13th Week of Ordinary Time 2025 - Wednesday - Truth and Action

 During these normal weekdays of Ordinary Time, we read sequentially through the Gospels from the beginning of the Lord’s public ministry to right before his Passion.

Reading through the Gospel of Matthew, we notice a structure that repeats throughout the book. The Lord gives a teaching, then there is action. Teaching and action. Teaching and action. The Lord teaches in parables, conveying truths about discipleship, and then he goes out and acts—performing miracles and exorcisms, bringing comfort and deliverance to the afflicted. Through his actions, Jesus demonstrates that he’s not some charlatan who only offers empty words. His words are backed up by action. 

Why should you believe him? Why should you heed his words—his warnings, his challenges, his moral guidance? His actions back up his words. Certainly, an important lesson for all of us. That as Christians, we are to preach and teach in Christ’s name, but our actions must back up our words.

Catechesis, evangelization, religious instruction, counseling the doubtful, instructing the ignorant, sharing the Gospel, must all be backed up by action—works. Works of charity. Works of mercy. Concrete penances.

The Word of God attests to this. “Faith without works is dead” writes, St. James. You’ve no doubt heard the aphorism attributed to St. Francis, friend of our patron, St. Clare. “Preach the Gospel, always, sometimes use words”. If Francis didn’t actually say that, he might as well have because his life was one of constant works of mercy and penance. His evangelical poverty gave credence and testimony to his words. And the same must be for all of us. 

Teaching and Action. Words and Works. Since the end of the Easter season, we had been reading from one of those long teaching sections, the Lord’s famous Sermon on the Mount, comprising chapters 5 thru seven of Matthew. But this week, we began reading from one of those action sections, chapter 8.  Like those other many action sections, we find the Lord performing healing miracles and exorcisms—works that bring deliverance to others.

Today we heard how the Lord delivered to demon possessed men from their bondage. And you might think, what power do I have to exorcize demons? Well, again, those works of charity can break bonds in people’s lives. When they witness us feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, that softens there heart to Christ.

But on the other hand, we don’t have the power to cast out demons on our own. This is why that teaching part is also important. When we cultivate the Truth of Christ in our hearts, by listening to the Teacher in our own faith formation, when we allow him to teach us in our daily meditation and prayer and our reception of the sacraments, then his life within us grows, so that when we encounter the demon possessed soul, he’s the one that does performs the exorcisms, he’s the one that casts out demons, through us.

Lord, make us instruments of your peace, your goodness, and your life, cultivate your life within us through your truth, and make us people of divine action, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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We bring our prayers of petition to the Lord.

For the Church: That she may faithfully teach the truths of Christ and live them out through works of charity, mercy, and justice, giving powerful witness to the Gospel in every place and age.

For those bound by sin, addiction, or spiritual oppression: That through the power of Christ and the witness of Christian charity, they may find freedom, healing, and new life.

For all victims of war, for peace in the Holy Land, an end to the violence and the consolation of the suffering. May God come to the assistance of the communities and families devastated by terrorism and war; and may world leaders work together for peace.

For the sick, the poor, and the suffering: That they may be comforted by Christ’s presence and aided by the loving works of His disciples.

For the faithful departed: That, purified by God’s mercy, they may rejoice forever in His Kingdom of peace and light. Let us pray to the Lord.

Lord Jesus, you came to teach us the way to the Father and to deliver us from all evil. Hear our prayers and make us faithful disciples who live your truth through loving action. Through Christ our Lord.

10th Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Monday - Fulfillment of promises and longings

 Having come to the end of our readings through the public ministry of the Lord prior to his passion from the Gospel of Mark, our daily ordinary time weekday Gospel readings from now until September will be taken from the Gospel of Matthew. We’ll read sequentially from the beginning of the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, as we heard this morning, to the final parables prior to his arrest. We’ll then read from Luke’s Gospel until the end of the liturgical year.

This gospel was written by a Jew, Matthew the tax-collector, for a Jewish Christian audience. The structure of the Gospel even reflects its Jewish origins. There are five discourse sections sandwich between 7 narrative sections. Those five narrative sections mirror the five books of Moses and portray Jesus the New Moses giving the New Law for God’s people. 

Because the Gospel was written by a Jew for the Jews, Matthew, utilizes far more Old Testament quotations and references than the other Gospel writers. Matthew’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ genealogy tracing Him back to David and then to Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation.

Again, writing to Jews, Matthew portrays Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promises to the Jewish people—promises of salvation and justice and peace and glory. 

In today’s reading, Jesus promises that all of those longings—longings for the kingdom, longings for righteousness, for peace, longings to see the face of God—can be found in heading his teachings. You will obtain the kingdom of heaven, if you become humble. You will come to see the face of God, if you become pure of heart. You will obtain mercy if you show mercy.

Jesus is the fulfillment not only of God’s promises to the Jewish people, he is the fulfillment of our hearts deepest longings.  He fulfills our longings for truth, for goodness, for beauty, and for peace. But he is clear. We must pursue Him. We must pursue beatitude. It requires effort and conversion and embrace of the cross.

