Pentecost A

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Back Posts:
Pentecost 2013: http://www.tkayala.com/2013/05/pentecost-2013-homilies-and-stories.html
Water, Fire, Wind Symbols: http://www.tkayala.com/2013/05/holy-spirit-3-symbols-video.html
Fr. Tony Kadavil's Collection: http://www.tkayala.com/2012/05/pentecost-may-21-homily.html
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Starters:
The Church on Fire 

Two persons were talking together before a large church which was being destroyed by fire. The first man spoke in a voice which could be heard above the voice of the firemen: "This is the first time I ever saw you at church." To this the second responded: "This is the first time I ever saw the church on fire." There are many prophets of doom saying that the age of the Christian Church is over - that it has lost its zeal! We're taking a beating right now in this country and around the world. Our theology is being questioned. Everyone is writing a critical book against the organized church. We have had to take some unpopular stands on social issues. Magazines are attacking the ministry, and it isn't the thing to do anymore to join the church. John Kelman said, however, "God pity the nation or city whose factory smokestacks rise higher than her church spires."  

Why Belong To The Church?, anthology, CSS Publishing Company, Inc.

Ascension 2012

Introduction

Today’s readings describe the ascension of the Lord Jesus into his heavenly glory after he had promised his disciples his Holy Spirit as their source of heavenly power, and commanded them to bear witness to him throughout the world by their lives and preaching.  But the ascended Jesus is still with us through his indwelling Holy Spirit as he has promised, "I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.”   Today’s feast celebrates Jesus’ final glorification after his suffering, death   and resurrection –   a glory in which we hope to share. 

Scripture Lessons 

The first reading  gives an account of the event of Jesus’ ascension as recorded in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. First, Jesus instructed his apostles to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the baptism by the Holy Spirit so that they might become his “witnesses to the ends of the earth” by the power of the Holy Spirit. Then a cloud took Jesus from the sight of the disciples and two heavenly messengers in white garments gave them the assurance of Jesus’ “second coming” or return in glory.  Today's psalm suggests that, by his Ascension, the risen Lord "mounts his throne" in glory.  In the second reading,  Paul explains the theological meaning of Jesus’ exaltation, giving us the assurance that one day, we, too, will be ascending to heavenly glory, provided we carry out the mission entrusted to us by the ascending Lord. Today's gospel describes  how  Jesus  ascended  to  heaven  after  giving  his  final  blessing  and missionary command to his disciples. The command was to “proclaim the good news to every creature”(Mark 16:15), “to be his witnesses"(Acts 1: 8), and “to make disciples of all  n ation s.”  (Matthew 8:19). 

Life Messages 

1)  We  need  to  be  proclaimers  and  evangelizers:  To  be  a  Christian  is  to  be  a proclaimer and an evangelizer.   There is a difference between preaching and proclaiming.  We preach with words but we proclaim with our lives.  Let us ask the guidance of the Spirit of God to bear witness to Jesus by our transparent Christian lives. 2)  We need to transmit his teachings to the world:  Jesus taught us lessons of faith, hope, love, forgiveness, mercy and salvation by his life and preaching and gave us the mission to teach these to others.    Hence, let us learn about Jesus and his teachings by our daily study of the Bible and the teachings of the Church, experience him in personal prayer, reception of the sacraments and works of charity, and convey to others Jesus whom we have experienced with the help of his Holy Spirit. 

3) We need seek our help in this mission from the ascended Jesus who is our strength and encouragement: We will be able to overcome doubts about our faith and baseless fears,  anxieties and worries by meditating on Jesus’ Ascension and the lesson it teaches, that we, too, are called to share his glory in heaven. L/12 

Ascension 2009

From Fr. Tony Kadavil:

Anecdote 1) God’s love in action: The disciples who completed Puccini’s opera Turandot. The Italian composer Giacomo Puccini wrote La Boheme, Madama Butterfly and Tosca. It was during his battle with terminal cancer in 1922 that he began to write Turandot, which many now consider his best work. He worked on the score day and night, despite his friends' advice to rest, and to save his energy. When his sickness worsened, Puccini said to his disciples, 'If I don't finish Turandot, I want you to finish it.' He died in 1924, leaving the work unfinished. His disciples gathered all that was written of Turandot, studied it in great detail, and then proceeded to write the remainder of the opera. The world premier was performed in La Scala Opera House in Milan in 1926, and Toscanini, Puccini’s favorite student, conducted it. The opera went beautifully, until Toscanini came to the end of the part written by Puccini. He stopped the music, put down the baton, turned to the audience, and announced, 'Thus far the master wrote, but he died.' There was a long pause; no one moved. Then Toscanini picked up the baton, turned to the audience and, with tears in his eyes, announced, 'But his disciples finished his work.' The opera closed to thunderous applause, and to a permanent place in the annals of great works. Jesus instructs us in his Ascension message to finish his work of saving mankind by proclaiming His good news by words and deeds.

