THURSDAY HOMILY: We Are Invited Into an Encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ
By Deacon Keith Fournier
10/31/2013 (4 years ago)
Catholic Online
(https://www.catholic.org)
Today we are gathered in the presence of the same Jesus Christ. He is as truly present as He was in those dusty streets on the way to Jerusalem - for those whose eyes are opened by living faith. The same Holy Spirit which transformed the Apostle Paul has been given to you and me. The same Jesus whom Paul encountered, will soon come to us in the Holy Eucharist and make His home within us. The key is our response to the invitation.

Highlights
By Deacon Keith Fournier
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
10/31/2013 (4 years ago)
Published in Year of Faith
Keywords: St. Paul, Jesus wept, Jerusalem, spirituality, encounter, Communion and Liberation, discipleship, living faith, Year of Faith, Deacon Keith Fournier
P>CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic Online) - Both readings at Mass pick up where we left off yesterday. In the Gospel from Luke (Luke 13:31-35) we meet Jesus continuing his journey to Jerusalem. Told by some Pharisees that Herod seeks to kill him, He is not distracted. He sends a dismissive message back to his adversary whom he compares to a fox, a small, weak animal who uses cunning because he lacks any real power.
Then, he opens his heart and weeps over Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling! Many for whom Jesus came, failed to recognize Him in the day of His visitation.
Our first reading was written by a man who initially failed to recognize Him.Yet, the Rabbi named Saul finally encountered the Risen Lord. He had been complicit in the martyrdom of the first deacon, Stephen. Afterward he breathed 'murderous threats' against the believers. Seeking to bring them back in chains he set off on a journey to Damascus in hot pursuit. But, the Risen Lord had other plans for this man who became St. Paul.Â
On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" He said, "Who are you, sir?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." (Acts 9:1-20) Saul heard Jesus ask a question which changed his life, "Why do you persecute me?"
As far as we can tell through either Biblical or historic evidence, Saul never met Jesus during His earthly ministry. Yet, because Jesus the Head is inseparably joined to His Body, the Church, Jesus was persecuted by Saul when His disciples were persecuted by Saul. In that encounter, Saul became a witness to the Resurrection, a prerequisite to being an apostle.
The encounter opened his eyes, enabling him to recognize Jesus Christ in all of the visitations which would follow in his life of service -Â no matter how difficult and trying some of them would seem. It compelled him to spread the Gospel and plant the Church throughout the known world. The man, who had once persecuted the Way, became the Apostle who walked with Jesus along that Way - and invited others to do the same.Â
That encounter set him on the path to becoming a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), a new man who was able to write this extraordinary letter of instruction to the Christians living in Rome. (Romans 8:31b-39) The excerpt we heard reveals the power of living faith to change everything. That kind of living faith is fueled by the presence of the Holy Spirit in a man or a woman. St. Paul reminded those Christians in Rome and he reminds us:
If God is for us, who can be against us? He did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him? Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
As it is written: For your sake we are being slain all the day; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31b-39)
Today we are gathered in the presence of the same Jesus Christ. He is as truly present as He was in those dusty streets on the way to Jerusalem - for those whose eyes are opened by living faith. The same Holy Spirit which transformed the Apostle Paul has been given to you and me. The same Jesus whom Paul encountered, will soon come to us in the Holy Eucharist and make His home within us. The key is our response to the invitation.
The word encounter is used often by Pope Francis. It is a key, a lens, what theologians call a hermeneutic, to understanding this Pope, his way of sharing the Gospel and his way of incarnating the Gospel in his witness of life. He reminds us regularly that Christianity is about an ongoing encounter with the Risen Jesus Christ.
This word encounter also explains his ecclesiology, or theology of the Church. The Church is the place of encounter. It is not some-thing but Some-One, the Body of the Risen Jesus. Jesus is the head of His Body and the head and the Body cannot be separated. Through our participation in the mission of the Church we participate in His continuing redemptive mission.
The Risen Jesus always comes to encounter us - in prayer, word, sacrament, one another, the poor, suffering, struggle - you name it. In all of these we can encounter Jesus, even if initially hidden, if we open our hearts to His Mercy and Love. Pope Francis also invites us, living now in Jesus Christ, to encounter one another - and the whole world which Jesus loves. To live a way of encounter.
This spirituality of encounter is a beautiful spirituality, a profound theology, and a treasure for this barren age. It comes at a moment when the whole Church - and the world into which she is called - desperately needs this spirituality of encounter more than anything else. I believe it will be seen as one of the treasures of this papacy. Â
In explaining the emphasis Pope Francis places on encounter, some observers point to his relationship with the ecclesial movement Communion and Liberation whose founder, Fr. Luigi Giussani, used the word encounter at the heart of the spirituality of that movement. He properly insisted that Christianity, at its heart, is an encounter with Jesus Christ.
In his first encyclical letter, the Light of Faith - which Francis acknowledged was written with Pope Emeritus Benedict - we find the word encounter woven throughout the text. That is because Pope Benedict also emphasized the centrality of an encounter with Jesus. He regularly taught that Christianity is not some-thing, but an encounter with Some-One, the One who lives no more to die and who is encountered through living faith. In the Light of Faith, we read:
"Faith is born of an encounter with the living God who calls us and reveals his love, a love which precedes us and upon which we can lean for security and for building our lives. Transformed by this love, we gain fresh vision, new eyes to see; we realize that it contains a great promise of fulfillment, and that a vision of the future opens up before us." (Light of Faith, #4)
Today, we are invited into an encounter with the Risen Jesus. Will we fail to respond as did some in Jerusalem? Or will we follow the pattern of the Apostle Paul? The choice is ours.
---
'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'
Copyright 2018 - Distributed by THE CALIFORNIA NETWORK
Pope Francis Prayer Intentions for APRIL 2018
For those who have Responsibility in Economic Matters. That economists may have the courage to reject any economy of exclusion and know how to open new paths.
More Year of Faith
Let us Celebrate the Feast of All Saints. Let us Make Haste to our Brethren Watch

