3rd Week of Lent 2024 - Tuesday - To forgive is divine

Forgiveness is a profound act that holds immense power to transform not only our relationships with others but also our own hearts. It's a theme woven throughout our Scriptures, including the Lord’s parables. Forgiveness is a cornerstone of the virtuous life. 

Forgiveness isn’t easy. And people often have varying motives for withholding forgiveness: When someone has been deeply hurt or betrayed, the pain they experience can make it difficult to forgive. They may feel a person doesn't deserve forgiveness or that  forgiveness would let the other person off the hook or condone their behavior. Feelings of anger and resentment can be powerful barriers to forgiveness. Forgiveness requires vulnerability and openness to the possibility of being hurt again. Some people may withhold forgiveness out of fear of being hurt or taken advantage of again in the future.

This Lenten morning we read the Lord’s parable of the Unforgiving servant—a servant who had been forgiven his debt from his master, but who in turn refused to forgive his fellow servant. 

What was his motive for withholding forgiveness? It’s not entirely clear—was it greed? Or simply wanting to exert power over someone he had control? Did he want to feel like the big shot? He may have simply lacked empathy or wisdom. He was perhaps so egocentric or foolish that he failed to recognize the mercy he was shown was to be practiced toward others. 

Whatever his reason, the Lord Jesus is clear. He failure to forgive is despicable, unacceptable, and inexcusable. The measure with which we measure shall be measured out to us. Our failure to forgive will have eternal consequences. 

Saint Padre Pio spoke about the difficult of forgiveness. He said, "In the course of your life, you will often find yourself in situations where you have to forgive others, even when you feel they don't deserve it. But remember, forgiveness isn't something you do for the other person; it's something you do for yourself to free yourself from the burden of anger and resentment."

Forgiveness is something you do for yourself, for the sake of your own soul. Carrying around resentment and anger is spiritually poisonous. Refusing forgiveness is unholy. 

But offering forgiveness even when you don’t feel the person deserves it is a reflection of God’s own mercy because, remember, we did nothing to deserve God’s mercy. God forgave us in our most undeserving state. But it is precisely this extension of this type of mercy that Jesus calls us to. 

To err is human, to forgive is divine. May take the duty to forgive with the utmost seriousness, allowing it to heal our wounds, mend our relationships, set us free to live with greater compassion and joy, and lead us to eternal life, for the glory of God and the 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. Through Christ Our Lord.

Pentecost 2023 - Renewing the Covenant

 Happy Pentecost everyone. 

The word Pentecost comes from the Greek word “pentecostes” which means “fiftieth.” Originally, Pentecost was the Greek Name for the Jewish spring harvest festival of Shavuot in the Hebrew. On Shavuot, Jews gave thanksgiving to God for the completion of the spring harvest, at which the newly harvested barley would be baked into two loaves of bread and offered to God. Shavuot was a celebration of God causing the crops to live and grow and bear fruit, which allow God’s people to live and grow and fulfill their purpose. 

On Shavuot, the Jews also celebrate God’s covenant with Noah, which took place fifty days after the great flood, a second chance for the human race that had become deeply corrupt with vice and sin. Shavuot therefore celebrates God’s mercy and a new beginning for humanity called to goodness, faithfulness, and virtue. 

Thirdly, Shavuot celebrates the Covenant God made with Moses at Mt. Sinai occurring, you guessed it, fifty days after the Exodus from Egypt. At Sinai, the Spirit of God was given to the jewish elders, enabling them to prophesy and teach and lead God’s people. Therefore Shavuot also celebrates a new and deepened relationship with God as a chosen people. 

In these three ways, the Jewish Feast of Pentecost foreshadowed the Christian Feast we now celebrate.  For today, like the Jews thanking God for the harvest that allows them to live and grow and bear fruit, we express our gratitude for the gift of the Holy Spirit which allows the Church live and grow and bear fruit. Like the Jews thanking God for the covenant with Noah, a second chance for the human race, so too the Church thanks God for the new beginning offered to humanity through Christ and the Spirit. And like the Jews who celebrate the covenant at Sinai and the imparting of the spirit upon the elders, we Christians celebrate the giving of the Spirit upon the whole Church; for through Baptism, every Christian is given the gift of the Holy Spirit and the task to preach and prophecy and order our lives in a way that glorifies God and draws souls to Christ. 

In the Acts of the Apostles all throughout the Easter Season, we’ve heard of the early Church faithfully carrying out that mission begun on that first Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles in the upper room in presence of the Virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit filled the apostles with a fire for the mission of the Church—evangelization. And we find them bursting out of the locked doors of the upper room, speaking in all the tongues of the nations, so that all peoples could understand and believe the saving Gospel of Christ. So too, we must speak in all of the languages of the world today, to draw souls to Christ. The animating fire given to the Church 2000 years ago that first Pentecost continues to burn and spread wherever the Gospel is preached and the fruits of the Spirit are manifest and shared.

On Pentecost Sunday in 1978, Blessed Oscar Romero, Archbishop of El Salvador, said, “It will always be Pentecost in the Church provided the Church lets the beauty of the Holy Spirit shine forth from her countenance.  When the Church ceases to let her strength rest on the Power from above which Christ promised her and which he gave her on that day, and when the Church leans rather on the weak forces of the power or wealth of this earth, then the Church ceases to be newsworthy.  The Church will be fair to see, perennially young, attractive in every age, as long as she is faithful to the Spirit that floods her and she reflects that Spirit through her communities, through her pastors, through her very life" 

The blessed Archbishop reminds us that we have a duty to cooperate with the Spirit, to cultivate the life of the Spirit, and the Church, our way of life is attractive when we do so. But he also reminds us that there are a lot of forces in our world that seek to extinguish that fire—a lot of vices that vie for our attention and sap our spiritual energy—that make us boring and unattractive. Why would anyone become Christian if we just looked like the rest of the world?

The Venerable Fulton J. Sheen once said something similar. He said, "Even though we are God's chosen people, we often behave more like God's frozen people--frozen in our prayer life, frozen in the way we relate with one another, frozen in the way we celebrate our Faith." And that happens when we return to the sin and vice and fear that God desires to deliver us from. Pope Francis said something similar when he warned of how Christians due to fear of living out the Gospel can become “spiritual mummies”. Encased in tombs, inanimate, unenthusiastic.

So today is a powerful day to ask the Holy Spirit to show you how your sins or fears might be keeping you from bursting out of locked doors like St. Peter. 

The Holy Spirit descended upon the Church to embolden us for the Gospel, and also to help purify us, like a fire, from our sins, vices, and earthly attachments. 

And he does so, most radically, in the Sacrament of Confession. “Receive the Holy Spirit” t Lord commanded the apostles: “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

The prayer of absolution in Sacramental Confession echoes today’s Pentecost Gospel when the priest says, “God, the Father of mercies, through the Death and Resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and poured out the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins.” 

Frequent Confession is a powerful means of making our lives fertile soil for Spiritual Fruit to grow. It renews the covenant in us, it is one of the works of the Holy Spirit now, in the Church, to bring about fecundity and growth and life. Sacramental Confession is a Pentecost. Embrace Pentecost by embracing Confession. Please, don’t let fear keep you locked and frozen and mummified in your sins. But allow the Holy Spirit to revivify you and renew his Fire within you frequently, regularly. 

Pope Francis himself pleaded with the Church to make good use of the Sacrament of Confession. He said, we cannot remove our sins by ourselves. Only God takes [our sin] away, only he by his mercy can make us emerge from the depths of our misery. Like those disciples [who had run away from the cross and locked themselves in the upper room], we need to let ourselves be forgiven, to ask heartfelt pardon of the Lord. We need to open our hearts to being forgiven. Forgiveness in the Holy Spirit is the Easter gift that enables our interior resurrection. Let us ask for the grace to accept that gift, to embrace the Sacrament of forgiveness…Confession is the Sacrament of resurrection, pure mercy.” Whatever you are going through in life, there is always a desire for that "interior resurrection" that Holy Father speaks of of, to be lifted out of some misery, through the spirit. And that can happen when we make good use of Sacramental Confession.

