Ascension of the Lord

May 4, 2008

Matthew 28: 16-20

The third reading for the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord is from the Gospel according to Matthew. Written some 50 years after the death-resurrection of Jesus, this Gospel addressed a severe crisis in the early Church. By the year 80 A.D., the Church, Jewish in its origins, had now been separated from Judaism and the synagogue. This major shift called for a new way of looking at Jesus, at the old traditions and at the new Church. Matthew writes his Gospel for the Jewish Christians of his day. He demonstrates Jesus as the New Moses, establishing the New Covenant.

Today’s reading is the ending of that Gospel. It is a passage found only in Matthew’s Gospel. It is actually the key to understanding the whole book. It is Jesus’ preparation of the apostles for the age of the Church. After a brief introductory narrative, Jesus speaks to the eleven. His words divide into three statements about a past event, a present command, and a future promise.

The Past Event – “Full authority has been given to me both in heaven and on earth.” Jesus has received from the Father total power over the universe that enables him to initiate a universal mission. Such cosmic authority constitutes Jesus as the all-powerful Son of Man, Lord of the Cosmos.

The Present Command – The apostles are given the great commission: “Go, therefore… Make disciples of all nations” is the first command. Teach all nations to become followers of Jesus by obeying his teachings, accepting his death and resurrection into one’s own life and proclaiming him Son of Man, Lord of the Universe. The call to the disciples is now to all nations. It is no longer restricted to Israel. The Jews are no longer the privileged chosen people of Israel. All peoples are now invited into faith in the Son of Man.

“Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” is the second command. It explains how one passes from unbeliever to disciple. It is the only occurrence of the Trinitarian baptism formula in the whole New Testament that forcefully proclaims the divinity of Jesus and the distinct personality of the Spirit. The three are listed on a level of equality. As one is baptized he is taken up, washed and plunged into the name of the Trinity, into the bonds of family love. He is taken up into the family of God, bound together with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit into the Trinity. Baptism now becomes the initiation rite by which all nations enter into the new Chosen People of God.

“Teach them to carry out everything I have commanded you” is the third command. While “everything” includes the Law of Moses, it goes beyond that. The Law of Moses actually gives way to the new “law” of this new covenant. It is the command of love that Jesus taught. That command of Jesus to love becomes the ultimate norm of morality. It becomes the branding mark of those called to follow Him.

The Future Promise – “Know that I am with you always, until the end of the world,” Jesus says – a consoling promise that strengthens. Jesus will not be an absentee landlord. He promises his abiding presence to the Church that is dynamic, energizing and enabling. Centuries after Moses, God reaches out again to bring his people back to life. His Own Son, Emmanuel, God-with-us with the promise of his abiding Presence, always. Father, Son, Holy Spirit – “Know that I am with you always, until the end of the world.”

May 11, 2008

John 20:19-23

Pentecost Sunday

Today’s third reading is from the Gospel according to John. It is the second resurrection appearance of Jesus after the crucifixion and the first appearance to the disciples gathered together in the upper room. This brief passage focuses on the person of the Risen Christ, his presence, and on what he brings to the disciples.This is also a “fulfilling” passage. Jesus fulfills several promises he had made to his disciples during his Last Discourse on Holy Thursday night.He had promised he would come back to them. “I will not leave you orphaned; I will come back to you.” He had promised they would know joy and peace. “Do not be distressed or fearful – peace is my farewell gift to you.” “You will grieve for a time, but your grief will be turned into joy.” He had promised he would send them a paraclete, the Holy Spirit. “I will ask the Father and he will give you another Paraclete to be with you always.” He had promised they would do the same works as he and even greater ones. “The man who has faith in me will do the works I do, and greater far than these.”Jesus comes to the disciples on the Sunday night of the resurrection, “the evening of that first day of the week.” As the Risen Jesus penetrates the doors of the upper room, He also penetrates the fears of those gathered there. “Peace be with you,” he says and his gift of peace moves them from fear to belief. They are transformed from a state of fearfulness to a state of belief in the Risen Presence, which brings them peace and joy. “At the sight of the Lord the disciples rejoiced.”“Peace be with you.” Jesus repeats the greeting, Shalom. The customary Jewish greeting becomes the fulfillment of all the promises He had made to them – new life and spirit, joy and well-being. Peace, gift of the Risen Lord, is the greeting for the new age and the new people.