Calling the saints to mind inspires, or rather arouses in us, above all else, a longing to enjoy their company, so desirable in itself. We ... continue reading
The Feast of the Sacred Heart and Our Mission Watch

The heart is the center of a person, the place from which he/she makes the choices which will affect the world within them and around them. ... continue reading
The Happy Priest on the Baptism of the Lord and our own Baptism Watch

The consideration of Jesus' baptism, gives us an opportunity to remember our own baptism. If you do not know the date of your own ... continue reading
Regret of Judas or Repentance of Peter?

I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. HYTHE, ... continue reading
Pentecost: St Cyril of Jerusalem on The Living Water of the Holy Spirit Watch

The Spirit makes one man a teacher of divine truth, inspires another to prophesy, gives another the power of casting out devils, enables ... continue reading
Latest
by Catholic Online
- Study to research link between pornography and demonic possession
- Pope Francis: The Church needs prophets
- Daily Readings for Thursday, April 19, 2018
- St. Leo the Great HD Video
- 7 Famous Men You Probably Didn't Realize Were Knights
- Daily Reading for Saturday, April 21st, 2018 HD Video
- St. Alphege: Saint of the Day for Thursday, April 19, 2018
Latest Videos
on YouTube

Daily Readings
Daily Reading for Thursday April 19, 2018
Reading 1, Acts 8:26-40
Psalm, Psalms 66:8-9, 16-17, 20
Gospel, John 6:44-51
Saint of the Day

St. Alphege
April 19: Archbishop and "the First Martyr of Canterbury." ... Read More
Information
Learn about Catholic world
Catholic Online
Inform - Inspire - Ignite
Catholic Online Saints
Your saints explained
Catholic Online Prayers
Prayers for every need
Catholic Online Bible
Complete bible online
Catholic Online News
Your news Catholic eye
Daily Reading
Today's bible reading
Lent / Easter
Death & resurrection of Jesus
Advent / Christmas
Birth of Jesus
Rest of Catholic Online
All Catholic world we offer
Services
Products and services we offer
Catholic Online Shopping
Catholic medals, gifts & books
The California Network
Inspiring streaming service
Advertise on Catholic Online
Your ads on catholic.org
Catholic Online Email
Email with Catholic feel
Catholic Online Singles
Safe, secure Catholic dating
The California Studios
World-class post production service
Education
Learn the Catholic way
Catholic Online School
Free Catholic education for all
Student Classes
K-12 & Adult Education Classes
School Teachers
Teacher lesson plans & resources
Support Free Education
Tax deductible support Free education
Socials
Connect with us online
Catholic Online on Facebook
Catholic social network
Catholic Online on Twitter
Catholic Tweets
Catholic Online on YouTube
Enjoy our videos
Catholic Online on Instagram
Shared Catholic moments
Catholic Online on Pinterest
Catholic ideas style inspiration