Tuesday, May 5, 2015

The Vine and Branches

I am vine - you are branches
Jesus and the Church

Years ago – It was said that we live in post-Christian era
No longer - Jesus seems very popular
Now – it is the post-Church era
We have believers but not belongers
People want a king without a kingdom
Shepherd without sheep
A father with us as an only child
Jesus but not his church

Remember St. Paul   knocked to the ground
Saul   Saul, why are you persecuting me?    Jesus & church are one

Mt 25  -   When I was hungry, you gave me food ,  thirsty, gave me drink

As Joan of Arc said about Jesus and the Church - They are simply one thing.

Priest once said:
Theist is someone who believes in God
Christian is a theist who believes Jesus is the Son of God
Catholic is a Christian who believes Jesus is alive in the Church.

Ekklesia  -  called out from

Who calls - in USA we join -  someone calls us - Christ
Called out from - what - world   (from sin, corruption, evil) 
This is why we pull aside each week to attend Mass.
Called into - life of Christ - God’s way of being    to make saints!!!
Challenge - church is filled with sinners.

Can be difficult at times to love the church

I want a perfect church - if I don’t find it, sit down with cup of coffee and NY Times and make my own church,  in my own image.  Sorry to say that’s why so many Protestant churches – don’t like it: break off and start your own!!!

Church must be divine -  how could the Church have ever survived?

Card Dolan recalls a time he was visiting a couple at home  Bill & Lena
Lena had rheumatoid arthritis and became very crippled
Bill would bathe her, dress her, feed her,
“She is more beautiful to me today than on the day I married her.”
And this is love

Church is the bride of Christ, radient in beauty
Other times, crippled, weak, helpless    can love her no less

Jesus appeared and showed the apostles his wounds  -  so, too, the church is wounded

Chrism Mass    Quoted Carlo Carretto:

“How much I must criticize you, my church, and yet how much I love you. You have made me suffer and yet I owe more to you than anyone else. You have given me much scandal, and yet you have made me understand holiness. Never in this world have I seen anything more compromised, more false, and yet have I never touched anything more pure,, more generous, more beautiful. Countless times I have felt like slamming the door of my soul in your face, and yet every night I have prayed that I may die in your sure arms. No, I cannot be free of you for I am one with you. Then, too, where would I go? To build another church? But I could not build one without the same defects because they happen to be mine. It would then be my church, not yours. No, I’m old enough to know better.