Of all Jesus’ miracles, the most unsettling might be when he made a dead person alive. We know of three times when he did so: a girl, a young man, and Lazarus. The miracle teaches us he has the power of life and death. He anticipates his resurrection. Sin hurts us. Some sin kills us, spiritually. The three miracles reveal to us that no matter our circumstances, Jesus can give life to us. 

God asks a rhetorical and slightly sarcastic question to Samuel, the prophet: “How long will you grieve for Saul, whom I have rejected as king of Israel?” Like us, Samuel is depressed that the old king failed. It’s painful to admit that the old regime is done. But God won’t let us wallow our pity-party forever. “I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem,” announces the Lord, “for I have chosen my king from among his sons.” Samuel finally goes and anoints the young David as the new king. And his kingdom is glorious; it’s the golden age of Israel’s earthly history. 

When I became the pastor of a large parish, I soon found myself, for the first time in my life, riddled with anxiety, headaches, difficulty making decisions, and fatigue. I called a therapist friend and told her my symptoms and asked if she thought I needed a serious medical exam. She said, “How much water do you drink?” I told her, “I haven’t had time to drink water lately.” She responded, “You’re chronically dehydrated. Drink eighty-five ounces a day and call me in a week.” I started guzzling water and in a week all my symptoms went away. I felt great. 

As a kid I remember looking at my sister and thinking, “No man is ever going to marry her. She is way too…my sister!” I couldn’t see her as anything except my goofy, emotional, cooties-laden sister. Years later, on her wedding day, I remember seeing how her husband looked at her, he was totally in love with her, his watery eyes full of overwhelmed joy, drinking in her beauty and grace. He was the one who actually saw her. Blinded by familiarity, I had not been able to see her until now. She was glorious. I finally saw how beautiful my sister really was. 

The Spirit leads Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil, and we hear this: “He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry.” Seems like a questionable battle preparation plan. When I fast, I usually feel grouchy at best, and at worst, like I might pass out from longing for a hamburger. Isn’t it better to be well-fed and fully hydrated, especially to face spiritual struggles? Why fast?

Of all the things Jesus says which seem totally bat-crazy, this one might take the cake: “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” An enemy is someone who desires the destruction of you, your projects, or those you care about. To love and pray for them is to want their health, strength, and flourishing. But if they thrive, they are more likely to hurt you and others. So, aren’t you indirectly willing your own destruction, or that of your friends? If you doubt that this problem is embedded in this teaching, when was the last time you actually prayed honestly for the people you really hate? 

It’s often said that the Catholic Church lays heavy rules on her members, rules that can almost seem impossible. Mass every Sunday? No lying ever? Sexual purity all the time? I recently said to some non-Catholic friends that more than fifty adults were baptized at my parish at the Easter Vigil. One responded spontaneously with shock, “Why would anyone do that?” In other words, why would someone willingly place themselves in a system with such demanding and rigorous rules? 

In 2018, our very own Bishop Olmsted wrote a letter to his flock called, Complete my Joy: An Apostolic Exhortation to the Husbands and Wives, Mothers and Fathers of the Diocese of Phoenix. He wanted to highlight the unique role the family unit has in God’s redemptive plan and to offer us encouragement in our family vocations. Due to the nature of family life, which is rooted in love and communal life, he posited that, “Family is likely where we will feel the deepest joys as well as the deepest pain.” (#2). Whatever ups and downs we experience in our family life, they can all be used for our ultimate good and contribute to our own personal healing and the mission of our family in the world overall.

This week’s topic can be, at times, a touchy subject for people on both sides of the equation, however, please bear with me to the conclusion so that we all might gain a little perspective. Children, particularly infants and toddlers, can often be disruptive at Mass by nature of their youth. With five children myself, I have had many experiences over the years with everything from people asking me not to bring my little ones to Mass, to people encouraging me along, and even complete strangers offering to hold my babies to give me a hand.

On our wedding day, when we stand in front of our family and friends, our beloved, and our God, we have absolutely no idea what we’re saying “I do” to. As the years go by, just about anything could happen: illness (physical, spiritual, mental), alcoholism, gambling or pornography addiction, loss of a job or a dramatic change in a financial situation, post-partum or other depression, infidelity, communication issues, illness or loss of a child, a debilitating accident, stress or loneliness, disagreements on how to raise the children, etc., etc.

The Church has designated the family as the Ecclesia domestica, or the domestic church (CCC #1656). It is within the family structure that children learn about and absorb particular philosophies, values, virtues, vices, and conduct. In other words, if you want the children in your family to obtain eternal life in heaven, you must instruct them how to achieve that through intentional words and actions. While the mother and father of a child ought to be the primary educators of the Faith for their children, the Catechism is quick to point out that all members of the family participate in the education of the children “by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, and self-denial and active charity” (CCC #1657). This means, that if you have grandchildren or nieces and nephews, you also have the responsibility of providing a sound Christian example for them to emulate.

A couple of days after Christmas we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Family - Jesus, Mary, and Joseph - the fact that Jesus was born into a family. Today we usher in the new year celebrating Mary, the Mother of God, making it a good time to discuss exactly why God created the institution of the family and what is intended in family life. We can go first to the Catechism and dive right into what the Church teaches about the purpose of the family.