youth Mass "I am the way, the truth, & the life"

Christchurch Diocesan Youth Mass

Our Lady of Victories Church, Sockburn

Sunday 22 May 2011 5.00pm

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Jesus: “the way”

I often think that some of my best homily ideas come to me about an hour after I have finished preaching. Sometimes I chat with priest friends by phone after Masses on a Sunday and they have good ideas too – but again, too late for my own Sunday homily. Not a problem really though since I save these thoughts and use them next week!

This happened to me earlier today. Fr Jack and I were chatting over lunch. He thought he had given a pretty good homily himself this morning on Jesus as “the way” until after Mass a six-year-old boy came up to him. The young lad said: “Father, Jesus is like our GPS, isn’t he?”

Now that is a pretty good starting point for a homily on the readings of today's Mass. Both Fr. Jack and I wished we had thought of the image earlier. Thanks to that young boy I have been distracted by the GPS thought all afternoon, and now it is my starting point for this reflection tonight.

You might be familiar with using a GPS unit. I had the experience last year in Italy. A friend and I decided to rent a car so that we could travel more freely. Our first plan was to travel from Rome to Assisi (where St. Francis and St. Clare lived about 800 years ago).  My friend was the passenger so I gave her the role of navigator. She had to work the GPS.  At first the GPS voice only gave directions in Italian but we soon got that worked out. The unit was programmed to take us to Assisi and we were on our way.

choosing our own way…

One of the problems with driving in a beautiful land like Italy is that while heading up the highway on a direct route to a destination, beautiful hill towns appear in the right and left distance. When following a GPS direction, it is necessary to ignore the directions in order to detour and visit the town. The GPS voice immediately realizes that a ‘wrong’ direction has been taken, and (sounding a bit irate we thought) instructs us to “at first opportunity, make a u-turn”.

About an hour north of Rome this happened to us. We wanted to visit a town we noticed in the distance. To do this we had to ignore the voice and turn off our planned route towards the hill town. Soon the voice stops and seems to silently sulk a bit.

A couple of hours later, after wandering the medieval streets and markets, we got back into the car and turned on our little GPS. Our expectation was that the voice would lead us all the way back to where we made the “wrong” turn in order to lead us on the planned route to Assisi.

But this is not what happens.  Instead the unit devises another route starting from our new ‘wrong’ position.

God is with us, wherever we are

You might be able to see where I am going with this GPS story. This is what God does with us. We often take the “wrong” turn and follow roads and paths that God does not intend for us.  We are attracted by many things.  At times compulsively lurch at these delights. But wherever we are, God is there. Even when we feel we are a long way from God, this might be our feeling, but it is never the reality. We have simply lost sight of the reality of God’s presence.  God is always with us.  Even if I am in the “wrong” place, God is there, and God now leads me (often by a new way) along the path of life. 


The little boy was right. God is like our GPS.

so why would we fear?

Blessed John Paul II was known for reminding people: “Do not be afraid”.  He was able to say this because he knew that God is always with every person. When we forget this fact, fear takes hold in our life. But God is with us and we have no reason to fear. God is alongside us. God is leading us. When we are weak God carries us. When we are lost God seeks and finds us. God is our way.

We know that we are given this way in the teachings of the Church. In the life and sacraments of the Church this ‘way’ of life is offered to us. In the sacraments we receive and celebrate this life. The Church is the environment within which those who are saved wait for God and are fed by God. We do not need to find God. God is always finding us. We have no need to fear.

listen for the echo

Blessed John Paul II was also a realist. In his Theology of the Body catechesis he acknowledges that many people today refuse to listen to the teaching of the Church. They might think that being a Catholic means saying no to everything that is fun. Many people wrongly think that Catholicism is a religion of dated doctrines and rules found in tired books. 


But this is not the reality. If people are unable to appreciate the beauty of Catholicism in the words written to communicate our faith, Blessed John Paul does not consider this to be an insurmountable problem. If people are willing to listen to the voice of God in the depth of their own human heart, they will hear the same voice of God communicating the same truth and life as found in the catechism.

While the ‘will of God’ for us can be heard from afar, the more intimate sound of God’s voice is heard when we are able to listen for God beneath the influences of society. The pope acknowledges that this is not easy to do. Often the layers of pressures, habits and voices fill our minds and hide our hearts, even from our own vision.  But, even in the midst of this cacophony something calls us to listen more intently for the discreet and attractive divine voice sounding as an echo in the depth of every human heart. This voice in the depth of our being is the call of Jesus leading us to the fullness of life.

