Will you be meaner than hell?

Homily

Nuptial Mass of Mikala Liley and Reagan Dricken

St. Lawrence Catholic Center at the University of Kansas

18 May 2024

Saturday of the 7th Week of Easter

AMDG

Mik and Reagan, are you meaner than hell?

You know exactly where I'm going with this.  You heard this very homily theme just six days ago, at your KU graduation.  It's true that I'm too lazy to come up with a new theme for your wedding homily, but it seemed to work fine last week, so why not run it back?

So are you or aren't you meaner than hell?

You know exactly what I mean by this, having listened to my Catholic Jayhawk homilies for years now.  Yet since I'm quickly running out of chances to preach at my beloved St. Lawrence, I have no problem reminding you once and for all that a Catholic Jayhawk is to be capable of risk, vulnerability, commitment, communion, sacrifice, influence and tenacity. These marks of a great story are not exactly the 7-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit, but in my opinion, they're not that far off.

Mik and Reagan, as your spiritual Father at KU I'm so proud of you on your wedding day because you are precisely the reason that St. Lawrence Center exists.  You are true Jayhawks, meaner than hell, fierce missionary disciples of Jesus Christ and ready to write one of the greatest stories of faith and love of this generation.  More than that, you are determined to defeat the greatest relational, moral and spiritual evils of this age.  Your marriage is a true  participation in the paschal mystery and redemptive mission of our Lord, and destined to bear fruit that lasts. We at SLC are so very proud of your both, and we could not love you any more, nor feel more privileged to support you as you give your life unto death in this sacred space so dear to so many of us.  Congratulations to you and everyone who has believed in you, and thank you for inviting us here for this moment.

Having meant all that, still why does it matter than you are meaner than hell today?  It matters because there truly is an enemy who will try through lies to sow seeds of doubt and fear in your heart as you approach the altar of God. To defeat this enemy, you must be ferocious Jayhawks, meaner than hell.  You may not know this because you don't follow football or TikTok as much as the rest of us, but traditional Catholic marriage, the very kind you desire today, was on trial this week, especially the idea that marriage is worth giving your whole life to.

My dearest Mik, what are you thinking?  Your decision to get married just six days after busting your Jayhawk tail to achieve a hard-won architecture degree, was especially ridiculed this week by a woke mob who esteems privacy and choice as the surest path to equality.  In the face of this, you choose obedience and surrender, and courageously place your entire life and achievements under the mission of your husband, Reagan.  Reagan, really? What are you thinking?

Reagan, your faith is also on trial and is being labeled as toxic and oppressive.  In response, you double down on the words of St. Paul, who even though participating in the misogyny of his time said in Christ the least misogynistic thing ever, telling husbands to love their wives just as Christ loves His bride the Church, bathing her in the truth of His promises and prayer, cleansing Her by the chaste sacrifice of His own body.  You too Reagan, eschew privacy and choice in response to what you understand to be the gift and responsibility of your life.

Yet what makes the two of you more woke than anyone around you, is the attention you each give to perseverance in prayer.  Jesus Himself said the greatest evils can only be defeated by prayer.  So in prayer most of all you have learned that the battle of the sexes is not ultimately a competition for equality and control between you, but a holy obedience to love the good of another more than yourself.  In prayer you have been discerned participation in the eternal marriage of Christ to His Church by echoing His eucharistic words with your vows - this is my body which is 'for you.'  In prayer you have found the nuptial meaning of your body to be your deepest truth and reality, and the gift of yourself to each other as a sign of Christ's love for you, and a true participation in His passion, to be the fulfillment of the deepest desire of your heart.

Praise God that in prayer you've both found something worth fighting for, and even more than that, worth dying for.  Be meaner than hell, my little Jayhawks, in being faithful til death do you part. This is our faith, the true faith, revealed by Jesus Christ, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

+mj  

Why hate golf?

Homily

Funeral Mass for Anthony Craig McCoy

St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas

Saturday of the 7th Week of Easter B2

18 May 2024

AMDG

Why did Craig hate golf?

