We arrive today at the conclusion of our readings from Ephesians. You might remember in mid-July we heard that God calls and predestines us before the foundation of the world. As we have seen in previous homilies, the question naturally arises: If God guides the course of human history, why do so many horrible hideous things happen?

We can address this question on two levels: First, that God made us free and we have abused our freedom bringing terrible suffering on each other. That's true enough but the Bible takes us to a deeper level. The prophets had to ask why God allows disasters such as the destruction of Jerusalem with its magnificent Temple. Built by King Solomon, for the Jewish people the Temple was more precious than life itself. Why did God allow the Babylonians to destroy that Temple? The prophets conclude that God permits catastrophes so he can bring us back to himself. We easily become proud-minded and that arrogance separates us from God and from others. God loves humility because it opens us to him and to each other.

We see that in today's reading: St. Paul says to be subordinate one to another out of reverence for Christ. We tend to focus on the submission of wife to husband, but God requires a similar humility when he says, "husbands, love your wives as Christ loves the church." Jesus is never domineering and rude. Rather he gently leads. That's what we want from our young men: to be self-giving leaders and strong protectors.

A while back I told you about studies showing that our young people dream about marriage - even traditional marriage where a husband makes most of the decisions. This presumes dialogue: recognizing a woman's abilities that she needs to develop and use to the maximum. Remember the parable of the talents. I see that in our parish staff. We are blessed by young moms who put their extraordinary gifts at the service of the church. At the same time what matters most to them are their marriages and families.
St. Paul speaks about this great mystery: the two become one flesh. As he says this refers to Christ and his bride the church.

This mystery ties with today's Gospel - which is the conclusion of Jesus' discourse on the Bread of Life. What he says about eating his flesh and drinking his blood seems so shocking than many leave him. Jesus asks his intimate disciples, "Will you too leave me?" This question resounds today. So many have become scandalized, discouraged and embarrassed to follow Jesus. He asks, Will you too leave me?
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There's been a lot of horrible news in our country - and in our church. Archbishop Sartain addresses it in a letter I put in the bulletin. We naturally feel disappointed about our leaders. Heck, I feel disappointed about myself. At the same time God does not tell us to trust in men - only in one man: Jesus. We need to hear him ask, "Will you too leave me?"

As we conclude this summer series, please consider Peter's response: "Master to whom shall we go?" No one else has made such extraordinary claims - not the Buddha, not Mohamed, not Confucius. Those men claim to show the way. Only Jesus says, "I am the way - and the truth and the life...I am the Living Bread," he says, then asks "Will you too leave me?" With Peter we respond, "Master, to whom shall we go? We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." Amen.

Llegamos hoy a la conclusión de nuestras lecturas de Efesios. Puede recordar que a mediados de julio escuchamos que Dios nos llama y nos predestina antes de la fundación del mundo. La pregunta surge naturalmente: si Dios guía el curso de la historia humana, ¿por qué ocurren tantas cosas terribles y horribles?

En un nivel podemos decir que Dios nos hizo libres y hemos abusado de nuestra libertad trayéndose terribles sufrimientos el uno al otro. Eso es verdad pero la Biblia da una respuesta más profunda. Los profetas tuvieron que preguntar por qué Dios permitió desastres como la destrucción de Jerusalén y su glorioso templo. Llegan a la conclusión de que Dios permite las catástrofes para que él nos pueda devolver a él. Fácilmente nos volvemos orgullosos y esa arrogancia nos separa de Dios y de los demás. Dios ama la humildad porque nos abre a él y a los demás.

Vemos eso en la lectura de hoy: San Pablo dice estar subordinados unos a otros por reverencia hacia Cristo. Tendemos a enfocarnos en la sumisión de la esposa al esposo, pero Dios requiere una humildad similar cuando dice: "Maridos, amen a sus esposas como Cristo ama a la iglesia". Jesús nunca es dominante y grosero. Más bien él lidera suavemente. Eso es lo que queremos de nuestros jóvenes: ser líderes que se dan a sí mismos.

Hace un tiempo les conté sobre estudios que muestran que nuestros jóvenes sueñan con el matrimonio, incluso el matrimonio tradicional, donde el marido toma la mayoría de las decisiones. Esto supone un diálogo del curso y el reconocimiento de que las mujeres tienen habilidades que deben respetarse, desarrollarse y utilizarse al máximo. Lo veo en el personal de nuestra parroquia. Somos bendecidos por madres jóvenes que ponen sus dones extraordinarios al servicio de la iglesia. Al mismo tiempo, lo que más les importa son sus matrimonios y sus familias.

