God tends to our fruitfulness – John 15:1-8

Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year B; Holy Infant parish.

We’ve had some pretty dramatic rains recently. But, a good thing about that is that you can already see the difference they’re making to how green things are all around us. I moved away from England almost fourteen years ago, and every time I do go back, I realize I’ve forgotten two things: quite how much it rains, and quite how green it is. I’ll actually be back in Ireland briefly this coming summer for the first time in years, and even though I know perfectly well in my head what Irish climate is like, I know that’ll be somewhat of a shock to system to be back there, to be surrounded by that much rain, and that much green.

The rejected Jesus commits to us – Acts 4:8-12, John 10:11-18

4th Sunday of Easter, Year B; Holy Infant parish.

Rejection is never something that’s entirely pleasant. I remember chairing a search committee at my old parish, getting about 30 resumes for a new director of maintenance, making what we thought was a great hire, then realizing we had to make 29 rejections. I also taught the confirmation class to our 8^th graders at the parish school, and I learnt from them that rejection was one of the things they feared the most. The first essay they had to write for me was to talk about what virtue they most wanted to grow in as they prepared for and received the sacrament, and the first time I did this exercise, I was surprised that a full half of them chose courage. This pattern continued each year, and consistently as they wrote about courage, they didn’t write about the courage to rescue kids from burning buildings, or whatever, but to do the right thing in the face of peer pressure, to stand up for the unpopular truth, despite the pressing fear that this would lead to social rejection.

Jesus perfects our love – Luke 24:35-48; 1 John 2:1-5a

3rd Sunday of Easter, Year B; Holy Infant parish.

Jesus, after his resurrection, appears in the midst of his disciples, and they’re terrified. So, Jesus wishes them peace. Not peace in the sense of having no conflict or struggle in their lives. In fact, he’ll soon send them out to witness to him knowing that that will mean martyrdom for most of them. No, Jesus wishes them the kind of peace in their hearts that will allow them to do that. The kind of peace in their hearts that will let them not be terrified to see him.

God does dramatic things with us and water – Exod 14-15, Isa 55, Rom 6:3-11

Easter Vigil; Holy Infant parish.

God does really dramatic things with water. We might think that the most dramatic thing we heard about tonight that God did with water is the Exodus. And that’s pretty dramatic (especially when Cecil B. DeMille filmed it). God called his people out of slavery, but as they were walking out of Egypt, they were trapped. The roaring waters of the Red Sea in front of them; Pharaoh’s chariots and horses behind. God was with them – his firey presence that lit up the night (as our Easter fire does still) and his cloud presence that sheltered them during the day. God was with them, but was that much cause for rejoicing when they felt trapped? When they were trapped? Yes, for God does not let His people stay trapped. God does not let His people stay enslaved. God acts and God leads.