Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia! - May 7th, 2023 - 5th Sunday of Easter "A" - MQP Church in JLW Parish

In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity, as reported in Jeremiah 31:31-34, every human being can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so please feel free to share with others these homilies and your own personal faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.

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5th Sunday of Easter 

VOCATION: Jesus calls us - He calls you to follow Him, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and become a missionary disciple....

 Homily MP3 version - PDF version 

What are the offerings that we bring to God? What is the meaning of "HOSANNAH!" We acclaim God for his greatness and praise Him, while at the same time calling upon Him to rescue us in our distress.... "HOSANNAH!" MP3 version 

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

Among the early Assembly of disciples of Jesus, “the Greeks complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.” Life sucks sometimes, and we have good reason to complain. How is your life these days, and for your family? You may very well have reason to complain. The solution devised by the apostles was to have the people select from among themselves men whom they would appoint deacons for the service of food. It was a labour of charity, hospitality, and fraternal service. To this day, our deacons continue this service, which takes many forms in accord with changing needs.

In those early days, there were no church buildings, and the disciples met in homes big enough to accommodate all those who wanted to come to the assemblies. We have church buildings now, but the Church is not the buildings; it is the people who assemble in the name of the Lord. Many of you have been called and have responded to the call to serve. In these ways, you become an instrument in the hands of the Lord for Him to manifest his power to save.

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

The same Saint Peter, who served as leader of the Twelve Apostles who ordained the first 7 deacons, now calls all of us to serve “like living stones; let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” We are free to choose to become a living stone in the hands of the Lord Jesus. How? Jesus is the corner stone. The architects took great care to carve the corner stone and took all their measurements for the walls from that stone, extending the lines from the very angles of that corner stone. Jesus is our Corner Stone. We look at Him and take our direction, our angles, from Him. We contemplate Jesus: his words, his attitudes, his daily prayer to the Father, his silent time in the peace of his heart, and we follow in his steps and imitate Him.

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

Jesus’ entire life was a spiritual sacrifice to his Father, not just his passion and death. At every moment, Jesus paid attention to his Father and the communion he enjoyed with Him in his mind, heart, body, and soul. We can also do this. We can learn to pay attention to God the Father always present to us and who loves us. Beginning at our Baptism, we began to be filled with the Holy Spirit, the Divine Breath of the Love between the Father and the Son. Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit would remind us of all that He said and did, and help us to understand what is the will of the Father and help us to do it. We can make every situation, every word we say, and every task we perform, a spiritual sacrifice agreeable to God the Father.

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

Our Lord Jesus, our Teacher and Saviour, says also to us, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him…. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” Yes, we are still human, still sinners, still weak, but we are living stones in a living Temple, and God, the Most Holy Trinity, dwells within each of us.

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

Today, Jesus says to us who are in our world “his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” We are not to allow ourselves to be discouraged by our weakness or faults. Do not let the enemy, the devil – God’s adversary – who is called Satan, the accuser; do not let him discourage you with dark thoughts. When dark thoughts rise within you to discourage you, turn your eyes, ears, and spirit to Jesus; contemplate Jesus, and see in Jesus the Father’s love for all of us, and for you. Say: “O my Jesus, I trust in You!”

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

“Lord Jesus, we are sinners, we are poor, and we are weak. You, our Good Shepherd, in your great and divine mercy, forgive our sins, repair our defects, heal our wounds, strengthen our weaknesses, and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Send us out and accompany us as we go to the people of our time; help us to share with them the Good News that You rose from the dead; You are the Son of God; You love them and You offer them a new life which will lead them and us into eternal life. Come, Lord Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You.”  

“Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!”
ALL: “Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you. Alleluia!” 

“Mary Mother of God, St. Joseph, walk with us in the steps of Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You! Thank You; You who are God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” 

In silence now, the Holy Spirit helps us to lay down our offering together with that of Jesus….

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com         https://homeliesabbegilles.blogspot.com

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In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity, as reported in Jeremiah 31:31-34, every human being can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so please feel free to share with others these homilies and your own personal faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.

----------------------------------------------------------------

© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC 

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Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia! - April 30th, 2023 - 4th Sunday of Easter - MQP Church in JLW Parish

In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity, as reported in Jeremiah 31:31-34, every human being can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so please feel free to share with others these homilies and your own personal faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.

