Jesus says something rather strange about his disciples this Sunday. Praying to his Father he says, “They do not belong to the world . . . They are not of the world anymore than I am of the world.” What could he possibly mean?

The world (this earth, circling the sun) is all we know. It is our home. Its gravity keeps our feet on the ground. The seasons bring wheat to the fields and food to our tables. Meanwhile, the Pink Magnolia across the street is like a Wonderland. The bible tells us God made the world for you and me. What do you mean ‘I don’t belong to the world?’

Jesus is using the word “world” to describe the way people carry on their everyday lives. We are born from our parents. We learn how to walk and talk and live our lives. We fall in love, marry, have children, and die. Along the way we amuse ourselves with sports, music, media, and the arts. This is “The Way of the World”. We all live in this way.

Oh yes, we live “in the world” no doubt. But we don’t “belong”. (Webster defines “belong” as “to have a proper or suitable place”.) Jesus has come to show us that our “proper place” is with him . . . and then together with us . . . Jesus is “in the Father”. And then at last, God will be “all in all”. 1 Cor. 15:28

The world doesn’t get this. Why else would they have crucified him? Even from the cross Jesus knew of the ignorance of “the world”. “Father forgive them for they know not what they’re doing.” Luke 23:34. (Also: Acts 3:18, 19.) People just don’t get this Jesus. It’s all there in the New Testament Scriptures for anyone who’d care to read it. It’s been proclaimed by the Church for over 2000 years. (Perhaps the bad example of some who call them- selves Christian keeps the world from believing – – – but that’s another story). Anyway, back to our topic – – – our real home.

Jesus says Christians live “in the world” but not “of the world”. The day to day struggle to simply exist: living life, getting food, clothing, shelter, etc. is living in the world. We all must do this. BUT, Jesus has shown us something more. Something we never knew before. Human beings are God’s children. Our proper place, the one for which we were created, is to share in God’s divine nature. We’re more than this world. The world can’t hold us – – it’s not big enough to be our home. Only God is big enough.

Theologians later described this human share in divinity as a Supernatural Existential. That means we have, as part of our human nature, a capacity to receive the life of God. It’s called Grace. That’s right. God wants us to become like Him! To have this happen we need to belong to Christ. (Non-Christians will get to know Christ in God’s mysterious ways).

In the meantime we are like pilgrims traveling through this world. St. Paul says it’s like we live in a “tent”. “For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent (our body), be destroyed (death), we have a building from God, a dwell- ing not made by hands, eternal in heaven.” 2 Cor. 5:1

St. Paul was so struck by the power of life in Christ that he “longed to be away from the body and at home with the Lord . . . but we aspire to please Him, whether we are at home or away.” 2 Cor. 5:1-10 (read it! It’s wonderful.)

So we are witnesses of Christ’s truth to the world. It’s what brings us hope. We never give into despair. We are always ready to help this world be a better place. But remember, we’re only passing through this place. Our true home is with the Lord.

More Easter Joy.

Fr. Tim

We have a pre-school program renting Holy Trinity’s School building. It’s called Liberty Post Stars. It helps preschoolers with special needs and disabilities. Several times a day I see young women called Certified Special Instructors and Teaching Assistants walk the children around Murphy Hall on rainy days or outside on our beautiful lawns.

You would be touched to watch the instructors help these children with their undivided attention. They stoop to tie shoes, they pause to show the children the daffodils by the church, they invite fun conversation with the children as they walk along. I can only imagine the skills they have to help bring learning alive in the classroom.

What’s my point? They are women. They are women . . . and they are geniuses. That’s right, they are “Person Geniuses”. They have a sense of the personhood in each of their young charges. They sense their emotional state, their needs. They understand what has to happen for the child to learn. And most touching . . . they’re full of hope for each child’s well-being.

And while we’re at it, we might as well call them Mothers because that is what they do – – – they give birth to the “person”. It’s the genius of women. And their gift is equal to any doctor, psychologist, teacher, social worker, or priest. (Remember Anne Sullivan? She was the only one able to break through the silent darkness of Helen Keller.)

I’m not saying women don’t have other geniuses as well. (Witness astronaut, Jessica Meir, currently doing physics aboard the International Space Station. Or the women who’s protests ended the violence in Northern Ireland and an end to the fierce IRA).

