Sixth Sunday of Easter - May 21, 2017

Homily for Easter 6

May 21, 2017

The Wild Goose

 

            I love the outdoors – backpacking, canoeing, mountain climbing, anything that involves getting away into the wild. I have learned many spiritual lessons from the wild – and one of the best lessons is, “Be prepared for the unpredictable.”

            One time a friend of mine, Fr. Chris Perella, and I were hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire on a gorgeous sunny day in August. The weather was perfect, and the sights were spectacular. We were on an exposed ridge between two mountains, with 360-degree views…and without any kind of trees or shelter. But we didn’t think that mattered, since it was such a nice day. Lo and behold, literally within three minutes, out of nowhere, a thunderstorm rose up and began to pelt us with massive drops of rain. We had no rain gear, so we booked it to the closest rock outcropping we could find (which was already occupied by a lovely couple from Canada!) and waited it out. Five minutes after it started, the rain stopped and the sun returned. We were amazed – the wilderness is indeed wild and unpredictable! Much like in life, we were clearly not in control!

            But how many times do we want to be in control of God? For far too many Christians, we want our relationship with God to be predictable, tame. We want our relationship with God to be “God, meet my needs”. Instead, He says, “I am doing something new – will you join me?”

In today’s Gospel, I can imagine that the disciples are grieving. Jesus is announcing that He would disappear from their sight, ascend into Heaven. They want to keep Him close by! They had gotten used to being in the presence of Jesus – and Jesus now promises a new thing – the Holy Spirit Who will dwell in their souls.

Which would you rather have – Jesus beside you, or the Holy Spirit within you? Well, Jesus says in John 16, “It is better for Me to go away, that you may receive the Spirit.” Jesus is our brother and Our Lord, but the Holy Spirit literally dwells in our souls.

The ancient Celtic people used to call the Holy Spirit, “The Wild Goose”. They recognized that, like wild geese, the Holy Spirit is untameable. We can’t tame the holy things of God! Look at the first reading and how the Apostles were able to use the extravagant power of the Holy Spirit – demons came out of the possessed, cripples and sick were healed, people spoke in tongues, agnostics came to faith…all because of the wild power of the Holy Spirit.

            We believe that the same Holy Spirit dwells in you and I through baptism and confirmation. We see as much in the first reading – the people have been baptized, but they had not yet received the Spirit until Peter and John pray over them (confirmation!), which stirs up the latent gift of the Holy Spirit within them.

            You, too, have the Holy Spirit. If you believe in Christ, that is the work of the Holy Spirit in you. If you love your neighbor with heroic sacrifice, that is the work of the Holy Spirit in you. If you have a desire for holiness, that is the work of the Holy Spirit. If you pray with conviction, that is the Holy Spirit. If you speak to another person about God, that is the Holy Spirit living in you.

            But perhaps the Holy Spirit wants to do more in you? We often picture the Holy Spirit as a fire, because fire consumes and burns…and the Spirit wants to consume and burn in your life as a passion!

Have you ever met someone with passion? When I think of passion, I think of the late, great…Bob Ross. Remember Bob Ross? He was that painter who had one of the biggest and best afros the world had ever seen. Although he spoke softly, he had an incredible passion for art. Over the course of 11 years, he painted about 30,000 paintings, and he donated all of his earnings from his TV show back to PBS. This is passion – a single-minded devotion and love for something.

The Holy Spirit can inflame your heart with a passion for God. How do we do this? We invite Him in. Pray for an increase in the Holy Spirit. Give yourselves opportunities to encounter God. Recently we had a night of praise & worship music with Eucharistic Adoration at Trinity High School, and afterwards one of the teens who attended told his mom, “That was the first time I had ever felt the Holy Spirit!” Pray with others, pray with music, invite the Holy Spirit in.

Scripture tells us that “no one can say that Jesus Christ is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is wild and untameable, like a wild goose; He is powerful and burning, like a fire. The same Spirit that inflamed the early Church with love for Jesus Christ can, and will, inflame your heart. You already have Him within you – but He must be stirred up and invited to become a bigger piece of your life. Right now, let’s pray.

