BASILICA OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
  • Home / Página de inicio
    • Mass Intentions / Candles / Flowers
    • Parish Registration / Registro y Stewardship
    • Parish Property Use Request
    • Worship Aid / Bulletin / Homilies
  • Capital Campaign
    • Parish Vision 2020-2024 >
      • 2017 - 2021
      • Parish Plan
      • Phase 1: Adoration Chapel
      • Phase 2a: Organ Restoration
      • Phase 2b: Rectory / Office Reno
      • Phase 3: Church Reno / Repair
      • Cathedral District Jax
      • About the Church >
        • Church Tours >
          • Exterior Tour
          • Interior Tour
          • Window Tour
  • Sacraments / Sacramentos
    • Faith Formation & Education / Formación de fe / educación
    • Mass & Adoration / Misa y adoración
    • Baptism / Sacramento del Bautismo
    • Reconciliation / Confession
    • First Reconciliation & First Communion
    • Confirmation
    • RCIA - Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
    • Marriage: Unique for a reason >
      • So You Want to Get Married?
  • About the Parish
    • Pastoral Leadership, Staff & Ministries
    • Fellowship & Ministry >
      • Ministerio Hispano Y Grupos
    • Photo Gallery
  • Contact
  • CCM Jax
    • CCM-Jax Registration
    • Calendar
    • CCM-JAX Media Gallery
    • CCM Groups / Forms

Holy Week Homilies 2022

4/9/2022

 
Part One – Palm Sunday Vigil Mass
Holy Week and The Paschal Mysteries: The Passion and Death of Christ
After these past five weeks of preparation, we are now entering the climax of the Lenten season, Holy Week. The richness of these readings includes numerous phrases and expressions that have become part of the Sunday liturgy and other devotions. But, most of all, they reveal how each event of the Passion of Christ had been announced by the prophets in the Scriptures and by Christ himself, thus confirming that he was the One “who was to come.”
 
In a way, the whole week from today until Easter Sunday should be seen as one spiritual movement within the Paschal Mystery and then the 50 days of Easter Celebration as a new opportunity for another spiritual movement of freedom and a fuller life in the Spirit, since that Paschal Mystery includes the sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension of Jesus into glory and the sending of the Spirit on the disciples of Jesus to continue the work he began. This week is the earthly climax of the mission of Jesus Christ and the renewal of ours.
 
With that in mind, let’s begin this week’s reflections with a question, the answer to which will hopefully lead our hearts into deeper contemplation of our salvation. Many wonder why, on Palm Sunday, we only spend a little bit of time hearing about the theme of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and instead focus on his passion and death when we have the rest of Holy Week for that. The answer to the question might be related to our lives. You know how lots of good things that happen, like God's grace being poured out, the blessings we received, the good that's been done in the world. We focus on that for about 5 minutes, but we focus most of our time thinking about all the stuff that's goes wrong. 
 
Now, I want you to think about that as related to the themes of the cult of personality and cancel culture of our own time. As Jesus arrives at Jerusalem the crowds are excited, and everybody is crying out about how awesome Jesus is because of what they think are some really cool tricks. Jesus, you're awesome. You healed my child. Jesus, you're awesome. You raised Lazarus from the dead. Jesus, you're awesome. I don't know why, but everybody else is really excited so I am too. It’s a big party, the King of the Jews has arrived!  Yet, how quickly does that fanfare dissipate? You know, if the excitement was authentic, if those folks really were believers, followers, disciples, and not just caught up in the cult of personality; they wouldn't have been so quick to turn on him, in a matter of days. Jesus Christ, we love you and, in the next minute… we don't like you anymore. And two days later they’re screaming for his crucifixion. 
 
Good and not so good people have fickle hearts. Isn't that kind of the way we live our faith? With fickle hearts. We're all about Jesus one minute. Praising the Lord, King of my life, I had a great retreat. This is awesome. But two months later, your wife is asking what happened to that guy who came home from retreat so fired up about Jesus? Or your kid comes back from Steubenville or some other great conference and they're so excited about Jesus, full of joy, so helpful, loving, and grateful. Two weeks later you’re wondering where that kid went. 
 
God might say the same thing to us. Two months ago, you were in confession saying, God forgive me. I'm so sorry. I want you to be the Lord of my life. I really love you. Forgive me, I have sinned. God forgives and you’re determined to go and sin no more. Yet, maybe even before the end of that day God is wondering what happened to your gratitude, joy, and resolve. 
 
It's our brokenness, right? It's our inclination to sin. That’s our struggle. And that's why, God who so loved us, sent his only Son to be one among us and like us in all things but sin. He came to pay the price of our sin and paves the way for us to always be able to come back to God. 
 
