Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

Most of you know how I feel about the image of shepherd (it doesn’t speak to me) that is found in today’s first reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah (23:1-6), the Responsorial Psalm (23), and today’s Gospel according to Mark (6:30-34). As I’ve been reflecting on these readings, I’ve used the word “leader” instead of “shepherd.” If you think about it, whether we are parents or grandparents, big sisters or brothers, teachers or mentors, or even friars, we are all leaders in someway to someone. The questions that these readings invite us to consider are who are our leaders, and what makes a good leader?

As shown above we are all leaders. Recent scholarship has shown that we all learn by following the example of others (mimetic theory). We first learn from our parents and siblings in our family of origin; then teachers and classmates, then friends and those close to us. In today’s world we must also say we learn from “influencers” on social media, from politicians, religious leaders, bosses … you get the picture. As a professor of mine once said, “everything speaks to us” to which I might add, “everyone has some kind of influence on us (or not).” So, the first question you might consider this week is “who at this present time are you MOST led by?” And, to go a step further, “Whom do you lead, and how and to what?”

As to what makes a good leader, I think as Catholic Christians we are called to look to Christ. When I consider Christ, I see that He showed kindness not vengeance, compassion not indifference, mercy not cruelty, and generosity not selfishness, love not animosity. Jesus never tried to force anyone to do anything, rather He subtly called them to remember that they were made in the image and likeness of God and should live as such. He tried to unite and invite others into what He called the Reign of God, or the Kingdom of Heaven. What Jesus began, we who are the church are called to live out for ourselves and continue. May the Lord give us all energy and courage to follow in His footprints.

– Fr. Steve

My Good Friends,

I’ve always heard it said from those who have participated in any Camino journey that the experience will change you. Despite being home for more than two weeks now, and while I do believe there has been a shift of some sort, it’s hard to recognize a real change within. Here’s to hoping the change will reveal itself gradually.

The following is a heavily condensed version of the reflection I already shared with my fellow pilgrims at Mass in the Cave of St. Ignatius in Manresa. I shared that for me, during our Camino, I was blessed to be amongst some very holy men. The entire Camino was a mirror of God’s grace where we did not hesitate to open up our lives to each other, both the joys and the heartaches. It was one of tightest bonds among friends I’ve ever experienced. I believe that in our hearts we were all in the presence of something extraordinary. One parishioner on our journey often said that each and every one of us were meant to be there. I am forever grateful having been in this company as we followed the footsteps of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

One of our fellow pilgrims on this Camino journey, John Tempone, has since gone home to God. I’d always recognized John’s holiness. He loved his family. He loved his country. He loved his faith and his church. I felt he loved all of us. Each and every time he received the Eucharist, he would respond with the words of St Thomas, “My Lord and My God.” He took nothing for granted and was in awe of the entire universe around him. It certainly was a blessing for us all to have him amongst us. His enthusiasm and almost childlike love of life, in spite of some terrifying experiences during his career as a highly decorated Marine to which he was exposed, he was, and continues to be, an inspiration for us all.

His joyfulness was contagious. John’s presence made this world a better place for all whom have had the privilege of knowing him. He courageously took on life allowing desolation and consolation to be his guide, allowing him always to go forward and never in despair. This was indeed my experience of John Tempone, one that will stay with me always, a truly holy man, a devoted husband, an inspiring and wise father, and loving grandfather. A humble mentor to all with a deep sincerity within.

Our Ignatian Camino retreat was meant to be an opportunity for the discovery of the presence of God in our lives. I for one was blessed to not only be walking with men like John, but with all of you. John helped us all to discover that change happens by acknowledgment, participation, and by allowing Him who loves us, to provide us with love and grace as we strive courageously in loving ourselves and each other. Godspeed my friend!

My heartfelt appreciation to you all, especially to those who helped create and organize this experience for us, for it is indeed the journey and not the destination!

