Fulcrum of History

(June 21, 2020)

Bottom line: Just as fatherhood is the fulcrum of society, the Eucharist is the fulcrum of history.

Last Sunday we saw that we need a new beginning, a new vision. With all that is happening in our world and in our nation, we need a new vision.

Archbishop Etienne is pointing the way. He has announced a "Year of the Eucharist". Appropriately it began last Sunday with the Feast of Corpus Christi - the Body and Blood of Jesus. We heard Jesus say, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day."

From these words of Jesus, we can see that we need to make the Eucharist the center of our lives. In his pastoral letter, Archbishop Etienne refers to the Eucharist as the "fulcrum of history". A fulcrum is that point where a lever turns - so that even someone as weak as me can lift a heavy weight. Archimedes said, "give me a place to stand and I can move the earth". He's referring to the power of a fulcrum.

To understand how the Eucharist is a fulcrum, I'd like to describe another fulcrum - the one we honor today: fatherhood. Barack Obama, although he was Commander in Chief, the most powerful person on the planet, said this: "without hesitation, the most challenging, most fulfilling, most important job I will have during my time on this Earth is to be Sasha and Malia's father."

I know that my most important job is to be a spiritual father. I've stumbled along for almost 50 years as priest. I've made many mistakes, but I know that people - young and old - need me as a spiritual father.

Fatherhood is a great fulcrum. Just like a fulcrum can lift a heavy weight, fatherhood can change our world. Jesus has a word today for fathers, "Fear not." Then he adds, "Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known." He's counseling patience. You and I can't resolve every injustice. Some will have to wait until Judgment Day when everything will be revealed. Best to concentrate on where we can make a difference. Again to quote President Obama, "Too many fathers are MIA, too many fathers are AWOL, missing from too many lives and too many homes. They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men."

Maybe some of you men are like me. You feel inadequate to the great calling of fatherhood. Yet God uses our weakness. Next Sunday we will hear Jesus say, "whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple - amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."

For today, I ask you take home this: Just as fatherhood is the fulcrum of society, the Eucharist is the fulcrum of history. "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day." Amen

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Spanish Version

From Archives (Twelfth Ordinary Sunday, Year A):

2017: Spiritual Warfare Week 1: Why This Theme?
2008: The Ugly Truth
2005: A Bishop's Hidden Life
2002: Secret Acts Made Public

Other Homilies

Seapadre Homilies: Cycle A, Cycle B, Cycle C

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Other Priests' Homilies, Well Worth Listening:
Fr. Kurt Nagel
Fr. Frank Schuster
Fr. Brad Hagelin
Fr. Jim Northrop
Fr. Michael White
Fr Pat Freitag (and deacons of St. Monica)
Bishop Robert Barron

Bulletin (St. Mary of Valley Parish)

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