18th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025 - Vanity of vanities

 The book of Ecclesiastes was written about 300 years before the birth of Our Lord and is part of the Old Testament known as the Wisdom literature, along with the book of Proverbs and Psalms. The Jewish people read from the book of Ecclesiastes every year during the festival of Booths, when they celebrate the fall harvest. And there is some wisdom there. In the midst of the abundance of the harvest—the abundance of earthly things—they read “vanity of vanities all things are vanity”—a reminder that the things of the earth pass away, they are as ephemeral as a breath.

We are to take the wisdom of Ecclesiastes to heart: that the purpose of life isn’t simply to toil for earthly things—to hoard up earthly treasure. In the end our earthly pursuits really aren’t that important. Scripture calls it foolishness to spend your life toiling away just to make a bunch of money to pass onto children who will likely squander it.

Rather, we are to live wisely. Wisdom seeks what is highest and most important. We are to live in such a way in which we seek not what is earthly, but what is timeless, in which we are oriented not toward the earthly but to the eternal, to accumulate and pass on to future generation not simply earthly wealth but eternal wisdom. Wisdom is more valuable than wealth or earthly accolades. What good is winning an earthly race if you lose the heavenly one.

When confronted by someone from the crowd who is clearly overly concerned with earthly matters, Our Lord in the Gospel this today teaches, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” Greed—the love of money—the love of possessions—is a powerful motivating factor for a lot of people, in ancient Israel, in Jesus’ day, and in our own. And so the Lord says, take care to guard against this temptation. Take care, exert effort, to make sure your life is properly oriented.

And then to drive home his point, the Lord tells a parable in which a man who foolishly hoarded earthly possessions dies and ends up with nothing.  “Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.”

If we are focused more on earthly things than heavenly things we are dead inside, we are not on the path of life that leads to heaven.

The Scripture readings throughout Ordinary Time are wonderfully challenging. They help us to ensure that our priorities are straight, our lives are in order, that we are properly oriented to running the race that matters most to God.

Consider what we’ve heard over the last three weeks. Three weeks ago, we heard the story of the Good Samaritan. What matters to God is that we exercise charity to all, we expand our definition of a neighbor to include those whom the rest of the world overlooks. What matters to God is that we become Good Samaritans to all.

Two weeks ago, we heard of Jesus’ visit to the home of Martha and Mary. When Martha complained about being overwhelmed with earthly matters, we heard what mattered most to Jesus is what Mary was doing: she was nurturing a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus by listening to his words, sitting in his presence.

And then last week, we heard how Jesus taught his disciples to pray. He taught his disciples the perfect prayer, the Our Father. What matters to God is that we seek His Will over our own, that we approach him with open-hands daily instead of relying on our own self-sufficiency, that we practice unconditional forgiveness, that we seek God’s protection and deliverance from all evil every day. The Our Father is a sort of checklist. Are you seeking God’s will every day, are you turning to God for your daily bread, the help you need that can only come from God, are you seeking to become more merciful every day. If not, conversion, change is needed.

Then today’s parable about earthly stuff reminds us that God is not impressed by the quantity of our assets. Heaven—eternal life— is not obtained by the number of trophies, degrees, social media followers and likes.

What impresses God is the quality of our our souls, whether our lives are filled with his truth, goodness, and beauty, or not.

In the Second Reading, St. Paul says bluntly: “put to death, the parts of you that are earthly:” Here’s the remedy for our tendency to love the things of earth more than the things of heaven.

The parts of us that are obsessed with storing up things that do not matter to God, put them to death, bury them and leave them behind. The things that cause you to forget about heaven, your Christian duties, your Christian identity, sever your relationship with them.

Paul says put to death “immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry.”  Do everything you can to stop following impulses which are soley focused on earthly pleasure, earthly gain.

God wants to share his very life with us, to make us like himself, full of generous self-giving and limitless charity. But we need practice discipline toward the earthly, so that we may say yes to God.

At this Holy Mass Jesus comes once again to renew us in Word and Sacrament, may he continue to free us from the desire for earthly things and increase our hunger and thirst for holiness, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

10th Week of Ordinary Time 2024 - Friday - Reorientation of sinful desires

 As I mentioned at the beginning of the week, we have begun to read through the Lord’s great sermon on the mount from the Gospel of Matthew. 

Jesus' teaching on adultery and lust in today’s passage is part of the larger context of the Sermon on the Mount, where the Lord teaches His followers to cultivate righteousness that goes beyond external observance of the law. Christians aren’t simply to follow the commandments mindlessly, rather our obedience to God comes from a true reordering of values, a reorienting of desires, authentic interior transformation, and the cultivation of a heart that is fully devoted and aligned to God.