What I am saying is that only women can be a Mother – – both by giving natural birth or by giving birth to the personhood of the people she loves. (Men have their own genius. We’ll get to that later!)

And so today is Mother’s Day. Who’s yo momma?!

My mother is Rosemary. She gave birth to me and to my sisters, Mary Patricia and Maureen. Those two are currently loving me with that “woman, mother genius” that keeps me in place and lets me know I always have a home with them.

Pope John Paul points to the unique gift women possess in their motherhood. See what you think.

Motherhood involves a special communion with the mystery of life as it develops in the mother’s womb. The mother is filled with wonder at this mystery of life, and ‘understands’ with unique intuition what is happening in- side her. In the light of the ‘beginning’, the mother accepts and loves as a person the child she is carrying in her womb.

This unique contact with the new human being developing within her gives rise to an attitude towards human beings – not only towards her own child, but every human being – which profoundly marks the woman’s personality.

A Blessed Mother’s Day.

Fr. Tim

Don’t you find it fascinating that for all the power and infinitude of the universe there is only one being that can say, “What do you want for dinner?”

Human consciousness (or intellect) is what sets man apart from everything else in nature. Think of it. Every creature you see, whether (as we used to say) animal, vegetable, or mineral, is harnessed to a natural order which locks it into what it must be. We call it Mother Nature.

The flowers in spring, the geese flying south in a wing, that stone at the end of your driveway, are all part of a natural order. This “order of nature” requires flower, goose, and stone to be in a particular, predetermined way in order for them to be what they are. (Beware! The goose that stops by your kitchen to have coffee with you is really not a goose!).

Isn’t this fun?!

The human being however is a different creature. We are set in “openness” to becoming. We “become” by the use of the two qualities we’ve been given as part of our human nature – – intellect and will. Through these, all creation reaches an understanding of itself. The human being sharing in the natural world (our bodies), is where silent nature comes to understand itself. We put into words what nature, by itself, could never speak.

Human effort to understand creation, and speak for it, has brought about mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, etc. We are unlocking the mystery of creation! Not only that, something else is born – – history. The story told by the conscious, acting creature (man) over time.

And the meaning of history? It’s still unfolding. The final meaning of human history is the return of Jesus Christ in glory to bring humanity and all creation together in Him and then set it before God the Father. “So that God will be all in all.” 1Cor. 15:28.

Meanwhile God is smiling. He delights in His creature man and woman. The powerful intellect God has given us humans is sharing in the knowledge of God Himself.

But . . . we must remember that it is only in the light of God’s Spirit that we are able to perceive the order that God has placed in creation. Consciousness is God’s gift to us. Our “intellect” and “will” are created and finite. We are not autonomous beings, not the boss determining the meaning of creation all by ourselves. No. We must submit ourselves and our knowledge to the one who chose to share in His “dominion over the world.” (Genesis 2).

Along with our intellect God has given us Freedom. We are free to use our knowledge in any way we like – – good or bad. Here’s where it gets a little testy. You see human history is shaped by our actions toward one another. What story are we telling?

We are summoned by our freedom to action that defines us as we go. We become “truth tellers” or “generous” or “patient” or “forgiving”.

Or, equal in possibility, we can become “liars”, “greedy”, “unforgiving”, etc. It’s up to us. We’re free. This is the wonderful dignity of the human being as created by God. God has made us, in effect, co-creators of ourselves. Our actions put into history who we are. We “become”. And because it was done in freedom . . . we become “responsible for it”.

Some people don’t like this.

“I just wanna be. I’m the boss. I say what I want to do. And, oh by the way, nobody tells me who I am or what I should become.”

Now here’s the kicker . . . Don’t miss this. Our human nature (intellect and will), as created by God, is to share in His nature! God created us to have His love as our meaning. “We are God’s children now. . . and we shall become like Him for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:2

So back here on earth – – – what are we to do with our freedom? Love God with all our heart. And love our neighbor as Christ has loved us.

Let’s get to work!

Fr. Tim

Now that we’ve weathered the winter and Covid restrictions are slowly lifting, people are feeling more comfortable in returning to mass at Holy Trinity. Last Sunday we had over 550 people physically present over the 3 masses. Like the spring flowers, you’re starting to bloom in church!

