31st Week in Ordinary Time 2023 - Adultery, Abortion, and Carrying our Crosses

 In the epistle this morning, St. Paul reminds Christians to keep the commandments of God. In the wake of the passing of issue 1 last night, two of the commandments are particularly glaring: you shall not commit adultery and you shall not kill. 

The abortion industry, which thrives on the killing of the unborn, thrives in large part because of our nation’s disregard of God’s prohibition of adultery. Rampant adultery, pre-martial and extra-marital sex, leads to so-called unwanted pregnancy, which leads to the justification of abortion.

The Church has a great task to work for the reversal of these diabolical attitudes, to do penance for the sins of our world, and to preach the Gospel in its fullness.

This is not a pleasant task. It is part of our cross. And this morning, the Gospel reminds us that “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Christ cannot be his disciple.” 

The cross of our times, one that we share, is to preach the Gospel and live our Faith in a nation that is growing increasingly hostile to the message of Christ. We do not choose the times in which we live, but we can choose how we live in our time. And our choice must be to carry our crosses faithfully. 

May God help us, sustain us, strengthen us, and give us courage to carry our crosses in union with Christ for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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In reparation for sins against the innocent unborn, for an overturning of laws which disregard human dignity, and for courage in bearing witness to the Gospel of Life.

For the strength to be faithful to all of the Lord’s commands and the grace and humility to repent of our failings.

For the impoverished and sick and those experiencing any sort of trial: that Jesus the Bread of Life will be their sustenance, and that Christians will be instruments of God’s mercy for all those in need.  

We pray in a special way during this Month of November for all of the faithful departed; for the deceased members of our family, friends, and parish, for deceased clergy and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023 - Unless your righteousness surpasses...

 For the past two weeks we’ve been hearing from the Lord’s Great Sermon on the Mount from Matthew’s Gospel. Two weeks ago, we heard the beatitudes, which the catechism says, “express the vocation of every Christian”. Every Christian is called to pursue beatitude, to pursue holiness by putting on the mind and heart of Christ. The beatitudes are the standards by which every action of ours is to be measured. Does my use of money help me to obtain beatitude? Does the use of my time help me to obtain beatitude? Do my choices and habits and the way that I treat family members, strangers, and enemies, help me to obtain beatitude?

Then, last week we heard the Lord tells us that we must be the salt of the earth and light of the world. The influence of Christians in the world is to be detected like salt in food, like a light shining in the darkness. Our faith that Jesus Christ is Lord and God is to be detected by those we encounter—again in our families and in society. 

This week, the Lord gives further explanation of how his disciples are to live. In fact, he sets a very high standard indeed. “Unless our holiness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees we will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” So the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Christian conduct goes beyond merely keeping the natural law or the Ten Commandments. We are challenged us not just to be “good” but genuinely “holy”—transformed by God’s grace inside and outside.  I often meet people who say, “I don’t go to church, but I’m a good person.” Fine, be a good person, try with all your might to be a good person. But Christianity isn’t simply about being a good person. It’s about becoming holy—filled with the life of God. Being good isn’t enough to get into heaven. Good is not good enough. Do you believe that?

Let’s look at what the Lord teaches us about holiness.

First, he says, it’s not good enough simply to avoid murder. Of course, we need to avoid murdering each other. But that’s not enough for heaven. Christians seek conversion even from the sort of thoughts that set us down the path to unjust violence, and seek to love others with Christ like love. And we don’t love our neighbor as ourselves if all we do is not kill them. We avoid all envy, jealousy, and vengeance, rivalry. We turn away from hurting others with our tongues and machinations. If you detect an ounce of anger toward anyone, pray for the Lord to free you. If you can detect that you have failed to forgive anyone, pray that the Lord give you the grace to help you to forgive.

Secondly, the Lord says it’s not good enough for us to avoid adultery. Again, of course adultery must certainly be avoided. We must avoid all lust and any attitude or reasoning or habit that allows lust to take root in us, that views other humans as objects for our own gratification. Rather we seek the beatitude of purity of heart. And purity of heart is obtained through prayer, self-discipline, avoiding occasions of lust as best we can, and repentance for lust in the sacrament of confession.

Thirdly, the Lord gives married couples special instruction here: to not only avoid divorce but any selfish behaviors that could lead to someone wanting to divorce you.  Just because someone married you, does not give you the right to be selfish toward them. Rather married couples have the duty of helping your spouse grow in holiness by your own example of prayer, forgiveness, patience, and fidelity to the commands of God. And that’s true for each of us: whether a priest, married, single, monk or nun we must set good Christian example and help each other obtain heaven.

