2nd Week of Easter 2026 - Wednesday (School Mass) - The power of Christ's resurrection in the life of the Church

 

A week and a half ago, Christians celebrated the great feast of the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. After suffering and dying on the cross and being buried in the tomb, Jesus rose from the dead, just as he said he would.

As you can see, the Church is still decorated with many signs of Easter, the priest wears the color white, to signify that we are still in the Easter season, we still have easter flowers and decorations. Much of the world has moved on from Easter, but Christians continue to celebrate Easter for 50 days—from Easter Sunday to Pentecost.

One of the features of the Easter season is that we read extensively from the book of the Bible called “The Acts of the Apostles”. The Acts of the Apostles is found in your bibles right after the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Where the Gospels focus on the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Acts of the Apostles talks about what happened next—those first weeks and months and years of the Church.

We read from the Acts of the Apostles during the Easter Season because in the Acts of the Apostles we see the impact Jesus’ resurrection had on the apostles—how Jesus’ resurrection changed them, animated them, guided their words and actions and behaviors—how they shared news of the resurrection and the importance of believing in Jesus and following Jesus and being baptized.

We also hear how the Apostles were hated by the world, just as Jesus was hated. But the Apostles were willing to suffer for the mission of the Church because their task was given to them by Jesus—to go and make disciples of all nations teaching them to observe all that he has commanded and baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles today, we hear how the Sadducees were filled with anger and jealousy over the teachings of the Apostles, just like they were filled with anger and jealousy over the teachings of Jesus. And like they did to Jesus, they threw the Apostles in jail. But then, there is something that reminds us of Easter. Just as the prison bars of death could not contain Jesus, the prison bars could not contain the Apostles. The temple guard found them, not in prison, but back in the temple area preaching and teaching in Jesus’ name.

Over the last 2000 years later, many of the world governments have tried to eradicate the Church and stop the preaching of the Gospel. Christians have been thrown in prison, tortured, and killed. But the mission continues and succeeds because the Catholic Church is not just some man-made institution—it is the body of Christ, risen from the dead, victorious over death, which continues to preach and teach in his name the message of salvation—that those who believe in Jesus and follow him shall have eternal life.

And just as the power of Jesus resurrection guided and shaped the early Church, it continues to guide and shape our lives, if we let it, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Trusting in the risen Jesus, who conquered death and continues to guide His Church, let us bring our prayers before our heavenly Father.

For the Church throughout the world:  that, like the Apostles, she may boldly and faithfully preach Jesus Christ risen from the dead, let us pray to the Lord.

For the Holy Father, Pope Leo, our bishops, priests, deacons, and all who teach the faith: that they may be strengthened by the joy of Easter and remain courageous in proclaiming the Gospel, let us pray to the Lord.

For Christians throughout the world, especially those who are mocked, threatened, or persecuted for their faith:  that the Lord may protect them and fill them with the same courage he gave to the Apostles, let us pray to the Lord.

For Corpus Christi Academy:  that our students, teachers, and families may let the power of Jesus’ resurrection shape the way we think, speak, and live each day, let us pray to the Lord.

For those who are sick, suffering, or discouraged:  that the victory of the risen Lord may give them strength, peace, and hope, let us pray to the Lord.

For our beloved dead:  that they may share forever in the glory of Christ’s resurrection, let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, you raised your Son from the dead and filled the Apostles with courage and joy. Hear these prayers we place before you and help us to live always in the light of Easter. Through Christ our Lord.

24th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Wednesday - Pillar and foundation of truth (school mass)

 

If someone told you 2 + 2 = 5, would you believe them? Why not? Because you know the truth. Or if someone said the sun is cold, you’d know that’s wrong.

In the first reading today, St. Paul wrote to a young bishop, named Timothy, and explained that the Church—the Church established by Jesus—is the pillar and foundation of truth, meaning the Catholic Church makes sure we don’t get tricked about what is true about God, about love, about how to live rightly in the eyes of God. The Church is like a giant light that shines so we don’t get lost in the dark.

In the Old Testament there is the story of Moses leading the Israelites through the desert on their way to the promised Land. They had to travel hundreds and hundreds of miles, on foot, with no map, no GPS, no google maps to guide them. But God created a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night to guide them, so they wouldn’t get lost.

St. Paul, in calling the Catholic Church the pillar of truth, certainly wants us to think of that Old Testament story. Like that pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night guiding the Israelites through the desert on their way to the promised land, God has erected the Catholic Church as the pillar of truth, so that we may be guided to the promised land of heaven. 

This is why we have priests and bishops and Popes and trained teachers, who teach us about Jesus and what it means to follow Him. Because God doesn’t want us lost in the desert. He wants us to make our way through this life with clarity about how we are to live, with truth to guide our actions and decisions and behavior. 

So when you come to Mass, when you listen to your teachers, when you read the Bible, the Church is helping you learn the truth about God—the truth that God wants you to know.

For, Jesus didn’t want His truth to get lost or forgotten, so He gave us the Church. And just like that pillar of fire—shining with light in the darkness-- the Church shines with the light of God’s truth for the world that Jesus is real, that He loves us, that he truly is the Son of God, that He saves us, and that He is with us. 

In the Gospel today, Jesus described the people of his generation who turned their backs on the truth about who he was. So, too, in our own generation many people turn their back on God. Nonetheless, we have the responsibility of learning the truth, making God’s truth the foundation of our lives, living the truth, teaching the truth, shining with the truth of God for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

7th Week of Ordinary Time 2025 - Wednesday - Unity

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trinity Sunday 2022 - God revealed in Creation, Cross, & Church

 Throughout the Church year, the feasts and solemnities of the liturgical calendar celebrate different dimensions of our Catholic faith. We celebrate events from the life of Jesus: like his joyous birth at Christmas, his salvific death on Good Friday, his glorious Resurrection on Easter Sunday. We also celebrate the feast days of the saints, typically on the anniversaries of their martyrdoms or natural deaths – like the feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch on October 17.

But today, on this solemnity of the Holy Trinity, we don’t celebrate an event from the life of Jesus or one of his holy saints, we celebrate the nature of God, who God is, and what God has done.

And as a way of gently handling this most august and mysterious of topics, I’d like to reflect on three C’s. Three C’s. Creation, Crucifixion, and Church.

In the first reading, we heard of the glories of Creation: mountains, hills, fountains, fields, earth and dirt, the heavens and skies, sea and water. God Created all these things and therefore must have pre-existed all of these things. God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—has existed from all eternity—and the three divine persons, working together, have brought all aspects of creation into being. 

What is the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited? A mountain top, the grand canyon, the ocean, a lush forest, a secluded lake? I’ve been blessed to have been able to travel to a lot of different locals. I remember vacationing in Canada one year, up in the Kawartha Lakes of Northern Ontario and waking up one early morn and seeing the first glimmers of sunlight on the glassy lake, the morning mist just gently hovering over the waters, the calm ever-green forest lining the shores of the lake, just being moved to tears at how grateful I was to take in the beauty of Creation.

Creation is beautiful-- because God—the Creator—is infinitely beautiful—and He has made creation very good. Pope Pius XII back in 1955 reflected upon how finite Creation hints at God’s infinite beauty. He said, Creation, “which offers itself to the inspection of the attentive observer, reveals an inexhaustible wealth of goodness and beauty, reflecting back with transparent sincerity the infinite superabundance of the perfection and beauty of nature's Creator.”

