May 14 2025 - St. Matthias - Apostolic Succession

 In the Creed each week, we profess, our belief “in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church”. Today, we might say, is one of the great feasts of Apostolicity. For St. Matthias was the first to be appointed an Apostle after the death and resurrection of Jesus showing that apostolic mission would continue through the ages until the Lord’s return. 

In the first reading, we read that following the death of the fallen Apostle Judas, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the remaining eleven apostles elected Matthias to join them and share in the apostolic mission to tend the flock, to shepherd the People of God. 

St. Matthias was the first bishop of the Church named after the ascension. 

Some protestants will argue that the Catholic Church’s hierarchy was not intended by God, but Scripture is clear that the appointment of Matthias, and therefore every bishop after him, was due to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

The naming of apostolic successors is implicit in the Lord Jesus’ mandate to the apostles at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, when he says: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations... And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." The command to preach and teach until "the end of the age" implies a continuous apostolic mission—one that is meant to persist through successors.

The apostles understood clearly from Christ’s teachings and actions that their role was an office with specific authority and responsibilities that must persist. Matthias’s appointment thus illustrates the apostles’ understanding of their ministry as an ongoing office, not limited merely to their original twelve.

That apostolic ministry continues unbroken from the apostles to every Catholic bishop throughout history.  Hence we believe that "the bishops have by divine institution taken the place of the apostles as pastors of the Church, in such a way that whoever listens to them is listening to Christ and whoever despises them despises Christ and him who sent Christ."

We commend to God, today, all of the bishops, that through their preaching and teaching, the Christian faith may be spread and deepened, and that we may persevere in being faithful coworkers with them, in witnessing to the death and resurrection of Jesus, that we may be counted among the elect of heaven for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Trusting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and inspired by the apostolic witness of St. Matthias, we lift our prayers to our Heavenly Father.

For Pope Leo and all bishops, successors to the Apostles, that they may shepherd the Church with wisdom, courage, and fidelity to Christ’s teachings

For Christian unity, that the apostolic foundation of our faith may inspire greater unity among all who profess belief in Christ.

For our parish, that we may actively participate in the Church’s mission, joyfully witnessing to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in word and deed.

For those who experience doubt or confusion regarding Church teachings, that through the apostolic witness and clear guidance of Church leaders, they may find clarity, truth, and peace.

For the sick and the suffering, those in nursing homes and hospice care, those undergoing surgery, and all of the poor and afflicted, for the grace to carry their crosses with faith, hope, and love.

For the faithful departed, for the departed members of our families friends and parish, for deceased bishops, priests, and those who dedicated their lives to apostolic service, that they may share in the eternal joy of heaven…

Loving Father, through the prayers of St. Matthias, hear our petitions and guide your Church in steadfast fidelity to Christ and the apostolic mission. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

October 28 2024 - Sts. Simon and Jude - Zealotry and Hopeless Causes

 It is always good to reflect upon the importance and lasting impact of the Apostles.

In the Gospels, the apostle Simon was known as the Zealot. He may have been part of the political group of Jesus’ time called the Zealots who were planning to overthrow the Roman occupying force. Or he may have simply been zealous for God. In any case, Simon put aside any plans he had for himself to follow the Lord and to proclaim the kingdom of God.

St. Jude was a close relative and trusted friend of our Redeemer. Some ancient sources even speculate that Jude was the groom at the Wedding at Cana, though there is no scriptural evidence to support this. 

After the Ascension Jude took the Gospel to Mesopotamia (now known as Iraq), Libya, Persia and Turkey.

Legend has it that after winning thousands of converts, the pair of apostles were arrested in the Persian city of Suanir for refusing to offer pagan sacrifice in the temple of the sun and the moon. They explained that the sun and the moon were only creations of the one true God. They then cast out demons from the pagan idols  and two black, hideous evil spirits, began howling and blaspheming.  For exposing the idols as demons they were killed by an angry Persian mob. 

Devotion particularly to St. Jude endures to this day. It is said that among the saints whose heavenly help and intercession is sought by the faithful, second only to Our Lady, is the apostle St. Jude.  Even many non-Catholics venerate St. Jude as the patron saint of Hopeless Causes. 

The patron of hopeless causes is so popular because so many of our difficulties seem hopeless: the terminal illness, the seemingly endless cycle of addiction, the corruption of government leaders, the plights of the poor—they seem hopeless.

The Book of Jude in the New Testament is attributed to him. In it, he calls the faithful to a true Christian life of great devotion, one in which they hold fast to their faith no matter the consequences. He exhorts them to pray in the Spirit, that they might deepen their faith, hope, and love, and come to know God and His will. 

Let us learn from their examples and wisdom in turning away from earthly and selfish zealotry, in order to turn more deeply to the Lord. May we entrust our needs to them and imitate their constancy, courage, and faith, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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May Simon and Jude assist all bishops and priests to preach and witness to the fullness of the truth of the Christian Gospel.

May the holy apostles help all Christians to be strengthened in the faith, hope, and charity.

For the conversion of all who engage in false worship, for all unbelievers, and for Catholics who have fallen away from the faith, for those whose love of created things has eclipsed the love of the Creator.

That the sick, suffering, overburdened, and destitute, may know the help of the Lord who made heaven and earth.

For all who long to see the face of the Father, for all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered.

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

May 3 2024 - Sts. Philip and James - Calloused Knees

 As Apostles, both Philip and James were both called by the Lord. They were witnesses of the Lord’s ministry—his teaching and miracles—his passion and death. Both were witnesses of the Lord’s resurrection. Both received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Both continued to preach the Gospel—Andrew in in Greece, Phrygia, and Syria—and James in Jerusalem. And both were martyred for the Lord.

I’d like to consider this morning a passage I found from the 4th century bishop Eusebius regarding the Apostle James. Again, James remained in Jerusalem. The Acts of the Apostles relates that it was James, as the head of the Jerusalem Church, who oversaw the First Council of Jerusalem.

But Eusebius relates some powerful details about James spirituality and role. Eusebius records how James spent long hours in the Temple of Jerusalem: “…he was in the habit of entering alone into the temple, and was frequently found upon his knees begging forgiveness for the people, so that his knees became hard like those of a camel.” 

How very priestly, no? Falling to one’s knees and begging forgiveness and behalf of others, especially those who reject Jesus and continue in sin and unbelief. Priests pray--they intercede--on behalf of others.

James, known as "James the Just" due to his exceptional virtue and righteousness, embodied a life of priestly prayer and intercession for his people. Not just ordained priests, but all of the baptized are priestly people. James' witness challenges us to consider our own commitment to prayer, especially for those who are lost or have turned away from God.

As Christians, we are called to be a priestly people, following the example of Christ, the great High Priest, and his apostles like James. This means not just praying for our own needs, but continually lifting up to God the needs of the whole world, even those who persecute and reject the Gospel. Like James, we must be willing to spend long hours on our knees, interceding with love and fervor.

James' devotion was so great that his knees became calloused like a camel's from his many hours of prayer in the Temple. What a striking image of persistence and self-sacrifice! It reminds us that prayer is not always easy or comfortable. True intercession requires spiritual endurance— willingness to push through dryness, distractions and discouragement—in order to plead for God's mercy.