Pentecost is the capstone of everything we've been celebrating from the beginning of Lent, through Easter: the forgiveness of sins is available to us through Christ. And Sacramental Confession renews that covenant in Christ's blood which forgives the sins we commit after baptism. It is good for us to go to Confession during Advent and Lent of course, but we have a long stretch of months before Advent, so make sure you get to confession regularly, in order for the Holy Spirit to remove some of those road blocks to God’s grace. 

We’ve got work to do as God’s people, God’s work, and the fire of Pentecost needs to be emblazoned among us. So make use of Confession, and all the ways God wishes to kindle his life within you. Veni Sancte Spiritus. For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Palm Sunday 2023 - Stubborn Donkey Hearts

 Great kings, conquerors, warriors, and emperors always entered their capital cities on mighty steeds—like stallions. God is the greatest of kings, the King of King. He is the great conqueror, the conqueror of death itself. He is the greatest of warriors: he defeated the devil. He is the emperor of the entire universe which he created out of nothing by his infinite power. And when this God, the true God, came to the spiritual capital of his world, Jerusalem, he rode not a stallion but a donkey.

To do the work he came to earth to do, to suffer and die in the world’s spiritual capital, Jesus chose the humblest animal—a donkey—to bear him. And to call a donkey humble is…rather kind. For donkeys are stupid, stubborn and exasperating—we insultingly call someone who is stubborn a “donkey” or one of its other synonyms. St. Francis of Assisi even referred to his own body as a “donkey”—an “ass” because he experienced his bodily passions as having a mind of their own, going off in different directions, refusing to submit to the demands of holiness.

And for the Lord to coax this stubborn, stupid animal to carry him through the Jerusalem gate amidst this exultant crowd is a bit of a miracle. It walked on the cloaks and palm branches of the chanting crowd, totally docile to the Lord’s will—cooperating with the Lord—requiring neither bridle nor bit.

The donkey, stubborn and stupid, cooperates with the Will of God. Certainly, here is a symbol of the Lord’s mission among man, to transform our stubborn, contrary, disobedient, inflexible refusal to follow the will of God—to transform human resistance and sin to docility and cooperation. 

And the Church is made up of such creatures—from Pontiff to Church pew, all of us donkeys: absent-minded donkeys that drift-off during mass, donkeys which sit behind bishop’s desks, donkeys trying to get other donkeys to work together to carry the load of a charitable endeavor, donkeys that refuse to admit that they are donkeys. And knowing that the Church is filled with a bunch of donkeys, don’t we all need to be a little bit more patient with each other. We need to give everyone the same leeway, the same patience, that we would want for ourselves, in every circumstance. I know I have acted like a donkey before and after priestly ordination, not to mention baptism. And I am grateful for the patience.

So in our first Gospel, we have this powerful image of the stubborn donkey submitting to God. But the Gospel, the long beautiful Passion Gospel, reveals something else about God’s treatment of his donkeys. He doesn’t enter into our lives simply in order to control us, simply to bend our stubborn wills to his. 

He actually loves us donkeys, so much so that he suffers and dies for us. The stupidest among us, the most spiteful and hateful among us, he loves us. The Pilates, the Herods, the pharisees and Sadducees who conspire to kill him, the members of the mob who give themselves over to insane bloodthirst and mindless group-think, those who spit upon him, and whip him, the executioner who was just following order to commit deicide, he loves us and dies for us all.  He didn’t just die for the Veronicas and the Simon of Cyrenes who comfort him in his sufferings or come to his aid, the models of charity. He didn’t just die for the women of jerusalem who wept for him, the compassionate. He didn't just die for the beloved apostle and the women who followed him all the way to the cross and stayed with him until the bitter end, the courageous. He didn't just die for the charitable, compassionate, and courageous. He died for the selfish, the coldhearted, and the coward. He died for all. He died for Peter who denied him and Judas who betrayed Him. He died that the mercy of God be extended to all. To every disobedient donkey. 

This might be hard to admit, but He died for every abortionist. He died for every child trafficker and school shooter. He died for every racist slave owner. He died for every heretic. He died for the most contemptible politician. Every drug pusher. Every narcissistic spouse and gaslighting coworker. Out of real love. Not because he had to, but out of freely given love.

He forgave and so must we.

Does his forgiveness extend to all? Yes. Of course. This is clear and biblical. It extends even to those in hell. And there is a hell. The existence of hell is a dogma of our faith. And understand that those in hell are not those who God for some mysterious reason chose not to forgive. Jesus died even for the souls in hell to ultimately reject him. Every soul in hell was forgiven by God, but they chose hell anyway, despite the warnings, despite the call to conversion, despite the call to repent and believe, despite the signs that God loves them and desires their company, despite the opportunities for grace that no doubt, our good God extended to them.

God’s love extends to all, to you and me. And so we must extend that love and forgiveness to each other. 

This week, we do well, to examine our hearts and consider those to whom we have been reluctant, or downright refusing, to forgive. Bring them to the cross of Christ this Good Friday. Your most bitter enemy. The person you believe is bringing the most harm to the Church. The person who hurt you most deeply. Bring them to the cross, and say with Jesus “Father forgive them, for they know what they do” and you will find peace at the cross. And Father forgive me, for I, too have acted in ignorance and donkey stubbornness.  Help me to love as you love. To forgive as you forgive. Steer my own obstinate donkey heart to witness to mercy for all, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

3rd Week of Lent 2023 - Tuesday - Forgive from the heart

 

One of the great Lenten themes is that of forgiveness.  On Good Friday, we will hear Jesus plead from the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”  All that Jesus suffered, all that he endured, the tortures, the mockery, the humiliation—he endured that our sins may be forgiven.  Yet, Jesus was willing to die for the forgiveness of sins because of his great love for us.  Jesus came to earth for this purpose.

When GK Chesterton was asked why he became Catholic, his simple answer was “to get my sins forgiven”.

The reception of God’s mercy is not automatic.  We must want it, desire it, seek it, and do what it takes to receive it.  The soul stained by original sin must receive baptism.  The baptized soul stained by mortal sin must receive the sacrament of reconciliation. Without God’s forgiveness, we cannot enter into eternal life.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls “wicked” the servant who refused to forgive.  

A Christian must never say, “I will never forgive you.”  For if we are closed to forgiving others, we become closed to receiving the forgiveness which leads to heaven.  Again, Jesus describes refusal to forgive as wickedness.  

Forgiveness is not easy.  It might feel like, say, being crucified.  

It is difficult enough to forgive those who have offended us even once with a small offensive remark or an unfriendly look.  When asked how many times we should forgive someone who offends us, St. Peter is pretty generous, he says seven times. But the Lord corrects him, we must forgive not seven times, seventy-seven times, meaning its not worth counting at all: forgive without limit.

If upon examining our hearts we detect any resentment or bitterness, we need to bring those feelings to the foot of the cross and let them go.  And if those resentments rear their ugly heads, we must repeat that process over and over: "Lord help me to forgive, help me to forgive with all of my might and the help of your grace, help me to forgive from the depths of my heart." If you are keeping a list against anyone of times they’ve offended you, rip-up the list and consider the slate wiped clean—daily!

So as we meditate this Lent upon the Lord’s forgiveness of our sinfulness, we also recall our own need to forgive without limit.  Forgive completely, forgive regardless the cost, forgive from your heart, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - -  

That readiness to forgive may mark the life of every Christian. Let us pray to the Lord.

That all families will recommit themselves to fervent prayer this Lent so as to grow in greater love and holiness.  Let us pray to the Lord.

That this Lent we will be faithful to fasting and to all the ways that the Lord sanctifies us.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For generous giving for the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, unemployed, victims of natural disaster, terrorism, war, and violence, the grieving and those most in need.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For all those who have died, for all the poor souls in purgatory, for those who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, and for [intention below], for whom this Mass is offered.  Let us pray to the Lord.

