April 28, 2013: 5th Sunday of Easter C
Click here to hear audio homily
We have been witnessing one tragedy after another the past couple of weeks. Although most of the news have been centered on the mechanics of how it happened, some have focused on people helping people in the midst of tragedy. The junior class of the Ascension Catholic School pondered about that topic in the context of leadership this past week. Before receiving their class ring of 2014 at the Ring Day Mass, they gathered at the Ascension rectory for prayerful reflection. Ms. Agnes and Ms. Sandy shared about a common trait among effective leaders--that they are servant leaders. To be a disciple of Jesus, they said, is to be a servant who loves.
They also watched a video about a father and his son. The video began with the son, a young man in his 20’s, in a wheelchair playing the piano beautifully. It was obvious that something was not quite right with his eyes, and his legs looked shriveled. The next scene was the same young man as a baby, born without eyes and crippled legs. The parents were heartbroken when their son Patrick was born. “Countless dreams died that day,” said the father. “My wife and I were devastated. We asked, ‘Why us?’ We had played by all the rules. We had worked hard. We had gone to church. We just didn’t understand. For several weeks we were angry and bitter.” By chance Patrick’s father introduced him to the piano at the age of nine months. Patrick has studied piano in the years since and later began the study of trumpet. After high school, Patrick enrolled at the University of Louisville. When Patrick was invited by Louisville’s marching band director to join the marching band, Patrick’s dad decided to sacrifice his time to make it possible for his son to be in the marching band. Patrick’s dad changed his work schedule at UPS to 11PM-6AM shift. He slept a few hours after work, then drove his son to the University and attended all the classes with Patrick including marching band. At football games, people saw Patrick’s dad pushing his son in the wheelchair while Patrick played the trumpet. The interviewer asked Patrick, “What do you say to people about your disabilities?” He replied, “Not disabilities, but abilities... God made me blind and didn't give me the ability to walk. I mean, big deal. He gave me the talent to play piano and trumpet and all that good stuff."
How was it possible for Patrick to come to this conclusion? It’s because a reluctant disciple of Jesus decided to love rather than give up. Although Patrick’s father is a Catholic, he admitted that his relationship with Jesus was not deep or personal at the time his son was born. He was not yet an intentional disciple.
If I were to ask you to describe to me your lived relationship with Jesus, how would you respond? Some may answer honestly, “I don’t have a relationship with Jesus.” A follow up question is, “Would you like to have a relationship with Jesus?” That question was presented to me when I was a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin. My immediate answer was “yes,” but I didn’t know what all that entailed and perhaps even afraid of what Jesus was going to ask of me.
What is Jesus asking of you and me as his disciples? In today’s Gospel is the scene of the Last Supper. Judas has departed to meet the soldiers and Jesus is alone with his 11 disciples. Jesus is going forward to the cross. By so doing, he is giving glory to His Father, who in turn will give glory to him. In the meantime, his disciples are to live by a ‘new commandment’--’I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” The world will know that we are his disciples by our fidelity to this commandment to love.
Why are we touched by Patrick’s dad? Because we see in him, our own self. Just like Patrick’s dad our lived relationship with Jesus is weak at times. We may not even acknowledge him other than saying the name of Jesus in vain. But each of us have the desire to have a deeper relationship with Jesus. That’s how we are made! Our hearts are restless until it rests in Jesus! We have to be intentional disciples, choosing to change our way of life, proclaiming the Gospel with our witness, rather than with words. He asks us to spend time with him to experience his unconditional love. When we know his love for us, then we can carry out his commandment, “love one another, as I have loved you.”
We have been witnessing one tragedy after another the past couple of weeks. Although most of the news have been centered on the mechanics of how it happened, some have focused on people helping people in the midst of tragedy. The junior class of the Ascension Catholic School pondered about that topic in the context of leadership this past week. Before receiving their class ring of 2014 at the Ring Day Mass, they gathered at the Ascension rectory for prayerful reflection. Ms. Agnes and Ms. Sandy shared about a common trait among effective leaders--that they are servant leaders. To be a disciple of Jesus, they said, is to be a servant who loves.
They also watched a video about a father and his son. The video began with the son, a young man in his 20’s, in a wheelchair playing the piano beautifully. It was obvious that something was not quite right with his eyes, and his legs looked shriveled. The next scene was the same young man as a baby, born without eyes and crippled legs. The parents were heartbroken when their son Patrick was born. “Countless dreams died that day,” said the father. “My wife and I were devastated. We asked, ‘Why us?’ We had played by all the rules. We had worked hard. We had gone to church. We just didn’t understand. For several weeks we were angry and bitter.” By chance Patrick’s father introduced him to the piano at the age of nine months. Patrick has studied piano in the years since and later began the study of trumpet. After high school, Patrick enrolled at the University of Louisville. When Patrick was invited by Louisville’s marching band director to join the marching band, Patrick’s dad decided to sacrifice his time to make it possible for his son to be in the marching band. Patrick’s dad changed his work schedule at UPS to 11PM-6AM shift. He slept a few hours after work, then drove his son to the University and attended all the classes with Patrick including marching band. At football games, people saw Patrick’s dad pushing his son in the wheelchair while Patrick played the trumpet. The interviewer asked Patrick, “What do you say to people about your disabilities?” He replied, “Not disabilities, but abilities... God made me blind and didn't give me the ability to walk. I mean, big deal. He gave me the talent to play piano and trumpet and all that good stuff."
How was it possible for Patrick to come to this conclusion? It’s because a reluctant disciple of Jesus decided to love rather than give up. Although Patrick’s father is a Catholic, he admitted that his relationship with Jesus was not deep or personal at the time his son was born. He was not yet an intentional disciple.
If I were to ask you to describe to me your lived relationship with Jesus, how would you respond? Some may answer honestly, “I don’t have a relationship with Jesus.” A follow up question is, “Would you like to have a relationship with Jesus?” That question was presented to me when I was a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin. My immediate answer was “yes,” but I didn’t know what all that entailed and perhaps even afraid of what Jesus was going to ask of me.
What is Jesus asking of you and me as his disciples? In today’s Gospel is the scene of the Last Supper. Judas has departed to meet the soldiers and Jesus is alone with his 11 disciples. Jesus is going forward to the cross. By so doing, he is giving glory to His Father, who in turn will give glory to him. In the meantime, his disciples are to live by a ‘new commandment’--’I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” The world will know that we are his disciples by our fidelity to this commandment to love.
Why are we touched by Patrick’s dad? Because we see in him, our own self. Just like Patrick’s dad our lived relationship with Jesus is weak at times. We may not even acknowledge him other than saying the name of Jesus in vain. But each of us have the desire to have a deeper relationship with Jesus. That’s how we are made! Our hearts are restless until it rests in Jesus! We have to be intentional disciples, choosing to change our way of life, proclaiming the Gospel with our witness, rather than with words. He asks us to spend time with him to experience his unconditional love. When we know his love for us, then we can carry out his commandment, “love one another, as I have loved you.”