----------------------------------------------------------------

4th Sunday of Easter 

VOCATION: Jesus calls us - He calls you to follow Him, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and become a missionary disciple....

 Homily MP3 version - PDF version 

What are the offerings that we bring to God? What is the meaning of "HOSANNAH!" We acclaim God for his greatness and praise Him, while at the same time calling upon Him to rescue us in our distress.... "HOSANNAH!" MP3 version 

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!” 

The challenges humanity currently faces are considerable: wars and conflicts, hunger and famine, the gap between rich and poor, our troubled and threatened environment, political and economic discords, divisions among Christian churches, pressures from work on married couples, parents, and families, various forms of abuse, and personally, uncertainties, sufferings, frustrations, fears, and confusions. As Jesus did in his day, now Pope Francis does not necessarily propose specific solutions, but like the Lord Jesus, Francis invites all of humanity to collaborate for the common good, and in forgiveness and fraternity.

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!”

At the level of the human person and of each individual, we all face challenges from the demands of life, of health, and of aging, from poverty and waste, between pleasure and pain, from the balance between my good and the good of others, between truth and justice, but most of all, the challenge of maturation, moral development, and conscience. In all this mess, the ways of the Lord are not our ways. Jesus did not try to reform the Roman Empire, nor the Temple, nor the Council of the Sanhedrin. No, Jesus came to bring the Good News to people, to individuals of all ages. Jesus still seeks to touch our hearts. If we recognize his voice and follow Him, we will be saved. Eternal life begins the moment we welcome within us God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ whom He has sent. 

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!” 

In his passion, Jesus gives us the perfect example of the child of God who, in every trial of life, completely trusts in God the Father. Each sorrow, each temptation, each trial permitted by God our Father, by our faith, purifies the intentions of our heart, strengthens us, and makes us realize that, in life, all is gift. Yes, we make efforts, we take decisions, we realize tasks, but all that is good comes to us from the hand of God and comes to us gratuitously. The Father loves us, and He deserves our trust. This is how hope arises within us, and the Holy Spirit enables us to breathe, in the peace which He gives. 

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!”

When I accept to endure my own reactions in frustration and anger, there is an offering agreeable to God! When I forgive others their defects and their faults, and when I pray for my enemies, there is an offering agreeable to God!

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!” 

When I open my eyes, my ears, my thoughts, and my heart to the difficulties of others, there is an offering agreeable to God! When I do something to care for our common home – the natural environment – there is an offering agreeable to God! When I take care of the little ones, the elderly, widows and orphans, there is an offering agreeable to God! When I take care of the sick or the lonely, there is an offering agreeable to God! When I visit prisoners, or when I come to the aid of refugees, of itinerants, of strangers, or of people who are ignored or counted as nothing, there is an offering agreeable to God!

Still today, Jesus says to us: “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Then, nourished and strengthened by Him, in the second movement, Jesus sends us all out: “Go and proclaim the good news, and make disciples. You have received freely; now, give freely.”

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!”

“Lord Jesus, we are sinners, we are poor, and we are weak. You, our Good Shepherd, in your great and divine mercy, forgive our sins, repair our defects, heal our wounds, strengthen our weaknesses, and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Send us out and accompany us as we go to the people of our time; help us to share with them the Good News that You rose from the dead; You are the Son of God; You love them and You offer them a new life which will lead them and us into eternal life. Come, Lord Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You.”  

“Lord, cut us to the heart. Grace us to repent. Move us to turn away from this corrupt generation; let us follow Jesus our Good Shepherd. Let us trust and follow Him. Alleluia!” 

“Mary Mother of God, St. Joseph, walk with us in the steps of Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You! Thank You; You who are God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

 

In silence now, the Holy Spirit helps us to lay down our offering together with that of Jesus….

 

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com         https://homeliesabbegilles.blogspot.com

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In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity, as reported in Jeremiah 31:31-34, every human being can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so please feel free to share with others these homilies and your own personal faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.