So what’s happening in the parish as we move into the spring and summer? Here’s the short list of things to know; followed by some comments about the “Big Picture”.

• Mass attendance is increasing. We’re still at 6 feet separation which limits our numbers but hopefully closer gatherings will be allowed soon. (The real issue is how comfortable people feel sitting in the pew. As more people are fully vaccinated, our numbers should increase.)
• What about masks? That of course will depend on the CDC’s recommendations moving forward. Some speculate another 6 months of wearing them. Holy Trinity will follow whatever those recommendations encourage.
• Parish Staff. There have been some changes here. Kasey Baker, our Office Manager, has moved on to new and exciting ventures. So we welcome Tim Reetz as our part time business manager. Tim is splitting his time with St. Kateri Parish in Irondequoit. He’ll be here Monday and Thursdays.
• Helen Sleeman will be adding some office managing tasks to her responsibilities. Also, we welcome Mary Kramer to manage our Case Training of volunteers and co-ordinate our RCIA program. Welcome to both of you!
• Building maintenance. We are currently looking at replacing two boilers – church and school. They have been in place since the Civil War. They are leaking water and the efficiency factor make them terribly obsolete. I’ll let you know what the cost estimate will be. It won’t be pretty.
• Also…and this is still at the “dream” stage…I think we ought to paint the church interior. The 1970 whitewash of the walls and ceiling are getting dingy and tired. Let’s do a new paint scheme with new color and liturgical design. We’ve begun conversation with Swietek, Inc., a liturgical design company in Buffalo. They will give us an artist rendering of some proposed changes. We’ll show you when we get them.
• What about: CYO basketball, parish picnic, senior ministry, youth activities, coffee hour, concerts, lectures, Star program . . . we want all of these to come roaring back! Whenever possible we will re-start these activities in as full and safe a way as we can.

So please don’t think Holy Trinity is going away! This is your parish. I am convinced we have the right people on staff; our volunteers remain vigorous in keeping the work of the parish up and running. Fr. John and I are feeling fit and frisky and ready to respond to the resurgence of parish activities.

And you? Are you staying in touch with us through mass attendance or by Livestream? Are you finding ways to “Keep Holy the Lord’s Day”? (I encourage you to set aside part of your Sunday to gather your family to pray with us during mass time and to do something that will mark the day as a “day of rest” and rejuvenation for the Lord.)

God knows the challenges these days present for us in keeping and practicing the Faith. Special graces will come to those who pray daily for the Lord’s help. Straight ahead! He is with us.

Fr. Tim

One of the unfortunate things that happens to wonderful human events is the commercialization that, over time, tends to blot out the original meaning of what happened.

Look what we’ve done to Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentines Day, and in these days . . . Easter. In each case we’re told there’s things we need to buy to properly celebrate the happy occasion.

Please don’t take me for the Grinch. Dying Easter eggs, bunnies, Easter bonnets (I love hats!), and marshmallow peeps are all fine ways to get the kids excited on that day. But . . . the fun this creates can dull our understanding of what Jesus’s resurrection means for humanity. We can lose the power of this event under a gauze of purple and pastel colors.

What can help us here? First of all the Resurrection is a fact. Facts create an environment in which we live. One plus one is two. That means two plus two is four and suddenly we have a world so predictable that we can send someone to the moon and back.

Now the Resurrection is not the kind of fact that you can prove with a mathematical counting. It’s a fact that can only be known by believing in the testimony brought forward by eye-witnesses. We do this all the time . . . believe what someone tells us. (e.g., the picture on your digital TV comes to you because of a series of 0’s and 1’s. Uh…okay. Or, I have a rock in my office I took from the Chemung River. Do you believe me? Come to my office, I’ll show you!!)

Most things we hold to be true are based on what someone tells us.

Now the testimony we have about the fact of the Resurrection comes to us from the Apostles. “We have seen the Lord! He is truly risen!!”

For about twenty reasons which I’ll not go into right here – – – I believe that what they say is true. Jesus is risen from the dead. Basically, it comes down to a gift we’ve been given. Faith. The persuasion Faith comes from the credibility of those who testify.