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.

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2022 - No longer a slave, but a brother

 During St. Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, he met a runaway slave named Onesimus and baptized him. Slaves under Roman law had no rights because they were considered property. They could be condemned to hard labor, punished with blows of the rod and otherwise tortured. Runaway slaves were treated even worse—they were to be branded with a red hot iron on the forehead with the letter F, for fugitivus, which meant runaway. A fugitivus, when recaptured, could even be crucified. 

Somehow this runaway slave, Onesimus, had found his way from Colossae, modern-day Turkey, to the crowded, busy streets of the imperial capital city of Rome. And somehow, Onesimus had come into contact with Paul, who had been imprisoned. And while visiting Paul, Onesimus requested baptism, and become a Christian. 

We know Onesimus grew quite dear to Paul. Paul writes how he wished Onesimus could stay with him in Rome, but Paul, the apostle, sends the newly baptized Onesimus back to Philemon, his master, to whom Paul writes his letter. 

And Paul sends Onesimus back to Colossae, to his master Philemon. And in his letter to Philemon, our second reading today, Paul requests that Onesimus be received not as a slave but as a brother in the Lord, to welcome him as he would welcome Paul himself. Do not brand him as a fugitivus, for in baptism, Onesimus has received the indelible mark of salvation through Christ. And we have every reason to believe that Philemon did as Paul asked.

Now, St. Paul knew that what he was asking from Philemon was counter-cultural. Slavery was an institution in the Roman Empire, there were something like 60 million slaves—from different parts of the world which Rome had conquered: asia minor and the middle east, north Africa, spain and Portugal, gaul, and northern europe. 

But Paul had great reason to believe that Philemon would adhere to his request. Philemon was a true Christian. Paul at the beginning of the letter calls Philemon his brother, his coworker in the vineyard. Philemon was a leader in the church of Colossae—a true source of refreshment and encouragement for the other Christians there, as he acknowledges in his letter. Philemon was one of the good guys. 

But this request, this third shortest new testament letter, highlights for us just what it means to be a Christian. The letter to Philemon shows how Christians who have been freed from sin and forgiven by Christ must free and forgive others. Christian Love goes far beyond justice. The law of the world said Onesimus should be branded, even killed. The new law demanded forgiveness from his brother. 

In the eyes of God, we are all Onesimus, freedom from sin by God through Christ. Like Philemon we are to receive our Christian brothers and sisters, even those who have sinned against us, with mercy.

This reading certainly challenges us to examine our hearts sincerely, thoroughly, and honestly, to see what grudges we still hold and what prejudices we bear.

Is there an individual in our life that we are not treating as a brother, but as a slave, or as an enemy? Christ died for that person. Is there a whole group of people that we resent, that makes us mad just to think about? Christ died for them too.

These barriers of resentment, anger, and prejudice are like giant weeds growing in the garden of our souls. They steal the nutrients that are meant to feed virtues like wisdom, courage, and generosity - the kind of virtues that produce interior peace and lasting happiness.

Resentment, anger, and unforgiveness grow around our hearts like vines grow around trees - sucking the Christian life out of us, to the point where we begin to justify gossiping, criticizing, and destructive attitudes of division that make this world such a valley of sorrows.

We plead to God for forgiveness for ourselves, but Christ teaches that we too must forgive others. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” we plead in the Lord’s prayer. The measure of our forgiveness is the measure we receive it. 

In Christ, all the false divisions among people dissolve, and we are made into one family. Sin divides the world, leading to war, racism, prejudice, and injustice. But Christ came to heal the wounds of sin and division. 

Forgiveness, it might feel painful to forgive. It might feel like a cross. But in the Gospel today, the Lord teaches that “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” So we must practice forgiveness.

It is difficult to forgive those who betray us—who offend, who harm us with their words and actions.  To forgive may feel like we are giving them a free pass.  When we are hurt or betrayed, there is a part of us that says, “I don’t want to talk to them, I don’t want to see them, I don’t want to be near them, I don’t even want to think about them.”  But that part of us needs to be flooded with mercy. 

A Christian must never say, “I will never forgive you.”  

Don’t leave Church today without having decided that you will welcome the Onesimuses in your lives as brothers. Ask Jesus to give you a heart like his, a heart like Paul's, to welcome the fugitive—to make your peace with those who have wronged you. I can think of few things that would please our Lord more than that...for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

3rd Week of Lent 2022 - Tuesday - Forgiveness and Inner Healing

The somber days of Lent provide us with an opportunity to do some serious soul-searching: examination of our conscience, reflection on our vices and virtues and habits and attitudes, with the hopes of identifying any obstacles in our hearts which keep us from imitating Our Lord and growing in holiness.

I always encourage folks to give up television, movies, video games, and diversionary use of the internet during Lent, these things which often occupy a lot more of our time than we think.  And once they’re gone, we have a little bit more time to think about our lives, our relationships.  We strip away some of those external distractions, and when we do that, our interior lives can begin to grow.

I think many people are resistant to give up these external distractions, because their interior lives are not all that pleasant.  Many of us can carry around some serious interior burdens in the form of resentment and bitterness over past hurts—old wounds which have gone unhealed for many years.

So Lent provides an opportunity to bring those wounds to the healer—to Jesus, the medicus vitae—the doctor of life.

In the Gospel today, Jesus teaches the most important remedy for the healing of our wounded souls and wounded relationships: forgiveness.  Through Jesus’ passion and death, God has forgiven us—our wounded relationship with God is healed.  And we are called to practice that same forgiveness towards others.  Just as there is not a single sin God will not forgive, so too there isn’t a single sin that we are not called to forgive.

Jesus says to forgive not just seven times, but seven times seven.

In the Hebrew tradition the number seven is a sacred number and refers to the limitless holiness of God.  When Jesus commands his disciples to forgive “seventy times seven” times, it is to say that his disciples are to have no limit in their own forgiveness.  

It is difficult to forgive those who betray us—who offend, who harm us with their words and actions.  To forgive them sometimes feels like we are giving them a free pass.  Forgiving once, is sometimes hard enough, when we are hurt, there is that part of us that says, “I don’t want to talk to them, I don’t want to see them, I don’t want to be near them, I don’t even want to think about them.”  A Christian must never say, “I will never forgive you.”  

For Christ came to heal the wounds of sin and division—our division from God, and the division we continue to create between ourselves.  

So we need to be constantly about the work of forgiveness.  If upon self-examination you detect any anger or any hurt, now is the time to let it go.  And if the Holy Spirit is urging you to seek the forgiveness of a family member or neighbor you may have offended, go, do your best to be reconciled, to make peace, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - -  

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

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 war and 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.

32nd Week in Ordinary Time 2021 - Monday - Scandal, Forgiveness, Living Faith

Scandal, forgiveness, and faith. As Lord was making his final journey toward Jerusalem, he taught his disciples what it meant to follow him, and gave brief teachings on these three topics: scandal, forgiveness, and faith.

When we hear the word scandal, we often think of some grievous act, usually by a public official, that causes outrage, a misuse of a position of power.

But the word ‘skandelon’ means a stumbling block. It’s not mere coincidence that the Lord gives this teaching about stumbling blocks as he journeys to Jerusalem. By his journey of the cross in obedience to the will of the Father, the Lord he teaches all Christians to journey to the cross in obedience to the Father. 

Scandal does the exact opposite. What makes a leader’s sins so scandalous is that they set bad example for everyone else. Scandal leads others away from God. 

The sins of a church leader are scandalous because the church leader is meant to be leading us to God, teaching us, not just by words, but by a holy way of life. Parents, too, have a particularly vital role in the faith lives of their children. And when a parent fails to set good Christian example, that is scandalous, it teaches a little one that faith can be set aside. So the Lord teaches all Christians to avoid causing scandal—to be very careful about our speech, attitude, and actions that might lead others away from God.

