2nd Week of Lent 2025 - Friday - Repenting of our rejection of God

Throughout Lent so far, many of our scripture readings have dealt with the need to do penance and to observe the bodily disciplines of Lent—to seek that inner renewal and transformation that God wants for us in this sacred season.

Today, our Lenten readings shift in focus. In both first reading and Gospel today, we read stories of rejection.  In the first reading Joseph’s brothers rejected him and plotted to kill him.  In the Gospel, in the parable of the wicked tenants tells of the tenant farmers who reject , seize and kill, not only the vineyard owners servants but also his son.

These readings foreshadow the events of Holy Week, which is still a few weeks off, in which Jesus the Lord would be seized and killed by those who reject him.

This foreshadowing of the rejection Jesus will face in his Passion puts our Lenten journey into perspective. We do penance—we pray, fast, and give alms precisely because we have rejected Christ through sin. 

The tale of rejection goes back to the beginning when Adam and Eve rejected God’s command, thereby rejecting His plan for them and for mankind.  By rejecting God they forfeited paradise. So too, the Lord explains that for those who reject Him, “the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”

Personal Sin, for which we do penance during the Lenten season, involves the humble admission that we rejected God’s truth, God’s plan, and the life God’s desires for us. 

Sometimes Christ’s teachings & the teachings of the Church are found difficult, so we reject them. The Lenten call to pray, fast, and give alms is difficult and so it is rejected. The invitation to make a good Lenten confession is difficult, so it is rejected. 

Though we have often participated in rejecting God, Lent reminds us that Christ willingly accepted rejection and suffering so that we might be redeemed. His response to our rejection was not condemnation, but mercy; not abandonment, but forgiveness. The rejected Son becomes the cornerstone of our salvation.

Today, let us recommit ourselves to this Lenten journey, determined not to reject the Son but to welcome Him wholeheartedly. Let us pray that any rejection, hardheartedness, or spiritual laziness may be transformed by Christ’s redemptive love. By confronting and repenting of our own rejections of Jesus, we prepare our hearts to truly celebrate the joy of Easter.

May our Lenten practices continue to lead us closer to Christ, who redeems our rejection with His boundless love and mercy, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - - -  

Trusting in the Father’s merciful love, we now lift up our prayers, asking for the grace to reject sin and welcome Christ wholeheartedly into our lives.

For the Church throughout the world, that during this Lenten season, Christians everywhere may turn from sin and welcome Christ’s redemptive love more deeply.

For all who suffer rejection or abandonment, especially those who feel unloved or unwanted, that they may experience the healing presence and compassion of Jesus.

For families experiencing division and broken relationships, that the grace of reconciliation may overcome resentment and rejection, bringing healing and peace

For all who are burdened by illness, suffering, or despair, that they may draw strength from God who draws close to them and embraces them in their need.

For all who have died, that they may now find eternal acceptance and peace in the heavenly kingdom. 

Loving Father, hear these prayers we offer in humility and trust, through Christ our Lord.

3rd Sunday of Lent 2024 - Cleansing of the Temple and SIOA Capital Campaign Volunteer appeal.

 The Jerusalem Temple held immense significance for the Jewish people.

The Temple was central to Jewish religious practice. God himself called for the building of the Temple and it was to serve as the dwelling place of God’s presence on Earth, particularly that inner most chamber of the Temple known in Hebrew as the “Kodesh HaKodashim”—the Holy of Holies. And of course, at the Temple sacrifices prescribed by God would be offered by the priests on behalf of the people.

The Temple was also a place of holy and religious pilgrimage—particularly for the major Jewish feast of Passover. We know the Holy Family made this pilgrimage, and Jesus in the Gospel this weekend is at the Temple during the Feast of Jerusalem. 

Beyond its religious role, the Temple held immense cultural and national significance for Jews. Especially during times of foreign rule, such as Roman occupation during Jesus' lifetime, the Temple served as a symbol of Jewish sovereignty.  

Jews also believed that the Temple was central to mission of the Messiah—that when the Messiah brought about the ultimate redemption of Israel and the establishment of God’s kingdom on Earth—the Temple would be the central focus of that kingdom. 

Imagine the widespread shock, surprise, confusion, and anger when Jesus, believed by many to be the Messiah, enters the Temple. Instead of initiating the full realization of God's kingdom there, he uses a whip of cords to drive out the merchants, signaling not renewal but destruction of the Temple.

This event encourages us to reflect on how the temples of our bodies, minds, and souls need cleansing — be it from greed, anger, pride, or any form of sin. It invites a evaluation of priorities, urging us to seek a cleansing of worldliness so we can experience the spiritual growth God wants for us. 

Just as Jesus cleansed the Temple of commercial activities and distractions, Lent is a time for Christians to examine and cleanse their own lives of anything that hinders their relationship with God. It’s a period for introspection, repentance, and conversion, mirroring Jesus' desire to restore the Temple as a place of pure worship.

