March 21, 1999Fifth Sunday of Lent |
1. Holy Week is not meant to be just a series of anniversary celebrations for past events. That would be reason enough to celebrate; but there is more than that. In Holy Week, especially the Triduum, we celebrate the paschal mystery, the dying and rising of the Lord Jesus, as it takes place in us His people. The dying and rising of Jesus is understandable enough; but do we understand and experience how that applies to us?
2. Palm Sunday celebrates with a parade and the reading of the Passion. There are a number of purposes to this celebration. To mention just one: to come to terms with the unexpected reality that the crown of thorns is truly a crown of victory.
3. The reform of the liturgical calendar has attempted to restore a mind-set that had been lost. As a little child in the forties, I was taught that Lent ended at noon on Holy Saturday. An important change was made in the fifties (almost 40-45 years ago) that still is not understood by many. Lent ends with the afternoon of Holy Thursday; "Easter" begins the evening of Holy Thursday. The Easter celebration consists of two parts: the Triduum (the Three Days) and the Great Fifty Days. The Triduum begins with the Evening Celebration of the Lord's Supper on Thursday and ends with Paschal Evening Prayer on Sunday evening. In terms of time, it consists of Thursday evening to Friday evening, Friday evening to Saturday evening, and Saturday evening to Sunday evening; in terms of celebration, it is meant to be seen as one continuous celebration, sometimes intense sometimes relaxed, sometimes gathering together in Church, sometimes gathering in small groups or by oneself. It is meant to be a time of retreat from the usual as much as possible and a time to concentrate on prayer (including song), fasting, and listening to God's word. In real time, our conversion, our opening ourselves to letting God work in us, has been taking place hopefully all through Lent; in ritual time our conversion should really "grab" us during these three days. This is the way the Church celebrates these days; is it the way I celebrate them?
4 Some wonder good-heartedly but negatively why we celebrate so much at night, especially Saturday night. The basic reason is that the dark is representative of the "dark side". Notice sufficient lights rather than be in the dark. On the religious level it represents the kingdom of the Devil. It is into this kingdom of the Evil One that Jesus, by dying and rising, brings victory. We, accompanied by Jesus, enter this night world of Satan, to flaunt that victory as it is present in us. Secondly, it has been the common practice of the Church through the centuries to look for the return of the Lord in the middle of the night. So it is that we tend to do our important "things" at night.
5. Dying and rising are two fundamental activities for every Christian on a daily basis. This dying and rising does not refer to the physical acts of dying and being resuscitated. They are activities centered on relationships. Relationships don't just happen; they wax and they wane; they change. The relationship involved here are the ones between God and oneself as an individual and as a member of the community. The centuries have taught us that it is beneficial to give these everyday activities a definite emphasis in that time period we call Lent/Easter with a particular emphasis during the Triduum.
6. More obviously is expected of us but, if there is only one thing you could do to express your Catholic faith, the root thing is the authentic celebration of the Easter Vigil. This is the celebration of the paschal mystery in the celebration of the sacraments of initiation, Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. It is celebrated in those entering the water for the first time and in us, already initiated, through the renewal of our baptismal promises and the gathering at the Lord's table with His people.
The Church requires only those Catholics who are in the state of serious sin to make a good confession during the Lenten or Easter season. If you missed going to the parish penance service, there is still time. Those families that practice the celebration of the sacraments together are the ones that stay Catholic. The example of a family attending individual confession is a significant sign for the rest of the Body of Christ.
No matter how we may choose to plan our lives there are certain aspects which are inevitable. (I'm not thinking of taxes.) In the springtime of life it's easy to convince ourselves that we are invincible; nothing stands in our way. Our modern culture has a tendency to reinforce this mindset.
In the Gospel today, on the contrary, we are invited to look at the only One who is able to address the ultimate meaning and purpose of life. Jesus Christ came to show us the way to freedom.
A common mindset today is that there is no suffering to be tolerated. All pain is without meaning. Our faith, on the other hand, teaches us that pain helps us to look beyond ourselves and recognize that even God's Son suffered.
The greatest challenge that we face is the ultimate reality of death. In the light of Christ, it is not the final despair but the opportunity to be called to eternal life. We believe that Jesus Christ conquered sin and death. In doing so we are privileged to share in this gift.