“Sometimes one is enchanted and overcome by the majesty of towering mountains, at other times by the irresistible fury of the ocean tempest, the solitude of polar glaciers, the vast stretch of virgin forests, the melancholy of the desert sands, the loveliness of flowers, the limpid quality of water, the violent rush of waterfalls, the distinctive beauty of the Northern Lights... Greater astonishment and wealth of knowledge are offered by... the secrets of the animal kingdom... in forests and in inhospitable deserts, on rivers and in the depths of the sea. What a testimony to the richness and manifold variety of nature... to soothe, recreate and refresh the spirit."

So, on this Trinity Sunday, reflect, perhaps on the beauty of nature, tell someone about the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited. Thank God for his beautiful creation. And endeavor to be a good steward of that creation.

The first C—Creation. The Second C--The Cross. The Cross too reveals something about God to us, it reveals God’s love. On the Cross we see the love of God made visible. The Father so loved the world, that he sent his Son to suffer and die to redeem us. God is love, and there is no greater love than one who lays down his life for others. Creation was a labor of love, well, so was the cross, the greatest labor of love: the labor that saved us from the grasp of hell. 

And through the Cross, through the Crucifixion, the Holy Trinity has transformed the ugliness of suffering into an instrument of human sanctification and redemption. Suffering now has meaning and redemptive power, so much so that we can say with St. Paul in our second reading: “we are able, now to boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

On this Trinity Sunday, turn to a crucifix, contemplate the love of God for you, in suffering for you, dying for you, you a sinner, loved with love beyond all telling. Ask the Father to help you to love as much as he does, Ask the Son to help you to love as much as he does, as the Holy Spirit to help you love as much as He does.

Creation, Cross, and finally, Church. The Church also reveals something about God—she reveals that God is still at work. The Church’s very existence is willed by God, she is sustained by God, animated by God, taught by God, directed toward God, protected by God, ordered by God, sent out by God. The Church reveals that God involves us in His work—to save souls. 

Also, St. Basil the Great, the fourth century doctor of the Church, taught that the Church has the duty to reflect God’s nature. The world is to know that God is a Trinity—a Communion of Love—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—through the way we worship and treat each other.

The Trinitarian nature of God is certainly seen in the way we worship. In the celebration of Mass, we unite ourselves to the Son, who offers Himself to the Father, that the grace of salvation may redeem the human race through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our sacred hymns today especially invoke, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We baptized in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit. Sins are absolved in Sacramental Confession in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit. The dying are comforted and the sick are brought healing and strength in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit.

But the nature of the Triune God is not just revealed by the Church’s worship and sacramental life, but the Church acts in his name out in the world. We seek to be faithful to the Commands of the Father, as Christ was obedient. We seek to imitate Christ’s goodness, his self-sacrifice, his self-donation, his endurance, his love for sinners. And we seek to be animated by the gifts of the holy spirit and the fruits of the holy spirit for the building up of the church and the mission of spreading the Gospel. Just like the beauty of God can be detected in creation, just like the love of God was revealed on the cross, the truth, goodness, and beauty of the living God—Father, Son, and Spirit, are to be manifest in the life of the Church.

So, on this great Solemnity consider how your life is called to mirror, reflect, make manifest, make known the Triune God—His Truth, Goodness, Beauty, and Love for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

34th Week in Ordinary Time 2021 - Tuesday (School Mass) - Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar's Vision

 

Although we still have a month to go in the calendar year of 2021, we are in the last week of the Church Year, for this Sunday, begins the new church year, beginning with the first Sunday of Advent.

During this last week of the Church year, at daily mass, the Church reads from the book of the prophet Daniel, from which we heard that very long reading about this very strange statue made out of gold, iron, bronze, and clay. 

The book of the prophet Daniel is filled with these strange stories and mysterious visions, a lot of them having to do with the end of the world.  The prophet Daniel lived about 600 years before Jesus, in a time, when the Jewish people had been conquered by a powerful nation known as the Babylonians. The wise and gifted prophet Daniel, had been put to work by God in the court King Nebuchadnezzar who had invaded Israel, destroyed the temple, and marched the people of Israel off into captivity dividing them from their families. Nebuchadnezzar was not a good man, but he did trust Daniel.

And so Nebuchadnezzar tells Daniel about a dream he had about this statue made out of gold, iron, bronze, and clay. And Daniel goes on to explain that this statue represents 4 kingdoms that will come to dominate the earth.

The first Kingdom the kingdom of gold represents the Kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonians. And Daniel explains how that kingdom, as powerful and brilliant as it seems, will not last forever, it will be replaced by a second kingdom, a kingdom of iron, which we interpret to be the Persian Empire, and then that kingdom will be replaced by a third kingdom, which we interpret to be the Greek Empire, and then that will be replaced by a fourth kingdom, and that would be the Roman Empire, who were in charge of things when Jesus was born.

But then, Daniel spoke of a fifth kingdom, a kingdom that will be established by God himself, and kingdom that will never be destroyed, a kingdom that will last forever.

The vision of Nebuchadnezzar did come to pass. The Babylonian Kingdom was replaced by the Kingdom of the Persians, which was replaced by the Kingdom of the Greeks, which was replaced by the Kingdom of Rome. 

And the fifth Kingdom has been established, the kingdom established by God himself. Which kingdom is that? Well, the Church. The Church founded by Jesus Christ, who is our head and our king. The Church has lasted longer than the kingdom of the Babylonians and the Persians and the Greeks and the Romans combined. Over the last 2000 years it has seen kingdoms and nations come and go, rise and fall, but the Church,  will last forever, just as Daniel claimed. 

And God invites people of every time and place and nation to membership in this kingdom. Membership in God’s kingdom is not based on race or social status or place of birth or wealth. It is based on faith, faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and obedience to his teachings and commands. To members of God’s kingdom, Jesus promises eternal life in the resurrection to come, when he returns, as he described in our Gospel reading.

This is why the Church is so active in her charitable works—in teaching the young, and caring for the sick, and feeding the hungry, and providing homes for the homeless, and preaching the Gospel. We are so grateful to be apart of this kingdom, that it is seen in our works, in how we treat people and how we pray. The Church is the largest charitable institution in the world and in human history because Christians are filled with such great gratitude and thanksgiving for what Jesus has done for us, and we want to be faithful to what he taught us.

You and I are each invited and called to full membership in this kingdom that will last forever. May we respond to this invitation to God generously, with lives full of gratitude for all of God’s gifts and blessings, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

August 13 2021 - Sts Pontian and Hippolytus - Duty to maintain communion with the Church

This has been a week full of celebrating amazing saints:  St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, St. Lawrence, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Jane Frances de Chantal. Today we have two saints, whose feasts are celebrated together, Saints Pontian and Hippolytus, who have a very interesting history.

The two men are both celebrated as saints despite the fact that one had been Pope for five years and the other hand been anti-pope for 18 years.  Even though a legitimately elected Pope sat on the see of Peter, Hippolytus elected anti-Pope by a schismatic group that believe the church was too lenient. 

A disagreement arose in those early centuries regarding the treatment of Catholics who committed serious sins like adultery and murder or who apostatized during the persecutions. Should they be admitted back to the flock, back to the sacraments, if they show sincere repentance? Hippolytus and his camp said no. Hippolytus garnered enough support that they formed a sort of splinter church claiming to be the true Church. Jesus warned us about this sort of sinful division, as did Paul and Peter, and the rest of the holy scruptures, but they formed the splinter church anyway with Hippolytus claiming the title and authority of Pope even then a duly elected Pope was in office.

Well, in 235, the  new Roman emperor Maximinus launched a violent campaign against all Christian leaders. Pope Pontian was arrested, and the emperor didn’t care who was pope or anti-Pope, Hippoloytus was arrested too. Both were exiled to work in the mines of Sardinia.  

Amidst the suffering and hardship of the mines, Hippolytus renounced his schism and papal claim and was reconciled to the Church by Pontian. Both men later succumbed to the harsh conditions, and their remains were transported for burial in Rome, where they were recognized as martyrs and saints of the Church.

People make mistakes. Intellectually. Theologically. Morally. They can sever themselves from the Church. Just because you have a lot of support. Just because you find a group who supports your error doesn’t make you right. Just because a fervent group names you Pope, like Hippolytus doesn’t make you so. 

As Catholics we must submit to legitimate authority. We must not allow our pride to lead us out of communion with the one true Church with the Pope as her head. There are schismatic groups of former Catholics, several in Cleveland. They claim to know better than the bishop, and know better than the Pope, and know better than faith articulated in the Catechism, they think themselves above legitimately enacted church law. But as long as they remain in schism, their salvation is at risk. 

And there are many who, while not in formal schism, hold error as truth, and allow that error to direct their lives, and they spread that error and lead others away from communion. There are weeds among the wheat, and the Lord will deal with them too at their judgment. With them, as with all of us, the Lord will be merciful and just.

But while on earth, we have a duty to maintain Communion with the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Through the intercession of St. Pontian and Hippolytus and all the saints, may the Lord preserve us in that communion for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Pope and all the clergy may be steadfast in preaching the fullness of the Gospel, especially in the face of worldly pressures and persecutions.

That through the intercession of the martyrs Pontian and Hippolytus, lapsed Catholics will be moved to return to the Sacraments.

That the imprisoned may know the grace of conversion and the consolation of the Spirit.

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

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

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 2021 - Apostles Philip and James - "Show us the Father"

 

Sometimes one comes across an atheist who makes the claim that they would believe in God if he showed himself to them. Well, Philip makes a similar request in the Gospel. He says, “Master, show us the Father; and that will be enough for us”

Jesus answers with a very gentle rebuke, he says, that’s why I’ve come, that’s what I’ve been doing, that who I am, I show you the Father because the Father and I are one. Everything Jesus does for us is for this purpose: to show us the Father, to reconcile us with the Father, to lead us to the Father, that we may be with him and his Father in paradise forever. 

So, in a very real sense, God has answered the atheist’s request. God appear to me and I’ll believe in you. Show me that you are real. Jesus is the answer to that request. He has appeared in history, and has accomplished the great work of our redemption.

So the atheist might reply, God, appear to me now. St. Paul would no doubt tell the atheist that if he wants to see God at work, now, he has only but to look as far as the Church. If the atheist actually took a moment to look, he would see Jesus in the Church, he would see God in the Church. He would see the evidence of God in the good works being accomplished by the Church, he would see the evidence in the unity that God has brought to the disparate people of the world, he would see the evidence in the patience and joy and understanding he gives to ordinary people like you and me.

He would see evidence particularly in the courage and amazing goodness in the lives of the martyrs and saints, like Philip and James who we honor today.

The Gospel writer doesn’t tell us if Philip immediately grasped the Lord’s teaching in the Gospel today, but we know that after the resurrection Philip dedicated the rest of his life entirely to Christ. It is said that Phillip was first to bring the Gospel to Greece and then to Frisia, the area along the North Sea from the Netherlands to Denmark.  It is there that he was martyred for the faith.

Legend states that James, son of alphaeus, brought the gospel to Persia, where he was martyred as well.

There is enough light and goodness in the Church for any man to see the presence of God if he but really looks. May we assist those without faith see the evidence of God through the integrity of our lives, for the glory of God and 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 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

 

All Saints 2020 - Who we are, where we're going, how to get there

At the tail end of Vatican II, Pope Paul VI promulgated a document called Gaudium et Spes, the pastoral constitution on the Church in the Modern World. It’s purpose was to help the Church understand her position and role and mission in the changing modern world with all of its advancements and strengths and foolishness and errors. For it’s important for the Church to reflect upon the “signs of the times”—a phrase which came from this document—to understand better the concrete details in which we are to live out our Christian mission and identity.

While explaining the need for Christians to bring our faith and live our faith in the many different levels of society in which we find ourselves, Gaudium et Spes is also very realistic in speaking about monumental struggle against the powers of evil and darkness.  History is not just the story of human progress, right? We are opposed by satan, the father of lies, who seeks to corrupt souls and bring ruin to nations and families and the Church. 

Last week, when we celebrated Priesthood Sunday, I asked for and thanked you for your prayers for priests—because there is a real battle involved in working for the good of souls. And if the devil can bring ruin to priests, well, that’s going to have an impact on parishes and families, isn’t it? 

But it’s not just priests, Vatican II says, all Christians are involved in this struggle, this battle. Facing such hostility and wickedness and personal demons, we recognize we need God. We need the Sacraments. We need prayer. We need the guidance of good solid Catholic teaching from our Pope and Bishops. If we are going to survive the battle with our souls intact, we need to make sure that we are drawing as much strength and protection and light from our faith as possible. 

And, this weekend, on this solemn feast, we look to the holy souls, the saints, the men and women and children, from every age, and place, and profession, who “survived the time of great distress," as St John calls this life on earth in our First Reading. The survivors, the spiritual war heroes, those who are glorified by God in eternity because of their Christian faith, hope, and love.

Contemplating these brothers and sisters in Christ encourages us: for if they can do it, so can we. I propose three short lessons on how the saints can be our teachers and guides. 

The first lesson is that the saints live with the destination in mind—they know what is at stake—that there is more to life than this earthly life. In the first reading, we get a glimpse of those saintly victors standing, robed in white in the heavenly throne room. In the presence of God stand this great multitude—people of every nation, race, and tongue, who have put on the wedding garment of Christ, who have been baptized, and have kept their faith amidst all the temptations and persecutions in this life—again, knowing what was at stake: in the end they would stand victorious in the heavenly throne room, or be banished from it for all eternity.

Why do we resist those terrible onslaughts of temptation? Why do we pray to remain faithful in the midst of persecution? Because heaven is at stake. Not only does sin diminish us—weaking our will and clouding our mind—it puts our souls at risk of hell. 

This first lesson is so important—because if we aren’t living with the destination in mind, we are likely to veer off the path—perhaps even forget there is path. There are many souls living this way--as if this earthly life was all that is—eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we shall die, and that’s it. And their souls are in danger. Because if you don’t live as if heaven exists in this life—why would anything be different in eternity?

So the saints remind us to live with the destination always on our minds. 

Secondly, it’s not enough to know the destination—you have to know where you are starting from—where you are, right now, spiritually, and who you are. If you can’t pinpoint yourself on the map—how do you know the direction in which you are to walk? 