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Easter - May 14, 2017

Homily for May 14, 2017

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Way, Truth, Life

 

            Why does it seem like many people turn to Christ only when they are in desperate need? Life’s going along just fine, but then a crisis strikes – loss of a job, illness, death of a loved one – and all of a sudden we show up in Church on our knees? A dear friend of mine, a devout Catholic, was like that. He went to church every week but, by his own admission, his faith didn’t make any real difference in his life. But then – his wife asked for a divorce, and as a result of the divorce, he started drinking and became an alcoholic. Finally when he had hit rock bottom, he turned to Christ Jesus through AA and is now one of the most passionate, Christ-like people I know. But it took a crisis!

            I think the reason why many people only turn to Jesus when they need Him is precisely that – they think they only need Him in times of difficulty! What a far cry from a true Christian, who recognizes that they need God at every minute of every day! Jesus is far more than an add-on to life. He IS Life Itself. He is far more than just one more truth to believe – He IS Truth Itself. He is not one of many ways to live our lives – He is THE Way.

            One might even say that the difference between a saint and a mediocre Christian is that for many Christians, Jesus is a part of life. For a saint, Jesus IS life. Which one is more true for you? Is Jesus a part of your life, or is Jesus your life?

            We’ve all had the experience, I’m sure, of tinkering with a piece of electronic equipment that just won’t work. Perhaps it’s a toaster or a computer, but we try and try to turn knobs and buttons, try different settings, and get more and more frustrated. Finally, we notice that the device isn’t plugged in! Once it is connected to a power source, it roars to life.

            This is much like our lives. If we are disconnected from Jesus Christ, from the divine life of grace that He offers through His Word, His Sacraments, and daily prayer, then our lives do not function well. Yes, we might live and breathe and walk around, but isn’t life about more than just getting by? Isn’t life more than just taking up space and biding our time until we die?

            Life is about union with God. Ultimately we seek union with God in Heaven, and here on earth we seek union with Him here, too. Jesus makes it clear that it is only through faith in Him that we see the Father. If we want to be close to God, if we want to be saved, we must do so through Jesus Christ! Mohammed doesn’t save; Buddha doesn’t save; science doesn’t save; our bank account won’t save; our own good works do not save us; only a living faith in Jesus Christ, lived out in true charity can save us and bring us into friendship with the Father.

            How do we reach the Father through Jesus? I propose two ways.

            First, we get to know Jesus through the Scriptures and the Eucharist. St. Jerome said that “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” By getting to know Jesus’ words and deeds, He reveals to us the Father. For example, let’s say that someone has had the misfortune of falling into sin. They feel guilty – they wonder if God can forgive them. All they need to do is open up the Bible and see how Jesus treats sinners. He eats with them, and He tells them that “He came, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” All of a sudden, the person who had been feeling so ashamed a moment before discovers God’s mercy and hope of forgiveness! They hasten to confession to unburden themselves, knowing that God’s mercy is endless!

            Second, we imitate Jesus’ virtues. Do you have someone in your life who is a great example of virtue? My dad is a perfect example of patience. He rarely gets mad, even when inconvenienced. But while many people excel in some virtues, Jesus is the perfect example of EVERY virtue. He is infinitely kind, patient, courageous, just, pure, full of self-sacrificing love. We look to Him as our model, and we discover the heart of the Father.

            My friends, if we wish to know God, we must make Jesus our Life. Not just part of our lives, but our entire lives – living our lives in union with Him and in imitation with Him. Only then will we be saved; only then will we know the Father.

Fourth Sunday of Easter - May 7, 2017

Homily for May 7, 2017

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Shepherds of the Domestic Church

 

            This Sunday is traditionally called “Good Shepherd Sunday”, after the beautiful image that Jesus uses for Himself in the Gospel. And on this Sunday, it is traditional to speak about the priesthood, since the priesthood and the Church is a way in which Our Lord continues to shepherd us today.

