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Sunday, 13 April 2008 |
On this fourth Sunday of Easter, the Lord Jesus tells the parish family of St. John Neumann: I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly. What is this abundant life that the Lord promises each of us?
My trusty Merriam Webster’s dictionary reminds me that the word “abundant” means marked by a great plenty, amply supplied. It also means the state of affluence, wealth. What do you think that the Lord Jesus meant, when he taught his disciples about abundant life?
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Human beings are social by our nature. We are meant to be in relationship with one another. The story of our origin in the book of Genesis points to this fact: Adam (meaning “human”) was lonely, even though he had the wealth of the world at his beck and call. Adam was incomplete. He needed another, for relationship, for completion.
This same truth is seen in the revelation of the Trinity. The living God is One… within the relationship of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Lord God is One, yet the Oneness, the completion that is God… is known in relationship. We, created as the image and likeness of God, we are ourselves “at home”, we are ourselves “at one” when we are in relationship.
The great tragedy of sin separates us, isolates us. Think of the power of those sins most deadly: pride, lust, anger, gluttony, sloth, envy and greed. These powers corrupt our nature by isolating and separating us… from one another, from the Lord God. We are created for relationship… made for one another and for the Lord. Sin drives a wedge between us and causes only hardship and heartache.
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What is this abundant life promised us? Through the grace given as gift, we have the chance to live as we were created to live: at peace, filled with joy, in relationship with one another and with the Triune God. In this life of redemption, in this new life of the Spirit, we are affluent and wealthy. We are marked by a great plenty, amply supplied. To live by faith in the love of the Lord is to be complete, to be in relationship with all of humanity.
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Some bits of news: (1) Our Building a Legacy of Faith campaign continues to go very well. I have asked the Archbishop for his permission and blessing, to have the complete architectural plans readied. (2) For those like me that have pledged their support, we will begin to make good on those pledges in the near future. For those who have yet to make a sacrificial pledge… why not join the rest of us as we seek renewal…physically & spiritually? (3) For moms and dads and caregivers: please read about next year’s PSR schedule in the bulletin. We are making some important scheduling changes for next year.
AMDG
Msgr. David Talley |
