Reflection for Holy Week

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I would like to call your attention this week specifically to our second reading for Palm Sunday. This reading from Philippians is commonly referred to as a "Christ Hymn". Here are the words:

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.
As Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians, he was facing much uncertainty. Once again, he has been imprisoned. This time however, Paul is wondering if he might soon be executed. Paul's journey has been difficult, and his work tiring. He has faced much persecution, much misunderstanding. He has had to face punishment through flogging, and has suffered much in his trials. Paul is aware that the Christians in Philippa are suffering many trials as well. Like Paul, they are suffering from much persecution by non-Christians. This "new religion" is being seen as suspicious, especially the idea of the worship of only one God. In addition to this, Paul has become aware of some Christians that may be acting out of improper motivation. Some might simply be serving the church community out of self interest, rather than out of a true desire to serve. It is clear that this Church community is struggling, and Paul is clearly concerned that some might be losing hope and interest in continuing on.
Paul responds to them by saying " Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus", and then continues with a recitation of this Christ Hymn that we find in our reading from Philippians today. Paul tells them to let their attitude be like that of Christ.... who while being God, emptied himself entirely for our sake in becoming human. Even though he was still divine, he allowed himself to become entirely subject to us....a servant of servants. Jesus clearly is God, and still, he chose to sit at the feet of the disciples and washed their feet like the lowliest of servants. This Jesus, who is King of kings and Lord of Lords, regularly ate and dined with tax collectors, sinners, and those on the fringes of society. Our God, who came to us and chose to take on human flesh, allowed himself to be misunderstood, arrested, beaten, and executed. He chose to endure suffering and pain, even to the point of death, in obedience to the Father's will that the Truth be spoken. Through Jesus, humanity was brought back into relationship with God. Jesus, in his ministry, revealed the Father to us and enabled us to come to know God not as a distant being that has no interest in creation nor humanity, but as a God of love who desires for us to be in relationship with Him.
However, his message was not accepted by many. He was misunderstood and rejected. Facing arrest and punishment as a common criminal, he was forced to suffer tremendously the pains of public flogging, and to be executed as a slave. Yet, even in the midst of so much suffering, he remained obedient to his mission. However, as this hymn mentions, the death of Jesus was not the end of the story. Paul goes on to say, "Because of this, God highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name above every other name". In his death, there is exaltation. In his remaining obedient to his mission to even death, God rewards His son by bestowing on him "the name that is above every other name". In Jesus death and resurrection, he is glorified. Jesus is exalted...so that every knee must bend and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Unlike Adam who had reached for status that wasn't his to claim, in trying to be like God, he in fact pushed himself away from God and sinned. With Jesus, we see the new Adam, who while being entitled to divine status, emptied himself of it in becoming human...In this lowering of himself and allowing himself to be subjected to humanity, even in allowing himself to be crucified, he is then glorified.
Paul, in his use of this beautiful hymn, is telling the Philippians to find courage in the midst of despair and suffering.... There is reason for hope in their difficulties. As Jesus was exalted in his death, so too shall we be exalted by God.. Remaining faithful to our call to discipleship will involve trials and suffering. One could even say that generally speaking, all commitments involve sacrifice. Whether it be a commitment to a spouse, one's children, and even a religious community, commitments taken seriously involve sacrifice at times. It is easy to be committed when things are going fine, but when moments of difficulty arrive, it's a different story. Now, I am not speaking about more complicated situations such as abuse, but rather, the more common struggles in life, such as when a spouse or a child becomes ill, a spouse loses a job, or if a child is struggling in school.. These can certainly be trying.
In returning to Boston, I too struggled with the difficulties of transition. Saying goodbye to friends in New York, starting anew in a new house, school, and parish environment. These were all difficult challenges that I had to face. On top of that, I have struggled with the irreconcilable loss of a friendship, which is always painful and difficult, especially when you desire to be reconciled and the other person doesn't. There are times in our lives where personal commitments involve serious sacrifice...love involves sacrifice, and it may seem as though there is no room for hope when we are in the midst of struggles. We can easily fall into a sense of despair and deep sorrow...However, Paul reminds us today to keep our minds fixed on Christ...Who remained faithful to his commitment unto death...but we are reminded that the story didn't end there... As Jesus was raised from the dead and was exalted by his father, there is a resurrection for each of us... There certainly is hope... May we find comfort and inspiration in the words of this beautiful Christ Hymn....May God bless you, and be assured of my prayers for you as we enter into this Holy Week.
Br. Ernie

