My friends, today is an ending of sorts, while at the same time, a beginning! How so? The holy season of Easter ends with today’s liturgy—a time that speaks of mystery, of end times, and so much more.

   This past Thursday we experienced, “The Ascension,” or we might say, the returning of our brother Jesus to a more “heavenly” state.  This action is not something we can entirely understand with our human minds, and for the apostles/disciples who were present, it was probably like, “he was there one minute, and gone the next.”  It is like many other astounding things that happen in life, an eclipse of the sun, a birth of a child, a creature from the animal kin-dom being born, the blossoming of every living thing this time of year!  For the one experiencing the phenomenon, it is hard to adequately put into words, just what we experienced!  And with Friday night’s light show, I can now add, the Northen Lights!  So it was with these 1^st followers of Jesus—they expressed it to the best of their ability. 

   In the beginning of my homily, I said this Sunday is an ending, as well as a beginning.  The ending for these followers of Jesus was the tangible time when he was physically close, within reach, and they felt at peace, knowing that he was near.  With all of us, today’s readings show us Jesus preparing his rag-tag band for the time when he would no longer be physically with them.  Through our minds’ eyes, but more so, through our hearts, we can appreciate their real fear, as Jesus prepares to leave them.  

   When we have a strong, good, and merciful leader, we naturally want to hold onto the assurance they bring us.  In our own personal lives, we know what it is like to have a good spouse, a dear friend, a capable mentor—but how will it be without them—we just don’t know, nor did these first apostles. 

   Jesus promises these fearful, but good friends, that he won’t ultimately “leave” them, but send his Spirit, to make them strong, and able to go out into the world, and with their renewed faith and love, do as he said, “even greater things than I did!” 

   With the readings specifically for this last Sunday of Easter from John, both in his Gospel and in his 1^st Letter, we see how in fact the apostles and disciples, both then, and now—in us, will do these, “great things.”  In John’s 1^st Letter he says, “if you love one another, God [lives] in [you], and God’s love is brought to perfection.”  We cannot forget that this “love” began with our loving God, for each one of us!

   God, in Jesus is simply asking that we, in modern parlance, “pay it forward!”  So friends, we get back to that simple to say, double commandment—“to love God and our neighbor as ourselves”—but oh, so hard to do at times! Jesus asks us, in any situation, to do the “most loving thing.” 

   Episcopal bishop, Michael Curry has addressed this issue by asking himself, and us, “How do we truly know that any action is the most loving thing to do?” His answer for himself and us is that “we must check again and again!”  In other words, it is not a “one-time decision.” As we learn more, understand more fully, we should be reassessing our decisions.  And for me, an additional check point would be if I have peace, for the most part, about what I am deciding to do.

   With this in mind, I find it curious that many of the hierarchical men (bishops) within our Church are spending so much time and energy trying to get “the faithful,” back to reverencing the “Divine Presence in the Body and Blood of Jesus” on the altar, when Jesus has already “sent us forth” to reverence “his body and blood in all who we meet in our world! 

   Pope Francis is attempting mightily to do that through the synodality process, while these same bishops, mentioned above, are conducting an alternate process alongside, that to my eyes isn’t willing to see the face, body, and blood of Jesus in all they meet, unless they present in a certain, acceptable fashion, to them—ourselves here at All Are One, a prime example!  What we do here each Sunday, at this table, which by the way, is not an “altar of sacrifice,” but a table of welcome, was always intended to “send us forth,” send us out to include—not to exclude, to place love before law—to in fact, live as Jesus did. 

   These past few days, I had the opportunity to read both our diocesan paper, The Courier, and the National Catholic Reporter (NCR).  To read both, side by side, is to make one think that you are living in an alternate universe, where one rules one place, and one in another!  In fairness to the diocesan paper, there is mention made of two sessions that were held preparing for the Synod in October in Rome, but in comparing the two issues, the Synod, and the Eucharistic Conference, it is clear which holds a higher place. 

   In addition to this slight mention of the upcoming Synod, The Courier has, article after article of local diocesan Eucharistic celebrations preparing folks for the big national celebration this summer, listing such aspects of “interest” as “eucharistic adoration” and lists of speakers proclaiming reverence for the Eucharist, in its very narrowest sense.  Missing from their agendas is any mention of all the places and people –the body and blood of Christ in our world that is presently being abused, at times by themselves, in the LGBTQ community, in women, to name just two.   