Secondly, he teaches about forgiveness. This is almost the other side of the coin. We should avoid scandal, but when sin occurs, we must be quick to forgive. This doesn’t mean we fail to rebuke. The Lord says we are to offer fraternal correction when a brother sins. But, when a brother repents, we are to extend mercy.

Avoid scandal. Offer fraternal correction. And forgive without limit? The apostles find these teachings so difficult that they plead for the Lord to increase their faith. That’s an excellent request. These teachings are hard. And we need real, living faith to abide by them.

There’s no way we’ll avoid causing scandal without vibrant faith in the Son of God. There’s no way we’ll be able to effectively offer fraternal correction without faith, and without faith, we’ll never be able to truly forgive.

Increase our faith Lord: through prayer, study of your word and teachings, the development of authentic virtue, increase our faith, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -  

That all Christians may be people of forgiveness and mercy, endeavoring to live out the Lord’s teachings in their families, friendships, and encounters with strangers. Let us pray to the Lord.

That our young people may be blessed to be raised in faith filled homes, that they may be protected from the evils of our culture, and be granted a firm knowledge of their vocation to holiness. Let us pray to the Lord.

That Christ the Good Shepherd will draw close to all who suffer, the sick, the needy, victims of injustice, and the dying. For those who suffer from exhaustion, burn-out, and depression especially from overwork or work-related stress. Let us pray to the Lord.

We pray in a special way during this month of November for all the faithful departed, all deceased members of St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish, our deceased family members and friends, deceased clergy and religious, those who fought and died for our freedom and for 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.

 

8th Week in Ordinary Time 2021 - Friday - Fig Tree, Faith and Forgiveness

 One of the unfortunate decisions of the liturgical reform after Vatican II was what happened to this week after Pentecost. For hundreds of years, this week was celebrated with great solemnity as the Pentecost Octave. The Veni Sancte Spiritus, the Pentecost Sequence would be sung, calling down the Holy Spirit upon the Church. Pentecost Week was also one of the four sets of ember days, corresponding to the changing of the seasons.

Now, after Vatican II, we just kind of starkly find ourselves in the middle of Ordinary Time with no real reference to Pentecost Sunday. Our scripture readings simply resume from where we left off all the way back in February prior to the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday.

So if you remember, all the way back then, we were reading sequentially from the Gospel of Mark and we were pretty deep into the Lord’s public ministry. In fact, we’ll be concluding Mark’s Gospel within the next two weeks.

Today’s Gospel takes place on Monday of Holy Week. The day prior, of course, the Lord had entered triumphantly through the gates of Jerusalem. And that night, he had made the short trip back to Bethany, where he stayed in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

St. Mark then presents us with these three vignettes from Holy Monday.  First, as he was leaving Bethany the Lord curses this fig tree.  Next, he chases the money changers out of the temple.  Finally, returning to Bethany he gives his disciples a beautiful, yet challenging teaching on authentic faith using the example of the now-withered Fig Tree.  What is going on here on Holy Monday?

The Lord uses this cursed-withered Fig Tree as a metaphor for the state of religious life for the people of Israel. The religious leaders and the people had allowed rot and corruption to enter God’s holy Temple. What was meant to be a place of blessing and worship had become a place of corruption and rotten fruit.

The powers of spiritual rot and corruption are always trying to worm their way into the Church and into their lives. So the Lord teaches his disciples that they must be people of forgiveness and prayer. Their hearts must be rooted in his teaching, in his Gospel, in deep and radical faith. 

We can sense spiritual corruption worming around in our lives wherever there is a failure to forgive from our heart, wherever there is coldness toward the importance of prayer, wherever trust in God’s mighty power grows cold. 

This is a wonderful teaching as we begin, once again the season of Ordinary Time. That in the ordinary course of our lives we need to practice authentic forgiveness, vibrant prayer, and radical faith for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

That all members of the Church will discover and offer their gifts wholeheartedly in service of the Gospel. 

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, that young people may live in faith-filled homes where the Gospel is cherished, studied, and lived-out.

For the grace to set good Christian example, and to courage to share the faith with non-believers and the lapsed.

For all of the sick and suffering, for the grace to unite their sufferings with Christ and to know His consolation and peace.

For 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

Holy Week 2021 - Good Friday - "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do"

 

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”

While we did not read those words from St. Luke’s Gospel either on Palm Sunday or Good Friday this year, this plea for mercy for others uttered by our Lord from the cross have been echoing in my heart today.

To whom was the Lord addressing that prayer for mercy? In Luke’s Passion narrative, the Lord’s petition for forgiveness immediately follow’s the description of his crucifixion: When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Jesus no doubt offered this prayer on behalf of the Roman soldiers who literally nailed him to the cross. They knew not what they did, they were just following orders. They hadn’t heard him preach, they didn’t know his identity. They were treating Jesus just like they would any criminal, though maybe a bit more severely, due to his reputation as King of the Jews. They certainly did not know that he truly was a King, though his Kingdom was not of this world. If they would have known his true identity, writes St. Paul to the Corinthians, “they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Cor 2:8).

So certainly Jesus’s plea was for his actual executioners, who though they treated him with cruelty and harshness, did not know they were committing deicide—putting to death the innocent lamb of God. And yet, did Jesus not also offer that merciful plea to his Father on behalf of the Jews who conspired to put him on the cross? The scribes, pharisees, Sadducees, annas and Caiaphas: those who interpreted his teachings as blasphemy—those who saw him as a threat to their own religious authority—those who he threw out of the temple for turning God’s house into a den of thievery. Those who called for the release of Barabbas. Those who literally called for his crucifixion. They showed that they misunderstood his teachings and actions at every step, so wasn’t he also praying for them? Not just for his executioners, but those who conspired against him? 

But the Lord’s prayer was not simply just for his executions, or the Jewish conspirators, was it? We know who that prayer was for. It was for us. It was for me. It was for you. It was for Moses. It was for Adam and Eve. It was for us all. All people of all time. As St. Peter writes in his first epistle: “Christ suffered for sins, the Righteous One for the sake of the Unrighteous Ones (that’s us), that he might lead us to God. (I Peter 3:18)

Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. None of us can really understand the gravity of our sins. Human sin, after all, is an afront to the infinite God. And can we really ever truly grasp God’s infinite goodness and love, which sin offends. We can’t even really comprehend how our sins wound and hurt our neighbor, or our family members, let alone the infinite God. “Those who do not know what they do” that’s us. 

But just because we don’t understand the gravity of our sins, doesn’t mean they aren’t sins and an abomination to God, just the same. Just because we don’t understand the impact, the severity, the wounds that we cause, doesn’t mean we’re in the clear. 

The reason today is called Good Friday, is as St. Paul writes: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). “Father forgive them” for we needed forgiveness.

Throughout the ages the martyrs have echoed the Lord’s prayer for mercy. St. James, the first of the apostles to be martyred, knelt and prayed as he was being stoned by the scribes and Pharisees: “Lord, God, Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” St. Stephen, too, condemned to death by Paul, prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

Even our own patron, Ignatius to the Church of Ephesus, recommended that as they underwent persecution, they too should pray. Ignatius writes, “Offer prayers in response to their blasphemies…be gentle in response to their cruelty and do not be eager to imitate them in return…Let us eagerly be imitators of the Lord.” This, coming from a man who was being marched in chains to be torn apart by lions.

As each of us comes forward to adore the holy cross today, let us come with the same prayer upon our lips. We pray for the world. We pray for those who do not believe in Christ. We pray for members of the Church who love and believe imperfectly. Pray for those who have hurt you or who might hurt you in the future. Pray for those who bring ruin to our nation, to our diocese.  Pray for your pastor, as he prays for you. “Father, forgive them for they no not what they do. Father, forgive me, for I, so often know not what I do.” For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

3rd Week of Lent 2021 - Tuesday - God's Mercy and the Amendment of our Ways

 In the year 587 BC, the Babylonians laid siege to Jerusalem. The Holy City was conquered, the temple was destroyed, and the Jews were separated from their families and marched into Babylonian captivity. 