And James prayed not in some hidden place, but in the Temple itself, at the very heart of Jewish religious life. In the same way, our prayer must be not a withdrawal from the world, but a priestly entrustment of the world to God. We pray from within the "temples" of our daily circumstances, lifting our families, our communities, our places of work, and our society to God's throne of grace.

Finally, James' martyrdom reminds us that our prayer and baptismal priesthood is to be configured to the Cross. Eusebius also wrote about James’ martyrdom, that “…he was thrown from the pinnacle of the temple, and was beaten to death with a club.” His place of prayer was the place where he was configured to Christ in his loving intercession, in his redemptive suffering, and in his glorious martyrdom. 

As we honor the Apostles we heed their examples that we may participate more fully in Christ's ongoing work of redeeming the world, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

May we join the Holy Apostles in our prayer for the world and the Church.

As the Apostles witnessed to the Resurrection of the Lord, may we be his witnesses to the farthest corners of the world.

For the bishops, the successors of the apostles: That they may be courageous in stirring up the flame of faith and defending the Church from error.

For blessings upon all the former parishioners of old Saint Philip and James here in Cleveland, especially those who have made their home here at St. Ignatius.

For all of the sick and suffering, especially victims of natural disaster, poverty, and addiction, may they be comforted and supported by God’s healing love. 

For all who long to see the face of the Father, for all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. 

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

Priesthood Sunday 2022 - Calling imperfect men

 About 6 or 7 times in my priesthood, I’ve taken my annual retreat at Trinity Retreat Center in Larchmont, New York, about 25 minutes outside of the city. Franciscan Priest Fr. Benedict Groeschel, after his retirement, came to reside there, and I heard him speak on a few occasions, and was edified by his practice wisdom and holiness. But another priest, Fr. Gene Fulton, of the Archdiocese of New York, ran the retreat center. And Fr. Gene had an interesting story: earlier in his priesthood, he had spent time with the Russian mystic, the Baronness Catherine Doherty, at her home for troubled priests up at Madonna House in Ontario. 

Baronness Catherine had a deep love for priests going back to her childhood. She told the story of how, as a young girl growing up in Russia, she and her mother were walking down the street one day and they found their parish priest lying in the gutter drunk. The mother got the priest back to his rectory and returning home the mother spoke to her daughter, “Catherine take the flowers out of the ornate vase on the dining room table and put them in the toilet.” Catherine thought her mother’s command to be strange, but she did it. She took the flowers and put them in the toilet.

And then her mother asked her, “Catherine, are the flowers any less beautiful in the toilet than they were in the vase?” “No mother” Catherine said, “the flowers are no less beautiful” To which her mother responded, “remember that about priests, Catherine. No matter who the man is or what he has done, his priesthood is always beautiful.” And like I said, Catherine went on to devote her life to helping troubled priests whose priesthoods were in the toilet. 

On this priesthood Sunday, we can admit that some priests are ornate vases of beautiful flowers…and some priests are not. But their priesthood is always beautiful because their priesthood is the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

When Jesus called the twelve apostles to himself, he didn’t call perfect guys. He called the most unlikely characters you could imagine: gruff fishermen and conniving corrupt tax collectors. Guys who had some serious issues like the political zealot, Simon, whose feast day was yesterday, and guy who stole from his friends, a thief, Judas Iscariot. He called not the perfect, but he called them nonetheless, and at the last supper ordained them the first priests. And those first priests would become the avenues by which the Gospel would be spread, the Church would be led, and the sacraments would be celebrated. 

Every priest, no matter how sinful, has the ability to raise his hands and call down heaven, spiritual fire, upon the Church, and not because of the priest’s intellect, his wisdom, or his sparkling personality, but because he has been ordained, configured to Christ through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. 

One of the things about the priesthood that attracted me to begin discerning my calling is that priests enter people’s lives and are present to them at very critical moments: times of great happiness, like a baptism or wedding, times of sickness, times of sadness. I’ve been called into a hospital room where parents grieve a dead child. And the priest helps souls to know that God is with them, and that God invites them to holiness no matter what they are going through.

The priest announces the Gospel in these critical moments, and the priest celebrates sacraments in these critical moments, sacraments which are signs of God’s presence and grace entering into the concrete and often gory details of our lives.

When I entered seminary in 2001, the church was months away from being scandalized. News would soon be hitting every major newspaper that there were some priests who had failed to live up to their calling in grievous grievous ways, and some bishops had also failed to protect their flocks. 

And when the news hit of the terrible scandals: every seminarian at that time had some questions to ask himself: do I stick with this? Is this the sort of priest this seminary produces? Should I be here? 

And when I went to grapple with these questions, the call remained. Just because there were men who ended up as bad priests, doesn’t mean I wasn’t being called to be a good priest, or at least to try to be a good priest with God’s help. 

I think that realization was a great grace—it’s helped me to remain focused on the work and on God in the midst of some very sad moments, even some very bizarre and occasionally anti-Christian behavior from my brother priests. Strangely, remembering that priests are imperfect men, has helped me to remain focused on being a better priest. 

And I share this, on this priesthood Sunday, in the year 2022 of Our Lord, because things are still pretty chaotic out there, aren’t they, for Catholics. Liturgy wars are still being fought. We are having internal disputes over how to minister to the divorced and those with same-sex attraction and the trans-gendered, and over what it means to be pro-life. 

The Church needs young men now to answer the call to the priesthood, even in these chaotic times, because the Church will always need young men to answer the call to the priesthood. For this is how Jesus Christ designed his Church.  Some Christians don’t like the hierarchical constitution of Mother Church. Some even form splinter communities without priests, at their own peril, by the way.

But the Church will always need priests to help the faithful know and follow Christ’s teachings, to provide for the poor, to bury the dead, to pray with and pray for the Church, to lead in silence without a lot of support, to care for those who others have forgotten. 

This isn’t a call for everyone, but it’s a call for some. And Priesthood Sunday, it’s not for Catholics to congratulate priests. Priesthood Sunday is not for me. Priesthood Sunday is for the Church, to recognize that we all have work to do to help young men respond to God's call to discern the priestly calling--to make a visit to the seminary.

Our seminary in Cleveland isn’t perfect. It is very good, but not perfect. The presbyterate of Cleveland isn’t perfect. There have been some flowers in toilets in these parts. But that doesn’t mean that God isn’t calling young men to the priesthood (maybe someone here). Priests aren’t perfect, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t needed, or joyful, and fulfilled like no other profession on the planet. We are. Surveys continue to show this.

Dear people of God, pray for priests; pray that young men may hear and answer God’s call despite all the chaos and scandal in the world and in the Church, pray that priests with lukewarm hearts may catch fire, pray for priests whose priesthood is in the toilet, pray that priests who suffer unjustly may be sustained in their ministry, pray for these imperfect men, that our Good God will continue to grant his divine assistance through these imperfect hands and lips, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

14th Week of OT 2020 - Wednesday - The false gospel of prosperity

There is a strange teaching coming from a number of televangelists these days, it’s known as the “prosperity Gospel”. The claim is that God blesses us with material wealth, or things will start to go our way, when our faith is strong. Riches and material wealth become a sort of proof that we are on the right path.