   Now the NCR lists probably more social justice issues then we care to even read about, challenging us all, “to reverence” these “bodies” that “bleed” physically, emotionally, and spiritually in our world.  And don’t get me wrong, I do value that “Jesus is made present” on our “table of welcome” each time we gather, but our “reverence, concern and love” was never meant to stay here!  In other words, the “reverencing” of these elements at Mass, or adoration, mean nothing unless we carry that reverence into every wonderful and new presentation of life and love we encounter in our world!

   Once again, this week, I viewed Ari Wallach’s presentation on PBS’ NOVA, entitled, A Brief History of Future Tomorrows.  He stated that we humans, “tend to be negative when we look forward.”  I for one can see that assessment as true within myself on certain days.  But he goes on to say that we have not only, “the opportunity” to make things better in our world, but “the imperative” to do so! 

   The hour-long presentation showed new concepts being tested to construct better buildings, better methods of travel—all that are safer-climate-concerned additions to our world, ideas that assure that the wealth of our world is equally shared. He said that if this kind of world is to be—”we have to think it first –we have to think and re-think everything—think and write a bigger and better story about being human.”  He talked about “smart” versus “wisdom,” asking, “how can I do this better?” 

   And friends, to me this is no different than, “walking in faith,” having a better idea perhaps about, “how to be Church,” “listening,” truly listening as Francis is encouraging us to do—because we don’t yet know what Church-belief-faith will call us to in the future, but I am quite sure that adoring the “Divine Presence on the altar,” with no concrete agenda for recognizing and ministering to the “divine presence” in our world will not ultimately bring more into our Church. 

   In conclusion then, Ari Wallach stresses in a holistic way that our world can be better than now if we each do our part, if we keep “checking” again and again as Bishop Curry says, and “listen, listen” as Pope Francis suggests.  Additionally, and finally, as we read in today’s gospel from John, let us strive, “to be one,” the name of our parish community, as Jesus prayed the night before he died—a better world, a better Church calls us to change, to openness, not to hunkering down.  Amen? Amen! Alleluia!

My friends, I thought it appropriate on this day that marks the day that I was born lots of years ago, to remember at the beginning of this homily, some other important dates that go hand in hand with this beginning date. 

   As a young girl of almost 8, I received my first, holy communion on the day before my birthday, May 4, 1958, never realizing that 50 years later, on May 4, 2008, I would be ordained a priest with the Roman Catholic Women Priests (RCWP) here in Winona. If I had been born male 58 years earlier, even the male bishop in town would have celebrated with my family and friends here and it wouldn’t have come over 30 years later than when most men are ordained.  Such was not the case of course, but we celebrated anyway, members of the new All Are One Catholic community being “born” here in Winona. 

   I humbly speak of my ordination because this event is ultimately not about me, but about all of you and many who have gone on to their heavenly reward, along with all others who share in this ministry.  On May 10^th, this next Friday, we will officially commemorate the 16 years of being a Vatican II parish and community, striving in the memory of Jesus of Nazareth, to be our best. 

   Of course, as you all know, I, along with each of you who participate here, has been excommunicated by the official, hierarchical Church, but we know too that our loving God, who began all this, doesn’t excommunicate us, so, “we are good,” as they say. 

   You are all aware of Bishop Tom Gumbleton of Detroit having recently died.  A friend of his said, after his passing, “When push came to shove, Tom always chose the Gospel over the institution”[!] So, we are in good company my friends! 

   And this leads us then into our Scriptures for today, the 6^th Sunday of Easter, which, by the way, should always be our process and journey—from life to the Scriptures—from the Scriptures to our lives. 

   We are winding down on the Easter Season and as I have been saying throughout, “Love has been the theme!”  In fact, we have heard this one topic addressed so much as to be redundant!   We might actually be thinking, “all right, already, I got it!” But, as we were reminded last week, the challenge to love, is not just something that we “talk” about, but something we must in fact, “do,” and therein lies the rub, as loving truly, day in and day out, is not always easy. 

   The Scriptures for this week I find very encouraging and challenging at the same time, as we hear from Peter, seemingly leading new followers of Jesus, the Christ, and from John, both in his First Letter and in his gospel. 