San Pablo habla sobre este gran misterio: los dos se convierten en una sola carne. Como él dice, esto se refiere a Cristo y su esposa, la iglesia.

Este misterio se relaciona con el Evangelio de hoy, que es la conclusión del discurso de Jesús sobre el Pan de la Vida. Lo que dice acerca de comer su carne y beber su sangre parece tan impactante que muchos lo abandonan. Jesús le pregunta a sus discípulos íntimos: "¿También tú me dejarás?" Esta pregunta resuena hoy. Muchos se han escandalizado, desanimado y avergonzado de seguir a Jesús. Él pregunta: ¿también tú me dejas?

Mucha gente se aleja. Con todas las terribles noticias, comprensiblemente se sienten decepcionados por los líderes de la Iglesia. Sienten disgusto, incluso desprecio. Puedo entender. Al mismo tiempo, Dios no nos dice que confiemos en los hombres, solo en un hombre: Jesús. Necesitamos escucharlo preguntar, "¿Tú también quieres dejarme?"
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Al concluir esta serie de verano, considere la respuesta de Pedro: "Maestro, ¿a quién iremos?" Nadie más ha hecho afirmaciones tan extraordinarias, ni el Buda, ni Mohamed, ni Confucio. Esos hombres dicen mostrar el camino. Solo Jesús dice: "Yo soy el camino, la verdad y la vida". Con Pedro respondemos: "¿Adónde iremos? Nosotros creemos y sabeermos que eres el Santo de Dios". Amén.

¿Como agradecer a Dios continuamente y por todas cosas cuando cosas terribles suceden?  En nuestro mundo, pais, iglesia, familias y vida personal.  La Hermana Barbara nos da un buen ejemplo.

How can we thank God always and in all things when terrible things happen: in our world, country, church, families and personal life.  Sister Barbara gives us a good example to follow.

This week we've felt shame, anger and sadness with all the news about the clerical abuse scandal...And we each have individual suffering so we ask how we can thank God always and in everything.

St. Paul has wonderful words as we celebrate our parish picnic and memorial dedication to Sister Barbara. He says to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us - so we can give thanks always and for everything. What does that mean? Especially when so many bad things happen, how can we always thank God?

Well, when we began the homily series on Ephesians we saw that God predestines us according to his eternal plan. We of course have free will and each one has to make a decision. Nevertheless, to achieve his will God takes into account even our sins and failures. On account of his great mercy we thank God for everything including the tragedies and contradictions we experience.

This week we've felt shame, anger and sadness with all the news about the clerical abuse scandal. We pray for victims. You should know we have worked hard to protect children. In the Archdiocese of Seattle we have not had a new case since 1988. We have given lots of time and energy to the safe environment program for children, youth and vulnerable adults. Still, we feel shame for all the horrible things that have happened - and we ask God's help to not despair but to turn to him. And we each have individual suffering and family suffering and we ask how we can thank God always and in everything.

Sister Barbara used to say, "God is good; he is so very good." We'll see those words when we dedicate her memorial. Sister Barbara saw plenty of ugliness - especially in domestic violence visits she made as police and fire chaplain. It's not that she didn't feel outrage, yet she focused on the cross, the sufferings of Jesus on our behalf. She made an act of trust in Jesus, in the ultimate goodness of the Father.

And she had a secret. Every morning she spent time with Jesus present in the Eucharist. As Jesus says today, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man" - Jesus himself - and drink his blood you do not have life within you." There's a prayer that says, "Blood of Christ, inebriate me." Wine - in moderation - can gladden the heart. The Blood of Jesus brings joy that endures.

Sister Barbara received the Body and Blood of Jesus and she spent time before him, his true presence in the tabernacle. She turned to Jesus like a sunflower to the sun. She confidently asked for little things - like finding a parking space - and for big things - like finding my lost puppy! She may still be interceding for us, helping us find our way and bringing us back to God.

Next Sunday we have the final homily of this seven week series. It all leads to Jesus - the Bridegroom - and his bride the Church. Sister Barbara represented that reality when she received the veil of a religious sister.
Today we ask her to help us thank God always and for everything. God is good; he is so very good. Amen.

Last week St. Paul said to put away the old self and put on the new. We want to become new men and women - created in God's way. Today St. Paul elaborates: Live in love as Christ loved us. Let's consider three aspects of love, each one more difficult.

