June 24 2025 - The Nativity of St. John the Baptist - The breaking of divine silence

 When the Church celebrates the feast day of a saint, we are usually celebrating the day of the saint’s death. For example the feast of the martyr St. Charles Lwanga earlier this month was on June 3, because St. Charles was martyred on June 3, 1886.

Only three times during the year does the Church celebrate a birthday: for Jesus, for His mother…and for John the Baptist. So, the Baptist is certainly in illustrious company. That we celebrate his birthday serves to remind us just how important John is to our salvation history. Scripture doesn’t tell us of the birth of Mary or Joseph or any of the evangelists. But it records the events surrounding the birth of John.

And why? Because John’s birth marks the beginning of a great turning point in salvation history. John’s birth signals that God is on the move—that His promises, long awaited, are now being fulfilled. For roughly 400 years—since the last of the Old Testament prophets, Malachi—no new prophetic word had come to Israel. The voice of God seemed silent. The people clung to the promises of old, but many wondered if the Lord still spoke to His people.

The silence of God’s voice among His people is symbolized by the muteness of Zechariah in today’s Gospel. But with the birth of John, Zechariah’s tongue is loosened. 

John’s birth represents the breaking of the divine silence, and John’s voice will be the first prophetic voice heard in centuries: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” He will stand in the desert the last and greatest of the prophets, and the one who will point out the Messiah Himself: “Behold the Lamb of God.” John heralds the coming of God’s Word made flesh: the definitive Word of God, the perfect fulfillment of all of God’s promises—Jesus Christ. 

Today, we fittingly herald that there are 183 days until Christmas. And the best way to prepare for Christmas, and for the coming of the Lord at the end of time, is to spend our days like John, whose entire life was aimed at pointing to Christ, to the Lamb. 

May we, like John, be heralds of the Gospel every day—in our words, our activities, our moral decisions, in our prayer. May we decrease, so that Christ may increase in us, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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As we celebrate the birth of St. John the Baptist, the great forerunner of Christ, let us turn to God in prayer, asking for the grace to follow John's example and prepare the way for the Lord in our hearts and in the world.

For the holy Church of God: That she may, like St. John the Baptist, boldly proclaim the coming of Christ and prepare the hearts of all people to receive Him.

For the leaders of nations and all in authority: That they may listen for the voice of truth, seek justice and peace, and govern with integrity for the common good.

For all who feel as though God is silent in their lives: That the example of Zechariah and the birth of John may increase their faith.

5. For the sick, the poor, and the suffering: That the light of Christ may shine through the darkness of their afflictions, and that they may be comforted by the love of God and the care of others.

For the faithful departed: That, having prepared the way for Christ in this life, they may be welcomed into the joy of His eternal Kingdom.

Heavenly Father, You sent St. John the Baptist to prepare the way for Your Son. Hear the prayers we offer on this joyful feast, and grant that we, too, may prepare Your way with faith, courage, and love. 

12th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Monday - Humble self-examination

 In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches many lessons about the attitudes and actions that Christians need to practice: we need to pray, fast, give alms, we need to forgive if we wish to be forgiven, we need to be willing to make peace with our brother, and be willing to suffer for the Gospel.

We heard from the part of his sermon today where Jesus teaches his followers about judging others. He tells us to stop condemning what needs to change in others without changing what needs to change in ourselves. 

This is one of the most challenging teachings of Christ, because it calls us to a deep honesty—complete honesty—about our own hearts, attitudes, and motives. It is easy to notice the faults of others—their selfishness, their bad temper, their hypocrisy. But it is much harder to notice, let alone admit, the ways that we ourselves are failing to love as we should. We look at ourselves with rose colored glasses, while looking at others with laser focus. 

The Lord’s teaching to remove the speck from our own eye is a call to humility and conversion. It challenges us to look inward, to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what needs healing and repentance in our lives. 

The humility of self-examination is one of the most vital, yet most difficult, virtues in the spiritual life. It is the quiet, honest posture of the soul that says: “Lord, I know I am not yet who you call me to be. Show me the truth about myself—not to discourage me, but to heal me.”

At its core, humble self-examination is the refusal to live on the surface of life. It is a deliberate turning inward, not in self-absorption, but in the hope that God will reveal what lies beneath: our mixed motives, our hidden resentments, our pride, our attachments, our wounds.

This kind of humility recognizes that we are complex creatures—capable of great love, but also of deep selfishness. We don’t always understand why we act the way we do, or why certain patterns repeat themselves. And so we ask the Holy Spirit to shine light into our inner life.

To follow Christ means being willing to do the hard work of interior transformation. And when we do that work, we begin to see others differently—not as people to condemn, but as fellow sinners in need of mercy because we’ve seen how deeply we need mercy ourselves, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Mindful of the Lord’s call to examine our hearts and to grow in compassion and humility, let us bring our needs before the God of mercy and truth.

For the Church: That all Christians may respond to Christ’s call to interior conversion, growing in humility, self-awareness, and love of neighbor.

For leaders of nations and all who hold authority: That they may govern with wisdom and justice, and seek peace rooted in mutual respect and the dignity of all people.

For an increase in compassion, an end to war and terrorism, and for the protection of the most vulnerable.

For those who are sick, poor, or burdened by suffering: That they may experience the comfort of God’s mercy and the support of a compassionate community.

For the faithful departed: That, purified by God’s mercy, they may see Him face to face and rejoice in His presence for eternity.

Loving Father, You see into the depths of our hearts and call us gently to repentance and healing. Hear these prayers we offer and grant us the grace to grow in humility and love, through Christ our Lord.

11th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Friday - What do I treasure?

 Today’s scripture readings challenge us to ask ourselves, “What do I treasure?” “What do I value most?” “Do I treasure the things of this world or do I treasure the things of God?” “Which do I treasure most?”

In the first reading, it is very evident where St. Paul’s treasure lies.  

St. Paul enumerates his sufferings for the spread of the Gospel: dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from fellow Jews, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers instigated by false Christians; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, frequent fasting, cold and exposure, daily pressures, all for the sake of the Gospel. 

St. Paul suffered not to build an impressive resume.  When he’s listing off all that he suffered, he’s not complaining.  Rather, he embraced all of these sufferings  because he treasured the Gospel above all else, and desired to share that treasure with others.

 ‘What do I treasure?’ St. Paul highlights an important connection. What we treasure can be equated to what am I willing to suffering for? What will I go out of my way for to obtain? 

St. Paul reminds us that heaven is obtained not by sitting idly, but by embracing the cross. Broad is the way and wide is the gate that leads to destruction. Meaning, we attain heaven and eternal life, not simply by doing what is easy all the time. Oftentimes we will need to fight against our fallen nature, our slothful nature, the part of us that just wants to relax and self-indulgent. Jesus says we need to “strive to enter the narrow gate”. 

Effort is needed to pray, to fast, to do penance, to engage in the works of charity, and spread the Gospel. 

St. Paul, then, is a great model for us, a model most necessary for us at every age, lest we excuse ourselves from the necessary work of the Gospel, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. 

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Let us place our needs and the needs of the world before our heavenly Father.

For the Church: That all the baptized may treasure the Gospel above every worldly good and, like Saint Paul, willingly embrace the sacrifices needed to proclaim Christ to every nation.

For the nations and their leaders: That those entrusted with authority may govern justly, defend human dignity from conception to natural death, and foster lasting peace among peoples.

For the grace to treasure the things of God: That we may resist the lure of worldly comforts, strive each day to enter through the narrow gate, and devote ourselves generously to prayer, penance, works of charity, and the spread of the Gospel.

For the sick, the suffering, the poor, and the afflicted: That all who bear heavy crosses may unite their trials to Christ’s Passion, receive comfort and healing, and be supported by the charity of the Christian community.

For the faithful departed: That those who have died in Christ may inherit the eternal treasure of heaven and rejoice forever in the presence of God.

O God, source of all true riches, hear the prayers we bring before You, and grant that, treasuring Your kingdom above all, we may share its everlasting joy. Through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

11th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Wednesday - Whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully

 There is a spiritual truth that applies to our faith, and probably just about everything in life: “the more you put into something, the more you’ll get out of it”. The more you study, the more you’ll learn. The more you practice, the better you’ll become. The more you engage with joyful, motivated people, the more joyful and motivated you will be.