And this is the second lesson: the saints understand who they are: they understand that they are human beings, with fallen natures due to sin in need of salvation. They know they need Christ. They know they need the Sacraments. They know they need prayer. 

And, they know that through baptism they have become Children of God. We read in our second reading: "See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are." Children of God. Members of God's family. God’s love for us is so profound—we are gathered into his family through the blood of Christ. And the saints are animated by this profound self-knowledge. In whatever hostilities we face, whatever temptations: we do so as Children of God. 

The saints know that they were made for love, by the one who is love. Love animates us, love guides us, love fills us, love protects us. The saints recognize because they are loved they need to become love--loving God and neighbor in the concrete details of their life. 

And that’s the third Lesson. it is not enough just to know who we are and where we are supposed to be going, but we also need to know how to get there. In order to cross a lake, you need a boat. In order to cross a mountain, you need mountain gear. In order to get to heaven, the home of the saints, you need to practice saintliness, blessedness.

This is what today's Gospel passage reminds us of: the Beatitudes are the practices and attitudes that you and I must cultivate if we wish to join the saints. 

We must practice poverty of spirit—recognizing our fundamental need for God in all things. We must mourn for our sins—those lost opportunities to live for God. We must be meek—treating each other with gentleness. We must hunger and thirst for righteousness—seeking to justly give God what belongs to God and to treat our neighbor and the poor with the respect and fairness due to every living human person. We must not just be just but merciful—going beyond what is merely fair and just—but practicing true mercy to become a blessing for others. We must be clean of heart—turning away from anything impure, corrupt, perverted, vile, or selfish, in order to seek God through prayer and worship and divine contemplation. And we must keep the faith amidst persecution—in fact, if we are not living our faith in such away that the world hates us, we might not be really living the faith.

Live with the destination in mind, live with the humble knowledge that you are a sinner, reborn in baptism as a child of God, now called to strive to live the beatitudes in this life, that we may join the ranks of the blessed in eternity.

May the saints help us and preserve us for this our destiny, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

1st Week of Advent 2019 - Wednesday - Fulfillment of Prophecy Past Present and Future

Yesterday, we heard Isaiah’s prophecy of the heir of the Davidic King who will usher in an era of lasting peace. And then in the Gospel, Jesus explained how he was that heir, how the prophets and kings of old longed to see what he was now accomplishing. So, we had a prophecy from Isaiah, and then Jesus explained how he was the fulfillment of that prophecy.

Today, our readings follow the same pattern. In Isaiah we hear of the promises of a mountain upon which God will provide for all peoples, a feast of rich food and choice wines, that on this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, he will destroy death, he will wipe away tears, on that day we will behold our God.

And then in the Gospel, Jesus is fulfilling those promises: Jesus atop a mountain miraculously cures the mute, the lame, the blind, the deformed, and then he feeds this great multitude, miraculously multiplying seven loaves of bread and a few fish, and has an abundance of food left over.

Jesus continues to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah during this age of the Church: in the Sacraments the sick come to him for healing in the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, those spiritually sick and even dead in sin, come to him for healing and new life in the Sacrament of Confession, and he feeds us with supersubstantial food, his body and blood in the Eucharist.

And Our Lord heals the sick and feeds the hungry through the charitable work of Church. Hospitals were invented by Christians seeking to be the healing hands of Christ in the world. And the Church continues to be the greatest of charitable institutions in feeding the starving and clothing the naked of the world.

And yet, these readings still point to the future, to the second Advent and coming of Christ at the end of the age, when we will eat and drink at the eternal banquet feast of heaven and be clothed with glory forever, where there will be no more death or disease, and every tear will be wiped away forever.

Advent certainly helps us appreciate the ways in which the prophecies of old were fulfilled in the earthly ministry of Jesus 2000 years ago, how they are fulfilled now in the present, and how they will be fulfilled in eternity. So what needs to change in us, that we may be more perceptive of God at work in our midst, and more participative in God’s work now, and what needs to change that I may ready myself for the ultimate fulfillment of these promises in eternity?

May the light and life of Christ’s Advent shine in us today and forever for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.
That through the witness of the Christian Church, Our Lord will bring hope to the hopeless and joy to the joyless.
That world leaders may look upon the Son of God, believe in him, and seek the peace and justice that only he can bring.
That Christ may heal every disease, drive out hunger, feed every authentic hunger, ward off every affliction, and bring peace to the suffering.
For the deceased of our parish, family and friends, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Almighty ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

34th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - The kingdom that shall never be destroyed

Yesterday, we heard how Daniel, because of his faithfulness and obedience to God was given “the understanding of all visions and dreams.”  Today we hear how Daniel, uses this gift, and interprets a dream of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Through the prophet Daniel, God wanted King Nebuchadnezzar to know that his kingdom, so dear to him, could and would undergo destruction.  Other kingdoms would take its place, but they, too, would last only a time.  The prophecy of Daniel foreshadowed the words of Jesus, when he spoke of the Temple of Jerusalem:  it, like everything built by human beings, will be destroyed. 
We are not to put our hope in earthly institutions, buildings, or kingdoms.

But then, Daniel prophesied about a kingdom established by God Himself, a kingdom that would never be destroyed. Daniel did not know that he was speaking about the Church: not church buildings, of course,  but the Church herself, made up of “living stones”.  And this kingdom, “the kingdom of truth and life, the kingdom of holiness and grace, the kingdom of justice, love and peace,” as is described in the Eucharistic Preface for the Solemnity of Christ the King, this kingdom is eternal.

The Letter to the Hebrews states, “we who are receiving the unshakable kingdom should have gratitude, with which we should offer worship pleasing to God in reverence and awe.” Gratitude for the blessings of life, gratitude seen in works of self-sacrifice, gratitude for salvation is a necessary hallmark of the members of the eternal kingdom.

Members of the eternal kingdom have a great responsibility, to ensure that we retain membership in it. For membership in God’s kingdom is not based on race or social status or place of birth, but on union with Christ through grace, through faith, hope, and love, and gratitude.

The Greek word for gratitude is of course “Eucharistia”—Eucharist. The gathering for Eucharist to offer pleasing worship—worship in which we unite our lives in reverence and awe to the sacrifice of Christ— is a hallmark of membership in the eternal kingdom.

May our gratitude for membership in the eternal kingdom through Christ be seen in works of love today, works which build up the kingdom made of living stones through the preaching of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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Lord, sanctify your bishops and priests, and grant them courage to preach the Gospel in its fullness.

Lord, make the lives of parents examples of faith to inspire their children to seek first your heavenly kingdom.

Lord, bring all those who have fallen away back to the sacraments, help them to repent of their sins and desire the life that can only come from you.

Lord, make us truly grateful for salvation and for the blessings that fill our lives.

Lord, bring comfort to the sick and suffering, charity and care to the destitute and down-trodden, be present through your church to the miserable.

Lord, welcome into your kingdom all the faithful departed, those whose names are written in our parish necrology, all clergy and religious, and X for whom this mass is offered.

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.

24th Week in OT 2019 - Wednesday - Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth

I came across a small booklet at my home parish in Madison, many years ago. It was titled, “Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth”, those two epithets in reference, of course, to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

As God guided the Israelites on their exodus from Egypt by giving them a pillar of fire to light their way across the dark wilderness  (Exod. 13:21), today God guides us through his Catholic Church.