And who gives the testimony? Jesus has. He tells us, I am the Resurrection and the Life. “Whoever believes in me will have eternal life.” John 11: 25. This acceptance in Faith gives me knowledge of a FACT. It’s a fact and now I base my life on it. I live now in a particular way.

Because Jesus is raised from the dead, we see things in a different way:

• Human tragedies, unfairness, violence, and innocent suffering, are seen now in the same suffering of Christ and will be vindicated in the Resurrection.
• Acts of kindness and gentleness (however small and ignored) belong now within God’s love revealed in Christ’s Resurrection. All true love comes from God.
• Moments of disappointment, failure, betrayal, or even danger, have all been redeemed when Jesus accepted those very things in His own death and now He is risen.
• Parents can bring children into this troubled world knowing that human life is good and pleasing to God and will share one day in the Resurrection.
• We need not fear when our own personal end is near for Christ has prepared a place for us.

Dear Friends

Take heart. He is with you.

Easter blessings,

Fr. Tim

They looked in and saw. He was gone. The tomb was empty. The white burial cloth was folded up and laying on a stone. Scripture says they “did not yet understand that he had to rise from the dead.”

So “where is he? Where did he go?” Jesus, we want to know where you are.

I remember when my father died in 1988. He had been declining for some months and the night he passed my sister and I sat with him as he breathed his last. (Many of you have had that scary but holy moment.)

It was so weird. I remember thinking about the large personality he was. How he loved birds, gardening, Italian spaghetti, his country, and his Catholic Faith. How dad hated military parades, foreign cars, squirrels, and the New York Yankees.

I looked at his hands that night, hands that fired a gun in Patton’s 3rd Army, cut my hair as a kid, played catch in the yard, and took my hands in his, the day I became a priest. His deep baritone voice called your name like no one else “Dad, where are you?” I kept wondering. “Where did that voice go?” Don’t we all ask that when someone we love is gone? We feel the space they lived in, the chair, the porch, the work bench. The disciples must have felt a similar loss as they peered into the empty tomb.

Our Christian faith proclaims something quite extraordinary. Something that science (physics, biology, astronomy, and chemistry) cannot verify or prove (or disprove) . . . Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.

Each of us must look inside ourselves for this one. Why do I believe? Is it because the Pope says so? OR because that’s just what I was taught? OR It makes for something nice to teach the children? I hope that’s not your answer.

May I suggest an answer? Because we have seen a love that surpasses all reason, a love so strong and pure that it could only come from a source beyond the human heart. (It’s not the love in romance, not the love of hobby or pastimes, not the love of beauty or art.)

This past week we have watched a human being love like God. It’s a love never seen or imagined before him. Jesus died giving witness to a God who loves us in a totally selfless way. He endured scourges and spitting, he forgave his murderers from the cross, he emptied himself totally at the will of God his Father . . . so that the invisible love of God might become visible to us by the obedience of his Son.

And there’s more . . . we believe that Jesus is alive because countless men, women, and children have experienced the love of Christ in their own lives and have in turn given that love to their neighbor. We’ve seen the love that is Christ.

Have you seen it? Have you seen or felt His love working in this world? Of course you have!!

• The mother who risks her own health for the health of her baby
• A soldier who’s mission puts his life at risk so that “no one is left behind”
• The friend who visits you in the hospital, the psych ward, the county jail
• A sister who forgives your unkind words
• The priest or nun who acts like Christ and makes you want to go to heaven
• The poor person who gives more to the needy than you do
• Foster parents who save the lives of young people
• Your spouse who really loves you despite all your faults
• The quiet hope that comes to you when you sit in an empty church
• The first responder who runs toward danger when all others flee
• The little child who laughs and plays with friends in a refugee camp far from her home

“We have seen the Lord!”, John 20:18, cried Mary Magdalene. So have we.

Easter graces to you.

Fr. Tim

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we are experiencing two miracles of life.

1. Nature is returning to give us another season of life on this good earth. And
2. The Holy Spirit comes again to assure us of God’s love.

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.

We’ve experienced a spiritual poverty this past year. Haven’t we? What have we learned? Let it be the fact that God will never abandon us for He walked this same earth.

Now He lives to intercede for us.

“Do not be afraid”, He says. “I am with you.”

A Blessed Easter to you all!!