That's why we focus on his passion and death on Palm Sunday. Because the reality is we too easily forget the cost of our salvation, his suffering on the cross. We too easily forget who to thank for those blessings. We too easily forget to teach our families our children all the amazing ways that God has blessed us and poured out grace upon our families. The times God has gotten us through tough days and nights. We forget to easily the prayers that God has answered. We too easily forget the details of the story of God's great, passionate love for his creation. Way too easily passover the Father, passover Christ, passover the Holy Spirit, the Angels, and the Saints.  When that happens, we see ourselves as the star of the story. We believe the lie that we are self-made. We are reminded today that we're not self-made. Neither did we create ourselves, nor did we get to wherever we are without God's help. And so, solemnly today we're reminded of our fickleness so that we can take what God has given us through this lent, no matter how faithful we've been during this Lenten journey, that God can take that today and open our hearts and minds during this most Holy of Weeks. And coming to Easter Sunday of his Resurrection in greater fullness of love for God and understanding of our salvation in him. 
 
God so loved me; he sent his only son that I might live. That I might be free from sin. That I might glorify God with my life, my words. That I would be an eager builder of the Kingdom, fisher of men and women. A disciple who desires to actively bring others closer to the heart of Christ and the joy of salvation. That's what we celebrate next Sunday. This Sunday, we are reminded of how it is we get to next Sunday. And that, my friends. Is why we focus a little part of today's readings on that moment of triumphal entry and the rest of the time soberly reflect on who we are and how much we need God.

Comments are closed.

    Audio

    Homilies

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    May 2017
    July 2016
    June 2016

    Categories

    All
    Advent
    Christmas
    Church
    Eucharist
    Eucharistic Celebrations
    Faith
    Holy Spirit
    Holy Week
    Hope & Love
    Human Formation
    Identity
    Lent
    Live In Christ
    Living Word Of God
    Men
    Mission
    Moral Theology
    Odds And Ends
    Prayer
    Rooted In Truth
    Sacraments
    Saints
    Sin And Redemption
    Spiritual Life
    Trinity

    About...

    Fr. Blair Gaynes has been in the Diocese since 2008.

    In 2011 I began work with Campus Ministry in the Jacksonville area and after being Ordained in 2012 I was appointed as chaplain/director of Campus Ministries in the Duval County and surrounding area.  

    During this time I was also serving as parochial vicar at Resurrection and Blessed Trinity Catholic Churches.

    In 2017 I was appointed Pastor of the Basilica Parish in Jacksonville, while continuing Campus Ministry. 

    I have 
    over 35 years experience in youth and young adult work in social services, education, parish and campus ministry fields.  As well as experience as a spiritual director, retreat master and keynote speaker.

    RSS Feed

OFFICE HOURS
9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday
​Office is closed on Fridays.


OFFICE:

Phone: (904) 359-0331
Fax: (904) 356-8133
Email: office@icjax.org


OFFICE ADDRESS
121 East Duval Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
NEW TO PARISH?

Become a member of our faith community,
Register Online 

Got Questions, no time to call, drop us a note by using this form...
​Click Here

GETTING MARRIED AT THE BASILICA
For general information, please contact our Parish Wedding Coordinator, Cathryn Morency, 
​at 904-359-0331 or fill out our online form.
  • Home / Página de inicio
    • Mass Intentions / Candles / Flowers
    • Parish Registration / Registro y Stewardship
    • Parish Property Use Request
    • Worship Aid / Bulletin / Homilies
  • Capital Campaign
    • Parish Vision 2020-2024 >
      • 2017 - 2021
      • Parish Plan
      • Phase 1: Adoration Chapel
      • Phase 2a: Organ Restoration
      • Phase 2b: Rectory / Office Reno
      • Phase 3: Church Reno / Repair
      • Cathedral District Jax
      • About the Church >
        • Church Tours >
          • Exterior Tour
          • Interior Tour
          • Window Tour
  • Sacraments / Sacramentos
    • Faith Formation & Education / Formación de fe / educación
    • Mass & Adoration / Misa y adoración
    • Baptism / Sacramento del Bautismo
    • Reconciliation / Confession
    • First Reconciliation & First Communion
    • Confirmation
    • RCIA - Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
    • Marriage: Unique for a reason >
      • So You Want to Get Married?
  • About the Parish
    • Pastoral Leadership, Staff & Ministries
    • Fellowship & Ministry >
      • Ministerio Hispano Y Grupos
    • Photo Gallery
  • Contact
  • CCM Jax
    • CCM-Jax Registration
    • Calendar
    • CCM-JAX Media Gallery
    • CCM Groups / Forms