And in this age of countless competing religions, each clamoring for attention, one voice rises above the din: the Catholic Church, which St. Paul calls “the pillar and foundation of truth” (1 Tim. 3:15) in our first reading today.

“Great is Artemis of Ephesus” cried the rioting crowd of Ephesus when Paul challenged their idolatry with the Gospel. The pagan peoples throughout the centuries have all claimed greatness for their various gods. But Paul counters the pagan cries with “Undeniably great is the mystery of devotion”, that is Christ. For the Christian God does not remain hidden in some unreachable realm, but he has “manifested in the flesh”. He is visible.

So too, his Church, the pillar of fire, the pillar of truth is visible. The power of her holiness can be seen in the saints, the power to transform lives of dissipation into lives of heroic sanctity.

And as pillar of truth, the Church clearly teaches the truth of the Gospel without compromise with the errors of the world. And she has clear, visible structures to oversee and govern this teaching mission: her hierarchical structure, the teaching magisterium, the pope, and the Apostles who order and lead with authority coming from Christ Himself.

Any merely human organization with such members would have collapsed early on. And her vigor, with over a billion members, one sixth of the human race, is not simply a testimony to the cleverness of the Church’s leaders, but to the presence of the Holy Spirit, guiding her and protecting her.
As a pillar of truth, she is often in conflict to those who belong to the world, as the Lord describes in the Gospel today, the people of this generation who, like children in the marketplace yell out calls of mockery and disdain.

But we know that through Holy Church, we have union with God Made Flesh, Jesus Christ, Our Lord, our assurance of eternal life, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That our Holy Father, all the bishops, priests, and deacons of the Church will courageously preach the Truth of the Gospel in its fullness.
For the purification of Holy Church from all error and heresy, especially among those who preach and teach.
That the fire of the Holy Spirit may be evident in all members of the Church, and in this parish community.
For mercy and peace for all those who suffer: for the sick and diseased, for those undergoing surgery this week, for the destitute and despairing, for all victims of war, violence, and abuse, and for those who will die today and the consolation of their families.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, and for N., for whom this mass is offered.
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.

4th Week of Lent 2019 - Friday - Obnoxious to the wicked

The passage from the Book of Wisdom this morning is taken from a section of the book called “the speech of the wicked”.  This wicked person is lamenting that just, righteous people of God, are obnoxious to their wicked way of life.

One of the reasons the Church is often attacked is because we are obnoxious to the wicked. The Church reminds our hedonistic culture that there is more to life than just seeking pleasure all the time. Christians are seen as obnoxious to the wicked, for we engage in many practices the wicked consider foolish: prayer, fasting, almsgiving, chastity, poverty, obedience, self-sacrifice, study, going out into the streets and serving the poor, patiently enduring suffering for the good of souls.

In a way, the Word of God is giving us our marching orders this morning.  Be obnoxious, be obnoxious to the wicked, be “Fools for Christ” as St. Paul would say.  Be so holy, take your faith so seriously, engage in the works of mercy so devoutly, that you make the wicked a little nervous—you prick their conscience, you bring into doubt their manner of life, by the way you live your faith.

That’ll be my dismissal from Mass today: “Go forth, and be obnoxious to the wicked…Thanks be to God”.  Not really, but it does have a certain ring to it. Become so holy that you are noticed. If the wicked are ignoring us, because they don’t view us as a threat to their hedonistic ways, are we really living the faith? If we are blending in with the wicked, valuing the same things they do, then are we really imitating Jesus as we should?

For as we hear in the Gospel, Jesus became known publicly as one who the wicked wished to put to death. They wished to silence because his truth exposed their error, his authority challenged their self-importance, the light of his goodness exposed the darkness of their selfishness. Amidst ferocious opposition, Jesus publicly and boldly proclaimed the Word of God because he desires our conversation and our salvation more than we desire our sins. 

May our Lenten penances which the world finds obnoxious, help us to conform our hearts ever more totally to Christ, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For an increase in faith for the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity.

That the Church might be delivered and protected from all spirits of error, heresy, schism, and unbelief.

For strength to resist temptation, and the humility to sincerely repent of sin.

That through fasting and self-denial, we may be ever more conformed to Christ.

That those in need may find assistance in the charity of faithful Christians and that peace and security may be firmly established in all places.

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

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.

5th Sunday of Easter 2018 - "Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit"

Last Week, Fr. Klasinski shared how some of the most ancient sacred images of Jesus we have, are not of the crucifixion, but of Jesus, as a young, strapping shepherd. These images of Jesus the Good Shepherd are found throughout the catacombs of Rome.

Once we came out from the underground, with the legalization of Christianity in 313 by the Roman Emperor Constantine, we started building beautiful basilicas in honor of the Lord. One such basilica, built over an ancient pagan temple to the roman god Mithras is the basilica of San Clemente—named after the first century Pope, Pope St. Clement I who was martyred around the year 99 during the persecution of the Emperor Trajan and who is mentioned in the first Eucharistic prayer.

I’ll never forget visiting the Basilica of San Clemente, for it contains one of the most beautiful mosaics in the world, and it depicts our Gospel today. I recommend you search the web for an image of this amazing mosaic when you get home; for now you will just have to imagine. At the center of the mosaic is Jesus on the cross, and out of the foot of the cross grows this green leafy vine. “I am the true vine”, Jesus says in the Gospel today.

Above Jesus crucified is a hand, the hand of God the Father, the vine grower, the one who blesses the sacrifice of his son and the growth of the Church, as Jesus says “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.”

Now picture, growing out of the foot of the cross is this multitude of curling branches, filling this whole mosaic. And in the midst of all these undulating, curling branches, are birds and deer and fruit and flowers, poor peasants, pious religious, and Doctors of the Church. And these represent us, the rich diversity of the Church. As Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches.”

Now picture on the branches closest to Jesus on the cross are his blessed mother on one side and the beloved disciple St. John on the other, with his head inclined toward Jesus, like he did at the last supper. Mary and John are for us two great examples of how to remain close to Jesus, as he teaches us “Remain in me, as I remain in you.” We are each to follow the example of the Blessed Mother, imitating her humility and her courage. And we are to follow the example of St. John who inclines his ear to the heart of Jesus. To remain with Jesus we, like Mary and St. John, need to follow Jesus to the cross, meditate upon his sufferings, and love Him with the heart of a mother and the heart of an apostle.

Now picture, on the wood of the cross, surrounding Jesus’ body are twelve white doves. The dove makes us think of the holy spirit, and the number 12 makes us think of the 12 apostles. So these white doves are the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, ready to fly around the world to spread the peace of the Gospel. They also symbolize the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness, modesty, chastity, self-control, and the like. These fruits are to be evident in the life of the Church, for as the Lord teaches: “Whoever remains in me, and I in him will bear much fruit.” Only when we remain connected to Jesus will we be as patient as we need to be, as gentle and kind and courageous as God made us to be.

I’ll post an image of this mosaic on my blog and facebook page, along with a copy of this homily, as I do every week. So you can see for yourselves this tremendous image. And you’ll notice all those branches growing from the cross are not growing in a haphazard, random way. They fit perfectly together, in an orderly fashion, as if they have been pruned and cared for by the vine grower. As the Lord teaches, “He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.”