I had to start this brief homily by quoting the shortest line from Craig's obituary.  'He hated golf'  Though Craig loved being part of the club, and the people he knew from there, apparently he hated golf.  Smart man, I'd say.  Golf is a  four letter word, and it doesn't often bring people closer to God. Though it's a beautiful pastime and one that should bring glory to God, the holy name of God is rarely invoked in prayer and much more often used in vain on the golf course.  I have a story about that involving Bruce that is not dignified enough for a homily.  

In the end, I don't blame Craig for being like my dad, who thought golf was for sissies, and thought it quite dumb that grown men would try to hit a little white ball out of sight and then go look for it.  

If it wasn't for golf, though, I wouldn't have met my good friend Bruce, for it was through Topeka Country Club and Christ the King that I first met the McCoy's, and subsequently the McPhersons.  I'm grateful to you Cathy and to Craig, for being friends and having friends that I will cherish, and you have my deepest sympathy and prayers, Cathy, on the loss of your son just a short time ago and now your husband.  It is a great honor to pray for their souls and for the mercy and love of God to conquer even death itself, and to invite your beloved into the embrace of eternal life in heaven.

Craig built homes, and we see clearly in John Chapter 14 that this was Jesus' desire as well, to prepare a place for us in heaven, and to invite us into the way of love that builds a new home and a new kingdom that can never be destroyed.  I just returned from a mission trip to Mexico City, where I encountered thousands of homeless, young and old, natives and migrants, men and women, and it was heartbreaking.  It is a consolation that Craig knew the importance of having a home, a place where you can know who you are and who loves you, a place where you can believe that you belong and your life is destined for more.  I praise God for all the good Craig was able to do with his life; most importantly, providing a sense of home for many whom he served and loved.

Now we commend Craig to the 'way' that builds the kingdom of heaven.  The way is very simple, but easy to lose track of.  The way of Jesus is his passion for giving life to others, to being faithful to others, to serving others to the end.  Craig participated in this 'way' of Jesus in his own way, to be sure, but as with all our beloved, we lift up the love Craig was able to receive and give, and we beg mercy for the love that was lacking.  We pray that Craig's life will mysteriously participate in the sacrifice of Jesus which God has promised to use to build the kingdom of heaven.

As we confess the nail in the coffin that is the end of Craig's life here on earth, we remember the nails that fastened Jesus to the cross as He emptied Himself for love of Craig and all of us.  That love is stronger than all things, as is the cross which is not the wood of death, but the wood of new life, and where eternal life truly begins.  Amen.  

What are the sources of unity?

Homily

Thursday of the 7th and Last Week of Easter between the Ascension and Pentecost

16 May 2024

Our Lady of Guadalupe Pilgrimage with the St. Lawrence Center KU

Mexico City, Mexico

AMDG

Jesus prays not for himself the night before He dies on the cross, but for us, his little ones, his missionary disciples, his friends.  This is a reminder to always pray for others more than for ourselves, even as we can ask for whatever we want and need in the Holy Spirit, and it will be done for us.

Jesus gives us everything, always emptying Himself and holding nothing back.  This is true even of His prayer, as He prays grace after grace after grace for his little ones.  Did you hear all the graces He prays for you, his beloved?  He prays for unity in the Church, and that you may have the glory of participating fully in God's love, that you might enjoy the same perfection in unity that is in the Holy Trinity.  There is more. He prays that you will know you are a gift to him, and that He loves you even as the Father loves him.  He prays that you will know that He is with you always through His Spirit, and that His Spirit will tell you everything.  All of this, so that you can fulfill your destiny to be in God, and that those who hear your words will believe in God because of you.

What a prayer for us His little ones, His missionary disciples, and His friends. As we receive the prayer of Jesus for us, let us not be afraid that we lack anything of what we need to fulfill His new commandment of love, so that the world may believe in Him.  