Once the Jews had arrived in Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar erected an enormous golden idol. The King ordered that anyone who refused to prostrate themselves in worship of this idol would be thrown into the fiery furnace. Three young Jewish men, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, refused to abandon their Jewish faith, and so the king had them bound up and thrown into the fiery furnace.

The Lord sent an angel to save these young men, and they were able to walk through the furnace unharmed. Today’s first reading, involves Azariah, standing in the furnace, asking God to look kindly upon the Jewish people, to forgive their sins which had brought them such torment and suffering.

The biblical understanding of the Babylonian captivity is that it was due to Israel forsaking the covenant with God, abandoning the commandments and right worship, and then ignoring the prophets that made them vulnerable to their enemies. Their captivity in Babylon, their suffering, was essentially, their own fault. 

And so even in the furnace, Azariah is calling upon God to help them return to the covenant, that the sacrifices, that they hope to offer should they survive, will help them follow God unreservedly. 

The plea to God for mercy was repeated in our responsorial psalm today, “remember, your mercy, o Lord”. And this plea is followed with requests, much like that of Azariah, guide me in your truth, help me to be humble, that I may walk in justice. The plea for mercy must always involve an amendment of one’s life, or else the mercy is wasted, the plea is empty.

A similar dynamic is involved in the Sacrament of confession, isn’t it? The acknowledgement of one’s sins, that expression of contrition, is followed by a plea for God to help us amend our lives. The firm purpose of amendment and the act plea for forgiveness, again goes hand in hand.

Hence in the Gospel, we hear this parable of a servant who receives mercy from his king, but then fails to extend that mercy to others. For this failure to extend mercy, there are severe consequences.

In Christ, God has answered the prayer of Azariah, the plea of the Psalmist: mercy has been shown, and truth has been taught. And now, it is up to us, to walk in that truth and to extend mercy for others, lest we end up like that unforgiving servant, who has failed to forgive as he has been forgiven.

Our Lenten penances are the sacrifices in which we show God how much we desire to follow him unreservedly. We give up those non-essentials, to help us amend our lives from our sins, that our entire hearts may belong to Him, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -  

That readiness to forgive may mark the life of every Christian. Let us pray to the Lord.

That all families will recommit themselves to fervent prayer this Lent so as to grow in greater love and holiness.  Let us pray to the Lord.

That this Lent we will be faithful to fasting and to all the ways that the Lord sanctifies us.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For generous giving for the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, unemployed, victims of natural disaster, terrorism, war, and violence, the grieving and those most in need.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For all those who have died, for all the poor souls in purgatory, for those who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, and for [intention below], for whom this Mass is offered.  Let us pray to the Lord.

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.

2nd Week of Lent 2021 - Monday - Be merciful. Stop judging. Stop condemning. Forgive.

The Lord gives four short commands for us in the Gospel today: Be merciful.  Stop judging. Stop condemning.  Forgive.  Be merciful.  Stop judging. Stop condemning.  Forgive.  

We’d do well just to replay those four commands in our heads over and over for the remainder of Lent. Be merciful.  Stop judging. Stop condemning.  Forgive.  

The call to be merciful is a perennial commandment in Holy Scripture. The people of Israel were to be known for their mercy to widows, orphans, and resident aliens. And so too, Christians are to practice the mercy of the good Samaritan, and mercy of the father of the prodigal son. And notice, the Lord doesn’t say, “be merciful....once in while.” “Be merciful, only to the people whom you like.”  “Be merciful, only to people who will be able to pay you back.”  No, he says, “be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful” and his mercy is available to all people at all times.  

What does it mean not to judge. We are certainly to avoid the sin of rash judgment—giving people the benefit of the doubt. Catechism says, To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor's thoughts, words, and deeds in a favorable way:

Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another's statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved.

To avoid condemning we need to avoid treating people as if they are not worthy of our help. To condemn a person is to say that they are too sinful, too ignorant, too perverse for my help or the help of God—I will have nothing to do with them because they are damned anyway. Rather, as long as a person draws breath, we are to bring God’s goodness to them and preach the Gospel to them. 

Finally, we must forgive. Forgive, forgive, forgive. If we do not practice forgiveness, we will not be forgiven by the Father. We must let go of all grudges, all resentment towards those who have injured us either physically or emotionally. We are to forgive 70 times 70 times when our brother sins against us. Some of us are more willing to forgive strangers than close family members, because we claim they should know better, but forgiveness is to granted to all people: strangers, neighbors, family, friends, those in authority over us, to all.

Forgive.  Be merciful.  Stop judging. Stop condemning. Forgive.  Be merciful.  Stop judging. Stop condemning. For the glory of God and 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 the Holy Spirit’s continued guidance for Our Holy Father, Bishop, and all Church leaders.

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. And for all victims of the coronavirus and their families. And for the Church in places where Christian’s are persecuted and the Gospel is silenced.

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.

February 8 2021 - St. Josephine Bakhita - World Day Against Human Trafficking

 For a number of years, February 8 has been designated the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking. Today’s saint in fact is the patron saint against human trafficking.  

In 1877, as a young girl, Josephine was taken from her village in Sudan and forced to walk 600 miles to the market where she was sold. Over the next 10 years, she was bought, sold, and regularly abused. 

One of her owners was particularly sadistic and scarred her for life by cutting her with a razor blade and salting the wounds. 

Finally, as a young woman, Josephine was freed from this cruel cycle through the intervention of the Canossian Sisters of Verona Italy, and was housed and employed by an Italian family through whom she became acquainted with the Catholic faith. She would go on to join the Canossian Sisters as a vowed religious. 

During his homily at her canonization Mass in St. Peter's Square, Pope John Paul II said that in St. Josephine Bakhita, "We find a shining advocate of genuine emancipation. The history of her life inspires not passive acceptance but the firm resolve to work effectively to free girls and women from oppression and violence, and to return them to their dignity in the full exercise of their rights."  Slavery and human trafficking continue even in our present age, and through the intercession of today’s saint, we pray for its complete abolishment.  

St. Josephine was canonized, not just because she was victim of terrible cruelties and inhumanity. She is now held aloft as a model of virtue and holiness because her life speaks of power of Christ-like forgiveness, reconciliation and love. As a victim of inhumanity and injustice, she could have allowed hatred and resentment to mold her life—many in our society are fueled by much slighter injustices than faced by St. Josephine. Rather, Josephine found liberation from hatred and resentment through Christ. So much so, that she came to say, “The whole of my life has been God’s gift”, and as a vowed religious devoted herself to steadfast charity and compassion through a life of self-donation. was not defined by the abuse that she received, but by the love that she shared.

On this day in 2019, Pope Francis invoked St. Josephine and called upon government leaders worldwide to intervene and stop the trafficking of persons. 

May we join our prayers and steadfast works with St. Josephine, contributing to righting this injustice, and imitate her virtues of forgiveness, compassion, and self-donation for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -  

For all of those children, women and men currently trapped in situations of slavery that God will help to liberate them from their chains. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all those vulnerable to being trafficked, especially immigrants and refugees, orphans and runaways that God give them safe passage and safe homes, we pray to the Lord. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the conversion of all who perpetuate slavery, human trafficking, child prostitution and evils against humanity. Let us pray to the Lord.

That all government leaders and lawmakers will recognize the dignity of every human person and, free from all corruption, work for the development of all peoples. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. Let us 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

1st Week of OT 2021 - Friday - The power to forgive sins

In just the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, we learn a lot about Jesus. He is the one of whom the ancient Jewish prophecies foretold, rising up out of the waters of baptism, we learn he is the beloved Son of the Father, in the desert, we learn that he is in opposition to the powers of Satan,. Walking by the see of Galilee, he is the caller of disciples. In Capernaum, he casts out demons and cures the sick—even drawing near to lepers—the outcasts, the unclean.