We ponder the mystery of life in the celebration of the Good News that the Lord Jesus has left us. This means that we are invited this lenten season, especially this week, to approach the tomb with Jesus as He calls forth Lazarus. It is interesting that he was bound. How am I bound? What is it in me that needs to be set free to experience the new life that only Jesus Christ can offer?
The experience of resurrection begins now! The Lord is calling each one of us to be released from some bondage of sin. Let us open our hearts and minds to the call that Jesus extends to Lazarus and be freed to live more deeply the victory that made it possible to have life and not be afraid of death.
Let me conclude with St. Paul, Rom. 8:11; its from the second reading this Sunday. "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will bring your mortal bodies to life also through his Spirit dwelling in you.
Fr. Ron
1. More than 80 percent of the world's people live in developing countries. They use only 20 percent of the world's wealth. The remaining 20 percent of the world's people live in industrial nations and control 80 percent of the world's wealth.
2. The United States ranks FIRST in the world in weapons sold to poor nations, yet nearly LAST among industrialized nations in the proportion of resources devoted to development for the poor.
3. Women perform two-thirds of the world's work, but receive one-tenth of its income and own less than one one-hundredth of its property.
4. Thirty-five thousand persons around the world die daily of hunger and its consequences.
5. In Uganda, the government spends $3.50 per person annually on health and education and $17 per person annually on debt relief.
6. Statistics from 1995 show developing nations owing foreign creditors more than $2 trillion. The cost of providing relief for the 20 nations worst affected by the international debt burden would be $6 billion, less than the cost of one stealth bomber.
(Excerpted from Buena Vista Ink, Jan/Feb 1999, monthly newsletter of the Small Christian Community Movement in the United States)
Many Christians spend Lent trying to refrain from four-letter words. As a church, we refrain from an eight letter word. We squelch the word we usually sing to introduce the Gospel, and replace it with an expression like, Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ, King of Endless glory. Or Glory to you, Word of God, Lord Jesus Christ. Or Glory and praise to you Lord Jesus Christ. Or Praise and honor to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
The word we never mention this season is a Hebrew word meaning, Praise God! The substitutions we make simply translate the word into English and give it a Christological spin. Specifically, the God we praise before the Gospel is Christ. His story we will hear. His words we will proclaim.
Although the liturgy does not strictly forbid us from saying the unmentionable word at other parts of a Lenten Mass, it's a good custom not to. Careful parish musicians will have us singing hymns that never include the word. So when it returns during the Easter Vigil, sung before the Gospel again, it rings out with real freshness and joy.
Some monastic communities took the custom even further. They would write the word on a scroll or piece of paper, put it in a box, and actually bury it just before Ash Wednesday. Then they would unearth it come Easter day.
The whole custom of substitution also shows the fine attention we give the proclamation of the Gospel. Before we hear the Gospel, we all stand, Deacon asks a blessing, we sing the acclamation, a procession with candles and incense may form, a separate Gospel book may be carried in the procession, the deacon greets the assembly, and we all sign ourselves with the cross.
Then afterward, the deacon kisses the book and processes back to his place. The liturgy goes to extremes to call our attention to this reading of the good news, the words of Christ, the living Word of Christ now proclaimed and active in our midst, warming our hearts, making us one, sending us forth in service.
When we do not speak the unmentionable word, when we sing another acclamation, we also become aware that the indescribable mystery about to be proclaimed, when fully pondered, will leave us utterly speechless.
Paul Turner
It becomes obvious that if we want to make relatively minor changes in our lives, we can perhaps appropriately focus on our attitudes and behaviors. But if we want to make significant, quantum changes, we need to work on our basic paradigms.
Principles are not values. A gang of thieves can share values, but they are in violation of fundamental principles. Principles are the territory. Values are maps. When we value correct principles, we have truth - a knowledge of things as they are.
A paradigm shift is a change in thinking that comes when we gain additional insight and understanding. Effective individuals create opportunities for paradigm shifts.
Whatever lies at the center of a person's life becomes the primary source of security, guidance, wisdom, and power.
Paradigm shifts/metanoia.
Correct principles/moral fundamentals
Center of one's life/Where your treasure is...
Did somebody say, Jesus Christ?! Did somebody say, Christianity?!
-Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
1. EZEKIEL 37:12-14.
The people of Israel were in bondage. They were oppressed in their Babylonian captivity and sometimes wondered whether God had forgotten them. Ezekiel spoke to them in one magnificent symbolic story. He promised them that God would raise their dead bones to a newness of life.
APPLICATION: Christi ans are persons who have received the gift of new life in Christ. May we always celebrate it in deeds of goodness.
2. ROMANS 8:8-11.
St. Paul never tired of talking about the new life of the Spirit which God had breathed into his people through Christ. This is the Spirit of Jesus in whom we receive eternal life.
APPLICATION: So many in our world are ignorant of the strength and love of Jesus. We ask that God's light may shine in the darkness and bring new heart to those without hope.
3. JOHN 11:1-45.
During his public ministry, Jesus performed many miracles to demonstrate that the Kingdom of God was breaking in upon the world. We hear about one of the last miracles of Jesus where he raises Lazarus from the dead. He is prepared to put his own life to his friend.
APPLICATION: Faith in Jesus brings life, eternal life. Belief in Jesus conquers death. It does not take the pain of death away, it gives hope.
Fr. Eugene R. Sinz
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT: New Life/Resurrection - Have you ever felt like your life has become dry and lifeless? Sometimes, people begin to feel a sense of hopelessness, that life has reached a dead-end. Our readings today call us to find hope in the new life, the Resurrection. We are called to see that God in his son, and through their Spirit of Love, are working to give us new life. Am I willing to examine the lifeless, hopeless aspects of my life? Am I willing to seek forgiveness, to find hope, to experience, to be raised up and to raise up others? Do my words and actions bring death - or give life?
By: Joseph F. Pearce, C.O.
Palm Sunday, a day of rejoicing, the crowds recognize Jesus as Messiah and King. All Jerusalem rejoices. It will turn into a fleeting joy. A mere five days later, these same crowds will be shouting, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" and threaten to riot when Pilate offers to release Jesus. For the Apostles, Palm Sunday opened as a week of promise only to end in disaster. How should Palm Sunday speak to us? Palm Sunday should challenge us to look at our expectations. Our highs are never as high as they appear and our lows, no matter how low, are never as low as they appear. Success, which many people rate high in importance, is always fleeting and is never truly what it appears. It is always an illusion. On the surface, Jesus' glorious entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday appeared to be the pinnacle of success. Yet, it would prove to be illusionary. We know that Jesus would not achieve His ultimate success until his resurrection on Easter Sunday, a success that would begin with His inglorious death on Good Friday. The despair that the disciples felt on Holy Thursday with the arrest of Jesus will ultimately bloom into the great joy of Easter. What of the palms that the crowds would wave at Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem? They symbolize life, hope, and victory. The palm that we receive should remind us that Jesus' death has won us life eternal. It should remind us no matter how dark the moment may seem to us, Good Friday was very dark for the disciples, that the light of Christ is in us and will give us hope and dispel the darkness of despair away. The palm stands for the victory that Christ won over sin and death. Both have been defeated and overcome already. Their power has been broken. Death where is your sting? Our sins are forgiven through our sincere asking of God in reconciliation. Palm Sunday is many things, but above all a testimony of God's love for us all.
CATHOLICS IN THE U.S. ARE BEING INVITED TO PREPARE FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM by recommitting themselves to answer Jesus' call to "love your neighbor as yourself." The Jubilee Pledge for Charity, Justice and Peace answers Pope John Paul it's observation about how to prepare for the new millennium: "Indeed, it must be said that a commitment to justice and peace...is a necessary condition for the preparation and celebration of the Jubilee." The pledge is being distributed by a coalition of justice groups, including the U.S. Catholic Conference, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and Catholic Relief Services. Those who answer the call to work for peace and justice in the new millennium pledge themselves to:
In the first reading from Ezekiel the Lord told the people that soon the graves of the dead would open, and they would rise. St. Paul tells the Romans that God who raised Jesus from the dead will also raise those in whom the Spirit dwells. The Gospel is the classic resurrection story. In raising his friend Lazarus from the dead, Jesus declares, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Message:
The life that is given us in baptism and is restored in us throughout our lifetime is more than mortal, more than human; it is the life of the Father, Son, and Spirit. It is a gift; it is also a responsibility. So to preserve this resurrection and life within in and around us, we work on the virtue of perseverance.