This ultimate, built-in navigation system has been lovingly placed in my heart by the creator who loves me and who wants more for me than I could ever desire for myself. When I live in harmony with this divine voice, then I find the happiness that I seek. God is ‘our way’ leading us to the fullness of ‘truth and life.’

In the words of that young lad, Jesus is our real GPS.

the will of God

It is helpful to draw our reflection a little further here using the encouragement of Pope Benedict. He often speaks of ‘the will of God.’  You might like to look back to his first homily as pope. This is a powerful reflection on the beauty and life found in following ‘the will of God.’

A couple of months ago Pope Benedict met with the Parish Priests of the diocese of Rome. (Remember Pope Benedict is the bishop of the Rome diocese in the same way as Bishop Barry is our Christchurch diocesan bishop). The pope addressed the priests saying (among many other things): it is essential “not to give the idea that Christianity is an immense packet of things to learn. Ultimately, it is simple: God revealed himself in Christ. But this simplicity (I believe in God who shows himself in Christ and I want to see and do his will), has meaning and, according to the situation, we enter more or less into details; but it is essential to make the ultimate simplicity of faith understood…And the truth is beautiful. God’s will is good, it is goodness itself”

invitation to personal relationship with the living God

The people of our times may not find religious rules and ancient doctrines too attractive to say the least. Living by the book does not sound life-giving to modern ears. It is true that Christians are people of the word, but our word is not primarily the printed texts of the bible and the catechism. Catholic Christians are people of the living word of God who is the person of Jesus.

While the person who simply follows the teachings of the Church and who accepts the Catechism as a guide will experience wonderful tastes of life with God, it is the one who abandons every breath of their life in desire for intimate relationship with Jesus who fill find the life they seek. 


Catholics are people who, above all else, seek to live in relationship with Jesus. Jesus is the way to God. Jesus is the truth of God. And Jesus carries us into the fullness of life with God, now and for eternity.

pope in space

In his Easter Vigil Homily this year Pope Benedict emphasised the cosmic dimension of the resurrection:  "Our profession of faith begins with the words: “We believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth”. If we omit the beginning of the Credo, the whole history of salvation becomes too limited and too small".

Perhaps he intended his words to be a segue to his remarkable conversation last week with the astronauts at the International Space Station?

1. ►

Fifth Sunday of Easter

new texts, timeless meaning

Every Sunday at Mass, we open our ears anew to hear the Word of God.  We know the scripture readings to be the event of the Liturgy of the Word in the Mass. But most of the responses and prayers of the Mass are also taken (at least indirectly) from the scriptures.

This is especially evident in the Revised Order of the Mass that we have been using now for the past six months. Australia will begin to use the revised texts at Pentecost. England & Wales, and the United States, will follow at the end of this year. On the First Sunday of Advent this year we will also use for the first time the revised prayers of the priest, including the new Eucharistic Prayers.

Many of the revised texts of the Mass are direct quotations from the scriptures. Before we process to communion we now pray the words of the Gospel centurion; “Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.” (Luke 7:6, Matthew 8:8).

Several times in every Mass we hear the scriptural greeting “The Lord be with you” (Judges 6:12, Ruth 2:4, Chronicles 15:2, Luke 1:28). Our response in the revised text is also directly from the scriptures when we pray “And with your spirit” (2 Timothy 4:22, Galatians 6:18, Phillipians 4:23, Philemon 25).

we grow to mean what we pray

Our rediscovery of the beauty of the Mass is not simply a process of receiving renewed texts. In these months we also receive the new General Instruction of the Roman Missal. This Instruction places the revised texts in the context of the entire celebration of the Mass. 

This encouragement reminds us that in the prayers of the Mass we are not seeking to pray what we mean as we do in our personal and private prayer. Instead, when we gather together as God’s people to worship as a community, our desire is to mean what we pray.

Perhaps that needs a note of explanation. In the Mass we are not seeking primarily to express ourselves to God. This is the wonderful nature of private prayer. God desires to hear our needs and concerns.

But in the Mass it is God who is the primary communicator. This means that the prayers and words and scriptures we hear might not (initially at least) sit all that comfortably with our ears and mouths and hearts. But this is God speaking, calling us beyond our mere human existence into the divine life.

In the Mass we are not simply expressing ourselves to God. Instead at this sacramental source and summit of human existence, we are letting God speak to us. To do this we use the words, gestures, signs, symbols and elements that have been the successful vehicles for God’s communication over centuries.

psalms for procession

In the scriptural Word, God speaks to us of our divine destiny.  We join in the Psalm response after the first reading showing that we have heard the Word. Together we acclaim our response to God.

