Lord Jesus, I thank you for 62 years of marriage with my wife Marilynn and all the life you have given us — inviting each us to have a special encounter with you forty-eight years ago on back to back evenings; our four married children, their spouses, and thirteen children; our special daughter born with Down syndrome who teaches us about your love and ways; a baby lost in miscarriage whom we have never met; our health; and your provision for our daily needs.

Though challenges have been encountered, your presence has seen us through them even when we may not have recognized that you were there.    

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness through all generations.” (Psalm 100: 4-5)

“The promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.”  (Acts 2:39)

Saint Peter is speaking to a crowd of three thousand after the apostles experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit following Jesus’ ascension, as described in Chapter 2 of the Book of Acts. 

Who are the people that are “far off?”  That’s us – you and me.  We are far off in time and distance.  But it is the same Holy Spirit with the same gifts of the Holy Spirit as set out in Isaiah 11 of wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge and fear of the Lord, and the same gifts as listed in 1 Corinthians 12 of faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing spirits, and speaking in different kinds of tongues. 

These gifts of the Holy Spirit are timeless in God’s eyes.  They were not meant just for the apostles and their followers, but also for those who are “far off” – us.  The gift of knowledge and wisdom enables us to discern how to react or pray in a given situation; the gift of faith helps us believe in the midst of a culture that does not; the gift of healing demonstrates God’s intense love for us; the gift of miraculous powers demonstrates God’s presence in the world today; the gift of tongues affirms the Holy Spirit’s presence in us individually.     

Peter said, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” (Acts 2:40) Our generation is no less corrupt than the first century.  But experiencing the Holy Spirit and having the gifts of the Holy Spirit at our disposal will help us both overcome and redeem the present generation.   

Have you experienced any of the gifts of the Holy Spirit described in the Bible?  

A few years ago, some Christian friends in our parish were studying a book entitled Divine Renovation by Father James Mallon about parish renewal.  The book was about bringing Catholic parishes from “maintenance to mission.”  Its purpose was to bring renewal to a person’s life by encouraging a personal encounter with Jesus Christ and a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit, thereby bringing renewal to the parish.    

When I first heard what they were doing, I didn’t respond initially to get involved.  One of the tools they were using was the Alpha program, a series of high impact videos followed by small group discussion.  The videos deal with life’s biggest questions such as Is There More to Life than this? Why Did Jesus Die? What Does the Holy Spirit Do? How Can I Resist Evil? How Can I Make the Most of the Rest of My Life?  It runs for eleven weeks plus a Saturday retreat about the Holy Spirit. 

While I was initially reluctant, I attended the first Alpha program and saw that it was indeed leading people to the renewal of their faith.

There is the Old Testament story of Naaman, who was the commander of the Army of the King of Aram and who had leprosy.  A young girl from Israel in his household told his wife about the prophet, Elisha who could heal Naaman of his leprosy.  Naaman traveled to Israel, expecting Elisha to say a fancy prayer over him with lots of ritual, but Elisha sent a messenger instructing him to go wash himself seven times in the Jordan River.  Naaman grew angry and went off in a rage, rejecting the opportunity to be healed.  His servants persuaded him to reconsider.  He did as Elisha instructed, and he was healed of his leprosy.  (1 Kings 5:1-14)

How often do we not recognize opportunities that God puts in our lives to bring about his presence more fully in us and in others?  After attending the first Alpha course, I joined the team, and we have been conducting Alpha courses for the last five years. Hundreds of parishioners have attended.  Many have reported experiencing Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in a way that has deepened their faith.    

Is God offering you an opportunity to grow closer to him, or to bring his presence to others? 

“If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.  My Father will love him, and we will come and make our home with him.” (John 14:23 NIV)

This has to be one of the great promises of scripture.  This is not about being with Jesus and the Father in heaven in the future.  This is about now.  Jesus is saying that if we open our heart, soul, and mind to him and follow his teaching that he and the Father will take up residence in us.  They will live with us and be present to us like family. 

Jesus answers the further question of how this can come about in his additional promise in Revelation 3:20 when he says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me.” He promises a special friendship if we open the door of our hearts to him.

We can ask Jesus about anything – our daily choices, our decisions at work, how we relate to people, how we respond to a neighbor sharing a need, and how we love our families and the people in our lives.     