An Evening to Remember

Even though it was 20 years ago...I remember it like it was yesterday. The school auditorium was packed. I didn't know what to expect, except for the fact that I had been told that the performer's name was Tony Melendez and that he was going to play the guitar with his feet. I had no idea why. It sounded cool. Little did I know that Tony had been born with no arms. Tony was born in Nicaragua. Knowledge of medicine at that time wasn't what it is like today. Tony's mother was on a medication called thalidomide while she was pregnant, a medication that was used to help women when they felt sick during their pregnancy. Little was it known that this medication led to developmental problems in unborn children, and Tony was one of many that would be affected by this medicine...
After he was born, his family came to the States, and settled in the Los Angeles area. He used artificial arms until he was about 10 years old, but soon discovered that he was able to do a lot more with his feet. While in high school, Tony began to play around with a guitar, and soon discovered his amazing talent. At the same time, Tony had a growing interest in his Catholic Faith... Soon, he became involved in parish music ministry, and there were times that he would be directing or singing with music groups for up to five masses on a given Sunday... In 1987, he was invited to perform for Pope John Paul II in his 1987 visit to the United States. After his performance, John Paul II responded by giving Tony a kiss. Since then, Tony has traveled the world, and has appeared on many television shows, including Good Morning America, Geraldo, and CBS This Morning.
When Tony made his way to the stage that night, I remember being amazed with his talent. His voice was moving, and the music coming from his guitar was beautiful. Tony spoke of an incredible and loving God that had helped him through the many difficulties he faced in his childhood. God would come to use Tony as His instrument, to show the world that God can in fact work miracles. God gives each of us gifts and talents... Each of us has been created in the image and likeness of God, and we are to reflect God's glory through the sharing of our gifts. We are never to lose hope...God can work miracles in our lives...as Tony said, each of us is a miracle.
I never forgot that concert that night. There is one song from his first album that he had performed with Twila Paris called "No Other Like You". This song has helped me through some difficult moments of my own life, and is still one of my favorite songs... The song speaks of finding refuge in God in times of difficulty. The refrain begins with these words, "You are the sun that lights my darkest day, and you are my shelter in the pouring rain. When I wander, you show your way back into your arms again". Tony is a man that I deeply respect and admire. He is truly an inspiration. This past Sunday evening, I had a chance to see him again for the third time. During his show, he reminded his audience of the importance of never doubting one's abilities. God, Tony says, has given us much to do, for the world is in need of His message of love. We are each instruments of God's love...and we can do anything we set our minds to, as long as we believe that we can.
After the show, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to chat with Tony for a little while with my mother and a few of my Capuchin brothers, Tim Aller and Mike Vricella. I asked tony if he remembered giving a concert in Springfield about 20 years ago. He smiled and said that he did. I told him that I was at that concert and that I had never forgotten that incredible experience. He has and continues to be an inspiration for me, as I am sure he is for millions of people throughout the world. God is working miracles through Tony and he is certainly a sign of hope for everyone. God can work marvels through each of us, only if we believe.