            But instead, I’d like to speak about a miniature Church – the family. Did you know that your family is a “domestic Church” (as Vatican II calls it)? Families have the same mission as the Church – to help people (in this case, each other) to encounter Jesus Christ, be transformed by His grace, and become saints.

            Some may say, “Really? MY family become saints? You’ve got to be kidding!” We’ve all got imperfect, crazy, sometimes-frustrating families. But in God’s plan of salvation, the family is the tool that He uses to help us become holy – through the everyday joys, struggles, tensions, and love of our family.

            So if the family is the “domestic church”, the Church-in-miniature, then the mother and father are the shepherds of the Church. Let’s take a look at how parents can become good shepherds to lead their family to holiness.

First, a caveat. I am not a parent (in case you haven’t noticed by now!). So I don’t have any first-hand experience of raising kids or leading a family to holiness. But I have had the privilege of knowing and working with thousands of families, and so I’ve seen some certain trends, attitudes, and behaviors that have made for successful, faith-filled families.

So let’s start by looking at WHY we should help our families become saints. I’ve noticed that all good parents and grandparents want their kids to be happy. They make all sorts of sacrifices for the happiness of their kids – whether it be taking them to sports games or dance recitals, paying for extra tutoring or an iPhone for their kids. We would do whatever it takes to make our kids become happy and healthy. But our deepest happiness comes from knowing that we are loved unconditionally and that our lives have meaning. These two desires are only fulfilled by God – only God can love us unconditionally, and our life’s purpose must be to love Him for eternity in Heaven. So, if we want our kids to be deeply, radiantly joyful, they need to know and have a deep friendship with God! Happiness is equal to holiness! If you want your child and your family to be happy, deep happiness can’t come from one more sports trophy or new pair of shoes. Instead, help them to become holy, because only God can give us true happiness!

Let’s take a look at how parents can shepherd their children to become true saints, then! I would propose five suggestions for parents who want to help their children be holy.

First, make sure that Mass every Sunday is a non-negotiable part of your life. No matter where we were as a family growing up – on a camping trip, on vacation, at a sports tournament – my parents would make sure that Sunday worship was the most important thing. That showed me that the Eucharist was really the Body and Blood of Jesus – because my parents were willing to sacrifice for it, going to great lengths to make sure we were at Mass. Going to Mass together as a family made Jesus Christ the heart of our family.

Second, pray together as a family. Growing up, we used to pray the Rosary regularly, and we often went to Eucharistic Adoration together. I know some families who read a Scripture passage every night and talk about it together. Others offer petitions and say “thanks” to God for blessings together. As an old, wise priest liked to say, “A family that prays together, stays together!”

Third, make your home a sanctuary. Fill your home with things such as crucifixes, Bibles, books of saints, small statues of Mary and Joseph, religious paintings. Consider this – let’s say you or your son/daughter comes home from a long, tiring, frustrating day at work or school. You crash down on the couch and look across the room at the wall. If the wall has a nice landscape, you may think, “Oh, that’s a nice picture of the ocean” but it hasn’t really changed your life. But if you had a crucifix there, you might be inspired to turn to God for strength, or unite your small sufferings to His sufferings on the Cross. A mere crucifix, a simple religious picture can inspire us to live a holier life! So make your home a sanctuary.

Fourth, keep sin out of your home. One role of a shepherd would be to protect the sheep from being attacked by wolves or snakes. We have the duty to protect our flock – our families – from being attacked by sin or temptation. That means we should be prudent about what TV shows, music, movies, websites we allow our families to take in. Just because “everyone else” is watching 13 Reasons Why does not mean that we, as Catholics, should watch it! If something does not help us grow in virtue, then it hinders our ability to be holy – and parents, as shepherds, ought to be vigilant for their flock!

Finally, become a man or woman seeking holiness yourself, and surround your kids with others seeking holiness. No one is perfect, and there are no perfect parents. But is your relationship with God the center of your life? Do your kids ever get to know priests and nuns, or other adults who are passionately in love with God? If we want our kids to become saints, we must strive to be saints ourselves!

