Ascension of the Lord

(May 24, 2009)

Scripture: Acts 1: 1 – 11, Ps. 47, Eph. 4:1 – 13, Mk 16: 15-20

Preliminary question: When and how did you realize that you were an adult? (Memory and feelings)

For younger people, when and how do you expect to become an adult? (Heart’s Desire).

Homily

“Everything is possible to one who has faith”. This faith comes from Abraham our ancestor and it is faith in one Lord, and one God of All who is Spirit and Love, our bond of Unity and foundation of world Peace.

Introduction: In returning to heaven where Jesus maintained his divinity while on earth as human, he is signing the certificate of our coming of age. We are now 21 and above. For 40 days after his resurrection, Jesus remained on earth to remind his disciples of the things he taught them and which had been taken away by the excruciating pain of losing the physical presence of the Master and Lord crucified by the empire because rejected by the conclave of religions. Today he tells them to stay in the city until they clothed with power from on high. Jesus’ second coming is clearly announced in this: in the Holy Spirit, Jesus will dwell forever in the heart of his disciples.

What do parents do until a child is 21? They equip him or her with what is needed to go through life as safely and as happily as possible. Let us review a few elements of the life-equipment provided by parents:

1) Identity

Parents will give a child a name at birth. By calling that name, they teach the child to accept and love the frame in which others see and perceive him or her. Here in America (not so everywhere in the world), there is a family name representing the common origin of all like-blooded people, and a first name that has to do with the experience of the parents; and maybe a middle name, for another experience and wish of parents.

Besides naming, parents teach a child to appreciate his/her family, even with all possible dysfunctions and tensed relations, family is family, and there is a cycle of certain rituals of reunion. And within the family, the child is taught to love himself/herself, with his/her feelings, thoughts and self-presentation to others. Along with self-acceptance, are communicated some values about identity creation and sustenance, and values about success in the larger society.

2) Education

Education is geared towards making a place for oneself in society, but it contributes to character formation, which we tend to lose nowadays, because of the high level of competition for jobs and for positions in the jobs. The choice is done according to what parents observe in the child and in the context where he will have to use his talents. What he might be good at, what he likes, and what is marketable in the place. Something concrete becomes the path of education: computer science, engineering, political science, economics, religious studies…etc, something not in the sky.[1] By the time a child graduate with a Ph.D at College, he is no more a child, and he has gone through so many layers of specificity even in the very peculiar field chosen, that he has now an educated identity, and a hard won set of values, freely embraced, (though within a guiding system that supports his efforts and his incremental growth).

3) Support

Everyone is first supported, before we support others. The receiving dimension comes first. Parents give affective and protective support to children and finances are engaged in raising children, along with all the connections/relations parents have. Children are equipped with a relational network on which they learn to depend and to which they would gladly give back in support. The institutions children are taken to are part of this networking act of equipping a child for life. Again, by the time someone graduate with a Ph.D., they have their own world (job, money, and constructed relational identity), and most people have already a family or a clear plan for how family and relations should look like should God be pleased to send Mr or Mrs right. Shall we now look at Jesus as an educator/parent?

On identity, the best Jesus came up with was to call the disciples “friends,” not only followers, but equal in dignity, and soon (at Pentecost) to be also equal in power and grace. What does it mean to be friends with Jesus? To be God’s beloved, to belong to the universe as one’s own home, and to aim at becoming able to call every other person “friend” regardless of what they do and where they come from. This way of relating is only possible through love. Therefore, the identity Jesus confers on us is “Love,” that is our family name. Our first and middle names are given through the particular contexts of our individual and communal lives.

On education, Jesus trains his disciples, one as Cephas, another as John and another as James…etc. We cannot be generic Christian: communities and individual are unique. The particularity of our vocation offers us a different opportunity to express and reveal our family name, “Love” concretely. God calls us to do what we are good at, what we love to do, and in the midst of a people he wants us to serve. By the time we graduate from this life (at death), we have learned to love and serve the world, even in a very small and local service to a limited group of people. That is “saving the world with Christ,” knowing the power of God through that specific channel of contextual grace. And Jesus makes sure we choose out of free will. We can leave him anytime we want to, but we will always find him waiting outside (if we return), to give us the continued support we need, and which now bears a new name: forgiveness and restoration of a lost dignity as son/daughter in the house.[2]

On support, Jesus gives us the group of other disciples: “If you love one another, you will be fine,” “if you find a welcoming family on the way of your mission, stay there and enjoy hospitality,” “If one town rejects you, go to the next town,” “forgive one another 70 times 7,” “correct one another if you happen to have grudges,” “have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with all others”. Then he offers himself as support, “come to me when you are burdened and tired by labor and stress,” “pray to the Father in my name and obtain,” “rely on the Holy Spirit who will soon come to you”. Learn from my Word, draw strength from my body and my blood, the Eucharist.