-Fr. Zack

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

My friend Antonio is one of the most patient people I know. Not only does he put up with me, but when we video chat once a week and I see how he interacts with his two-year-old son Augustus, he’s downright saintly. And if this isn’t enough, he is a gardener who starts his garden from seeds growing in pots in early spring.

When I meditate on the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel (17: 22-24) “I will take from the crest of the cedar, from its topmost branches tear off a tender shoot…” and then read from the Gospel according to Mark (4: 26-34) the parable of the mustard seed, “the smallest of all the seeds on the earth” I am reminded of God’s patience, and His proclivity to choose small things through which to work.

I suppose God could have chosen a mighty and strong people to be his own, but he chose the Jews. I suppose God could have chosen a rich queen from a large metropolis to become His mother, instead He chose a poor teenage girl, from a town of no importance. I suppose the Word of God could have come into the world fully grown and strong, but He became a small and vulnerable human baby. God has His reasons for choosing the small and weak. Perhaps it’s so His grace will become ever more evident. Who knows?

Most of us, in the eyes of the world are nobodies, destined to be nobodies. But in God’s eyes we are all somebodies. God has begun a good work in us, and God will see that good worked finished. All we need to do is cooperate with Him.

That mustard seed has grown into “the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” A beautiful image of what the Church at large should be (the bush denies no bird a home), and a beautiful image of what Sacred Heart parish is: a place of peace and rest to all in downtown Tampa.

Today, let us continue to grow, in patience toward one another and ourselves and in hospitality to our neighbors. In this way we will continue to cooperate with God and His good work already begun in us will bear fruit.

-Fr. Steve

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

On the evening of the first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear…” this is the opening phrase of today’s Gospel according to St. John. In John’s Gospel, the Ascension and Pentecost happen on Easter Sunday. (In Luke these feasts are spread out over time; forty days after Easter for the Ascension, and another ten days for Pentecost.) I’ve always liked the Lukan chronology, since it gives us the gift of time to better ponder the fulness of the Easter mystery: the bodily resurrection of Jesus, his return to the Father in heaven (taking his now glorified body and human nature with him), and his sending the Holy Spirit to abide forever with us, the Church.)

But this year, it’s that first line in the Gospel that captured my heart. “On the evening of the first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear…” The disciples at that point were afraid that they too would be handed over to the Romans by the Jews. I hope none of us in today’s world are afraid of the Jews, since we would then be afraid of Jesus who was, is and always will be Jewish. But all of us have locked places in our hearts. All of us have a fear of someone or something. Today’s Gospel is an invitation for us to name that which causes us fear and then to trust that the risen Christ is already there, standing in our midst and saying to us, “Peace be with you.” Peace, the Shalom of God, which is the promise of right relationship with not only God, not only with our neighbors and creation, but right and healed relationship with ourselves.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ’s Peace, Healing, and Forgiveness. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, not only with God, but sometimes we need an advocate on behalf of those wounded parts of us that we long to be healed, restored, forgiven. God is quick to forgive.

Our friends and neighbors, those we have hurt, might forgive in time and up to a point. I find that too often we can’t forgive ourselves. We don’t think we can or ought to open those memories of the hurt we have caused others; we think if we pretend to forget, then those words or actions, those things that “I have done or have failed to do” have no real hold on us. But we are wrong; those are the locked doors behind which is not condemnation, but the Holy Spirit of Christ’s forgiveness.

Today, on this wonderful expression of Easter, the gifting of the Holy Spirit to a wounded and too often wounding Church, let us remember that the Healing Spirit is given to us who not because we have somehow earned the gift, but because in our pain we need the gift. Today, let us celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit by living not in fear but in faith. “The antidote to fear is Faith, and the fruit of faith is Charity.”

-Fr. Steve

Dear Parishioners,

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

As I’ve said before, Good Shepherd Sunday (John 10:11-18) is not easy for me to preach on. I’ve had no experience with sheep, nor have I ever met a shepherd of sheep. But in the “Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons, and Weekdays” the author of the reflection on this text reminds us that, “a good shepherd knows that it is best to lead from the back, gently nudging the flock toward nourishment and keeping out of harm’s way” (p. 182).

