In this last year we’ve all been reminded of our mortality countless times as we’ve watched the COVID-19 pandemic sweep over the world. But as part of the Body of Christ, there is a hope that awaits our mortal bodies, and to see it, we need look no further than this Sunday’s readings!

 “The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses!” The promise of Christ proclaimed by Peter is not only good news for us in the present moment — the redemption from sin — but good news for us for eternity, too. As Catholics, our theology of the end is very specific. While our bodies and souls separate at death, we do not continue on as glowing, disembodied spirits for all of time. The resurrection of Christ foretells our own destiny — the resurrection of the body.

The Apostles lived in a world where, to paraphrase Thomas Hobbes, life was often “nasty, brutish, and short.” Among the powerful and privileged, the highest priority was bringing glory to the family name and producing enough strong offspring to continue the line. The rich could hire alchemists and magicians in the quest for immortality and eternal youth. Without modern medicine, any injury could be potentially life threatening and every illness suspected to take a severe turn for the worse. When Jesus hung upon the Cross that Good Friday, even the most hopeful among them had no reason to suspect that — once he was taken down — there would be any more to the story.

It comes as no surprise, then, that Jesus emphasizes what he does when he appears to the Apostles. “‘Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see … they gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.” Jesus’ return is no ghostly apparition. He has not emerged from the tomb as a luminous being, pure spirit shed of its earthly shell. Jesus is still Jesus. He is still fully God and fully man. When Jesus conquers death, he does so as a human being in his very flesh and blood. Not only that, but he is a human being who still bears the scars of inflicted violence.

In the face of suffering, the thought of sloughing off our mortal coil may feel all too promising. Yet, by his resurrection, Jesus reinforces our bodiliness. He doesn’t negate it. Jesus redeems us through the offering of his life and the gift of his body. Through his example, we see that our bodies have moral potential. We act out our sin or sanctity, our vice or virtue, through our bodies. In the second reading, John speaks of just that. “He is expiation for our sins … the way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments.” In other words, while the grace of God is living and effective in our life, our choices matter. And we enact those choices in and through our bodies. Our hands extend an offering to the poor. Our feet operate the gas pedal in our car to move us to church on Sunday. Our brains process the decision to obey God or to deny Him.

 Our bodies matter. Life matters! Christianity is not a denial of the material world but a participation in its sanctification. This Third Sunday of Easter, be aware of the choices you make in and through your body. How do you reveal your love to your friends? What decisions do you make about the food and drink you consume and offer to others? To whom do you offer them? When you look at your own wounds — physical and emotional — how do they affect the way you see the world and interact with those around you? Remember, we worship a resurrected God. We are disciples of a resurrected Savior. “Of this we are witnesses.” Will we choose a life for all the world to see?

 Anna Carter

Spring Cleaning and Planting

Getting tired of being indoors?   Come join fellow parishioners while we spruce up and plant flowers in the church and school garden beds. So bring your yard tools and join us, Sat. May 15^rd,  9 am-12 pm. Doughnuts, drinks and safe distance fellowship provided. If you have any questions, contact Eileen MacDonell, 313-592-0481.Thank for your help ahead of time.

The history of the Jewish people tells of their relationship with God – a relationship that ebbed and flowed, grew hot and cold, went from a passionate, loving bond to infidelity.  Every time Israel turned their backs to the Lord, He came back with a new sign of His love, a new covenant by which He reaffirmed His love for His people.  This Lent we have been hearing the stories of what led up to three of the covenants, the promises God made to His people.

In today’s first reading, we hear about yet another new covenant.  This one will be different, though.  God saw that a rainbow in the sky, or promising a nation whose members numbered more than the sands on the seashore, or giving the people His words written on stone were not enough. All these signs of the covenants God made with His people were not enough for them to internalize His message.  With this new covenant, God wanted to show His desire to have a greater personal relationship with His people.

          “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new       covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

           I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. 

          And I will be their God, and they shall be my people; for they shall all know me.”   Jeremiah 31:31-33

 When Jeremiah wrote these words, the Jews were captured by the Babylonians and exiled from Jerusalem. The words were meant to console them, to remind them that they were not abandoned by God, even though they had turned from Him.  God wanted to assure His people that He was with them always.  He wanted to restore their broken relationship caused by the Jews’ infidelity. This new covenant was about God forgiving us of our sins, offering us mercy, salvation, and life. He opens His arms again to us, wrapping us up in His love.

 “God will make a new covenant within them and write it on their hearts!” (Jer 31:33-34).  “Create in me a clean heart,” we reply with Psalm 51.  Are we willing to live the words we pray?  How do we internalize the words of the covenant?  How are we keeping God’s promises?

Next week is Holy Week, are we living the promise? Living the covenant?

Confessions are heard in the Church on Friday from 6 p.m.—7 p.m. prior to Stations of the Cross.

   The readings for the fourth week of Lent remind us of how much God is committed to His covenants, how much He loves us, and what He will do to demonstrate that love to us. What does it mean to say God loves us, though? To understand what the Bible means by God’s love we must bear in mind that whereas the Greek language, (the language of the Bible from about 300 BCE), has three different words for three different types of love, English has only one. In Greek we have (1) eros meaning romantic love (like the love between a man and a woman that leads to marriage), (2) philia meaning fellowship love (like the love for basketball which brings fans together), and (3) agape or sacrificial love (like the love that makes a mother risk her own life for her yet unborn child).

In romantic love we long to receive, in fellowship love we long to give and take, in sacrificial love we long to give. This agape love is the love we see in today’s first two readings. This week we are not reminded of a new covenant God entered with His people.  Instead, we see how he honored previous covenants, even when His people did not. Time and again, the Israelites turned from God. He continued to show His love, though, – sending His prophets to remind His people of their part of the covenants, the promises, God made with them, but to no avail.

  “The people added infidelity to infidelity, practicing all abominations of the nations and polluting the Lord’s temple…  “ 2 Chr 14.

“Early and often did the Lord send His messengers to them, for He had compassion on His people and His dwelling place…” 2 Chr 15.

But God loves us with agape or sacrificial love. That is one big difference between God and us: God gives and forgives, we get and forget. Giving is a sign of agape. This is the kind of love God has for us. He sent His prophets “early and often” to call His people back to His covenant love.  They refused and were sent into exile, then the Lord draws them out to return and rebuild (2 Chr 36).  “Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!” we respond with Psalm 137, along with the exiles in Babylon. 

 The scripture readings remind us that God has been trying for thousands of years to get our attention.  Through messengers, miracles, healings, and proclamations, God has been trying to convince us that the love that is offered us is eternal, sufficient and a gift.  Do our Lenten actions reflect that?  Do our attitudes reflect what God has been trying to convince us of?  Has God gotten our attention yet?

Today we are invited to say yes to God’s love. It is sometimes hard to believe that God loves each of us, but He does because God loves unconditionally; no ifs, ands, or buts. Once we realize this, then we can love God back and enter into a love relationship with God. Then we shall learn to share God’s love with those around us. Then we shall learn to give to God and to one another.  We will be living the covenant, living the promises God has made with His people.

Happy Birthday, Fr. Socorro!

 You are a blessing to all of us at St. Valentine Parish! May our Lord continue to bless you.