Are you a lay person interested in plunging more fully into a way of daily devotion? Or considering a vocation to the monastic Visitandine tradition? Go to Visitation Spirit website.
As today’s Gospel says, everyone who is wicked hates the light. These people are not content to just ignore Christians, but do everything possible to persecute them. You don’t see it, but it is going on in the world. A month ago, muslims killed one thousands Christians. You didn’t see it in the news.
What we can do is to get these people to love Jesus, to convert. Muslims, Jews, atheists, and pagans need to be converted to Christ — to the light. There will thus be much more peace in the world. Then the world can be saved.
I’m amazed at how Fr. Peter Armenio is full of energy at 7:30 at night, moving about in the pulpit like a boxer in a ring. One night recently he gave an evening of reflection to men on how, in the New Evangelization, society has to be Christianized. “The hope and burden of the Church is on the shoulders of the laity,” said Fr. Armenio, who is the head of Opus Dei in the Midwest.