First, love involves properly using the gift of sexuality. Considering the dismal news in our country - and our church - we need to remember Jesus' teaching. You can sum it up in five words: complete abstinence or unmitigated monogamy.* No adult, as far as I know, finds that teaching easy or convenient. It' like the old joke about Moses coming down from the mountain with a long list of rules. The people complain so he goes back for forty days in thunder and lightening. When he comes down he tells the people: The good news is that I got the commandments whittled down to ten. The bad news - it still has the one about adultery.

For sure Jesus' teaching on sexuality is not easy - and we keep looking for loopholes. Almost everyone falls in some way but it keeps coming back to this: complete abstinence or unmitigated monogamy. This teaching is demanding - as are most things that bring human flourishing. The latest issue of Columbia (the magazine all our Knights receive) has a good article about a young man in college who discovers the positive meaning of chastity: read the article and pass it on to a young person in your family.

Now while we recognize the difficulty of living the teaching on sexuality, Paul has something even tougher. It's the second aspect of Christ's love: Remove "all bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling..." Those things, says Paul, grieve the Holy Spirit. You can almost hear the gentle Spirit of God weeping as he witnesses things going on in our homes or social media. In our parish we offer a monthly Mass for the end to domestic violence. That will happen only when we remove bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling - that is, verbal attacks. Easier said than done. We need God's help.

This brings us to the third and most difficult aspect of love. Paul says to forgive one another as God has forgiven us in Christ. Regarding forgiveness many people fool themselves. They blithely talk about how they forgive everyone and don't hold grudges. I remember a guy telling me how lucky he is because he quickly forgets offenses. In the same conversation he started talking about something a person had done to him years ago. I knew it was coming because he had been gnawing that bone for a long time.

We all hold hurts. Sometimes a person will tell me he gets distracted when he prays.

What kind of distraction? I ask.

"Well, I start thinking about what this jerk did to me. And he was supposed to be some kind of Christian. I saw him for the louse he really is."

That's not a distraction. It's God saying, "Forgive as I have forgiven you in Christ."

"Well, what he did was unforgivable".

God replies, "So was what you did. That's why I sent Jesus. That's why you need his blood."

I'm not saying to tolerate abuse. Still, no important relationship can survive without forgiveness: siblings, close friends, parishioners, marriage. Live in love as Christ loved us. Not easy. To sum up:

1) Complete abstinence or unmitigated monogamy.
2) Remove "all bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling..."
3) Forgive as God has forgiven you in Christ.

​Next Sunday we will have a nice opportunity to put God's love in action as we have our annual outdoor Mass and picnic. It's a good moment to invite people who have distanced themselves. Whatever the reason I believe Sister Barbara will help them return. At 1 pm next Sunday we will dedicate a memorial to her. At the Mass St. Paul will tell us to give thanks always and for everything. Or as Sister Barbara would say, "God is good. He is so very good." That's for next Sunday. For today take home this message: Live in love as Christ loved us. Amen.

La semana pasada, San Pablo dijo que dejaras atrás al viejo yo y te pusieras el nuevo yo. Queremos convertirnos en nuevos hombres y mujeres, creados a la manera de Dios. Hoy, San Pablo explica: Vivan amando como Cristo, que nos amó. Consideremos tres aspectos del amor, cada uno más difícil.

Primero, el amor implica el uso apropiado del don de la sexualidad. Teniendo en cuenta las malas noticias en nuestro país, y en nuestra iglesia, debemos recordar las enseñanzas de Jesús. Puede resumirlo en pocas palabras: abstinencia total o monogamia no mitigada. Ningún adulto, por lo que yo sé, encuentra esta ensenanza fácil o conveniente. Es como el viejo chiste sobre Moisés que bajaba de la montaña con una larga lista de reglas. La gente se queja y el regresa durante cuarenta días con truenos y relámpagos. Cuando baja, le dice a la gente: La buena noticia es que obtuve los mandamientos reducidos a diez. Las malas noticias: todavía tiene una sobre el adulterio.

Desde luego, la enseñanza de Jesús sobre la sexualidad no es fácil, y seguimos buscando excepciones personales. Casi todo el mundo cae de alguna manera, pero sigue volviendo a esto: la abstinencia total o la monogamia absoluta. Esta enseñanza es exigente, como lo son la mayoría de las cosas que producen florecimiento humano. El último número de Columbia (la revista que reciben todos nuestros Caballeros) tiene un buen artículo sobre un joven en la universidad que descubre el significado positivo de la castidad: lea el artículo y páselo a un joven de su familia.