A few years ago, at a Catholic ministry outreach to the county jail, an inmate asked about how a person can relate to Jesus.  I’m thinking about how I should respond to him.  The thought came into my mind to share about a personal encounter I once had with the Lord that changed the course of my life.  I thought, “is that what you want me to do, Lord?”   I felt like he said yes, so I shared my experience.  After I shared, two other inmates who had been attending our sessions, shared their personal stories of having a personal encounter with Jesus.  Inmates are very cautious about what they share in front of other inmates so as not to show any weakness. Their stories made my story even more credible to the inmate who asked the question.  It was one of the best discussions we ever had.    

Jesus is available to us 24/7.  If he has taken up residence in us, we can ask him any question any time.

Have you opened the door of your heart to Jesus and invited him to take up residence?   

“If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” (Mt. 6:14)

Jesus spoke these words immediately after giving the disciples the Lord’s Prayer, apparently to highlight the importance of the petition on forgiveness — “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”  We can’t expect God to forgive us of our sins if we are not forgiving others of their sins against us.

Many years ago, a friend and I joined a music group playing our guitars for a Saturday evening mass at a small parish in Armonk, New York. After a couple of months, we were abruptly asked to leave without any explanation.  We were angered by the summary dismissal and dwelt on it for several months.  At a Christmas Eve mass during the sign of peace I felt the nudge to walk over to the music group leader and offer the sign of peace, which led to a hug of forgiveness.    The leader and I became close Christian friends and still stay in touch. My guitar playing friend continued to remain angry.  

When Peter asked how many times we should forgive, Jesus said “not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”  Jesus then shares the parable of the unforgiving servant who, after having his debt forgiven by his master, did not do the same with a fellow servant. When his master learned of this, he responded, “You wicked servant!  I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.  Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?” (Mt. 18:21- 35)

We remember the example of Jesus’ unforgettable words from the cross, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) Forgiveness is absolutely essential for the advancement of the kingdom of God on earth.

Without God’s grace, our nature is not to forgive. We hold a grudge or seek revenge, “an eye for an eye.” But unforgiveness is like a cancer.  It gives rise to anger and resentment, robbing us of our peace and affecting us as negatively as the original wrong.  This effect applies to groups, tribes, and nations as well as individuals, and has led to a never-ending cycle of violence throughout human history.

Are you brooding over a past hurt or wrong that God is waiting for you to forgive?

“Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus.” (John 21:4)

The Gospel of John reports that seven of the disciples went fishing sometime after Jesus’ resurrection, but they did not recognize him as he called out to them from the shore.  It was only after he suggested they cast their nets on the right side of the boat and they caught 153 large fish that John said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” (John 21:7)

During the days following Jesus’ resurrection, most of his closest followers did not recognize him in their first encounter. 

Mary Magdalene thought he was the gardener and did not recognize him until he said her name, “Mary.”  The disciples on the road to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus even after he spent time with them explaining what all the scriptures had to say about him.  It was only at his breaking of the bread while dining with them that they recognized him.

How often do we fail to see the risen Lord in our lives?  Like Mary Magdalene, he may be calling us by name.  Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, he may be opening our minds to the meaning of some scripture.  Like the seven disciples fishing, he may be suggesting we take an action that will have a surprising (miraculous) result.

This past week we celebrated the 39th birthday of our daughter Emily who was born with Down syndrome.  At the time of her birth I did not recognize the presence of the risen Lord in our midst.  Later I came to see Jesus in her big beautiful smile, her purity of heart, and her natural inclination to love and hug the people she meets. 

While we may not always recognize Jesus in the people or circumstances of our lives, the apostle John in his first letter says that “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.” (1 John 4:16)

Wherever there is love, Jesus is present.  Jesus is telling us that when we love others through our actions, we love him, and he is present to us.  Let us offer love and receive love, so someone can say, “It’s the Lord.” 

Do you recognize the risen Jesus when you see him?  

We have just celebrated the most important event of our Christian faith – Jesus’ resurrection.  Yet, as significant as it is for us and human history, God was rather restrained in bringing it to people’s attention.

There was no proclamation from a choir of angels as at Jesus’ birth announcing that “A Savior has been born unto you.” (Luke 2:11)  In fact, God let Jesus’ followers kind of stumble into what had happened. On the morning of Jesus’ resurrection, we have a couple of angels asking the above question to the women who had come to anoint Jesus’ body.

