Deacon Greg 4-10-22

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Homily
4-10-22
(Bullet Point Style)  

We shout HOSANA as Jesus triumphantly enters what would be the holiest of weeks! The Pharisees asked Jesus to tell them to stop, and our Lord said in reply, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!”

Or as depicted in the lyrics of Jesus Christ Superstar…

Why waste your breath moaning at the crowd?
Nothing can be done to stop the shouting
If every tongue was still, the noise would still continue
The rocks and stones themselves would start to sing

LENT IS ABOUT CONVERSION AND CONVERSION IS CHANGE…

· IT’S A TURNING, AN OVERTURNING, A TURNING AROUND, OR A TURNING POINT…

· IN SPIRITUAL TERMS, IT IS AN ONGOING RESPONSE OF OUR WHOLE PERSON TURNING IN FAITH AND LOVE TO THE GOD WHO LOVES US!

Have you changed these past six weeks?
What was the turning point?

If it hasn’t already happened, the Gospel invites you TODAY to turn towards the God who loves you and walk into the rest of this Holy Week with an open heart!

· The Two Criminals… Unique to Luke
· Do we jeer like the Bad Thief and the Crowd?
· Save yourself and us!
· He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.
· Are we like the Good Thief?
· Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
· Jesus: You’ll be with me in paradise…
· These are Jesus’ last words to a human in Luke’s Gospel.
· Note the Centurion: “This man was innocent beyond doubt…”
· AND YET OUR LORD SAID “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit!
· He GAVE up his spirit.
· Our God GAVE us his only Son.

· LET US NOT JUST GO HOME “BEATING OUR BRESTS!”
· LET US NOT JUST STAND BY AT A DISTANCE

CCC #1427… IT IS BY FAITH IN THE GOSPEL AND BY BAPTISM THAT ONE RENOUNCES EVIL AND GAINS SALVATION, THAT IS, THE FORGIVENESS OF ALL SINS AND THE GIFT OF NEW LIFE… JESUS CALLS [US] TO CONVERSION. THIS CALL IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM…

LET US ALLOW THE LORD TO HEAL ALL THAT IS WEAK, DEFECTIVE, OR SINFUL IN YOUR HEARTS!

LET US ALLOW THE LORD TO BRING OUT AND STRENGTHEN ALL THAT IS UPRIGHT AND GOOD.

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