The Rambler

  FEAST OF THE ASCENSION [C]  We’ll open with a baseball expression: Going, going, GONE!! That’s the announcer, tracking the ball after it has been hit. We hear that it’s going, it’s going. Upon clearing the fence it is finally pronounced as “gone!!”  And yet, you have to be sure that it really has found its way into the seats. A talented outfielder can time his jump and turn a homerun into an out.  It does happen. A great number of people were watching when Tori Hunter denied Barry Bonds back in 2002. People were watching because it was the annual All-Star game, pitting the best of the National League against the best of the American League. It was the top of the first inning when Bonds launched a ball to deep center field. The ball was passing over the fence, when suddenly Hunter extended himself and made the catch. The ball was going and going. But it could not be pronounced as gone.  Now, let’s turn our attention to the person of Jesus. We acknowledge the f...

  SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER [C] How will the disciples respond when Jesus ascends to the Father? Jesus explains that it should be understood as a cause for joy, not a cause for grief (John 14:28). A new chapter will soon be underway: we’re transitioning from the Age of the Son to the Age of the Holy Spirit. The Age of the Son was something to appreciate. Nevertheless, Jesus insists that a greater benefit will be brought about when the Holy Spirit takes center stage. The Divine Presence will no longer be concentrated within the form of a lone individual; instead, it will be dispersed liberally, across every boundary: every geographical boundary, every ethnic boundary, and every generational boundary.  We can say that the Age of the Spirit will feature the manifestation of various gifts. For example, the Spirit provides you with the gift of wisdom. It’s a sought-after gift, especially if you happen to be in a position of leadership. Note the dilemma being faced in our first reading...

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER [C] We’re in the Upper Room, as the thirteenth chapter of John’s Gospel begins to unfold. Judas has been sent on his way, and now we have Jesus making an announcement. Evidently, he’s going to be “glorified,” and in the process God will likewise be glorified (13:31-32). From our perspective, it doesn’t seem to add up. Judas is preparing to turn Jesus over to the Jewish authorities. If anything, the Lord is about to be “victimized,” not glorified. It would appear that he’s seriously misreading the situation.  But then again, perhaps not. A drama is being set into motion. We’re well on our way to seeing a “verbalized” love being transfigured into a “demonstrated” love. So when Jesus tells them that they need to have love for one another (13:34), it will be their way of proving something: namely, that they belong to this Lord of Love. You practice love because you are in communion with the Lord of Love. What does this entail? You’re ministering to the people ar...

  FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER [C] You’ve gone back in time. You’re no longer a twenty-first century Christian; suddenly, you’re a first century Christian. Everything is fresh, everything is new. Jesus has ascended into Heaven, but he has left behind a series of glorious promises. You cherish each and every one of these promises. And yet, you find yourself struggling with the promise outlined in the Gospel of John, chapter ten: You are not going to perish, if you belong to Jesus (10:28) . The air seems to be going out of this promise……as you witness people around you dying off—whether through old age, through illness, or through the effects of persecution.  Jesus himself assured us that we would not perish!! Was he misleading us? You tell yourself that it was a sincere message, even if not a completely reliable message. It parallels a message that will be delivered later on, by way of folk tale. Chicken Little really believes that the sky is in the process of falling. The word ...

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER [C] QUASIMODO . We get introduced to this name in an 1831 work written by the French author, Victor Hugo. The title of the novel is The Hunchback of Notre Dame . Early on we learn that the hunchback has been given a name: Quasimodo, which means “half-made.”  If he was fully made, or completely made, then his back would not be “hunched.” He would not be afflicted with a deformity. At least, that’s what the name Quasimodo seems to imply.  The Peter we encounter initially can likewise be described as half-made. However, in his case, there is a degree of hope. Quasimodo will persist in being Quasimodo throughout the entire 528 page story. He’s half-made and he will remain that way. But with Peter there is a progression. Yes, he has been embarrassing himself at various junctures.  Look for example at the Gospel of Matthew, chapter twenty six. He vigorously attests to his loyalty in verse 33; nevertheless, the chapter closes with Peter denying Jesus, thre...