----------------------------------------------------------------

© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC 

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Lord, You will show me the path of life. Alleluia! - April 23rd, 2023 - 3rd Sunday of Easter - MQP Church in JLW Parish - Also prepared for the Late Sunday Mass

In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity, as reported in Jeremiah 31:31-34, every human being can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so please feel free to share with others these homilies and your own personal faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.

----------------------------------------------------------------

3rd Sunday of Easter 

VOCATION: Jesus calls us - He calls you to follow Him, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and become a missionary disciple....

 Homily MP3 version - PDF version 

What are the offerings that we bring to God? What is the meaning of "HOSANNAH!" We acclaim God for his greatness and praise Him, while at the same time calling upon Him to rescue us in our distress.... "HOSANNAH!" MP3 version 

Luke 24:35 "They recognized Him...

Original Art work by Pat Onofrio - July 2nd, 1983 
(Pat died August 13th, 2009.)

“Lord, you will show me the path of life. Alleluia!” 

Since the days when Jesus walked our Earth, He has raised up witnesses to establish the reality of his resurrection and ascension into Heaven at the right hand of the Father. We heard the Apostle Saint Peter speak and testify with assurance and boldness to the resurrection of Jesus. He went so far as to say to the crowd about Jesus: “you crucified and killed him by the hands of those outside the law.” Peter was unafraid of the crowd’s anger because he did not come to accuse them, but to proclaim the good news that this same Jesus rose from the dead.

However, we know full well that Peter himself, along with all the apostles and disciples of Jesus, did not believe the good news when they first heard it. They all needed to see and hear with their own eyes and ears that Jesus, in spite of his atrocious death on the cross, was now forever alive following his resurrection from the dead. What Jesus said to Cleopas and his companion, He could very well say to all of them and also to us: “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have declared!”

“Lord, you will show me the path of life. Alleluia!”

Last Sunday, it was the Apostle Thomas’ turn to hear this reproach from Jesus. After this, Jesus said to him: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” What a gift the Lord leaves us by referring in this way to all of us who have succeeded his apostles and disciples since the beginning of his Church. We who are alive today, we are all among “those who believe without having seen.”

Nonetheless, without necessarily seeing with our own eyes Jesus risen from the dead, we still need to taste for ourselves the great joy of Easter. We need to know for certain that the tomb in which the body of Jesus had been laid down for burial is now empty. We desire to feel upon ourselves the warm loving look of Jesus risen from the dead. It is necessary for us to know that Jesus remains at every momentby our side until the end of our journey on this Earth. God the Father Himself wants to come and dwell within us with his risen Son Jesus in the power of his divine love which is the Holy Spirit. 

“Lord, you will show me the path of life. Alleluia!” 

Well, that’s all very nice, but how exactly do we acquire the conviction that Jesus is risen and alive? We don’t dare to ask Him for signs and miracles the way King Herod tried to do or like the crowd who later taunted and mocked Jesus during his agony on the cross. After all, we are nothing more than creatures, and the Father, in communion with Jesus his Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, is God, our Creator. We must do as Mary and the apostles and disciples did, and set about earnestly listening to the Most Holy Trinity in prayer.   

“Lord, you will show me the path of life. Alleluia!” 

Like Cleopas and his companion, we must all walk together and share our sorrows, our worries, our challenges, and our hope with one another. The Holy Spirit wants to help married couples to open up to one another their thoughts, their hearts, and their souls. Parents with their children can also open themselves up to each other. Just as importantly, we all need to join in with the assembly to hear the Word of God, to adore the Lord our God, and to eat the Body and drink the Blood of Christ. As the baby suckles and is nourished at its mother’s breast, so too must we drink deeply from Jesus’ Sacred Heart. It is his own divine life with the Father in the Holy Spirit that Jesus causes to spring up within us as a fountain of living water. 

The new life which Jesus gives us through our Baptism is a sharing in his paschal mystery. As we accept to die with Jesus, we die to our old life of selfishness in order to rise from this death to the new life of love for our neighbour; loving even our enemies. Jesus drew his disciples into two movements. In the first movement, Jesus said to them, as He says to us: “Come to me all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Then, nourished and strengthened by Him, in the second movement, Jesus sends them out, as he also sends us: “Go and proclaim the good news, and make disciples. You have received freely; now, give freely.” 

“Lord, you will show me the path of life. Alleluia!” 