Jesus' words about adultery and lust are part of His call for that complete reorientation of our lives towards God. Again, this reorientation involves not merely external compliance but a deep, interior transformation that affects every aspect of our being, including our desires, thoughts, and relationships. Purity, faithfulness, and sacrificial love are good not simply because they keep us from sin, but because they are good in themselves and mirror God’s being. 

So how is this radical reorientation to come about? Our first reading and Psalm give us a hint. They both point to the need to cultivate a rich spiritual life centered on God. 

In the first reading from the first book of Kings, Elijah learns to hear the voice of God not in the fierce rock-crushing, mountain-rending wind, the earthquake or the fire, but in the tiny whispering sound. Elijah reorients himself to God through quiet listening. 

Similarly, the Psalmist expresses a deep longing to see God's face and be in His presence. He recognizes the need to reorient himself from the activities of normal earthly life to actively pursue God. 

Like Elijah, the inner transformation that Jesus desires for us, the reorientation we need comes through quieting our hearts and minds to discern God’s presence and voice through prayer. Like the Psalmist, we must intentionally turn away from earthly activities, to seek the face of God. We must actively create space for silence and attentive listening to God's voice and God’s face.

The reorientation of our lives is only possible through the cultivation of a rich spiritual life. When we seek God's presence in prayer, meditation, and the sacraments, we open ourselves to the transformative power of God’s grace. As we grow closer to God, our desires begin to align with His will, and we find the strength to resist the temptations that once held us captive.

Moreover, a deep spiritual life enables us to see others through the eyes of God, recognizing their inherent dignity and worth. This counteracts the objectification and commodification that often fuel sinful desires like lust.

Let us pray for the grace to cultivate a rich spiritual life, one that transforms our desires and open’s us to the guidance of God’s Spirit who impels us to live as faithful witnesses to God's love in the world, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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That during this month of June, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, all Christians may witness to the tender love of Christ through our prayer, fasting, and works of charity. 

For our young people beginning summer vacation, that they may be kept safe from the errors of our culture and kept in close friendship with Jesus through prayer and acts of mercy.

For all married couples, that they may be faithful to the Gospel in every dimension of their married life—and that single and celibate Christians may witness to the sacrificial, all-embracing love of Christ for all.

For the sick, the impoverished, the lonely, those suffering from mental illness, those most in need, and those near death: may God, through the mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, be close to them in their trials

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

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

January 27 2023 - St. Angela Merici - A woman of holy initiative

 Ever since hearing her story, I’ve been inspired by the story of St. Angela, especially her initiative. She was a woman of tremendous initiative, holy initiative. 

At the tender age of 10, she consecrated herself to the Lord as a third order Franciscan and vowed never to marry, but to live a life of consecrated virginity, prayer and service. Seeing how poorly catechized the young people of her neighborhood were, she took the initiative and took it upon herself to offer religious instruction to the young neighborhood girls—evangelizing them, catechizing them, opening them up to the life of grace. 

Heaven took the initiative in Angela’s life too. She was given a vision from the Lord, that she was to found an institution with other consecrated virgins to further devote their lives toward the religious training of young girls. These women had little money, but were bound together by their dedication to educating youth in service of the Lord and His Church. 

Around the age of 61, Angela took another initiative. With 12 other young women who vowed consecrated virginity, she formed the Order of Ursulines, the first religious order in the history of the Church dedicated primarily to teaching.

Angela's goal was to elevate family life through Christian education for women—the future wives and mothers. One of her favorite sayings was, "Disorder in society is the result of disorder in the family." 

The Company of St. Ursula spread throughout Italy and France and eventually through all of Europe.  They were the very first Catholic religious sisters to land in the new world.  

St. Angela’s holy initiative changed the world, and yet, it was her deep Christian faith and love that animated her, gave her courage, and enabled her to take bold steps to meet real human demands. 

Yet, listen to her humble words recognizing how we imperfect, limited humans are called to serve God. She says, “Do not lose heart, even if you should discover that you lack qualities necessary for the work to which you are called. He who called you will not desert you, but the moment you are in need he will stretch out his saving hand.”

Inspired by her holy example, may we take the initiative to grow in holiness through service, recognizing the needs that we are being called to address, recognizing our own limitations and our own need to trust in the Lord at all times for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, next week, we pray for all students in Catholic schools, that the Spirit of God may grant them the gifts of wisdom and understanding, and that teachers may share their knowledge with gentleness, patience, and competence. 

For parents, the first teachers of their children, that by their faith and love, they may be blessings to their families, and for a strengthening of all families in faith. 

In Thanksgiving for the Ursuline Order, for their efforts to instill faith in our Diocese over the decades.

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

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

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