Daily Homily 3-27-2020
4th Friday of Lent (My Hour Has Not Yet Come)
Jesus is challenged by his brothers to go up to Jerusalem to fulfill his destiny. At the time he was speaking the Feast of Booths was about to be celebrated. This was the last feast of the harvest season. All the crops were in and there was to be a great celebration in Jerusalem.
Temporary structures were built which the pious Jews would eat and sleep in. The dwellings were to remind the people of the time their ancestors had spent in the desert during the period of the Exodus.
Jesus’ brothers thought this would be a perfect time to go to Jerusalem. Large crowds would be gathered. Jesus could reveal himself as the Messiah. But Jesus would not be tempted to do things his own way. No, he waited for his Father to show him when the time was right.
He let his disciples go up. He followed later, when he would not draw attention to himself. He was still recognized, however, and he was attacked by the Scribes and Pharisees and threatened.
We notice in the Gospel of John, that when Jesus is asked for his qualifications to preach, he always points to the Father as the one who has sent him. He does not act alone. No, he is an emissary of the Father. He utters the Father’s message which is also his message because the Father and he are one.
Jesus patiently waits for his hour, the moment that is most opportune to complete his mission. He is patient. He bends to the will of the Father in every way. He will not be goaded. He will not be enticed to act impetuously. He waits.
The last couple weeks have been difficult. We all would like for our confinement to be over. A good friend of mine has said on several occasions, “It feels like I am in prison.” Some people ignore the quarantine like there is no danger at all. We don’t like to be held back from doing what we like to do when we want to do it. Self-sacrifice is not pleasurable.
Jesus had the conviction that he was not in charge of his own human life. His life was to be poured out in the service of the Gospel. He believed that the Father would show him the way when the time came.
Our confidence in the Lord is being tested right now. We will be challenged in the days ahead. Jesus knew the cross was on the horizon. He also felt like that would not be the end of his story. Many crosses are on our horizon. Our hour is coming. But Jesus teaches that at the end of that hour will come glory.
Dear Parishioners,
I want to remind you that we will be livestreaming Sunday Mass on FaceBook Saturday at 4 p.m. You may watch the live mass from the website through FaceBook without having a FaceBook account. The Mass will be posted after that on our website for viewing. You may go to site at any time to view the Mass, click on Masses on the red ribbon to find Mass. Mass from last weekend is still available to view.
The work on the stained glass continues to progress. The workman finished this phase of their work and plan to be back in April. The church will be ready whenever the ban is lifted. In the present quarantine we have been ordered by the diocese to lock all parish buildings and let in only essential personnel.
Unfortunately, we do not have internet service in our church so we will not be able to livestream from there. We will continue to use the temporary chapel in the Lee Center for our streaming.
Please continue to pray that the most vulnerable among us will be protected today. May the Blessed Mother intercede for us and the Angels protect us. …..Fr. Mark