Fr. Tim

Something quite wonderful has happened in the world of theology these past fifty years. Just prior to Vatican II (1958-1965) some German theologians were working on a new way of explaining who Jesus is and how he achieved the salvation of the human race. It keeps the traditional doctrine of Christ, of course, but adds a new dimension – – – from below.

Most notable in this regard was a theologian named Karl Rahner who, in his Foundations of Christian Faith, proposed an “Ascending Christology” which would compliment the traditional “Descending Christology” of the Catholic Church.

The traditional way of viewing Jesus is as the Eternal Word. From all eternity he has existed with the Father and the Holy Spirit. “True God from True God. Consubstantial with the Father”, we recite in the Creed. Full of divinity and power he “comes down from heaven” and is born among us.

The problem with a “Descending Christology” is that it tends to overshadow Christ’s real humanity. The danger is to see Jesus as basically “God in human clothing”.

God uses the humanity of Jesus like a cloak or instrument to work out the divine plan. Jesus’ solidarity with humanity in its real struggles and sufferings can be lost and obscure the critical role of his real humanity.

In “Ascending Christology”, God unites to himself a real humanity in Jesus Christ. Scripture and our Catholic Faith tell us Jesus is human in every way but sin.

What does this mean “like us in all things”? Some guidelines for thinking about the nature of Jesus were hammered out at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD.

The Council said Jesus has two natures: the nature of God and the nature of man. These two natures are hypostatically (inseparably) united in one divine person (the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity). Two natures, one divine person. This means our human nature is forever united to God in the Blessed Trinity!

“Ascending Christology” attempts to see Jesus from below in his humanity. (It is meant to compliment, not replace the former.) If Jesus truly has a human nature then he must have a human consciousness; he thinks as humans do. He must reason, ponder . . . figure things out. Jesus could not have known the world as we know it today through science. When asked when the “end would come?” Jesus said, “I don’t know. That has not been given to me.” If his consciousness is truly human, then it is finite, limited. He was tempted (Luke 4).

What I find so inspiring is Jesus smells like us. He really suffers, rejoices, grows angry, and fearful. And yet . . . . he accomplishes the mission he knows he has been chosen to do, namely, in his death and resurrection. Surely Jesus is absolutely exceptional in his humanity. He knew himself to be more than a prophet. He embraced his role as Savior of humanity. But he did all these things as a human being. (How touching that he needed someone to help him carry his cross.) We are saved by one like us!

And so I can turn to Jesus who knows my limited human heart because he had one of them as well.

Dear Jesus. Truly you know the human heart. Give me courage when my heart grows faint. Give me Faith when all seems dark. Give me Love when my heart is empty. Give me Hope that, in the end, “all will be well.

Because you did it Jesus! You died for us and now you live!

Let Him come to you this week.

Fr. Tim

Some time ago, in a previous parish, I lived and worked with an old retired pastor. He was revered as a priest who knew his parishioners and had that “golden touch” with people who were troubled or lost. People flocked to him to receive his gentle wisdom.

He had one particular habit however that bugged me. At the end of every mass he celebrated on Sunday he’d tell the congregation, “Be sure to share your smile”. It was his sign off. People waited for these last words from him.

As for me I thought how “corny” it was. It was just too simple. I mean for all the problems we face, for all the worries we have for the coming week, for all the problems of the world . . . all you can say is “share your smile”?!

Over the years I have come to realize the old priest was right. A smile has a hidden spiritual power. It speaks a universal language. Everyone knows what a smile means. Webster defines it as “a favorable, pleasing, or agreeable appearance; characterized by an upward curving of the corners of the mouth.”

And what does this “upward curving of the mouth” say? It says “you’re worth it. You are not invisible. You’re a fellow human being and I’m sending you my good wishes.”

It can literally change a person’s day. Suddenly someone has seen me and cares enough to offer me a tiny “be well”. A smile disarms us of our fears, touches us briefly with kindness, and becomes a light in the midst of gray and shadow.

Some people have that gift in spades. They have a wonderful smile.

I remember a seminarian who sometimes worried whether he had the pastoral skills needed but who had something the rest of the class lacked – – – he had a magical smile that brightened any room he walked into.