Jesus' actions also call us to be mindful of our Temple, our parish Church. Downstairs here at St. Ignatius there is a Latin inscription written on the church’s cornerstone laid by bishop Schrembs in 1925. Templi in honorem sancti ignatii episcopi et martyris lapis sacer auspicalis iactus fuit"  "The sacred foundation stone of the Temple was laid in honor of Saint Ignatius, bishop and martyr." Our parish Church is a Temple where the people of God gather and sacred worship is offered. 

Jesus cleansing the Temple of causes us to consider how we use and care for our Temples--the temples of our body, mind, and soul and this Temple, our parish church —how we are to be responsible stewards of this place. We are to support the works of our parish, its outreach to the poor, and contribute to the upkeep of our church buildings, recognizing them as vital to our spiritual growth and nourishment, and the mission of the Church entrusted to us by Christ. 

With that idea in mind, I’d like to announce officially the start of our Restoration Campaign—what we are calling “Our Spiritual Home – Our Legacy” campaign.

Our decision to move forward with addressing some of our capital needs was made after careful prayer, planning, and conducting a feasibility study. We have worked together with engineers, contractors, and the Diocese of Cleveland to assess the condition of our church and the Boulevard Building. Given that these buildings have been in daily use for almost 100 years, they occasionally require repairs and updates to continue serving as the heart of our Catholic community.

15 years ago, a campaign was held to stabilize parish finances when the parish was slated to close and make partial repairs to the roof. However, following discussions with Pastoral and Finance Councils and the Capital Project Committee, we have concluded that a capital campaign is necessary to undertake our new high priority projects.

These improvements will provide a strong and viable future for St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish and would allow us to address the following:

Repair and replace roof tiles as necessary; Fix and substitute damaged stone panels; Clean the stone panels and apply a water-repellent coating; Demolish and reconstruct the retaining walls; Restore stairs and staircases; Reseal all joints across the entire exterior; Mend and paint wooden window and door frames; Install a new roof and carry out masonry repairs on the Boulevard Building.

In response to the challenge before us we are embarking on a Capital Campaign to raise at least $600,000 to $1 million. The more we raise the more we can do.

Through this campaign, our goal is to ensure that both our church and the wider parish campus remain functional and welcoming for both the current and future generations. This initiative will be dedicated to funding the necessary improvements specifically at St. Ignatius, with all the collected funds staying within our parish. Our main focus will be on the Church, as it requires the most significant repairs. However, we also aim to address issues within the Boulevard Building if funds allow.

We acknowledge that fundraising is a challenging task, but I am optimistic about our success for several key reasons: FIRST, the vibrant spirit and enthusiasm of our parish family here at St. Ignatius of Antioch. The feasibility study showed significant support among parishioners for this campaign.  SECOND, the well-known and longstanding generosity of our parish community. THIRD, the clear and evident need for these repairs. 

For these reasons, and my trust in the Parish Council, Finance Council, and everyone involved with our project, I am confident that we will successfully raise the necessary funds to address our parish's immediate needs.

Today, I am here to seek your help and to encourage every adult man and woman here to contribute their time to our campaign. Our strategy includes personal outreach by fellow parishioners to explain our program to every member of St. Ignatius, particularly to those who cannot attend our planned in-person events.

To make this happen, we need your help as volunteers. We're requesting a small amount of your time—just a few hours across two weeks in March and April. The campaign is designed to be time-efficient, requiring only about a couple of hours from you each week during this period.

I will now ask the ushers to come forward to the first pew in each section and pass out the volunteer cards. When you receive a card, please take a minute to fill it out.  There are also pencils for your use in the pews. Please print your name, address, email, and phone number. 

No special qualifications are necessary, except your willingness to sacrifice a small amount of your leisure time—you should absolutely consider this as a component to your Lenten almsgiving—the giving of your time. We need volunteers who can assist with a variety of tasks including mailings and making phone calls to fellow parishioners. In addition, volunteers can assist in other ways throughout the campaign, such as in helping with our inperson events, writing postcards and other campaign outreach projects, like contacting our alumni. 

So please, take a minute to fill out the volunteer cards. And please place the cards in the collection basket during the offertory, and we’ll get these sorted, and contact you soon.

As I mentioned last week, every family in the parish should have received an invitation to attend one of our in person events. We held one last night at the 6pm. The next one is scheduled this Tuesday, march 5 at 3:30pm, and there will be one after the 11am mass next Sunday. We’ve staggered the times for everyone’s convenience. So please, attend one of these inperson events, to lighten the load on our volunteers. 

In closing, I wish to thank you for your cooperation and look forward to your attendance at one of our parish receptions.  