Beatitude is not obtained by passive complacency, or by those who resist the change of mind and heart that he teaches. Again, if you want mercy, you must show mercy. If you want peace, you must make peace. If you want purity of sight, you purify your heart. If you want truth to reign on earth, you must be willing to suffer for it. If you want the highest heaven, you must become lowly—poor in spirit. 

God’s promises coincide with our deepest longings. May we seek that fulfillment we long for in Christ, actively, intently, with all the effort we can muster, and with the help of God, so to obtain the life he promises, for the Glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Holy Family 2023 - Icon of the Domestic Church

 Of the four Evangelists, it is Matthew and Luke who provide the most details surrounding the family of our Blessed Lord.

Matthew’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ family tree going all the way back to Abraham, through King David, and the Kings of Israel, to Joseph, husband of Mary. Matthew, then narrates how the angel appeared to Joseph, and explains God’s plan to him regarding the mysterious pregnancy of his betrothed. Matthew then relates the good news of the Lord’s birth in Bethlehem and how the Holy Family was forced to flee to Egypt to escape the murderous design of King Herod.

St. Luke’s Gospel begins not with the Lord’s family tree, but God’s intervention in the life of Jesus’ extended family. Zechariah, of the priestly class, is visited by an angel who foretells the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth. 

Luke then transitions from the Lord’s extended family to the Lord’s conception in the womb of his virgin mother overshadowed by the Holy Spirit in the house Nazareth. Out of concern for her kinswoman Elizabeth, Mary goes in haste out to the hill country—the Lord’s cousin John the Baptist leaps for joy in his mother’s womb. Mary and Joseph then journey to Bethlehem—Joseph’s ancestral home, where the Christ was born. 

So in those first few chapters, Luke portrays Mary and Joseph as a couple steeped in the tradition and religiosity of their people—people of strong faith with strong ties to their extended family. 

Why do Matthew and Luke spend so much time describing Jesus’ family? Why did they consider Jesus’ family important? Why don’t these Gospels just begin with Jesus’ public ministry—with his miracles and teachings? Many non-Catholics, after all, think that we Catholics are strange, or even idolatrous, for focusing so much on the Holy Family. But they are right there in the Gospels for a reason. 

The evangelists devote precious ink to these people because God wants us to know about Jesus’ family. God wants us to consider their faith, their traditions, their virtues, their love for each other. We come to meet and know and understand Jesus by meeting, knowing, and understanding his family. 

Jesus was born to a family of real humans, with real struggles, who found strength and support in their family bonds, just like we do. 

They also grappled to understand the mysterious workings of God in their life. Both Mary and Joseph had to come to grips with God doing unprecedented things in their lives. When they began their betrothal, little did they know that life would not proceed as they had planned. But they trusted God’s plan. They were faithful. They obeyed God’s plan. They surrendered to God’s plan.

And just because they were chosen by God for this unique role in salvation history, they still had to deal with real problems. Mary had to give birth in a filthy stable. But Joseph and Mary did their best despite their circumstances. Scripture does not record them complaining, making excuses, cursing God, berating the poor innkeeper for not having a room for them. Their focus on God’s will, their trust in God providence pierces through the real mess they were in. 

Talk about unideal…next week, on the feast of the epiphany, we’ll hear how Mary and Joseph receive word from the magi that King Herod wants their newborn son dead. And would be going to great lengths to murder him. And what do Mary and Joseph do? They go to the temple and offer thanksgiving to God for the gift of Jesus’ life. They fulfill and major religious obligation before going off to Egypt to keep their son safe.

In the Gospel today we hear how in the temple Mary and Joseph receive a prophecy about even more mysterious happenings yet to come. Simeon foretells how Mary’s heart will be pierced with a sword of sorrow. This child is going to move the heavens and the earth, but there will be sorrow, tremendous sorrow. But they accept even sorrow from God, trusting God, hoping in God’s promises. 

These are people of such tremendous faith, and we really can’t reflect enough upon the example of the holy family. Listen again to the Collect prayer for this Christmas Octave Feast of the Holy Family which calls us to look to them and imitate them—we prayed : “O God, who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy Family, graciously grant that we may imitate them in practicing the virtues of family life and the bonds of charity, and so, in the joy of your house, delight one day in eternal rewards.”

What virtues—what virtues of the Holy Family—does your family need to practice this year. Spouses, you should discuss that. What virtue do we need to practice as a family this upcoming year? What behaviors do we need to keep an eye on? How are we being called to be more like Mary, more like Joseph. What do they teach us about growing closer in love towards one another? 

If that’s not the sort of conversation you are used to having as a family, start there. I can guarantee Mary and Joseph and Jesus discussed God’s will, and how God had worked in their family history. You can guarantee that they prayed with one another.

Dear departed Pope Benedict XVI wrote about the importance of Christians families looking to and modeling their family life after the Holy Family. He wrote, “the Holy Family is the icon of the domestic Church, called to pray together. The family is the domestic Church and must be the first school of prayer. It is in the family that children, from the tenderest age, can learn to perceive the meaning of God, also thanks to the teaching and example of their parents: to live in an atmosphere marked by God’s presence.”

What it means that every Christian family is the domestic church means that non-believers should be able to learn what it means to be Christian—what it means to be a member of the Church—by looking at your family life. Look at how they pray together, look at how they forgive one another, look at how they are patient with one another, look at how they pass on the faith to the younger generation and seek together to understand the faith. Oh, THAT’s what it means to be Christian. That’s your vocation, dear families: to be icons of the Church. 

