The Resurrection Is The Foundation of Christianity

Sermon by Rev. John Paul Shea

Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015

Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Tucson, AZ

Happy Easter! Alleluia! Christ is risen! 

My brothers and sisters, today we celebrate the greatest miracle in human history, the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. It is in fact the resurrection of Our Lord that is the foundation of Christianity! 

Everything we believe and all that is sacred stands on the fact that Christ has resurrected from the dead! Today’s celebration reminds us that the resurrection is not something to be seen with ordinary eyes, but with the eyes of faith through the words of the witnesses of we hear in the Scriptures. 

Yet, our belief in the resurrection of Our Lord does not come simply from the writings of the early disciples. It comes from the radical changes we see in their lives! 

Early Christians gave up  everything -- their lives, their goods, position and sometimes their family in order to live  as Christians. 

These individuals suffered the most horrendous deaths as a result of their faith. They suffered crucifixions, stoning, beatings, burning at the stake, and were fed to the lions. 

Today’s celebration of Our Lord’s resurrection is both glorious and challenging. Through the resurrection we are given new life! But in order to live this new life we need to radically change our lives! 

In today’s second reading (Col. 3:1-4), Saint Paul says, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.”

So, the resurrection of our Lord calls us to focus our hearts not on the things of the world but Something Greater than what is on earth! 

The resurrection teaches us we are to become children of God, destined to appear with Our Lord at the final resurrection.

The resurrection teaches us that even in this life, when we live for God, our body becomes a temple of light. But, when we live in sin, our body becomes a vehicle of darkness.


We can see this darkness in the lives of many in our society today! Those who live solely for the world, suffer the pains of the world. Drug addicts… those who use their body for immorality...those who lie, cheat, or steal are not happy. They live miserably! 

In fact, whenever any one of us lives more for the world than for God, then we become despondent as well.

But Our Lord has come  to call us out of the world because in its present form, it is passing away. Our Lord calls us to live for Him alone, to seek what is above. Our Lord asks us to pray, to live chaste lives, to know and live the truth by learning Scripture and the teachings of His Church. He wants us to teach our children about the commandments and the teachings of our Church. He wants us to love Him and our neighbor with a true and honest heart, to strive to be holy! This is how to become a resurrected people!

Fr John Paul Shea

Our Lord Jesus Christ has risen from the dead! He died and rose so that we can share in His resurrection. But if we want to share in our Lord’s resurrection, we must live holy lives now.

So let us seek conversion of heart and purity of mind and body so that we can become the resurrected persons our Lord has died for. And let us praise the glorious resurrection of our Lord! Let us give glory to His name! For Christ has risen! Alleluia!

Enjoy this sermon? There's more by Fr. John Paul Shea. Try "Who is Fr. John Paul Shea? From Mormon to Catholic Priest."

BEHOLD! The Wood of the Cross on Which Hung The Salvation of the World!

Sermon by Rev. John Paul Shea

Good Friday, April 3, 2015

Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Tucson, AZ

Behold the wood of the cross on which hung the Salvation of the world. Come let us adore!

As we come together on this sacred day

where we commemorate the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ and His death at Calvary. Let us briefly reflect on what the cross of Our Lord Jesus means for each one of us.

In the time of Jesus the cross was a symbol of Roman power. It was one of the most painful methods of capital punishment and the most shameful way to die. Rome used this torturous method as a means of exacting authority and control over a population.

Today the cross is a symbol of the power of God. Our Lord has turned this symbol of brutality into a symbol of salvation and hope.

As Catholics we look upon the cross in the form of a crucifix. We are reminded that the cross of our faith is insignificant apart from the One who hung upon it on Calvary. The cross for us Christians makes no sense without gazing upon the One who hung upon the cross—Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Yet, as we gaze upon the crucifix of our Lord Jesus, we are reminded that His bodily death on the cross signifies not simply His death. The crucifix of our Lord signifies our death also. It means that we are to die to sin and live for God.

Some of you may know that before I entered the seminary to be a priest of the Diocese of Tucson that I had spent a couple of years in formation for the Discalced Carmelite Religious Order. During this time I lived in a monastery up in the foothills overlooking San Jose, California.

I remember when I first entered the room where I would stay at the monastery that I

No corpus? 

immediately noticed a large wooden cross on the wall. Yet, there was no body of Our Lord on the cross. It was simply a bare cross. When I asked one of my superiors why there was no body of Our Lord on the cross, I was told an answer that I will never forget. There was no body on the cross because the missing body was to be me.

In other words, I was reminded that if I want to grow in my relationship with God, then I must die to my own will. And so it is with all of us.

My brothers and sisters, the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us that if we want to

The ordination of Fr. John Paul Shea --
he accepts his cross!

attain eternal life and live with Our Lord, than we must make changes in our lives. We must strive to die to the things that lead us away from God and surrender our lives to Our Lord. It is only then that we will begin to experience the joy of the resurrection in our lives and the eternal kingdom that is to come.

As we come today to venerate the cross of Our Lord on this sacred day when we commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His death at Calvary, let us allow the power of our Lord’s cross to transform our lives by abandoning our own will and offering our lives to God.

Behold the wood of the cross on which hung the Salvation of the world. Come let us adore!

Did you enjoy this piece? Fr. John Paul Shea has more: Climb Aboard the Ark of Our Salvation

PALM SUNDAY: This Holy Week Ends in a Showdown between Good and Evil

Sermon by Rev. John Paul Shea

Palm Sunday, March 29, 2015

Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Tucson, AZ

"'Then what do you want me to do with man you call the kind of the Jews?' They shouted again, 'Crucify him.'" (Mark 15:12-13)

Praised be Jesus Christ! Today we enter into the most holy and sacred week of the year for Catholics.

On this day we welcome our Lord. We wave our palm branches, accompanying our Lord, walking with Him into His Calvary so that we can be given the grace of new life in the resurrection.

On this day our Lord enters into a showdown between good and evil. He takes up this battle not with weapons of destruction, but with humility and obedience right up to His death and surrender on the  cross.   

Today we heard the passion narrative from the Gospel of Mark (Mark 14:1--15:47). What we just heard should move our hearts to thanksgiving! This passion narrative should drive our hearts to conversion! Everything that our Lord Jesus went through was real! The very fact that our Lord Jesus Christ came down from heaven and suffered and died this most extreme death for us should bring us down on our knees begging Our Lord for forgiveness of our sins!

My brothers and sisters, today we enter into the most holy and sacred week of the year for  Catholics. In one week, we will celebrate Easter, the glorious resurrection of our Lord from the dead. 

Fr. John Paul Shea 

Our Lord loves us. He wants us to live with Him in the final resurrection. Yet, we are reminded today, as we enter into Holy Week, that if we want to share in our Lord’s resurrection, we must first enter into our Lord’s passion. We must die to ourselves and offer our bodies and souls to our Lord. We must make sacrifices, not just during the season of Lent, but throughout our lives. May we seek true contrition for our sins, and may we pray desperately for the salvation of souls. Praised be Jesus Christ! Now and forever!

Did you enjoy this homily? There are more. Try this one also by Fr. John Paul Shea: Climb Aboard the Ark of Our Salvation!