Ascension of our Lord! - Letting go

Last week's homily is in the library >>>

The Scriptures for this Sunday, the Ascension are available at the USCCB>>>

I have presiding at the Saturday 4:00pm and the Sunday 12:30pm Masses

This Solemnity of the Ascension confronts the Christian and the community with the in between time and the patient virtue of "putting it down gently". I believe in our personal lives we might have the most vivid experience of this Christian virtue is what we call "anticipatory grief".

Although this feast shows Jesus rising up into the clouds, I am thinking of his agony in the garden...the long, slow, painful, process of getting used to the idea, a frightening idea.

Letting go of life as we have known it. That is the message of the Ascension, I think. It is something that the Church proposes but never gets used to. Letting go of this thing to make room for the next thing that life and reality have to present to you.

What do you think

Easter VI -Down, Dark, Dangerous and Daily

Don't miss last Sunday's peaching.>>>>

This Sunday's Scriptures are available>>>>

I am preaching at 9:30 and 11:00am Masses.

This Sunday of Easter presents to us this famous formula of God's friendship with us - indwelling. If God is to be believed we need to get used to God relating to us in new and intimate ways.

I am the descendant of two coal miners. Their heritage has helped me to understand not only THAT God dwells within but HOW I am called and able to live with God where He chooses to live: down, dark, dangerous and daily.

Soul Mining!

Easter V is in the library

This Easter V homily is listed in the library as "Love One Another - a New Way!". I thought they were all getting listed In the library by date. Sorry. I'll work on that.

This Week - Easter V

I'm having Mass at 5:30 on Sat and 8 am on Sunday.
Check out readings for this Sunday>>>
Check out last week's homily>>>>>
They tell me it's a keeper!

This Sunday is a reflection upon the love of God and it's standard bearer - matrimony. St. Paul tells us that husband and wife are the icon of the love that God, the bridegroom, has for us His Bride, the Church. Spousal love is a tough sell these days...fewer and fewer people are getting married and only about half of them stay that way. Christian marriage (like it's counterpart the priesthood) are poorly understood and thus under-appreciated and finally difficult to live in this world.

Jesus wants us to love our neighbor as ourselves but to do that loving "as he did it". How did Jesus love himself, God, and neighbor? To death - "this is what it means to love, lay down your life for your friends." His witness as to "how" we love makes all the difference. The golden rule (do unto others....) is insufficient. We need to do unto others as Jesus did unto us.

Wow. That would make for a great marriage, priesthood and community life. That would impress the world. It might even bring them to salvation. "See HOW they love one another" not just THAT they do!



Peace

Easter IV - Good Shepherd

Last week's homily on "restoration" is up in the library>

This Sunday's scriptures can be found as the usscb website>

This coming Sunday I will be presiding at 4pm on Saturday, 11am on Sunday and at the first of our two First Communion Masses. It's my "First" First Communion, too.

I am thinking mostly about "being taken in hand". The Gospel refers to the Good Shepherd who says "No one can take them out of my hand....no one can take them out of the Father’s hand." I believe that my Holy Thursday homily (which referred to "getting into Jesus" and "Jesus getting into us") is something I will not be able to avoid repeating.

Being taken "in hand" is a Eucharistic gesture, but it is also a gesture or expression of intimacy. The parish, a job, a spouse, or any other worthy "effort" is now in "good hands" - like All State. Husband and wife "now join your right hands" and I have asked for "your hand" in marriage. Something is entrusted into your "able hands".

While some might hear "control" (as if to handle), those who live in love hear "tender embrace" and "conscientious care". As we take "Jesus in hand" we are also taken "into his hands". It is this reciprocal relationship that the Good Shepherd desires with us and we seek in the Holy Eucharist.

So, are you in Good Hands? Have you gotten a "handle" on this Jesus? Let's see.

Easter III

The April 18 Homily in the Library>>>>>>>>>>>

Easter III - Put Back in Place

Last Sunday's homily is available in the library>>>>>>>>

I am preaching on Saturday April 17 at the 4:00pm and on Sunday April 18 at 11:00 & 12:30.

This Sunday's readings are available at the link posted "USCCB">>>

Notice we are collecting a few comments that are very helpful and some followers of the blog.

This third Sunday of Easter pushes our faith in the Resurrection of Jesus and the remission of sins a bit further....quite a bit.

It is one thing to forgive (see Homily of April 11 2010). It is a second thing to be reconciled (a very different thing). It is a third and colossal thing to be restored to ones original place of trust. Jesus forgives Peter's betrayal, the two are reconciled, and then Jesus says "I am going to make myself vulnerable to you again." Wow.

