Dear Friends, 

Once again, we are kept apart, but I hope you feel, as do I, that we remain a community whether we can physically be together or not. I pray for you that you will stay safe and well–please be in touch, at, krredig@hbci.com or 507-429-3616 if I can be of any help during this time. Peace and love, Pastor Kathy

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Entrance Antiphon

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy; proclaim God’s glorious praise, Alleluia!

Let Us Pray

Opening Prayer

Creator God, author of all truth, a people once in darkness has listened to your word and followed your Son as he rose from the tomb.  Hear the prayer of this newborn people and strengthen your Church to answer your call.  May we rise and come forth into the light of day, to stand in your presence until eternity dawns.  We ask this of you, in Jesus wonderful name and with the Spirit, one God, who lives and loves us forever and ever. Amen.

Readings:

• Acts 2:  14, 22-28
• 1 Peter 1:17-21
• Luke 24: 13-35

Homily

Friends, I am going to “cut to the chase” this weekend which brings us to the 3^rd week of Easter, in a time of pandemic and say very simply and succinctly that the message we all should reflect on as we ponder today’s readings is—“It’s all about love!”

Now that having been said, next; we need to understand that to truly love is a most challenging activity! It calls us—“this loving” to be our very best selves.  It calls us in our present-day world to somehow get past ignorant statements in place of leadership, selfishness when merciful governing is called for, and move toward those who are truly leading in our Congress and State houses, keeping our eyes on their reflections—witnessing that while, difficult, are what is best for our nation and our world.

Today’s gospel from Luke lifts up the fact that in the strange, fearful, yet hope-filled times after Jesus’ rising to new life, people, like those disciples on the way to Emmaus didn’t know Jesus until he did “something that was familiar to them.”  Scripture says, “Their eyes were opened” when he “broke the bread.”  This action of, “breaking the bread,” we must remember, is sign and symbol of Jesus’ own “breaking open” of his entire life—for all of creation, showing us how to truly live.

In this time of pandemic—something that most of us alive today, have never witnessed until now; we must move beyond the present chaos, a virus that has brought our world to a standstill, and ask, “What is it now that truly “breaks our hearts open” and as the disciples on the way to Emmaus, makes those same hearts, “burn within us?”

“Being our best selves” in these times that calls for nothing less, will help us to understand the truth when we hear it—truth that works for the good of all, as opposed to lies that are simply—self-serving and many times, dangerous.  Only a self-serving, so-called leader would suggest that people be injected with disinfectants on the outside chance that it might kill a virus!  On the other hand, our hearts “break open and burn within us” when we hear the head of the United Nations Food Program share the truth that even before the onset of the coronavirus, millions of people in this world were on a trajectory toward starvation!  That number is doubled now, he informed the PBS News Hour, with Covid 19.

Last week we talked about what perhaps needs to be “resurrected” within each of us to make Jesus’ resurrection complete.  For me, it comes down to, listening with a heart truly broken open to what our God is trying to tell us, now, in 2020 in the midst of a pandemic, that if we were to do nothing could utterly destroy us—poor and rich alike.

This pandemic, like the call of our brother Jesus, is all about rising to the occasion and becoming all that we can be.  Being OK with the fact that more than half of the people in this world live on less than $10,000 a year is not being our best.  Being OK with the fact that even before the coronavirus, millions of people were headed toward starvation if not for the United Nations feeding them weekly is not being our best selves.  Being OK with the fact that poor and dark-skinned people in this world are hardest hit by a pandemic is not being our best selves and should call us to make some long-term changes if we manage to come through the other side of this thing.

And you might say—well, Pastor, I’m not OK with any of this!  And even though it hurts me to say it, because I indict myself as well, if we don’t actively work to change the present disparity between the rich and the poor in our world, we ARE OK with it!

All of the readings this Sunday speak to the idea of “being on a journey.”  In the 1^st reading from Luke in Acts; we hear that God “sent” Jesus with “miracles and signs”—which [show us], “the path to life.”  Psalm 16 confirms this notion, “You will show me the path that leads to life.”  Peter, in the 2^nd reading, consuls, that we should, “conduct ourselves reverently during our sojourn in a strange land.”   The gospel, also from Luke speaks of disciples, “on their way to Emmaus.”