The Father prunes us. The Father seeks to remove all those attitudes and behaviors which are unbecoming of His children, for He wants those spiritual fruits to flourish in our lives. So often, we resist spiritual growth by speaking violent resentful words instead of forgiving upbuilding words, by letting others do the hard work of the Church instead of taking it up ourselves, by giving into temptations of the flesh instead of the deep urgings of the spirit. So, through the trials, challenges, and, yes, the suffering of our life, the Father prunes us, to teach us, to humble us, to help us sever our unhealthy relationships and behaviors, so that we can bear healthy spiritual fruit.

In the mosaic there are no dead branches, just as Jesus says, those that do not bear good fruit “will be thrown”, gathered, thrown into a fire, and burned.  Jesus here speaks quite apocalyptically, speaking of the eternal consequences for those who do not remain in communion with Him through lives of faith, hope, and love.

Thanks be to God, that if and when we have severed ourselves from God through serious sin, through mortal sin, we can be grafted back upon the vine through the Sacrament of Confession. For as the Catechism teaches, “The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God's grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship.”

So, as you’ve been imagining this mosaic from San Clemente, imagine now the moment in the Mass, where you come forward to receive Holy Communion. Imagine from this altar, vines curling out to you, to bring spiritual nourishment and God’s very life. The life that flows from the self-giving of Jesus on the cross is to flow into your life so that your life might bear the same fruit that Jesus’ life bore.

But that vine isn’t detached as you leave Mass, let it not be severed as you walk out of Church. You are to remain connected to the altar, to the cross, to the Lord, in your family interactions, your business relationships, your political associations, your treatment of strangers, your sensitivity to the needs of the poor.

The final detail from the mosaic is the type of vine the artist chose to depict. He chose to use the ancient symbol of the acanthus plant. From Greek antiquity, the acanthus has been used for medicinal purposes. So, too the Christian in the world, united to Christ through prayer and through the Sacraments, is to have a medicinal effect in the world. We are to bring healing to broken relationships, peace to violent conflicts, purification to corrupt governments, cleansing of perverted cultural norms.

“By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples." Throughout the eek may you remain to the Lord, bear fruit for the Lord, bring healing to the world for the Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Before the Creed I would like to share with you some news. This week, I received a letter from Bishop Perez.  After four years here at St. Clare, my assignment has come to an end. And so on the 12th of June, I will be the new parochial vicar of Holy Family Parish in Parma, Ohio. I have treasured my time here at St. Clare, but  "we must go where we are sent" by God...and the Bishop. I’m so glad I was sent here to St. Clare, but the bishop, also like the good vine grower, tends the vine, and sends me back to the west side.

But listen to the beautiful words of the Bishop from my appointment letter from Bishop Perez describing the work of the Parochial vicar: "Continually fortified by the grace of ordination, you have the task and the privilege of reverently leading the faithful in prayer, especially in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. You are empowered by God's call and by his grace to know and love the people you serve, to care for the poor and needy, to teach the youth, and to attend the sick and dying with the compassion of Christ."

So, please pray for me, that I may be faithful in this new ministerial assignment. Fr. Klasinksi will share news about your new parochial vicar after communion today. So if you are in the habit of immediately leaving Mass after receiving Holy Communion…shame on you…you should stay and finish mass anyway, but today you’ll hear some news affecting your parish.

November 21 2017 - Presentation of Mary - Daily dedication to God

Pope St. John Paul wrote how the Church from the beginning has modeled her earthly journey on that of the Mother of God. “It is to her as Mother and Model that the Church must look in order to understand in its completeness the meaning of her own mission.”

What does the sacred event which we commemorate today teach us about the Church’s mission, our mission?

Though she belonged entirely to God from the moment of her immaculate conception, the Church Fathers speak of how Mary herself desired to be brought to the Temple, to be presented to God in a formal, solemn, and public way to demonstrate to all that she really did belong to God.

This certainly reveals an important dimension of Christianity. It is not enough for us simply to belong to the Lord privately. We show that we belong to God in formal and public ways. The Sacramental system certainly reflects this principle. Catholics show we belong to God every week, some of us, every day, by gathering at the altar for the celebration of the Eucharist. Here, we present ourselves to God, we receive the nourishment of the Eucharist. But, our dedication to God does not end here. We receive the Eucharist that we might go out into the world to build the kingdom of God.

In the Gospel for this feast, Jesus pronounces belonging to his spiritual family, the Church, requires more than a biological bond: “Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother and sister and mother”.

Our dedication to the Lord is seen when we engage in the works that God wants of us. Without these works, faith is dead, says St. James.

It is good and important to dedicate ourselves to God through prayer and the sacraments. The morning offer is a powerful way of dedicating ourselves to God on a daily basis, particularly when we cannot come to daily mass. But even the morning offering speaks of our works: “O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world.”

Pope John Paul II once said that the practice of praying the Morning Offering is ‘of fundamental importance in the life of each and every one of the faithful.’ It is a daily reminder to make our entire day, our whole life ‘a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God’ (Romans 12: 1).”

A daily prayer of dedication can help to order our day, that we like Mary, may remain united to God in all of our thoughts, intentions, affections, desires, words, and deeds, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For deeper Marian devotion amongst all Christians, that the Church may more deeply share in Mary’s dedication to God.

For all mothers, that they may find in Mary the example and strength to carry out their vocation of love, and that all sorrowful mothers may know the consolation and peace of God.

For all consecrated religious, that their dedication may inspire all Christians to deeper faith, hope, and charity.

That through Immaculate Mary, Queen of Peace, hatred, violence, and cruelty will cease in the world. 

That from the moment of conception all children will be preserved from bodily harm; for the overturning of unjust laws permitting the destruction of innocent life; and that the minds of all may be enlightened to know the dignity of every human life.  We pray to the Lord.

That the sick may draw strength, consolation, and healing by turning to Mary, who intercedes for us from her place in heaven

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

We pray, O Lord our God, that the Virgin Mary, dedicated to your Holy Will,  may commend the prayers of your faithful in your sight.

October 17 2017 - St. Ignatius of Antioch - A link to Jesus and the Apostles

In seminary one year, I remember hearing about how the early Church had such a tremendous esteem for Ignatius, that his letters would often be read allowed during the Mass alongside the Scriptures. So, I decided to read through his letters myself, and they are a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a very holy and courageous bishop. Like Paul, Ignatius wrote letters to Christian communities like the Ephesians and Romans. And as Paul wrote to Timothy, who had become Bishop of Ephesus, Ignatius wrote to St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. Ignatius even seemed to model his writings after Paul, Peter, and John, and quoted from their works freely.

In the preface to the little book of letters I found, one legend claimed that when Jesus called forward the little child to bless him in the Gospels, Ignatius was that little child. Whether that is true or not, only heaven knows, but Ignatius an important link in the chain of Church history going back to Jesus and the Apostles.