Jesús no ora por sí mismo la noche antes de morir en la cruz, sino por nosotros, sus pequeños, sus discípulos misioneros, sus amigos. Este es un recordatorio de orar siempre por los demás más que por nosotros mismos, así como podemos pedir lo que queramos y necesitemos en el Espíritu Santo, y será hecho por nosotros.

Jesús nos lo da todo, vaciándose siempre y sin guardar nada. Esto es cierto incluso en Su oración, cuando ora gracia tras gracia tras gracia por Sus pequeños. ¿Escuchaste todas las gracias que Él ora por ti, su amada? Ora por la unidad de la Iglesia, y para que tengáis la gloria de participar plenamente del amor de Dios, para que podáis disfrutar de la misma perfección en la unidad que hay en la Santísima Trinidad. Hay más. Él ora para que sepas que eres un regalo para él y que Él te ama así como el Padre lo ama a él. Él ora para que sepas que Él está contigo siempre a través de Su Espíritu, y que Su Espíritu te dirá todo. Todo esto, para que puedas cumplir tu destino de estar en Dios, y que quienes escuchen tus palabras crean en Dios gracias a ti.

Qué oración por nosotros Sus pequeños, Sus discípulos misioneros y Sus amigos. Al recibir la oración de Jesús por nosotros, no tengamos miedo de que nos falte algo de lo que necesitamos para cumplir su nuevo mandamiento de amor, para que el mundo crea en Él.

What is the source of unity?

Homily

Wednesday of the 7th Week of Easter

15 May 2025

Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City

+St. Isidore

AMDG

Both St. Paul and the Lord pray fervently for disciples in today's Scriptures.  They know of the 'trouble' that disciples will face in the world in keeping faith, and remaining unified in mission.  The greatest evils are spiritual ones, and can only be case out by prayer.  So St. Paul and the Lord both pray for those they are leaving behind, entrusting them to the greater power of the Holy Spirit which will guide them and keep them in all truth.

Prayer, charity, and truth.  These themes jump out regarding the sources of unity for a church on mission.  The prayer of Christ that His disciples be one is so fervent, for He knows how much the evil one wants to divide the Church by lies, acts against charity, and discouragement in prayer.  Still, even with these dangers lurking, Jesus prays to 'send' his disciples to defeat evil just as He did, through the same spirit of charity and truth and prayer that burned in the Lord's sacred Heart until his mission is accomplished.

Tanto San Pablo como el Señor oran fervientemente por los discípulos en las Escrituras de hoy. Saben del "problema" que los discípulos enfrentarán en el mundo al mantener la fe y permanecer unidos en la misión. Los mayores males son los espirituales y sólo pueden solucionarse mediante la oración. Entonces, tanto San Pablo como el Señor oran por aquellos que dejan atrás, confiándolos al poder mayor del Espíritu Santo que los guiará y guardará en toda verdad.

Oración, caridad y verdad. Estos temas saltan a la vista respecto de las fuentes de unidad de una iglesia en misión. La oración de Cristo para que sus discípulos sean uno es tan ferviente, porque sabe cuánto el maligno quiere dividir a la Iglesia con mentiras, actos contra la caridad y desánimo en la oración. Aún así, incluso con estos peligros al acecho, Jesús ora para "enviar" a sus discípulos a derrotar el mal tal como lo hizo Él, a través del mismo espíritu de caridad, verdad y oración que ardía en el sagrado Corazón del Señor hasta que se cumpliera su misión.

Do Jayhawks fight?

Homily

Solemnity of the Ascension

Graduation Weekend and Mother's Day

12 May 2024

St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas

AMDG

Do Jayhawks fly?

I've been chaplain at KU for 8 years, and I'm a grad from here, and I still don't know.  Have you ever seen a Jayhawk fly?  Certainly not the dozens of Jayhawks affixed to pedestals all over campus. There are vulgar legends about what it would take for those Jayhawks to fly, that we won't get into here.

On the other hand, Jayhawks sure seem to fly through Allen Fieldhouse.  Johnny Furphy can fly, and he's a Jayhawk, and a kangaroo.  And now that we're a football school, Jason Bean was so fast he seemed close to liftoff, and he's a Jayhawk.