PLEASE REMEMBER - - that the success of our campaign depends on all our parishioners working together.  This is our sacred home—one that we inherited from generations of Catholics before us, and a legacy we leave to the future. We need your help and prayers to make our campaign the success we are all praying for, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

2nd week of Lent 2024 - Friday - The stone rejected becomes the cornerstone

 Throughout Lent, so many of our liturgical readings point to the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus 

On Sunday, we considered how in the story of Isaac, God saved Isaac by offering the substitute of the ram, and how this story prefigured how God saves all of us from the eternal punishment we deserve by offering up the innocent lamb—his only begotten, for the atonement for our sins.

Our scriptures this morning provide a deeper glimpse into the saving work of God. 

In Genesis, Joseph is a prefigurement of the innocent lamb. He is innocent of any wrongdoing, yet he is sold into slavery by his own brothers out of jealousy and resentment. Yet, Joseph's suffering eventually led to his exaltation and his ability to save his family and the surrounding nations from famine. 

In the Gospel, the Lord tells a parable which follows a similar logic to foretell what God is doing through the suffering and death that he will undergo.  The killing of the innocent landowner's son by the wicked tenants mirrors the suffering and death of God’s son. Yet, the Lord foretells that death is not the end of the story. There will ultimately be justice for those wicked tenants. Just as there will be justice for all those who reject God. And the stone that the builders rejected will become the cornerstone. Jesus' suffering and death on the cross led to the redemption of humanity, offering salvation and reconciliation with God to all who believe in him—the foundation stone of the Church and the source of everlasting life.

The readings today point to where we are heading in our Lenten journey, not just Good Friday, in which Christ the stone is rejected, but also Easter Sunday, in which the rejected stone becomes the cornerstone of the Church. They help us to understand why indeed we call Good Friday, “Good”. For from it, comes our salvation. 

Through the rejection, suffering, and death endured by Jesus, God brings about redemption for those who believe in him. God can bring the greatest good out of the greatest evil, and transform the death of the innocent lamb into the source of our hope, forgiveness, and new life. 

In the stories of Joseph and the parable of the wicked tenants, we witness God's relentless pursuit of our salvation. Despite the darkness of betrayal, suffering, and death, God's light shines through, offering hope and redemption to all who believe in Him.

As we journey towards Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we are called to embrace the paradox of the cross—the seeming contradiction of suffering leading to salvation, of death giving way to new life. For it is on the cross that we see the depth of God's love for us, and it is through the resurrection that we receive the promise of eternal life. May this knowledge fill us with hope, courage, and gratitude as we continue our Lenten journey for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

That the season of Lent may bring the most hardened hearts to repentance and bring to all people purification of sin and selfishness.

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that they may continue to conform themselves to Christ through fervent prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

That we may generously respond to all those in need: the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence. 

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

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.

2nd Week of Lent 2019 - Friday - Accepting God's plan

In both first reading and Gospel we hear of rejection.  In the first reading Joseph’s brothers rejected him and plotted to kill him.  In the Gospel, in the parable of the wicked tenants we hear how the tenant farmers reject , seize and kill, not only the vineyard owners servants but also his son.

Jesus refers to himself as the cornerstone which will be rejected.  He too will be seized and killed by those who reject him. He is the son of the vineyard owner who is rejected by the wicked tenants.

The tale of rejection goes back to the beginning when Adam and Eve rejected God’s command, thereby rejecting His plan for them and for mankind.  By rejecting God they forfeited paradise—they rejected God’s gift of paradise.

The sinner rejects God’s truth and God’s plan; he pretends that his life belongs to him for his own purposes. 

Sometimes even Christians reject certain teachings of the Church—they infringe on our sinful habits and attachments—they require change, and change is difficult, and so they are rejected.  Yet, as G.K. Chesterton said, “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.”

The opposite of rejection is of course acceptance and obedience and faith. We are to accept the prophets who God sends into our lives to wake us up out of our complacency. We are to accept the lessons in humility God sends our way. We are to accept Church teaching, even when they are counter-cultural, even when we don’t understand them fully. We are to accept the calls to repentance, to care more deeply for the needs of the poor and hungry, to give of ourselves in charitable service. We are to accept the call to pray deeply, to hear the Word of God and act on it.

Our Lenten observances help us to accept the grace of God which frees us from envy, impatience, jealousy, violence, arrogance, and self-centeredness. May we embrace God’s truth and God’s plan for us—the ways God wishes to sanctify us and purify us and lead us to life eternal—for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
- - - - - -


For the whole Christian people, that in this sacred Lenten season, they may be more abundantly nourished by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

For the whole world, that in lasting tranquility and peace our days may truly become the acceptable time of grace and salvation.

For sinners and those who neglect right religion, that in this time of reconciliation they may return wholeheartedly to Christ.

For ourselves, that God may at last stir up in our hearts aversion for our sins and conviction for the Gospel.

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

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy.