November 2 2025 - All Souls' Day - Grief and Hope

 A number of years ago, during my first parish assignment at St. Columbkille, in Parma, All Souls Day fell on the first Friday of November. On first Fridays we had the practice of bringing Holy Communion to our homebound parishioners, as some of our Eucharistic ministers do here. And so my first communion call that day was to a woman named Josephine, and elderly woman with a thick polish accent to whom I had been bringing Communion for several years.  

Prior to administering Holy Communion I asked her a question I didn’t always ask during my communion calls. I asked her if she had any particular intentions that she would like to voice as she received Holy Communion that day. And she replied that since today is the Feast of All Souls she would like to pray and offer her Communion for her father who was arrested and killed in the Concentration Camp at Auschwitz during World War II.  After we prayed, and she received Holy Communion, she asked if I would like to see a picture of her father.  I said I would.

She went into the bedroom and brought out a rectangular photograph of very thin man, dressed in a prison outfit, in three poses: a profile looking to the right, one where he was looking up and to the left, and the middle one, he was looking directly at the camera with a haunted expression on his face. I thought of the horrors he witnessed in that Concentration Camp—they seemed reflected in his eyes--and I had to sit down.  

Josephine then said, Father, I try to think of good memories, but so often I am overwhelmed with sadness.  Why do we always remember the hurtful things?

After a moment, I said, I think it’s important not to forget our loved ones, as hurtful as their memories are, so that we can pray for them, and to pray that terrible things like war and genocide never happen again.

She said, “All Souls Day is always a very sad day for me, but it is also the anniversary of our coming to this country and escaping those horrors.”  How providential, I thought! Because that’s what All Souls is all about. On All Souls’ Day we pray that our loved ones arrive at their heavenly homeland. 

Today can be a sad day; to remember the faithful departed whom we loved in this life can evoke strong emotions.  And  sometimes we think of those we’ve encounter on life’s path—and those memories are not always sweet. So, today don’t only pray for those who were good to us in this life, but also those who may have hurt us—they need our prayers too. No matter who they were in life, how they acted, who they loved or hurt, we pray for all of the souls in purgatory today, that they may be open to all of the purification they need in order to enter eternal life with God.

Today is also a day of hope. All Souls Day reminds us to pray, but also it is a reminder that we hope to be reunited with our loved ones in the new and eternal life of the resurrection. That word hope was mentioned in the opening prayer: “Listen kindly to our prayers, O Lord, and, as our faith in your Son, raised from the dead, is deepened, so may our hope of resurrection for your departed servants also find new strength.” The preface for the Eucharistic prayer will also speak of the hope of resurrection.  In the face of sadness, it is so vital for us to renew our hope in the promises of Christ—that those who die with Him as Lord shall be raised with Him in the resurrection to come.

We also acknowledge today the power of our prayers.  Our prayers are powerful and effective in helping those in purgatory make their way to God and to prepare for the resurrection. When are overwhelmed with grief for our loved ones the best thing to do is to turn to God in prayer for their souls and to renew our hope in the resurrection. As Saint Thomas Aquinas said that the greatest act of love we can perform on behalf of the dead is to pray for them.  

May perpetual light shine upon our departed loved ones. And as we continue the celebration of the Mass for the repose of the faithful departed, we do so, not as a mere remembrance, but as a powerfully effective way of loving them and helping them, a duty that all Christians share, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

August 27 2025 - St. Monica - Tears of a grief-stricken parent

“Do not weep” the Lord said to the mournful mother. For any grief-stricken parent, those are challenging words. How does a parent hold back their tears at the death of a child?

The grief of a parent who loses a child is unlike any other kind of sorrow. There is shock and disbelief. Even if the death is expected through illness, the reality of loss often feels incomprehensible.

It is a grief that brings with it fatigue and body ache. A parent feels as if their identity is shattered—are they really a parent if their child is gone? Even when the loss is beyond their control, there is a sense of failure.

The Lord drew near to the grief-stricken mother with compassion, and as members of the Church, we are to do the same. We have a special obligation to the grief-stricken—those who have lost their children or spouses or family physically. Our bereavement ministry is one type of outreach, but we do well to pray often for the grief-stricken.

This reading has been especially chosen by the Church for the memorial of St. Monica, who wept for her son, Augustine, as he engaged in a life of mortal sin.