Tradition identifies Ignatius as a disciple of John the Apostle, and later in life, Ignatius was named Bishop of Antioch, where the Apostle Peter had served as Bishop before journeying to Rome. There in Antioch, he is arrested and marched to Rome, where he, like Peter and Paul would face his martyrdom. And it is in his famous Letter to the Romans, which is always read on his feast day in the Office of Readings, that he pleads with the Church not to rescue him, but that he gladly goes to his martyrdom. He says, “Let me be food for the wild beasts, for they are my way to God. I am God’s wheat and shall be ground by their teeth so that I may become Christ’s pure bread.”

If you are so inclined I encourage you to read his letters. For in them we find eloquent teachings on the Eucharist, the primacy of the Bishop of Rome, the role of bishops, general in their local church, and the priesthood. In one of my favorite images, Ignatius urges the early church to strive for unity of faith, and explains how priests should be tuned to their bishops like strings to a harp.

His love for the Church and love for Christ shines through his letters. It is that love that no doubt gave him the fortitude to witness to the True Faith with his blood. May our love for Christ and His Bride the Church ever increase, and spurn us on in our Christian witness, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For Pope Francis, Bishop Perez, and all ordained ministers, that their ministry may unify the Church with the unity Our Lord prayed for at the Last Supper.

That world leaders may look upon the Son of God, believe in him, and seek the peace and justice that only he can bring.

That our young people may take seriously the missionary call of Christ, that they will turn away from the evils of our culture to spread the good news of Christ’s eternal kingdom.

For all whose lives are marked by suffering, may they come to know the healing and peace of Christ.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, 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.

June 29, 2017 - Saints Peter and Paul - Catholicity and Unity

Towards the end of my first parish assignment at St. Columbkille in Parma, I was able to lead a wonderful pilgrimage to Rome. Our very first stop, after the 8 hour flight, was the Basillica of Saint Paul’s.  There, one is able to kneel and pray before the relics of Saint Paul himself, the Great Apostle to the Gentiles, who was martyred in Rome.

Kneeling before the relics of the man who gave so much, who suffered so much, who traveled through rapid rivers, steep mountains, malaria-plagued lowlands, and bandit-ridden passages, endured robbers, attempted assassinations, imprisonment, torture, and martyrdom all for the sake of the Gospel, all out of love for Jesus Christ, I thought, here is one of the great men of history, the heroes, an exemplar of the Christian life.  St. Paul pray for us.

No pilgrimage to Rome is complete without visiting the Basilica of Saint Peter. The basilica’s altar sits directly over Saint Peter’s. Pilgrims kneel there, in prayer, and in awe, before the holy relics of the man Jesus Christ himself called “the rock, upon whom I build my Church.”

One is struck by the shear of pilgrims in Rome: thousands and thousands of people, from all over the world, in pilgrimage and devotion. Among the relics of Peter and Paul, one truly encounters the Church’s Catholicity: comprised of living stones of people of every race, nation, and tongue.

Pope Benedict XVI wrote how it was fitting how both Peter and Paul came to Rome, the city that was the place of convergence for all people, which would become the primary place of the “universality of the Gospel.”

Interestingly, though the body of Paul is buried in the Basilica of Saint Paul and the body of Peter is buried in the Basillica of Saint Peter’s, the relics of their heads are enshrined in the Cathedral of Rome, the basilica of St. John Lateran. We celebrate the feast of the dedication of Saint John Lateran every year on November 9. For it is there among the heads of Peter and Paul, where the Pope, exercises his headship over the whole Church throughout the whole world.  To be faithful to Christ is to look to the leadership of Peter’s Successor.

Today’s feast reminds us that the Christian Faith is not something that the individual creates for himself, or a religion that we live out in isolation in our tiny corner of the world.  Christianity is something we have received from the Apostles on behalf of Jesus Christ, and that we live out in union with Christians throughout the whole world.  In great gratitude for our faith, and through the intercession of Peter, the rock, and Paul, the fearless preacher, may we give ourselves fully in generous and selfless service of the Gospel 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.

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

Pentecost 2017 - The Holy Spirit fills the Church

Today we celebrate the great feast of the Holy Spirit. In the Bible, the word “Spirit” is used about a thousand times, the Holy Spirit certainly left his mark on the inspired Scriptures. The word “spirit” is a translation of the Hebrew word ru’ach and the Greek word pnue’ma. These words refer to that which gives life to a body—the breath of life.

The body needs the spirit in much the same way a radio or mobile phone needs electricity. As long as electricity runs through the device it will work, when the electricity runs out, the device is unusable, except as a paper-weight.

Having “spirit”, the “breath of life”, is something we humans share with the animals and plants, the living beings. What separates us from the animals and plants, is that part of us that is immortal, the human soul. The soul is that part of us that goes before the judgment seat of Christ when we die, and waits to be rejoined with the body in the resurrection.

We also use the word “spirit” to refer to the purpose that unites a particular group, l’esprit de corps, as the French say. We speak of the “spirit of the American people,”, “team spirit”, “the fighting spirit of the United States Marines”.

St. Paul speaks of the Spirit of the Church in our second reading, but he’s not speaking of a club or group, he’s speaking about something entirely new in the course of history. The Church is not a club, but a living organism; not a building, but a body made up of baptized souls united and filled with the Holy Spirit.

A radio’s purpose is to broadcast news, music, entertainment. The Church’s purpose is to broadcast, as St. Paul says, “Jesus is Lord”. Lebron isn’t Lord, politics isn’t Lord, pop stars aren’t Lords, not even the Pope is Lord, money isn’t Lord, sex isn’t Lord, celebrity and power aren’t Lord. The Holy Spirit enables the Church to proclaim that Jesus is Lord, amidst all the noise and distraction of the world.

The Holy Spirit also animates the Church to engage in many kinds of service: we feed the hungry, we clothe the naked, we call sinners to repentance, and instruct the ignorant, we go out to the lost and forsaken, the addict, the imprisoned, and help them to know the comfort of God. And yet the Church is more than a secular charitable organization, She’s an organism of Love, concerned not simply for earthly welfare, but the eternal soul.

She speaks the truth when no one else will, when the world is against her, in and out of season. She comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable, speaks truth to power, and suffers for the sake of righteousness.

St. Paul also says the Holy Spirit produces many different kinds of spiritual gifts, what are known as the charismata, the spiritual charisms: some members of the Church are blessed with gifts for preaching, gifts for teaching, gifts for comforting, gifts for organizing, gifts for fundraising, gifts for hard-labor, gifts for grand visions, and gifts for minute details, gifts for healing. What is your unique gift? Is it being used to build up the Church?

There are also the seven Spiritual Gifts given to every baptized soul. In each and every member of the Church, the Spirit produces wisdom which helps us desire God over the things of the earth; Understanding, which helps us to grasp the divine truths of our faith, knowledge; which helps us to see God’s plan in the events of our life and use the things of creation in a way that will lead us to heaven; counsel, which helps us to judge how best to act in the circumstances that confront us in our daily life; fortitude, which helps us to remain sturdy against the temptations and challenges in the Christian life; piety, which fills us with love affection for God and enables us to experience joy in prayer and service; and fear of the Lord which helps us to be conscious that the eye of God is watching us always, helping us to be mindful that we will all face judgment for the choice we’ve made in our life.