St. Paul describes this spiritual law in the first reading today: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” 

In reference to the spiritual life the more we engage in the life of prayer and good works, the more spiritual fruits will be born. It is not surprising that this is true also about our public prayer, our liturgical worship. The more fully, actively, and consciously we engage in the celebration of mass, the more spiritual fruit you will derive from it. Consider the difference between a Catholic who just shows up for Sunday mass, without having prayerfully prepared throughout the week. They roll out of bed, they show up 2 minutes after mass begins, they don’t pick up the hymnal, they are thinking about the activities they want to accomplish after mass is over. It’s no wonder such Catholics easily fall away from the obligation of Sunday Mass.

Now consider the Catholic who has reflected upon the Sunday scripture readings throughout the week leading up to Sunday. They have been praying for certain neighbors and family members throughout the week, and now on Sunday they lift their loved ones up to the altar with the Eucharist. They unite their mind and heart in the songs of the mass, and contemplate how what the priest is doing on the altar is what Jesus did on the cross. They’ve engaged in works of charity throughout the week and step forward to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord to be their strength for charitable works in the week ahead. They’ve examined their conscience each night, recognizing their sins, and now come to mass with the hope of being purified of selfishness.

The more you put into the mass, the more you’ll get out of it.

This principle is reflected in Jesus' teaching on the three great spiritual disciplines in the Gospel today: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These are not meant to be shallow gestures or public performances, but acts of genuine self-giving to God.

And we find that the more generous we are with God, with the practices of the spiritual life, the more generous God is in filling our souls with his divine life, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Trusting in the Lord who desires to fill us with His grace, let us offer our prayers with sincere hearts, seeking to grow in holiness through prayer, worship, and charity.

For the holy Church of God: That her members may sow bountifully in the life of prayer and good works, and thus reap an abundant harvest of holiness and grace.

For world leaders and those in positions of authority: That they may govern with wisdom, integrity, and a genuine commitment to justice and peace, promoting the dignity of every human life and working tirelessly for the common good.

For those whose faith has grown lukewarm or routine: That they may rediscover the joy of drawing near to God and engaging wholeheartedly in prayer and worship.

That those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit may find healing, comfort, and strength through the love of Christ and the compassionate care of His people.

For the faithful departed: That having sown in tears, they may reap the joy of eternal life with Christ.

Heavenly Father, hear these prayers we offer in faith. Help us to grow daily in holiness by cooperating generously with your Divine Will. Through Christ our Lord.

11th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Tuesday - The Call to Christian Perfection

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a command that may feel overwhelming: “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” At first glance, it may seem impossible. How can we, limited and sinful as we are, ever hope to be perfect like God?

This command to be perfect comes at the climax of a chapter where Jesus has redefined righteousness—not as merely following rules, but as a transformation of the heart. He tells us not just to avoid murder, but to let go of anger. Not just to avoid adultery, but to purify our thoughts. Not just to love our neighbor, but to love even our enemies. These are the marks of Christian perfection: a heart conformed to the heart of God.

Perfection is not something we accomplish by our own efforts. It is a grace, a work that God accomplishes in us if we cooperate with Him. As St. Thomas Aquinas taught, the perfection of the Christian life consists chiefly in charity—in loving God with our whole heart and loving our neighbor with God’s own love.

So, the command to “be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect” is a calling to the perfection of love, to grow into the fullness of charity that is a greater and greater share in the love of the Father Himself.

That means that Christian perfection does not happen overnight; it is a lifelong journey. It happens through prayer, the sacraments, self-denial, forgiveness, and service. It happens when we resist the urge to retaliate, when we speak the truth in love, when we are generous with our time and patient with the people who challenge us.

Again, we do not grow in perfection on our own; it requires effort to cooperate with the grace of God. Perfection is the result of grace and free will. You can’t have perfection without both.

To strive for Christian perfection is not to aim at being morally superior or scrupulously correct—it is to aim at becoming a living image of Christ, who reveals to us the perfect love of the Father.

So today, as we come to this altar, let us ask the Lord for the grace to grow in holiness. May our lives be built more and more on the foundation of Christ’s love, until we are made perfect—not by our efforts alone, but through our cooperation with His, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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With confidence in God’s mercy, let us offer our prayers to the Father, who calls us to perfection through His Son.

 That she may continue to proclaim the call to holiness and help all the faithful grow in love through the sacraments, prayer, and acts of charity.

For all leaders in the world: That they may govern with wisdom and justice.

For our parish: That we may cooperate daily with God’s grace, growing in holiness through prayer, self-denial, and acts of service.

For the poor, the sick, and those who suffer:  That they may be comforted by the love of Christ and supported by the generosity and compassion of His disciples.

For our beloved dead:  That, having sought to conform their hearts to Christ, they may now behold the perfection of God’s glory in heaven.

Heavenly Father, you call us to be holy as you are holy. Strengthen us to follow your Son with sincere hearts, cooperating with your grace, that we may one day be perfected in your love. Through Christ our Lord.

11th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Monday - Reform begins with yourself

 

For the rest of the month of June, our ordinary time weekday Mass Gospel passages will be taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount from chapters 5 through 7 of Matthew’s Gospel. 

From the very beginning of his Sermon, the Lord is clear that his disciples are to live differently from the rest of the world.

Today’s gospel includes a number of these counter-cultural teachings: “When someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.”  The world would say that when someone slaps you on the right cheek, slap them back, harder, get them back, teach them a lesson so they never think to slap you again.  Rather than responding with vengeance, Christians are to respond to violence as Christ did. During his Passion, as he was beaten and mocked by Roman Soldiers, he offered his sufferings to the Father for our salvation, he prayed from the cross that sinners be forgiven.

Instead of returning “evil for evil”, we are to return “good for evil”. This not only stops the cycle of violence, but allows God to reverse and transform it.  The Christian bearing an evil patiently instead of reacting mindlessly or calling for vengeance becomes a source of mercy in the world. 

St. Paul touches upon this in his letter to the Corinthians. Aware of their trials he tells them that they are to react to “afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, and riots” not by inflicting these evils on others, rather with “purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, unfeigned love, and truthful speech.”

Yesterday, Pope Leo addressed a group of young people gathered in Chicago to celebrate his pontificate. I recommend watching the entire message, which I posted on the parish facebook page, but a line of his message stands out in light of today’s Gospel, from the thought of St. Augustine. Pope Leo said, “Saint Augustine says to us that if we want the world to be a better place, we have to begin with ourselves. We have to begin with our own lives, our own hearts.”

Do you see the connection with today’s Gospel? If we simply respond to the evil in the world with more evil, then we are just part of the evil. Rather, we are to respond to evil as the Lord Jesus himself, with godliness, holiness, patient endurance, prayer. 

If we seek to see peace in the world, if we wish to see purity, kindness, and truth, we must cultivate these things in our hearts. May God help us, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Mindful of the Lord’s call to live differently from the world and to overcome evil with good, let us offer our prayers to the Father who is rich in mercy.

For the Church throughout the world: That she may faithfully proclaim the radical call of the Gospel, urging all people to holiness, forgiveness, and peace.

For all civil leaders and those in authority: That they may seek peace and justice not through revenge or oppression, but through mercy, dialogue, and the common good.

For those who struggle with anger, resentment, or the desire for revenge: That God may soften their hearts and fill them with the peace that comes from Christ.

For young people: That they may be inspired by the Gospel and the witness of the saints to live lives of virtue, courage, and love.

For the sick, the suffering, poor and afflicted: That they may be comforted by the patience and mercy of Christ and supported by the Christian community.

For our beloved dead: That having endured the trials of this life, they may rejoice forever in the peace of heaven.

Father of mercy, you sent your Son not to condemn the world but to save it through love. Strengthen us to follow his way of peace and patience, that we may reflect your holiness in our daily lives. Through Christ our Lord.

The Most Holy Trinity 2025 - The Central Mystery that shapes our lives

 In seminary, we spent an entire semester considering the theological writings on the Holy Trinity. We studied the scriptural foundations of the Doctrine of the Trinity, and the writings of the early church fathers from the east and the west, the medieval theologians, especially the summa theologica of st. Thomas Aquinas, modern theologians like Karl Rahner, papal documents and saintly reflections.

About three quarters into the semester, I remember one of the permanent deacons taking the class raising his hand and asking, “when is any of this going to be applicable to parish life and preaching?” In other words, “how are the Trinitarian reflections of the Cappadocian Fathers like St. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzan, or the intricate arguments of Thomas Aquinas, or the run-on sentences of Karl Rahner going to actually help us in parish ministry or even the Christian life?”

I can’t remember how the professor answered, but the deacon’s question has stuck with me all these years. Why is seeking to understand the Trinity important? How is this supposed to affect my life? And I think that’s the point. As God’s faithful ones we ought to see understanding of the subject of our Love—God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and to allow that understanding to shape our life. 

Who. Is. God. The answer to that question will shape your life.

It even shapes the lives of Atheists. Atheists treat God as a man-made myth, a lie that believers tell themselves in order to give explanation to the unexplainable. And so they develop an ambivalence toward religion and often a hatred us. 

The question, “who is God” shapes the lives of those who believe in God, but don’t want anything to do with Him. They go from one unsatisfying pursuit of pleasure to the next, because they do not acknowledge that God can be found.

But Christians believe that God not only exists, not only can He be found, not only has He communicated with us and revealed himself to us, but we possess an understanding that God wants us to know him and love him and have our life shaped by our relationship with Him and the truths he has revealed.

Who God is and what God has done is meant to shape our lives. 

Today, on Trinity Sunday, we consider that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a communion of love. In creating the human family, God looked at his own inner life to find the design for humanity. God’s inner life is a loving, life-giving community: the Father and Son love one another, and from their love proceeds the Holy Spirit. If God is communion of love, than humans are made for love and communion and harmony and relationship and peace.

This truth is right there on the first page of the Bible, in chapter 1 of the Book of Genesis: God says, “Let us make man in our image”. A plurality of persons, a community of persons, sharing a nature, says let us make man to be like us. 

God is the source of life, God is love, God is a unity of holiness, and so that means we are made to seek life and love and unity through holiness. 

“Let us make man in our image” also points to the gift of will. God chose to make us—to give us life. And so too, we are able to make choices—to exercise free will, to pursue our highest good, or not. We can choose life or death—goodness or sin—love or selfishness—our highest good or depravity.

Now, the abuse of that free will has gotten us into trouble. Adam and Eve’s choice to separate themselves from the communion of love and obedience has caused ripple effects in every human life and mind and soul.

But even when we abuse our free will, in original sin or every other subsequent sin, God reaches out to reconcile because God desires communion with us. God so loved the world, that he sent the Son, to reconcile us to himself and to each other, and so that means we are to be people who like him, seek to heal wounds, and invite, and reconcile. 

So that students’ question: When will any of this matter?—the answer is: “always” in everything we do. Every sacrament we celebrate flows from who God is, what God desires for us, because he desires life and holiness and communion for us. Every teaching of the Church, every commandment is Scripture, every moment that we are given in this earthly life—all of it is shaped by who God is. 

When we know who God is, we come to know who we are, and how we are meant to live. As the Catechism puts it, “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the 'hierarchy of the truths of faith'.  The whole history of salvation is identical with the history of the way and the means by which the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, reveals himself to men 'and reconciles and unites with himself those who turn away from sin'.

God is Trinity, and we are meant to live Trinitarianly—always. We are to live Trinitarianly on earth, so that we may come to share in the Trinitarian life of God in heaven, in eternal glory. 

This is why we begin each prayer in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and end every prayer in the same way because it acknowledges that everything we are doing flows from Him, is to be guided by Him, is to be done in union with Him, and directed back toward Him. 

This is why the task of the Church is Evangelization because we recognize that all people are called to share in the divine life. God made us for life and sends us into the world to invite others to communion with Him.

And so, brothers and sisters, we don’t study the Trinity merely to pass a theology exam or fill a homily with lofty ideas. We contemplate the Trinity so we can live in communion with God in this life more fully, and become what we behold—a people of unity, holiness, and self-giving love.

May our homes mirror the unity of the Trinity. May our parish reflect the life of the Trinity. May our lives be filled with the love of the Holy Trinity To Him be glory and praise, now and forever, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

June 13 2025 - St. Anthony of Padua - Preaching to fish and seeking the lost

 In the early 1200s a group of Franciscans left Assisi to preach the Gospel to the Muslims in Morocco. The Franciscans led by St. Berard were bold in their preaching, but their efforts were resisted. They were arrested, tortured, and beheaded.

Not long after, their relics were brought to Portugal, and there a young Augustinian friar named Anthony was deeply moved by the courage of those evangelizing Franciscan martyrs. He felt a profound calling to emulate their zeal and their way of life, and so he received permission to leave the Augustinians and join the Friars Minor. He immediately traveled to Morocco to continue that preaching mission of those martyrs, but fell ill and had to return to Italy.

And there he continued to became well known for his powerful preaching rooted in God’s word and sound Catholic theology. There is a famous story where St. Anthony traveled to Rimini in Northern Italy where there were a number of heretics. He started to preach, but they did not want to listen to him, and they even mocked him. In a dramatic gesture, Anthony went to the seashore, saying, “Because you show yourself unworthy of God’s word, behold, I turn to the fishes so that your unbelief may be shown up more clearly”. As he spoke of God’s care for those creatures that live in the waters, a shoal of fish swam near to the bank, partly thrusting themselves out of the water and appearing to listen carefully. At the end of his sermon, the Saint blessed them and they swam away. In the meantime, so deep was the impression made upon the onlookers that many hurried back to the city imploring their friends to come and see the miracle, while others burst into tears asking forgiveness. Soon after a great multitude gathered around the Saint, who exhorted them to turn back to God. So through St. Anthony’s sermon to the fishes, the city of Rimini was purged of heresy.

While he is lovingly and effectively invoked as the Patron of Lost objects, his main mission was to help find lost souls. We should invoke St. Anthony not just when we’ve lost our car keys, but to find the right words to speak to those who have left the faith and those who do not know Christ. 

May St. Anthony help us to go and seek out those who are lost, that they may find Christ. May St. Anthony’s zeal and courage fill us for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. 

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With trust in God's providence and inspired by the zeal and courage of St. Anthony of Padua, let us bring our prayers before the Lord:

For the Church throughout the world, that she may boldly proclaim the Gospel in season and out of season, drawing all people to Christ, 

For all preachers, catechists, and evangelists, that like St. Anthony, they may be rooted in God’s Word and fearless in proclaiming the truth with love and clarity, and that our parish, attentive to the needs of others, may courageously share the faith with those around us.

For those who have fallen away from the faith, that through the prayers and witness of the Church—and the intercession of St. Anthony—they may return to the sacraments and to Christ.

For the poor, the forgotten, and the spiritually lost, that we may seek them out with the love of Christ.

For the faithful departed, especially those who sought Christ in this life, that they may now rejoice in the presence of the Lord forever. 

Father of mercy, you raised up St. Anthony to preach your Word and seek the lost. Through his intercession, help us to live our faith boldly and bring others to the joy of your Kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

June 11 2025 - St. Barnabas, apostle - Holy Encouragement

 After Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was stoned to death, Christian believers faced intense persecution in Jerusalem. Many fled Jerusalem and sought refuge in other cities. One of those cities was Antioch, one of the largest cities in the first-century Roman world, accommodating a population in between 100,000 and 300,000. .The persecuted Christians from Jerusalem preached the Gospel among the Jews in Antioch and made many converts.

In our first reading, we heard how a man named Barnabas was sent by the apostles to Antioch to help organize the Church there. And when he arrived he rejoiced to find the faith alive and well. 

He encouraged the Christians there to remain faithful to the Lord and he was filled with the Holy Spirit and faith, and through him a large number of people were added to the Lord.  

