Homily for Easter Sunday 2025 - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Easter: Christ is Risen!

Dear Parishioners,

An ancient Christian Easter (Paschal) greeting is the following: Christ is Risen! The other person would respond: He is Risen indeed!

What is your reaction to this statement?

When St. Paul went to Athens and spoke to the people there, the following occurred: “When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, ‘We should like to hear you on this some other time.’” (Acts 17:32)

What happened on Easter Sunday is the most significant event for all humanity but especially for us as believing Christians. Christ rose from the dead demonstrating for all his divinity and giving us, His followers, the promise and hope of eternal life. Christ conquered sin and death. He now offers us a share in His Resurrection (eternal life).

So again I ask: What is your reaction?

Is it one that takes this event for granted? Is it one of intellectual curiosity like some of the Athenians? Is it one of doubt and confusion? Do we scoff with unbelief like some of the Athenians? (I would then have to question the very fact of your coming to church today, if that is the case.)

Or is your reaction one of belief, gratitude and hope? And if we do believe, does our belief express itself in the way we live our lives?

When we get to that point in our earthly journey when we realize our own mortality—we are all going to die—it is our belief in the Resurrection of Christ that turns despair and grief into life and hope.

I again refer to the words of St. Paul: “. . . If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” (1 Cor. 15:17-18)

I can only imagine the inexplicable joy that the apostles had when they saw Jesus alive again. I am sure that it surpassed their greatest expectations and gave them a faith in Christ that they would subsequently take to the ends of the earth. They would live and die for Christ, trying to spread His message of Good News—the Gospel. They would speak about resurrection and eternal life. They had their hope restored and they attempted to give others hope in Jesus.

This Easter I pray that you experience the joy of the Risen Christ. May your faith in Him and love for Him increase and radiate from your entire being. He is not dead but very much alive!

Today as a Church we boldly proclaim our belief in the Risen Lord. Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!  

Happy Easter!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Easter __________.

Dear Parishioners,

Could you please fill in the blank for me?  Easter ____________.

1.  Bunny

2.  Candy

3.  Egg

4.  Bonnet

5.  Parade

6.  Table (Meal)

7.  Basket

8.  Bread

9.  Card

10. Flowers

11.  →Sunday ←

(If you picked #11, then you at least know a hint when you see one!)

Easter Sunday, the Octave of Easter and the Easter season have come. Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is Risen! We now await the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Many secular ideas, traditions, and customs have found their way into our culture. They are not necessarily bad in and of themselves. As Christians, however, nothing else is really as important as Christ conquering sin and death and rising from the dead. Easter is about Resurrection. It is about eternal life. It is about hope.    

Starting a church the way Christ did seems like it should have been a recipe for disaster:

• Pick a rag-tag bunch of mostly uneducated disciples—one who denies you when the going gets tough, and one who betrays you.
• Preach to the general public for only a few years, mysteriously at times.
• Pick an area of the world oppressed by foreign rule.
• Pick a time in history without the internet, radio, television, newspapers or mass media as we know it today.
• Allow yourself to be tortured and then put to death without offering resistance.

Should the Catholic Church still be around over 2000 years later?

When everything seemed like failure, the Risen Jesus appeared to the disciples:

While they were still speaking . . . (Jesus) stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have." And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.  (Luke 24:36-40)

Resurrection made all the difference, then and now. The Church still remains despite all obstacles, build on the foundation of Christ—the Risen Christ. May the joy of Easter bring meaning and hope to your lives, today and every day!

Please continue to celebrate the joy of Easter! (And prepare for the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, as well!)

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for Easter Sunday (2024) - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

What If?

Dear Parishioners,

What if there were no Easter Sunday?  What if Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead?

Well, you certainly would not be reading this message from me. I suspect that I would probably be married with a family, engaged in some other kind of occupation. I certainly would not be a Catholic priest. Perhaps, a Jewish rabbi? Who knows?

There would be no Catholic churches. No Christian, Orthodox or Protestant churches as well.

No Mass. No Eucharist. No sacramental Confession. No Christian Baptism. Any of the other sacraments? Nope.

Forget the Catholic schools, Catholic hospitals and Catholic orphanages. No Catholic charities. No Religious Orders like the Franciscans, Jesuits, Augustinians or Dominicans.

We would never hear those timeless Catholic hymns. No Gregorian chant. Tantum Ergo, O Salutaris, Pange Lingua, Stabat Mater . . . unfortunately, they would not exist. None of the great Christian-themed artwork that fills the rooms and walls of museums either. 

No Communion of Saints. No need for Christian martyrs. No Gospels. No Evangelists. No Christian apologists.

Cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Louis, St. Paul and Santa Cruz, countries like El Salvador and San Marino, islands like St. Thomas, St. John and St. Martin would obviously have other non-Christian names.