May the Holy Family aid all of our Christian families to live up to their vocation and help us all to be faithful to God amidst all of our trials for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

21st Week of Ordinary Time 2022 - Friday - Eternal Consequences and the Light of Faith

 

Chapter 25 of Matthew’s Gospel contains the Lord’s final teachings prior to the beginning of his Passion. In it we read two parables—the parable of the 10 virgins and the parable of the talents. The chapter concludes with the Lord’s teaching on the great judgment—the eternal separation of the sheep and the goats.

These are some solemn teachings. They all speak of consequences.

The wise virgins are allowed into the banquet feast, while the foolish are shut out. The wise stewards who invest the talents with which they’ve been entrusted are praised by the master when he returns and welcomed into joy, while the foolish steward is called wicked and lazy and useless by the master; he is thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. And then of course the great judgment. For engaging in the works of mercy: feeding the Son of Man when he appeared as a stranger, clothing him, visiting him in prison, they shall inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world, while others, are called goats, and for neglecting the works of charity, they are ordered to depart from the Son of Man, they are called accursed, and sent to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and the fallen angels.

The teachings of the Lord Jesus have consequences—eternal consequences.

Like all 10 virgins at the beginning of today’s parable, all Christians are given a lamp of grace. In the baptism ritual, a candle is handed to the newly baptized and the priest tells them: “receive the light of Christ. You have been enlightened by Christ. Walk always as children of the light and keep the flame of faith alive in your hearts. When the Lord comes, may you go out to meet him with all the saints in the heavenly kingdom.”

This post-baptismal instruction is clearly inspired today’s Gospel. The light of Christ, the light of faith is given to us in baptism, and wisely it must be kept alive by practicing the pillars of our faith: right belief, sacraments, obedience to the commandments, and prayer. Without all four of those, we foolishly allow the light of faith to become extinguished.

Sadly, we all know of Christians who appear to have allowed their lamps to become extinguished, or whose flame is but a bare flicker, in danger of the next wind, the next sin, blowing it out. We have a duty to them to help rekindle the light, by leading them to the truth of Christian doctrine, the grace of the sacraments, the right practice of the moral teachings, and a vibrant prayer life—especially to relight extinguished flames through the Sacrament of Confession.

We do not know the day nor the hour when the Bridegroom will return or our earthly life will come to an end. May the Lord find our souls persevering in his grace, with the flame of faith alight and blazing, for the glory of God and salvation of souls

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For the flourishing of spiritual gifts in the Church and in our parish; and for the grace during this month of August to practice the virtue of humility in all of our relationships and interactions. 

For our young people in these early days of the school year, and for their teachers: that the Word of God might be cherished, studied, and practiced in every classroom and home. 

That politicians and government officials may protect religious freedom, promote virtue, and look to the law of Christ to guide their work for the good of nations and all peoples. 

For those beset with any sort of trial, illness, or burden: that the Lord will build up his strength within them and assist them in their needs. 

That those who have died may share in the joy of life-everlasting with the Risen Lord, especially the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the souls in purgatory…

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 - Wednesday - Pearl of Great Price

 Chapter 13 of Matthew’s Gospel contains a number of parables. It begins with the Parable of the Sower, one of my favorite parables, a parable about parables, if you will, where the Lord explains the necessary disposition of mind and soul to listen to and receive his teaching. Our minds and souls are to be good soil, clear of the thorns of worldly attachments, willing to remain faithful to his teaching when things get rocky, weary of the cunning tricks of the devil to draw us away from the Lord’s truth. 

The Lord goes on to liken the kingdom of God to a mustard seed, then another likening the kingdom of God to yeast put into batch of bread. These have to do with the way the kingdom of God will grow as we are faithful to its mission.

Today, we heard some parables about the value of message. How it should be accepted with great urgency. As with much fervor and urgency as a merchant who finds a pearl of great price we are to conform our lives to his teaching.

The merchant reflects Jesus’ first disciples who left everything to follow Jesus. So, too, all of humanity are invited to prioritize his Gospel above everything else. His teachings require a radical reorientation of our lives, our priorities. And like the one who sells all that he has to buy the field with the buried treasure, we joyfully abandon everything to obtain the treasure Jesus wants for us.

The source of so much sadness in the world is the unwillingness to give up sin, unbelief, pride, and worldly attachments, for the Gospel. And so the Church’s mission is to make the source of our joy known to the world—let our light shine before men, that true joy and fulfillment is founding in knowing him, loving him, serving him, reorienting your life to him, dying with him, so that you may rise with him.

Christ is the greatest of treasures. When our lives reflect this truth, we are filled with supernatural joy. But to truly possess this pearl we must embrace, not just some of his teaching, but the whole Christ, His truth, his call to conversion, his suffering, his cross, his death 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

15th Week in Ordinary Time 2021 - Tuesday - Reproaches to Unrepentant Towns

 Yesterday, we heard how the Lord sent out the twelve into the surrounding towns to preach. He instructed them and warned them to prepare themselves to be misunderstood, hated, and persecuted.