One lament that I commonly hear is that parents are heartbroken when their children leave the Catholic Faith. Sadly, it is becoming more common – and it is not always an indication of how well a parent did their job of passing on the Faith. We live in a post-Christian culture, where faith is often ridiculed and our Catholic values are constantly opposed. It’s hard to raise kids in the Faith! Pray and fast for your kids – whether they are young or old, fervent disciples or atheists or anything in-between.

There isn’t one magic formula for being a good shepherd of the Domestic Church. I have seen kids become passionate about the Lord while their parents had no faith at all; I have also seen kids stray from the Lord with very devout parents. But these are some suggestions that I have found successful for parents trying to raise faith-filled kids. Ultimately, our kids – and ourselves – belong to the One Shepherd, Jesus Christ, Who loves us and laid down His life for us!

Lent 4 - March 26, 2017

Homily for Lent 4

March 26, 2017

Seeing Life As God Sees It

 

            One of the first things a college freshman learns in their Introductory of Philosophy class is Plato’s famous “Allegory of the Cave”. Plato tells us to imagine a group of people who had been chained in a cave since birth. They have never seen the outside world, but they see shadows on the wall in front of them – shadows of moving figures, people, animals, objects. Since they don’t know any better, they think that these shadows are the real world.

            Plato then tells us to imagine that someone is released from the cave and allowed to see the world outside – at first, the light hurts his eyes. He sees even less because of how much light there is. But once his eyes begin to adjust, he starts to see things clearly – wonderful things, greater than he’s ever imagined. The free man can then return to his friends in the cave and tell them of the marvelous world outside of their miserable cage.

            This famous allegory is also true in the spiritual life. Jesus criticizes these Pharisees for being blind – yes, they have visual sight, but they do not see the world as it truly is – as God sees it. The blind man, on the other hand, is able to recognize Jesus as God (notice how he worships Him at the end), and therefore has truly seen reality, not just shadows.

            One time when I was running a youth program, there was a young man named Matt who went from someone who didn’t care about God to being a fervent, daily-Rosary-praying Catholic high schooler. One day I took him aside and asked him what made him so on-fire with love for Jesus, and I’ll never forget his reply – he said, “I felt like I was living life half-asleep, and now I’m finally awake.” Once he discovered God and started passionately following Him, the rest of the world made sense and he was able to see, clearly, for the first time.

            As C.S. Lewis put it, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." It’s because of our faith in Christ and His Church that we see everything else about life clearly. Let me give you three examples of ways in which our faith views things clearly, while the world obscures it.

            First, family life. The world often looks at marriage as a contract – you give me something, I give you something. I’ll give you happiness if you give me happiness, but if you stop giving me happiness, then you’ve broken the contract, and we can walk away, no questions asked. But Christ gives us a different, clearer view of marriage – it is not a contract, but a covenant: a sacred bond between two people, a Sacrament that gives grace, for the dual purposes of helping each other get to Heaven and raising kids to follow Christ. Faith sees kids, not as a burden to be planned out, but as a gift from God to be received with joy and trust. Which view of family life have you been operating under – the world’s view, or Christ’s view?

            Second, work and money. The world tells us that success is measured in dollar signs. We work so that we can make as much money as possible so we can buy nice things for ourselves and take expensive vacations. But Christ gives us a different, clearer view of work and money. He says, through His Church, that work is meant to glorify God by developing our talents. We work to serve our brothers and sisters. Money, then, is not for our pleasure alone but is entrusted to us by God to be used to take care of those less fortunate. Which view of work and money have you been operating under – the world’s view, or Christ’s view?

            Third, life and death. The world tells us that death is the worst thing in the world, and we should avoid it at all costs. Look at all the superhero movies – they all are fighting to keep the world alive, as if death was an unspeakable tragedy! But for Christians, death is not a tragedy but a passageway to a new and more abundant life. Death is not the worst thing – sin is the true tragedy, since sin separates us from God. It’s because of faith that St. Dominic Savio could take as his motto, “Death rather than sin!” It’s because of faith that St. Jose Sanchez del Rio could choose to be martyred rather than spit on a crucifix and live. For Christians, we realize that this life is temporary and that Heaven is far better. So how do you view life and death – through the world’s view, or Christ’s view?