Who was this man named Barnabas, and why was he sent? Barnabas was a levite Jew originally from Cyprus.  He had settled in Jerusalem and was one of the first to embrace Christianity there after the Lord’s Resurrection.  The book of Acts tells us that Barnabas sold his field and gave the money to the Apostles for the Church’s needs.  

He is numbered among the apostles, because he was sent to organize and oversee—a ministry continued by our present day bishops.

From Antioch, Barnabas and Paul embarked on a missionary journey, Paul’s first of three. Barnabas completed the missionary journey with Paul and was present at the Council of Jerusalem, but after around the year 49 we lose track of him.

Nevertheless, Barnabas allowed the grace of God to transform him into a great, holy, and effective laborer for the Gospel

The name Barnabas means “son of encouragement” . Many souls came to follow Jesus through Barnabas’ encouragement.  We are all called to be a Barnabas aren’t we?  Every one of us is called to encourage—to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ io remain faithful to the Lord in times of doubt, to encourage the ignorant to learn their faith more deeply, to encourage the fallen away back to the Lord.

Encouragement changes lives—encouragement to go to confession, to become more active in a parish group or to attend daily mass, the encouragement to pray the rosary, or to consider a religious vocation, to trust in the Lord when their crosses become heavy. Do not be afraid to give encouragement. For through it we work for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. 

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As we honor St. Barnabas, let us present our prayers to the Father, asking for the grace to be faithful and encouraging disciples of Christ.

For the Church, especially her bishops and pastors: That, like St. Barnabas, they may be filled with the Holy Spirit and faith, joyfully strengthening the people of God and guiding them in truth.

For all who preach the Gospel, especially missionaries: That they may be courageous and effective in their proclamation of the Good News, bearing much fruit for the Kingdom.

For vocations to the priesthood and religious life: That many may be inspired by encouragement to follow the call of Christ wholeheartedly.

For the sick and the suffering, the poor and afflicted, and those who are discouraged, doubting, or spiritually weary: That they may be uplifted by the grace of God and by the support of loving Christian companions.

For the faithful departed, especially those who labored for the Gospel: That they may rejoice forever in the presence of the Lord.

Father, you raised up St. Barnabas to strengthen your Church and encourage the hearts of your people. Hear our prayers and help us, by your grace, to build up the Body of Christ in our time. Through Christ our Lord.

10th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Tuesday - Holy Saltiness

 

Well, after 40 days of Lent, and Holy Week, and the Paschal Triduum, and 50 days of easter, almost exactly 25% of the liturgical year, we’ve returned once again to Ordinary Time.

The green of Ordinary time reminds us of the growth for which we are to strive, the growth in holiness, and virtue, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Green is also the color associated with the theological virtue of hope. We hope that what we do in the ordinary course of the Christian life will lead to heaven.

Our Gospel readings during Ordinary Time focus mostly on the teachings and works of Jesus throughout the course of his public ministry, from after his baptism in the Jordan before he reaches Jerusalem.

Ordinary Time is like a slow pilgrimage, during which we are pondering each day, with each step, the truths of our Lord, and how to incorporate them into the concrete details of our life.

Today Jesus teaches that his followers are to be the salt of the earth. In the ancient world, salt had a number of uses. So, too, Christians have a number of jobs.

The first job for salt most of us think of is seasoning. Salt makes food tasty. So, too, Christians are to be a sort of seasoning to an otherwise bland world.  There is nothing more interesting, no one more full of life, than a Christian saint filled with the life of Christ—something each of us are to aspire to.

Salt is also a Preservative: In the days before refrigeration, salt made preserving food possible for times of famine. Christians have the job of preserving what is good and holy in creation, and fighting off spiritual decay.

Salt is also a Purifier: most water purification systems use salt as a "purifier." Christians are to be the world’s purifiers: opposing the corrupting powers of malice and perversion and greed, purifying the mind and heart of society by preaching the word and calling to conversion.

Salt is used to melt ice. Christians are called to melt the coldness of the icy hearts of the world, particularly through our charity. There is nothing more heartwarming than when we act in selfless Christian charity.

Finally, salt is used to prevent people from slipping on slippery paths.  Christians are called to help souls from slipping into damnation—again by preaching the Gospel, instructing the ignorant, and correcting the sinner.

During this Ordinary Time, consider how you are called in the concrete details of your life to add some holy saltiness—purification, sanctity, warmth, and stability—to the people and relationships around you for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

As we journey through Ordinary Time, trusting in the Lord’s grace at work in our daily lives, let us offer our prayers for the Church and for the world:

For the holy Church of God: That through her preaching, teaching, and sacramental life, she may bring the seasoning of joy, the warmth of charity, and the light of hope to a world grown cold with indifference.

For all who are called to positions of leadership and influence: That they may uphold what is true and just, and help preserve what is good in society.

For our parish community: That we may grow each day in holiness and virtue, becoming instruments of God’s grace in our families, our workplaces, and our neighborhoods.

For the sick, the poor, those who struggle with spiritual dryness or despair, and those in need: that God’s grace may bring healing to their wounds and warmth to their hearts.

For the faithful departed: That, having followed Christ in this life, they may now rejoice in the eternal banquet of heaven.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

Monday after Pentecost 2025 - Mary Mother of the Church

 This morning we read again that passage from the Acts of the Apostles read yesterday on the Great Solemnity of Pentecost, how the apostles gathered in the Upper Room with a number of women and other members of the brethren and with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

Tradition has found in this scene a sign of our Lady’s maternal role for the entire Church. Wishing to draw our attention to the importance of this relationship, Pope Francis, in 2018 instituted today’s memorial of Mary Mother of the Church to be celebrated the Monday after Pentecost.

A mother’s life is centered on her child right from the womb. She has the responsibility to watch over the gift God has given her. A newborn infant continues to have great need for her protection; and as the child grows up she helps him take his first steps in life. 

The Gospels show us some of the care our Lady lavished on Jesus. And in the Acts of the Apostles we see the same concern for the nascent Church, with Mary watching over the apostles and the first Christians. It was a time of “gestation,” amid persecutions and difficulties, when we especially needed her help. 

She was with the Church at the beginning, and following her Assumption, our Lady continues to be with the Church in every place and in every age until the Lord’s return. Mother Mary accompanies the pilgrim Church with a mother’s love and watches in kindness over the Church in our pilgrimage to our heavenly homeland.

Mother Mary assists us with her prayers, as she did the apostles, and she is the perfect model for us. Pope St. John Paul II, reflected on Our Lady’s Maternal Role in the Church in his Marian Encyclical Redemptoris Mater, writing, “in her new motherhood in the Spirit, Mary embraces each and every one in the Church, and embraces each and every one through the Church. In this sense Mary, Mother of the Church, is also the Church’s model.” 

Pope Francis taught “Our Lady wants to bring the great gift of Jesus to us, to us all; and with him she brings us his love, his peace, and his joy. In this, the Church is like Mary; she has to lead everyone to Christ and his Gospel.” This is the goal of the Church’s life and of that of each Christian: to bring the love of Jesus to all men and women. May Mother Mary always be with us with her aid in this great task for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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United in prayer with Mary, the Mother of the Church, let us offer our prayers to the Father with confidence:

For the holy Church of God throughout the world, that through Mary’s maternal intercession, she may grow in holiness, unity, and zeal for the mission of Christ.

For all mothers, especially those who are struggling or suffering, that they may be strengthened by the example and prayers of Mary, Mother of the Church.

For our parish community, that under Mary’s guidance and protection, we may become more devoted to prayer, more generous in charity, and more faithful in spreading the Gospel.

That the poor and afflicted may always know the prayers and heavenly aid of the Blessed Mother and concrete acts of charity of the Church.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and for all of the souls in purgatory that they may be welcomed into the eternal joy of heaven, especially…

Heavenly Father, you gave us the Blessed Virgin Mary to be our Mother in the order of grace. Through her loving intercession, strengthen your Church and guide us on our earthly pilgrimage until we reach our heavenly homeland. Through Christ our Lord.