Lenten Reflection for the Fourth Sunday in Lent

Our Gospel reading for this Sunday comes from John... Often times, when one thinks of John 3:16, perhaps the image of a sign at a football game comes to mind. This passage, of course, is one that can be found in our Gospel reading for this Sunday. John states, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him". The question I recently had to answer in one of my class assignments at first seemed seemingly simple. The question was this: "How does Jesus save us?" The simple response could be, "through his death and resurrection". This leads to the next question, "How did the death of Jesus on the cross save us?" Hopefully, you see where this starts to get complicated... How would you respond to this question? St. Anselm's approach was one that most of us are familiar with. Anselm's basic premise was that at some point, humanity fell into sin through disobedience. This sin was so insulting to God, that in order to restore humanity's relationship to the Father, a savior was needed...a savior that was both human and divine.... a savior that could "pay the debt" owed to God for our sin. This savior is of course Jesus. Jesus offered himself as a total sacrifice to the Father in order to restore us to right relationship with God. This is one approach to the question...
I would like to offer another....The one of Blessed John Duns Scotus, a Franciscan who lived from 1266-1308. Scotus, in his writing, had stated that even if humanity hadn't sinned, Christ would still have come into the world... Scotus said that even though Jesus' coming into the world has a redeeming aspect, this wasn't the primary purpose for this coming. Jesus came into the world to offer us a share in His divine life and freedom. If we can understand this, than the redemptive aspect, in my opinion, would be easier for us to understand. It is important to point out that for Scotus, and even Bonaventure, God created humanity and the whole world out of love. Our God is a God of perfect love, and for love to be perfect, it must be shared with another. God therefore created the world and in fact the whole cosmos not because God needed to, but rather out of love. Furthermore, love also includes a desire for the other to be perfect in love as well. For Bonaventure and Scotus, the world is an expression of God's love. The human life of Jesus was a perfect expression of God's love. In Christ, God entered into the world in a real way. In the creation, God continues to create, so that God can bring about another that God can love and be loved back in return. However, creation would not be complete without Christ.
In a sense, creation and salvation go together. Think about the story of creation.... No...not just the story of creation in Genesis. Rather, one can think of creation as including the whole creation of the people of Israel as God's own people. In the book of Exodus, God brought a new people out of the land of Egypt through the help of Moses. The redemption of God's people out of the hand of Pharaoh was also part of God's creative work. God freed the people from slavery and oppression, in order to allow them to be who they were meant to be...God's people. They were freed from service to Pharaoh in order to serve their God. Throughout history, God has come in every crisis in order to recreate His people... God's saving acts are expressions of God's fidelity as creator. God comes to bring life out of death. Failure, sin, and death has always been a part of life. . God entered the world through Christ in order to bring us divine life. In regards to sin, sin isn't just a matter of breaking God's rules, but rather, is a threat to the life that God gives to us...
As John says in our Gospel reading, " And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light,because their works were evil. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. Jesus is inviting us to come "to the light". It is our choice to either accept the invitation or refuse it... We have a choice either to enter into relationship with God or not to. How does Jesus save us? Fr. Randy Sachs, SJ, said that "it is to be brought our of bad ways of living and to enter into God's way of living". Jesus, in his words and his very way of living, offered us the example of what it means to have life and have it to the fullest. Jesus lived in fidelity to his Father's will and in fidelity to those whom he served. He remained faithful to the Truth even though it would lead to his rejection and crucifixion. The cross is the ultimate sign of Christ's fidelity to his Father and to us. Jesus has left us an example to follow... for Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life".

I would like to first of all give credit to Fr. Randy Sachs, whose material from our Christology Class this past week (March 17, 2009) was the basis for much of my discussion on Scotus and Bonaventure, as well as many of the insights offered in regards to salvation and the cross. This is my first blog entry and I'm quite excited about it. As one might say, "I finally caved in to the world of blogging". Some of my blog posts will be reflections such as the one posted today, although I would like to vary it from time to time. While at Good Shepherd last year, I composed weekly reflections for use in a Holy Hour that I coordinated. It seems like most people enjoyed the reflections, and quite frankly, I have missed offering them. I would also like to share stories and give updates on how my experience in ministerial formation and studies are going. I am not sure how often I will post updates, but I hope to do this regularly.
This summer, I will be returning to Honduras as a co-director for our cross-cultural program in Ocotopeque, Honduras. This is a two month program, and I am very excited to have the opportunity to return to Honduras for the second time. I will most likely be working part-time in the town parish of San Jose as well, in order to gain more ministerial experience in a parish and to further improve my Spanish speaking abilities. There are five student friars that will be part of the program, and I am excited that I will be working with them in the program. Cross cultural experiences are really great. They are very challenging, but from my own experience, I believe that they lead to a deeper understanding of our relationship with God and our brothers and sisters on a global scale. In living with Capuchins from Honduras and other countries in Central America, this also leads to a deeper commitment and understanding of what it means to be part of a global fraternity of brothers, committed to following in the footsteps of our brother, St. Francis. Until next time, stay well, and may God bless you!