These, and much more are at the background of Jesus’ sending of his disciples in the Gospel we have just heard. Go and spread the Good News that people can live all as “friends” because we have all one family name: Love. Whatever specific area we labor in, either because we are good at it, or we love to do that, or there is a need for us to give a helping hand to that, is our given name which does not remove the common name from others who do different things, differently. We are members of one body: Christ. This is our new language: the language of friendship as sharers at the Lord’s table, sharers in the world resources, sharers in being a creature like others. This is the secret of becoming harmless and above the harm of adversity. Having understood this as the teaching of our Lord, we now pray in hopeful expectation of the coming of the Holy Spirit (celebrated next Sunday), to give us the power to practice the name of Jesus, to transform the world into a friendly place because of our faith in One God who is Love, and has given us his Name.

Homework: 1) Give thanks to God for somebody (Christ’s proxy: parent, friend, teacher, challenger) whose life, like an open book, instructed and formed your character; pray for them wherever they may be today. 2) Pray this week that God will give you again, an experience of the Holy Spirit, as if it were for the first time, on this Pentecost.

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[1] “Education is defined as the process of character-formation in the context of a particular culture”. I here combine with literacy, which is to many people the only understanding of education. Jesus educates, not to “letters,” but to spirit. The great deserts fathers used to say, “The one who has good sense does not need letters.” Outside of monastery, we need both together in order to avoid monstrosity, lopsided development.

[2] Cf John 6:67, and Lk 15:20. The constant use of parables is another indication of his absolute respect for the freedom to be his friend, since each one’s understanding will be the final measure of what to get out of the teaching.

Dear Friends,

Just a couple points:

1. I had a wonderful vacation in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands with two of my priest friends.  It was very good to get away and very good to return home and sleep in my own bed.  I appreciate all those who took up the slack in the parish while I was enjoying R & R.

2. When I returned, I got a call from Fr. Ray Sacca, priest personnel director of the Oakland Diocese, to say the board is recommending that Fr. Hugo move to another parish.  Here are the facts: Fr. Hugo has applied for “incardination,” which means he is asking to be a permanent member of the Oakland Diocese.  This is a five-year period of testing and orientation.  It entails two separate assignments.  Since Fr. Hugo has been here for three years, the Personnel Board is recommending a change of assignment this year.  The plan is for Fr. Hugo to go to St. John’s in San Lorenzo, but at the same time to continue his wonderful ministry with the Brazilian community here in our parish.  We will be receiving another priest, Fr. Rolando Bartolay.  This change will happen in July, and we will negotiate the details with Fr. Sacca. …  I just want to say that Fr. Hugo Franca has been a fantastic addition to our ministry here at St. John’s.  He is hard-working, very dedicated to serving our people, generous with his time and very easy to live with in the rectory.  We will all really miss him.  However for a young priest, it is important that he get a diversity of experience as he becomes a priest of our diocese.  Of course, we will have a grand farewell party for him.  Lastly, I am pleased that the Personnel Board recognizes the needs of our Brazilian community and wants this important group to grow and prosper with good clergy support.

Peace,

Fr. John Maxwell

Happy Birthday, Church!

Yes, today, Pentecost Sunday, is the birthday of our church. On this day, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to lead and guide the church after He ascended into heaven. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would teach us all things and remain in the church until the end of time. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit made the early followers of Jesus bold and fearless. They began to preach Jesus to everyone who would listen. They would be persecuted and even killed, but still they were fearless in giving witness to Jesus.
Now, what about us? We are direct descendents of the early followers of Jesus. Jesus expects us to continue his work wherever we live. Jesus expects us to be open to the Holy Spirit and be witnesses to his life in El Cerrito and Richmond. There is still a lot of work to be done.  There are still a lot of people who have drifted away from the faith. There are still many lost souls just waiting for an invitation to know and love Jesus. The Holy Spirit will lead and guide us in reaching out to our neighbors, family and friends. Just take a moment to think of someone who needs a good word and a good friend to deal with the problems of life. The Holy
Spirit will be our resource and will help us to know what to say and what to do. That is how our church began, and that is how our church continues to exist. It all depends on you and the Holy Spirit.
Happy Birthday,
Fr. John Maxwell

Dear Friends,

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us the wonderful image of the good shepherd.  Jesus is echoing the 23^rd Psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd.”  I find this image of Jesus to be very consoling and protective.  A good shepherd knows his sheep and calls each by name.  Jesus calls us by our baptismal name and he looks after each one of us, even when we stray and get lost.  The good shepherd goes and looks for his lost sheep and when we are lost, Jesus will do exactly the same.  He’ll look for us and carry us back home to safety.  Jesus never gives up on us, just as a good shepherd will not forget about his sheep who wander off and get lost.  In the 23^rd Psalm, we read: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”  Frequently we will walk in that dark valley and we will really need the guidance and protection of our good shepherd, Jesus.  Let us thank God that Jesus is caring for each one of us as his very special and loved child.  With Jesus, we have nothing ever to fear.

Peace,

Fr. John Maxwell

P.S.  Just a personal note. For the first two weeks of May, I will be on vacation with Fr. Bob Baden and Fr. Pat Stephenson.  We are going to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands for some R & R.  Our parish is in very capable hands with Fr. Ray, Fr. Hugo and our competent staff.  All is well.  Keep me in your prayers.

Fr. Hugo’s Homily for May 3 is available in audio format at www.sjtech.org/streams.html