Homily
Saturday of the 2nd Week of Easter AII
25 April 2020
St. Lawrence Catholic Center at the University of Kansas
Am I a part of the Chiefs kingdom?
Sorry for the sports reference. But the only live sports for the last month just happened -the NFL draft. The Super Bowl Champion Chiefs have drafted three new players for the Kingdom.
Let's admit it. The Chiefs winning the Super Bowl is about the only thing that has gone well in 2020. What a year already - sheesh!
I didn't watch the draft - only clips of the players being video-called by the Chiefs announcing the good news. That they are noticed. That they are appreciated. That their name is known. That they are chosen. That they are valuable. That they have a new family. That they know where to go next. That they have a role. That their hard work paid off. That they are needed. Oh yeah . . and that they're going to make a lot of money playing football.
It's fun these days to see dreams come true. There's not enough of that happening right now.
But putting Chiefs football to the side, how exciting is it for me to get the call?
If my faith is stale right now, it's probably because I don't hear the call.
The Easter mystery makes all things new. This includes my vocation - Easter is a time to hear the call of Jesus anew. All the apostles were called anew by the Risen Christ - St. Mark, whose feast we mark (pun-intended) today, announces this greatest apostolic calling of all time - the Great Commission, in the conclusion to His Gospel.
The great commission is spoken to me this Easter no less dramatically than the first Easter. What is my calling? What is my mission? What problem have I been put on earth to solve? What is my why?
The Risen Christ knows me and delights in me and chooses to need me. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
Jesus calls me by name. Every Christian. Everyone is valuable. Everyone is needed. Everyone has an essential role.
How exciting it is to be part of the ultimate draft, when I know my name will be called. And to win a victory and build a kingdom that cannot tarnish or fade?
Today we honor one of Jesus' chief disciples - St. Mark - evangelist and martyr - for making the Hall of Fame and showing us the way. He heard his name called -and He answered. Simple as that!
Who's next on this Easter day? The apostolic call is ever new - am I a part of Chiefs kingdom?
Petitions
For the Church, that she may rise with Christ this Easter and listen to His voice as He renews and calls forth new vocations in the Church,
For the world, that those who do not feel called or needed may listen for the role Christ has in His heart for them,
For the mission of St. Lawrence, that the many vocations heard and answered here may inspire a new wave of vocations to the priesthood, religious life and the sacrament of marriage,
For an end to the coronavirus pandemic, and for protection, healing and consolation for all those in harm's way, we pray to the Lord,
For the prudence to know how to live with integrity, courage, obedience and faith in the circumstances besetting mankind,
For all bishops that apostolic zeal, charity and courage may fill their hearts,
For those for whom we have promised to pray, and those who have asked us to pray for them, and for those who have no one to pray for them, and for our beloved dead and those near death, and for the lonely, sick, discouraged and doubtful, that the Lord may visit and refresh the souls of all those in need,
Saturday of the 2nd Week of Easter AII
25 April 2020
St. Lawrence Catholic Center at the University of Kansas
Am I a part of the Chiefs kingdom?
Sorry for the sports reference. But the only live sports for the last month just happened -the NFL draft. The Super Bowl Champion Chiefs have drafted three new players for the Kingdom.
Let's admit it. The Chiefs winning the Super Bowl is about the only thing that has gone well in 2020. What a year already - sheesh!
I didn't watch the draft - only clips of the players being video-called by the Chiefs announcing the good news. That they are noticed. That they are appreciated. That their name is known. That they are chosen. That they are valuable. That they have a new family. That they know where to go next. That they have a role. That their hard work paid off. That they are needed. Oh yeah . . and that they're going to make a lot of money playing football.
It's fun these days to see dreams come true. There's not enough of that happening right now.
But putting Chiefs football to the side, how exciting is it for me to get the call?
If my faith is stale right now, it's probably because I don't hear the call.
The Easter mystery makes all things new. This includes my vocation - Easter is a time to hear the call of Jesus anew. All the apostles were called anew by the Risen Christ - St. Mark, whose feast we mark (pun-intended) today, announces this greatest apostolic calling of all time - the Great Commission, in the conclusion to His Gospel.
The great commission is spoken to me this Easter no less dramatically than the first Easter. What is my calling? What is my mission? What problem have I been put on earth to solve? What is my why?
The Risen Christ knows me and delights in me and chooses to need me. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
Jesus calls me by name. Every Christian. Everyone is valuable. Everyone is needed. Everyone has an essential role.
How exciting it is to be part of the ultimate draft, when I know my name will be called. And to win a victory and build a kingdom that cannot tarnish or fade?
Today we honor one of Jesus' chief disciples - St. Mark - evangelist and martyr - for making the Hall of Fame and showing us the way. He heard his name called -and He answered. Simple as that!
Who's next on this Easter day? The apostolic call is ever new - am I a part of Chiefs kingdom?
Petitions
For the Church, that she may rise with Christ this Easter and listen to His voice as He renews and calls forth new vocations in the Church,
For the world, that those who do not feel called or needed may listen for the role Christ has in His heart for them,
For the mission of St. Lawrence, that the many vocations heard and answered here may inspire a new wave of vocations to the priesthood, religious life and the sacrament of marriage,
For an end to the coronavirus pandemic, and for protection, healing and consolation for all those in harm's way, we pray to the Lord,
For the prudence to know how to live with integrity, courage, obedience and faith in the circumstances besetting mankind,
For all bishops that apostolic zeal, charity and courage may fill their hearts,
For those for whom we have promised to pray, and those who have asked us to pray for them, and for those who have no one to pray for them, and for our beloved dead and those near death, and for the lonely, sick, discouraged and doubtful, that the Lord may visit and refresh the souls of all those in need,
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