Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

Focusing just on the Gospel: Mary proclaims the greatness of the Lord. And she then tells five times that —

“He has.”

She saw God’s goodness. She knew God’s goodness. She was saturated with God’s goodness.

And this visitation with her cousin was grace-filled from the first moments Mary entered her house.

In those days Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah, and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.

Only Luke tells this story, and it is a grand recognition story.

The moment Mary entered the house, the baby in Elizabeth, the future John the Baptist, “leaped” for joy in recognition of the baby Jesus in Mary’s womb.

Literal? I think not. But significant? To the tenth degree.

Do we recognize Jesus in our lives? Do we leap for joy simply knowing him, in our lives?

This story, I think, is meant to provoke awareness, recognition, knowledge, and love. Does it?

If babies in the wombs of their mothers recognize him, shouldn’t we all the more so?

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

The Acts of the Apostles continues to showcase the good works of Paul.

He spent his time preaching and teaching about the Lord; and he was successful at it. After about a year-and-a-half, some of the Jews rose up against him and took him to the tribunal with accusations against him for breaking Jewish laws.

Sosthenes, the synagogue official, is beaten, “but none of this was of concern to Gallio.”

His case was thrown out of court. He stayed for some time after that, then decided to move on to another place. He said his farewells, then left. Like everyone else, Paul had his ups and downs, yet he remained so faithful to the Gospel and to the Lord.

‘A joy that could never be taken away’

Jesus again calls his disciples to hang in there while telling them again that they would be sad when he left them, but promised he would see them again. And when that time came, he promised them joy that “no one” could take from them. And he promised God’s faithful love for them.

All of this is anticipatory to his leaving and his giving of the Spirit to them. Of course, this story is 2,000 years old, but we retell it and in a sense relive it precisely so that we can enter that space — liturgical space at that — to discover for ourselves that same gift of the Holy Spirit in the here and now.

His promise holds true, even to this day!

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

SO THE MOVE TOWARD the Gentiles grows even stronger today from those opposed to Paul and his teachings.

And so now Paul says it, as strongly and directly as is possible —

“From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

Yikes! Was it ever to be the same?!

WHAT WAS TO COME — “After they have scourged him they will kill him.”

‘We do not know what he means’

And Jesus tried to explain, but they just couldn’t get it.

But somehow, miraculously, after so much misunderstanding — maybe it was finally through the gift of the Holy Spirit — they would get it, they did get it.

But we are watching the church here in the most striking moment of challenge and growth; the church was being led and challenged to open to and receive more than it could ever have imagined.

Only the Spirit could work the necessary challenges required at this moment of faith and of history.

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

For sure, we all need to take Paul’s words seriously, and as simple truth —

“The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands,/
nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything. Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything.”

He doesn’t take or need anything, for he is the giver and we are the receivers; there is nothing we can do to earn his love or blessings, or grace or gifts.

The best we can and should do every day is to say thank you, thank you, thank you!

And this thanks is not to make God feel bigger, better or more; it is to help us open more and more and more to those endless gifts, and grace and blessings.

Remember, for it is very true — Gratitude is the Attitude!

And then, Jesus prepares still more for his disciples to be ready for his exit and his promised gift of the Holy Spirit — the Advocate — the one who would gift us with everything that we need. The one who will “guide us to all truth.”

Do we believe that Spirit has been given to us and graces us daily? Are we ready today to receive even more?

And are we ready to say those magic words — “Thank you!”?

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings for Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

Stripped, then beaten, then having been inflicted with many blows upon their bodies, they were chained and imprisoned.

Yikes! Not a happy situation, to be sure.

But then as if in answer to the very prayers they were praying, lo and behold, a mighty earthquake knocks open all of the doors of the prison and the chains are loosened; they actually fell off.

OMG! When God wants to take care of his loved ones, there seems to be no limits to his power and his works! And when the guard who was supposed to be guarding them discovers doors wide open, the only thing left for him to do was to kill himself.

But, instead, he is moved to faith, and actually asks Paul and Silas —

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

And thus, he and all of his family were baptized “in that hour of the night,” having seen the wonders of God.

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Jesus keeps nudging his disciples along to help them come to understand what was about to happen; although, it seems they just could not comprehend. So when Jesus does leave them, “grief” and not understanding would surely be their state of mind and heart.

But as Jesus explains, he had to leave in order to send them the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit; then they would understand. Then they would truly see and know.

And as we see this happening to them, we can and must also see and know that it has happened for us!

A reflection on the daily readings, for the Memorial of St. Philip Neri, priest, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

There is a very special moment when someone is treated rudely, or even falsely accused or talked about, and they finally stand erect and say aloud, “Do you know who I am?!”

The room falls silent as the great revelation takes place. In the word today, there is a whole lot of revelation going on!

Lydia, from the city of Thyatira and an entrepreneur who dealt with fine purple cloth, was also a true worshipper.

Paul was speaking, and moved by the Spirit to listen to him, she did just so. And so moved she uttered these words aloud before all —

“If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home.”

She came to a different place of knowing because she was attentive to the Spirit; led by the Spirit, she became attentive to Paul and his words.

Her new knowledge, fed by Paul’s words, led her closer to the Lord; one could say she truly came to know the Lord that day.

The verse before the Gospel today proclaims aloud —

“The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord,
and you also will testify.”