“Lord Jesus, we are sinners, but we cannot wait to be perfect before proclaiming to our world the good news that You are the Son of God and the one and only Saviour of the human race. In your great and divine mercy, forgive our sins, repair our defects, heal our wounds, strengthen our weaknesses, and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Send us out and accompany us as we go to the people of our time; help us to share with them the Good News that You rose from the dead; You are the Son of God; You love them and You offer them a new life which will lead them and us into eternal life. Come, Lord Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You.”   

“Lord, you will show me the path of life. Alleluia!” 

“Mary Mother of God, St. Joseph, walk with us in the steps of Jesus. O my Jesus, I trust in You! Thank You; You who are God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

In silence now, the Holy Spirit helps us to lay down our offering together with that of Jesus….

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com         https://homeliesabbegilles.blogspot.com

 

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In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity, as reported in Jeremiah 31:31-34, every human being can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so please feel free to share with others these homilies and your own personal faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.

----------------------------------------------------------------

© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC 

+ + + + + + + + + + + +  

Christ is risen, alleluia! Jesus invites us to walk in his steps. Christ est ressuscité, alléluia! Jésus nous invite à marcher dans ses pas. - Easter Sunday - April 17, 2022 - Sainte-Suzanne Parish

Easter Sunday

   Le Dimanche de Pâques

    Gospel & Homily / Évangile & Homélie MP3     PDF Version 

« Christ est ressuscité ! Alléluia ! » « Il est vraiment ressuscité ! Alléluia ! »

“Christ is risen! Alleluia!” “He is truly risen! Alleluia!”

Mais, si la mort est vraiment vaincue, et si le péché est vraiment pardonné; alors, POURQUOI… la guerre… le divorce… l’avortement… la pornographie… l’exploitation… la pauvreté… l’égoïsme… etc. etc. etc.?

« Christ est ressuscité ! Alléluia ! » « Il est vraiment ressuscité ! Alléluia ! »

But, if death is truly conquered, and if sin is truly forgiven; WHY… war… divorce… abortion… pornography… exploitation… poverty… selfishness… etc. etc. etc.?

“Christ is risen! Alleluia!” “He is truly risen! Alleluia!” 

La victoire a été gagnée en Jésus, dans son humanité…. Sa prière dans la détresse a été entendue par le Père. La réponse du Père a fait que Jésus fut épargné les ravages de sa crainte, Il a été libéré de sa crainte… mais Il n’a pas été épargné sa souffrance et sa mort… Jésus a accepté la volonté de son Père qu’Il passe au travers de sa passion et de sa mort POUR NOUS. Le Père nous a donné son Fils Jésus – en spectacle pour toute l’humanité de tous les temps jusqu’à la fin du monde – pour nous montrer le chemin, l’unique chemin que nous devons tous parcourir. Nous ne pourrons jamais nous en sortir que par ce seul chemin qui nous mène à travers la passion et la mort pour en arriver finalement à la résurrection.

Entre temps, nous passons par plusieurs états d’esprit et d’âme dans la vie : la rébellion et la colère… l’ignorance et l’indifférence… la crainte et la terreur… l’ouverture et la curiosité… la croyance et la pratique – nous voilà ce matin rassemblés ici, nos croyons et nous pratiquons – et l’Esprit Saint nous mène jusqu’à l’obéissance à la volonté du Père, comme Jésus, jusqu’à la foi et la confiance au Père, comme Jésus, jusque dans la charité, comme Jésus l’a démontrée … et plus encore, l’Esprit Saint veut nous amener jusqu’à l’espérance en Dieu, comme Jésus, la dévotion au Père, comme Jésus, et le zèle à faire la volonté du Père, comme Jésus. 

« Christ est ressuscité ! Alléluia ! » « Il est vraiment ressuscité ! Alléluia ! »

The victory has been won in Jesus, in his humanity…. His prayer in distress was heard by the Father. The Father’s answer saved Jesus from the ravages of his fear, freed Him from his fear, but He was not spared from his suffering and death… Jesus accepted the will of his Father that He pass through his passion and death FOR US. The Father has given his Son Jesus – and put Him on display for all of humanity and for all time until the end of the world – to show us the way, the only way we are to walk. We can never get out of it except by this one way, this one road which leads through the passion and death in order to reach the resurrection.