This prosperity Gospel however is pretty inconsistent with the scriptural message. In the first reading today, the prophet Hosea addresses the Northern Kingdom. Remember, after David & Solomon, the kingdom became split, divided. The Northern Kingdom called itself Israel—having its own king, its own laws, its own temple, its own interpretation of the law. In fact, the Northern Kingdom was more “tolerant” to use a modern term, of the false religions. Altars and temples to the false gods were erected in multitude. Soon, many Jews were also worshiping the false gods and returning to the polytheism of pagan Egypt, and falling back into the pagan morality. But for a time, the Northern Kingdom grew prosperous.

Well, we hear Hosea in this morning’s reading, preaching to the Northern Kingdom how about luxurious they’ve grown-- the more Israel prospered, the more altars and sacred pillars to false gods were set up. Hosea, sent by God, makes known God’s displeasure for all of this idolatry and division, and so Hosea announces the consequences to the Northern Kingdom if they fail at ridding the idols from their midst and returning to the true faith.

“God shall break down their altars and destroy their sacred pillars.” And life will become so miserable, and God’s judgment so mighty, that they will cry to the mountains to cover them from God’s wrath.

The lesson is that, sure, an individual or a  nation might prosper for a time after separating itself from God. But prosperity is not a sign of God’s blessing, in fact, prosperity will not last long, when you separate from God’s Holy Will.

In the Gospel, the Lord calls forth the Apostles to be the foundation stones of the New Israel, the New United Kingdom of God. The Apostles, who are initially sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, will later be sent to all the scattered peoples of the earth, those downtrodden and abused by the mighty, to be gathered into One Faith, One Church, One Lord, One Baptism.

Sure, there are some individuals and nations who will prosper outside of the Church. But that prosperity will not last. We are certainly seeing in our own time, the effects of what happens when we stray from God: civil unrest, broken families, war, the prevalence of perversion, altars to false idols beginning to spring up everywhere.

Our job then is to ensure that we are not spending our life seeking to grow prosperous in the eyes of the world—pursuing worldly luxury and decadence, but in the eyes of God—in virtue, and holiness, and faith, hope, and charity, and to utilize whatever prosperity with which we have been blessed for the building up of the true kingdom, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Bishops, the successors of the Apostles, may use their authority wisely and courageously in standing against the evils of this world, and that the future Bishop of Cleveland may be a man of true faith.

For all those under the sway of evil, error, and corruption, for their deliverance by the power of Christ through the prophetic witness of the Church.

For the protection of young people from the corrupting influences of the world, for Christians families, and for the conversion of the faithless.

For the sick, suffering, and sorrowful, for miracles for hopeless causes.

For the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

June 29 2020 - Sts. Peter and Paul - Honoring their glorious martyrdoms

We celebrate today the martyrdoms of two of the greatest human beings who have ever lived: St. Peter and St. Paul. 

Peter was killed very near to where his basilica now stands on the Vatican Hill in what was then a Roman Circus named after the Emperors Caligula and Nero. As his executioners were preparing to crucify him, Peter gave them one last dying wish which delighted the sadistic executioners. Even though his sufferings would be greatly multiplied, Peter asked to be crucified upside down, as he didn’t consider himself worthy to be crucified in the same manner as our Lord, .

At the end of St. John’s Gospel, is the story where the Lord asks Peter three times, “Peter, do you love me”, then tend my sheep, feed my sheep.  The Lord then says, “Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands.”  And Peter did stretch out his hands on a cross because he loved the 

Lord more than anything else.  And now Peter is with the Lord forever in heaven.

St. Paul was slain for Christ, also in Rome, legend says, on the same day as St. Peter.  Because Paul was a Roman citizen, the law said he could not be crucified.  So he was dragged out the south gate of Rome and was decapitated at a place called Aquae Salviae.

Where they started out was dramatically different from where they ended. Peter was a Galilean fisherman. Paul, a rabbinical student, who was initially convinced that Christians were heretics, and needed to be eradicated. Both experienced tremendous conversion as their love and conviction for Christ became the primary motivators of their lives. Paul, for example, even from prison, makes spreading the Gospel, his primary task.

I love reading the Scriptures pertaining to these two men, for God shines through their human weaknesses and doubts and brings about tremendous courage in their lives—courage enabling them to do tremendous things to build up the infant Church, courage which led them to give the ultimate witness.

God chose these men to build up the Church and witness to the saving faith in their day, and God chooses us to do the same.

May we know their intercession, and remember always their example, that we, like them, might be poured out like a libation in service of the Gospel, that we may profess always and everywhere that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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The Lord Jesus built his Church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. In faith let us pray.

The Lord prayed that the faith of Peter would not fail, may the Lord strengthen the faith of His Church and protect her from all dangers.

The Lord appeared to Peter after his resurrection and appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus, may he make us steadfast proclaimers of his resurrection.

The Lord called Peter, a fisherman, to be a fisher of men, may he raise up new vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life.

The Lord mercifully forgave Peter’s denials, may he have mercy upon all sinners, and all those who suffer illness or any other need.

The Lord gave Peter the keys of the kingdom, may the gates of that kingdom be open to all who trusted in Christ’s mercy while still on earth, especially the deceased members of the Yurick & Hodock families, for whom this mass is offered.

Heavenly Father, graciously hear the prayers of your pilgrim Church on this great Solemnity and grant our prayers of petition through Christ, Our Lord.

2nd Week of OT 2020 - Friday - Apostles and Bishops and Us

The calling forth of the Apostles is a fitting scripture reading for us to reflect upon, particularly in light of yesterday’s news that Bishop Perez has been called forth by the Holy Father to be the next Archbishop of Philadelphia.

The word Apostle, comes from the Greek, Apostolein. Which means “to send”. We can see the English word “post” in there, like a postage stamp is used to send things, or a post office, a place where you send things, or simply to post, is “to send” something.

An apostle is first summoned by Christ. He is called from the world. He is called from the greater number of disciples. He is summoned to have a special intimacy with the Lord and to receive a special mission. In the case of the Apostles during the earthly ministry of Jesus, the Lord gives them a special mission of preaching and driving out demons. They are to do what he has done, what they have seen and witnessed him doing. In a sense, he’s already gone before them, showing them that the task is possible.

In their preaching, they shall use the words that they have heard him using, calling sinners to repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand, to turn away from their sins, to change their ways, that their lives may better reflect the values of God.

And they are to engage in spiritual warfare with the powers of darkness, driving away the entities and attitudes and forms of spiritual slavery through the power of God, the power given to them from God himself.

Having spent time with the Lord, having received their marching orders, the Lord then sends them out into the unknown. There they will encounter hostility, as he has encountered it. They will have to answer questions, make decisions, speak words some—many—are not willing to hear—helping them break from the sinful habits of the past in order to prepare for a future with God.

At the age of 32, St. Francis de Sales, whom we honor today was ordained a bishop. For 20 years, he labored zealously for the conversion of the Calvinists, administrated his diocese, and also found time to write his spiritual opus, The Introduction to the Devout Life, which hasn’t gone out of print in 400 years.

We certainly invoke the intercession of the bishop St. Francis and all those apostle saints and bishop saints, for Bishop Perez, called forth from Cleveland to fulfill the Apostolic mission within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. We recognize that we too, in our own way, are called to be with the Lord, that we may preach and drive out demons in the unknown territories of our lives. May we receive all the help we need from God for that purpose, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all members of the Church may live out their baptismal call with greater conviction and faithfulness, and turn to the Lord in their sins with sincere contrition.

