This weekend, we continue our “Kerygma” series, and we reflect on the third part, entitled “Rescued.” By way of reminder, Dcn. Brett and I are framing each homily around questions to make it more accessible:

- (Created) Why is there something instead of nothing?

- (Captured)Why is the world so messed up?

- (Rescued) What is God doing about it?

- (Response) What is our role?

Last weekend, Dcn. Brett eloquently shared how we are captured by many things which promise us what inevitably are lies. As such, we then find ourselves shackled to false gods, struggling with sin which binds our hearts and minds, and we are, ultimately, unable to save ourselves from these evils. I pray that Saturday morning’s Communal Reconciliation Service was an aide to you in getting free from these things.

This weekend, I reflect on how great the Good News really is. Our world once had a sense of Christian ethos such that we could even speak of “Christendom.” This is no longer. Our world has removed God from the center and has become captured by Secularism, hedonism, and all their consequences. Pope John Paul II was known for describing our culture as one of death. The results have been catastrophic and horrific, not just bad news. And it is because so many people have domesticated the bad news to be something more akin to a side note, the Good News has been lost, forgotten, or even mocked.

The Good News is the Greatest News ever in the history of all creation! That is not hyperbole. We believe that Jesus came to us, incarnate as a baby, so that he could take on our sins, conquer the powers of darkness and death, and free us from the tyranny of the worst dictator ever, Satan. By coming as man, Jesus, God, became one of us, crushing the evil one, freeing those held captive, and opening the path to heaven! And if that was not enough, he desires to make all things new. Christ’s death was not a defeat nor the end. Rather it brought about the triumphant Resurrection. That cosmic event reoriented everything! Jesus completed the plan from the beginning whereby we share in God’s likeness in our own eventual resurrection.

So, let us rejoice always in the Lord on this Gaudate Sunday weekend. Give thanks for his marvelous deeds which has won for us: a prize of sharing in his awesome presence, transformed into His likeness as was the plan from the beginning of Creation!

Blessings,
Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

BOOK: “Rescued: The Unexpected and Extraordinary News of the Gospel” By Fr John Riccardo