No popes. No bishops. No organized hierarchy. No dioceses.

If we were fortunate enough to be Jewish, we would still be awaiting a messiah. Will God remember His promises to our ancestors? Will He send someone to save us? 

If we were not Jewish, unfortunately, we might be worshipping some pagan god, not knowing any better.

Jesus of Nazareth would have been seen as some crazy, self-proclaimed messiah like a Jim Jones, David Koresh, Charles Manson, Sun Myung Moon or Marshall Applewhite, instead of Lord, God and Savior.

Would we have hope in eternal life without the Resurrection of Jesus? Would we have forgiveness of sin? Would the cross of Christ be just another Roman execution among many others? 

“. . . And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.” (1 Cor. 15: 17)

Fortunately for us, Jesus Christ is Risen! Our world will never be the same again—ever! We have hope and a promise of immortality—eternal life! We have the forgiveness of sin! We are given new life through Christ! Realize how blessed we truly are!

Have a Happy Easter!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Life Beyond the Grave

Dear Parishioners, 

Last night I went to see the film After Death. It was produced by Angel Studios, the same company that gave us Sound of Freedom and The Chosen. This documentary dealt with the near-death experiences (NDE) of people from various cultures and backgrounds. Not only was it thought provoking but it made a strong case for life beyond the grave and the existence of God.

From my high school days I had a serious interest in the afterlife, including aspects of death and dying. This fascination began by reading books for class as a senior by Drs. Raymond A. Moody, Jr. and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. Hearing about near-death and out-of-body experiences and the various stages of dying from a medical/clinical perspective sparked my intellectual curiosity and heightened my desire to reconcile my Catholic faith with the reported experiences of science. How did this all fit in with the Church's teaching about the four last things—death, judgment, heaven and hell?

One thing of which I was pretty certain throughout my studies was that the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead was something completely unique. The Resurrected Body was not some out-of-body experience or near-death occurrence like those stories I had read. The Glorified Body was encountered by those chosen disciples after Jesus was unmistakably dead by means of torture and crucifixion. This Glorified Body could now pass through matter such as locked doors (Jn. 20: 19-20) (subtlety). Instantaneously, it could be in various places not necessarily in close proximity like Galilee and Jerusalem (agility). It was frequently unrecognizable as on the road to Emmaus (Lk. 24: 13-32) or to Mary Magdalene in the garden (Jn. 20: 11-18) (brightness or glory). It had triumphed over all human suffering (impassibility).

I hope that we never take for granted what occurred on that first Easter morning. Most of Jesus' disciples had fled and were presumably in hiding for fear that what just happened to their rabbi-leader might also happen to them. Women went to anoint the crucified Body and found an empty tomb. Jesus then made His presence known and everything changed! He is risen! No matter what they did to Him, He is still alive! The experience of a Resurrected Jesus led the disciples to be fearless in their preaching and to endure torture and martyrdom themselves.

If we get to a point in our lives where this essential teaching of our Christian faith—the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead—ceases to captivate, to encourage, to foster hope and to motivate, then I suggest that we should probably just stay in bed on Sunday morning. Why bother at all? Life would be pretty empty and meaningless as far as I am concerned. (Unfortunately, I think that far too many Catholics are at this point already.)

However, for Christian believers it is this triumph of Jesus over sin and death that makes all the difference in the world. We hope to share in His Resurrection. We hope to receive a new, glorified body ourselves. We have hope for an eternal life. We believe that Jesus can and does forgive our sins when we repent. We have Christian hope.

During this month of November, please pray for all the Holy Souls and all of your deceased friends and relatives. Continue to have Masses offered for their eternal salvation. We certainly need to trust in the mercy of God, but should never take it for granted. I suspect we will all need a bit of purgatory (spiritual cleansing and purification) prior to seeing God face to face.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor                       

Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Easter "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Easter Homily 2023 - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Happy Easter!

Dear Parishioners, 

Alleluia!  Alleluia! Christ is Risen! 

Easter is here once again! 

Many secular ideas, traditions, and customs have found their way into our culture at Easter (as well as other sacred times like Christmas). They are not necessarily bad in and of themselves. However, they tend to miss the profound Christian spiritual message.

As Christians, nothing is really more important than Christ conquering sin and death and rising from the dead. Easter is about Resurrection. It is about eternal life. It is about hope.   

Establishing a church the way Christ did seems like a recipe for disaster. Pick a rag-tag bunch of mostly uneducated disciples—one who denies you when the going gets tough (Peter) and one who betrays you (Judas). Preach to the general public for only a few years, very mysteriously at times. Pick an area of the world oppressed by foreign rule. Pick a time in history without the internet, Twitter, radio, television, newspapers or mass media as we know it today. Allow yourself to be tortured and then put to death without offering resistance.

Should the Catholic Church still be around over 2000 years later? Not if it were solely a human endeavor!