Let’s face it, when the Spirit gets involved with us — and if and when we truly open to the Spirit — a whole bunch of knowing can take place. And we can ask one another, as the community called church that we are, “Do you know who he is?”

Saint Philip Neri, priest.

And so Jesus, in the Gospel, speaks about the different person one will become when they truly know the Lord, and know the power of his words, his Gospel. As a result of such knowledge, one might even suffer at the hands of those who do not know and, with such a lack of knowledge, can treat rudely or falsely accuse or talk about those who do know.

These are people who have never known the Lord nor the Father. But we do! And such knowledge is something that grows and grows and grows.

And if you don’t believe me, ask Lydia!

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

“Looking Ahead” is a reflection on the Sunday readings, for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor | Looking Ahead

Some Catholics remember celebrating the feast of the ascension on “Ascension Thursday.”

But for many years, permission has been given to dioceses to celebrate Ascension Thursday on the Seventh Sunday of Easter.

Since Holy Week, Easter and all of the pascual celebrations, up to and including Pentecost Sunday (which closes the Easter season’s 50 days), are so significant.

And since so many people seem to have forgotten or just chose not to attend Mass on Ascension Thursday, the church saw fit to move the feast to the Seventh Sunday of Easter.

Why?

So it will not be forgotten.

Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension, and sending of the Spirit are the mysteries at the heart of the Easter days.

There are two Gospels available to us before we reach Ascension.

In both, Jesus speaks with enormous intimacy about the relationship between him and the Father.

In the first one, Jesus speaks directly to the disciples and challenges them to be faithful to his words. The one who keeps his words, the Father will love.

He further promises that —

“My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”

Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit, who will teach everything needed, and bring the gift of peace.

Fear is useless, and there is no need for troubled hearts, since the love that Jesus promises will clearly be enough.

In the second Gospel, we eavesdrop on the prayer of Jesus.

He prays for unity —

“That they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you.”

What incredible hopes and prayers on the part of Jesus — indwelling love of God, peace, no fear, unity, and love beyond comparison!

As Jesus prepares to ascend to the Father, leave his disciples, and ready the way for the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, he does so in a context carefully prepared and proclaimed to his disciples.

One way of summing this up is beautifully expressed in the words found in John 14:18 —

“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. … And your hearts will rejoice.”

Quote of the week |
“Life is an adventure in forgiveness.” — Norman Cousins, journalist and author (1915-1990).

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

We are just past the halfway mark in the Acts of the Apostles.

The Holy Spirit is, indeed, very busy preventing the disciples from going here and pushing them to go there; not to mention, also, the many visions had by some.

This early church was alive! The word was alive! The interactions between God and men were, indeed, profound. The interactions between all these members of the church was also indeed profound.

Great joy! Great faith! Great love!

The psalm sings it perfectly well —

“Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.’

Is this not what that was all about?

And when the psalm instructs —

“Know that the Lord is God,
he made us, we belong to him,
we are his people, the flock he shepherds.”

It just kind of says it all.

Jesus also makes it quite clear: We belong to him. That is because of his love for us, and his desire to share his word with us. Our deep connection with him makes it clear that we, as disciples, would also share his rejections and sufferings and persecutions, and the hatred at the root of all of these things.

Jesus’ picture of “the world” is not a complimentary one; that is, because one has to finally choose what and who to believe in.

It is, actually, pretty awesome that we are still making that choice 2,000 years after Jesus walked and talked on this earth.

“Let all the earth cry out to God with joy!” indeed!

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

When one acts out of love, generally speaking, all are better as a result.

And so having decided that, Gentile converts would please all if they just followed four prohibitions as were presented in yesterday’s reading from Acts 15:7-21; it was confirmed by letter and by word of mouth in today’s passage from Acts.

All who heard it were delighted; once again, love won out.

To hear Jesus speak of the priority of love, and call it simply the greatest commandment, is to hear the simple truth — if, indeed, there ever has been such a simple and straightforward truth.

This is clearly the Gospel reaching a climax in its presentation of Jesus’ greatest of truths!

Living this truth is living God’s life within us and with others.

Awake, O my soul!

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

And so it all comes to a head!

That is, as the Book of Acts states today —

“After much debate had taken place …”

Then it happened. Peter spoke. Paul and Barnabas described the many signs and wonders that had been taking place.

James responded, too, quoting the prophet —

“After this I shall return/
and rebuild the fallen hut of David; …/
so that the rest of humanity may seek out the Lord,/
even all the Gentiles on whom my name is invoked./”

Ah, the deal was, indeed, sealed! And James continued, summing up Peter’s advice, too —

“… Stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God.”

In the end, only four things were asked of the Gentiles —

One, avoid “pollution from idols.” Two, avoid “unlawful marriage.” Three, avoid the “meat of strangled animals.” And four, avoid “blood.”

Of course, these were some of the most abominable things to the Jews; a mere minimum was asked to create harmony and acceptance, and open the way for Gentiles to be fully a part of the church with the Jewish-Christians.

A disaster was avoided; instead, a blessing came upon all.

The responsorial psalm captures nicely the final effect — although it was written long before any of this happened.

Sing it! —

“Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations …”

Once again, Jesus invites and advises all to remain in his love and to keep his commandments.

This, he says, was —

“So that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”