"61 Minutes"

The person of Christ Jesus was far closer to us than we might imagine. He was a person you know. Yes, he is God; but a person. Now, I’m not speaking of “three persons in one God” (that’s a homily for Trinity Sunday). I’m speaking of a person…people…a person. An obstacle that keeps so many from scripture, is a false belief that the people in these stories are characters within a drama, or just pawns in an elaborate mythological game of chess. These assertions could not be further from the truth. The reality, is that scripture is composed of sacred words about people. And not people who were invented for a novel, let alone a “made for TV movie.” The book begins with a promise, and concludes with fulfillment. That is the story I’m talkin’ about! What about you? Ever get up with a headache? See the person coming down the street and try to find a way out? Receive news of a tragedy or a sudden death? Ever know someone who was deaf or blind or lame or sick, and once, just once, wanted to hear or see or walk or feel good? Ever dislike someone, but feel sorry for them? Ever feel like you are absolutely alone? Ever feel like no one understands you? No one listens to you? No one loves you? Ever feel that giddy sense in your stomach when your love or crush smiles in your direction? Ever feel the wrenching in your stomach over rejection? Ever way too hot, or cold to the bone? Ever wish you had never been born; or at least question the conditions into which you were born? Ever want a second chance? How about a third? Ever feel such remorse, that you change your life (by the way, that’s not remorse but repentance)? If you answered yes to any of the above, then keep reading, because so did they. Who are they? They were the Am segulah; they were the anowim; the hoi palloi; the God-fearers; the Christians. The Bible is not a life history or a biopic, as much as it is a love diary, and a faith journey of people, just like you and me, who were trying to do what they could to grow closer to the One from whom they came. Matthew’s Gospel shows us the humaness of Jesus in a way that goes far beyond the other evangelists. And yet, through and through, his Gospel has a Jewish flavor that does not exclude the non-Jews in the group. His, is a gentle story, of the Christ who came into the world as all of us do. Of a God who could have chosen to enter into history in any other way. And yet he chose this way. Matthew begins his story with a genealogy. He opens with the formidable family tree of Jesus, represented by the good, the bad, and the ugly. We come to understand that God chose to enter the world, not just as a baby, but a poor baby; not just a poor baby, but a poor baby born in a barn; not just a poor baby born in a barn, but a poor baby born in a barn who had a price on his head! And that bounty would never be revoked. This theme of the meek and humble Messiah, would cycle throughout the Gospel, until he gave up his spirit as humbly as he was first in-spired. The person of Jesus, was just that… a person, who did not deem equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself taking the form of a slave… being in the likeness of man (Philippians 2:6 ff.). So God who created us in His image and likeness, now takes on the image and likeness of the created… so that He might save us. I imagine that some days Jesus got up with a headache. I mean, after all, he did sleep in the desert for the most part, and I’m sure had some allergies. He stubbed his toe, and yes, it hurt. He was without sin, but he was not perfect. Imagine him trying to tie a fisherman’s knot, having never done that before. We know he could be sad, because he cried at the death of Lazarus. We know he could be frustrated at times, for he actually states to the Disciples and people at one point, “How much longer must I be with you and you still do not understand!”(Mark 9:19 ) We know that he could suffer from human ailments; I mean he was scourged and crucified. We know that he could get angry, or as scripture is sometimes translated, “perturbed.” We know that he could be anxious or grievous, lest we forget the garden of Gethsemane. He is one of us. As St. Athanasius said, “He became what we are so that he might make us what he is.” When we begin to see Jesus as a person… as one of us, then we can relate to him as one of us. Only then is he one who understands my struggles, because he had struggles. Only then is he the one who comforts me in my loneliness, because he felt that at times. Jesus is the consoler in my betrayal, because he was once betrayed. He is my Savior, because he CAN save only what he assumes. And because he assumed our lowly nature in his humility, then even I can be saved. This book is the last in the series of 61 Minutes, but the first in the cycle of the readings used in the Liturgical year for the Roman Catholic Church. We all grow and change over time. St. John Neumann once said: “To live is to change… to live perfectly is to have changed often.” It has now been over four years since I have published a book, and in those four years (almost half of my priesthood thus far) I have grown and changed immensely. I’m sure that will be reflected in part through these last homilies. A note to the reader: there are some homilies you will find in English and Spanish. The homilies in Spanish include some homilies from the other two books, which had never been offered in Spanish. Under the title, will be the designation of “Year B” or “Year C” if they are not for the current year. For three of my nine years, I was in a wonderful Spanish and English parish. It is only appropriate that I include those reflections in the hopes that they drew some of my people there to Christ; or if they didn’t, that they at least gave the congregation a laugh at my inept Spanish. ¡Lo siento mis amigos en Cristo! As always, read; re-read; reflect and enjoy. I encourage you to read the readings for the Sunday first; then to reflect on that homily at your leisure. We have little enough time to reflect, so speed-readers, slow down! Now, having said that, I am not so naïve as to believe many of you will do so. And you know what? I don’t care. It’s the third book, and you paid good money for it; so read all you want! Know, however, that the only reason I can write anything, is because I reflect on everything. Speed-reading is fine if you’re focused on the destination; but reflection is for those who are on the journey.