Pentecost 2025 - 7 Gifts of the Spirit

 Last week, on the feast of the Ascension, in our scripture readings, we heard Jesus instructing his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit, the promise of the Father. Well, the waiting is over, we celebrate now the promise fulfilled: the sending of the Holy Spirit upon the Church 50 days after the Lord’s resurrection 

The Holy Spirit, as we proclaim in our creed each week, is the Lord, the giver of life. Through the power of the Holy Spirit souls are brought to new life in the Sacrament of baptism; they are strengthened in confirmation, healed in the sacraments of reconciliation and anointing of the sick, nourished in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, and empowered with special graces for unique vocations in the sacraments of marriage and Holy Orders.

The Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, helps us to truly live by bestowing upon us special gifts, you may have memorized the list of them as you prepared for your Confirmation. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. The Catechism says, these gifts belong in their fullness to Jesus Christ. Meaning if you wanted to see what wisdom looks like, sounds like, and acts like, look at Jesus. If you want to know the highest form of counsel, piety, and fear of the Lord, look to Jesus. 

So let’s consider each of the gifts. How was Jesus’ life filled with wisdom? Well, what is wisdom? Wisdom seeks what is of the highest importance. To be wise is to recognize that our highest priority in this life  isn’t career or wealth, pleasure or power, but getting our souls to heaven and becoming the person God made us to be: saints.

Jesus taught us not only to be wise, teaching us to “seek first the kingdom of God”,  but his wisdom was evident. He embraced the greatest suffering imaginable the weight of our sins as he hung upon the Cross, in order to achieve the highest good, our salvation. We are fully alive when we, wisely, we embrace the cross with Christ in order to obtain our highest good.

The second gift is understanding. The gift of Understanding enables us to penetrate the mysteries of God and see the deeper meaning of God’s plan. Jesus’ understanding is manifest in his ministry. He explains the deeper meaning of the Scriptures, helping others understand God’s plan of salvation. 

With Understanding comes patience and gratitude. Think of how understanding has changed your experience of Mass. As a young person you may have been restless and impatient for mass to be over, but recognizing what is really going on here, understanding that the Eucharist is truly Jesus Christ, that changes things. That understanding enables us to more fully engage in the Mass and appreciate the great gift Jesus has left us, and to encourage others to join us here.

The third gift of the Spirit is Counsel . Counsel means knowing and choosing what is right in difficult situations. Jesus always chooses the Father’s will, even when he was tempted. In the desert, He rebuffs Satan’s temptations with clarity. We are fully alive when we follow not the counsel of the world or the devil, but the counsel of God. 

Like all the gifts, counsel is for ourselves, but also for others. For example, a friend confides in you that they are considering making a terrible decision, like abortion. The Gift of Counsel enables you to speak with compassion, truth, and hope—encouraging them to choose life and offering concrete support.

The fourth gift is fortitude. Fortitude is the courage and strength to  do good and endure difficulty for the sake of what is right. Jesus endured opposition, rejection, betrayal, scourging, and crucifixion without faltering in His mission. He exhibited courage in confronting hypocrisy and injustice, even when it meant risking His life. In His Passion, He reveals fortitude in its purest form—persevering in love to the end.

Fortitude enables us to work for justice despite opposition, to witness to the faith in the face of mockery or persecution, or to persevere doing what is right despite hardship—like taking care of an elderly parent despite their complaints. To be fully alive is to be full of Courage and Strength for doing what is right when it is hard.

The fifth gift of the Holy Spirit is knowledge – Knowing the things of God and how to remain in right relationship to God. Jesus helps people to know the presence of God in their midst. 

This gift helps us to know what is good or bad for our soul and to discern God’s will. Think of a young person discerning that her social media habits are fueling vanity and envy. So, she chooses to limit her use to protect her spiritual health. Or any of us for that matter, when facing temptation, calling to mind the teaching of Jesus and the teaching of the Church. We are fully alive when we have that ability to rightly discern between good and evil.

The sixth gift is piety--filial reverence and trust in God as a loving Father. Jesus refers to God as Abba, Father, and teaches His disciples to do the same. Jesus is faithful in prayer, obedient to the Father’s will, and models loving trust even amid suffering. His entire life is an offering of reverent love for the Father. We exercise piety when we cultivate heartful devotion for God and the things of God.

For example, a family gathering together once a week to pray the Rosary, not out of obligation but from a desire to honor and love God together. Or coming to church on Saturday to spend time in adoration, simply to spend time in the presence of the Lord manifests piety. We are fully alive when we desire God and what to live lives pleasing to God.

And lastly, fear of the Lord—we are fully alive when we allow the Spirit to teach us to hate sin and to become humble in God’s presence. Jesus, taught us to hate sin, to seek conversion and drive out corruption from our lives. In the Temple, He drives out the money changers, zealous for the holiness of God’s Temple. 

The Holy Spirit helps us to hate gossip and lying, not simply because they are socially rude, but because they offend God. He teaches us to guard ourselves from perverted images on the internet, lest you fall into sin, manifests fear of the Lord. This gift makes us fully alive by hating what is evil, rightly protecting ourselves from what corrupts us and others.

Dear ones, the Holy Spirit was not poured out on the Church merely so we could decorate our altars with red once a year. The Holy Spirit was poured out so that we might become fully alive—with the very life of Christ.

As I quoted last week, St. Irenaeus wrote, "The glory of God is man fully alive." But not just biologically alive. Not just scrolling and surviving and chasing the next comfort or pleasure. Fully alive means burning with the fire of the Spirit—filled with wisdom, courage, purity, purpose, and joy. Fully alive means no longer being ruled by fear, sin, or confusion, but walking in step with the Spirit, living in truth and love.

It should be a common occurrence for us to ask the Holy Spirit: Which gift do I need to grow in most? What part of me is still half-asleep, half-committed, half-alive? And then pray: Come, Holy Spirit. Awaken me. Fill me. Make me fully alive in Christ— for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

June 6 2025 - St. Norbert - Renouncing the world to gain life

“Renouncing your possessions, hating your father and mother, carrying your cross.” The Gospel today speaks of the need to put God first and putting the things of the world, even your ties with family second. To die to self, in order to live for Christ.

The saint we honor today, St. Norbert did just that.

Norbert was born into nobility. He was not the first born son, so, as was common in those days, in the high middle ages, the second son entered the church. Now again, he was of the high nobility, so he was basically guaranteed a high position in the Church. 

As a young cleric he was named personal chaplain to the Holy Roman Emperor Henry V. Though he was put in charge of dispensing alms to the poor, Norbert began to take on a lot of bad habits of the wealthy elite of the emperor’s court. As he grew in worldliness, his faith began to diminish.

A close brush with death, however, caused Norbert to reexamine his priorities. He decided to give up his position in the imperial court and dedicate his life to the contemplation of Christ.  

He was ordained a priest later that year. He renounced all of his worldly possessions and formed a religious order of like-minded men now known as the Norbertines.

He put wealth and a position of influence and luxury and the expectations of family and worldly comfort behind him, and finally began to live. Norbert and saints like francis and clare and so many others saints remind us of the need to put Christ first. 

We might not be called like Norbert, Francis, and Clare to take religious vows of poverty, but every Christian is to live in the world without allowing wealth and possessions to distract us from our Christian mission. Once in a while, when given an opportunity for luxury, we should turn it down. We must keep that tendency of ours of running away from difficulty and suffering in check, lest we miss an opportunity to bring about some good for the sake of the kingdom.

Even as a cleric, Norbert’s faith began to diminish, because he allowed the world to fill his heart. And in God’s mysterious way, a brush with death, he woke up, thanks be to God, and sought renewal of purpose. 

May each of us constantly seek that renewal of intention and purpose in service of the Lord, in which is found fulfilment, joy, and eternal life for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Inspired by the saints  who renounced the world to follow Christ with greater fervor, let us offer our prayers with hearts open to the will of God.

For the Church, that she may remain faithful to her mission of proclaiming the Gospel with courage, even when it requires sacrifice and detachment.

For bishops, priests, and all in consecrated life, that like St. Norbert, they may be renewed in zeal and holiness, placing Christ above all worldly gain

For those who have grown lukewarm in faith, that through moments of grace or trial, they may rediscover their purpose in Christ and return to Him with a renewed heart.