You just feel better when someone smiles at you, don’t you? So why don’t we do that more often? I think it’s because:

1. We’re afraid. We’re afraid of being “misinterpreted” or frowned upon or ignored.
2. We’re self- absorbed. “I’ve got too many things on my mind right now. Too much to do. You stay in your lane; I’ll stay in mine.” And
3. We think we have an ugly smile. Forget it. A real smile is never ugly.

So how do we get over our fear and self-absorption in order to give the gift of a smile? Some thoughts:

• Your smile is a tiny gift, which any person is worthy to receive.
• Someone giving you a smile lifts your spirit, right? So do that for someone else.
• Giving a smile is an act of kindness and makes you a better person. (And it often lifts the mood of the smiler!)
• It costs nothing.
• You’re prettier when you smile.
• Don’t care or expect it to be returned.
• The best dogs can do is wag their tail – – – only people can smile (so what’s holding us back?)
• A smile softens everything. It takes the edge off clumsy words or awkward moments.

So I’m going to work on my smile this new year. I’m not going to expect people to return it. After all it’s a gift. And should I forget maybe your smile will remind me.

So I’ll end this column like that old pastor . . . “be sure to share your smile.”

God’s smile upon you.

Fr. Tim

Part of our training to become priests was to experience real life trauma in people’s lives. The thought is to get the man out of the pulpit and sanctuary and put him in a situation that is seriously out of control. See how this fellow handles tears and tragedy . . . can he still be a positive agent for the Faith? Can he help people whose life has just been crushed with tragic circumstances?

So off we went for a summer. We were chaplains for hospitals, jails, psych wards, others to first responder chaplaincy’s (police, fire, EMT).

I traveled to Dallas, Texas, to Parkland Memorial Hospital, an excellent 800 bed county hospital. One of the duties of the new chaplain was to be on-call over the week- ends. (Basically, you were called in on any human upset the head nurse thought necessary). All kinds of stuff happened, especially with a full moon.

One memorable night brought the death of an elderly, long suffering Grandmother. Though quite poor, she had raised a large family and they in turn were busy raising families of their own. They’d all been keeping vigil as the grand lady weakened daily.

About 3 in the morning I was called to the waiting room to help the family deal with Grammie’s death. Children and grandchildren were all there. The room was jammed – thirty people I’m guessing.

Just as I’d feared, they were going nuts. Screaming and crying, “Oh Grammie, how could you leave us?” The men were the worst. I remember one fellow in cowboy hat and boots on his hands and knees banging his head on the wall. Others were pulling at their hair (I’d never seen that before).

So what do you do? Fear and panic filled the room. One person’s cries caused others to howl. They were freaking out. This ship was sinking fast. I really can’t say I said a prayer – – I just went with my gut.

“Be quiet!!!!!!!” I yelled as loud as I could. Two or three times . . . “Be quiet!” Finally, the howling stopped and these big tough cowboys were all looking at me. (I had no idea what should come next). “God help me.” I thought.

Then came His grace. Somehow I thought . . . “give them something to do.” But what? “Men, comfort the women.” (As I said, the women were doing pretty much ok. But it got the cowboys out of themselves for that moment.) In a flash, everybody was hugging someone. Sanity came slowly back.

And that friends was a moment of grace far away from the pulpit and the altar. It was God in the Here and Now. God in the mess.

Have you experienced Him there? In a difficult moment with your spouse? Your child’s meltdown? Some unexpected incident? Bad news about a friend or loved one?

How does God help? Generally, I think God gives us something “to do”. Something really simple; like . . . say something. (Don’t say “Be quiet!”). How about . . . “I’m so sorry”, “You must feel terrible”, “Do you mind if I sit with you?” OR, perhaps just to listen, to touch (when appropriate).

Just something to break the awful tension of the moment – – your gentle voice can heal in the simplest of ways. Be that safe place for someone.

So what’s your situation? Married? Children? Student? Single? Sad? Feeling blessed? Need money? Worried?

Whatever and wherever you find yourself – – – There is God’s Spirit – this present moment.

We can wish we were somewhere else. Perhaps it was our thoughtlessness or selfishness that got us where we are. In the end it doesn’t matter. What matters is “right now”. God is with you.

Don’t be afraid.

Fr. Tim