Reflection on the Third Sunday of Easter

What do you do when you do not know what else to do? For St. Peter, he goes fishing. He is lost - he has heard of the empty tomb, and seen the tomb with his own eyes. He has experienced the risen Christ not only once, but twice. But he does not know what to do other than return to his former way of life. The other apostles follow, equally lost.

But there is no going back, not after all they experienced. They are out all night and catch nothing. It is only when Christ calls out to them, to tell them to cast to the right side of the boat, that they catch anything. With the 153 large fish, they know now what to do - they are to fish for men. Peter jumps out and swims to shore, where he sees that Jesus has prepared them breakfast.

But there is still a little matter for Jesus and Peter to discuss. Peter denied Jesus three times, and then he ran away. Now, Jesus asks him to demonstrate his love. Jesus asks, "Peter, do you love me more than these?" Even in the Greek, it is uncertain what Jesus is really asking, and perhaps it is all the understandings. Perhaps the 'These' refers to the other apostles - does he love Jesus more than the other apostles love him, or does he love Jesus more than he loves the other apostles? Perhaps he was asked if he loves Jesus more than the boats and nets. Whatever it is, Peter is absolutely certain - yes, he does. Jesus tells him to feed his lambs. Jesus asks a second and third time, and Peter seems a little hurt, as all healing ultimately seems to bring, and answers yes. Jesus responds with asking Peter to tend, and then feed, his sheep.

Jesus asks each one of us the same question. In our sin, we have denied him, but he does not abandon us in our sin or simply ignore it. He forgives us, invites us to express our love more. So the question of our lives is not how have we denied, but rather do we love him. Are we willing to leave all else behind, to walk from our former way of life with all that was good, and all that entrapped us, in order to be led deeper in relationship with Him? The temptation for us after our experience of the Risen Christ, especially in the Eucharist, is to go back to the familiar. The feast that Jesus provides for us calls us to change our lives, to trust Him more, and to profess our love.

The Death of Monsignor Schuler

Our prayers for the repose of the Soul of Msgr. Richard Schuler who died yesterday. MusicaSacra has a lengthy obituary, and The New Liturgical Movement has a nice piece on Msgr. Schuler as well. As a pastor and musician, he was much loved and admired. I had the privilege of meeting him briefly, and he was truly a man of holiness.

His life and death provides food for thought. He saw his role as a priest and musician in a very unique way - he knew liturgy. So many priests dismiss their role in protecting the beauty and reverence of the liturgy, but the pastor is to be considered the chief liturgist of the parish. Monsignor took that role extremely seriously, and any who attend St. Agnes to this day can tell. There is a profound reverence for the Mass, and also a beautiful integration of music, especially the works of classical composers, whether it be in Latin or English. May more pastors, even if this is not their greatest gift, inspire such love and reverence in the Mass and its music.

May Monsignor's soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace.

A New Associate Director of Vocations

We are pleased to announce that Bishop Nienstedt has named Fr. Craig Timmerman, ordained in 2005, to be an associate Director of Vocations, to formally begin in June. While the exact nature of his assignment is yet to be detirmined, I am certain he will do well, and would also appreciate your prayers. Watch for his posts on the ourmib.blogspot.com site!

Reflection on Divine Mercy Sunday

This weekend, the octave of Easter, we are privileged to mark the Feast of Divine Mercy. In 2000, Pope John Paul II asked that the the Church mark this day. We are reminded that mercy is the attribute of God.

With our gospel this weekend, we have a powerful reminder of that divine mercy. First, in His resurrection appearance to the 10 (Judas and Thomas were gone), He breathed on them the Holy Spirit, and told them that they now had the authority to forgive sins - the start of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In this great sacrament, we encounter Christ's mercy in the person of the priest, and we are forgiving of our sins.

But Thomas was not there, and Judas rejected the mercy of Christ and hung himself in despair. The next week, there is another appearance with all 11 in attendance. Thomas had boasted the week before that he would not believe unless he probed the wounds himself. Jesus, instead of reprimanding him, tells him to probe. Thomas never followed on his boast - he believes at once, and declares Jesus as Lord and God.

Both parts of this Gospel are key to remembering in discerning a vocation. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we are given the mercy of Christ. Those that are willing to admit their weakness can more fully rely on his grace. So often, a young man will state that he feels unworthy to be a priest. Worthiness is not as important as willingness, and Christ, in his mercy will make worthy those who are willing to respond. But just as often, many young men will make boasts or deals, or set a sign for God to demonstrate. While it may be a Biblical tradition that even Gideon did (Judges 6), this may be an act done out of fear. We are called to faith, to believe without seeing, trusting that God will be faithful and merciful.

Jesus, we trust in you!

Another Blog

At our recent vocations meeting, it was recommended that we would create a blog that could be a joint cooperative. Because this is a little bit different format than I originally envisioned this blog, I created another at ourmib.blogspot.com. I invited our seminarians to post articles and comments on the blog. Bishop Nienstedt also suggested that he would like to post somethings, if he is able.

Fr. Kyle Schnippel's Blog

Fr. Kyle Schnippel has a vocations Blog that is worth a look. As he writes in a post on his blog, we met at the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors convention (which our Region VIII hosted.) Fr. Kyle is also a holy, dedicated priest and deserves our prayers! He is new in the Vocations ministry, and he seems to have his finger well-placed on the pulse of the web and faith. After all, he found my little site!

Reflection on Easter - He is truly Risen

The Resurrection, Benvenuto di Giovanni, c. 1491
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! We celebrate this day, marking it for the next fifty. We remember the empty tomb and the Resurrection appearances to the first followers of Jesus Christ.

It is in the Resurrection that Christ that all vocations find their source – it is after the Resurrection that Christ gave His disciples the Great Commission “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Mt. 28:19-20).

Recently, there has been much hype and empty speculation of Jesus really not rising from the dead. In the attempt to minimize the ‘damage’ caused by false conclusions arise from wild assumptions and falsified data, some have suggested that it is not the empty tomb but only the experience of the risen Christ in which we place faith. This creates a false dichotomy – the Resurrection experiences are credible (and incredible) only because of the empty tomb. One can paraphrase St. Paul to say either the tomb of Jesus is empty, or our faith is. In the experience of the Risen Jesus, it was because of His Glorified Body that gave them the proof to go forth and to proclaim Him as Risen Lord. It was not a fantasy or phantom, but Jesus Himself. Jesus Christ was raised, truly raised, though he is transformed! It was truly Christ that gave them the Commission, not a mere illusion, ghost, or phantom.

It was the faith of the Apostles, their encounter with Christ, that lead them to call others in the name of Christ to follow Him and to spread the message of Jesus, of His Death and Resurrection. It was the knowledge that Christ was truly risen that gave them the faith to go to their own deaths, or at least to lay down their lives, in imitation of their Lord and Savior. That message was passed down from person to person, throughout the generations to our own time. And we have heard the story of Christ’s death and resurrection, and we too have encountered Him, especially in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. For us who believe, there is no option to proclaim Him, but rather our duty.

Alleluia He is risen, as he said!