Lastly, the final standard the Lord mentions in this section of his sermon to his disciples is about truthfulness. It’s not good enough to simply tell the truth when you are under oath, or to be the sort of person that people only believe when you are under oath. 

Jesus, the Lord, who is the truth incarnate, wants his followers to be distinguished as people of truth, integrity, honor, and transparency. 

“Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven” Christians seek not just to be good,  we seek to be righteous. Not self-righteous. 

The Pharisees got their name because they refused to eat and speak with sinners. We must not self-righteously distance ourselves from those who have different beliefs than us. In fact, we are to be seeking them out, to bring them to Christ. 

We are not to be self-righteous, but actually righteous…where the law and commandments and virtues and life of God transforms us from the inside out, where every obstacle to authentic Christ-like love is transformed into the charity.

This morning I had a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses knock on the rectory door. I did not turn them away. Rather, I invited them in. I sat down with them. And to be honest, they scrutinized me, for almost an hour. They tried to poke holes in Catholic theology, for Jehovah’s Witnesses deny many truths of our faith, including the bodily resurrection of Jesus, that Jesus is true God and true man; they deny the Trinity. I did my best to answer their questions and perhaps reexamine their errors.

But, I shared with them that this parish is both committed to the truth, and also serving those who do not have the truth. We feed the hungry, and clothe the naked, and teach the ignorant, no matter what they believe. The Good News isn’t just believed and professed. It is lived. I pray that Christ might convert their hearts, and recognize that each of us must do penance for their conversion. 

Providentially, in just 10 days, we begin the season of Lent. A time for us to do penance for ourselves and for others. In the next 10 days, please, take some real quality time to discern the type and level of prayer, fasting, and works of charity that God wants from you, for the sake of souls and to help you pursue the righteousness God wants for each you. For God didn’t make us to be mediocre and lukewarm, but on fire for pursuing his Holy Will for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

4th Week in OT 2019 - Friday - Unafraid to preach the Truth

If you were reading Mark’s Gospel from beginning to end, this long passage of John the Baptist’s martyrdom comes as an unexpected interlude.  In the previous verses, Jesus sends out the Twelve apostles on a special mission to teach and cure the sick and drive out demons.  But before their return, St. Mark relates this lengthy account of the execution of John the Baptist.

St. Mark uses the life and arrest and death of John the Baptist to foreshadow what will happen to Jesus. Jesus will be arrested and condemned to death on pretty shady charges built on lies and selfishness. But the fate of John the Baptist is also a lesson for all of us. For taking up the Gospel mission, we too might have to face the hostility of the world.

Why did Herodias want John dead? She harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him because he dared to call out their public and flagrant sin. John had incurred the wrath of the ruling family by publicly denouncing their adulterous conduct. And this leads to another question: why did John bother with the Herods?

Likely John knew that the behavior of political leaders has a powerful impact on the moral environment of the country at large. The Herodian scandal had the potential of normalizing adultery, dulling the consciences of the people and putting obstacles in their hearts rather than preparing the way for the Lord.  And like the prophets of old, John was willing to risk his life for the message of God.

St. Mark connects the fate of John with the sending out of the apostles. For the apostles have the mission of calling sinful humanity to conversion. And Mark makes no secret that Christians will likely garner the hatred of the world for preaching the Gospel. St. Mark later records this sentiment from the lips of Jesus himself who says, “You will be hated by all because of my name.”

In a world of spineless jellyfish afraid to preach the Gospel, be a John the Baptist. For the Lord also said, “there is no one born of woman” greater than he. May we each be faithful to the Gospel commission to preach the Gospel fully and with courage for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That the bishops of the Church will act as true prophets through their faithful teaching, their courageous witness, and their self-sacrificing love. We pray to the Lord.
That government leaders around the world may carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for freedom and the dignity of human life.  We pray to the Lord.
For the grace to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, to love our neighbors and enemies and those who persecute us, and to share the truth of the Gospel with all.  We pray to the Lord.
For all those who share in the sufferings of Christ—the sick, the sorrowful, and those who are afflicted or burdened in any way, especially those effected by hurricanes and storms.  We pray to the Lord.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased clergy and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray to the Lord.
O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

Homily: Monday - 5th Week of Lent 2017 - Deliverance from Evil

In our readings who heard of two women: one who was being framed by evil men, and one who was genuinely guilty of the sin of adultery.  Both were tempted to sin, pressured; but one was resisted sin, the other gave in. And in both stories, God is shown as the great deliverer.