Today, we hear, that while the twelve are off on their missionary preaching mission, the Lord himself revisits some of the towns where he had preached and performed mighty deeds in the past, namely Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. 

It appears that for the most part, the people of these town have failed to heed the Lord’s message of repentance. They had witnessed many of his mighty deeds, miracles of healing and exorcism, and yet they had failed to repent. They’d missed the whole purpose of his miracles. 

The miracles were signs that God was at work in their midst, God wanted their attention. By them, Jesus was showing them that he is God in the flesh calling them to repentance and new life. And yet it seems, they had just gone back to their same unbelieving ways. They had gone back to sleep.

So, he really lets them have it. This passage contains some of the Lord’s strongest criticism of those who refuse to repent of their sins. 

Jesus says that if Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, some of the most wicked cities in history, had witnessed his miracles, they would have repented on the spot. In other words, what is wrong with you? How hard your hearts must be.

And he explains that, for this refusal to repentance, for this hardness of hearts, there will be serious consequences on the day of judgment. 

Are we supposed to imitate the Lord’s rhetorical style in our preaching of the Gospel? Are we supposed to go out into the streets and say, “Woe to you West Blvd. Woe to you Cleveland. Repent, for judgment is coming” I don’t know. 

I don’t think we should dismiss the Lord because his style conflicts with modern sensibilities. There certainly is a time for explaining to those who dismiss the Gospel the very real consequences for failing to believe and repent. 

But this passage isn’t just meant to inform how we deal with others. The Lord’s strong message here challenges us individually to ensure that our own priorities are in order, that we are living firstly for God, and that we are taking our personal sinfulness seriously, and that we are making use of the time that we have been given, to confess our sins, to repent, to strive for holiness, and to preach the Gospel as we can, for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

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That our bishops and clergy may be zealous and clear in preaching and teaching the truth of the Gospel and for the continued recovery of Holy Father Pope Francis following his recent surgery, may the Lord’s comfort, healing, and peace sustain him.

For the grace to respond generously to God in carrying out the mission of the Gospel. 

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

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

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.

15th Week in Ordinary Time 2021 - Monday - Family ties

 Chapter 10 of Matthew’s Gospel is a pivotal one. It began, as we heard last week, with the Lord tasking the 12 apostles with going out into the surrounding areas with the good news of the Gospel and the Lord granting authority to them to heal the sick and cast out demons.

Up until that point in the Gospel, the Lord has been the one preaching; he has been the one healing the sick and casting out demons. And now the authority and power that he has wielded, the work of the Father that he is doing, is now to be shared with ordinary fisherman.

Before the 12 depart to fulfill their mission, the Lord began to give what is called his missionary sermon—a teaching to his new missionaries, those being sent out. And this sermon is full of warnings.  

There are some towns that are going to welcome you, some towns are going to reject you. I’m sending you out as sheep amidst the wolves—a cheery thought. Everyone is going to hate you because of my Gospel. You are going to be persecuted, and from time to time, you’ll even need to flee from your persecutors. Where do I sign up?

Today’s Gospel passage concludes his sermon, but it includes what may be the starkest of warnings. His Gospel will even cause division in those closest of human relationships—family. This is a difficult teaching for many people. Family is so very dear to us. It’s a source of stability, support, and compassion. 

And yet, the Lord is clear today, that his Gospel might upset that for some families. When some family members accept the Gospel, and so do not, this will cause division. And this, the Lord acknowledges, is a heavy cross, a heavy price to pay. But family cannot give eternal life. Only he can. Which makes Him and His Gospel the highest priority.

Catechism # 2232 explains this teaching. It says, “Family ties are important but not absolute.  Parents and children must be convinced that the first vocation of the Christian is to follow Jesus.”

How blessed the family who supports each other in the Gospel. But not every family, especially these days, believes this. This is teaching is particularly challenging in an age where many family members are choosing lifestyles which are incompatible with the Gospel. 

The Lord understands how difficult this teaching is. And promises blessing to those who adhere to it. Blessed is the one who sets good example for his family members, who witnesses to the priority of the Gospel, the priority of eternal life.

This Gospel certainly elicits a choice, doesn’t it? To have conviction, to have principles, to love Christ above all else, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That our bishops and clergy may be zealous and clear in preaching and teaching the truth of the Gospel and for the continued recovery of Holy Father Pope Francis following his recent surgery, may the Lord’s comfort, healing, and peace sustain him.

That our young people on summer vacation may be kept safe from the poisonous errors of our culture, and that their families may be places where the faith is practiced and cherished.

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

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

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.

20th Sunday in OT 2020 - "Woman, Great is Your Faith"

 Last week, the Lord had some pretty strong words for Peter when he became overwhelmed with fear and began to sink while walking toward Jesus on the sea of Galilee. “Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

This week, we hear Jesus, not criticizing weak faith, but praising strong faith. “O woman, great is your faith” What made this woman’s faith strong? Her faith is persistent. Her initial request is met with a strange silence from the Lord. Like many of our requests. She then meets some resistance on the part of the disciples, “send her away”, but she persists and continues to cry out, “Lord, help me”. 