Augustine was not unlike many modern Catholic young people. After moving out their Catholic home, they stop going to church, they engage in licentiousness, they adopt behaviors and ideas that are totally inconsistent with the path of life. Monica wept for her son, who had a child out of wedlock and became involved in strange cults. I know many parents who are filled with similar grief.

St. Ambrose, who was instrumental in Augustine’s conversion, wrote how the whole Church weeps for the fallen away. He wrote, “Let the Mother of the Church weep for you, she who intercedes for all as a widowed mother for only sons, for she suffers with the spiritual grief…when she perceives her children urged on to death by mortal sins”.

For that is why Monica wept: she dreaded that her son would die in mortal seen and be separated from the Lord of Life in eternity. But Monica did not just weep or dread. As a woman of faith, she prayed and entrusted her Son to the Lord day after day. She brought the intention of Augustine’s conversion to the altar as she attended mass.

Years later, in his spiritual autobiography, Augustine writes about how his mother was instrumental in his conversion: “Lord, while she constantly wept over me in your sight as a over a dead man, it was over one who though dead could still be raised to life again; she offered me to you upon the bier of her medication, begging you to say to this widow’s son, ‘Young man, arise, I tell you,’ that he might live again and begin to speak, so that you could restore him to his mother.”

St. Monica trusted that Augustine, though apparently dead, could be raised. St. Monica is a model of patience, persistence, prayer, faith and trust in the Lord of Life. May she assist all those who grieve, and pray for all those for whom we grieve, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

With confidence in God who hears the cry of the sorrowful and answers the prayers of the faithful, let us place our petitions before Him.

For the holy Church of God: that, like St. Monica, she may persevere in prayer for all her children, especially those who have wandered from the faith.

For parents who grieve the loss of a child: that they may find comfort in the Lord who draws near to the brokenhearted.

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or disease: may they know God’s strength and peace and the assistance of the Christian people.

For all our beloved dead, that they may be raised up in Christ to the joy of eternal life.

God of mercy and compassion, you heard the tears and prayers of St. Monica and brought about the conversion of her son Augustine. Hear our prayers this day, console those who grieve, and bring back the lost to your Church, through Christ our Lord.

 

6th Week of Easter 2025 - Friday - Weeping for the fallen-away

 These last few weeks of the easter season we’ve been reading from John chapters 13-17, Jesus’ address to the apostles at the Last Supper. And throughout these chapters, the Lord prepares his disciples for his passion and death on the cross, while also preparing them to take up their own crosses in the evangelizing mission.

The Lord offers a challenging teaching about discipleship in today’s passage: “You will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices.”  Christian discipleship will involve weeping and mourning. 

In the past few years especially, I have met with a number of parents who weep and mourn over children who have strayed from the practice of the faith. In many cases, their children even attended 12 years of Catholic school—the parents saw to their children’s reception of the sacraments, they attended mass together as a family, the parents sought to model the Christian faith for their children, they filled their home with prayer and charity. And now as adults, the children have fallen away.

They’ve stopped praying, they’ve stopped attending mass, they refuse to go to confession, they are in relationships marked by fornication. In some cases, the children view their former Christian faith as oppressive and hateful. 

And so parents weep and mourn for their children’s loss of faith—they worry about their souls, as they should. For parents have a duty to do what they can for their children’s salvation. 

Modern parents are not alone. St. Monica wept and prayed for decades for her son, Augustine to turn away from his licentious lifestyle and his involvement in cults. Bartolo Longo was an 19th century Catholic who in his youth got into drugs, alcohol, and even Satanic cults. No doubt his family wept and mourned and prayed for him.

And so we must remember that every tear shed, every prayer that is offered up out of authentic concern for another’s soul, has redemptive value, because they are a share in the redemptive sufferings of Christ. As Catholics, we believe that suffering, when united with Christ’s sacrifice, can contribute to personal holiness and the salvation of others. So, we must not stop praying because the fruit of prayer is not immediately visible.

The Lord promises weeping and mourning, but the second parts of his promise must not be forgotten: “You will grieve, but your grief will become joy” is a powerful promise that every sacrifice offered in love, every cross patiently borne becomes a seed of everlasting joy, for ourselves and others.