Did you notice where Susanna temptation occurred? She was approached by wicked men, in a garden. This reminds us of course, of the temptation of Eve in the garden. But Susanna shows herself to be more like the New Eve, than the old, in her faithfulness to God, her desire for purity. She cries out to God who comes to her aid and delivers her from the wicked through the instrumentality of Daniel, who is a type of Christ.

The woman in the Gospel was truly guilty of adultery. And in this case, our Lord shows us the face of God’s mercy. Though she was guilty of sin, God did not abandon her, but invited her to repent, and to begin a new way of living: “go and sin no more” Jesus says.

In the first story, God delivers the innocent, by coming to their aid. In the second, God delivers the sinner, the guilty, through mercy—calling the sinner to repentance and offering mercy.

We are called to be innocent like Susanna. When we are being pressured to sin, coerced, threatened by the wicked, we are to turn to God to deliver us from evil. And we are called to be like the woman caught in adultery, guilty of sin, we turn to God to deliver us from evil, our own evil, the evil we have caused, and we have committed.

Blessed Duns Scotus taught that there are two types of redemption: preservative redemption and liberative redemption. God preserves us when we turn to him in temptation, and he liberates us when we’ve fallen.

The key is that we turn to God whatever our state, whatever our trial. We certainly pray for those who neither turn to God for preservation or liberation, those without faith. And we seek for ourselves, a deeper faith this Lent, that we can come to trust less in ourselves, and more in Christ.

For we celebrate in just two weeks, the source of our deliverance and redemption, the Cross and Resurrection of Christ. May the Lord deliver us from all sin, all temptation, all evil for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For greater devotion in our Lenten prayer, greater self-restraint in our Lenten fasting, and greater selflessness in our Lenten almsgiving.
That civil leaders will use their authority to protect the dignity of human life and the well-being of the poor, especially the unborn.  We pray to the Lord.
For deliverance from all evil and all temptation: for those under the influence of drug abuse, addiction, insanity, occultism, atheism, sexual perversion, and any spiritual evils which degrade the human person.
For those preparing to enter the Church at Easter, that these weeks of Lent may bring them purification and enlightenment in the ways of Christ.  We pray to the Lord.
For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation or illness: that the tenderness of the Father’s love will comfort them.  We pray to the Lord.

Homily: Thursday - 3rd Week of Advent 2016 - The barren shall be fruitful

Throughout the Old Testament, Israel is compared to an unfaithful bride who has broken her marriage covenant with God her husband. Israel had committed spiritual adultery over and over, turning to false Gods and to the immoral practices of the pagan nations. Because of her spiritual unfaithfulness, the prophets say that she will be spiritually barren. She will not bear the life within her that God wants for his bride.

This spiritual barrenness occurs when any of us turn away from God in sin. Selfishness, pride, lust, greed, gossip, hate…these things do not give us life, in fact, they take it from us. When selfishness rules our life, we fail to spread the peace of God’s kingdom as we should—we become barren.

The reading from Isaiah today comes from the last section of his book, called the book of consolation, in which Isaiah speaks of the restoration of Israel—the new life Israel will experience when the Messiah ushers in the eternal kingdom. Isaiah compares the joy of the new kingdom to a once barren wife who will beget numerous children. The family will need to expand their tents, there will be so many children.

Isaiah foretells both the eschatological, the coming of the kingdom at the end of time. When the Messiah comes and the end of time, the eternal kingdom will be a place of unspeakable joy—joy which comes from a union with God we have never experienced.

But, we Christians know, that the kingdom has already begun. Isaiah also foretold the time of the Church. The ecclesiological sense of this reading, foretells of the numerous children of Christ’s Church, the spiritual fruit and life born by Christians who believe in Christ, who receive his Sacraments, who practice his teachings, and perform the acts of mercy.

How would you rate your own spiritual life right now? Barren or fruitful? If it is fruitful, thanks be to God; perhaps there are new spiritual fruits he wishes to bring forth through you this Advent and this Christmas. If you are barren: if you are not bearing the fruits of gentleness, joy, self-control, peace, and kindness…if you are barren of these things, what needs to change? Likely, what is needed is repentance, deeper prayer, and more frequent charity.

New life is possible because in our barrenness we were not abandoned by God; God speaks the words from Isaiah today, “My love shall never leave you” even to the most hardened sinner. New life is possible through repentance, through faith, turning away from loving the things of the world, in order to love the things of God.

May the Lord bring about inner transformation in each of us, that we may bear new life, new fruit for the building up of the kingdom, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.