            If we are still viewing things through the world’s view, then we are only seeing shadows and images of the Truth, not the real thing. Once we start to view life through God’s eyes – as it has been taught to us through the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church – then we will truly see clearly as we see the world as it really is!

Homily for Lent 3 - March 19, 2017

Homily for Lent 3

March 19, 2017

Hungry and Thirsty

 

            Back in 1944 as World War II was ending, many places in Europe experienced starvation on a mass scale. Realizing that there was really no scientific understanding of how starvation could be prevented or how to help people recover from famine, a doctor named Ancel Keys decided he needed to study this. He recruited 36 men – all of whom were conscientious objectors to the war, but who wanted to help the cause in a non-military way – to participate in a year-long study about starvation.

            It was called the Minnesota Starvation Experiment. For six months, these men were starved. They ate only half of their usual daily calories, losing 25% of their body weight. They were amazed at the psychological changes that happened: during this six-month period, their thoughts were mainly all about food! They fantasized about it, talked to each other about it, savored every tiny meal they were allowed. The starving men found it hard to think about anything else. Dr. Keys was amazed at how much their lives revolved around the one thing they lacked: food!

            The one thing the men were allowed to have unlimitedly was coffee and gum. As a substitute for food, some men reported chewing up to 30 packs of gum per day, or drinking over 15 cups of black coffee! Since they couldn’t have food, they tried to make up for it with substitutes – ultimately empty, though, since they didn’t satisfy them.

            Why am I talking about starvation? Because just as our bodies were designed to run on food and water, our souls were designed to run on an intimate union with God. Nothing else will satisfy us. We thirst for Him – but often we don’t know it.

            This woman comes to meet Jesus at a well – she wants to satisfy her physical thirst because she doesn’t yet realize her spiritual thirst. Oh, she’s been thirsty all right. Thirsting for love – which is why she’s gone through six different men trying to find the love she’s longed for all along.

            Jesus asks her for a drink, not because He is thirsty, but because He wants to make an exchange – He will take her water if she will drink from Him, the Living Water. They begin speaking, and she recognizes that He is a prophet. She starts to recognize her thirst for God, so she asks Him about the proper way to worship. He tells her that she will someday soon be able to worship God in spirit and truth, and she affirms that she does believe in the Messiah. When Jesus reveals Himself as the Messiah, her thirst is finally quenched – she knows that in and through Jesus Christ, all can drink deeply of the love of God.

            But how deeply are you aware that you are thirsting for God? We don’t often think about food until we are starving – then we can think of nothing BUT food! We often don’t think about God – perhaps we need to be starving, we need to be thirsty, we need to increase our desire for God! We will only find Him when we desperately desire Him!

            Unfortunately, much like the men who tried to satisfy their craving for food with gum and coffee, we often try to fill our desire for God with things that won’t satisfy. We distract ourselves with TV and the internet and our iPhones. We look for love in sinful relationships. We seek approval from our boss, our friends, our spouse, instead of seeking to love the Lord first. We allow our hobbies and sports to fill our lives with such busyness that we can’t desire the Lord.

            My friends, God will only be found by those who hunger and thirst for Him alone. He won’t come into your soul if you only give Him a half-hearted welcome. Rather, let’s stir up our desire for Him, a holy longing to be in friendship with Him. Thirst for His presence in the Eucharist, in the Scriptures. What you desire will determine your choices and your life. Burn with desire for Him, and you will find Him.

Homily for Lent 2 - March 12, 2017

Homily for Lent 2

March 12, 2017

Soldier for Christ

 

            There was once a young man named Martin whose father was a famous soldier in the Roman empire. Growing up, military life is all young Martin knew, so at eighteen years old he joined the military. At the same time he began to be intrigued by Christianity, and finally decided to become a Christian. At the time, the process to become a Christian took several years, and he embarked on the journey with the same enthusiasm he brought to the battlefield.

