Easter Reflection

Br. Kevin Kriso, OFM, and Bridget Walsh share their thoughts about Easter. Please share your reflections below.

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Easter Sunday Readings


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By Br. Kevin Kriso, OFM

A few weeks ago the SBU campus had a three hour “lockdown” drill. A simulated gunman took a class “hostage” in Plassmann Hall. The whole campus had to stay behind locked doors in darkened rooms listening to updates over speaker phones. No traffic was allowed in or out of campus. Emergency service personnel, including a SWAT team walked through their protocol, resolved the situation over a three hour period and afterward deemed the drill “a success.”

Most of us felt very uneasy and creeped out by the “realness” of the drill. While it is important to know what to do in such situations, there was a sick feeling that even here a gunman could take over the campus and a sadness that this is the world in which we live. In a macabre coincidence, just a week and a half later a gunman killed 13 and himself at an immigration service center in Binghamton, NY and other shootings happened in several other locations. That sick feeling and sadness returned again.

Like many people, I had to think to myself, “Why this sudden spate of violence?” The newspapers report that many Americans are “on the edge” in this poor economy. Countries around the world are taking America to task for its poor leadership of the world economy. Many, many people are finding that the identity they cultivated as a home owner and in a good field of employment has vanished. How many more will find themselves in this same situation before until we hit the economic bottom? Are we in for another Great Depression? If so, will people be able to adjust to a new status or will there be ever increasing despair, anger, and violence?

In the Gospel reading for Easter Sunday (Luke 24:13-35), two of Jesus’ very confused disciples are walking along to Emmaus trying to figure out what is going on in the world. They have seen the bottom drop out. As they walked along, they meet up with the risen Jesus but fail to recognize him. Jesus asks them what sort of things they are talking about. They reply “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel…”

The whole point of the story is that they have misplaced their hopes. They had hoped that through mighty deeds Jesus would “redeem” Israel (a word we use to take things out of hock, or pay a fine to have set free). Perhaps they wanted Israel to become the premier nation in the world and replace Rome as the Imperial power. The true answer is that power and wealth are not the road to salvation. Unfortunately, in our country this is where many have placed our hope and have found an identity. However, when the expectations and feelings of entitlement for power and wealth wane, people are left frightened, angry and in despair. Violence easily erupts.

The question the two Emmaus-bound disciples had to answer is the same question we have to answer. Where do we find our power and identity? In a God who puts us in power and control or in a God allows himself to suffer, be abused and killed. Naturally we would like the first God. However, that is not God’s plan. God’s plan is that by putting our hands in God’s and facing things such as abuse, suffering and death and not running from them, we overcome these situations. New life comes when the bottom falls out and this new life may not be what we hoped for, but is what we need.

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By Bridget Walsh

My mother always put her family first and opened her caring heart to everyone she met. She went to mass regularly, volunteered when she could at the local Catholic School and was a Eucharistic Minister. Twelve years ago, she was diagnosed with cancer and it metastasized three years later. Multiple treatments were required for most of the time she had cancer. She had some good days and some really bad ones. There were days that she spent bent over in pain. All she would ask for was her cross to wear around her neck (the cross she received in Lourdes, France) and sit quietly until the pain subsided. On good days, I would ask how she was doing. Her reply would be, “today is a good day.” She always let the good moments carry her through the painful ones. My mother had such a faith in God and it remained with her even through her final days. I see how faith gave her strength and peace in her life; allowing her to really live each day she was given.

As Easter approaches, I think of my mother and how she endured the pain of cancer for so many years. Putting her faith in God, she chose not to be bitter about her life circumstances. She has helped me to understand why Jesus died on the cross not only to save us but to be our example. No matter what happens in life, God will help us to carry our pain. He will give us the strength to not only endure life, but to live with peace and hope. I feel grateful to be left with such an extraordinary example in my life. I have tried to live by her example and have found times of peace with the pain of loss. May this Easter mark a time of hope and closer relationship with God.


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(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

Lenten Reflection

Fr. Dan Riley, OFM, and Mike Fenn share their thoughts about today's Gospel, the economy and Lent. Please share your reflections below.

Gospel
John 2:13-25

Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
"Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
"What sign can you show us for doing this?"
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
The Jews said,
"This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?"
But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.

While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
many began to believe in his name
when they saw the signs he was doing.
But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all,
and did not need anyone to testify about human nature.
He himself understood it well.

By Fr. Dan Riley, OFM, and Mike Fenn
One of many elements I enjoy about preparing for these shared scriptures is that I typically learn a key insight about the reading we reflected upon. In preparation for this message, Fr. Dan and I discussed the gospel 3000 miles away from each other – I in my Buffalo study, and he driving in California to his retreat. He helped me understand the background behind the money changers in the temple. Perhaps this will be enlightening to many of you as well.