Mientras reconocemos la dificultad de vivir la enseñanza de la sexualidad, Pablo tiene algo aún más difícil. Es el segundo aspecto del amor de Cristo: elimine " aspereza, la ira, la indignación, los insultos, la maledicencia..." Esas cosas, dice Pablo, afligen al Espíritu Santo. Casi puede escuchar al gentil Espíritu de Dios llorando mientras presencia las cosas que suceden en nuestros hogares o redes sociales. En nuestra parroquia ofrecemos una misa mensual para el fin de la violencia doméstica. Eso sucederá solo cuando eliminemos la ira, la indignación, los insultos, la maledicencia, es decir, los ataques verbales. Es más fácil decirlo que hacerlo. Necesitamos la ayuda de Dios.

Esto nos lleva al tercer y más difícil aspecto del amor. Pablo dice que debemos perdonarnos unos a otros ya que Dios nos ha perdonado en Cristo. Con respecto al perdón, muchas personas se engañan a sí mismas. Ellos hablan de cómo perdonan a todos y no guardan rencor. Recuerdo que un tipo me dijo lo afortunado que es porque rápidamente olvida las ofensas. En la misma conversación, comenzó a hablar sobre algo que una persona le había hecho hace años. Sabía que iba a decirlo porque había estado royendo ese hueso durante mucho tiempo.

Todos tenemos heridas. A veces una persona me dirá que se distrae cuando ora. ¿Qué tipo de distracción? Pregunto.


"Bueno, empiezo a pensar en lo que este idiota me hizo. Y se suponía que era cristiano. Lo vi por el piojo que realmente es". Eso no es una distracción. Es Dios diciendo: "Perdona como te he perdonado en Cristo". "Bueno, lo que hizo fue imperdonable". Dios responde: "Así que fue lo que hiciste. Es por eso que envié a Jesús. Es por eso que necesitas su sangre". No digo tolerar el abuso. Aún así, ninguna relación importante puede sobrevivir sin perdón: hermanos, amigos cercanos, feligreses, matrimonio. Vive en amor como Cristo nos amó. No es fácil. En resumen:

1) Abstinencia completa o la monogamia no mitigada .
2) Elimina "toda ira, la indignación, los insultos, la maledicencia..."
3) Perdona como Dios te ha perdonado en Cristo.

​El próximo domingo tendremos una buena oportunidad para poner en acción el amor de Dios mientras hacemos nuestra misa y picnic anual al aire libre. Es un buen momento para invitar a personas que se han distanciado. Cualquiera sea la razón, creo que la Hermana Bárbara los ayudará a regresar. A la 1 pm del próximo domingo, le dedicaremos un memorial. En la misa, San Pablo nos dirá que demos gracias siempre y por todo. O como la hermana Bárbara diría: "Dios es bueno. Él es muy bueno". Eso es para el próximo domingo. Para hoy llévate a casa este mensaje: Vivan amando como Cristo, que nos amó. Amén.

Bottom line: Put away the old self corrupted by deceitful desires and put on the new self created in God's way in righteousness.

We've arrived at the midpoint of our summer series on Ephesians. The first week we heard that God calls and predestines us according to his eternal plan. President Lincoln summed it up with these famous words: "As was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said 'the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether'".

God's plan, as we saw in the second week, involves breaking down the wall of enmity between Jew and Greek. That competition sometimes led to name calling and even violence. Only Jesus can break down the wall of enmity. The early Christians took the best from both Hebrew revelation and Greek rational philosophy.

Last week we entered into the specifics of how God wants us to live: Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received - with patience bearing with one another. We saw the example of Sister Barbara with her symbols - the turtle and the sunflower. As that flower turns toward the sun so we strive to turn toward God: Of you my heart has spoken, seek his face. Doing that enables us to move forward steadily like a turtle - but only if a person is willing to stick out his neck.

This ties right in with our theme today: Put away the old self - and put on the new self. Or as we used to say, "Put away the old man." This does not mean send gramps to a nursing home - or get a young pastor (although that might be nice). The problem is the young can be old in St. Paul's sense.
Someone - maybe a little cynical - observes this about Millennials: We can learn a lot from them, but they themselves have nothing to learn.* Well, that's extreme. The point is that a person becomes old when he has nothing to learn.

Not all young people feel that way. A book that has gain popularity among young people, especially young men, is Dr. Jordan Peterson's Twelve Rules for Life. I like rule number 9: Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don't. That means to ask questions and listen. It seems few people do that today. We've gotten old.

It wasn't that way with Jesus. The Gospel shows Jesus in constant dialogue. He asks questions and fields questions. He proposes puzzles: "My father gives you true bread from heaven." And the people say, "Give us this bread always." Jesus responds next week. In order to hear his answer you have to become a new man. You will need some curiosity.