This past week, our world celebrated Earth Day plus 50 years.  We have been on a long journey trying to save our planet these past 50 years—there have been ups and downs on this journey.  The “ups” are reflective of the “reverencing” that Peter speaks of today—the literal, breaking open of our hearts at our earthly home’s beauty, so much so that we have been willing to be about initiatives with the countries of the world to save our planet from global warming.  The “downs” of course, are reflective of a lack of that same “reverencing.”

Sometimes my friends, the concerns of our daily lives are all, it seems, that we can handle and that notion is reflective of my life as it is of yours.  A time of pandemic that threatens all of our lives if we don’t take it seriously is a time that must call all of us to see a bigger picture—we are all connected in this world—this pandemic levels the “playing field.”

An illness that has no cure at present is a wake-up call for us all because while it is true that a pandemic will take the most vulnerable first; the poor, the already sick, the elderly, the homeless—it will eventually take us all if we don’t work together for the good of us all.

We are all on a unique journey together—all belief systems have a sense of this, and this journey is toward an existence greater than this one; where all people—no matter their gender, race, sexual orientation, financial status, or any other, perceived impediment, will be welcomed.

I began this homily with the statement that basically, “it is all about love” and the challenge that to truly love, is no small task.  I would like to conclude with some words from a ballad by local, singer-songwriter, John Smith, entitled, “Love’s Not through With Me Yet!”

I included mention of this ballad three years ago in a homily and I know that in the past, I have thought of its sentiment in a somewhat negative way, thinking that, “love is not through with me yet, because I am not yet doing it right.  But this go-around finds me thinking more positively: John Smith very poetically asks, “Can you love without needing?”—which speaks to the notion that “love” is bigger than just about me.  And again, he asks, “Can you love without bleeding?” which is all about the “reverencing” that we must show toward our earth and its people.  And if you can do these things, than basically, there is hope for our world, because, indeed, “love isn’t through with us yet!”

After the resurrection, Mary of Magdala and the disciples on the way to Emmaus knew Jesus when he did something, “familiar”—“calling her by name” and “breaking bread” with them.  Let us know and realize, that as Jesus’ followers, what others should recognize in us as, “familiar” is doing the “good” and the “right” in our world and for its people.  Amen? Amen!

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Prayers of the Faithful

Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

1. Jesus, in your risen state, open a space in us to see you more often in those you send into our lives, we pray—

      Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

 2. O Risen Jesus, let peace reign in our hearts and give us the words and deeds of peace, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

3. Jesus, risen Savior, you who were a healer in every way, freeing people’s minds, hearts and bodies of illness of every kind, grant us health in these same ways, especially now during this time of pandemic, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

 4.  Risen Jesus, you who have said, you will never leave us—help us to truly believe this and feel the strength and peace of having you journey with us in our lives, we pray—

      Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

5. Risen Jesus, our brother and friend, give hope to those who are suffering in any way due to a lack in the material basics of life, brought on by the coronavirus, and help us to do all we can to share what we have, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

 6.  Risen Jesus, let your Spirit be with all world leaders that they would strive to bring peace to our world through communication, especially now, we pray—

      Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

7. Risen Jesus, in your new, resurrected life, continue to be our constant model of one who lived very simply upon the earth, and show us how to do the same—let the lessons of this pandemic not be lost on us, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

 8.  Risen Jesus, you who never turned anyone away, be with our community, All Are One—continue to bless us and assist us to be open to all of your people and guide us to remain a community during this time of social distancing, we pray—

Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

9. Loving Jesus, be with all families who have lost loved ones this week, especially due to Covid 19—give them your peace, and help them to find their way through their

grief, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

***Let us pray for your particular needs—you may say them aloud, we pray, then response

***Let us pray for the silent petitions on our hearts—(pause) we pray, then response

Let Us Pray

Jesus, you have truly risen!  Alleluia!  Be the strength we need each day to be people of the resurrection—true to our calling to be people of peace and of love. Let us never falter in our commitment to you and your world.  Open our eyes, ears and hearts to your people that we may see you in them and act then, accordingly. Give us understanding minds and hearts for those that we find hard to love—help us to remember that we have been much loved and accepted in our lives for our less than perfect ways. We ask all of this of you, our loving Savior and with the Creator and your loving Spirit— all, one God, living and loving us forever and ever, Amen.

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Let Us Pray

Prayer after Communion–again we remember that in the absence of the physical bread, that our brother Jesus is always with us and wants us to share “this bread” with our world.