The seven-fold gifts are given to every Christian, but to grow in them, we must nurture them through the practices of the spiritual life. This is why there are wise octogenarians and foolish octogenarians, young people who are wise for their age, and young people who…well, don’t have a clue.
What is animating your life? The Spirit of God or the spirits of the world. When we are cooperating with the Spirit of God he produces the good spiritual fruits of gentleness, self-control, meekness, patience, and temperance. When we are indulging in the spirits of the world there is recklessness, irascibility, perversion, addiction, greed, anger, envy, jealousy, pride.

How do we become so filled with these worldly spirits? Part of it is how we spend our time: inordinate time with entertainment, social media, insufficient time studying and praying with the Word of God, undue focus on selfish pursuits, rather than service. These things have spiritual consequences.
In the Gospel reading for Pentecost, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit through whom sins are forgiven. To be free from the spirits of the world, we must turn our souls over to God in the sacraments. In Sacramental Confession we name those spirits that we might be delivered from them.

In the solemn ritual of exorcism, in which a soul held captive by a demonic spirit is liberated through the power of Christ, before deliverance can occur, the demonic spirit must be named. The need for solemn exorcism is extraordinary and rare. But Christians must face and name the unclean spirits which seek the ruin of our souls, by naming them, by bringing them to Christ in Sacramental Confession, by turning away from the near occasions of sin, and by strengthening the weak parts of our souls through prayer and acts of charity.

On this great Feast of Pentecost, as the Easter Season comes to a close and Ordinary Time begins again, we recognize how the Holy Spirit wants to produce new a glorious effects in our lives. He wants to help us take up new modes of serving those in need, the physically poor and the spiritually poor. He wants to produce in us new charisms for the building up of the Church. He wants to deepen in us the seven-fold gifts. He wants to help us to be cleansed of the unclean spirits of the world. He wants to do all these things and more, that we may proclaim to all the world “Jesus is Lord” for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Easter Friday 2017 - Fish transformed into Fishermen

The sailing ship or fisherman’s boat was an ancient Christian symbol for the Church. The Barque of Peter sailing on a wind-tossed sea of worldliness, disbelief, persecution carrying her cargo of human souls.

The symbol draws some of its imagery from Noah’s Ark, which protected Noah’s family during the flood. Jesus too protects Peter’s boat and the apostles on the storm Sea of Galilee.

Saint Anselm said that the Bark of the Church may be Swept by the Waves of the world, but she can never sink, because Christ is with us. When the Church is in Greatest Need, Christ comes to her help through miracles, or by raising up Saintly Men to strengthen and purify her. She is the Bark of Peter; when the Storm threatens to Sink her, the Lord awakens from His Sleep, and Commands the Winds and Waters into Calm: “Peace; be still!”

Many Church buildings even are built to resemble a ship: the main nave contains the faithful gathered like in the galley of a ship. In fact, the word nave, comes from the Latin “Navis” which means, ship.  The ribbing of the church rafters even resemble the ribs of a ship.

In today’s Gospel, the risen Lord commands Peter to cast the net over the right side of the boat and brings in a large catch. This has always been the Church’s mission.

Under the guidance of the successor of St. Peter, the Pope: we fish for souls, that those souls may come to safe harbor, the port of Heaven. One of the earliest symbols for the Christian was a fish: the icthus. Once safely in the boat, fish are transformed into fisherman and are put to work to cast out into deep waters.

The net cast at the command of Christ symbolizes our Evangelizing Mission. The Quantity of fish netted, One Hundred and Fifty-Three (153), is the total number of Species of Fish known by the Greek Civilization at that particular time in History. Therefore, this Number represents all of mankind to which the saving Gospel is to be preached.

After being pulled into the safety of the Barque of Peter, the disciples then go to shore in order to eat a meal with the Lord: a beautiful symbol of the celebration of Eucharist. We go out into the stormy world with all of its errors and vices, seeking to make a catch of souls, and then come back to the presence of the Lord for the celebration of Eucharist—in thanksgiving for keeping our own souls safe from evil and seeking strength to be more faithful and effective in our mission.

May our celebration of the Eucharist today and throughout the Easter season continue to strengthen us for the evangelizing mission, to spread the Gospel to all people, that no soul may be lost to the watery chaos, including our own, but may be brought to the glory of our eternal homeland, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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Filled with paschal joy, let us pray more earnestly to God that he, who graciously listened to the prayers and supplications of his beloved Son, may now be pleased to look upon us in our lowliness.
1. For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely, the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.
2. For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace given by Christ.
3. For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness which no one can take from them.
4. For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ.
O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ Our Lord.

Homily: Thursday - 5th Week of Lent 2017 - "Whoever keeps my word will never see death"

Jesus assures us that those who keep his word will never see death. What a promise! Those who follow Christ will be preserved from the spiritual death which comes through disobeying God. Remember, in the Garden, God desired to preserve Adam and Eve from death, he warned them to avoid the forbidden fruit or else they would die. The devil, contradicting God, claimed, “You will not die.” But they did. Spiritual death came through sin. As St. Paul says, the wages of sin is death.

Through Jesus Christ, fallen man is reconciled to God, lost life is restored, and Christians are to remain connected to God through Christ as a branch to a vine. But, Many people today attempt to have a relationship with God without Jesus Christ. They attempt to be “spiritual”, engaging in esoteric practices like reiki, yoga, westerners flirt with buddhist or transcendental meditation, or once in a while they turn to God in great emergencies, but when the emergency ends, so does their prayer.

Jesus does not promise happiness, peace, salvation or life through these so-called “spiritual, but not religious practices”. They might bring some temporary results, but so did forbidden fruit.

In his exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” Pope Francis gives expression to this dimension of our faith. He writes “The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. Whist Christ, joy is constantly born anew.” Only through Christ do we receive the life God wants for us.

Or some claim to have some sort of special deal worked out with God, where they claim to believe in Jesus but have nothing to do with His Church. But Pope Francis also said rightly, a few years ago: “It is not possible to find Jesus outside the Church…it is 'an absurd dichotomy' to want to live with Jesus without the Church, to follow Jesus outside the Church, to love Jesus without the Church.”

Jesus founded a Catholic church…meaning everything we need for salvation and for sanctification, joy and peace, can be found within the Church…the Holy Scriptures entrusted to her, the Sacraments, Sacred Tradition which rightly guides our lives and moral decisions, the saints who teach us how to pray and how to love.

Lent should deepen our conviction for spreading the saving truths of Christ, and continues to challenge us personally and spiritually. Which of the Lord’s teachings do we do well to take to heart? Which word have we been ignoring or glossing over? The call to forgive? The call to purity? The call to selflessness? The call to trust God in our trials?

May we continue to incline our ears to our Savior, and if today we hear his word, may we not harden our hearts, but receive his life giving word with trust and obedience for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Church will experience the graces of profound renewal during this season of Lent.  That we may grow in our eagerness in spreading the Gospel of Christ.

For those who have fallen away from the Church, who have fallen into serious sin, those who have lost their faith, or whose faith has been poisoned by error or heresy, for their reconciliation with God and the conversion of all minds and hearts.

For those preparing to enter the Church at Easter: that they will be profoundly blessed in their preparation for full initiation into the Body of Christ.  We pray to the Lord.

For the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, unemployed, or suffering from addiction, mental, or physical illness, imprisoned, for victims of terrorism, those affected by severe weather, and those most in need: that the Lord in his goodness will be close to them in their trials.  We pray to the Lord.