Every Sunday Mass is also allocated three more (mostly neglected) psalm responses to accompany the processions of the Mass (Entrance, Offertory and Communion). While these three psalms can be replaced on occasion with a hymn, the psalms are hymns that have survived and surpass the trials of time. These ancient hymns have been reliable and robust communicators of the active presence of God throughout Jewish and Christian history. Our ancestors in faith knew these prayers and prayed them by heart and from their hearts. These prayers speak to every human emotion and situation.

The intention is that the psalms at Entrance, Offertory and Communion might be sung by the cantor and people together. The practical advantage is that the people do not need to carry hymn-books, or to focus on a screen to join in the psalms. People are attracted to join in the refrains as a mantra. Your parish or school might consider beginning with a communion psalm as people process to receive the Lord.

in scripture, God speaks to my changing life

And for two thousand years, Christians have gathered on the first day of every week to listen to God anew. We might use the same old scriptural texts and the same prayers. But we have changed.

We last heard today’s readings at Mass on the Fifth Sunday of Easter 2008.

Now just three years later our diocese is a very different place. Twenty-nine miners at Pike River have lost their lives in tragic circumstances. Their families, friends and West Coast community still grieve deeply. Christchurch earthquakes have taken their toll in loss of life and property. Families are still distraught. Homes and workplaces have been destroyed and damaged.

And today the readings of the Mass speak to us about "architecture" and "building". 

“There are many rooms in my father’s house.” (John 14:1-12) What is the foundation on which we build? Do we place all our hope and security in family, home, friendship and buildings? While these may be the structures of our society, our foundation must be more solid. For Christians “the Lord is the living stone….set yourselves close to him, so that you too, the holy priesthood that offers the spiritual sacrifices which Jesus Christ has made acceptable to God, may be living stones making a spiritual house…the stone rejected by the builders has proved to be the keystone”. (1 Peter 2:4)

rebuilding: with God as our keystone

These passages do speak about buildings. In our present struggles and focus we think of the effects of loss of life and livelihood in the mine and earthquakes. We have families, lives and the masonry of a city to rebuild. But as always the Word of God moves us to a deeper level. We might create a more secure and safe mine. We may  build an ‘earthquake-proof’ city. But if God is not the keystone of our lives (both personal and in society), we will crumble.

The scriptures tell us that this is true. The story of our history affirms this. Our personal experience of real successes and apparent failures have taught us that without God our endeavours come to nothing, since He is “the way, the truth, and the life”  

retreat

Once again this week my internet access is limited. This is a bit of an inconvenience, but not at all unpleasant. Relaxing even!


The reason is that I am leading a priests' retreat.


Please keep us all in your prayer.

Vocations Sunday

I have come that you may have life

and have it in abundance

John 10:10

When did you last encourage someone to consider that God might be calling them to serve as a priest?

This Sunday (“Good Shepherd Sunday”, Fourth Sunday of Easter) is celebrated throughout the Church as Vocations Sunday.

In a real sense every Sunday of the year is a day of focus on the Christian vocation to live every moment in relationship with Jesus.

There are as many vocational calls as there are human people. The call of God to you is renewed every day. 


The call of God is not only given to the young as they discern how they will spend their lives. A vocational call is the call of God given to every person every day. If I am nearing retirement and old age is imminent, I am being called to hear anew (or even for the first time) the call of God.


Whatever age or stage of life I am in, God is calling me to live in response to the divine call: God is gifting me anew a life-purpose that is my vocation.

A vocation is not simply a job or even a career to which I am committed. To work in such a way may be a useful contribution to society. I may find this occupation to be satisfying and earn a salary enabling me to lovingly provide for my family. I may even be aware of God using me in this work to assist others or even to spread the Gospel. None of this makes a vocation.

A starting point for a life of vocation is, as Cardinal Newman prayed, a unique call that God gives to me personally. I am created by God for some specific service. 


The heart of this life is personal intimacy with Jesus. It is this ultimate relationship that give meaning to all human life. In this personal and lived relationship I am freed from all superficial compulsions. I am able to see beyond worldly successes and rewards.

In seeking to live in response to God’s Vocational call to me I experience “life, and have it in abundance.”  John 10:10

I will give you Shepherds

Today, Good Shepherd Sunday, there is a particular focus for our vocational reflection. We know that human people cannot live without the Eucharist, and the Eucharist cannot be a reality among us without priests. Today we pray especially for vocations to the priesthood.

We hear much talk about a shortage of priests. While there may be fewer priests in parishes in our diocese than there were forty years ago, there are many more priests today than there were eighty years ago when there was a much greater number of Catholic at Mass every Sunday in the diocese. 


This awareness has prompted pastoral planning to ensure that the Mass and sacraments are available for all the people of the diocese. This process has been a difficult adjustment for both people and priests.

Many people argue that the ‘shortage’ of priests is a sign that the Church needs to change the criteria for ordination to the priesthood. But many other denominations have made these changes and they still face the difficulty of attracting people who are willing to give their lives in ministry. These communities also still struggle with attracting worshippers on Sunday.

Practical solutions are never an adequate response to crises of faith.

The reason that our pastoral plans and practical response cannot resolve the problem of a ‘shortage of priests’, is that we are being invited to consider the deeper issues. 


Thirty years ago when I was considering a vocation to priesthood, the family, parish and school environments saw priesthood as a worthwhile vocation worthy of an entire human life. I am not sure that this environment is still present in our families, parishes and schools.

When did you last encourage a young (or not so young) man, to consider giving his life to God as a priest?  


Have you encouraged your sons, grandsons, godsons or nephews to consider priesthood? Have you spoken to single men (even strangers) whom you see at Mass each Sunday suggesting that God might be calling them to priesthood?

When your children and grandchildren and workmates hear you speaking about priests, do they hear you valuing the priestly ministry that God carries out through these men (who remain his imperfect but willing servants)?

building environments of faith

Today, on this vocations Sunday, let us pray for all priests; that they may be faithful servants of Christ the priest. That they may be loving shepherds. Let us also pray for those discerning a call to priesthood in the seminary. We pray especially for the seminarians of our own Christchurch diocese. We also remember those of our diocese who are in seminaries of religious communities around the world. 

Let us also pray that our own families, schools, parishes and our diocese will be environments of encouragement and support for any parishioner who is being called by God to serve as a priest.

Take a moment to savour Pope Benedict's

Message for World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2011

Holy Land 2012

  

The above image was taken twelve months ago, early one morning, from a hotel room overlooking the Sea of Galilee. The Our Lady of Victories 2010 pilgrimage had not gone as we planned. Thirty pilgrims met with the effects of the Icelandic Volcano in Singapore and, after three days at the airport gate, were forced to return to Christchurch. Four others having arrived in Tel Aviv were forced by their insurance companies to continue with the pilgrimage. These two Holy Land weeks became a full dress-rehearsal for the 2012 Our Lady of Victories Holy Land Pilgrimage.

You are still able to ‘journey with the four 2010 pilgrims’ on the Pilgrimage Blog.

Planning for the 2012 pilgrimage is now underway. You can find more details and contact information at the parish website www.olv.co.nz

You might wonder what a pilgrimage is? Why do we not simply call our travel a tourist trip or an overseas holiday?

Pilgrimages have an ancient tradition. Pilgrims are people who seek to journey with God. While pilgrims do see and do much of what occupies tourists on their travels, we make a point of journeying together with God at a deeper level. Our main goal is not to go places and to see sights, but to grow in relationship with God. We do this by journeying the roads that our ancestors in faith travelled. We pray in the places that were significant for them. We celebrate the Mass every day as the heart of our encounters with God.

The greatest of all Christian pilgrimages is to the Holy Land. This land, and especially the ancient city of Jerusalem is also the great pilgrimage destination for the Jewish people and the Islam faith.  

On our 2012 pilgrimage to the Holy Land we will spend time living in Jerusalem and on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. From these two bases the entire country is easily accessible. (The Holy Land is only the size of Canterbury). Each day we will visit sacred places; the places where Jesus was born and died, the town where he was raised, the site of many of his miracles and preaching. We will walk the Way of the Cross, and pray at the place of the crucifixion and the tomb of the resurrection.

Our journey will also include some other (secular) places of particular historical significance. You may have heard the story or seen the film Masada. We will visit this remarkable place.

Many people who have never left NZ before, will find the pilgrimage an easy way to travel. We will all leave Christchurch together, travelling directly to Tel Aviv. Once you leave Christchurch airport, every detail of the travel is provided for. Busses and tour-guides will meet us and lead us. Our own tour organiser and guide from a local pilgrimage company will travel with us every step of the way. Mike and Suzanne Doolan (the parish pilgrimage organisers) have researched every detail of the pilgrimage and are already liaising with the professional tour guide who will accompany us every step of our journey.

If you are interested in receiving further information please register your interest and request information from Mike and Suzanne Doolan.

You may know of someone else who might be interested in making this journey with us. Please pass on this information to them. As members of a family you might know a parent or grandparent who would appreciate this pilgrimage as a gift. It may be in your power to arrange this for them?

Our Lady of Victories Parish has now organised four pilgrimages to Italy, France, Ireland, England, Spain and the Holy Land. 

We welcome anyone who wishes to travel with us to the Holy Land in April 2012.