Jesus puts Peter back in his place as leader of the flock (remember .... You are Peter) even after Peter let him down. Jesus checks the sincerity of Peter's conversion, his repentance, and his sincere purpose of amendment and then he says "now go and do what I need you to do"....knowing full well that Peter is still imperfectly Peter.

Jesus trusts frail Peter because of new power from on high. It is no longer reliant upon Peter's weak commitment but it is all about the risen and invincible power of Jesus Christ. Can we do the same in our lives?

Can the husband entrust his heart to the wife who has betrayed him? Can the adult child of the recovering alcoholic parent let there be family love after all these years and injuries?

Only by the power of resurrection. What do you think?

Mercy Sunday Homily - Do We Know How to Forgive?

The homily for Sunday April 11th is in the library>>>>>>>>>
Check it out!

The book I referenced is "Healing Wounded Emotions" by Martin Padovani, SVD

Mercy Sunday - Can you forgive?

This is the Second Sunday of Easter and more recently it is known as Mercy Sunday. I will be preaching at the 5:30pm Saturday Mass and the 8:00am Sunday Mass.

The readings for this Sunday can be found by following the link on your right>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Last Sunday's homily is available at the Estok Homily Library link >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Why not join this blog page as a follower - you can do so annonymously. Just like commenting>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I am thinking that the apostolic community was an impressive bunch! They not only had a transformation in their lives personally, but they were working some impressive deeds in the sight of the world publicly. These deeds were changing people's lives. Thousands were being added, crowds would press in upon them, people just wanted to get close to them because of their "power" to heal, to calm, to forgive in the name of Jesus.

Not so much with us today, the succesors to the Apostles. We perform the miracle of the Eucharist everyday and our churches are empty. No one is lining up to hear us preach, feel our power, experience our faith. But I am thinking this could change.

I think we have a gift from God that we are not employing...a gift,if employed, would startle the world. It is mercy. We can forgive. Jesus has entrusted this gift and power to us. And we are not and don't know how to use it. The world is afflicted with unforgiveness. People are holding grudges, nursing wounds, practicing combative politics, terrorizing those who have offended us. Wow.

I think our forgiving others would be an astonishing witness. But we don't know how. I think I have a secret that is the formula for forgiving. It may save our lives and change the world.

Easter Sunday - It's All About Heaven, Not!

Blessed Easter to All! The Easter homily is up in the archive>>>>>>>>

Why not become a follower - I think you will receive updates when I make entries.

The Holy Triduum

My homily from Palm Sunday is posted at the Library>>>>>>

the readings for all of the celebrations are at www.usccb.org

I will be presiding at the Holy Thursday Mass at 7:30, the Good Friday service at 7:30pm and on Easter Sunday 9:30am downstairs in the parish hall and 11:00am in the church.

Blessed Easter!

Palm Sunday - Let the passion begin!

Last week's homily is available in the "Library">>>>>>>>>>

The scriptures for this Sunday can be found at www.usccb.org under "daily readings".

Since the passion is so lengthy my preaching at the 4:00pm & 8:00am masses will be brief. The most difficult but important thing for Catholics in Holy Week is to show up. I mean physically and consciously or spiritually. In Catholicism we can't separate the two. We are a sacramental people. It is insufficient to just "spiritually commune with Jesus" (try to be a nicer person for example) if you are not going to actually commune with Jesus in Word, Sacrament and Community. So be there!

It is also insufficient for us as Catholics to simply go through the motions again this year while remaining spiritually and personally unavailable. So.....show up!

Make a re-turn to the Lord! Show up this Holy Week. Let the passion begin for you, with you, in you. Show up!

Lent 5 - March 21, 2010

Sunday's homily is up in the Estok Homily Library>>>>>>>>>>>>
See what you think.

Lent 5 - Where are we aiming?

Homily from last Sunday is available at the Estok Homily Library>>>>>>

This Sunday's readings are available at usccb.org "daily reading" >>>>>>

I will be presiding and preaching at the 11:00am Mass on Sunday 3/21.

Something New!

The warning of the prophet that "God is doing something new" is less of a warning and more of a hopeful promise. This promise feeds into my Lenten theme of conversion. Recall we are invited to make a re-turn to the Lord but our destination (deeper reconciliation in communion with God and neighbor) is not some place where we have been before. It sounds a bit like Alice in Wonderland but we are called back to a place we've never been before!

St Paul speaks eloquently of the state of those called to a converted life in Christ....not that he is living it perfectly but he is fixed on the new destination. He is turning away from what was and he is moving toward the new thing before him.

Have we accepted the liberation from what was, what never was and committed to what can be with God?

Lent Week 4 - Laetare Sunday - Be Ambassadors of Reconciliation

I will be preaching at the 9:30am and 12:30pm Masses this Sunday March 14th.

The readings for this Sunday can be found at http://www.usccb.org/nab/031410c.shtml

The homily from Lent 3 is available at the Estok Homily Library to the right of the page.

The elder brother in the story of the prodigal (younger) son is an "icon" if you will of precisely where we do not want to be and, sadly, where all of us, to some extent, are . The tragedy of the older brother is two fold:
1. He refuses to enter the celebration of life and love that the Father has invited him to share and
2. He thinks he has been and is faithful enough to his Father.

Both failures on the elder brother's part are failures to live in the Communion of the Father. They are especially tragic because in both cases the elder brother stands arrogantly upright in his misunderstanding. He doesn't know what he doesn't know. Ouch!

How much he looks like me. I so often refuse to enter the Communion of life and love that God offers to me in the present moment. I am hurt, sad, or frightened that what God is offering is somehow going to mean a "loss" for me (and a win for someone else). Even more tragically, what contributes to my stubborn failure to embrace Communion with God is the mis-understanding that I am sufficiently "righteous" - I don't need anymore because I have responsibly lived my faith up to now.

Ouch. Isn't it funny that our perceived "success" at being faithful religious people can become the obstacle to our becoming truly religious people "reconciled with God and others".

To be truly religious, truly converted, truly turned toward the Lord we must be reconciled in the blood of Christ - made more deeply one with Him. The only believable proclamation of such a converted life is the deeper and deeper reconciliation with our neighbor.

This is a tall order this week. Let's pray for one another.

A New Twist - Faith Formation on the Blog

Coffee and Crumbs with the Pastor

This one hour conversation may be of interest to you. The theme is faith, church and conversion. Give a listen at "www.archive.com". Search "Estok" and the title is....Coffee and Crumbs!

Recordings Update

Well, you know that I was having problems operating my digital recorder. I am working on the operator (me). I realized that Lent Homilies 1,2, and 3 weren't "up". Now they are. Thanks for the heads up. That means somebody's logging in! Welcome!

Lent III - Holy Ground

The Homily from last weekend can be found at http://www.archive.org, search keyword Estok, Titled: Lent 2 - February 28, 2010

I am celebrating mass on Saturday 3/6 at 4:00pm and on Sunday 3/7 at 8:00am.

The readings for this Sunday can be found http://www.usccb.org/nab/030710.shtml

I am thinking again about encounter with the God who loves us. Moses meets up with God in the holy place of the burning bush. God is revealed in this meeting to be the God "Who Is". Holy Ground. Moses' encounter with the living God reveals who God is and it changes or 'exposes' who Moses really is - the one called to lead Israel to freedom - Holy Ground.

I am thinking that during this Lenten season 2010 we are being invited again to meet the God "Who Is" on Holy Ground - encounter. In doing so it is revealed to us who we really are. Encounter with God who is Truth reveals who we are and we are Love.

The teaching of Jesus in the gospel says that if we know WHO we really are then the fruit of that reality ought to reveal it. If we meet God Who Is Love and we discover again that WE are in His loving image - then the fruit of our lives will be the love we bear.

What do you think?

Dis-, Con-,Trans-figured! Lent Week II

This Sunday I will be presiding and preaching at the 9:30am and 11:00am Masses. The Sunday readings can be found at: www.usccb.org/nab/022810.shtml.
Last week's homily is available at: www.archive.com[search: Estok].

This week is the Second Sunday of Lent and the week we traditionally hear the story of Jesus' Transfiguration. If we take the word apart (as the title of this post indicates) we can readily see that it means "changed image". Customarily and understandably we think of it as the "change in Jesus' look" - the showing of him in a new image. What I am thinking is that the change that takes place is not in Jesus at all - but in his disciples.

While Jesus was "changed in his image" or transfigured, it is his disciples that were trans-formed or "changed in shape". It is the shape of their faith and understand that was changed by what they beheld in Jesus. Lent is a time for such transformation in us. Transformation is a more helpful word then our typical lenten word of "repent". Repenting can be understood as confessing error and "returning" to our former state of relationship with God.

I prefer transform or convert to express the call of our lenten journey. We are not called "back to" where we were but rather to "turn into" something that we have never fully been. Our journey to Communion with God is not a so much a staircase to heaven (one step forward and closer after another) but a spiral path that circles around familiar places while increasingly growing closer to the love of God.

What do you think?