Application:
Resurrection is something more than what happens to us after death. Jesus raises from spiritual death the Lazarus within each one of us through the pleading of the community and through the unwrapping of those layers of death that keep us isolated from being fully alive and make us stink with lies and hypocrisy, prejudices and shunning, anger and violence.
So, to make resurrection happen within us, we need to take some pro-active steps in our thoughts and behaviors (which ultimately is the meaning and purpose of penance during Lent), like:
As we identify with the dying of Jesus in this latter part of Lent, we prepare ourselves to conform to the new life of resurrection which Jesus offers us.
Benet Fonck OFM
The Individual Aspect of Penance
In the last years much has been done to highlight in the Church's practice in conformity with the most ancient tradition of the Church the community aspect of penance and especially of the Sacrament of Penance. We cannot, however, forget that conversion is a particularly profound inward act in which the individual cannot be replaced by others and cannot make the community a substitute for him. Although the participation by the fraternal community of the faithful in the penitential celebration is a great help for the act of personal conversion, nevertheless, in the final analysis, it is necessary that in this act there should be a pronouncement by the individual himself with the whole depth of his conscience and with the whole of his sense of guilt and of trust in God, placing himself like the psalmist before God to confess: Against you ... have I sinned (Ps 51:6).
In faithfully observing the centuries-old practice of the Sacrament of Penance, the Church is therefore defending the human soul's individual right ... to a more personal encounter with the crucified forgiving Christ, with Christ saying, through the minister of the Sacrament of Reconciliation: Your sins are forgiven (Mk 2:5); Go, and do not sin again (Jn 8:11).
As is evident, this is also a right on Christ's part with regard to every human being redeemed by Him. [It is] His right to meet each one of us in that key moment in the soul's life constituted by the moment of conversion and forgiveness. By guarding the Sacrament of Penance, the Church expressly affirms her faith in the mystery of the Redemption as a living and life-giving reality that fits in with the desires of the human conscience.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied (Mt 5:6). The Sacrament of Penance is the means to satisfy man with the righteousness that comes from the Redeemer Himself. [RH n. 20]
Pope John Paul II
With this series of historical vignettes we review the history of the parish and archdiocese.
DECLINING DAYS OF THE OLD CATHEDRAL
Now a new archbishop sat upon the episcopal throne of St. Louis - John Joseph Kain. In 1893 Archbishop Kain had been named coadjutor Archbishop of St. Louis, after having been consecrated in 1875. The Old Cathedral enjoyed a few more festive days, when in April, 1896, Cardinal Satolli, the Apostolic Delegate, celebrated Solemn Mass there, and a month later, when the new archbishop was invested with the Sacred Pallium.
For ten years Archbishop Kain guided the destinies of the archdiocese, but then broken in health relinquished the burden to younger and stronger shoulders, those of John Joseph Glennon, who had been consecrated bishop in 1896, and made coadjutor to the Archbishop of St. Louis in April, 1903. On October 13, 1903, Archbishop Kain died, being buried with the most solemn honors from the Old Cathedral.
The next and last great ecclesiastical function held in the Old Cathedral was the bestowing of the Pallium upon the new archbishop, John Joseph Glennon, on May 14, 1905, amid scenes of great pomp and ceremony. It was on this triumphant occasion that the death knell for cathedral glory for the Old Cathedral was sounded. Archbishop Ireland in his sermon addressing Archbishop Glennon said: Great things you must do for St. Louis and America. You will build a cathedral for St. Louis...The honor of St. Louis demands a cathedral...Take up the memories of the Old Cathedral! The cathedral of Rosati and Kenrick; the cathedral of pioneer Catholics of St. Louis, perfuming with them the New Cathedral.
The inevitable had overtaken the first church of St. Louis.
From that date the building of the New Cathedral became the absorbing interest of Catholic St. Louis, and on October 18, 1914, the magnificent New Cathedral at Lindell and Newstead Avenues was blessed and opened for divine services. Then it was that the official title of cathedral passed from the old church to the new, and historic shrine which since its erection by Bishop Rosati had proudly borne the title of cathedral, now became officially the Church of St. Louis IX, King of France. But to St. Louis, it has always remained the Old Cathedral.