So, we continue to entrust to God our loved ones and all the souls of the earth who have turned away from the Lord. And we commit to doing what we can, even enduring crosses and tears, knowing that tears shed and suffering endured faithfully are powerful in bringing about conversions and sanctification for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 - - - 

Trusting in the promises of God’s assistance, we offer our prayers with confidence in God’s mercy and providence:

For the Church, that all of her members may faithfully carry the cross of Christ and continue to proclaim the Gospel even in the face of sorrow and opposition

For parents and grandparents who mourn over children who have strayed from the faith, that their prayers and tears may bear fruit in the return of their loved ones to the practice of the faith.

For young people tempted by the false promises of the world, that they may encounter the truth of Jesus Christ and the love of God that alone can satisfy the heart

For our parish community, that we may encourage and support one another in faith, and remain faithful to prayer, even when the fruits are not immediately visible.

For all who bear heavy crosses—of illness, discouragement, or spiritual sorrow, that they may unite their sufferings to Christ and discover the redemptive power of the cross.

For the faithful departed, that through the mercy of God and the prayers of the Church, they may come to share in the joy of the resurrection, especially N.

Heavenly Father, you see every tear and hear every cry. Through the cross of your Son and the gift of your Spirit, transform our sorrows into joy and make our lives fruitful in your service. Through Christ our Lord.

4th Week of Easter 2024 - Friday - Faith transforms grief into life

 Today’s Gospel is requested more than any other for Masses of Christian Burial, that is, for Catholic Funeral Masses. Why this one in particular, do you think? Why are these words of Jesus at the Last Supper so comforting and so powerful?

The Lord’s teaching certainly acknowledges the reality of sorrow and pain at the death of a loved one while pointing to the promise of eternal life and resurrection and reunion.

The passage begins with Jesus teaching, "Do not let your hearts be troubled". The death of a loved one certainly causes trouble to our hearts. It can cause intense emotional pain, sadness, and a sense of emptiness. Death can trigger feelings of anxiety, fear, and uncertainty about the future. The absence of a loved one can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. And its not uncommon for those who are grieving to experience anger or to question God's plan.

So the Lord acknowledges the soul-sickness and then prescribes the remedy—he addresses the heartache of loss by calling his disciples to deepen their faith. Faith enables us to trust in God’s plan in times of uncertainty, to know God’s closeness in times of loneliness and isolation, to grow in acceptance of circumstances beyond our control, and find meaning in events we cannot understand.

Faith does not eliminate grief, rather, it makes grief bearable and transforms grief into an opportunity for spiritual growth—of encountering and experiencing God in a new way. 

This is why St. Paul says that Christians do not grieve like the rest of the faithless, hopeless world. Christians are able to experience grief as a way of drawing nearer to God and even to become the people God made us to be.

Yes, the Lord’s promise of eternal life is consoling, but growing in faith doesn’t just bring alleviation of grief but also transformation. Faith practiced amidst crosses like grief and loss and suffering enables us to become more like Christ—not just in his humanity, but in his divinity. Faith transforms us, so much so that St. John writes “what we shall be has not yet been revealed.” 

Faith enables the fulfillment of our destiny to become more and more like God for eternity, but that journey begins by following Christ—who is the way, the truth, and the life, now—by seeking to become more like Christ in this life. 

May the Holy Spirit assist us in conforming our lives to Christ by bringing about in us an increase in that faith which deepens our communion with Christ in all things for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For Pope Francis and Bishop Malesic, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd and for an increase in vocations to the ordained priesthood, and that our priests may serve the Church with the love and devotion of the Good Shepherd.

For our parish, that we may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ and his tender love for sinners and for the poor.

For members of Christ’s flock who have wandered far from the Church: for the desire and will to return to the Sacraments; for deliverance from all spiritual evils and an increase in virtue for the faithful. 

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or disease: that they may know the peace and consolation of the Good Shepherd. 

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

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

6th Week of Easter 2023 - Friday - "you will grieve, but your grief will become joy."

 These last few weeks of the easter season we’ve been reading from John chapters 13-17, Jesus’ address to the apostles at the Last Supper. And throughout these chapters, the Lord prepares his disciples for his passion and death on the cross, while also preparing them to take up their own crosses in the evangelizing mission.

The Lord explains in today’s passage that the Apostles experience will sometimes feel like the sufferings of childbirth. Now, none of the Apostles had ever experienced the pains of childbirth, themselves; but no doubt, they knew it to be one of the most intensely painful human experiences.