For Bishop Perez, for the churches of Philadelphia and Cleveland, for our future bishop, whomever he may be, for faithfulness to the Apostolic mission.

For the safety of all at the March for Life today, and that the witness to the dignity of human life may bring about greater protection for the unborn and conversion to the Gospel of Life.

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 all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

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

October 28 2019 - Apostles Simon and Jude - Preaching against Pagan Idols

It is always good to reflect upon the importance and significance of the Apostles and their mission.  Simon and Jude were chosen by our Lord as apostles to establish the Church throughout the world.
In the Gospels, Simon is called the Zealot. He may have been part of the political group of Jesus’ time called the Zealots who were planning to overthrow the Roman occupying force. Or he may have simply been zealous for God. In any case, Simon put aside any plans he had for himself to follow the Lord and to proclaim the kingdom of God.

St. Matthew tells us that St. Jude was the Lord’s “brethren” so, likely a close cousin of the Lord’s. Some ancient sources even speculate that Jude was the groom at the Wedding at Cana, though there is no scriptural evidence to support this. Jude is quoted in the Gospels of John—he asks the Lord at the Last Supper, ‘Master, what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling in him’” The Apostles’ certainly became bearers of God after Pentecost, filled with the presence of God, as the spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
It is not clear why Simon and Jude are celebrated together in the same feast. They are also mentioned together in the Canon of the first Eucharistic prayer. Perhaps, it is because they were said to have traveled together, preaching the Gospel throughout Mesopotamia and Persia.

Legend has it that after winning thousands of converts, they were arrested in the Persian city of Suanir for refusing to offer pagan sacrifice in the temple of the sun and the moon. They explained that the sun and the moon were only creations of the one true God. They then cast out demons from the pagan idols  and two black, hideous evil spirits, began howling and blaspheming.  For exposing the idols as demons they were killed by an angry Persian mob.

Simon and Jude perhaps ought to be invoked in our own day when many are returning to a sort of earth worship at the expense of authentic Christian faith.

As the Lord called Simon and Jude from their various walks of life to follow him, may our own plans become secondary to the call of the Lord. May their example grant us courage, and their prayers assist us in our call to holiness for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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May Simon and Jude obtain courage for all bishops and priests to preach the fullness of the truth and teach authentic Christian doctrine.

May the holy apostles help all Christians to be strengthened in the faith, hope, and charity.

For the conversion of all who engage in false worship, for all unbelievers, and for Catholics who have fallen away from the faith, for those whose love of created things has eclipsed the love of the Creator.

That the sick, suffering, overburdened, and destitute, may know the help of the Lord who made heaven and earth.

For all who long to see the face of the Father, for all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered.

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

29th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Empty, seductive philosophies

Since last Wednesday, we’ve been reading from Paul’s letter to the Colossians. It’s a short letter, only four chapters; you can read the whole thing in 10 minutes.

Like most of Paul’s letters, Colossians is divided into two parts.  The first two chapters make up the first part.  They are theological and doctrinal.  The second part, which we’ll read tomorrow, begins the practical application.  And the two parts are connected: the Christian life is comprised of both right belief and right action.

The need for right belief is why Paul gives such stern warning today: “See to it that no one captivates you with an empty, seductive philosophy, according to the tradition of men, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ.”

We know all too well how the world seduces Christians away from Christ and away from the Church. And that “seduction” often begins with errors, false beliefs, philosophies contrary to the teachings of the Church. The error begins in the mind and then effects the way of life.

For Paul, right doctrine and right action are inseparable. Christianity opens the mind and heart to what is truly pleasing to God, and the Christian, knowing what is good and pleasing, acts accordingly. Caritas and Veritas, love and truth are inseparable—they are the two faces of the same gift that comes from God. As Augustine said: “nothing conquers but truth, and the victory of truth is love.”

In the Gospel, we hear of the Lord’s naming of the Twelve Apostles. The Apostles and their successors, the bishops, are integral in the Lord’s plan for the Church. They are to safeguard us in the Truth. In the great diversity of peoples and nations, they, by their teaching and preaching are to labor to help us remain united to Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They, like good shepherds, are to fight off the wolves and thieves that seek to steal the sheep from the flock.

So we certainly commit to assisting the bishops with our prayers and penances, and to do our part in reclaiming for Christ all those who have fallen to the empty, seductive philosophies of our day by our own preaching and living of the saving Gospel of Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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For Bishop Nelson Perez, and all the Bishops and Clergy, that they may lead the Church in Spirit and Truth and in faithfulness to all that Christ teaches.
For those who have strayed from the flock of Christ, for those who have fallen to the empty, seductive philosophies of the world, for their return to the life of grace.
For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster and inclement weather, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, the imprisoned, the unchaste, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.
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.

14th Week in OT 2019 - Wednesday - Power to push back the armies of hell

“Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority”. That word—“authority”—is an important in Matthew’s Gospel.

Jesus is depicted throughout the Gospel having “authority”. His authority over the powers of nature is shown in his many miracles: calming the storm, walking on water. His authority over unclean spirits is seen in his many exorcisms: casting out demons, silencing them. His authority over life and death is seen ultimately in his resurrection.

In Matthew chapter 9, Jesus says that He has “authority on earth to forgive sins”. And in Matthew chapter 28, he says “To me has been given all authority in heaven and on earth”. He has authority because He is the Faithful Son of the Father.

When Jesus gives authority to the twelve, what is he giving them authority to do? To Drive out demons and cure every disease.  They are given the authority to do a lot of what Jesus has been doing since he came out of the Desert and began his ministry.

 The Greek word, for authority, is εξουσια. It’s a great word in Greek having several connotations. Firstly, εξουσια is the power to act, the freedom to decide, that ability of will to choose. Secondly, it’s the power or ability to complete an action.  Thirdly, εξουσια can mean delegated authority, the authorization to do some work.  And fourthly, it refers to jurisdiction or sphere of authority. 
And Jesus is giving this authority to the apostles in every sense of the word. Free will to do God’s work, the ability to do supernatural tasks, they are delegated by the one who has the divine authority, and their sphere of influence will first be to the surrounding towns and to the lost sheep of Israel, but later, it will be to all nations.

Consider what this power to drive out demons really means. Yes, it’s the power to perform exorcisms. But It’s also power to push back the armies of hell, to reclaim territory formerly claimed by the devil. Think of all the areas of society where evil seems to reign, places where murder, corruption, lust, greed, perversion, selfishness seem to hold sway. The hearts of politicians, the minds of the youth, the dark corridors of the hearts of lost souls. God made flesh has given authority to drive these dark forces back.

It’s the power to bring transformation to the corrupt, to bring healing to the most wounded, to bring about miraculous change and conversion. But, it’s up to us to use the authority given to us by the Lord, to be courageous in facing evil, going to the dark places to bring the light of Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Bishops, the successors of the Apostles, may use their authority wisely and courageously in standing against the evils of this world.

For all those under the sway of evil, error, and corruption, for their deliverance by the power of Christ.

For the protection of young people from the corrupting influences of the world, for Christians families, and for the conversion of the faithless.

For the sick, suffering, and sorrowful, for miracles for hopeless causes.

For the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

12th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Pearls before swine

Having discussed the importance of prayer, piety, and performing works of charity, the final chapter of Jesus’ sermon on the mount offers instructions about personal relationships—how as Christians we are to interact with one another.

