OUR  RELIGION   

IS  PERSONAL, 
RELATIONAL 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Our Religion Is Personal, Relational.”

It has a catechism. We have a Bible. We have rules and regulations and all that, but the bottom line is this: our religion is all about a personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Our religion is all about entering into communion - Holy Communion - with Jesus who brings us into the Trinity.

So it’s not words. It’s the Word become flesh who lived and walked amongst us.

It’s not prayers. It’s being with God - and God is often quiet - silence - presence - keeping all the universe going and together with all the more there is - especially with all we don’t even know about yet.

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

As we know there are 4 gospels. The first three, Matthew, Mark and Luke, are filled with many of the teachings - sayings and parables of Jesus.

The fourth gospel, John, is quite different than Matthew, Mark and Luke.

The 4 gospels stress being in relationship with God, but I see the gospel of John stressing having a relationship with Jesus more.

Let me simply run through the gospel of John - chapter by chapter - from the beginning - by mentioning people - especially one to one moments Jesus had with different persons.

In the beginning was the word - and that word became flesh - and John the Baptist witnessed to that person called Jesus. He was not Jesus. Jesus was Jesus. [1:19]

Like Andrew we approach Jesus and ask, “Where do you stay. Who are you?” [1:40]

And Jesus says, ‘Come and see!” Like Peter, someone comes to us and says, “I think I have found the messiah, the one we are all looking for.

Like the couple who have run out of wine, Jesus can fill us to overflowing. [2:1]

Like Nicodemus, we can come to Jesus in the night. [3:1]

Like the Samaritan Woman, Jesus can give us living water. [4:1]

Like the sick, Jesus can wash us clean and heal us. [5:1]

Like those without bread, Jesus can feed us when we’re empty.[6:1]

Like the adulterous woman, Jesus can get those who want to condemn us to put down their rocks.[8:1]

Like the blind man Jesus can give us sight. [9:1] 

When we feel like sheep without a shepherd, Jesus can recognize us. [10:1]

When we die like Lazarus, Jesus will raise us from the dead.[11:1]

Like those who are hungry and thirsty, Jesus can take away our thirsts and hungers. [13:1]

When we realize like everyone we are condemned to die at some point - when we have to make our way of the cross, Jesus did it before us. [18:1]

And after we die there is resurrection. Like Thomas and Mary Magdalen,   Jesus will let us touch him the Risen One.[20:1]

Like the apostles Jesus will feed us with the Bread of Life.[21:1]

Those, in general, are the people and situations Jesus found himself in.

In today’s gospel from John [20:11-18] Mary meets Jesus - the Risen Christ - and she wants to cling to him - hold onto him - to be in communion with him. So too us - but she has to let go  - so as to go tell the rest of us - that she has seen the Lord - who is going to the Father - our Father and your Father.

ST. ALPHONSUS

St. Alphonsus said all this in his classic book: The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ.

Alphonsus at times floundered around in worry, dark moods,  scrupulosity, till he discovered the whole secret of life, of sanctity, of happiness, is the practice of the love of Jesus Christ.

How do we do that?  Answer: it’s the same answer as to how to get into Carnegie Hall: Practice, practice, practice.

CONCLUSION

So here we are in church for morning mass - practicing, practicing, practicing, being in communion with Jesus Christ.

We’re hugging, holding onto Jesus. We’re tying our ligaments, realignments, our religion from which the word “ligaments” is rooted, and we’re tightening ourselves to Christ, who brings us deeper into the Trinity, who brings us deeper and deeper into the community called The Body of Christ. Amen.