People came to the temple from all over, both rich and poor, to practice and proclaim their faith. When they came they were required to purchase an animal for sacrifice. They were not allowed to bring their own animal, but had to buy one specifically from the priests. The prices charged were typically higher than they would pay in an open market. The moneychangers came into play because they had to pay with a Hebrew coin, where most of the poor only held Roman currency. This was another opportunity for the clergy to profit from those that looked to them as their trusted leaders. Knowing this, it’s not at all surprising that Jesus would react in the way that he did.

The “marketplace” is certainly a hot button term these days. With many 401k’s in shambles, and confidence in our business leaders shaken to the core, the theme of this gospel couldn’t be more relevant to our lives. We all feel the outrage toward those we believe put us all collectively in the mess we are in. Yet this outrage is different from what was driving Christ through the temple in the Gospel. He was angered that the least among us were being exploited by those posing as spiritual leaders in His Father’s own house. It’s easy for us to feel we need to batten down the hatches during these times, becoming insular to the seemingly frightening world around us. Yet to call ourselves Christians, it is imperative that we realize we can make a difference in the world by how we treat and care for others, and the way we live our own lives. By living this way, or own bodies become a temple, in practicing the rule Francis taught us, to “Create within ourselves a place where God might dwell.”

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(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

Christmas Reflection

Br. Joe Kotula, OFM, and Denise Null offer their thoughts about Christmas. Please share your thoughts and reflections, too.

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Christmas Day Readings

Isaiah 52: 7-10
Hebrews 1: 1-6
Gospel of John 1: 1 18


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By Br. Joe Kotula, OFM

The readings for Christmas Day seem to move us from the story of a child being born for us to the deep message of the incarnation. God became man and the gospel writer points out that those who accept him, Jesus the Christ, he gave power to become children of God. As children of God, we know that Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

This Christmas there is much darkness in our world. There are wars, famines, global recession, oppression, child abuse, and many other forms of violence, yet as children of God we know there is a great light. We are called to give witness to that light. Scripture tells us that we are the body of Christ, so we must be that light. Truly a mystery. All things came to be through Jesus, and without Jesus nothing came to be. We are intimately connected in this mystery to one another and to God and God taught us that on Christmas Day. It seems to me that we can be bright lights when we live with faith, hope and love.

I want to end my reflection with a meditation from a book written by Megan McKenna.

The One who holds all creation in the hollow of a hand

is born today of a virgin.

The One who hung the earth upon the waters

is hung today upon the Cross.

The One whose essence none can touch

is wrapped in swaddling clothes as a mortal.

The One who rules the angles

is crowned today with thorns.

God, who in the beginning created the heavens,

lies now in a manger.

God, who wraps the heavens in clouds,

is wrapped in mocking purple.

The One who rained manna down on the people in the wilderness

is fed on milk from a Mother's breast.

The One who set Eve and Adam free in the Jordan

is slapped in the face.

Today the Church's Spouse calls forth the magi.

Today the Church's Spouse is nailed the cross.

The Virgin's child accepts their gifts.

The Virgin's Child is pierced with a spear.

We worship your nativity, O Christ!

We worship your passion, O Christ!

Show us your glorious Theophany!

Show us, too, your glorious Resurrection.

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By Denise Null

As the most magical day of the year approaches, we find ourselves amid the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations – shopping, decorating, gathering with friends and attending children’s festivities. We have also been preparing our hearts during advent as we watchfully wait for the birth of Christ. There is excitement and anticipation everywhere! The magic of Christmas can have many meanings. What makes Christmas magical for you? Family traditions, Mass on Christmas Eve, the joy of giving, witnessing the wonderment through children, gathering with loved ones, laughter, baking cookies or the white elephant gift exchange. In our house “Christmas magic” is a common answer for those tough Santa questions!!

The best Christmas magic is God’s great love for us. Love is about sacrifice, giving without expectations and selflessness. God made a huge choice when he sent Jesus into the world. I can’t imagine how hard it was to allow Jesus to be born when he knew he would be crucified thirty something years later. What a gift of love, what an act of love. What a privilege to know this God, to have him dwelling in us to be our source of strength! The best thing about this Christmas magic is that we can have access to it year round.

In closing, I thought I would share “The Story of the Candy Cane”

There was a time, during the later part of the eighteenth century in England, when all religious symbols were banned from public display. During this time, there was a dedicated Christian candy maker who set out to find some way for members of the Christian family to identify each other, in spite of the ban. He began with a piece of pure white candy to signify the purity and holiness of Jesus Christ. Next, he fashioned the candy into the shape of a shepherd’s staff as a reminder that our Heavenly Father is the Good Shepherd. Then he places three small red stripes around the candy to represent the encompassing power and presence of the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Finally he placed a single bold red stripe through the candy to demonstrate the redeeming power of the blood that Christ shed upon the cross for each of us and the forgiveness of our sins.

Taste and see the wonderful truth of Christmas.

“I bring you good news of great joy which is for all people; today in the city of David there has been born, a Savior, who is Jesus Christ the Lord.” He brings forgiveness…cleansing…new life…an eternal home. “O taste and see that the Lord is good!” PS 34:3

Merry Christmas to you and blessings in 2009!


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(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)