            When he was 20, he was riding his horse one day when he encountered a poor beggar who was shivering from cold. Moved with pity, he took off his cloak, sliced it in half with his sword, and gave half to the poor man. That night, he had a dream where Christ appeared to him, wearing the half of the cloak he had given to the poor man. When he woke up, his faith was kindled in a deeper way. He went to his commander and told him, “I am a soldier for Christ – I can no longer fight in battle.” (In this, he was the first conscientious objector in history!). He then left the army and began fighting for a different king – fighting for Christ, for souls – as he became a priest and a bishop of Tours, France.

            That idea of being a “soldier for Christ” used to be more common in the Church. Many of you remember that at your confirmation, the Bishop used to give you a gentle slap on the cheek – to make you aware of the need to fight and suffer for Christ.

I was thinking of this image while hearing St. Paul’s words in today’s Second Reading – “Bear your share of hardships for the Gospel.” Soldiers bear all sorts of hardships. They sometimes have to sleep on the battlefield. They risk their lives, facing injury and even death. They are deprived of good food, comfort, and their families. And – if they are good soldiers – they bear all of these difficulties with courage because they remember the reason why they are fighting. Many soldiers would bring pictures of their family and friends with them onto the battlefield, to remind them of why they are enduring such sufferings.

My friends, one must be willing to endure sufferings if you want to follow Jesus Christ. Recently a friend of mine told his parents that he would be joining seminary, since he felt that God was calling him to become a priest. His parents, who don’t have much faith, were so angered by his decision that they fought him and they promised him they would never support his decision. Evan as he carries the burden of his family’s lack of support, he knows that he has to set his face towards the Lord and be unmoved, courageous as a soldier for Christ.

I love playing paintball, which is like being a soldier but with no chance of death! When we play paintball, before the round starts, every team makes a plan – we’re going to go here, run there, cover this building, make a mad dash to their flag. But when the battle actually starts, a lot of times there’s so much craziness and unexpected things happen, and all we can do is keep our goal in mind – reach the flag. If that goal is unshakeable, then we can do courageous things like run into a line of fire, or dive into a trench while being shot at.

In the same way, we all know what we must do to be saints. We must pray, we must practice virtue, we must practice acts of charity. We often make plans to do just that – but then life becomes a chaotic battle! Our day becomes unexpected, we get a flat tire or the kids start getting whiny, there’s an unexpected problem at work or someone picks a fight with us. Only if we keep our eyes on the goal can we press forward in this spiritual battle, and the goal is to be close to Christ, to be holy, to be in Heaven with Him. Focus on this one thing, and you will be a successful soldier for Christ!

Jesus is trying to tell His Apostles the same thing. They have this magnificent vision of Him transfigured in glory – but then He tells them that He will be crucified, rejected, beaten, put to death. Jesus is telling them, “When the battle rages and you are tempted to doubt, to lose faith, to deny Me, to sin – at that time, keep your eyes on Me!”

My friends, if you want to be holy, if you want to be saints, be prepared to do battle. Not a battle of guns, but a battle in the spiritual realm – which is equally as real, and even more deadly, because eternities hang in the balance! But as we fight, as we suffer, as we pray and sacrifice and conquer our temptations through His grace, we keep our eyes on Jesus Christ who has already won the victory!

First Sunday of Lent - March 5, 2017

Homily for Lent 1

March 5, 2017

In The Beginning

 

            Geneologies are fascinating, and they can help us understand who we are today. I’ve been able to trace my family back to the 1600s to an ancestor named Jacob Gull, who was from northern Germany. Knowing that I come from Germany helps me to understand why I need things neat and orderly in my life, and why I’m not a big hugger (seriously, when my family gets together, we never kiss and only rarely hug, even with my mom!). Looking back to the beginning reveals how we got to where we are.