Today’s reading begins just the second chapter of Mark, and something new is discovered about the Lord—he claims the authority and power to forgive sins. Again, imagine you knew nothing of Jesus or Catholic theology. Here is this man claiming a power that only belongs to God—the ability to look into a man’s heart and release him from the burden of guilt. 

Guilt and shame can be paralyzing. An act committed in a moment of selfishness, or in a period of greed, can haunt a person, especially as the impact of one’s sin begins to be realized. For sin often has ripple effects that cannot be predicted. An act of evil can bring ruin to not just one’s self, but one’s family or one’s nation—and the burden of that guilt can lead a soul to such crippling despair that life begins to lose it’s meaning. And in a sense it should—because evil is contrary to life. It’s contrary to the meaning of life and the purpose for which we are made. Evil is always a stifling of our potential—what could have been if we were less selfish. 

And no matter what we do, we cannot release ourselves from the debt of sin. For every sin is an offense against God, a violation of a divine command. So only God can forgive sin. Hence the connection with paralysis in the Gospel today. Sin brings a paralysis of soul, in which we cannot walk in the freedom God wants for us. 

And for Jesus of Nazareth to make this claim to this group of scribes who knew very well that only God can forgive sin, caused them to believe that he was blaspheming. And if he were only a human, they’d be right. 

But the Lord can forgive sin, he does forgive sin; he cures the paralysis of soul that allows us to walk in the freedom of the children of God. There is no burden of guilt so heavy, that cannot be forgiven when humbly confessed, hence the feeling of levity as we walk out of the confession, we literally feel lighter, when we sincerely confess our sins. Who wouldn’t want that?

And yet, many are afraid of the confessional, or refuse to enter the confessional. And perhaps that’s why this Gospel begins with the paralyzed man being brought to Jesus by four friends. Sometimes it takes a number of good Christians, speaking the truth, praying, witnessing the power of the Lord to heal and relieve guilt, to bring a hardened soul to repentance, to lead them to Jesus in the Confessional, to the Lord continues to forgive sins through his priests.

May we humbly repent of our sins, and take up the duty of being good friends to the hardened, perhaps even paralyzed sinners in our life, to lead them to the mercy of Jesus for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -  

That the preaching and teachings of the Pope, Bishops, and clergy may be a source of strength and guidance for the Holy Church and deliverance from the evils of the enemy.

That those in civic authority may submit their minds and hearts to the rule of Christ, the Prince of Peace and Hope of the nations.

For the liberation of those bound by evil, those committed to sin an error, those oppressed or possessed by evil spirits, and for the conversion of the hardest hearts.

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.

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

24th Sunday in OT 2020 - Anger and Forgiveness

What a remarkable coincidence that the readings for this 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, dealing with Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness, occurs every three years near the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, one of the darkest days of our nation’s history.

Forgiveness was hard that day. Many of us remember, not only where we were, those 19 years ago, but the very strong emotions of sadness and anger. 

I was a first year seminarian in 2001.  And on that overcast autumn day here in Cleveland, a few of us seminarians were on our way to a Philosophy class entitled Philosophy of the Human Person taught by a Capuchin Franciscan Priest, Father Don Lippert who is now the bishop of Papua New Guinea.  In his brown Franciscan robes and brown beard and his peaceful demeanor, he reminded so many of us of Jesus himself.  So we were on our way to class, and another seminarian ran up to us and told us that a plane had just flown into one of the world trade center towers.  We ran to the classroom, and Fr. Lippert told us that class was canceled and we should go watch the news.  So, we went up to the student lounge to watch those terrible events unfold. And, at first, none of us new what was going on, right? None of us thought there would be a second plane. Or news of a crash in Pennsylvania, so close to here. Or an explosion at the Pentagon. We sat glued to the television, watching, and saw that horrific sight of the towers crumbling down, thinking, what just happened?  

When, I had enough, I remember going to my room, thinking of all of the tensions in the middle east at the time, all of the violence, and worry,  that things were just about to get  a lot worse.  And I remember also, the anger inside me.  Here, I lived with 70 men studying for the priesthood, seeking to bring Christ’s peace to human hearts through the Holy Gospel. And compare that with these men who sought to bring terror and death, who had not only disregard for their own souls, but the lives of innocent human beings.  About 3000 people were killed that day at the hand of human wickedness.  Those terrorist attacks continue to haunt us, too, every time we are forced to remove our shoes and belts at the airport.  It is hard not to look at people of middle eastern decent without some modicum of suspicion.  

And for a few weeks, back in 2001, Churches were packed, weren’t they, as people struggled to understand their anger and their hurt?

St. Thomas Aquinas said, “Anger is the natural response to injustice”.  Think of Dr. Martin Luther King , Jr.’s ’s “Anger” at racial inequality in the U.S., or Mahatma Ghandi’s anger over British imperialism, or Pope John Paul II’s anger at communist oppression.    Think of Jesus’ own anger at casting out the money changers. Or the anger over Bishops covering-up the abuse of minors. There was anger over September 11, 2001 because those attacks, the death and destruction was a massive injustice.  

We are hardwired to get angry over injustice. We were designed by God to respond to injustice in this way. And in a sense, we share this quality with God. Scripture speaks over and over about God’s anger toward evil, human wickedness, and injustice. God burns with anger when the people he freed from Egyptian slavery turn to worshipping false gods.  

Anger incites us to work for justice, to prosecute criminals, to overturn unjust laws, such as the laws enabling the destruction of the unborn.  Anger justly motivates us to hold our government leaders accountable for their failure to protect and lead. This sort of anger is legitimate, and a rightly formed conscience experiences this sort of anger in the face of injustice. Rightly ordered anger should stir us out of complacency and fear—to work to set things right.

However, St. Thomas Aquinas also talks about the deadly sin of Anger.  Where legitimate anger is the desire to set things right and is the proper response to injustice, the Deadly sin of anger is the exaggerated or irrational desire for vengeance, to seek justice through irrational means—such as destruction of private property or innocent human life.

How thoroughly Sirach describes the deadly sin of sin of anger in the first reading: “Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight.”  The deadly sin of anger is addictive, like a drug. It’s like a demon that can possess a person and can consume us and lead us to do terrible things and justify terrible things. We see this sort of anger on full display in some of the destructive riots going on in our country. Yes, there is injustice, but justice cannot be obtained through irrational means. The ends do not justify the means.

Dr. King didn’t promote destruction-- he didn’t want to destroy white America, he wanted to redeem it.  He did not insight terrorism against white America, he sought its righteousness, its perfection.  This differentiates Dr. King from those whose legitimate concern for racial injustice leads to irrational violence.  Yes, King was angered by racial injustice, but it was an anger tethered by love, which wills the good of the other.

Same thing with Ghandi.  He did not want to destroy the British.  He was angry at their oppression of his people, but as he famously said, I want the British to leave as our friends.  And St. John Paul II, did he want to kill all of the communists?  No.  He was angry as anyone over communist oppression, but he wanted them redeemed, to become better people.

Our readings speak to us this Sunday about forgiveness.  Forgiveness doesn’t mean we ignore injustice or forget about injustice. Forgiveness doesn’t mean burying our head in the sand. Forgiveness is able to call an injustice for what it is.  That evil is evil.  Jesus, who forgave from the cross, still called sin for what it is.

Rather, forgiveness is an act of the will, a choice. It is means to choose, “I will not allow the unjust actions of others to keep me from love”  Forgiveness, is to choose, “I will not allow myself to be controlled by bitterness, anger, or resentment.” Yes, sometimes forgiveness means releasing someone from a financial debt. But the Lord shows us the true face of forgiveness, “Even though you crucify me, I still choose to die for you.” It means not returning evil for evil, but seeking the greatest good of the other, no matter how they treat you.