Loving God, look on your people with kindness and by these Easter mysteries bring us to the glory of the resurrection.  We ask this in Jesus’ wonderful name.  Amen

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Dear Friends,

 Once again, we are separated): But we are resilient, Christians, Minnesotans, Wisconsinites, Iowans, and all other states where this homily and all are sent to. We are the “bread,” The Body of Christ in our midst if we choose to be! We are called today in this Easter Season to “resurrect” all that is good in each one of us and when did our world need this more?! Blessings on all and every one of you—Pastor Kathy

 P.S. If we could meet, it would be today, as this would be our monthly Saturday Mass at 4:30 P.M. And whether you can look at this today, or tomorrow, remember that others are praying with you from All Are One!

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Entrance Antiphon

Like newborn children, we should thirst for milk, on which our spirits can grow in strength, Alleluia!

Let Us Pray

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Creator and God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for he is alive! From the waters of death you raise us with him and renew your gift of life within us.  Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ and help us to grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you.  We ask this in Jesus’ wonderful name, and with the Spirit, one God, living and loving us forever and ever, Amen.

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Readings:

• Acts 2: 42-47
• 1 Peter 1: 3-9
• John 20: 19-31

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Homily—2^nd Weekend of Easter

April 18, 2020

My friends, each week seems to draw us even deeper into the mystery of what this time of pandemic is really all about—what it may be calling us to, what, perhaps, we are to learn…

Theologians tell us that when we contemplate the Resurrection of our brother Jesus, the Christ; we shouldn’t just see this wonder, one-dimensionally, but on another dimension that truly asks the question, “What does this really mean for me, in 2020?  Is there something that needs to “resurrect” in me?

We know from Scriptures that “resurrection” is a different phenomenon than “resuscitation.”  When Jesus raised his friend, Lazarus, what happened in that instance was resuscitation—Lazarus was dead and then he was alive again! When he came out of the tomb, he needed to be, “unwrapped.”

We marvel in the Easter accounts of Mary of Magdala not knowing Jesus at first—not until he, “said her name, Mary,” did she know him.  The same was true for the disciples on the way to Emmaus—they didn’t know him until he did something familiar—“breaking bread with them.”  What was different between Lazarus and Jesus? Jesus had gone through death and rose whereas Lazarus had died, but would die again.

So if we follow the thought that, “resurrection changes us”—we are not the same, we do not look the same, then, what might need to be “resurrected” or changed in us, here and now, to truly be followers of our brother, Jesus?   We must remember that he came to show us the way to live, to die, and ultimately, to rise—we have the hope of rising like him, one day!

Each year during the Easter Season, we marvel when we read Luke’s, Acts of the Apostles, at how these first Christians lived in community. And even though we know that over time, they couldn’t sustain the goodness that we read about in the first reading today, but begin to quarrel among themselves instead, it is good to know that for a time, they were, as Scripture says, “devoted” to each other, to hearing the apostles’ instructions, to the communal life—breaking bread together, sharing all things in common and dividing everything on the basis of need.   But this is the human condition; we are flawed, which is the definition of being human and must continually go back to our source—Jesus, to see how we are doing.

Now, just like in the time of these first followers of Jesus, there are many poor and disadvantaged among us.  In fact, during this time of pandemic; we have become aware of how it unfairly hits those who are poor. We are told to practice social-distancing and wash our hands—how does one do that when you are homeless and have no soap?  There was a reason in Jesus’ time for him teaching his would-be followers, “to divide everything on basis of need.”  If we wish to follow him, we can hardly do less!

The reading this week from Acts also tells us that, “a reverent fear overtook them because of signs and wonders being performed by the apostles.”  Stories abound in our time as well of the over-the-top love being expressed by our sisters and brothers around our world for those suffering physically, emotionally and spiritually from the coronavirus.

We have seen nurses and doctors putting their lives on the line to serve their patients, often without the protective equipment needed to keep them safe.

One nurse from New York shared this week on the evening news that he felt badly because, even when the protective equipment is available, it limits his ability to truly and humanely care for his patients because the proper equipment is so cumbersome to work in.  I got the sense from listening to him that much is being called forth to be “resurrected”—changed within him to be the type of nurse that these times call for.

Then there are the patients themselves and their families who must be separated without the comfort of each other at such a scary time, even unto death—alone, except for their caregivers. We can only imagine what is being called to, “resurrect,” to be changed within each of them.  What will we all learn from this pandemic?

The Scriptures of the Easter Season call us believers to, in many ways look at the “perishable” versus the “imperishable” in our lives, whether we choose to or not.  This time of pandemic calls us to the same.  “What is it that lasts?” Peter asks in today’s second reading.

If we look at living our physical lives for whatever time we are given, and then one day facing our mortal deaths, with the hope of resurrection and a new life, merely with our minds, reasoning all that out with our faith, which causes us to believe in something we can’t see nor fully understand; we can perhaps accept it as inevitable.  But what seems to be the case for many of us, even if we say we believe, is that we simply don’t know and when we are sick, tired, frustrated, depressed, or alone, or any combination of the above, then is when our ability to believe and to hope, far above our human condition to do either, is truly tested.

Sister Joan Chittister, this past week had somewhat of an answer to these times of doubt: “I have discovered, over time, [she says] that the cross is supposed to take its toll on us.  It forms us to find God in the shadows of life.  Ironically enough, it is the cross that teaches us to hope.”

I find the truth of what Sister Joan says in the stories that are shared on the nightly news on all of the major networks.  They are stories of “crosses” people are bearing, “because it is their job,” “because these are their kids and that is what a good parent does,” “to those who die without their families ,” “to families who know their loved one died alone and must come to terms with that.”

I also, though, am hearing the stories of hope, after the fact of, “the cross” that was born that demonstrate a new appreciation for life, a desire to uplift the good, the beauty of creation, the realization that when people work together for a common good; we are all better—we are resurrecting” in us what is best—what each of us is called, by our Creator, to show our world in the time that we are given.

The gospel selection from John this weekend is a very hopeful one—I lift up just two of Jesus’ instructions for all of us before he physically left the earth.  First, “peace be with you”—he didn’t want us to fear, letting us know that he would be with us.  Secondly, he said, “I am sending you!”  This is our calling card as his followers—our great responsibility and challenge!  Jesus will only live in our world if we allow him to live through us!  Amen? Amen!

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Prayers of the Faithful

Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

1. Jesus, in your risen state, be our guide to live out your loving example toward all people, especially the least among us—let them be foremost in our minds and hearts, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

 2. O Risen Jesus, let peace reign in our hearts and give us the strength and grace to be people of peace, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

 3. Jesus, risen Savior, you who were a healer in every way, freeing people’s minds, hearts and bodies of illness of every kind, grant us health in these same ways, especially now, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

4. Risen Jesus, you who have said, you will never leave us—help us to desire a close relationship with you and strive to form that closeness by taking time each day to communicate in our own way, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

5. Risen Jesus, our brother and friend, give hope to those who are suffering now due to job loss in these uncertain times due to Covid 19—show them the way through this painful time, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

 6. Risen Jesus, help us to be alleluia people and resurrect in our lives that piece that is ours to give our world, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

7. Risen Jesus, in your new, resurrected life, continue to be our constant model of one who lived very simply upon the earth, and teach us to do the same, as we reverence our beautiful planet, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

 8. Risen Jesus, you who never turned anyone away, be with our community, All Are One—continue to bless us, especially during this time of separation, and assist us to be open to all of your people and guide us to always make a place of welcome at our table, but more importantly, in our hearts, we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus”

9. Loving Jesus, be with all families who have lost loved ones this week, especially due to the coronavirus—give them your peace, and help them to find their way through their grief,  we pray—Response: “Hear us O Risen Jesus

 ***Let us pray for your particular needs—you may say them aloud, we pray, then response

***Let us pray for the silent petitions on our hearts (pause) we pray, then response

 Let Us Pray

Jesus, you have truly risen!  Alleluia!  Be the strength we need each day to be people of the resurrection—true to our calling to be people of peace and of love. Let us never falter in our commitment to you and your world.  Give us the strength and grace to do what we can to make our world better—help us to be the change we want to see. Let us truly be Easter people of joy, knowing that because you rose, we will too one day.  We ask all of this of you, our Savior and with the Creator and your Spirit— all, one God, living and loving us forever and ever, Amen.

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Let Us Pray

Prayer after Communion (again, friends, we must remember that in the absence of physical bread—the Body of Christ, Jesus our brother is with us—always! And we must share him with our world—be “bread” for all that we meet!)

Merciful God, may this Easter sacrament that we have received live forever in our hearts and minds.  We ask this in Jesus’ wonderful name, Amen.

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