Also, notice how her faith overcomes the cultural norms of her day. She was a Canaanite woman, not a Jew. Terrific social pressures, like the overwhelming wind on the sea of Galilee, where swirling around in this encounter. A Canaanite approaching a Jewish rabbi? This was not to be done. The Jews considered the Canaanites to be dogs, in a sense. The Lord even joshes her a little bit, knowing this prevailing social attitude. She had to endure the stare of the crowd, the disapproving gaze of the apostles. Yet, she approaches Christ in faith.

Her love for her daughter and faith that this rabbi had the power to help her, enables her to persist, to overcome, and to receive what the Lord wished to give her. Unlike Peter, who sinks into the sea out of fear, she persists in reaching the Lord, and receives deliverance for her daughter.

This is quite the story for Matthew to include in his Gospel. For remember, Matthew, a jew, was pretty predominately writing to his fellow Jews—he was writing for the predominately Jewish audience of the holy land. So, for Matthew to include this story in which the faith of this non-Jewish woman, this Canaanite dog, would have been shocking. But because it is so important, Matthew includes it.

Why? For one, this story would have aided the Jewish audience to accept the fact that they would be worshiping alongside people who did not share their blood. “In Christ there is no gentile or Jew” right? The invitation to Christian faith is made to all the people of the earth—as we heard in our first reading, “The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, ministering to him, loving the name of the LORD, and becoming his servants— all who keep the sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant, them I will bring to my holy mountain.”

Secondly, the story is important for Matthew’s audience because the Jewish converts, Matthew’s audience, Jews who came to believe in the Lordship of Christ, would soon be experiencing social ostracization for their newfound belief. They would soon become the outsiders. Soon, they would be the Caananite dog, the Christian dog who deserve being stoned to death by fanatics like St. Paul before his conversion. For accepting Christ, the Jewish converts would be barred from worshipping in the synagogues, they would no longer be welcome in the Temple. Think about that. They could not enter the place where they had worshipped God since their youth, because they believed Jesus and His Father were one. They would be shunned, disowned, and likely harassed by friends and family because they believed that Jesus was Lord.  

Believing in Jesus has consequences. And not just for how we are called to alter our moral behavior, and give up our false gods, but socially. We’ll experience ridicule from family and neighbors who think Christianity is intellectually inferior to their modern secular philosophies. There are certain clubs and associations that Catholics are not free to join—like the Freemasons and the Communist Party due to their ideological opposition to Catholic Doctrine. Increasingly, in our increasingly secular, and even anti-Christian era, being a Christian, being known as a Christian has negative social consequences. And Gospel passages like today’s helps us to remember that, and to expect it.

On Friday, we celebrated the feast of St. Maximillian Kolbe, whom Pope John Paul called “the patron saint of our difficult century” due to his perseverant and heroic faith.

For being a Christian, for being a Franciscan priest, St. Maximilian Kolbe was arrested by the Nazi’s, and without any sort of trial or appeal, was sent to the Concentration Camp at Auschwitz. Talk about social consequences.

Yet, even in that desolate place of suffering, the holy priest was put to work by God; there he heard confessions and celebrated Mass using smuggled bread and wine. A reminder that adversity is not proof of God’s displeasure with us, rather, if we’re experiencing adversity for the Gospel, God is at work! Think of how Fr. Kolbe’s faith, brought comfort and strength to the prisoners there—helping them to know that God was present with them, even when evil was seeming to have its day.

When we remain faithful in the face of adversity, the Lord uses that witness to touch hearts. Even our persecutors will be affected in some way. 

You’ve probably heard the rest of Fr. Kolbe’s story—of his martyrdom. One day, several of the concentration camp prisoners managed to escape.  In retaliation, the Nazi commanders ordered the execution of 10 men. When a married Jewish man with a family was among those ordered to be executed, Fr. Kolbe volunteered to take his place.  The stunned Nazi officer agreed to the exchange.  Fr. Kolbe and the other nine men were stripped, locked in a cell, and left to starve to death.  After two weeks, some of them, including Fr. Kolbe were still alive.  They were given lethal injections of carbolic acid, and their remains were thrown into an oven.

Where did Fr. Kolbe’s courage come from, courage to lay down his life for someone who didn’t even share his faith, where did that come from? Certainly from profound love for God and his fellow man that Fr. Kolbe had cultivated over the course of his life. Certainly from his belief that the teachings of Christ are not just to be professed with our lips, they must be put into practice. “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend” is not just an ideal or a pious sentiment, it is a directive, a command: this is my commandment, the Lord says, love one another as I love you.

Just like the woman in the Gospel whose love for her demon possessed daughter impelled her to seek the salvation of Christ, love and faith impelled St. Maximillian to this heroic act of self-sacrifice which continues to touch and inspire our hearts now 80 years later. How do we know of this story at all? Because it must have touched the hearts of the prisoners, it would have been retold among them, and even the Nazi’s must have told each other about this heroic priest. Christian faith lived out amidst adversity touches hearts.

Being a Catholic in 2020 is not easy. Tremendous social forces work against us. It requires great effort to pass the faith onto the next generation, it takes great effort to remain faithful to the precepts of our faith, for we are likely to receive no earthly recognition for them. And it takes great effort to cultivate faith, through prayer, study, penance, mortification, and the works of mercy. But, the Lord chose us to be alive right now, in 2020, in this increasingly secular culture, in order to bear witness, to invite the foreigner, the outsider, into the family of God, and likely even to suffer for the sake of the Gospel.