For Jesus, forgiveness is an absolute for the Christian life. We will not be forgiven by God unless we forgive others.  Peter in today’s Gospel asks, how many times should I forgive my brother? Jesus answers, I say to you, not seven times, but seventy times seven times.  The Christian is to practice forgiveness over and over and over and over again, just as God forgives us over and over and over again.

So, we should not go to bed angry, meaning, we should not go to bed with the smallest ounce of bitterness or hatred. If at the end of the day, I can think of a single person toward whom I am holding on to irrational hatred or ill-will toward, I need to release that, to bring that to God for healing. We must wish no ill-will toward anyone, ever.

Through rightly ordered anger—we are motivated to work for an end to injustices—through forgiveness hatred is replaced with peace. May our lives be rightly ordered, may our hearts be filled with peace, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

July 6 2020 - St. Maria Goretti - A holy life prepares us for trial

Maria Goretti was born of a poor family in the central Italian town of Corinaldo. Her father died when she was 10 years old, and one of the men who had worked with her father, 19 year old Alessandro Serenelli, had made several attempts to seduce the young girl. She told him that he could go to hell for what he wanted to do.  Her refusal and her words of faith so angered him that he stabbed her, 14 times.

It took Maria two days to die from those stab wounds.  And On her deathbed, Maria, not only pardoned Alessandro, but she said: “I hope that he too will join me in Paradise.”  Maria died in the hospital after forgiving her murderer.  Maria Goretti was scarcely twelve years old when she died on July 7, 1902. 

Alessandro remained unrepentant for his attempted rape and murder of the young girl, but several years into his prison sentence, Alessandro had a dream in which Maria presented him with a bouquet of lilies—lilies are of course a symbol of purity. Repentance filled his heart and he turned to the mercy of Christ.  After 27 years in prison, Alessandro was released, and visited Maria’s mother, Assunta, whom he asked forgiveness. “If my daughter can forgive him, who am I to withhold forgiveness?" she said. Alessandro spent his last years as a third-order Franciscan and died in 1970.

Maria Goretti was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950, and it is the first time in history that the mother of a saint was present at the canonization.  Alessandro was also there, also probably the first time that the saint’s murderer was present at the canonization, and thanks be to God, his soul was right with God. He had testified in her cause for canonization, speaking not only of her courageous protection of her purity, but the tremendous holiness the saint had cultivated over those short twelve years.

It is said that "even if she had not been a martyr, she would still have been a saint, so holy was her everyday life".  And this is such an important lesson for all of his: the holiness of her everyday life helped her at a crucial moment to remain courageous, to forgive and love her murderer with the heart of Christ. And her sanctity brought about the eventual conversion of a very evil man, who probably only died in communion with Christ because of her.

May St. Maria Goretti help us to cultivate a love of innocence, chastity, and forgiveness, and help all of us to remain steadfast in faith in the moment of trial, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
- - - - - - -

Through the intercession of the holy virgin-martyr St. Maria Goretti, for an increase of reverence for and practice of the virtues of chastity, purity, and modesty and for greater respect for the dignity of the human body and all human life.

That all of our young people on summer vacation may be kept safe from the poisonous errors and vices of our time and be kept in close friendship with the Lord Jesus through the faith of their families, daily prayer, attendance at Mass, and the practice of the virtues.

That the Holy Spirit may guide the selection of a new bishop for the diocese of Cleveland.

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, for victims of abuse, especially children, 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

2nd Sunday of Lent 2020 - The dangerous business of going out your door

 One of the great works of literature from the 20th century was written by Catholic author J.R.R. Tolkien. You may have read or watched the film production of his “Lord of the Rings” Trilogy. This fantasy saga about hobbits and elves and wizards and dragons is heavily infused with imagery inspired by Tolkien’s Catholic faith.

The tale begins with the discovery of a magic ring. The main character, Frodo, and his friend Sam are tasked with the perilous quest of bringing the mysterious ring to a group of wise elves who will determine what to do with this dangerous artifact.

I thought of Tolkien’s story in regards to our first reading today. Abraham is tasked by God to leave his home, his native land, and venture to a new place, filled with strangers and enemies. A perilous quest for anyone, but particularly Abraham who was 75 years old.

There is a great scene near the beginning of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, where Frodo and Sam, having walked for about a day and half from their village, reach the edge of field, and Sam stops and says, “this is it…If I take one more step, I'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been.” To which Frodo responds, “Come on, Sam. Remember what my uncle used to say: "It's a dangerous business,  going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no telling where you might be swept off to."

Sam spoke those words with no idea that his feet would take him so far from home, farther than he could ever dream of, and he would do things he never thought himself possible of doing. Like Abraham, like moses, like the prophets, like the apostles and saints. These holy men and women all took a risk of stepping out their front door, and allowing God to lead them to unknown lands, figuratively and oftentimes literally, further from home than they’ve ever been. God invites all of us to trust him, to allow him to lead us into the unknown, into new ways of service and sacrifice,
prayer and evamgelization.

In the Gospel we hear of Peter, James, and John being led up a mountain by Jesus. They had already taken the risk of leaving their fathers’ fishing businesses, following this itinerant preacher and miracle worker all over Galilee. And now, he was leading them up this strange mountain. St. Matthew uses this wonderful word in the Greek for Jesus’ act of leading his apostles up the mountain side. The word is anaphora. Anaphora means to lead up or carry up or bring up.  The word also has the connotation of offering up:  as in the high priest offering up sacrifices for the forgiveness of the sins of the people.

This connection of being led up a mountain and offering up a sacrifice, should certainly make us think of our blessed Lord being led up to mount calvary by the will of his father. And indeed, Christians have always seen the story of the Transfiguration as a foreshadowing of the Lord climbing the Mount of Calvary and also our vocation of following where our master has gone before us.
Peter, James, and John, like their Lord would go on to climb the mountain of suffering for the sake of the Gospel; they “bore their share of hardship for the gospel” as Paul writes to timothy in our second reading. Peter, like the Lord, was crucified. James, was the first to be martyred among the apostles. John, though he died of old age, suffered greatly, he was even boiled in oil, but he survived.
We must all trust the Lord enough to allow him to lead us up the holy mountain. It’s not an easy journey. It’s steep. It’s hard. It requires courage and fortitude. It might even be, like it was for Peter James and John, quite terrifying, initially.

But something happens at the top of the mountain that makes the terrible journey worth it. At the top of the mountain, we encounter God. And that too might be terrifying at first, as it was for Peter, James, and John. But that mountain top encounter with God, changes you, bolsters you, in fact, we long for it. This desire for the mountaintop encounter with the true and living God is deeper than our fears.

Pope Benedict writes, “This letting oneself be guided where one does not want to be led is an essential dimension of our service, and it is exactly what makes us free. In this being guided, which can be contrary to our ideas and plans, we experience something new—the wealth of God’s love.”
There is no doubt, for each and every person here, some place, that God wants to lead us, where we, initially, don’t want to be led. It could be because of our swollen ego, or our fear of suffering, our fear of being rejected by our fellow man. But each one of us, no doubt, is being called by God up a mountain.

That mountain’s name for some of us, might be “forgiveness”, forgiving someone who hurt you deeply. For some, it might be “chastity or self-control”, putting an end to unchaste or spiritually unhealthy habits and actions. For some, it might be “generosity”—learning to trust God enough to give to others more generously. For some, the name of that mountain might be “Confession”. The Sacrament of Confession is sometimes daunting because it requires us to name our failures and seek to change, a very steep mountain indeed.

But, atop each of these daunting, steep mountains, is an encounter with Jesus Christ, which will set you free and bring you joy. In the end, that holy mountain, is the only one worth climbing.
The Eucharistic preface for this second Sunday of Lent, proclaims how the Lord brings the apostles up the holy mountain to show them that the Passion leads to the glory of the Resurrection. We willingly undergo the sufferings of the Christian life because of that promise, that what we suffer leads to the glory of the resurrection.