Meanwhile, we pass through many states of spirit and of soul through life: rebellion and anger… ignorance and indifference… fear and terror… openness and curiosity… belief and practice – here we are this morning assembled here, we believe and we are practicing – and the Holy Spirit leads us to obedience to the Father’s will, like Jesus, to faith and confidence in the Father, like Jesus, and to charity, as Jesus showed people… and further still, the Holy Spirit wants to lead us into hope in God, like Jesus, devotion to the Father, like Jesus, and to zeal in doing the Father’s will, like Jesus.

“Christ is risen! Alleluia!” “He is truly risen! Alleluia!”

L’œuvre de Dieu est en nous, au-dedans de nous une personne à la fois. Voilà pourquoi le l’humanité ne semble pas progresser, malgré les avances scientifiques et technologiques dans notre monde. Tout le panorama de l’histoire au complet de l’humanité se reproduit dans chaque vie humaine, chaque personne humaine. Jésus a besoin de notre consentement, de notre « Oui! » comme Marie à la parole de l’Archange Gabriel, notre confiance en Dieu le Père comme Lui. Voilà la patience de Dieu avec chaque personne humaine, en raison de son grand respect pour la liberté qu’Il nous a donnée. Le Bon Dieu nous accorde le temps de vouloir avec Lui une relation d’amour et de gratitude.

« Christ est ressuscité ! Alléluia ! » « Il est vraiment ressuscité ! Alléluia ! »

The work of God is within us, inside of us, one person at a time. That is why humanity does not seem to progress, despite the world’s advances in science and technology. The whole panorama of human history unfolds in the lives of every human being, in each human person. Jesus needs our consent, our “Yes!” like Mary in response to the Archangel Gabriel’s word. Jesus needs our trust in the Father, like Him. This is God’s patience with each and every human being, and it is because of his great respect for the liberty He has given to us. God grants us the time to want to have with Him a relationship of love and gratitude.

“Christ is risen! Alleluia!” “He is truly risen! Alleluia!”

 

 

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com         https://homeliesabbegilles.blogspot.com

 

© 2006-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC      © 2006-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC

God in Jesus accompanies us into the storm and saves us - 3rd Sunday of Easter - LSM sponsored by CAM - April 18th, 2021 - OLF Parish

    Homily MP3 version                                 Homily PDF version      

Christ is risen, alleluia! Good evening dear sisters and brothers in Christ. So, how are you? How is your family? Although we are in Easter joy, nevertheless, life goes on. I was in a parish this morning that is grieving because their elderly English choir leader was killed by fire in his sleep this week, leaving his elderly handicapped wife with burned lungs and throat. Life is not a picnic by any stretch of the imagination.

The troubles of life often leave us sick to our stomach, flabbergasted, and in shock. All the evil in the world seems an insult to life and to our human dignity. In fact, God is even more horrified than we are in the face of all that is evil. What’s even more astounding is that God understands our inability to react or to respond when evil knocks us down.

The Acts of the Apostles remind us that God in his goodness shows understanding to the people and religious leaders who put Jesus to death. God had already foreseen that his envoy from Heaven would be rejected and killed, but He fully intended to make of his death the very instrument by which God would offer us liberation from our sins, from every evil, and from the very fear of death itself.

Admittedly, it is difficult for us on seeing Jesus to acknowledge him the Son of God and our Lord. Even the Apostles “were startled and terrified” when Jesus appeared to them. They remained “frightened… and doubts arose in their hearts… disbelieving and still wondering” for quite some time. Jesus made considerable efforts to convince them that it was indeed Him and that He had indeed overcome death itself.

As incredible as it seems, God has confidence in us, even though from all time God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit had foreseen that when the Son would come to Earth, very few of us would be capable of welcoming Him, and the powerful among us would put Him to death. Not only had the Father foreseen this disaster, but He wanted that Jesus’ death would give ultimate expression to the merciful love of God for humanity.

In spite of their terror and astonishment, their doubt, and their slowness to believe all that Jesus had taught them, Jesus is fully confident in his Apostles. He takes the time to “open their minds to understand the Scriptures”. Then, concerning all these things, Jesus said to them “You are witnesses of these things.” Notice that Jesus did not send them out to the whole world; He did not put pressure on them to carry on his mission. No. Jesus left them entirely free and to their own initiative to decide for themselves whether they wanted to be his witnesses.