So may we make that effort daily, again in prayer, study, penance, mortification, and the works of mercy, so to cultivate that faith that will endure the social pressures and earthly temptations, that we may become true children of faith and effective instruments for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

15th Sunday in OT 2020 - The soil of the heart

Matthew’s Gospel, through which we are reading extensively this year, is full of the Lord’s parables; of the four Gospels, Matthew has the most parables recorded. The Lord’s parables are simple enough for children to understand them, yet deep enough to continue to challenge the greatest of saints. In many of the parables, the Lord draws upon images, ideas, and customs from the everyday life of 1st century Israel, to illustrate some religious truth.  And though we now live 20 centuries and thousands of miles from ancient Israel, the Lord’s parables speak right to our hearts.

In fact, it is the human heart which is the focus of the parable of the sower we hear on this 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Is your heart receptive to the Gospel? is the question underlying this great parable. What is the state of our hearts? Are our hearts open, understanding, and responsive, to Jesus’ the Word of God and the grace of God.

The imagery of this parable was familiar territory for the Lord’s Jewish audience. In the Old Testament, the prophets often depict God as farmer, a sower of seed, who wishes to plant the seed of divine life in the hearts of his people in order to produce an abundant crop. As we hear in Isaiah, in the first reading, God’s word is a seed that is meant to bear fruit in us. Well, the Lord Jesus in today’s parable takes up that same theme. He is the sower and the seed is his Gospel, and the different soils represent the different hearts he encounters.

Let’s look at the four different types of responses to the Lord’s preaching. First there is the seed thrown on the path which is quickly eaten up by birds. Seed thrown on the sidewalk can’t take root, the sidewalk is too hard. So, too hearts can becomes so hardened to God by sin, that the preaching of the Gospel really has no effect on them. They might hear a nice sermon in Church or a fully accurate presentation of the Church’s moral theology, but they are unwilling to trade their sins for conversion and deep faith.

Lest we despair about just how many people seem to have hardened souls, these days, souls hardened toward God, we must not discount the power of grace to touch even the hardest of hearts. One of the promises the Lord made to St. Margaret Mary was that those who are devoted to the Sacred of Jesus, will have the gift to touch the most hardened of hearts. We believe that prayer and penance are powerful in obtaining the grace needed to touch and to reach those hard hearts. There are plenty of stories of atheists and people who even proclaimed to hate God, or who lived as if God didn’t exist, whose hearts melted when exposed to a beautiful liturgy, or a beautiful act of charity by a Catholic.
So just because a soul is hardened in sin now, doesn’t mean they are lost, or condemned to hell, just yet. God is at work to soften all hearts, and likely his instruments are people like you, people like me. But we must  remember such souls hardened souls, in our daily prayers, especially the rosary.

Secondly, we hear of the seed thrown on rocky ground. Our souls are rocky ground when we listen to the Gospel without the willingness keep the faith through rocky times. Here is the person who is initially enthused about the faith; maybe they have a powerful experience of the Lord at a retreat or in Catholic school, maybe they go through RCIA, but when they realize that Jesus makes demands of them, they give up the faith. They get a glimpse of the cross and instead of taking it up, the run away.
Again, we shouldn’t despair for these souls either. Plenty of lapsed Catholics come to recognize the importance of the faith for the good of their families and for their own eternal salvation. But again, these souls are brought back to God through our prayers and penances offered up for them.

Thirdly, we heard of the seed sown among thorns. What are these thorns but the attachments and distractions of the world. Our souls are thorny when we give too much energy to pursuing worldly things instead of seeking to grow in our faith and practice the works of charity: thorns like selfishness, lust, impatience, or resentment can cause the fire of faith to diminish, the seed of life to be choked out. Addictions especially can become so thorny they rip our souls to shreds. These spiritual thorns hinder the life God wants to grow in us. So, new Catholics and life-long Catholics must ensure that we stop the thorns from growing by making frequent examination of our conscience and frequent confession.

I saw a wonderful quote yesterday from the Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin about confession. He said, “If you don’t often go to confession, try going once a month for a year. Then, ask yourself, have I grown in virtue, overcome sins and bad habits? Am I more joyful, at peace, and more generous? Do I love God and neighbor more? The answer will be YES.”

Why does the bishop make that promise? Because confession helps us to rid our souls from thorns which keep us from the joy, peace, generosity, and love God wants for us.

Lastly, the Lord speaks of rich soil—the seed sown in rich soil. Our souls are rich soil when we hear God’s Word, when we accept its ramifications even with the willingness to suffer for it, when we clear out the thorns, the distractions the attachments, and we seek to understand all of the Gospel means for our ordinary lives. We must allow the Gospel to be planted deep in our their hearts, nurturing grace through prayer and acts of charity. And when we do, we bear tremendous fruit for the building up of the church.

We must make our hearts rich soil for the Word, but rich soil takes real effort to cultivate—our souls will never be fertile without prayer, serious examination of conscience, confession, meditation on Scripture, and getting serious about those works of mercy—clothing the naked, instructing the ignorant, feeding the hungry, bearing our crosses patiently.

But when we do get serious and make our hearts into that rich soil praised by the Lord, we become powerful instruments of the kingdom. May our hearts be like his, obedient to all the Father commands, filled with grace and courage for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

12th Week of OT 2020 - Friday - Jesus' healing touch

Immediately following the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5 thru 7 of Matthew’s Gospel, the Lord comes down from the Mount of Beatitudes and performs a miraculous healing. It’s sort of divine stamp of authenticity, in a sense, to the teaching that the Lord just offered. Why should you believe him? Why should you follow his teaching? Why is his interpretation of God’s law different than the scribes and the Pharisees? Well, the fact that he is able to cure lepers with a touch is pretty good reason to take Jesus seriously, isn’t it?

Not only does the fact that he can perform miracles set him apart from the pharisees, but the manner he performs them. Because Jesus is fully God, fully Divine, he could have simply commanded this leper to be clean, he could have spoken a word, and the leper would have been healed. But, the Lord chose to touch him.

To the Pharisee, Jesus’ contact with the leper would have been unthinkable. The Pharisees believe that to be righteous was to separate yourself from anything unclean. So they could not eat with certain people, particularly tax-collectors and prostitutes, who were these sort of public sinners, and of course a Pharisee would have nothing to do with a leper. If you touched a leper you would be ritually unclean.

But Jesus, doesn’t distance himself from the unclean ones, he does not separate himself from the sinner, like the Pharisee. Rather, Jesus enters the world of sinners, to show us that God has not abandoned us, but calls us to life, and restores us to life.

Through this miracle, not only does he display that he is God, but what God is really like: God is so holy, and loves us so much that he enters into this fallen, diseased world, to draw near to us, and heal us, and make us clean.

And not only is following Jesus important by listening to and applying his teaching to our life, we need that contact with Him to be healed and to be reconciled to God to be cleansed of all the forms of our spiritual leprosy which is uncurable by any other means. This is done primarily through the sacraments of the Church, in our prayer lives, and by drawing near to others in the works of mercy.

We are meant to identify with the leper in this story, who has identified his disease, who places his faith in Jesus, and makes the effort to approach the Lord and ask for healing. But also, to remember that there are people in our families, our neighborhoods, who are hurting, physically and emotionally, who feel alienated from God like lepers, and we are to draw near to them, with Christ’s healing touch, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Holy Spirit may guide the selection of a new bishop for Cleveland, that he may be a man of  wisdom, of deep Christian faith, hope, and love.

That we may overcome our fears of reaching out to the spiritually and physically sick and the most vulnerable, that we may be instruments of mercy to them.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster,  those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, all victims of abuse, especially children, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.

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, for the members of the Legion of Mary, 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.

15th Week in OT 2019 - Friday - "I desire mercy not sacrifice"

“I desire mercy not sacrifice” This was the second time in Matthew’s Gospel that Jesus uttered those words: “I desire mercy not sacrifice”, words Our Lord quotes from chapter 6 verse 6 of Hosea the Prophet.

The Lord had spoken those words to the Pharisees a few chapters earlier when he sat at the table of St. Matthew. He told them to go and learn the meaning of those words.  ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’

Had the Pharisees gone and learned the meaning of these words, the Lord would not be repeating them now. For Our Lord clearly demonstrates, that He and his disciples, picking grain because they were hungry, were not violating the Sabbath. For their hunger, their human need trumped the Pharisees interpretation of the 3rd commandment. The Pharisees had forgotten, or missed the point, for the whole purpose of the commandments.

The Pharisees began to hunger not righteousness, just the appearance of it.  They hungered, not for God, they acted not for love, but for their own egos. Jesus teaches Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, and to be righteous, to be in right relationship with God—we seek to fulfill God’s commandments not simply out of blind legalism, but out of love, for Him and our neighbor. Our Lord isn’t saying that we should ignore the commandments of course, but to follow them for the right reasons, reasonably and with a pure heart.

Our Blessed Lord opens us to rediscover that the deepest meaning of life is found when we love God and neighbor attentive to our neighbors real human needs and the desire to obey God out of love. Love of God and neighbor is the road to our deepest human flourishing and to eternal life.

Charity is appropriate anytime, anywhere, for God is Love always and everywhere. When we engage in Charity—in the works of mercy—and follow God’s commandments out of love for Him, we enter into the life of God.

May we be attentive to the call to mercy and love in every dimension of life and become living reflections of God's love in the world for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the members of the Body of Christ may manifest God’s love for the world by engaging in the works of mercy always and everywhere.

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

That our young people may be preserved from the evil and perversions of the world and seek to grow in holiness.

For all whose lives are marked by suffering, sickness, disease or debilitation, may they come to know the healing and peace of Christ.

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

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

2nd Week of Lent 2019 - Wednesday - Satanic Resistance to the Cross

There are several instances in the Gospels of the Apostles confusion over Jesus’ teaching, or their slowness to grasp his identity and his mission. And sometimes their understanding of Jesus is downright flawed. Peter is usually the spokesman for the Apostles’ confusions, errors, and fears.