When everything seemed like failure, the Risen Jesus appeared to the disciples:

While they were still speaking . . . (Jesus) stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you."  But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost.  Then he said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.  Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have." And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.  (Luke 24:36-40)

Resurrection made all the difference, then and now.

The Catholic Church still remains despite all obstacles, built on the foundation of Christ—the Risen Christ. The message of Jesus continues to be proclaimed and offers salvation and hope to those who willingly accept it and let their lives be guided and changed by it. 

May the joy of Easter bring meaning and hope to your lives, today and every day!

Happy Easter to all! 

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 5th Sunday of Lent "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Easter: A Time for Renewed Hope

Dear Parishioners,

I can only imagine how desperate the situation must have seemed to His apostles as Jesus was experiencing His brutal passion and death.  To see your spiritual leader, the one whom you believed was the long-awaited messiah, suffer and die like a common criminal had to be devastating.  We know most of them fled and went into hiding.  Peter was so terrified that he denied the Lord three times, as Jesus had predicted.  What do we do now?  Where do we go from here?

Yes, there were a few who remained faithful and by the cross until the bitter end:  Mary Magdalene, the Beloved Disciple John and Jesus’ own Mother Mary.  How great must have been the emotional pain that they felt as they helplessly watched His suffering up close. Seeing every last breath coming from a beaten, broken body had to be stamped like a branding iron into their memories. How could this possibly happen?

Salvation and the forgiveness of sin came with a price: the suffering and death of the Son of God. Holy Week recalls these events. The crucifix in our churches (and homes) reminds us of the greatest act of sacrificial love.  But the story does not end here.

Resurrection and new life followed.  Jesus conquered sin and death.  The grave was not His final resting place.  He is alive!

With all of the suffering and death continuing throughout our world, we need to preach this message loud and clear:  Jesus is our salvation.  He brings us hope in every situation, no matter how desperate.

I realize how difficult and unusual these times are for all of us.  In recent years, we have seen closed churches, sacraments being limited, Holy Week and Easter services on TV or through the internet and other unprecedented occurrences.  Despite it all, God is still in charge.  He allows this to happen for a reason, which I suspect is an urgent plea for us to return to Him with all our being.  We cannot exist at all without His Divine Assistance. 

What do we do now?  Where do we go from here? Do we seek resurrection and new life for ourselves and our loved ones?  Do we want to find hope in any desperate situation?  Jesus is our salvation.  There is no other way.

I continue to hope and to pray.  Easter gives renewed hope to all Christians as we realize Christ is alive!  He is Risen!  Death has no more power over Him.  Although it may seem, at times, that the season of Lent continues in our lives and that Good Friday has not yet ended, trust in Jesus.  Stand by Him at the foot of the cross.  Resurrection and new life will come.

I assure you of my continued prayers and Masses for your health and spiritual well-being.  Please pray for me. I appreciate all of the kindness and love shown to me throughout the year!  

I may not have all the answers to what lies ahead but I certainly know Who does:  Jesus, Our Risen Lord!  

Happy Easter!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Easter - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Easter Homily 2021 - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Rejoice! Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

Dear Parishioners,

 “. . .  If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. . . . But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Cor. 15: 17, 20)

I was brought to tears of joy many times this past Lent.  How could I not be after seeing the powerful, sincere confessions from penitents after ten, twenty, thirty years or more?  Thanks be to God for His mercy and forgiveness!

During our 40 Hours celebration, I observed devout parishioners praying before our Eucharistic Lord around the clock, day into the night.  Fr. James King preached some dynamic and inspiring homilies leaving us with much to ponder.

These past weeks of Lent and Holy Week have given us precious time to prepare spiritually for the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus at Easter.  Whether it was at the Soup and Stations on Fridays, at the Communal Penance Service (and many other opportunities for the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation after the Masses), at Lectio Divina, at the Lifelong Faith Formation event with Carrie Ann Ford or at the services of Holy Week, I witnessed some tremendous occasions of God’s Grace touching lives and penetrating hearts.  If you took the time to participate in these and various other opportunities that were afforded our parish, I hope you were as spiritually rejuvenated as I was.

Now we have reached the culmination and highpoint of our Lenten journey—Easter Sunday.  Rejoice because Christ is Risen from the Dead!  As we celebrate the Easter season, please try to keep the Resurrected Christ at the center of your lives.  This is the central mystery of our faith and needs to be forefront in our thoughts in order to guide our daily actions.

In times of sadness or uncertainty it is the light given us by the Resurrected Christ that should illumine our lives and shine through the darkness!

I thank all who work so hard and who are so generous to this parish and help to strengthen our Christian faith community.

Be assured of my daily prayers and Masses for all members of this parish.  May I ask a continued remembrance in your prayers and Masses as well?

 

Have a blessed Easter season!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor