August 9 2024 - St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross - Persecuted for the sake of righteousness

 On Wednesday, we celebrated a group of martyrs who underwent the sword as a result of state-sponsored persecution of Christians in the year 258. Pope Sixtus and his companions were beheaded as a result of the Emperor Valerian decreeing that bishops, priests, and deacons were to be put to death.

Today’s saint was martyred, too, as a result of state-sponsored persecution nearly 1800 years later, in our own modern day. The year was 1942, Adolf Hitler was the Fuhrer of Germany and the Nazi party.

Though the Jews were the principal victims of the Nazi’s in World War II, millions of Catholics, including bishops, priests, and nuns were murdered in the concentration camps.  In 1942, the Nazi’s arrested Sister Teresa Benedicta out of the Carmelite Convent.  She and her sister Rosa, who had converted from Judaism to Catholicism along with her sister, were transported to Auschwitz in Poland by boxcar.  One week later, Sister was murdered in a gas chamber. 

The Nazis' long-term plan was to de-Christianize Germany after final victory in the war. Their ideology could not accept an autonomous establishment, whose legitimacy did not spring from the government, and they desired the subordination of the church to the state. The Nazi’s certainly could not tolerate the Church’s criticism and denouncement of the Nazi’s genocidal methods. 

We know what the world can do when left to its own devices. It seeks to silence and abolish the Word of God. It burns down churches, beheads popes, rips holy nuns out of their convents and sends them to the gas chamber. It gaslights, imprisons, tortures, and murders its critics. 

And the Lord places us in hostile enemy-controlled territory in order to witness to the truth of the Gospel, to cultivate sanctity by imitating the crucified Christ in our lives, so to become instruments in which our good God draws souls to himself. 

Catholics of course must be a bulwark against evil, confronting tyranny, working against the tide of religious persecution, defending the weak. We mustn’t lose hope when we see great evils arise in the world. Evils will ebb and flow until the Lord’s return.

Rather, we must trust that God has chosen us to live now, to stand courageously against evil, to cultivate substantial pulpable sanctity, and witness to the truth of the Gospel even as we are dragged from our homes. For Christ is victorious and promises eternal blessedness to those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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For the Church, that she may remain steadfast in faith and courage in the face of persecution. 

For world leaders, that they may recognize the dignity of every human life and work to end all forms of hatred. 

For those suffering religious persecution today, or who feel hopeless in the face of evil in the world, that they may find strength in the witness of martyrs, and for the conversion of those who persecute others, that they may turn away from hatred and embrace the love of Christ. 

For our parish community, that we may cultivate sanctity in our daily lives and be effective witnesses to the Gospel in our words and actions. 

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering and for those who continue to experience the effects of this weeks tornados here in Northeast Ohio.

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

Merciful Father, we bring these prayers before You on this memorial of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Through her intercession, strengthen our faith and grant us the courage to stand firm in Your truth, even in the face of persecution and adversity. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

24th Week in Ordinary Time 2023 - Friday - "the love of money is the root of all evils"

 Throughout the centuries, Christians and non-Christians alike have recognized the dangers of loving money—making an idol of wealth.  Money, in itself, is not evil; many wealthy people have given generously of their resources out of love for God and neighbor.  So what does Paul mean when he writes to Timothy that famous line, “the root of all evil is the love of money.” 

It is evil to make anything an idol. And the love of money is one of the most common idolatries in history. Money promises happiness, pleasure, and luxury, not to mention security. It can be used to attract romantic partners, and to fulfill our base desires. 

But God’s Will must be the highest priority for Christians. We are to “Seek first the kingdom of God”. But when money is made into an idol, it leads us away from what truly fulfills, the pursuit of God. 

Many Christians have lost the joy pursuing God as they pursued the riches of the world.  They have even lost their souls because riches. The rich young man left the company of Jesus because of his attachment to his riches. 

The love of money is behind so many of the evils that afflict the peoples of the globe. Turning money into an idol results in the abandonment of religious duties, and the exploitation of one’s fellow man. The lover of money begins to view all things and all people through this distorted lens.

Nearly three centuries after Paul wrote to Timothy about the love of money, the holy Archbishop of Constantinople and Doctor of the Church St. John Chrysostom warned his congregation: Evil is not caused by wealth …but by the wicked will of those who do not know how to use it… Take away the love of money, and you put an end of war, to battle, to enmity, to strife and contention…The covetous man never knows a friend…He knows not God himself, driven mad, as he is, by the passion of avarice.”

So many of “the human roots of global and ecological crisis” as Pope Francis as said, comes from this disordered love of money.

The use of money is inescapable, so St. John Chrysostom also taught his congregation about the right use of money. He writes, “our money is the Lord’s, however we may have gathered it.” God allows us wealth “not for you to waste on prostitutes, drink, fancy food, expensive clothes, and all the other kinds of indolence, but for you to distribute to those in need.” 

This does not mean that we must give away all of our wealth and possessions, leaving ourselves in abject poverty. Neither Saint John Chrysostom, nor Christ Himself, teaches us to do this. Rather it means that all that we have is meant, not our own selfish pursuits, but for the purposes of furthering the kingdom of God.

We have a duty to be honest about our motives regarding wealth. Am I accumulating wealth for a disordered purpose? Is my use of money selfish? If so, we require conversion. 

For the Lord teaches we are called to store up treasure, not on earth, but in heaven, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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In great gratitude for the benefactors of this parish, and for those who generously provide for the needs of the Church. 

For an end to indifference to God and human dignity in our government and educational institutions, businesses, and personal attitudes.

During this month of September, dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, we pray for all those who grieve, and that we may grieve sufficiently for our sins.

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.

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

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.

17th Week in Ordinary Time 2021 - Tuesday - Jesus explains the Parable of the Weeds and the Wheat

Today we witness sort of a rarity in the four Gospels. Jesus takes his disciples away from the crowd and offers a point-by-point explanation of an earlier parable—the parable of the Weeds and the Wheat.  

He explains how each of the elements in his parable, the field, the weeds, the wheat, the sower, the harvest are symbols for a deeper reality.  

Why, out of all the parables, does the Lord explain this one? After all, the original parable isn’t that difficult to understand, is it? Perhaps, it’s because this parable in particular is addressing not just the moral life, or Christian attitude toward the poor, like the parable of the good Samaritan. It’s just to instill a sense of urgency toward conversion, like the parable of the pearl of great price. 

The Lord explains parable of the weeds and the wheat for it concerns the very mission of the Gospel: why he came, why he is forming the Church, and the obstacles which the Church will face as we continue his work until his return. “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.”

We should not be discouraged by the amount of evil in the world.  It seems like it is just getting worse and worse out there, and harder and harder to remain faithful.  So many distractions to the life of faith, so many people falling away, acts of true goodness rarer and rarer.  

Today Jesus provides assurance that the faithful children of God’s kingdom will be vindicated, that God has a divine plan, even as weeds of wickedness sprout up in abundance in this presence age, a future age of glory will follow for God’s faithful ones.  We must remain patient in the presence of the wickedness of the world, and faithful to all God asks of us. For there will come a time when the faithful will go to their eternal reward, and the wicked, to perdition.

Christians will have to strive to remain faithful to the Gospel amidst terrible, toxic evil. And evil is going to be so insidious, it will often disguise itself—like a wolf in sheep’s clothing—weeds and wheat, during our earthly life, will often appear indistinguishable.

But that’s the territory. And that’s the mission. To live out the Gospel amidst all that confusion, to cooperate with the Lord who continues to sew the seeds of the Gospel through the lives of his faithful ones. That things are going pretty sour out there, shouldn’t surprise us. Our task is to keep the faith, in its entirety, without compromise, with fervor and grace, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the conversion of hearts hardened to the Gospel, for those who have fallen away from the Church, for non-believers and unrepentant sinners, and that Christians may be attentive to our responsibility of sharing the Gospel with all. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the purification of our minds and hearts from the errors of the culture and from the lure of worldly attachments. Let us pray to the Lord.

That leaders of nations may find guidance in the Word of God for proper governance and the pursuit of justice for all. Let us pray to the Lord.

That Christian family homes may be places where the Gospel is studied, understood, observed, and cherished. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all those who suffer illness, those in hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, the deceased members of our families friends and parishes, for those who fought and died for our freedom, and N. for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord.

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

May 14 2021 - St. Matthias, apostle - Counterbalancing Evil

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

More than forty days had passed since the unforgettable events of Holy Week.  The eleven were no doubt still astonished by all that took place.  The Lord had risen just as he said he would, and over 40 days appeared to them multiple times.  He had just Ascended into heaven and promised that the Holy Spirit would descend upon them.

The eleven discerned that apostolic ranks needed to be replenished after the death of Judas, and as we read Matthias was chosen to take his place. One author said, “the dead branch of Judas had to be broken away from the living vine of Christ, that Matthias might be grafted in its place.  What Judas squandered was now entrusted to Matthias; what Judas should have accomplished was now to be completed by Matthias.”  

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

In an age, when we have no lack of Christians who have abandoned the commandments, the clear witness of the faithful is needed.  To counterbalance their apathy, we go strive to bear good fruit.  To counterbalance their idolatry of worldly vices, we fast, do penance, and perform sacrificial works of mercy.

Jesus chose the twelve personally.  But he also chose Matthias through the apostles.  And he has chosen us to be clear witnesses in this twenty-first century of the Church, to be a counter-sign to all the evil in the world—and all the Judas' in the Church--to be a sign of God’s goodness the world so desperately needs.

Through the heavenly intercession of the Apostle Matthias, may we be faithful to this divine call of ours and bear good fruit that will last 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

22nd Week in OT 2018 - Friday - Fasting is a weapon against evil

Friday, is the traditional day of fasting for Christians. And so how appropriate that our Gospel, this Friday morning speaks of fasting. Jesus said that after His Ascension His followers would surely fast

As we’ve done for centuries, each Lent we engage in fasting in imitation of Jesus' forty-day fast in the desert. But Fasting is not just for Lent. Fasting is to be a sign of our repentance for sin and our desire to find our joy in God alone all-year round.

Before Vatican II, Roman Catholics were to abstain from meat on Fridays, and many fasted also on Wednesdays.  After Vatican II, the Church's laws regarding Friday abstinence and fasting were changed.  Some people thought that the Church was de-emphasizing fasting.  But this is not so, Church law (canon 1250 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law) still requires us to do some sort of penance on Friday, which may include fasting and abstaining from eating meat.

St. John Paul II spoke of the importance of fasting. He stated: "Jesus Himself has shown us by His own example that prayer and fasting are the first and most effective weapons against the forces of evil.”  If we struggle with a particular temptation: gluttony, lust, pride, fasting helps us to overcome these evils. In these dark days of scandal, fasting is no doubt one of the ways the Lord desires to bring light and healing to our wounded Church.

Through fasting we show that the pleasures of this world are not what make us whole and truly fulfilled. It is not cookies and snacking and desserts and television and internet and whiskey and wine in which man is to seek fulfillment.

By fasting we unite ourselves to the heart of Jesus, we share in his cross and win graces for souls, and we share in his love for his Father, to whose Holy Will we are to be totally dedicated. Voluntary fasting from food help us acquire mastery over our impulsiveness, and creates in us a greater openness to God's Spirit and deepens our compassion for those who are forced to go without food. When our souls begin to resemble Old Wine Skins because of our sinful attachments, fasting helps to make them new, to receive the new wine of the spirit.

Whatever our Friday penance, we do well to offer up our voluntary penance for those who suffer involuntarily, for the purification of the Church for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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For willingness to do penance in reparation for sin, for the spread of the Gospel and sanctification of souls.

That our young people may be kept safe from the errors and poison of the world, so to grow in the ways of righteousness and truth.

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, abuse, and terrorism, for the sanctification of the clergy, 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 14 2018 - St. Matthias - Counterbalancing evil

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

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

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

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

To counterbalance scandal and betrayal by clear witness to Jesus.

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

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

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