Ascension, May 20, 2012
Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M.
Gospel: Mark 16:15-20 “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel.”
(Entire text of sermon) Oh how beautiful is this time of year!! May is a wonderful month. This is the time of warm days, flowers, barbecue, and, yes, graduations. All around the United States colleges are having their commencement exercises. Very soon, high school seniors will graduate from school and venture out into the world. These events offer time to celebrate the accomplishments of the past. They are also opportunities to give thanks to God, pray for the future, and say goodbye to the past.
He was “cut to the heart” in discovering Christian captivesSt. Peter Nolasco was shocked and moved in finding Christians held captive and in danger of losing their faith. Read more about his heroic life and what he did about it on the website of the .
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There is a great song by contemporary Christian singer Michael W. Smith entitled, “How to Say Goodbye.” The song is about a father who asks God to help him to say goodbye to his daughter who is getting married. Of course, this father is going to see his daughter again, but their relationship and lives will never be quite the same. Change is a part of life, but it can be difficult for parents who have sacrificed so much for their children. The lyrics of the song certainly capture the feeling of parents who have held their children “close keeping them safe until (they) could fly.” Now as their child graduates and possibly moves away the parent must “loosen their grip” and entrust their child to the arms of God, trusting that Providence will take care of their beloved.
Jesus’ goodbye prayer
It is not as if our Lord Jesus does not know what it is like to say goodbye to his loved ones. We are overhearing His own prayer of goodbye in the Gospel today. This prayer has often been referred to as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus. In this prayer, Jesus is offering to His Father those that the Father has given to Him. Jesus is praying for His disciples, not just of the early followers, but the disciples of all times. He says, “I protected them in your name…and I guarded them….” Now is the time for Jesus to step back, at least physically, from the flock he has tended for three years. Jesus wants His flock to share His joy completely, just like any good parent would. Our Lord prays that His followers be protected from the three traditional enemies of the Christian: the World, the Flesh, and the Devil.
The world has been created by God and so it is “very good.” Yet, Genesis also tells us that sin has its effect on not only human beings, but also all of creation. Storms, catastrophes, and all natural disasters are forms of evil. They are not from God, but originate from sin. At Christ’s Second Coming, He will establish a new heaven and a new earth. All of creation is destined to be renewed in Christ Jesus. Until that time, the world can become the enemy of the Christian when he or she is “so attached to things of the world that we fail to advance in love and service of God.”
Excessive attachment
As long as we are on this earth, we must guard against the excessive attachment to the things of the world. Some of these things are ideas such as Communism and other atheistic regimes which are opposed to Christ. Karl Marx, the founder of Communism, called religion “the drug of the people.” Along with this, we must avoid living entirely for pleasures or material things and not using them to grow closer to God and our neighbor. The World is good and can bring us great joy. However, any parent considering the future of their child realizes that the World also offers many opportunities to get lost or even fall into bad habits and serious sin. This is how Christ felt as He prayed to the Father that His flock be protected from all the snares that the World can put out there.
In order to avoid such snares, we must be “consecrated… in the truth.” Christ’s teaching is the truth and “the truth will set you free.” No one wants to be enslaved by material possessions or our own passions. We want to feel free to do what is right. We want this also for our children.
Know your weaknesses
To do this we must first, avoid the near occasions of sin. Each person must know their weakness and avoid the things that make them likely to fall into sin. Secondly, we should follow the motto of St. Padre Pio, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.” We must pray for our loved ones with a firm belief that God loves each of us more than we can image. He desires to lead us at each moment into a greater intimacy with Him. We are all given the gift of freedom, but we must each individually learn to use it wisely. Jesus is present to all our loved ones and will answer our prayers, while at the same time respecting the gift of freedom.
We can truly understand the emotion and love expressed in Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. It is a prayer for all the Father’s children entrusted to His care. This same prayer is uttered by parents all over the world for their children who are leaving home and venturing out into the world. May our prayers for those we love be made with great confidence in the Father who is both loving and forgiving. This Triune God is present throughout the world, calling all people to Himself. One day that call will be fulfilled when Christ comes again to bring to fulfillment all things. Then the world and all creation will be renewed and return to the God of all goodness.
Read all the homilies of Fr. Joseph.