So do Jayhawks fly, or don't they?  Heck if I know.  Maybe it's a question best left to the Aerospace Engineer graduate in our midst.

Actually, there's a more critical question than whether Jayhawks fly. That question is this.  Do Jayhawks fight?  If you know the history of the Jayhawk, our killer mascot was uniquely created to be meaner than hell. The original Jayhawkers were the ruthless fighters who ensured Kansas came into the union in 1865 as a free state, not like Missouri. Two feisty birds, ferocious actually, the blue jay and the sparrow hawk, were combined into a singularly nasty hybrid known worldwide as the Jayhawk.  

Which is why my favorite rendition of our mascot is not the sexy legs Jayhawk or smiling Jayhawk, but the 1947 Warhawk.  Meaner than hell.

So, the best and last pivotal question for your KU graduates this year is not whether you will fly, but whether you are meaner than hell, whether you will fight for human dignity and freedom. You're supposed to be nasty, class of 2024, but in a good way.   Will you be tenacious in fulfilling the gift and responsibility of your life?  Jesus laid it out for you perfectly in your last Gospel at KU. Go into the world and defeat the worst spiritual, moral and relational evils of this age, confirmed by the fire of the Holy Spirit, strengthened by the accompanying signs and mysteries of Christ's sacraments, and fight like hell to fulfill the purpose and destiny of your life.

The Ascension of Jesus is not so much about flying, as the angels attest in today's Gospel, it's about fighting until the love of Christ fills and conquers all things, until all creation participates in the redemption that builds a new dimension of reality, the kingdom of Heaven.  

Your education at KU was meant to give you access to a truth that sets you free to make a sincere and meaningful gift of yourself to something that matters, something bigger than yourself.  Even more, the practice of your Catholic faith precisely at a time when you were surely tempted to ignore it, reject it, or cancel it, has given you an imagination for what your life will ultimately mean, and a capacity to be a singularly tenacious missionary disciple of Jesus Christ who will bear fruit that lasts.

The Church loves you, class of 2024. We believe in you, and we thank you for trusting us to guide your story while at KU.  We will miss you!  Our prayer is that you will fulfill your capacity for risk, vulnerability, commitment, communion, sacrifice, influence, and tenacity, as Catholic Jayhawks.  Full permission to be meaner than hell, and to write the greatest stories of faith of this generation.

Congratulations from all of us at St. Lawrence, class of 2024!  Fly, Jayhawks, fly - if you dare and if you can!  But even more than that, always fight for what you believe in.  Rock Chalk and Amen!

Who is responsible?

Homily

6th Sunday of Easter B2

5 May 2024

St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas

AMDG

Who is ultimately responsible for my life?

I bet you think you are.  But you're wrong.  God is.

God is necessary. I am not.  He is the source of life. I am not.  Life is never what I make of it, nor whatever I want it to be.  Life is receiving and remaining in the sacred truth that life is a gift.  That makes God ultimately responsible for my life.

Let's ponder deeply tonight how this works. St. John puts it like this:  in this is love, not that I have loved God, but that he first loved me.  Love is not something I generate; quite the opposite, it is first received, as the Father takes the initiative to send His Son to love me where I cannot and would never love myself.

Have you ever considered how crazy this really is?  God takes responsibility for letting me down.  He blames Himself for my sins.  He blames Himself for my lack of trust, accusing Himself of not revealing his love in a more compelling way.  So He takes the initiative.  He takes the responsibility to save my life.

Who is ultimately responsible for your life?  I bet you still think you are, that your life starts and ends with you, but it doesn't.  Now I'm not telling you to be irresponsible for careless, mind you. I'm just asking myself to admit that my perfectionism, my hyper-focus on myself to the neglect of the greater things God is doing, will never work.  There's a reason for that.  I am not God, and I cannot work myself into perfection.  I am first loved before I can do anything, and unless I am first loved I can do nothing.  I cannot perfect myself, but I can only be loved into perfection.