The Apostles would truly experience great suffering. They would see their Lord and Master crucified in what appeared to be ultimate defeat. Then they would experience the feeling of abandonment following the Lord’s Ascension. And then in their work for the spread of the Gospel around the world, we know they would undergo terrible sufferings for the sake of the Gospel. They would face persecution in nearly every corner of the earth. 

“You will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices.” Not only will discipleship bring a cross, but you’ll have to carry that cross in the midst of a world that will appear to rejoice without the cross. The wicked will prosper while you will suffer for being Christian. You’ll agonize over practicing chastity while the world delights in promiscuity and perversion. You’ll fast while the world feasts. You’ll make less money, you’ll have less power, you’ll enjoy less fame for being Christian. The world will hate you, and mock you, and persecute you. 

 But, just as a woman is in anguish as she gives birth, the Lord explains, once the baby is born, the mother no longer remembers the pain but is filled with joy, the Church’s grief will pass away, and be transformed into joy over the new life experienced through Christ.

Many of our contemporaries are hellbent on trading their souls for pleasure, power, fame, and wealth. They hate the very thought of the cross. But, we are tasked to convince them, or at least invite them to consider, that It profiteth not a man to gain the whole world, but to lose his soul along the way. That following Jesus Christ will result in a joy that outweighs all of the pleasures of the world.

It would be a tough sell. But not only is Christ with us, but the Holy Spirit is producing tremendous fruits in the lives of those who follow Jesus. You don’t have to simply take our word for it. Look at the saints. Look at what happens when you trust Jesus. Look at what happens when you generously dispose your souls to growing in the grace of God. Look at what happens in the lives of those who take the Gospel seriously. They are transformed by grace. Look at how our grief is transformed into joy.

Today, by the way, begins the annual Pentecost Novena. Nine days of prayer perhaps corresponding to the nine months of pregnancy. Nine days of prayer praying for the divine life, the gifts of the spirit and the fruits of the spirit, to grow in us. 

Let us pray fervently these nine days and endeavor to follow the Lord more closely today, to persevere in carrying our crosses, and being transformed by grace and engaging in holy works, be the proof needed to convince the world to follow Christ, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - 

That through the preaching and teaching of the Church and all that she suffers, all people will come to recognize Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. 

That those charged with civil authority will show Christian compassion to the poor and marginalized, particularly for the safety and defense of the unborn.

For all Christian families: that the mercy, purity, and peace of Jesus will reign in their hearts and homes. 

That the Church may cooperate with God’s grace for a flowering of new spiritual life during this Pentecost Novena.

For the sick, the suffering, those in nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice care, for the underemployed and unemployed, for the imprisoned, those with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, that the Spirit of Consolation may comfort them.

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

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.

September 15 2021 - Our Lady of Sorrows - Who, that sorrow contemplating...

 Our Lady of Sorrows in the title of Our Lady under which our parish Legion of Mary is particularly dedicated. So Happy Feast to our Legionaries. It is somewhat strange to wish someone a happy feast, on a day when we are contemplating the tears and sorrows of Our Mother, but there is some happiness knowing that we honor her in a way that God wishes us to honor her.

Members of the Legion and all of us have a special duty to pray for the grieving and to go to their side: to go the grieving, to the bedsides of the dying, to attend wakes and funerals with those who grieve their deceased relatives and friends. And also the special duty to pray for those who do not grieve their sins—and to go to their side—to approach families members and members of our parish who have stopped going to Church, who do not go to the Sacrament of Confession, to invite them home.

Today’s Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows logically follows the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.  Yesterday, we recalled the suffering of Christ on the Cross, the Passion he suffered for our salvation.  Today we recall how Mary stood close to the cross and shared his suffering and participated in our redemption.

Today’s Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows logically follows the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.  Yesterday, we recalled the suffering of Christ on the Cross, the Passion he suffered for our salvation.  Today we recall how Mary stood close to the cross and shared his suffering. Stabat Mater Dolorosa we sing during the stations of the cross, or in English: At the cross her station keeping,  Mary stood in sorrow weeping When her Son was crucified.

This Church rightly reflects upon our Lady’s suffering as she witnesses her Son’s Passion and death. The grief of any mother watching their child suffer is truly terrible.  Yet, she with perfect love must have suffered all the more.  The Church Fathers teach in fact, that Mary’s sufferings were so great that all the suffering of all the martyrs together do not compare to her suffering with Christ.  