Paul says put away your old self - corrupted by deceitful desires. The ruler of this world constantly deceives. He invented fake news. Fake news works best if it contains an element of truth. For example, beer is good. The devil says, well, if one beer is good, two are better and best of all is a six-pack! The evil one says: A couple more drinks, a more powerful drug, a new porn site, one more shopping trip - and you'll have peace, no more anxiety. The devil promises peace and delivers misery.

Jesus calls for sacrifice and in the end gives real peace: Take up your cross - that burden, that backpack God has placed in your path. That's what Sister Barbara did when she made permanent vows at age 19, then repeated them annually for 65 years.

Take up your backpack, whatever it is. Put on the new self - created in God's way of righteousness: not self-righteousness, but right relations with God, with his creation, with others. As Paul will say succinctly: Live in love as Christ loves us.
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Today's message is simple: Put away the old self corrupted by deceitful desires and put on the new self created in God's way in righteousness.
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*This is nothing new. As Mark Twain said, "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years." Today the time span has increased: When I was ten...but when I got to be thirty-five. Now it takes twenty-five years for the old man to learn something. Be patient. :)

Hemos llegado al punto medio de nuestra serie de verano sobre Efesios. La primera semana escuchamos que Dios nos llama y nos predestina de acuerdo a su plan eterno.

El plan de Dios, como vimos en la segunda semana, implica derribar el muro de enemistad entre judíos y griegos. Esa competencia a veces conducía a insultos e incluso violencia. Solo Jesús puede derribar el muro de la enemistad.

La semana pasada entramos en los detalles de cómo Dios quiere que vivamos: viva de una manera digna de la llamada que has recibido, con la paciencia con otros. Vimos el ejemplo de Hermana Bárbara con sus símbolos: la tortuga y el girasol. Así como esa flor gira hacia el sol, nos esforzamos por volvernos hacia Dios: de ti ha hablado mi corazón, busca su rostro. Hacer eso nos permite avanzar constantemente como una tortuga, pero solo si una persona está dispuesta a sacar el pescuezo.

Esto se relaciona perfectamente con nuestro tema de hoy: deshazte del viejo yo y ponte el nuevo yo. O como solíamos decir, "Despojate del hombre viejo". Esto no significa enviar al abuelito a un asilo o conseguir un parroco joven (aunque eso podría ser bueno). El problema es que los jóvenes pueden ser viejos en el sentido de San Pablo.

No todos los jóvenes son asi. Un libro que ha ganado popularidad entre los jóvenes, especialmente los hombres jóvenes, es las Doce Reglas de la vida del Dr. Jordan Peterson. Me gusta la regla número 9: suponga que la persona que estás escuchando podría saber algo que tu no sabes. Eso significa hacer preguntas y escuchar. Parece que pocas personas hacen eso hoy. Hemos envejecido.

No fue así con Jesús. El Evangelio muestra a Jesús en diálogo constante. Él hace preguntas y responde a preguntas. Él propone acertijos: "Mi padre te da pan verdadero del cielo". Y la gente dice: "Danos este pan siempre". Jesús responde la próxima semana. Para escuchar su respuesta, debes convertirte en un hombre nuevo. Necesitarás algo de curiosidad.

Pablo dice despojarte de tu antiguo yo corrompido por deseos engañosos. El gobernante de este mundo constantemente engaña. Él inventó noticias falsas. Las noticias falsas generalmente contienen algún elemento de verdad. La cerveza es buena. El diablo dice, bien, si una cerveza es buena, dos son mejores y un "six pack" es la mejor de todo. Un par de copas más, una droga más poderosa, un nuevo sitio pornográfico, un viaje de compras más, y tendrás paz, no más ansiedad. El diablo promete paz y entrega miseria.

Jesús llama al sacrificio y al final da paz verdadera: toma tu cruz, esa carga, esa mochila que Dios ha puesto en tu camino. Tómelo y encontrará un propósito y paz. Eso es lo que hizo la hermana Bárbara cuando hizo los votos permanentes a los 18 años, y luego los repitió anualmente durante 65 años.

Toma tu mochila, sea lo que sea. Vestirse del nuevo yo creado en el camino de la justicia de Dios: no justicia propia, sino relaciones correctas con Dios, con su creación, con los demás. Escucharemos más la próxima semana cuando Paul enumere las cosas que debemos eliminar: amargura, furia, ira, gritos y malicia. Vuelve la próxima semana. No tengas miedo.
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El mensaje de hoy es simple: despojate del yo antiguo corrompido por deseos engañosos y póngase el nuevo yo creado a la manera de Dios en justicia.