03 May 2026

03 May 2026 - Fifth Sunday of Easter

Transcript

Repeat:

I want to begin with something that was in my podcast last weekend, but I did not use during last weekend’s Masses because I was not preaching at all the Masses. This is something Pope Benedict wrote in his book “The Spirit of the Liturgy,” which is the book I highly recommended last weekend.

I have been concerned about this since I started here as your pastor. This is what he wrote: “Wherever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment.”

There seems to be a tradition, especially at St. Thomas More, to clap at the end of Mass. Now, this is the only church in all my years as a priest that has this “tradition.” I can see two purposes to that, or maybe three. One: it is as Pope Benedict warns – an acknowledgment of human achievement – not correct. Two: we do not come to Mass to be entertained, and clapping is a cultural acknowledgment of being entertained – this is also not correct. Three: a time of applause could be seen as a thank you to God for what he has accomplished in bringing us into his family – I can understand that.

Now, I am not sure how the clapping at the end of Mass started. I know this is probably going to upset some people, but I think it really should stop. We do say, “Thanks be to God” at the end of Mass already. That is an acknowledgment of what God has done for us. And clapping is just… not something that is in the Catholic tradition as the close of Mass. Please, this needs to stop. Now on to my comments for today.

Reading:  

1 Peter 2:9-10

Write:  

But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 

         Once you were “no people” 

         but now you are God’s people; 

         you “had not received mercy” 

         but now you have received mercy.

Reflect:   

To my way of thinking, this is about the most important section that St. Peter wrote, and I added verse ten. So… there are a number of things I want to mention.

Let me start by referencing the things he says we need to get rid of. Notice it is in the same sentence that he goes on to talk about being spiritual infants. Is that because of the sin that is still in our lives? When we hold onto these kinds of sins, we put ourselves in need of spiritual milk instead of a good spiritual steak. We need to grow in holiness – how many times you’ve heard that from me?

Then he has a great section about Jesus as the living stone and us as living stones in the temple of God. He is drawing a direct comparison between us and Jesus. We need to be like him in every way possible. Jesus is THE living stone, we are called to be living stones in the temple of God as well. How great an honor is that?

Then he moves on to the idea of Jesus being the cornerstone. What is a cornerstone? From what I was told of ancient building practices, the cornerstone was the first stone that was laid and all the walls were built from that cornerstone – stone by stone, brick by brick, growing into the building that the builders wanted. In modern days the cornerstone usually has information on when the building was built. In Emerson Nebraska, the cornerstone of the Catholic Church says “founded by Jesus Christ in thirty-three A.D.” The reason it says that is because one of the other churches in Emerson has on their cornerstone the year that that particular church was founded – that church – whereas the Catholic Church claims its founding by Jesus. I love it! Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith. He is our Founder!

Then St. Peter gives a quote that was probably from some song that the early church sang: “A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall.” 

Yes, Jesus is that serious of a challenge. I think we all know people who have rejected the importance of the church and Jesus. Even though they may give some sort of a “nod toward God,” their heart is not fully in it. If it were they would choose to be dedicated to Christ! Instead, they stumble and fall. St. Peter says it is their destiny to fall.… Wow! It is true: some people will not come to Christ; and some who have started have abandoned the faith. What a tragedy!

But Jesus is that kind of a stumbling block for some. For others he is the cornerstone of their faith. Or to extend the analogy, he is a steppingstone toward heaven.

The last section of our reading this weekend contrasts the followers of Jesus with those who have rejected him. This is such a great line: “But you are ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises’ of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” This is why I like this section of St. Peter’s letter. I want to repeat it yet one more time: “But you are ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises’ of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” This is who we are! We are a chosen race. We are the people God has chosen. We are a holy nation. We are a royal priesthood – every one of us. 

Let me spend a moment on that royal priesthood. A priesthood has to have something to offer in sacrifice. That’s the nature of a priest! The priesthood of all believers means that you have to have something that you must offer in sacrifice to God. When I prepare the altar and am ready to begin the Eucharistic Prayer, I say: “Pray brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and… yours… may be acceptable to God the Father Almighty.” What is your sacrifice? It is your very life!

Now to go on to the very last section which is a quote from Hosea. (Hosea is my favorite prophet!) From being “no people,” we have been united into the one People of God – that is the church. From being without mercy we have received Mercy – the Mercy that is Jesus himself. Three Sundays ago we celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday.

Look, this is just the surface level of all the things that St. Peter said here. We could go much, much deeper in all of these things. I think this start of the second chapter of First Peter is something that could – no, should – be a focus of our spiritual lives that we return to time and again. I want to reread the close one more time:

But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 

         Once you were “no people” 

         but now you are God’s people; 

         you “had not received mercy” 

         but now you have received mercy.

Pray/Praise:   

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus, we have tasted that you are good. This is what Saint Peter tells us. Help us to grow from being infants on spiritual milk to being people – priests, one and all – who enjoy the fullness of your holiness that we can here on earth. You have filled us with the best of wheat – your sacred body. Help us to offer back to you what you have given to us, namely our very lives. Make us living stones in the temple of your glory and never let us be parted from you. Amen.

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