        New mission accompanies the new greeting of the new creation. It was more than a single command or a mere verbalization. The disciples are invested with the Holy Spirit. Jesus breathes on them the Diving Breath. In that gesture, He communicates the Holy Spirit, the fulfillment of another promise! He breathes new life into the disciples. Just as God had breathed on Adam and fused into him the spirit, so now the disciples become the recreation of God’s people, the new people of the new creation. At the same time, Jesus sends them out, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” He now places his work in their hands. His mission becomes theirs. Now they are entrusted with the mission to make God’s love known, seen, and felt throughout the world. Jesus came as the Revealer and Sacrament of God. Now his disciples assume that role of Revealer, Sign, Sacrament of God, affected and effective through the Spirit. With that Gift of the Spirit, the disciples receive another special gift, to be exercised through the power of the Spirit and through the word of Jesus. They are to forgive sins! With this power to discern and to forgive they are to continue the mission of Jesus. By sharing in His power, through the Spirit, they are to bring the world restored union with the Father and the Son, perpetuating the work of salvation begun by the Father and accomplished in the Son.

Rev. Mr. Carlos Cannatella

Opelousas, LA

May 18, 2008

John 3:16-8

Trinity Sunday

Today’s third reading is from the Gospel according to John. It is a short, three-verse passage that has been called “the gospel in miniature.” It expresses the heart and essence of the Good News proclaiming the incredible dimensions of God’s love and the slavic effect of that love on the world. Our God is a God motivated by a love so great that He gifted the world with His own Son.The passage occurs in the Gospel within a “call to faith” context. It is part of the author’s treatment of the encounter between Nicodemus and Jesus. In the “literary scheme” of things, John has related the miracle of Cana, the first of many “signs” performed by Jesus that reveal something of who He is when seen in faith. Nicodemus appears as one impressed in a superficial way by the signs. He approaches Jesus with a mixture of curiosity and faith. Jesus’ reaction is to lead Nicodemus in conversation to an authentic faith in Him.The first part of the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus is taken up with what real faith in Jesus means, where it comes from, and what conditions are necessary for such a faith. In the second part of the dialogue, Jesus reveals the context of that authentic faith. The explanation involves the cycle of the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Faith then becomes a personal activity of many directed toward the person of Jesus. It becomes man’s response to Jesus in His life-giving role as the Son of God. It becomes belief and acceptance of the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is redemption and new relationship to God.In the third part of the conversation, Nicodemus seems to disappear, and the dialogue becomes a monologue. Jesus seems to be speaking to no one in particular, yet somehow to everyone as He develops the full impact of the Incarnation.Simply put, Jesus says that God gave His only Son in order to gain a new life for man. “God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not be lost, but may have eternal life.” After that, the simplicity yields to awe, wonder and mystery. The “simple” statement demonstrates a supreme act of love. It means that God’s basic stance toward the world is one of love. God loved and things happened! God loved all there was and gave all He had. The magnitude of his love is matched by the magnitude of his gift!His love becomes concretely expressed in the gift of His Son, Jesus. This is the way God’s love for us was made known and revealed. He actually gave His Son not only in birth at the Incarnation, but also in death at the Crucifixion! Motivated only by immeasurable, unexplainable love, the Father gave his Son to give eternal life to those who believe.This tremendous saving act was not directed toward judgement or condemnation of the world. “God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world.” It was directed toward the salvation of the world. “So that through him the world might be saved.”God the Father gave Jesus, the Son, to the world in an act of love. Such an act raises the question of response. Will the world embrace the life that is offered, or will it reject that love and condemn itself to perish? In the presence of such awesome love, one cannot remain passive. The bluntness with which Jesus speaks issues a challenge that demands response. That response leads to life or death. “Whoever refuses to believe is already condemned.” There is no middle ground. Faith is the only suitable response. To believe is to know Jesus, and to know Jesus is to have eternal life.