The angels went on to explain that Jesus had risen from the dead just as he said he would, but the women did not understand.  For them, the only conceivable explanation was that someone had taken Jesus’ body.  Peter and John, upon hearing the women’s report had a foot race to the tomb only to find that the linens which Jesus had been wrapped in were neatly folded in two different places.  Neither did they understand, although Luke reports that Jesus did appear later to Peter. (Luke 24:34) 

Jesus also appears to Mary Magdalene, and two of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, but there was no recognition of who he was until he called Mary by name and broke bread in front of the disciples.  In spite of all the times that Jesus told the disciples before his crucifixion that he had to suffer death and rise from the dead, they did not understand. 

Why?  It was not until they had personally encountered the risen Jesus and were anointed with the Holy Spirit at the Feast of Pentecost that they began to fully comprehend what Jesus’ resurrection meant for them and human history.  St. Paul reports that Jesus appeared to more than 500 at one time. (1 Cor. 5:6)

The resurrection radically changed how the apostles and early Christians lived and modeled their lives.

Like the disciples and the early Christians, we too, need to personally experience the presence of the risen Jesus and the anointing of the Holy Spirit before we can comprehend the effect of his resurrection on our lives.  No announcement, no teaching by itself will get the job done.

That was true for me 48 years ago on an October evening when I had a personal encounter with Jesus. Through God’s grace and the power of his Holy Spirit he opened my mind and heart to the reality of his risen presence in my life.

Have you met the risen Jesus and experienced the outpouring of his Holy Spirit?

“Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

These were Jesus’ words to one of the two thieves crucified with him who has become known as the “Good Thief.”  The other thief had reviled Jesus, challenging him that if he were the Christ to save himself and them.   The good thief rebuked him, and then said, “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  Tradition tells us that the good thief’s name was Dismis.   

Jesus makes the amazing promise to Dismis that he would be with Jesus in paradise that very day.  Jesus  made this promise to no one else.    

We should take comfort in this story because it demonstrates the extraordinary mercy of God working through Jesus.  Dismis was a convicted murderer, but he witnessed the injustice of Jesus’ crucifixion and in contrast to the other thief, was persuaded that Jesus was truly the Son of God and wanted to follow him at this late moment in his life. 

A similar story played out in real life with a friend of mine, John, who was a county prosecutor in Duluth, Minnesota.  One of his early cases involved a high school friend named Jim.  Over the next twenty-six years, John would prosecute Jim a dozen times on theft-related charges to support a chemical dependency.  In the last prosecution of Jim, it was determined that he was terminally ill with sclerosis of the liver.  The judge assigned him to a hospice outside of prison.

Over the next six months, John visited Jim two or three times a week at the hospice facility.  They reminisced about growing up in the 1950s and talked about their favorite baseball teams.  They also started reading the bible together.  That fall, Jim repented of his sins and surrendered his life to Jesus Christ.  He died in late November. 

John says, “Over the last six months I frequently called Jim ‘brother’ because we were brothers in Christ.  Jim loved reading and praying the psalms.  God used Jim to teach me about acceptance of suffering and perseverance.  He showed me it’s never too late to say yes to the Lord, no matter what we have done in the past.  I know he is in paradise today – just like another thief who died on the cross next to Jesus.” 

Is there anything we should repent of during this Holy Week? 

“If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” So, Jesus said to Phillip. (John 8:19)

For most people, God as a person may be a challenge to fully comprehend.  Even if we accept the words of Genesis that God created all that exists, including us as human beings with rational minds and the capability to think and reason, it is difficult. 

The coming of Jesus made it easier for us. As he said to Phillip, “Don’t you know me, Phillip, even after I have been among you such a long time?  Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”  (John 14: 9)

While we can experience Jesus through baptism and the other sacraments, at some point there needs to be a personal encounter with Jesus in which we invite him into our lives.  It takes a personal invitation by us – asking Jesus to come into our hearts and be a part of our life.  Jesus will not push his way into our hearts. We have to open the door and invite him in.  This happened to me when I was in my 30s and it was a watershed moment in my life.  All my priorities began to change.  I am still capable of messing up, but with my friendship with Jesus, I know he will forgive me as soon as I go to him and ask him.

Jesus says, “For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”  (Matthew 7: 8) We come to know God through Jesus — just as Jesus said to Phillip.  As we become familiar with what Jesus said and did in the four gospels, we become familiar with God.  The way Jesus loved, forgave, and related to people, is the way God relates to us.  Just as Jesus was very approachable, so too, is God. 

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are available for us to come to know personally, but we need to extend the invitation.

Have you made the invitation?