Brothers and sisters, do you realize how free you are before God? God does not push you in the back to do this or to do that…. What God desires is that we all personally meet Jesus, that we may become convinced ourselves that Jesus is living, that He is risen from the dead, that He is with us, that He loves us, and that He would like us to be his witnesses today. Jesus wants to share with us his own joy and He wants our joy to be complete, but He wants it to be really our own experience, that we may truly taste the goodness of his love within us.

It's possible for us to meet God when life is wonderful, when we are successful, when all goes well, when we find nature beautiful, when it feels good to be alive. Yes. But more often than not, when all goes well, we are inclined to not even think about God. We all too often forget to thank Him. We don’t realize that the most important reason to go to church on Sunday is to give thanks to God and glorify Him. We don’t often think during the day to adore the Lord in his grandeur, in his goodness, for his love and for his inexhaustible mercy. We are often distracted.

As it is, all too often it is when things go wrong, when we suffer, when we feel alone or rejected, all too often it is in the storm that we think of God. When we finally do turn to Him, He lets us know that He is always there for us, that He is always here, and always ready to rescue us and to welcome us into his love. Jesus calls us to not be afraid to live, to not be afraid of life, to not be afraid of the unknown; for He is always with us.

When we are tempted, Jesus gives us his Spirit to helps us resist the temptation and to put all our trust in Him. When we are in pain, Jesus reminds us that He endured his passion so that he could share all our distress; so that we might realize by his presence that we are never alone and that He is our strength.

When we are faced with people who bother us, Jesus helps us to understand that these people are offered to us by God to provide us with the opportunity to love our neighbor as God loves us, even when they are difficult to love.

In the storm of our emotions, we can, with Jesus, stop, remember, and put our trust in the love of God for us, and encouraged by his love, we can choose to go through our trials with attitudes of love and of peace. In spire of the burden of our emotions, we can put aside our anxieties, preoccupations, and worries, and instead turn to God, and with God we can show mercy to our neighbor, our family, and even to strangers. Christ is risen, alleluia!

Allowing God to manifest the power of his love and mercy through us in all our encounters with others, this is the joy of Easter! Let us find our delight in God the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let us take a few moments in reflect on Jesus radiant presence among us.

https://frgilleshomilies.blogspot.com   

© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Poustinik

Easter Sunday / - Dimanche de Pâques - 4 avril / April 4th, 2021 - Paroisse Sainte-Suzanne Parish

 Gospel & Homily / Évangile et Homélie - version MP3        - version PDF   

Christ est ressuscité! Alléluia! (Il est vraiment ressuscité! Alléluia!) (Expliquer)

Christ is risen! Alleluia! (He is truly risen! Alleluia!) (Explain)

Frères et sœurs, la résurrection de Jésus n’est pas un événement de l’ordre de la politique, de l’économie, ou de la culture populaire; ni alors, ni aujourd’hui. La preuve est que Pierre devait tout annoncer et expliquer au centurion romain et sa maisonnée. Le matin de Pâques, Pierre est allé avec Jean au tombeau et ils l’ont trouvé vide comme Marie Madeleine. Ensuite Jésus leur est apparu, mais au début ils étaient lents à croire ce que Jésus leur avait déclaré : qu’Il devait mourir et ensuite ressusciter le troisième jour. Pour nous non plus, la résurrection de Jésus n’est pas évidente. Nous avons tous à croire en Jésus et Lui faire confiance.

So, the resurrection of Jesus was not a fact belonging to the political or economic world of those days; nor was it part of popular culture, no more than it is today. Peter and John and the other apostles and disciples were slow to believe what Jesus had told them: that He would die and rise again on the third day. Jesus’ resurrection is not obvious for us either. We need to put our faith in Jesus and trust Him. God waits for our faith in order to give us new life.

When we were baptized, we were introduced to God and the Father adopted us as his very own children. God loves every human being, but through Baptism we are brought into a more personal and intimate relationship with our Creator in Jesus. Now it’s up to us every day to make room for God in the course of living our days and nights.