Jesus first warns about judging others. If not for the solemnity of John the Baptist yesterday, we would have heard the gospel of noticing the splinter in our brother’s eyes while ignoring the wooden beam in our own. We are to take care not to focus on the small imperfections of others while ignoring our own greater imperfections, lest we be guilty of hypocrisy.

But, the command to “stop judging” is not as sweeping as it might sound. Correction of a brother or sister who has become wayward in following Christ is an important act of mercy. Only after we have taken great care that we are acting out of authentic concern are we to engage in what is called fraternal correction. And there is a place for fraternal correction in the church. Speaking the truth, gently, after ensuring that we ourselves are being faithful to that truth, in order to bring an erring brother back to the practice of the faith; this is a good and holy thing. Parents, especially, have a vital role in correcting their children no matter how old they are.

The Lord then warns today, “do not throw pearls to the swine”. Now, some might take this an excuse not to give public witness to the faith. The Gospel might be rejected by some when it is preached in a public manner, but it is preached for the sake of those willing to listen. The Apostles, for example, in dealing with the Scribes and Pharisees, knew they would likely be rejected by many of them. But they persisted in preaching for the sake of those of goodwill—those who would be converted or edified by their teaching.

The Pope and the Bishops and the Clergy, likewise, preach the Gospel in public manner. Yes, it might be rejected by some. But the Lord blesses that public teaching. I would want to be corrected if I had fallen away from the truth, wouldn’t you?

On the other hand, sometimes it is a waste of time to persist in dealing with people who are impervious to correction. But I think we should be very slow to write someone off as impervious swine.

Bishop Perez has enjoined the Church of Cleveland many times, to meet people where they are with the truth of the Gospel. It is an act of love to preach and teach the Gospel. May we do so without hypocrisy or compromise of the truth, and with patience and complete faith in its authenticity for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That Pope Francis and all the clergy may witness to the truth of the Gospel faithfully, courageously, and compassionately.

For the protection of the unborn, and that people of goodwill will work together to enshrine the protection of the unborn in law and in the hearts of all.

For the conversion of those who do not believe in God, for Catholics who have left the Church, those guilty of heresy or schism, and for a return to the sacraments of those who have fallen into serious sin.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster,  those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, all victims of abuse, especially children, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for those who struggle to live the call of Christian chastity, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom, for the repose of the soul of St. Joseph Father Larry Tosco, and for N. for whom this mass is offered.

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.

May 3 2019 - Sts. Philip and James - Steeds of God

St. Hippolytus, writing in the early third century, called the apostles “steeds of God”—“horses for God”. Hippolytus writes “For these steeds have donned the secret of holiness, carrying the word for the riders and bringing them to the goal of truth”. A horse of God! It’s a rather blunt, almost uncouth title, but a significant one, especially for the two apostles we honor today.

Literally, Philip means “friend of a horse”. And his liturgical companion, St. James, son of Alphaeus, known in the Gospels as the “brother of the Lord” depicts the role of the Christian as a sort of work horse. In the Letter of James, we hear that we must be doers of the word, not just hearers of the word. James says, faith without works is dead, and that Christians must persevere in trial. James even writes about horses: “If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we also guide their whole bodies” so too the Christian must tame his tongue, bridle his body, with purity and wisdom.

I don’t know much about horses, but it makes sense that James highlights the importance of purity and wisdom as bridling and taming our bodies and tongues. For what we do in our bodies matters as Christians, and what we say, matters, our bodies and tongues can lead people to Christ or they can drive people from Him. The Tongue, writes James “is a restless evil, full of poison…From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be so, my brothers.”

How often do we regret our words because we do not think before we speak, we do not consider the consequences of our words, we use our tongues for gossip rather than gospel, blaming and complaining instead of encouraging and consoling.

The apostles are such great examples for us, because they have allowed the grace of Easter to truly blossom in their lives, they’ve allowed the wisdom of the Lord to order their lives, where spreading the Gospel and concern for souls is truly their first priority, even more important than preserving their own lives. Willingness to spread the Gospel like them, is, as St. Hippolytus writes, “the secret of holiness”.

Steeds for Christ. What a wonderful Easter image of our Gospel Mission. May we like the Apostles, Philip and James, be become spirited steeds of God, with tongues tamed by wisdom, bodies bridled with purity, for the carrying of the Gospel to the ends of the earth for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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May we join the Holy Apostles in our prayer for the world and the Church.

As the Apostles witnessed to the Resurrection of the Lord, may we be his witnesses to the farthest corners of the world.

For the bishops, the successors of the apostles: That they may be courageous in stirring up the flame of faith and defending the Church from error.

For all of the sick and suffering, especially victims of natural disaster, poverty, and addiction, may they be comforted and supported by God’s healing love.

For all who long to see the face of the Father, for all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered.

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

25th Sunday in OT 2018 - Me-Monsters vs. Humble Servants

“Beware of the Me-Monster”. This is advice from one of my favorite comedians, Brian Regan, in one of his classic stand-up comedy acts. “Beware the Me-Monster.” In this act, Regan tells a story of his experience at a dinner party where one of the guests dominated the entire meal talking about himself. When Brian Regan began to tell a story about a time when he had two wisdom teeth pulled at the dentist, this Me-Monster was quick to tell everyone, “yeah, well I had four wisdom teeth pulled, and they were impacted.” The "Me-Monster" always has to assert his or her supposed superiority.

The “Me-Monster” can be found everywhere, attempting to prove that they are better, smarter, richer, superior than everyone else. You’ll often see young kids exhibiting this behavior on the play ground, “well, my dad makes more money than your dad”, “my dad is stronger than your dad”. Adults maintain this juvenile behavior by showing off their wealth, insisting on buying the nicer car, the bigger tv. The internet has become a platform for “Me-Monsters” to grasp at superiority by signaling to others that they are smarter, more politically insightful, more compassionate toward victims of natural disasters, more protective of the environment.

In the Gospel today, the disciples were acting like a bunch of “Me-Monsters”. While returning from Caeserea Philipi, the disciples begin arguing about who is the greatest. Imagine, Andrew, perhaps saying, “Yeah, well, I’m the greatest because I saw Jesus first.” Peter saying, “Yeah, well, I’m the greatest, because I figured out that he is the Messiah.” James and John saying, “Yeah, well, we’re the greatest, because we gave up a lucrative fishing business to follow him.” Or Matthew saying, “Yeah, well I gave up more wealth than that, I was a tax collector.” Judas, butting in, putting Matthew down for obtaining his wealth by extorting his fellow Jews, while at the same time stealing money from the money purse. “I’m the greatest, I’m the holiest, the Lord likes me best.”  What a bunch of “Me-Monsters”.

“Me-monsters” can be found in virtually every corner of society, and sadly, in the Church as well. History is filled with tyrants who brought ruin to their nations because of their ambition, friendships and families destroyed out of jealousy, men and women who would lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead or for fifteen minutes of fame. This behavior is truly monstrous for it wrecks lives and wrecks the peace and unity in which we were made to live.

St. James, writing as bishop of Jerusalem after the Lord’s ascension, warned his flock about the dangers of ambition and jealousy. “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice.” James knew what he was talking about, after all, he was there when the Lord corrected the apostles, as we heard in the Gospel today.

