Feast of Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen (24 April 2009)

This weekend we celebrate the third Sunday of Easter as we continue to rejoice over the resurrection of Our Divine Lord from the dead. In the gospel of this Sunday’s Mass, we see Our Lord appearing to the assembled apostles on the night of his resurrection. He “opened their minds to understand the scriptures,” Saint Luke tells us. And he said to them, “It is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead . . . and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations.”I remember seeing a funny cartoon that tickled me. It showed a man with a long beard and wearing an ankle-length robe, holding up a sign that read, “Sinners, repent! The end is near.” Those words were followed by an asterisk referring to a footnote at the bottom of the sign. The footnote said, “If you have already repented, you may disregard this notice!” It was a delightful bit of humor, poking fun at announcements that we find in the business world. But it brings up a point that we should be aware of.

When we pray to Our Lady in the most familiar of all Marian prayers, we ask her to “pray for us sinners.” Are we sinners? Yes. At least by omission if not by commission. We do not love God with our whole hearts, souls, minds, and strength as Our Lord asks us to. We no doubt make some efforts in that direction, but not with the force that the commandment deserves.

And since we are sinners, we should also be penitents—people who are aware of our failings and constantly asking God to forgive us. Not like the people who sometimes stand on street corners shouting about sin and repentance, but rather like the gentle, loving Savior who says to us as he said to the woman taken in adultery, “I don’t condemn you either. Now, go and don’t sin any more.” When we look at the crucifix, we see on it the image of our Redeemer making atonement for our sins and thus showing his love for us and his desire that our sins not be held against us. And we might well say to Him in prayer: Lord, I have offended you by sin. But you have made expiation for those sins of mine, and ask only that I reach out to you and accept that expiation you accomplished for me on the cross. And during this Easter season, I contemplate you in your risen beauty, but still bearing in your hands, feet, and side the wounds you suffered on the cross. Thank you for all you have done for me. Let my gratitude become love, and my love express itself in service. That brings us to the great question asked of the Christian at the beginning of the catechism: “Why did God make you?” In other words, what is the purpose of human existence? And the answer, which is the most important thing we will ever learn, is, “God made me to know him, to love him and to serve him in this world, and to be happy with him forever in heaven.” Thank you for seeking God’s truth. God bless you. Father Victor Brown, O.P.