The first time Jesus predicts his Passion, in the Gospel of Matthew, Peter, makes an assertion that is bold, even for him. He brazenly rebukes Jesus, the unformed student pridefully rebukes the teacher. And Jesus says, “Get behind me Satan.” And to be honest, Peter’s assertion was Satanic. Jesus came to save us from our sins through the Cross, and Peter was tempting the Lord to turn away from the cross—to forsake his mission of human redemption.

Today’s Gospel contains Jesus’ third prediction of his Passion. He announces that he will be soon handing himself over to be mocked, scourged, and crucified. This time, it is not
Peter who criticizes the Lord. This time it is James, John, and their mother who approach Jesus.

Matthew includes a detail that shows they are off to a bad start right from the beginning: “the do him homage, wishing to asking him for something.” Do you worship God only so that he can grant you requests? Do you treat God like Santa Claus? What should have been a moment of conversion and deeper identification with Jesus and his ultimate mission, James, John, and Mom approach Jesus, with…false worship?

And then, their request reveals something similar to that Satanic resistance displayed by Peter. Their request is not, help us Jesus to bear the cross with you, but is as removed from the cross as anything possibly could. They request an earthly throne. In the desert, it is Satan who is the one who offers earthly thrones, promises of earthly glory, in exchange for false worship.

Jesus’ disciples are not to be known for their pursuit of earthly thrones and earthly glory. “Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.” Rather than pursuing wealth, power, fame, and pleasure, Jesus’ disciples are to be known for their pursuit of service, their embrace of suffering for the good of others.

Sometimes like Peter, James and John, we put up an almost Satanic resistance to the cross, embracing pride right when we should be embracing humility, embracing greed and lust for power right when we should be embracing generosity and self-abandon. Right when we should be embracing prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we turn to earthly distractions, gluttony, and spending money on ourselves.
May our Lenten observances help to deliver us from all that keeps us from embracing the cross, and from Christian service for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Christians will experience the graces of profound renewal during this season of Lent.  We pray to the Lord.
That God will rescue all those who live at a distance from him because of self-absorption or sin, that this evening’s diocesan wide celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation will bring about a return of many hearts to communion with God.
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.

14th Week in OT 2018 - Friday - Cunning as Serpents, Innocent as Doves

If you’ve ever done a bible study of the Gospel of Matthew, one of the first things you study about Matthew is that it has a very identifiable structure. It can be split up into five parts, likely as Matthew’s way of reminding his Jewish audience of the five books of Moses, showing them that Jesus brings to fulfillment all Moses said and did. Well, these five parts of Matthew can each be divided into two smaller parts, the first part communicating the narrative of the Gospel, the story, the action, the miracles of Jesus’ ministry throughout the Holy Land. And then, after each narrative part, Jesus gives a teaching or discourse, instructions for his followers.

For example, the first part of Matthew’s Gospel contains the narrative of Jesus’ baptism, and going out into the desert to fast and to face the devil, and coming out of the desert to perform healing miracles in Capernaum. He then gives his most famous discourse: the Lord Jesus a mountain, and gives his famous sermon, his sermon on the mount, the new Law for his followers, like Moses having ascending Mt. Sinai, to receive and then deliver the Commandments of the Law to Israel.

Today’s passage is from the second major part of Matthew’s Gospel, the second discourse. In this discourse Jesus has been giving instructions to the Apostles. He instructs them to go throughout Galilee, to heal, to cast out demons, as he has been doing. The Apostles are tasked with proclaiming the Gospel and showing it’s authenticity through signs. But then Jesus gives a warning, that warning, we hear today: he is sending them out as sheep amidst the wolves. There will be wolves who will persecute them, who will silence them, who will even seek to kill them because of the Gospel.

That’s a divine promise that we see come to pass in the Acts of the Apostles and in every age of the Church: the Church is hated, the Church is persecuted, the Church is silenced by those whose hearts are still hardened to the message of Jesus. Parma, the Diocese of Cleveland, the United States is wolf-infested territory.

So Jesus instructs the Apostles and instructs us: “be shrewd, be cunning as serpents, and simple, innocent, gentle as doves” Most of us are one or the other. We are either very cunning, or very innocent. One theologian said, “Without innocence, cunning becomes manipulative; without cunning, innocence becomes naivety…the finely balanced character…reflects that of Jesus himself”.  After all, Jesus was cunning in dealing with the Pharisees, in forming his disciples, but also innocent, of all malice, of all sin.

To become cunning as serpents, we train our minds in the Word of God, in the writings and examples of the saints, and be shrewd in dealing with those who oppose the Gospel, who don’t always work for the good of the Church.

To become innocent as doves, we train our hearts to trust God in all things, to hate sin, to love our neighbor with abundant generosity, peacemaking, and gentleness, and to not be hardened when we face difficulty or persecution. May we imitate the Lord’s own cunning and innocence for the spread of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all bishops and clergy will lead the Church in faithfulness to the Gospel mandate and in the practice of every Christian virtue.

For all those who have fallen away from the Church, those who have fallen into serious sin, for their conversion, and the conversion of all hearts.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of July: That priests, who experience fatigue and loneliness in their pastoral work, may find help and comfort in their intimacy with the Lord and in their friendship with their brother priests.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, for all those recovering from or undergoing surgery today, and for the consolation of the dying.

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