The Lord corrected the ambitious apostles by teaching them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” In the world, greatness is determined by wealth, fame, power, athletic prowess, physical beauty. But in the eyes of God, greatness is determined through service, self-sacrificial service. One way of “bewaring of becoming Me-monsters” is to making frequent examinations of conscience, and frequent confessions, examining if and how jealousy, ambition, and pride affect our choices, behaviors and attitudes. Do I insist on control my spouse? Do I insist on dominating conversations. Is proving I am right more important than patience? Do I insist on being served rather than serving others.

I don’t think that it is a coincidence that St. Mark places this little exchange immediately after the Lord’s second passion prediction. Because it will be in His Passion, while hanging on the cross, that Jesus teaches the ultimate lesson in greatness, it is on the cross that He shows Himself to be the greatest, because there he performs the greatest act of self-sacrificial service that there ever was and will ever be. Jesus, the suffering servant of the Father, accomplishes our redemption, by being wounded for our transgressions. In the eyes of the world he is despised and rejected, he is obnoxious the world, as we heard in our first reading today. But, through embrace of the cross, he is the true victor, his be the glory and honor and power forever and ever. 

This lesson, that true worth is found in the embrace of the cross, was not immediately grasped by the apostles. After all, when it came time to follow the master to the cross, they abandoned Him, they ran away, they denied Him.

We must beware of
becoming the me-monster, of seeking to become great in the eyes of the world. But we must also be patient and set good example for the me-monsters around us. For, each one of the apostles, save Judas, who ran away from the cross the first time, each one of them, eventually faced their fear, faced their crosses. Each one went on to suffer greatly for the Gospel. Peter and Andrew were crucified, Matthew was impaled with spears and beheaded, Bartholomew was flayed alive, and so on. And they did so, that the Lord’s Gospel might be known, that the invitation to eternal life through belief and imitation of the Lord Jesus may be offered to all. If they can have a change of heart, so can we, and so can the me-monsters around us.

This week, may we have the grace to really examine our lives, and to root out with God’s help all of those attitudes and ideas in our lives that are not in conformity with the Gospel: the constant desire to be praised, to be chosen, to be preferred by others, the fear of being ridiculed for the sake of the truth. And may we have the grace to pour ourselves out in self-sacrificial service in imitation of Our Lord for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

13th Week in OT 2018 - Monday - Don't get too comfortable

After Jesus left his home in Nazareth, he was an itinerant preacher—he moved from place to place—never getting too comfortable.  He and the apostles, who followed him for the three years of his public ministry, weren’t staying in luxurious hotels on their travels throughout Galilee.

Before following the Lord, most of the Apostles were fishermen, who after a long night of work would clean their nets then go home to their families. But meeting and following the Lord changed everything. They, like him, had no place to lay their heads. Especially, after his resurrection and ascension: the Apostles traveled far from their homeland in israel: to india, turkey, Greece, Italy, spain.


They couldn’t get too comfortable in one place, because they were tasked to spread the Gospel.  And this is an attitude that every Christian disciple is to adopt in a way.  To not get too comfortable in the world. You’ve probably heard that as Christians we are to “be in the world, but not of the world.”

The world has a way of lulling us to sleep, intoxicating us with its riches and pleasures, encouraging us to store up treasures here, rather than in heaven. We have to be very careful with worldly pleasures, for our home is not on earth, but in heaven. Many will spend their lives seeking earthly pleasure, at the cost of their souls.

This is why you hear stories of the saints putting pebbles and rocks in their shoes. Some of the saints would wear scratchy hairshirts.  I visited the room of a Franciscan saint in Viterbo, Italy, who slept on the same wooden board for decades.

Is it extreme?  Perhaps.  But it worked for them.  Little acts of penance and mortification helped them to fan the fire of their Christian fervor.

So, perhaps we each need some little act of mortification, or fasting, or penance every day to remind us not to get too comfortable—to remind us that we are not meant for this world.  We offer up those penances especially for those who are losing or lost their desire for heaven.

For the Christian, constant pleasure seeking is so dangerous. Selfishness is truly an enemy to faithfulness. So may we busy about fanning the fire of faith, offering up the sufferings of illness and inconvenience and working constantly on earth for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
 
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That all Christians may be deeply committed to the spread of Christ’s Gospel.

For our nation, as we celebrate our independence this week, that we may be always grateful for our freedom, but more importantly, use that freedom for God’s will, rather than our own.

For all those who suffer from violence, war, famine, extreme poverty, addiction, discouragement, loneliness, and those who are alienated from their families.  May they know God’s mercy and be gathered to the eternal kingdom of peace.

For all those who suffer illness, and those in hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care, that they may be comforted by the healing light of Christ.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, the deceased members of our families friends and parishes, for those who fought and died for our freedom, and for Jim Steeber, for whom this mass is offered

May 14 2018 - St. Matthias - Counterbalancing evil

Matthias is mentioned only once in the entire New Testament—that short passage in the Acts of the Apostles describing the resplendent hour when he was chosen as an apostle.

More than forty days had passed since the unforgettable events of Holy Week.  The eleven were no doubt still astonished by all that took place.  The Lord had risen just as he said he would; the Resurrected Lord had appeared to them multiple times.  He had just Ascended into heaven and promised that the Holy Spirit would descend upon them.

The eleven decided that they had to replace Judas.  So Matthias became the first apostle chosen after the death of the crucified Lord.  One author said, “the dead branch of Judas had to be broken away from the living vine of Christ, that Matthias might be grafted in its place.  What Judas squandered was now entrusted to Matthias; what Judas should have accomplished was now to be completed by Matthias.”

In a reflection on these events, Pope Benedict wrote: “He was enrolled with the eleven apostles.  We know nothing else about him, if not that he had been a witness to all Jesus’ earthly events, remaining faithful to him to the end.  To the greatness of his fidelity was added the divine call to take the place of Judas, almost compensating for his betrayal” and “we draw from this a final lesson: while there is no lack of unworthy and traitorous Christians in the Church, it is up to each of us to counterbalance the evil done by them with our clear witness to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.”

To counterbalance scandal and betrayal by clear witness to Jesus.

In an age, when we have no lack of Christians who have abandoned the commandments, the clear witness of the faithful is needed.  To counterbalance their apathy and listlessness, we go forth to bear good fruit.  To counterbalance their idolatry of worldly vices, we fast, do penance, and purify our heavenly worship. To counterbalance materialism, we practice generous self-giving. Pope Francis himself said recently, that we must heed the call to offer the total commitment of our lives to Christ in order to be a “counterbalance to evil.”

Jesus chose the twelve personally.  But he also chose Matthias through the apostles.  And he has chosen us to be clear witnesses in this twenty-first century of the Church, to be a source of goodness the world so desperately needs.

Through the example and prayerful intercession of the Apostle Matthias, may we also be faithful to this divine call of ours and bear good fruit for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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May we join the Holy Apostles in our prayer for the world and the Church.
As the Apostles witnessed to the Resurrection of the Lord, may we be his witnesses to the farthest corners of the world.
For the bishops, the successors of the apostles: That they may be courageous in stirring up the flame of faith and defending the Church from error.
For all of the sick and suffering, especially victims of natural disaster, poverty, and addiction, may they be comforted and supported by God’s healing love. We pray to the Lord.
For all who long to see the face of the Father, for all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. We pray to the Lord.
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

6th Week of Easter 2018 - Friday - Childbirth and New Spiritual Life

Jesus explained to the Apostles that their experience of his absence will sometimes feel like the sufferings of childbirth.