For young people discerning their vocation, that they may be open to the call of Christ, willing to renounce worldly ambition for the sake of the Kingdom.

For the success of our parish retreat tomorrow, that it may new our parish in putting our gifts in service of the Church’s mission.

That the sick, suffering, poor and afflicted may know that constant help of God’s grace.

For the faithful departed, especially those who sought the Lord with sincerity and humility, that they may now rejoice in His eternal presence, we pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, you raised up St. Norbert to be a witness to the power of conversion and the joy of discipleship. Through his intercession, may we too be strengthened to carry our cross and follow Christ more faithfully, for the glory of your Name. Through Christ our Lord.

7th Week of Ordinary Time 2025 - Wednesday - Unity

 

The final section of John’s Gospel right before the beginning of the Passion of the Lord is a prayer that Jesus offers to the Father.  Scholars call it “The High Priestly Prayer” of Jesus.

In that prayer, as we heard today, Jesus prays for unity—that the unity he has with the Father, might be shared by his followers.  “that they may be one just as we are one…”

Unity. Unity has been attacked from the beginning of creation. The fallen angels, who were created to serve the will of God rebelled, breaking their unity with the Trinity, and were cast out of heaven. Adam and Eve created to live in harmony and obedience to God, turned away from God’s will, marring our human nature and were cast out of the earthly paradise. From that time, the peoples of the earth have been afflicted with disunity that has brought murder—brother against brother, tribe against tribe, nation against nation.

One might say, the mission of the Son of God, was one of unity—the Son came to teach us how to live in unity, and died to reconcile us to one another and to the Father. 

The Church was established as that new union—Christians are united to God and one another through the Son and the Power of the Holy Spirit. Unity is a common theme of Jesus’ teaching, and Scriptures.

Psalm 133:1, which states, "How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!" and Ephesians 4:3, which encourages making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. “Make my joy complete” writes St. paul to the Philippians, “by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind”. To the Corinthians, Paul writes, “Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

The teaching authority of the Church, the Pope and the Bishops—the Magisterium—certainly helps us preserve the unity intended by Jesus. Doctrinal truths and moral truths. Doctrinal truths help us have unity of belief. Moral truths enable us to have unity of action. 

Our unity enables us to be faithful to the mission of the Gospel. To quote Pope St. John Paul, “[The Church] is sent to the world to announce and witness, to make present and spread the mystery of communion which is essential to her, and to gather all people and all things into Christ, so as to be for all an 'inseparable sacrament of unity'”

Christ called us to unity and prayed for our unity, so that his joy might be in us, and our joy might be complete. May we be vigilant on all sinful attacks on unity, including our own selfishness, and faithful to all that unity requires of us for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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As Jesus prayed that we might be one, as He and the Father are one, let us lift our voices in prayer for the unity of the Church and the world.

For the Church, that she may be a living sign of unity in a divided world, and faithfully proclaim the Gospel of reconciliation and peace.

For the Pope, bishops, and all entrusted with the teaching office of the Church, that they may guide the faithful in truth and charity, preserving the unity of faith and morals entrusted to the apostles.

For all Christians, that we may overcome division and grow in mutual understanding, love, and shared witness to the Risen Christ.

For unity in our families, parishes, and communities, that the Holy Spirit may heal wounds caused by conflict, pride, or selfishness, and help us to live in peace and harmony

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For the faithful departed, that they may be gathered into the eternal unity of the Kingdom of Heaven, rejoicing in the presence of the God of love and peace

Heavenly Father, you sent your Son to gather your scattered children into one. Hear the prayers we offer in His name, and by the power of your Holy Spirit, make us faithful instruments of unity and peace. Through Christ our Lord.

June 3 2025 - St. Charles Lwanga and companions - Courage of the Ugandan Martyrs

 To many of us the name of the Ugandan Martyr Charles Lwanga is unfamiliar.  But, he is well-known and revered in much of tropical Africa as a patron saint of young people. 

Uganda only began to be evangelized in the early to mid-1800s by the Society of Missionaries of Africa, known as the White Fathers because of the white cassock they wore. The earliest converts were soon preaching the Gospel in places inaccessible to the White Fathers. Charles Lwanga one of the early converts, was a servant in the royal court of the Ugandan king, King Mwanga, who ruled in the south eastern part of the country. 

Mwanga was a violent ruler and a pedophile who forced himself on the young boys and young men who served him. Many of the boys converted to Christianity and began refusing the advances of the King. This made the King suspicious, believing that if his subjects continued to convert, he would eventually lose his throne to the Christians.

So, he gathered up the Christian, and demanded that they renounce Christ. When they refused he had them killed. King Mwanga thought that killing Christians would break our resolve. But the faith was strengthened. 

Charles Lwanga was installed as director of the king’s boy-servants, but little did the King know that Charles, inspired by those already martyred, had been baptized. Charles preached the Gospel within the king’s court and continued to make more converts. Realizing how the faith had continued to spread, the king arrested Charles and the other Christians and sentenced them to death. This time, he wanted their death to be excruciating in an attempt to warn others against converting. Charles and his companions were marched two days, starved and beaten, then stripped, bound, and burnt to death on the 3rd day of June, 1886.

As he burned, St. Charles preached to his killers, saying, “It is as if you have thrown water on me. Please repent, and be a Christian like me.”

Charles’ death shook the country, and instead of throwing other Christians into panic, in inspired many unconverted Ugandans to become Christian. 

The martyrs remind us of our calling to witness to Christ even in the face of the hatred of the world. Some will continue to hate us, but others will convert, like Charles himself. Today, Catholics make up about 37% of the population of Uganda: 17 million Catholics who can trace their faith back to the courageous witness of the St. Charles Lwanga and his martyred companions.

Their witness certainly challenges us to consider how we use our time, whether or not we have been shirking our responsibility to witness to Christ, whether we have fearfully sealed our lips when we were meant to speak, if we have hidden in the comfort of our homes, when we were meant to be in the world preaching, or at least supporting the evangelizing mission with our prayers and talents.

May St. Charles Lwanga and his martyred companions pray for us and teach us how to live our Christian vocation well and with Courage for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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 Trusting in the God who strengthens his people to witness to Christ, let us bring our petitions before the Lord.

For the Church throughout the world—that, inspired by the courage of the martyrs, she may proclaim the Gospel with clarity and charity even when it is costly.

For missionaries and catechists, especially in places where the faith is newly planted or faces opposition—that the Spirit will confirm them in hope and draw many hearts to Christ through their witness. Let us pray to the Lord.

For young people and all entrusted to the care of mentors and educators—that, under the patronage of Saint Charles Lwanga, they may grow in purity, integrity, and a joyful readiness to follow Christ. Let us pray to the Lord.

For children, adolescents, and vulnerable adults suffering exploitation, abuse, or trafficking—that God deliver them from harm, heal their wounds, and convert the hearts of those who abuse power. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our parish—that we reject complacency, use our gifts for evangelization, and support missionary efforts through prayer, sacrifice, and action. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the sick, the poor, the imprisoned, and those weighed down by fear or sorrow—that Christ, who walked the road of suffering, may raise them up with healing and hope. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our departed brothers and sisters—especially those who died for their fidelity to Christ—may they rejoice forever in the company of the martyrs before God’s throne. Let us pray to the Lord.

God of all nations, You kindled an unshakable faith in Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions. Hear the prayers of Your people, and grant that we, like them, may bear fearless witness to Your Son, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. 

Ascension 2025 - Promise of the Father

 For the past 40 days of the Easter season, we’ve reveled in and celebrated, contemplated and hopefully lived out and proclaimed the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Throughout the Easter Season, our Sunday readings have led us to consider what it means to live in the peace of the Risen Christ, what it means for us to feed the lambs and tend the sheep of the Risen Christ. We’ve considered what it means for us, as members of the Risen Christ’s flock, to continue to listen to the Shepherd’s voice, and what it means to love one another so as to glorify the Risen Christ.

Hopefully, during these 40 days you have seen and witnessed in your own life and in the lives of one another the effects of Christ’s resurrection: greater peace and joy and courage and charity.

