Father Denny Dempsey

Ascension of the Lord May 4, 2008

Matthew 28:16-20  Mark indicates that the Ascension took place while the apostles were in Jerusalem (Mk. 16:19). Luke places it near Bethany in his gospel (24:50-53) and on the Mount of Olives (on the eastern slope of which Bethany is located) in Acts of the Apostles (1:12). Here Matthew situates the event on a mountain in Galilee. At the beginning of his gospel, Matthew rearranged Jesus’ genealogy (1:1-17, compare to the longer and very different version in Luke 3:23-38) by multiples of seven to emphasize that Jesus was the perfection of the faith of Abraham, the kingship of David, and the Word of God which was made accessible to all Jews through the educational programs developed during the Babylonian Captivity. Here at the end of his gospel, Luke again rearranges his information for theological purposes, connecting the Ascension to the prefiguring of the glory of Jesus as witnessed by three of the apostles at the mountain of Transfiguration (Luke 17:1). Now all the apostles would see his glory. Unlike the command to three apostles at the earlier event (17:9), they would not be silenced in sharing what they witnessed with the whole world. Jesus’ final words, as he departs from their sight, are the best summary of our mission as his disciples and the perfect ending to the gospel. Matthew did not write merely to impart understanding and faith in the heart of the reader. These closing words drive us to get out and be about the work of God.

*Seventh Sunday of Easter May 4, 2008

* In most Catholic parishes the readings and celebration of this Sunday will be those for the Ascension. 

John 17:1-11a  All the major themes of John’s gospel are included in this statement of Jesus: the identity of Jesus as Son of God from before the world began, his coming into the world and the reason for which he was sent, the unity of the Son with the Father, Jesus’ personal love for his followers, their call to carry on his mission in the world without being “of the world”, Jesus’ promise to abide forever through his Church. Jesus begins this statement saying that “the hour has come”. Recall Jesus’ response to Mary’s petition during the wedding at Cana that his “hour” had “not yet come”. So much of how a person’s life unfolds, for good or bad, results from choices of words spoken and actions committed that take place in a matter of minutes…and with which one will live for his/her life. A presidential candidate’s hopes are dashed when he lets out a two-second “whoop”. A passerby dives into murky dark waters where a car has submerged and saves the occupant’s life. Jesus had been revealing God’s love with every moment of his life, but the next few hours would be the most decisive of his entire life. In that “hour” he won the victory over sin for billions of people throughout history.

Sixth Sunday of Easter April 27, 2008

John 14:15-21  The Greek word “paraclete” literally means “one who calls out for another” and could be translated as spokesman, mediator, intercessor, comforter, or a defense counselor. Here it is translated as “advocate”. For whom will the Holy Spirit be the advocate? In 1 John 2:1 Jesus is called the Advocate before the Father for any person who sins. The Holy Spirit’s role as Advocate as expressed in the Gospel of John is different. Jesus will continue to be the Advocate for sinners in the “court” of our heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit will be an Advocate for Jesus for Christians. In verse 26 we are told that the Holy Spirit Advocate will teach and remind us of all that Jesus had done and spoken. Likewise, in John 15:26 Jesus says the Advocate testify to him. But the Holy Spirit then becomes the Advocate for Christians for their support and defense against the challenges they will face for living the faith. Mark 13:11(also Matthew 10:19-20 and Luke 12:11-12) indicate that the Holy Spirit will speak for Christians and give them the words to say when they are brought before civil authorities for being followers of Christ. The Holy Spirit will not come merely for a visit but will remain forever, continuing to speak the truth of Jesus to us and through us. No moment would show so clearly the convergence of these two dynamics as the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost followed by their proclamation of Jesus to thousands of people in the streets of Jerusalem that same day.

Fifth Sunday of Easter A April 20, 2008

John 14:1-12 Here at the Last Supper the hearts of Jesus’ disciples are understandably troubled. It was no secret that the Jewish authorities had been looking for a way to squelch the preaching and ministry of Jesus. Jesus had created a lot of friction with them by clearing animal sellers and money changers from the temple area claiming the space for his preaching during the busy days leading up to the celebration of the Passover. They sensed that things were about to come to a head. Now Jesus speaks of going away. The phrase “I am the way, the truth and the life”, so full of meaning for post-resurrection Christians, did not satisfy the disciples that day. They had not yet grasped the message of Jesus’ divinity and oneness with the Father, the central teachings of the Gospel of John.

Fourth Sunday of Easter A April 13, 2008

John 10:1-10  We are more familiar with the concept of Jesus being the Good Shepherd, as he will say in the verse following this selection. What is the point of Jesus referring to himself as “the gate” through which the sheep enter and leave the pen? This has an affinity to Jesus’ saying at the Last Supper (John 14:6), “I am the WAY, the truth and the life.” There is a bit different focus, however, for Jesus refers to false shepherds who try to steal the sheep, to get to them without going through Jesus the gate. Who were the false shepherds to whom Jesus refers? What was going on in the Church at the time John wrote his gospel? John says in 20:31 that he wrote his gospel that people “might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God”. From the very first sentence and throughout the gospel, John emphasizes the divinity of Jesus. Most certainly, there were people promoting a belief in Jesus as a good man, a prophet of God, but not divine. Some years earlier, Paul had warned in his letters about preachers following him proclaiming a different gospel, promoting their own agenda. There have preachers in the intervening centuries who used the gospel to serve and promote themselves rather than the other way around. The age in which John wrote his gospel certainly had its share. Jesus, Son of God, is both the Shepherd and the gate.