Let's listen to more.  It was not you who chose me, but I who first chose you!  Again God is responsible.  He takes the initiative.

Want more evidence that your life is not about you?  There's plenty more! As the Father loves me, so I love you.  It never works for me to say that as I love God, so God loves me.  That's backward, to start with myself, if only I admit it.

There's still more.  I have called you friends because I have first chosen to tell you everything.  For a fourth time in tonight's Scriptures, Jesus says our relationship starts with Him. It always starts with His desire for me, His revealing all the attention and affection He has for me right not, His emptying Himself until He serves me as His friend, by His choice not mine.

Yet despite all this, I bet you started today like I did, with my ego, trying to generate trust and passion and joy from myself, forgetting that I would have none of these things - no faith, no desire, no happiness, if God didn't first choose to trust me, to suffer for me, and to delight in me.

Still think your life is about you?  You probably do. We all do. Yet it's just not true.

God is necessary today.  I am not.  And it's His great joy to take responsibility for your life.  You only need to receive and remain.

mj  

How do I know I'm fully alive?

Homily

5th Sunday of Easter B2

28 April 2024

St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas

AMDG

How do I know I'm fully alive?  Does anybody out there know at this moment, whether you're fully alive?

It's a critical Easter question, for in this season we proclaim not only Jesus alive and risen from the dead, but that we too rise through Him to new and everlasting life?  Yet how does this work really?  How do I know this to be true, out of everything that I know to be true?  How do I know when I am fully alive?

The traditional way of asking this pivotal question is as follows:  do you know if you're saved?  Well, first of all, what does it mean to be saved?  I hope we can all agree that it's nothing less than being fully forgiven, healed, set free to live a new life, and to lay hold of a destiny to live forever in God.  To be saved is nothing less than to experience even now the fullness of life, which is why I like to pose the question in just this way.  How do I know when I'm fully alive?

Salvation must be more than a one and done profession of Jesus as my personal savior.  That's a great start, don't get me wrong, but everything about today's readings say there is more than simply believing in Jesus. We must also abide in Him completely, as a branch on a vine.  How do I remain in Him who is life itself? That's the real question of salvation!

St. John nails it for us today in the second reading.  He says we remain in Him not just by talking the talk, but by walking the walk.  We remain in Him by keeping His commandments of love, which correspond to the love of the Holy Spirit that is meant to dwell in you.

Catholics have always taught we are saved in just this way.  We become fully alive through faith and works, the two always working together for our salvation like they do in any healthy relationship.  Abiding in each other takes both words and actions, the two always reinforcing each other.  We must say I love you, but even more, we must do loving things, for talk can be cheap and actions speak louder than words.

So how do I know when I am fully alive?  Since none of us possess life in itself, but only as it is gifted to us, to be fully alive must mean to be fully attached to the source of life itself forever.  And guess what, I have good news for you!  The author of life desires nothing more today than to fully coinhere with you. If that is true, the fullness of life is staring you right in the face at Mass.

Jesus has invited us to lay hold of a shared life with Him, especially through the sacrament of the Eucharist, which is always and everywhere celebrated as the source and summit of the Church's life.  Could Jesus be any clearer on this very point?  Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him, and I will raise him on the last day.

Yet the same Jesus who always prunes us with his words reminds us that one of us at table with Him right now will betray Him, and it would be better for that man if he had never been born.  Thank God that Jesus has given us not only the Eucharist, but also confession!  In that same upper room, Jesus gifted confession as an Easter sacrament, so that if I have not kept God's commandments, and if I have done something that does not correspond to the love of the Eucharist, I confess before consummating my shared life and communion with Him.

A final time - how do I know that I am fully alive?  I can't do better than to remind myself of all that Jesus said, and to allow His words to prune me.  I live by abiding with Him fully in the Eucharist, and I remain by keeping His commandments to love Him above all things and to love you all as He has first loved me.  If I do an unloving thing, I confess so that the branch can be grafted back onto the vine which is its life.

That's it, disciples of Jesus. That's everything that Jesus said. That's how I know that I am fully alive.

+mj