This reminded me of my time teaching English in Santurce, Spain during summer vacation. (I did this for three summers before I reentered the friars, and though the days were long, the pay was wonderful.) I knew no Spanish and was told that’s why I got the job. I did have a wonderful Spanish aid, Susanna, who assisted in class, and at the local tapas bar the English teachers and aides frequented every night. Every Wednesday, we’d take my class of 20 children on an outing by bus to the sea, or another town. She was the leader, and I with a big, tall walking stick in hand, followed behind, making sure no one wandered away. It was very stressful, but the kids seemed to enjoy this time away from a full day of classroom instruction. I never lost anyone. I don’t know if they were afraid of me or afraid of the stick.

This idea of “nudging” people to nourishment, to faith, fidelity, and forgiveness, is to my mind exactly how Jesus ministered to people and lived His life. While in homilies I’ve never used the word “nudged”, I have used the word “invited”. The Greek word for “good” can also be translated as “beautiful” or “exemplary”.  Jesus was a beautiful and exemplary shepherd in that He never beat His followers over the head, never scolded nor scared them, but by word and deed showed them how much they were loved. He was a good shepherd since, in the end, He even laid down His life for them. Who Jesus was then He is even more so now. He invites and nudges us. He doesn’t beat nor scold us. He laid down his life for us and rose from the dead for us.

All of us should be shepherds for one another. Parents, you are the shepherds of your children. Grandparents, you too are shepherds for adult children, guiding them by example; caring, praying with and for your grandchildren. My prayer for us all who are the Church is that we lead one another to nourishment by gently guiding one another. My prayer for all of us is that we also have the humility to be guided especially when we find ourselves in difficult situations. My prayer for all of us is that we let ourselves by nudged by Jesus, the Good Shepherd, so that we who are God’s children now may come to realize who we shall be when all has been revealed (1 John 3:1-2).

– Fr. Steve Kluge, OFM

Dear Parishioners,

As we look upon the Resurrection of Jesus and its redemptive act of love for us as it effects the forgiveness of sin, it also needs to be seen as a gift of peace towards all humanity. Our readings this Sunday all emphasize repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Acts of the Apostles urges repentance for forgiveness of sins. John’s letter views Christ as an offering for the world and reminds us that if we sin, we have Jesus as our personal intercessor before God. In Luke’s Gospel, which happens to be the tail end of the Emmaus Story, we hear Jesus opening the minds of the Apostles to the Scriptures, telling them they are to preach repentance after first greeting them with the words “Peace be with you.”

Peace connotes the restoration of relationships, between God and His people and His people among themselves.  When Jesus stood among them with the word “peace,” He restored them to relationship with Himself. The barrier of death has been overcome.  Jesus and His disciples are united. He is not a ghost, and they do not have to be afraid. He is alive and real. Nor do we need to be afraid.

At some point after the Resurrection, the disciples might have wondered, “Jesus rising from the dead is great, but what now?” “What’s next?” What’s next is for them to go out and preach the good news of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, to be preached in Jesus’ name. Jesus is now teaching and commissioning them.

Last week we read that the Apostles are to forgive sins and indeed, this is the greatest work we can carry out as Christians, to forgive.  As God the Father forgave us through Jesus’ death on the cross, so we forgive others. That example of forgiving others can lead us all towards a peaceful existence with one another.

We are invited in this time of Easter to deepen our faith in the risen Christ by renewing again the promises of our Baptism:  to die to self and to live in the Lord. Words are easy and actions can be costly. We can ask ourselves: “Can I truly offer forgiveness and ask for forgiveness too?” “Do I really trust that my own sins are forgiven?” “Do I know that Christ died and then was raised to life and through that, our whole world was changed forever?” The answer to all of these questions should be a resounding “yes!”

After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to convey the message of peace to his followers, and that includes all of us. May we be open the grace of peace in our lives proclaimed to us by Jesus himself!

Peace be with you!
– Fr. Zack