   Peter shows us the true stance that a “leader” within our Church should take.  He tells Cornelius, a Gentile, who is wanting to worship him, in a sense, “to get up, as he (Peter) is a human being too,” –not to be worshipped, but as one on the journey with him!  Peter goes on to say –“all are acceptable,” [who do what is right!]

   This sentiment is what I have always held onto in my priesthood and in the naming of our parish.  Taking Jesus’ words in his priestly prayer the night before he died, “That all would be one, (John 17) I have always invited anyone who wants to pray with us, to know that they are welcome here. 

   Because I consider all of us as equal, simply with different tasks, I sit among you, not apart, or on a pedestal during times when I am not presiding.  Additionally, with Peter’s command to Cornelius to see him as “not above or special,” but “equal,” is why I invite all at our Masses to say the consecration prayers with me—I have the privilege of presiding/leading, but we all are celebrants here. 

   Also, in the beautiful gospel of John today, we hear our brother Jesus say, “I call you friends,” a stance that I have always considered most important in this parish we have shared for 16 years—I am not above any of you –I consider each of you, “a friend” and hopefully you consider me, “a friend” as well.  That is why I can say that it is with great humility that I serve here as your pastor.  In my dealings with many of those in our hierarchical Church, over the years, I feel they have forgotten that this should be their stance too. 

   I have mentioned Katty Kay and Claire Shipman’s 2023 book, The Power Code, and their basic message that, “power over” doesn’t work nearly as well in our present-day world as, “power to” all others.  They show through many individuals—mostly women, (who have been denied power) trying to find their way in business, politics, Church, and State, that having power—sharing in it—was always meant to be that way, not greedily held onto by half of the population.  Most interesting to me was to discover from their research that men, when they could get on board with this concept, found their lives too, much better, more fulfilling, more stress-free, more peace-filled in fact, in finding equal space for women at the table! 

   So friends, this brings us back then to this homily’s beginning where I stated that this Sunday’s Scriptures are again about, “love.”  We see how the task, “to love” is fine-tuned by Jesus in John’s Gospel, and by John himself in his First Letter. 

   Jesus reminds us that, God loved us first, in him, and therefore, Jesus chose us, and loved us, so that we, “could live on in [his] love,” becoming our best. But what does that actually mean?  How do we respond then to our world?  A few things come to my mind from the Scriptures of the past, and our present-day lives.

• Jesus simply says—“keep my commandments,” and then , you will live on (we might say, act upon) my love. For our purposes here, I think we could attempt to, love God and our neighbors as ourselves! 
• Jesus in today’s gospel also says, “I would lay down my life for you.”  Repeating that in our own lives is something we all are called to ponder, and as life goes, will probably have cause to act upon as we serve in this world as parents, spouses, friends, lovers, and more. 
• Think what our world would truly be like if “love” rather than “law” alone was always applied.  Certainly the strife in the Middle East would be a case in point.  This past week on PBS, a program was presented on Palestinian and Israeli young people coming together to share music.  Several, on both sides were reluctant coming into it, fearing that because of their differing views on the war between their respective peoples, they would be unable to basically get along.  Their experience in spending time together, attempting to, “become a choir,” proved that in listening to each other, they could be more understanding of one another.  For our purpose here, perhaps that is what “love” gets us to, so to speak.
• One final example –you will recall that I spoke of Ari Wallach, in a previous homily about a piece that has been shared also on PBS where he speaks about “what humans may be in the future.”  I have watched two of the segments of this series and in each one he speaks about, how, in many ways, life right now in our world, isn’t all that we might like it to be, what with poverty, inequality among people/races/genders, and so on.  So given that, I was struck by his final statement where he basically said—we have the power to change.  His exact words were, “the injustices in our world today have no place in our tomorrows”[!] From that comment alone, one could gather that the challenge to us, of this Easter Season along with our entire Christian lives will not be necessarily easy, but it will be right. 

    So my friends, as a Vatican II parish community of 16 years that has and will continue to be about inclusivity, and welcome to all, let us be grateful, as we celebrate,  for the responsibility of being who we are, here in Winona, Minnesota, today, in the memory of Jesus of Nazareth, willing to attempt this elusive thing we call love.   Amen? Amen! Alleluia!