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Holy Thursday
April 9, 2020
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Palm Sunday April 5, 2020
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The Word... 3/29/2020
Fifth Sunday of Lent (3-29-2020)
“Rockin Jerusalem”
Good Morning/Evening St Vincent Family and Friends and Visitors.
The Scriptures today are preparatory for what we will celebrate in the coming Holy Week. The raising of Lazarus from the dead is one of the best known scriptures, John 11: 1-45; it explains both the crowds seeking and praising Jesus on Palm Sunday and contributes to the decision of those who plotted to kill Jesus.
The interaction between Jesus and Lazarus’ two sisters is the catalyst for me whenever I read this Gospel. Martha goes first, saying to Jesus, “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you”. Martha discreetly calls for Mary who comes and echoes similar words of faith but then Mary takes this encounter to another level… she begins weeping … and those that came with her begin weeping… the Gospel goes on to describe Jesus’ reaction, and ultimately, Jesus joins with them and JESUS WEPT…
“Oh Mary, o Martha …. Oh Mary,.. gon’ ring dem bells.
I hear arch angels rockin in Jerusalem”
Those lyrics from the Negro Spiritual made famous by Mahalia Jackson, capture the spirit of what happened after Jesus wept. Jesus called Lazarus out from His tomb and out He came.
“Oh Mary, o Martha …. Oh Mary,.. gon’ ring dem bells.
I hear arch angels rockin in Jerusalem”Those lyrics are embedded in my memory thanks to the Fisk University Jubilee Singers who many years ago came to San Diego and performed at one of the local churches. Their concert included a wonderful rendition of the spiritual “Rockin Jerusalem”. When Lent came a few weeks later this Gospel of John was the gospel I had to preach on. I was inspired by the scripture and the spiritual and what I learned was that God had given me (a Rookie Deacon) the gift of a good voice. I learned that a good voice had two forms, speaking and singing, and I had been gifted with the former and not the later. So I don’t try to sing Rockin Jerusalem anymore, but I do talk about it and invite and encourage others to go online and listen to the many wonderful versions of this beautiful Negro Spiritual. With the raising of Lazarus from the dead, Jesus literally “rocked “ Jerusalem and set in motion the events we will celebrate starting next Sunday.
Likely, we will continue to celebrate in this revised format of virtual vice physical connectivity. That is okay; we are about lifting our spirits, not so believe we shall see the glory of God. AMEN.
We remain spiritually together and , I ask that each of us as believers to take a moment to offer this prayer by Pedro de la Cruz:
Lord Jesus Christ ,our Divine Physician,
We ask you to guard and protect us from
Coronavirus COVID-19 and all serious illness.
For all that have died from it, have mercy;
For all that are ill now, bring healing.
For those searching for a remedy, enlighten them;
For medical caregivers helping the sick, strengthen and shield them.
For those working to contain the spread, grant them success;
For those afraid ,grant peace.
May your precious blood be our defense and salvation.
By your Grace, may you turn the evil of disease
Into moments of consolation and hope.
May we always fear the contagion of sin
More than any illness.
We abandon ourselves to your infinite Mercy . Amen
Again this week I encourage you to go to the Diocesan Web Site www.DioceseofNashville.com and participate in a virtual celebration of Sunday Mass with Bishop Spalding.
On the Diocesan Web Site there is a page that allows you to SUPPORT ST. VINCENT, and you can do online giving through the St Vincent Web site as well. Because we are suffering from the Double Dose of Difficulty created by the Devastation of the Tornado and the global Pandemic COVID -19, St Vincent needs your contributions to continue, so that we as a Church community can continue. Most of us don’t physically see the good that is done for so many by and in the name of St Vincent de Paul Church, but the truly needy do! So please continue to give.
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The Word... 3/22/2020
Fourth Sunday of Lent (3-22-2020)
Laetare Sunday WHAT DO YOU SEE?
Good Evening St. Vincent Family and Friends and Visitors.This Sunday in Lent is most unique for all of us as Catholics. Throughout the world, we celebrate this Sunday in ways that are creative and special. We celebrate without seeing one another, we celebrate without being present in our Church homes, and we celebrate without physical consumption of the Most Holy Eucharist (the epicenter of our sacred worship). Even without these central elements of worship, elements we cannot see, we Celebrate! How? One might ask.
We often remind each other that God made us capable… INDEED God did… With these God-given gifts, (Head and Heart) we are able to Celebrate without the physical surroundings we are accustomed to. WE are mandated to be socially distant, but we can choose to be Spiritually Together. AMEN?
So let us start with what we don’t physically see. Today, Laetare Sunday, our Priest and Deacon wear a very different color .. Rose (or Pink to some of our more color challenged eyes). This lighter color (vice deep purple/violet) represents a relaxing of our penitent practices to make room for a bit of rejoicing. Now if you need to get a physical view of these Pretty Pink .. I mean Rose…. colored vestments, I encourage you to go to the Diocesan web site, DioceseofNashville.com and participate in a virtual celebration of Sunday Mass with Bishop Spalding.
Today’s Scriptures are rich with symbols: Light and Sight; water and washing. These symbols are easy for us to relate to because we connect with them constantly throughout the day. Light or the absence of light, darkness, is a symbol and an unwanted reality most of us dealt with during the tornado two weeks ago. With power disruption, many were thrown into darkness, most likely they celebrated when the light returned. So it is with the “light of the world”. We celebrate His presence and mourn His absence. Today we should celebrate even with all the difficulty and uncertainty we face. The Light of the World is with us ..always unless we turn away and put ourselves in darkness. As “spiritually together” people we know our True Faith and Worship has not ended, but it has taken on a new form.What has not changed and will not change is our ability to communicate with each other and with our God in Prayer. Our Mayor of Nashville has asked that this day be a “day of Prayer” throughout the city. So, I ask that each one reading this take a moment to offer this prayer by Pedro de la Cruz:
Lord Jesus Christ, our Divine Physician,
We ask you to guard and protect us from
Coronavirus COVID-19 and all serious illness.
For all that have died from it, have mercy;
For all that are ill now, bring healing.
For those searching for a remedy, enlighten them;
For medical caregivers helping the sick, strengthen and shield them.
For those working to contain the spread, grant them success;
For those afraid, grant peace.
May your precious blood be our defense and salvation.
By your Grace, may you turn the evil of disease
Into moments of consolation and hope.
May we always fear the contagion of sin
More than any illness.
We abandon ourselves to your infinite Mercy. Amen
On the Diocesan Web Site, there is a page that allows you to support St Vincent, and you can do online giving through the St Vincent Web site as well. Because we are suffering from the Double Dose of Difficulty created by the Devastation of the Tornado and the global Pandemic COVID -19, St Vincent needs your contributions to continue, so that we as a Church community can continue. Most of us don’t physically see the good that is done for so many by and in the name of St Vincent de Paul Church, but the truly needy do! So please continue to give.
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Holy Thursday Gospel & Homily