Par le baptême nous avons été introduits au Bon Dieu et le Père nous a adoptés pour ses propres enfants en Jésus. Dieu aime tous les êtres humains, mais par le Baptême nous entrons dans une relation plus personnelle et intime avec notre Créateur. Maintenant c’est à nous de faire de la place pour Dieu dans le courant de nos jours et de nos nuits.

Pourquoi souffrons-nous tant de découragements, d’anxiétés, de craintes, ou de désespoir au milieu de nos défis, de nos troubles, de nos déceptions, de nos craintes, et de tout ce qui vient assombrir nos existences? Au fond de nous il existe toujours un doute que Dieu est vraiment bon. Toutes les misères du monde semblent crier à pleine voix que Dieu est méchant. Mais cette voix ténébreuse et malfaisante est la voix du diable – l’adversaire de Dieu qui divise et cherche à nous séparer de Dieu. Son nom est aussi Satan, l’Accusateur.

C’est un non-sens que nous pourrions être séparés de Dieu… Jésus a accepté d’être exécuté pour nous démontrer à quel point Dieu est pour nous et qu’Il nous aime. Dieu fait déjà tout ce qu’il Lui est possible de faire; maintenant c’est à nous de donner une réponse à ses avances d’amour et de réconciliation. Allons-nous humblement admettre notre péché et nos fautes? Allons-nous accepter son pardon? Allons-nous croire qu’Il nous aime? Allons-nous chercher à L’aimer à notre tour? Mais comment nous est-il possible d’aimer Dieu?

Why is it that in the course of our challenges, troubles, disappointments, fears, and all that darkens our human existence we suffer so much discouragement, anxiety, fear, and despair? Deep down we doubt that God is really good. The world is full of troubles which seem to cry out loudly that God is evil. To tell the truth, this dark and evil voice is that of the devil – God’s enemy who divides and tries to separate us from God. His name is also Satan, the Accuser.

It doesn’t make sense that we could be separated from God… Jesus accepted to be executed to show us how much God is for us and loves us. God is already doing all He could possibly do; now it’s up to us to give a response to his overtures of love and reconciliation. Will we humbly admit our sin and our faults? Will we accept his forgiveness? Will we believe that He loves us? Will we try to love Him back? But how exactly can we possibly love God back?

How can we love God or give Him anything when He is already complete? God is a Holy Trinity of divine Persons full of life and of love for each other; we cannot add anything to God. However, since God loves us, He hates to see us suffer and be miserable; so, we can stop causing misery and stop hurting ourselves and each other. We can accept to be loved by God and show gratitude by loving our neighbor; even when the neighbor is difficult to love.

Comment est-il possible d’aimer Dieu, Lui qui est une Sainte Trinité de Personnes divines pleines de vie et d’amour mutuel? Dieu est déjà complet et on ne peut rien ajouter à Dieu. Mais puisque Dieu nous aime, Il n’aime pas nous voir souffrir. Nous pouvons cesser de nous faire du mal à nous-mêmes et aux autres. Nous pouvons permettre à Dieu de nous aimer et montrer notre gratitude en aimant notre prochain; surtout quand notre prochain est difficile à aimer.

Nous laissons Dieu nous aimer quand nous Lui ouvrons notre pensée, notre cœur, et notre esprit par la prière souvent durant la journée et même la nuit. Dieu nous invite à être intime avec Lui; alors pourquoi pas le faire? Nous aimons Dieu quand nous acceptons l’invitation de Jésus de participer à la Sainte Eucharistie le dimanche pour ensuite faire de toute la journée du dimanche le Jour du Seigneur pour nous reposer et prendre joie dans notre famille et nos amis.

We let God love us when we open to Him our thoughts, our heart, and our spirit through prayer often during the day and even at night. God invites us into intimate friendship with Him; so, why not do it? We love God back when we accept Jesus’ invitation to participate in his Holy Eucharist on Sunday and rest all day long on the Lord’s Day and take our delight in our family and in our friends. C’est l’Esprit Saint qui vient à notre aide pour nous ouvrir à Dieu. The Holy Spirit is with us to help us love God: the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let us take a few moments in silence to reflect on this Good News given to us by the Lord. (bil) 

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© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC