What does it mean to be “the best”? Our American society puts a premium on it. If it's high school, the best student is the “valedictorian.” If it's high school sports, then the best team is the “state champion.” Pro football awards the “Lombardi Trophy” for winning the Super Bowl, and professional baseball gives the “Commissioner's Trophy” for winning the World Series. Locally, Gambit Magazine list an annual “Best of New Orleans” with lists of the best restaurants, bars, banks, schools, theater and just about every local food item you can imagine. But for a Christian, what does it mean to be “the best”? Are you the best if you're a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Altar Society or the Ladies of Charity? Are you the best if you come to daily Mass, pray the Rosary and attend … [Read more...]

This week I read an article about bestselling children's author Philip Pullman, the author of the “Golden Compass.” It seems that Pullman is now styling himself as a theologian, and his new book, due to be published next year, accepts that there was once a holy man called Jesus but asserts that the idea that Jesus was God came from the “fervid imagination” of the apostle St Paul. There's nothing new with this theory, which is heresy called “Arianism,” and dates to the third century. The problem with Pullman's theory is that it denies every aspect of the self-revelation of Jesus contained in the Gospel. Remember some of the stories: “The Jews therefore said to Him, “ ”˜You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?' Jesus said to them, ”˜Truly, truly, I say to you, before … [Read more...]

Ephphatha. It's not a word you hear every day. It's one of the dozen or so Aramaic words that are preserved in the New Testament, along with a number of Aramaic names and places. Most scholars agree that the Jesus primarily spoke Aramaic, with some Hebrew, Greek and Latin. The towns of Nazareth and Capernaum, where Jesus lived, were primarily Aramaic-speaking communities, though Greek and Latin were widely spoken in the eastern Roman Empire. The Gospels are written in Greek, while most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew. But it is interesting that the Greek of the Gospels sometimes transliterates exact Aramaic words to preserve the exact words of Jesus. Most of these are familiar to us, words like “Abba” addressing God as Father, “talitha kum” to the little girl Jesus raises … [Read more...]

If there's one thing in the world we don't like, it's hypocrisy. I remember sitting next to a man on an airplane one time. When he saw that I was a priest in clerics, he was initially very courteous. He said he was Catholic and spoke about being involved in the Church when he was younger. As our conversation continued, he began to spend a lot of time criticizing the Catholic Church, particularly it's teachings on marriage and sexuality, a male priesthood, and the war in Iraq. After listening for a while, I asked him where he went to church at the moment. He responded: “Oh, I don't go to a Catholic church anymore; there are too many hypocrites there.” Nodding at his response, I turned to him and smiled: “Well, there's always room for one more!” The word hypocrisy comes from the Greek … [Read more...]

This Sunday we complete our five week Eucharistic study of the 6th Chapter of John's Gospel. Four weeks ago we heard about the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes – earthly food. Three weeks ago we heard Jesus describe Himself as the “bread from Heaven,” calling to mind the manna sent from heaven to nourish the Israelites in their Exodus in the desert. Two weeks ago Jesus starts facing detractors; but instead of backing down, He described Himself as the means by which we have access to the Father. Last week, He mentions that the process of gaining access to the Father through Him is by actually eating His body and drinking His blood. (Jn 6:54). Gone are the references to bread. Now He's talking about His flesh and blood. And this week, many followers begin leaving Him. It's too … [Read more...]

As I mentioned over the last three weekends, the Gospel this Sunday is a continuation of the 6th Chapter of John's Gospel. Three weeks ago we heard about the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes. Two weeks ago we heard Jesus raise the bar and describe Himself as the “bread from Heaven,” calling to mind the manna from heaven of the Exodus. Last Sunday Jesus starts facing detractors, people who rejected his audacious claims, and He “upped the ante” by describing Himself as the means by which we have access to the Father. This week, things get even more challenging. Verses 51-58 connect the “bread from Heaven,” and the “means” by which we have access to the Father” to the actual flesh of Jesus. All of a sudden, it becomes abundantly clear to the listeners of Jesus that He's not … [Read more...]

As I mentioned over the last two weekends, the Gospel this Sunday is a continuation of the 6th Chapter of John's Gospel. Two weeks ago we heard about the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes. Last week we heard Jesus raise the bar and describe Himself as the “Bread from Heaven,” calling to mind the manna from heaven of the Exodus. This Sunday Jesus starts facing detractors, followers who reject his audacious claims, and He “ups the ante” once again: “Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” Have you ever been hungry … [Read more...]

As I mentioned last weekend, the Gospel this Sunday is a continuation of the 6th Chapter of John's Gospel. Last week we heard about the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes. As I said, that miracle – the only one recounted in all four of the Gospels – is a prefigurement of the Eucharist. Jesus comes to the people and fills them with earthly food. This weekend we read verses 24-25 of the same 6th Chapter. We hear that the people who had been fed have searched and found Jesus again. And the first thing he gives them is a rebuke: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” It's an almost shocking statement, isn't it? Since we know that Jesus loved those people, it sounds harsh that He would chastise them … [Read more...]

Please excuse me if I have been a little unavailable over the last week. The death of my Dad came at an unexpected time, and being his only child in New Orleans (and a priest) thrust me into the center of the funeral preparations. It also placed a heavy burden of grief upon me that – while not unexpected – was more physically challenging than I would have anticipated. I couldn't believe how exhausted I became over the time that I heard about Dad's death on July 16 ( the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel ) and even up until two days after the funeral. Giving the homily at the funeral on Tuesday was one of the most difficult things I've done as a priest, but it was also a time when I experienced God's grace working through my weakness. The day before Dad's funeral was probably the most … [Read more...]

This week we celebrate “Independence Day,” the “birthday” of the United States of America.It's a day when we celebrate our “Freedom.” The Declaration of Independence was the document by which the people of the New World cast off the “yoke of slavery” of their former ruler – the King – and formed a government based on very important truths: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” I'm sure we all have fond memories of celebrating this day with fireworks, hot dogs, picnics and family.But it's always good to remember the spirit behind the Declaration. Freedom is ultimately rooted in God-given truths, and apart from … [Read more...]