Rev. Mr. Carlos Cannatella

Opelousas, LA

May 25, 2008

John 6:51-58

8th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Today’s third reading is from the Fourth Gospel, the one according to John. It is the conclusion of the great discourse on the Bread of Life. Although the passage is a most familiar one, perhaps an understanding of how and why it is set in John’s Gospel might give us new insights into its significance. Hopefully it will give us a better appreciation of the mystery that passage expresses.The Gospel that is Different – In our commentaries we often allude to the fact that John’s Gospel is “different.” While the 3 Synoptic Gospels are indeed a proclamation of the “good news”, this fourth one is a testimony of who Jesus is. It is a witnessing to Jesus. To witness means to give evidence in favor of some one by declaring something(s) we know about him or perhaps something(s) we have experienced of him, the result of which is to ask others to believe the truth about him. The content and format of this Gospel falls within that definition. Indeed John himself says it well in the conclusion of his book: “These things have been recorded to help you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, so that through this faith you may have life in his name.” The fourth Gospel according to John is actually a witness to who Jesus is! John’s Method – Part of the author’s method is to record events in the life of Jesus. Signs, miracles, works of power that reveal the mystery of Jesus invite readers to a deeper life of faith in Jesus. There are seven such miraculous sings in John’s Gospel. Some of them are followed by lengthy discourses that enlarge on the meaning of the sign. Each sign and each discourse is related within a “Come, see, and believe” context. In each case there are people questioning, some merely curious, some eager for faith, and some anxious to trap Jesus. Each case ends with Jesus revealing something new about Himself. This always demands a deep level of reflection and the making of a choice: accept all that He is or totally reject!

Bread of Life Discourse – Chapter 6 begins with the 4th sign – the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. It is the sign that discloses Jesus as the one who sustains us with his loving word and with the gift of his own life in the Eucharistic bread. As Jesus begins the discourse that follows the miracle, he identifies himself with the symbol of bread as a necessity of life. He extends an invitation to come to him for life. He is the source of life for those who believe in him. Not only does he sustain life, but he also gives life. Emphasis here is on believing the things he says and the things he does. Eternal life is the result of the belief in Jesus.

Today’s Reading – As Jesus concludes the discourse, he states, “I myself am the living bread come down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread he will live forever. The bread I will give is my flesh.” It was a startling announcement. Those listening were shocked. “How can he give us his flesh to ear?” They misunderstood and thought that Jesus meant eating his present physical flesh and blood. “They quarreled among themselves.” “Eating flesh” was a repulsive thought. In the Psalms, the metaphor meant, “to slander”, “evildoers come at me to devour my flesh” (Ps. 27:2). Drinking blood was just as shocking. The laws of Leviticus forbade such an act. Blood was sacred. It was the life principle of the living and belonged only to God. Jesus does not explain to his listeners “how it can be.” Rather, he simply repeats and emphasizes the truth of what he had just said:“Let me solemnly assure you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”And he repeats it again – “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life eternal and I will raise him up on the last day.”And again –“My flesh is real food and my blood real drink – The one who feeds on it will have life because of me.”Better understanding comes with better understanding of the word flesh. The Aramaic word for flesh signifies not physical flesh, but rather, the whole living person. Theologians of the early second century, like Ingatius of Anitoch and Justin the Martyr, define “flesh” as the risen body of Jesus. The obvious interpretations of eating flesh and drinking blood is eucharistic. A sacramental partaking of the spiritual, spirit-filled flesh and blood of the glorified and heavenly Son of Man. “Flesh” is the person of Jesus, the Incarnate Son and the Risen Lord who gives himself and communicates his life to us in the Eucharist. Jesus says several things about his flesh and blood.- He says that he is the source of eternal life for those who eat and drink. “Unless you do, you have no life in you,” “He who feeds and drinks has eternal life,” “the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.” Jesus, then, is Eucharistic food, and He gives us a foretaste of eternal life. We need to eat and drink him in order to have eternal life.He says that eating and drinking the whole person of the Risen Jesus establishes us in an intimate relationship with Him as the Risen Lord. “He who feeds and drinks remains in me, and I in him.” Partaking of the Eucharist results in an Indwelling of the Risen Lord. That indwelling, that intimate relationship is the key to eternal life. “I will raise him up on the last day.”- He says that partaking of His eucharistic flesh and blood becomes the way, the means of knowing God and of attaining eternal life. “The Father who has life (eternal) sent me … I have life (eternal) because of the Father … and so whoever feeds on me will also have life (eternal).” Jesus is later to declare “Eternal life is this – to know the One True God … The Father communicates His own life tot he Son. The Son then communicates that life to those who feed on him. In doing so, the Father and Jesus bestow on them eternal life.- He says that He is Real Bread, the True Manna, and the food that gives Real Life. That eternal life is available to whoever feeds on this bread. In contrast to our ancestors who ate the bread from heaven and died, this new bread, the Eucharistic Body and Blood of Jesus is the Real Thing, the Real Bread, which gives Real Life. “Whoever feeds on this bread shall live forever.”- He says that eternal life is the result of belief in Him. It becomes necessary to share the Divine Life, to partake of His Body and Blood in the Eucharist, to feed on Him as the source of eternal life.

Rev. Mr. Carlos Cannatella

Opelousas, LA