Today’s feast of the Ascension marks the final phase of the Easter Season which will culminate in the Feast of Pentecost next Sunday. Our Scripture readings today look forward to Pentecost, too. We heard in both our First Reading and the Gospel about “the promise of the Father” and “in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

During those days between the Lord’s Ascension and Pentecost, the apostles gathered together to pray with the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Cenacle. So, imitating how the earliest Christians prepared for Pentecost, in invited you, over this next week, to consider adding to your daily prayer routine special prayers for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Especially as our parish prepares for a retreat next Saturday on the discernment of our spiritual gifts, please pray for each other and for yourselves, that Pentecost can be for you and our fellow parishioners a new openness to the promises of the Father. 

That’s an interesting phrase, the Lord uses in the Gospel, isn’t it? “The Promise of the Father”. The phrase “promise of the Father” is rich in theological meaning and ties together the Old and New Testaments.  Throughout the Old Testament, God makes promises to His people—not only of land and descendants, but of new life and interior renewal:

In the prophet Ezekiel we read: “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you”. In the prophet Joel we read, ““I will pour out my spirit on all flesh”. Again in Ezekiel we read, “I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live”

In using this phrase, “the promise of the Father” Jesus is drawing attention to the fact that these ancient promises are not abstract—they are now being fulfilled in the Church. The Father has promised His very Spirit, and Pentecost will mean an outpouring of the Spirit on the Church.

Calling the Holy Spirit “the promise of the Father” reminds us that the Spirit is not just a force or an impersonal gift—He is the personal bond of love between the Father and the Son. And Christians brought into that very communion. In calling the Spirit “the promise of the Father” Jesus is saying, “My Father has been longing for you to be brought into full Communion with the Trinity. And that plan of the Father is now being fulfilled.” 

God is faithful to his promises. The Father is not like the world, which makes and breaks promises. What God promises, He brings to fulfillment. Just as He fulfilled the promise of the Messiah in Jesus’ coming, so now He fulfills the promise of divine indwelling in the sending of the Spirit.

In speaking of the promise of the Father, the Lord Jesus invited his apostles to continue just a little while longer to wait with trust, and Jesus invites us into that same posture: expectant, receptive, persevering. For, the promise of the Father was not just for the apostles. It is for us, here and now—in this age of the Church. The Father wants life for us. As St. Ireneus said, the glory of God is man fully alive. And the Spirit enables us to abound with the life of God.

Particularly, the Spirit is given to restore us to life due to our sins. It is through the Holy Spirit that the redemptive grace of Christ’s Paschal Mystery is applied to us through Baptism. And it is through the Holy Spirit that sins that we commit after baptism might be absolved.  The absolution prayer in the Sacrament of Confession echoes this. After the penitent makes the act of contrition in the Sacrament of Confession, the priest prays: “God the Father of Mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son, has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins.”

The forgiveness of sins is truly a restoration of life. What is dead in us is brought to life through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

But the Holy Spirit also causes spiritual gifts to sprout from seed form, to grow, flourish, and bear fruit. In baptism, each of us the gifts of God are given in seed form: knowledge, wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord. And as we cooperate with the Spirit in the course of our lives, and receive the Sacraments, we increase in these gifts.

The Gifts of the Spirit are gifts God has given to each of us to be active and alive and effective in our Christian mission. But there are also unique gifts, charisms, given to me that he hasn’t given to you, and gifts that he has given to you that he hasn’t given to me. And we are to seek to discern and cultivate those as well.

Again, our retreat next Saturday will help us to discern those gifts and how they can be put to use in God’s service.

None of God’s gifts are to be hidden under a bushel basket. We are fully alive when we have allowed promises of the Father to be fulfilled in us, when we have allowed the Holy Spirit to animate us—our words, actions, and decisions.

So again, this week, in preparation for the Feast of Pentecost: pray for greater openness to the Promise of the Father. Take some time this week to ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify gifts that have gone dormant, gifts that need strengthening, and the courage to put those gifts into action. Lord, what gift right now, do I need to cultivate more than others? What gift have I fearfully or lazily hidden away? 

And please pray for your fellow parishioners who will be attending next week’s retreat. If the glory of God is man fully alive, fully utilizing his gifts, then God is certainly glorified when brothers and sisters in Christ come together in seeking to put their gifts in service to God collectively as a parish.

May God’s promises and gifts become ever more manifest in each of our lives and families and relationships for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

June 2 2025 - Sts. Marcellinus and Peter - Martyrs of the Roman Canon

 In the celebration of the Mass, one of the reasons that I like to use the Roman Canon, the first Eucharistic prayer, is because it contains those two lists of saints. Following the invocation of the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph, the priest lists of the apostles, then the first popes of rome, then a number of the Roman martyrs including a martyred deacon, a lay catechist, and two sets of martyred siblings.

After the consecration, there is another set of martyrs beginning with those whose names we find in the scriptures: John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, and Barnabas. Then our own patron, Ignatius of Antioch, martyred in Rome, followed by another Pope, Alexander the first, fifth Pope of Rome, and then the two saints we honor today: Saints Marcellinus and Peter.

As you know, for the first three hundred years of our faith, our faith was persecuted throughout the Roman Empire. Some of those persecutions were fiercer than others. Well, around the year 284, the most severe of the persecutions was led by the Emperor Diocletian--known as the Great Persecution. Around 3,000−3,500 Christians were executed under the authority of Imperial edicts.

Around 303, the Great Persecution reached its fiercest point. And it was then that the two saints honored today were killed. The first was Peter. Peter had been instituted in the minor Order of Exorcist. And while in prison, Peter performed an exorcism on the daughter of the prison-keeper. This demonstration of Christ's power over demons is said to have brought about the conversion of the daughter, the prison-keeper, his wife, and the entire household--all of whom were baptized by the second saint honored today, the Roman priest Marcellinus.

And the conversions continued. The pair were so successful in converting their fellow prisoners, that the Roman authorities didn’t want to risk a public execution, lest their deaths inspire even more conversions. So Marcellinus and Peter were taken to a forest in the middle of the night, forced to dig their own graves, and beheaded.

I don’t usually use the first Eucharistic prayer on weekdays. But I will today, in honor of these two heroes of the faith, whose courage inspires us to spread the Gospel, to witness to the Lord, to become instruments of God, whether in prison, or in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. Saints Marcellinus and Peter, pray for us. That we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.

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Trusting in the Lord who strengthened Saints Marcellinus and Peter in time of trial, let us offer our prayers for the needs of the Church and the world.

For the holy Church of God—that, inspired by the martyrs, she may hold fast to the apostolic faith and proclaim Christ with confidence even amid opposition. 

For civil leaders and those in authority—that they protect religious freedom and uphold the dignity of every person, and for all who are persecuted for their Christian witness today, may they be defended by God’s grace and become shining signs of hope.

For those entrusted with the ministry of exorcism, may they serve as courageous instruments of God’s deliverance of the oppressed, and for the conversion of sinners and the strengthening of the lukewarm—that the witness of the martyrs may rouse hearts to repentance, baptismal renewal, and zeal for evangelization. 

For those imprisoned, forgotten, or isolated, for the sick, the suffering, and all the afflicted—that Christ, who conquered sin and death, may grant them strength, healing, and peace.

For our beloved dead—may they be welcomed into the company of the saints and behold God face-to-face. 

God of strength and mercy, You sustained Your martyrs Marcellinus and Peter in the hour of trial; hear our prayers and grant that, like them, we may remain faithful witnesses to Your Son, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

6th Week of Easter 2025 - Friday - Weeping for the fallen-away

 These last few weeks of the easter season we’ve been reading from John chapters 13-17, Jesus’ address to the apostles at the Last Supper. And throughout these chapters, the Lord prepares his disciples for his passion and death on the cross, while also preparing them to take up their own crosses in the evangelizing mission.

The Lord offers a challenging teaching about discipleship in today’s passage: “You will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices.”  Christian discipleship will involve weeping and mourning. 