So this Lent, take a risk. Pray more than you ever have. Read the Bible more devoutly and reflectively. Fast more strictly than you ever have, trust that the Lord will feed you with what you will give you life. And Give like you never have. Take a risk, step out your front door, climb the mountain. Offer him your time, your body and soul.

The early Greek Christians used that wonderful word Anaphora to describe the Mass. And we Romans Catholics too, refer to that part of the Mass as the anaphora, when bread and wine are offered to God to become the flesh and blood of Jesus the High Priest who offers himself to the Father for our salvation.

As the Lord is offered up, may we offer our lives in union with him, and allow him to lead us in holiness, to grant us courage in leaving the comfort of our native lands, further from home than we’ve ever been. It’s dangerous out there, but he is with us, leading the way, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

7th Sunday of OT 2020 - Beyond spiritual mediocrity

For several weeks now, we’ve been hearing from the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. On the Mount of Beatitudes the Lord offers instruction to his disciples on how to live a blessed life—who they are and how they are to act in the world. Last week we heard how Christians are called to greatness—moral greatness—by observing and teaching the commandments of God. We are to make a break with sin, and seek to conform our lives to all of the Lord’s teachings and the teachings of his Church.

The commandments of God and the commandments of the world are quite different aren’t they? Where God commands we worship Him alone, the culture tells us to make money, power and pleasure the central pursuits of our life. Where God commands that we keep holy the sabbath, the culture tells us not to let church or religion get in the way of sports programs, family and social events, work and vacation. Where God commands we keep our oaths, strive for purity, and practice selflessness, the culture hates commitments, justifies perversions, and promotes narcissism and self-indulgence.

God calls his people to greatness—to a holiness and perfection which surpasses that of even the old law—a greatness which surpasses the spiritual mediocrity for which we so often settle.

This week, we hear the Lord continuing his Sermon—giving a number of illustrations—examples—what exactly this surpassing holiness looks like.

In the first example, the Lord says if someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. You really have to imagine what this looks like. We’ll have to forego the live demonstration today. If a right-handed person were to slap you, they would typically slap you with the palm of their hand on your left cheek. A slap to your right cheek however, would mean that they would have slapped you with the back of their hand. In Jewish tradition, such a violent assault carried a double penalty. Yet Jesus challenges his disciples to not only forgo financial compensation, but to even endure further insult: offer your other cheek. The Lord teaches us to beyond that violent reaction to violence. To remain calm and focused.

“Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles.” Under Roman Law, a Roman soldier could legally force someone to carry his equipment for up to one mile. Don’t just go the one mile Jesus says, show him Christian generosity and endurance. Carry the soldiers equipment for two miles. Well, for Jesus to teach Jewish people under Roman rule to show this generosity and kindness toward their Roman oppressors would have been quite shocking.

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Again, another startling teaching to those who were oppressed by Romans. The Romans occupied Jewish land, taxed the Jews heavily and treated them with violence and injustice, and the Lord says, “love them and pray for them”. That will make you children of the Heavenly Father. We are to look to the deepest identity of even our enemy, as see that God created them, and loves them, just as he loves us.

In each of these examples, the Lord is calling us to act quite differently than what could be considered normal, to rise above our fallen tendencies and moral mediocrity, and even to bear some humiliation in order to do what is good in the eyes of God.

It’s humiliating to be slapped on the right cheek, and hard to hold back an insult. It’s humiliating to be forced to carry an enemy soldiers’ equipment, to kneel down and pray for that coworker that backstabbed you, that politician who stands for everything you are against, that family member that betrayed your trust. Christians are to treat people better than they treat us.

And when we’re faithful to this teaching, a number of things happen. First we begin to enjoy a freedom not understood by the rest of the world. When we refuse to return insult for insult, injury for injury, we become free from the cycle of violence which often dominates human relationships. We become free from poisonous sentiments of hatred and resentment. And this freedom enables us to become instruments of God.

Because imagine you are that roman soldier who witnesses a Christian going that extra mile, carrying his equipment uphill, in the hot sun, twice as far as legally required. You begin to wonder, what is inside this Christian that enables them to treat me this way? With such gentleness and generosity? Where does that come from? Where does that freedom come from, that inner strength? And maybe, just maybe, that Roman Soldier begins to seek the God who gives us this freedom and strength.



The Lord Jesus exemplifies these very lesson particularly during his crucifixion. Remember, with those who called for his crucifixion in his midst, with the Roman soldiers who nailed him to the cross, he says, “do you think that had I wanted, my Father would not send twelve legions of angels to come and avenge me.” The Lord prayed not for angelic warriors to slaughter his enemies, but for his Father to forgive them. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” The Lord teaches us, and gives us an example to forgive whenever anyone insults us, or humiliates us, or hurts us—to endure our sufferings, pray for our enemies, and seek to show them the face of the one true God.
This week, on Ash Wednesday, begins the great season of Lent. Lent aims at helping us go beyond spiritual mediocrity and to grow in authentic Christian holiness. Traditionally, throughout Lent we engage in greater prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as ways of converting us, increasing our capacity to give to God and to others.

So, give up chocolate and desserts and snacking if that will help you love the pleasures of the world less and God more. But really consider, take responsibility for your spiritual life, and ask the Holy Spirit, what will help you become more like Jesus this Lent who is so free that he is forgive his enemies from the cross? An extra Our Father every day? Or how about a Holy Hour every week? How about getting to daily Mass, to hear the Lenten Scriptures and to receive the Lord’s flesh and blood offered on the cross for you and for many? What will help you to grow in freedom from the worldly attitudes and behaviors which have crept into your life?

What will help you be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect…for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

3rd Week of Lent 2019 - Tuesday - Forgiveness from the heart

One of the great Lenten themes is that of forgiveness.  On Good Friday, we will hear Jesus plead from the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”  All that Jesus suffered, all that he endured--the tortures, the mockery, the humiliation—he endured that our sins may be forgiven.  Yet, Jesus was willing to die for the forgiveness of sins because of his great love for us.

When GK Chesterton was asked why he became Catholic, his simple answer was “to get my sins forgiven”.

God does not force his mercy upon us.  We must want it, desire it, seek it, and do what it takes to receive it.  The soul stained by original sin must receive baptism.  The baptized soul stained by mortal sin must receive the sacrament of reconciliation.

Asking God to forgive, and asking God to help us forgive is at the heart of the Lord’s prayer: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And immediately following the Lord’s prayer, Jesus teaches if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.

Parable_of_the_Unforgiving_Servant - Claude_Vignon

Today’s Gospel contains a parable about a servant who refuses to forgive. Jesus judges this servant’s refusal to forgive as wicked. A Christian must never say, “I will never forgive you.”  For if we are closed to forgiving others, we become closed to receiving the forgiveness which leads to heaven.  Jesus describes refusal to forgive as wickedness.

Forgiveness is not easy.  It might feel like, say, being crucified.  If upon examining our hearts we detect any resentment or bitterness, we need to bring those feelings to the foot of the cross and let them go.  And if they rear their ugly heads again in the future, to repeat the process over and over.  If you are keeping a list against anyone of times they’ve offended me, rip up the list and consider the slate wiped clean.

The healing of the wounds of sin and division in our hearts and our world requires our openness to forgive others. So as we meditate this Lent upon the Lord’s forgiveness of our sinfulness, we also recall our own need to forgive without limit.  Forgive completely, forgive regardless the cost, forgive from your heart, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -
 
That readiness to forgive may mark the life of every Christian.

That all families will recommit themselves to fervent prayer this Lent so as to grow in greater love and holiness.  We pray to the Lord.

That this Lent we will be faithful to fasting and to all the ways that the Lord sanctifies us.  We pray to the Lord.

For generous giving for the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, unemployed, victims of natural disaster, terrorism, war, and violence, the grieving and those most in need.  We pray to the Lord.

For all those who have died, for all the poor souls in purgatory, for those who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, and for [intention below], for whom this Mass is offered.  We pray to the Lord.

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.