TV Mass Homily

“Go out to the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature”, Mark declares Jesus commissioned his disciples just before he ascended, when the Risen Christ returned to the Father. To recognize the importance and spiritual beauty of the Ascension we need to see it in the fullness of salvation history. Jesus’ descent to share in our humanity began at the annunciation when Mary conceived him by the power of the Holy Spirit. It continued with the birth of our Lord in Bethlehem where the shepherds and Magi offered homage. It was followed by his quiet years in Nazareth when he grew in wisdom. Then came his years of public ministry which included teaching, healing, praying, calling and commissioning.   It culminated in his passion, death and resurrection. While we…

Thank you hardy souls for praying with us today. For those joining us by way of television and social media and wonder where all  the people are, you should know that as this Mass is being prayed and recorded, we are in the midst of a blizzard with heavy snow and strong winds. It is important in stormy times like this that we make prudent decisions in dealing with them, especially safe travel. It is also important that we look out for one another, certainly family but also for neighbors especially the elderly and vulnerable who may need support and help. We also should pray for the safety of all in harm’s way especially those responders who protect us and those crews that seek to keep us safe on the…

He is risen; he is risen indeed. That is a common Easter greeting and response of believers around the world. It is the essential declaration of our faith. He is risen and the world is changed forever. May we too be changed because we know that He is risen. A blessed and joyful Easter to each of you and to those you love. At Easter we celebrate new life in Christ in many ways. One is by welcoming new members into our faith community I had the privilege of doing so last night at the Easter Vigil. Some adults were baptized, some from other Christian traditions profess their faith; and all these along others were confirmed and received Holy Communion. It always brings back memories of when I was so…

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ we just heard read is moving, haunting and humbling. Holy Scripture is one of God’s greatest gifts to us. What the inspired writer recorded is offered to teach and reassure us especially when we wonder and worry, and to motivate and empower us to look above and move forward with hope. There are two passages in the Gospel we just read that seem especially worthy of reflection on this Palm and Passion Sunday. The first was when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. Mark tells us that he began to feel sorrow and distress. Jesus said: "my soul is sorrowful even to death." You and I can relate to that. And he said, Abba, Father, “all things ae possible to you, take…

Next Sunday we begin Holy Week when palms will be blessed and the Passion according to Mark will be proclaimed. Our readings today and in the liturgies of Holy Week allow us to walk along with Christ as we recall his Passion and death that we might better appreciate the extraordinary sacrifice of the Lord for us. “I am troubled now.” Those moving words of Jesus as he contemplated the Passion to come as recorded in today’s Gospel remind us that he was fully human. His journey to the cross was one that would trouble any human, because it involves suffering. All of us seek to avoid suffering. But Jesus continues “Yet what should I say? Father, save me from this hour? But it was for this purpose that I…

Today we celebrate Laetare Sunday, Rejoice Sunday. Thus I wear this rose vestment which is a sign of joy. It allows for a modest halt in the penitential practices of Lent as we look with joyful anticipation to Easter and the Resurrection only a few weeks away. The Gospel reading raises up that about which we can be joyful. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” God so loves us that if we believe in him we will have eternal life. Whether we truly believe is reflected in how we live His teachings. Lent is an opportunity to reflect on how well we live what we believe. A woman came into…

“He was transfigured before them, his clothes became dazzling white such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.”  It was breathtaking, other worldly. How can we imagine what ‘dazzlingly white’ really is? Recently we have experienced in Sioux Falls early morning fog. As it lifts the sun breaks through I look out the window of the Bishops House and see the trees and all their branches rapped in snow and ice shrouded in a brilliant white that was beautiful, awesome, breathtaking, dazzling. As I walked across the street to come to the Cathedral new snow had fallen and as I left the artificial light of the house into natural light, dazzling white enveloped me, awesome and breathtaking. These images surely pale to the sight the three Apostles were privileged…

Let us join in prayer for those victims, families and others touched by the horrendous school shooting in Florida this past week. May Our Lady as sorrowful mother console and walk with them. We are in the season of Lent when we are called to reflect on our lives and our behaviors, in preparation for walking with Jesus in His passion and in anticipation of His resurrection. Lent is a time for healthy and honest self-examination. It is an invitation for conversion. Saint John Paul II wrote that real conversion is not a negative but the freeing discovery of God’s mercy. So while the journey of conversion requires confronting ourselves, our practices and our behaviors which we might prefer to avoid, genuine conversion lifts us closer to the Father in…

Cleanliness is next to godliness is the old saying. “If you wish, you can make me clean,” the leper who was an outcast from society beseeched Jesus. He was growing closer to God in that plea. Scholars tell us that the word “leprosy” in the 1st reading from Leviticus included not only the disease known today as Hansen’s disease, but a number of skin diseases and ailments that would exclude persons afflicted from the worshipping community surely in part for fear of contagion but also because they were not ritually clean. Cleanliness has a large role to play in our day as well. There are all kinds of products on the market to assure that we and our possessions are clean not only from disease but from embarrassment. As a…

A preliminary note; The annual Catholic Family Sharing Appeal which supports diocesan ministries including the Mass seen on television and available on social media is beginning. I encourage you to review the brochure that families will soon receive in the mail or visit the diocesan website and then prayerfully consider how you might help our diocesan family through these ministries. I am appreciative of your generosity in the past and in this year’s appeal. Prayer of course is essential and priceless. Please pray for our diocese and for me. “Is not man’s life on earth drudgery? . . . I am filled with restlessness.” So declares Job in our first reading. It might describe some of us in February, the shortest and seemingly the longest month of the year. We…