Now, none of the Apostles had ever experienced the pains of childbirth, themselves; but no doubt, they knew it to be one of the most intensely painful human experiences.

So when Jesus says, following me will bring you intense pain and grief, you wonder why the apostles stuck around! Well, yes, as the Lord taught, there would be pain and grief and suffering, but all that would seem like nothing, like a distant memory, compared to the joy to follow.

The Apostles would truly experience great suffering. They would see their Lord and Master crucified, in what appeared to be ultimate defeat. Then they would experience the feeling of abandonment following the Lord’s Ascension. And then in their work for the spread of the Gospel around the world, we know they would undergo terrible sufferings for the sake of the Gospel. They would face persecution in nearly every corner of the earth.

Jesus’ words at the Last Supper give the Church hope. That our sufferings for the sake of the Gospel meaning something—that the suffering indeed furthers the Gospel and brings salvation to souls lost in error and sin.

The example of a woman in labor was a common biblical image for the end of days. Just as a woman is in anguish as she gives birth, so also the Church experiences anguish throughout history. But once the baby is born, the mother no longer remembers the pain but is filled with joy. Similarly, the Church’s grief will pass away, and be transformed into joy over the new life experienced through Christ.

As is often the case in pregnancy, our work for the Gospel may be marked by great stress. Under these circumstances, we will be pressured to terminate the new life the Holy Spirit wishes to create in us. We will be tempted to seek escape from the hard work through various pleasurable distractions.

Today begins the annual Pentecost Novena. Nine days of prayer perhaps corresponding to the nine months of pregnancy, itself symbolic of the whole of the Christian life. Let us pray fervently these nine days, turning to God in times of stress, nurturing the new spiritual life God wishes to bring to birth in us, knowing that all we suffer for His sake will be transformed into joy for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That through the preaching and teaching of the Church and all that she suffers, all people will come to recognize Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

That those charged with civil authority will show Christian compassion to the poor and marginalized, particularly for the safety and defense of the unborn.

For all Christian families: that the mercy, purity, and peace of Jesus will reign in their hearts and homes.

That the Church may cooperate with God’s grace for a flowering of new spiritual life during this Pentecost Novena.

For the sick, the suffering, those in nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice care, for the underemployed and unemployed, for the imprisoned, those with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, that the Spirit of Consolation may comfort them.

For the deceased members of our families, friends and parish, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for all those who fought and died for our freedom.

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.

6th Week of Easter 2018 - Thursday - What does it mean...

40 days ago, we celebrated the Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus on Easter Sunday.  And 40 days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended to the right hand of his Father in heaven.  Traditionally, the Feast of the Ascension, a holy day of obligation, was celebrated today, as Ascension Thursday.
In most of the dioceses of the United States, including Cleveland, the liturgical feast has been transferred to the following Sunday.

So we have a few extra days to ponder along with the Apostles in the Gospel today: “What does this mean that he is saying to us, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?"

We do well to ponder these questions, to ask, what meaning does the Ascension of Jesus have to my life? How is my life to be different because of it? How can I help others come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of this event in salvation history? What impact does it have on my Christian faith? On my Christian Hope? On my Christian Love?

Jesus’ Ascension should fill us with deep joy. For it is a sign of his victory, his faithfulness to the mission given to Him by His Father. It is a sign that his earthly mission of saving souls and starting Church was complete. He did it!

This event impacts our Faith: because of his Ascension, the Lord is not bound by time and space, he is not limited by geographical distance, we do not have to travel to Galilee to know the closeness and presence of the Lord Jesus.

The Ascension fills us with Hope. That he goes to prepare a place for us, as he promised. I can really HOPE to be with God in heaven, because the faithful son, has gone there to prepare a place for us.
And the Ascension should fill us with deep love: love for God for His mighty works, for the revelation of His goodness, for the blessings that flow from it.

For as we heard earlier this week, the Lord ascends to heaven, so that the Holy Spirit might be sent upon the whole Church. So the Ascension enables us to be filled with the supernatural burning charity of the Holy Spirit.

Tomorrow is nine days until Pentecost. The Apostles gathered for nine days of prayer, after Ascension Thursday, with the blessed Mother, before they received the gift of the Spirit—this was the first novena. We do well to join with them, in the Pentecost novena (praymorenovenas.com), as a way of honoring the Ascension and disposing ourselves to the Gifts that come through God’s Almighty Plan, for the building up of the Church, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all bishops, priests, catechists, and parents may be faithful in preaching and teaching the saving Gospel of Christ.

For those who do not believe in God and for those who have fallen away from the Church.

For an increase in the gifts of the Holy Spirit among all Christians, and for all who are persecuted for the faith.

For the sick, the suffering, those in nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice care, for the underemployed and unemployed, for the imprisoned, those with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, that the Spirit of Consolation may comfort them.

For the deceased members of our families, friends and parish, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for all those who fought and died for our freedom.

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.

6th Week of Easter 2018 - Monday - Called to Testify

In many of the stories of the saints, the holy ones are brought before judges, governors, kings, even emperors, to give testimony for their Christians faith.

In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus taught how on His account, his disciples would be “brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.”

I think of the Apostles being brought before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, or the first martyrs of Rome, saints like Felicity and Perpetua and Agatha, I think of that wonderful scene from the Man for All Seasons, of St. Thomas More standing before the English tribunal or the Ugandan St. Charles Lwanga and his companions refusing the perverted desires of the Ugandan King.

 Where are we to get such courage, such eloquence of word and deed?

As we near the end of the Easter season and the Great Feast of Pentecost, our readings speak of the Advocate, the Paraclete, who comes to the aid of Christians in testifying to Jesus.

In the Greco-Roman courtroom, your paraclete or advocate was the one who stood at your side and gave you help and assistance as your court case was tried.  Your advocate gave you counsel, pleaded your case, and interceded on their behalf, to teach them what they most know, to give them the words the must speak, when called upon to testify.

I think this is why some Christians back-off from or are hesitant to form a vibrant relationship with the Holy Spirit. We sense the Holy Spirit wants to impel us out of our comfort zones to witness to Christ. And that’s terrifying. So we “fall-away” from forming that deep powerful relationship with the Advocate.

But, Christians are to be witnesses to Jesus Christ in the courtroom of this world. Many will form their judgments about the truth of Christianity based on our testimony. And if they find us cowering in fear of witnessing to our faith, why should they convert? If we don't show conviction for Christ, why should they?

May we grow in our trust in the aid of the Holy Spirit, who helps us to be faithful to our vocation to boldly witness to Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all bishops, priests, catechists, and parents may be faithful in preaching and teaching the saving Gospel of Christ.

For those who do not believe in God and for those who have fallen away from the Church.

For an increase in the gifts of the Holy Spirit among all Christians, and for all who are persecuted for the faith.

For the sick, the suffering, those in nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice care, for the underemployed and unemployed, for the imprisoned, those with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, that the Spirit of Consolation may comfort them.

For the deceased members of our families, friends and parish, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for all those who fought and died for our freedom.

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.