In the past few years especially, I have met with a number of parents who weep and mourn over children who have strayed from the practice of the faith. In many cases, their children even attended 12 years of Catholic school—the parents saw to their children’s reception of the sacraments, they attended mass together as a family, the parents sought to model the Christian faith for their children, they filled their home with prayer and charity. And now as adults, the children have fallen away.

They’ve stopped praying, they’ve stopped attending mass, they refuse to go to confession, they are in relationships marked by fornication. In some cases, the children view their former Christian faith as oppressive and hateful. 

And so parents weep and mourn for their children’s loss of faith—they worry about their souls, as they should. For parents have a duty to do what they can for their children’s salvation. 

Modern parents are not alone. St. Monica wept and prayed for decades for her son, Augustine to turn away from his licentious lifestyle and his involvement in cults. Bartolo Longo was an 19th century Catholic who in his youth got into drugs, alcohol, and even Satanic cults. No doubt his family wept and mourned and prayed for him.

And so we must remember that every tear shed, every prayer that is offered up out of authentic concern for another’s soul, has redemptive value, because they are a share in the redemptive sufferings of Christ. As Catholics, we believe that suffering, when united with Christ’s sacrifice, can contribute to personal holiness and the salvation of others. So, we must not stop praying because the fruit of prayer is not immediately visible.

The Lord promises weeping and mourning, but the second parts of his promise must not be forgotten: “You will grieve, but your grief will become joy” is a powerful promise that every sacrifice offered in love, every cross patiently borne becomes a seed of everlasting joy, for ourselves and others.

So, we continue to entrust to God our loved ones and all the souls of the earth who have turned away from the Lord. And we commit to doing what we can, even enduring crosses and tears, knowing that tears shed and suffering endured faithfully are powerful in bringing about conversions and sanctification for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Trusting in the promises of God’s assistance, we offer our prayers with confidence in God’s mercy and providence:

For the Church, that all of her members may faithfully carry the cross of Christ and continue to proclaim the Gospel even in the face of sorrow and opposition

For parents and grandparents who mourn over children who have strayed from the faith, that their prayers and tears may bear fruit in the return of their loved ones to the practice of the faith.

For young people tempted by the false promises of the world, that they may encounter the truth of Jesus Christ and the love of God that alone can satisfy the heart

For our parish community, that we may encourage and support one another in faith, and remain faithful to prayer, even when the fruits are not immediately visible.

For all who bear heavy crosses—of illness, discouragement, or spiritual sorrow, that they may unite their sufferings to Christ and discover the redemptive power of the cross.

For the faithful departed, that through the mercy of God and the prayers of the Church, they may come to share in the joy of the resurrection, especially N.

Heavenly Father, you see every tear and hear every cry. Through the cross of your Son and the gift of your Spirit, transform our sorrows into joy and make our lives fruitful in your service. Through Christ our Lord.

6th Week of Easter 2025 - Wednesday - The Spirit of Truth

 “When he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.

“Truth” is an important concept in John’s Gospel, and for Christians. “He who practices the truth comes to the Light” the Lord says. “The truth will make you free” “I am the way, the Truth, and the life”. “My flesh is true food, my blood is true drink”. Those who believe in jesus will be known by God as true worshippers, who worship in Spirit and Truth. “Quid est veritas?” asks Pontius Pilate. What is truth? 

The Gospel notion is truth is not the same as the accumulation of scientific fact. The sending of the Holy Spirit isn’t so that we can understand quantum physics better or how an air conditioner works. 

But when the Lord speaks of the truth that “makes you free” he’s not talking about scientific knowledge. Rather, he’s speaking about the truth that frees us from moral, theological, and spiritual evil—the light of truth which frees us from darkness of sin and death.

The truth Jesus speaks of—the truth that sets us free—is not merely informational, it is transformational. It’s not just something we know; it’s someone we follow. Jesus says, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” To live in the truth, then, is to live in union with Him—to see reality as it really is, to understand who we are, what we are made for, and how we are to live.

And because the Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of Truth,” He helps us not only to recognize the truth but to remember it, to live it, and to proclaim it. He strengthens our consciences, enlightens our minds, and gives us courage to witness to the truth in a world that often prefers comfortable lies.

Living in the truth frees us from the slavery of sin—because once we know the truth about our dignity, about the mercy of God, about the purpose of life, we can no longer be content with mediocrity or the chains of sin and addiction. Truth makes us hunger for holiness. 

About three and a half centuries after the Gospel of John was written, St. Augustine wrote “Victoria Veritatis est caritas”—”the victory of truth is love”. Through Christ, God conquers the darkness of error which debilitates us and divides us from the life of God.

May the Truth of Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, bring victory in our lives and in our mission for the spread of the Gospel, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.  

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Knowing that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth who guides us, strengthens us, and sets us free, we offer our prayers to God with confidence:

For the Church, that she may always be a faithful teacher of the truth, leading all people into union with Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life

For those who govern nations and influence public life, that they may seek truth and justice in all their decisions and uphold the dignity of every human person

For those caught in the chains of sin, confusion, or addiction, that the truth of Jesus Christ may free them and restore them to new life

For our young people on summer vacation, that they may be kept safe from the poison of sin and strive to live in the freedom and truth of Christ. 

For the sick, the ill, the poor and afflicted, that the truth of God’s love, closeness, and mercy may abound in their lives and give them meaning and strength.

For the faithful departed, that they who strove to live by the truth may now behold the glory of God face to face

Father of Truth, hear the prayers of your people. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may we live in the truth that sets us free and walk always in your light. Through Christ our Lord.

May 27 2025 - St. Augustine of Canterbury - Small-steps for God

Today is the feast of an Italian Benedictine monk who is known as the “Apostle to the English”.  

Christianity had a rough time taking root in the British Isles. There were early missionary efforts going all the way back to the late 1st century. But, due to the Roman persecution of the Church, and the predominance of Paganism, Christianity failed to spread in England.

In the year 596, some 40 monks were sent by Pope Saint Gregory the Great from Rome to evangelize the Anglo-Saxons in England.  Leading the group was Augustine.

As they were about to set sail, Augustine and his band of monks heard stories of the ferocious Anglo-Saxons and the treacherous waters of the English Channel.  Augustine promptly made a “u-turn” back to Rome, where Pope Gregory the Great assured him of the importance of this mission.

Arriving in England, they constructed a church and monastery at Canterbury, on the site where the present and famous Canterbury Cathedral now stands. Augustine was consecrated its first Bishop, and by 597, thousands of people were coming to actively seek baptism.  

Most of us do not receive letters from the Pope telling us to go evangelize particular nations and regions, but all of us have received the commission of our Lord to go and make disciples of all nations. All of the baptized have the vocation of laboring for the spread of the Gospel.

We also live in a culture much like that which Augustine found upon his arrival to England: vestiges of the Christian faith mingled with pagan elements.  

In a letter to Augustine, Pope Gregory the Great wrote: "He who would climb to a lofty height must go by steps, not leaps."  

The task of evangelization might seem like a lofty mountain, and there will often be that temptation to return home out of fear with our task incomplete, but we can make great inroads through small steps: conversations with non-Catholics, small acts of charity towards strangers, imitating Christ in our attitudes and decisions.

Through the prayerful intercession and holy example of St. Augustine of Canterbury may we be faithful to all the Lord calls us to this day for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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With confidence in the God who desires the salvation of all people, let us bring our prayers before the Lord.

For the Church throughout the world, that she may continue to carry out the Great Commission with courage and fidelity, proclaiming Christ to every people and nation, we pray to the Lord.

For bishops, priests, deacons, and all who labor in the vineyard of the Lord, that they may be strengthened by the Holy Spirit to evangelize with wisdom, patience, and love, we pray to the Lord.

For the conversion of hearts hardened or closed to the Gospel, that through the Church’s evangelizing efforts, Christ may transform hearts. 

For the needs of the sick, ill, poor and afflicted, may they know the help of God’s grace and the kindness and care of the Church in their trials. 

For the faithful departed, especially those who labored for the Gospel in this life, that they may rejoice forever in the presence of the Lord

God our Father, hear our prayers, and grant us the courage to bring Christ to the world and the perseverance to follow your call in all things.