            Today’s first reading goes all the way back to the beginning – to creation and the Fall. Let’s take a look at this story in a deeper way, to help reveal a lot about the human race.

            The Lord God formed man from dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. This past Wednesday, as ashes donned your foreheads, you heard those words, “Remember you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.” We are not immortal – we are weak, frail, “earthen vessels” (as St. Paul puts it). Although we have a soul and are created in His image and likeness, we are also weak, made from dust, and corruptible. We must remember our frailty – and use that remembrance to rely more fully upon the Lord.

            The serpent said to the woman…The word in Hebrew is “nahash” – dragon. This was a fearful creature! The devil is absolutely real – he is a fallen angel, of much greater intelligence and strength than us human beings. He hates God, and because God loves us, the devil hates us too. He wants to lead us into rebellion against our Father, as he himself has already rebelled.

            …”Did God really tell you not to eat of any tree of the garden?” Look what the devil is doing here – he is sowing doubt. The Evil One wants us to think that God is not truly good, that our happiness is not found in following God but in doing our own will. Eve is beginning to be swayed; she responds, “God said, You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.” But wait – God never said not to touch it, just not to eat it. Why did Eve go one step further? Because she was starting to believe that God’s laws were unreasonable, ridiculous, too harsh. How many times have we thought that?

            But the serpent said, “You shall not die!” Yes, technically true, when we sin we do not die physically, but do we not die spiritually? Doesn’t sin take away the peace, the grace, the life of God within us? We must remember that the devil tells us lies in temptations – saying, “Oh, it doesn’t really matter…oh, everything will be fine…” when in reality, sin does kill us, from the inside out.

            The serpent said, “For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God.” Wait a second! Weren’t we already created in God’s image and likeness? Yes, we were! The devil attacks our identity – he says things like, “If you want to be popular…if you want to be a real man…if you want to be cool, then commit this sin.” But our deepest identity is that we belong to Jesus Christ, ransomed by His blood, forgiven and made a new creation. Stand on that identity!

            “You will be like God, knowing good and evil.” In the ancient Jewish world, “knowledge” was so much more than just intelligence. Knowledge meant “experience” – like when the Archangel Gabriel said to Mary that she was going to be the mother of the Savior and she responded, “I do not know man”, she meant that she had never had the physical experience of being with a man. Obviously she knew men – she had met them before – but she had never experienced one. In the same way, Eve didn’t just want to know about evil – she wanted to experience it, from the inside out. We ourselves should keep ourselves free from experiencing evil. Innocence is a beautiful, if underused, virtue – we should protect ourselves from experiencing evil, and we will be much happier!

            The woman saw that the tree was good for food, a delight to the eyes, and was to be desired to make one wise. Tasty, beautiful, and sophisticated – the exact three temptations that Jesus faced. Jesus was challenged to make stones into bread, satisfying physical pleasure. The devil tried to offer Jesus the glory and gold of the world – tempting Him with riches and worldly beauty. Finally, the devil tried to get Him to arrogantly jump off the temple, defying God – making Him so filled with the pride of the world that He could tell God what to do. We are also faced with these same temptations – pleasure, riches, and pride – and we have to be cautious!

            The eyes of both were open, and they realized they were naked. Before sin, their innocence protected them. They never even considered sinning against each other. But now that innocence is gone, they began to use and abuse each other – most notably here using each other for physical pleasure. Loss of innocence means division, conflict, hatred, and separation!

            Now, with all of this, one is likely to say – “Wow, the human race sure is in a sorry state!” But St. Paul puts it best in the second reading when he says, “Although death entered the world through one man (Adam), life was purchased through one man (Jesus).” We can have hope because Jesus has conquered temptation, sin, and death! We read about the original sin because it helps reveal a lot about human nature – how we are made from dust, how easily we doubt God and doubt our own identity as His beloved children, how we are tempted by the devil to sin and division. But ultimately temptation and sin is not the final word. If we are in Christ – through faith, Sacraments, living in His Word and following His commands, we can overcome these temptations through Christ living in us.