6th Sunday of Easter 2018 - No Greater Love

At the Last Supper, Jesus gave to the apostles the commandment to love. So during the Easter season, we read extensively from the Acts of the Apostles so many wonderful stories of the Apostles faithfulness to the Lord’s command to love, all of their efforts to spread the kingdom of Christ’s love—how they endured imprisonment and torture and the threat of death that we might be saved, that Christ’s saving Gospel might be spread.

It is always beneficial and fruitful to meditate on the example and the virtues of the apostles—their miraculous works and their sufferings; for they teach what loving Jesus looks like
On the third of May, this last week, the Church celebrated the feast of two apostles, Saints Philip and James. And on Thursday, I preached about these two apostles, but I wanted to go into a bit greater depth, today, particularly into the great example of the apostle Philip, who is such a marvelous example of fidelity to the commandment to love—his very name, in Greek means “the one who loves”

In the Gospels, we first meet Philip when he begins following the Lord. And it really is love at first sight for Philip. We read in John Chapter 1 how Jesus was in Galilee and the Lord simply says to Philip, “follow me”. No arguments, no proofs, no signs, Philip simply follows the Lord. And in the very next verse, Philip is joyfully running over to Nathanael, proclaiming, “we have found the Lord the one Moses had spoken about in the law and the prophets.” When you really love someone you are willing to tell others about them.

So we follow Philip’s example of loving, joyful witnessing. We are to share with others—relatives, friends, strangers—how loving Jesus Christ has changed our lives. Witnessing to the power of our Christian faith shouldn’t terrify us; it should be a common practice for us. For there is power in that sharing, sharing how being a Catholic, how the sacraments, how prayer, how being involved in acts of charity, has changed you. How your lives are different because of Jesus. One of the ways Jesus wants to draw people to himself, is through your joyful sharing of your encounters with Him.
We read about another encounter between the Lord and the apostle Philip at the last supper, in the passage immediately preceding today’s Gospel. Jesus utters those beautiful words, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

And Philip turns to Jesus and utters a request: “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” The Lord gently rebukes Philip here because Philip doesn’t seem to grasp entirely what Jesus is teaching. Jesus didn’t come to grant a heavenly vision, a miraculous sign that would once-and-for-all prove the Father’s existence. Because he loves Philip, the Lord corrects Him. To love the Lord, is to be willing to be corrected by Him, stretched by Him, challenged by Him, drawn out of your comfort zone by Him.

After the last Supper, the Scriptures are silent about Philip, except for telling us that he burst out of the Upper Room with the rest of the Apostles on Pentecost preaching the Good News. Ancient Christian legend, however, details how Philip preached and performed miracles in Galilee, then went to Greece, and finally to a city in Phrygia, in modern day Turkey, called Hieropolis.
Hieropolis was known for its temples to the pagan gods, particularly to a pagan snake-God. And upon Philip’s arrival in Hieropolis, the snakes filling this Temple began to go crazy, hissing wildly and biting people. This reminds us of the scripture that says, the devil is in a great fury for he knows his time on earth is short. Often the devil causes disturbances in families and parishes right when they are on the verge of growing in holiness or performing sacred works for the Lord because he knows he is about to lose some territory.

Anyway, Philip goes around town and begins healing people of these deadly poisonous snake bites. He then prays for the Lord to deliver the pagans from this false snake-god religion, and at the request of Philip’s prayers, God strikes down this large temple serpent. Many people converted to Christ through Philips preaching, including the wife of the governor. This angered the governor and the pagan priests. So they arrest Philip and crucified him on the steps of the temple.  But, during his crucifixion there was a terrible earthquake. From his cross Philip prayed for the salvation of those who crucified him. The temple was destroyed and the people were saved. And after his death, many came to believe in the one about whom Phillip preached, Jesus the Christ.

So a few lessons here. First, Philip gives a wonderful example of Christian charity. He went around healing people. In this story, he heals them before he even starts preaching.

The Christian is always to be about the works of charity. It doesn’t matter if they eventually come to convert or not. We are to be about the work of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, healing the sick, because we are followers of Christ. In this way we are faithful to Christ’s command to love.
Secondly though, we must not be afraid to preach the truth even in the face of other competing religions and worldviews. Just because our culture is infatuated with promiscuity and perversion, doesn’t mean we stop preaching the truth about chastity, modesty, and purity. Just because our culture is infatuated with technology and instant gratification, doesn’t mean we stop preaching the truth about simplicity, self-discipline, silent prayer. We show our love by sharing the truth with them, lest souls continue down paths which lead to eternal separation from God.

Thirdly, Philip was willing to suffer and even to die so that others might know Christ. Christianity isn’t for wimps, or, maybe it is. Maybe it aims to give wimps like us courage, to be bold in our faith, fortitude to withstand the overwhelming temptation of the flesh, and the guts and the steel to make sacrifices so our saving faith might be spread.

May the Lord find us, like Philip, ready to follow Him to the ends of the earth, to use us as his instruments of charity and deliverance. And may Holy Mass today deepen our love for the Lord, and our conviction to proclaim and to live our faith boldly for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

May 03 2018 - Sts. Philip and James - Faith and Works at Home and Abroad

Meditating upon the lives and virtues of the apostles, their faith and works, is always beneficial and fruitful. Particularly in the Easter season, the apostles teach us and inspire us by their goodness and courage and zeal.

While his companions went off into the world, James had the difficult task of remaining in Jerusalem, as its first bishop. Though many citizens of Jerusalem had been converted to Christ after the apostles burst from the upper room on Pentecost, there lived in Jerusalem many who hated the Gospel and conspired against it.

The first verses of his new testament epistle, the epistle of St. James, speaks of the importance of persevering in times of trial: “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”

Details of James the Less’ martyrdom are found in the writings of Josephus, Eusebius, and Jerome. In 63, the Bishop Apostle was arrested and brought to the wall of the Jerusalem Temple. The Jewish High Priest demanded that James renounce Jesus as the Messiah. After giving a stirring sermon proclaiming Christ as Savior, James was thrown from the Temple wall then clubbed to death.
James foreshadowed his own martyrdom, when he wrote, “Blessed is the man who perseveres in trial, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.”

We read about Philip’s faith and burning love for the Lord in the Gospel of St. John. At the beginning of the Gospel, Philip joyfully runs to Nathanael to proclaim, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets wrote, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.”

Scripture is silent concerning the works and martyrdom of Philip after the Lord’s ascension.  Some ancient legends state that Philip was preaching in a Greek town called Hieropolis, where he miraculously cured people bitten by serpents and then killed a large serpent in a temple dedicated to snake worship. For this the pagan priests and the city governor arrested Philip and had him crucified.  So, in Philip we find two characteristics of Easter evangelization: bold courage in preaching against pagan error and warm joy.

We are reminded by these great Easter saints, that whether we are at home or abroad, by persevering in our trials, and by our preaching with bold courage and warm joy lead unbelievers to Christ, we are faithful to the mission of building up the Church and sowing the seeds of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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May we join the Holy Apostles in our prayer for the world and the Church.

As the Apostles witnessed to the Resurrection of the Lord, may we be his witnesses to the farthest corners of the world.

For the bishops, the successors of the apostles: That they may be courageous in stirring up the flame of faith and defending the Church from error.

For all of the sick and suffering, especially victims of natural disaster, poverty, and addiction, may they be comforted and supported by God’s healing love. We pray to the Lord.

For all who long to see the face of the Father, for all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. We pray to the Lord.

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