Easter 7 A

1. Fr. Ted Martin  

Purpose: The Ascension of our Divine Savior marks the destiny for all human flesh; glory with the Father and the blessed in heaven. The greatest gift of the Christian faith is the supernatural end to which the anchor of hope secures joy amidst the difficulties and sufferings of this life. We learn in this Sunday’s readings that Christian life consists of walking toward Jerusalem with the Apostolic band and our Lady, so that we shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. This Sunday’s readings teach us: 1. The necessity of praying with the Church; 2. Prayer as the key to suffering; 3. The unicity of Jesus Christ; and, the necessity of proclaiming His Lordship. 

KFC - Story of Colonel Sanders

The Story Behind KFC - Colonel Sanders..

Reverend Albert Kang

Colonel Harland Sanders has become a world-known figure by marketing his "finger lickin' good" Kentucky Fried Chicken.

His chicken is now served daily across the United States as well as in more than eighty other countries. It is one of the largest fast food corporations in the world.

Easter 6 A - Homilies - Love and Communion in the Spirit

In the Footprints of Loneliness, the Servant of God Catherine DeHueck Doherty (d. 1985) wrote: 

Loneliness is a terrible thing, and we must do something about it.  It is here that tenderness, gentleness, and understanding helps us to live…  Gentleness and tenderness assuage loneliness and make it possible to disappear…Tenderness is the ability to be present, extending the warmth of my heart to your heart.

Easter 5 A: I am the Way, Truth and Life; Don't Be Anxious

The Peacemakers
Dawne Olson, a South Dakota mother of four, was preparing to give a talk on unity at her women's Bible study. She woke up early to type out the scripture verses. She wasn't quite finished when her four children began coming downstairs asking for breakfast. She could hear the children just around the corner in the kitchen as they rummaged through the refrigerator and cupboards for something to eat. At some point they discovered half of a toaster pastry on the counter from the night before. They all began screaming and fighting; each claiming the half-eaten Pop Tart. 

As Dawne made a couple of futile attempts to quiet them down, she finished typing the verse in Matthew 5:9 that says, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God." Taking her cue from scripture, she hollered into the kitchen above the noise, "Would somebody PLEASE be the peacemaker?!" 

12 Leadership Principles of Jesus That Inspire Me

Ron Edmonston

There are many leaders I admire who have influenced my own leadership. I admire the teachings on leadership by guys like John Maxwell, Andy Stanley, and Patrick Lencioni. There are leaders from my personal life such as a former pastor, a former boss, a high school principal and leaders in my own community who have influenced me as I have watched their leadership. I also love to learn from a great athletic coach. I have been known to choose the teams I support by the coach that leads them. I love leadership. It is so needed these days; especially in our churches.

The principles, however, that I admire most are found in the leadership style of Jesus. Jesus’ leadership is still impacting culture today.

Here are 12 leadership principles of Jesus that inspire me:

The Leadership Strategy of Jesus

By Michael Hyatt

 

So much of the activity I see among leaders today is focused on reaching the masses. “Successful leaders” speak at big conferences, host popular television or radio shows, publish bestselling books, or write successful blogs. Their goal is breadth. They want to extend their influence to as many people as possible.

Jesus had a much different leadership strategy. His goal was not “reach” or popularity. In fact, as strange as it sounds today, he actively discouraged publicity. On more than one occasion, after performing a jaw-dropping miracle, he told those who witnessed it, “Tell no one what you have seen” (see e.g., Matthew 8:4; 16:20; 17:9; Mark 7:36; 8:30; 9:9; Luke 5:14; and 8:56). He was a publicist’s nightmare.

Easter 4 A – Good Shepherd

Pope John Paul II, the good shepherd.  

The most beautiful and meaningful comment on the life and the legacy of our late Holy Father, Blessed John Paul II, was made by the famous televangelist Billy Graham. In a TV interview he said: “He lived like his Master the Good Shepherd and he died like his Master the Good Shepherd.” In today’s gospel, Jesus claims that he is the Good Shepherd and explains what he does for his sheep. (Fr. Tony Kadavil) 

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Thomas O’Loughlin
Introduction to the Celebration

Who do we follow? This is the question that today’s gospel puts before us. Many of us would like to think that we follow no one, that we make our own decisions and choose our own paths. Yet, our experience tells us that we are often led — look at advertising
— and often led astray: look at how many brigands have incited human beings so that the worst of crimes and destruction have been justified? But the choice of Christ as our shepherd is the choice to bear witness to the victory of life, and love, and forgiveness over the forces of death, domination, and vengeance. So where do we stand in terms of calling ourselves disciples?                                       
 
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