Who, that sorrow contemplating,
On that passion meditating,
Would not share the Virgin's grief?

We are to contemplate her sorrows, her sufferings in union with her Son. Why? Because it wakes up our hearts to the yes, the sufferings of Christ, the sufferings of Our Lady, but the suffering of others in general. Having contemplated her sorrow, her tears, makes us more attentive to the sorrow and tears of our neighbor. It opens up a path to reaching out to them in compassion. Her tears are a road to charity. 

Pope St. John Paul II wrote: “Turn your eyes incessantly to the Blessed Virgin; she, who is the Mother of Sorrows and also the Mother of Consolation, can understand you completely and help you. Looking to her, praying to her, you will obtain that your tedium will become serenity, your anguish change into hope, and your grief into love.”

During the remainder of the day, let us reflect upon the sufferings of the Mother of God. May the tears of Mary give us more compassionate hearts, and keep us faithful to her Son, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - - 

The petitions I will use today are inspired by the Seven Sorrows of Mary Devotion. 

For the Church in every place; that, by calling to mind the sorrow of the Blessed Virgin Mary upon hearing the prophecy of Simeon, she may offer comfort to all who advance in this life along a path of obscurity and suffering. 

For the leaders of nations; that, by remembering the sorrow of the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt,they may be moved to care for refugees and for all who are obliged to flee from war and persecution. 

For parents anguishing over their children; that, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of Saint Joseph who were anguished by the disappearance of Jesus for three days, they may put their all their confidence in the Father. 

For all who bear the cross of suffering; that, like Jesus bearing His cross, they may encounter the Mother of Sorrows on the way, and be sustained by her compassion.

For widows mourning the death of a beloved spouse; that, by turning to Our Lady, the Virgin Widow of Saint Joseph, they may be comforted in their solitude and inspired to go forward with courage and trust in God.

For all priests; that in the daily offering of the Holy Sacrifice, they may discover the nearness of the Mother of Sorrows and, like Saint John, take her into their homes.

For ourselves; that, by remembering the sorrow of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the entombment of her Son, we may be strengthened in hope and learn from her to wait in silence for the light of the resurrection, and for N. for whom this mass is offered. 

May we be aided at your Mercy Seat, Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, by the pleading of the Blessed Virgin Mary, your Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced, in the hour of your sufferings, by a sword of sorrow. Who live and reign forever and ever.

All Souls 2020 - Mourning and Praying for the Dead

A few years ago, All Souls Day fell on the first Friday of November, and so I was visiting and bringing Holy Communion to homebound parishioners. My first stop was to a woman named Josephine, and elderly woman with a thick polish accent, to whom I had been bringing Communion for several years.  

I asked her if she had any particular intentions she would like to offer as she received Holy Communion, and she said, since today is the Feast of All Souls she would like to pray for her husband and her father who were arrested and killed in the Concentration Camp at Aushwitz during World War II.  After we prayed, and she received Holy Communion, she asked if I would like to see a picture of her father.  I said I would.

She went into the bedroom and brought out a rectangular photograph of very thin man, dressed in a prison outfit, in three poses: a profile looking to the right, one where he was looking up and to the left, and the middle one, he was looking directly at the camera with a haunted expression.

I thought of the horrors he witnessed—they seemed reflected in his eyes--and I had to sit down.  

Josephine then said, Father, I try to think of good memories, but so often I am overwhelmed with sadness.  Why do we always remember the hurtful things?

After a moment, I said, I think it’s important not to forget our loved ones, as hurtful as their memories are, so that we can pray for them, and to pray that terrible things like war and genocide never happen again.

She said, “All Souls Day is always a very sad day for me, but it is also the anniversary of our coming to this country and escaping those horrors.”  How fitting, I thought because that’s what All Souls is all about. Today we pray that our loved ones arrive at their heavenly homeland. 

Today can be a sad day, it might be a sad month, for the whole month is dedicated to praying for the souls of the dead—remembering the faithful departed whom we loved in this life can evoke strong emotions. And that’s not bad. For the Lord promises comfort to those who mourn: blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. We are comforted by the knowledge that our prayers truly help our departed loved ones. Every moment of sorrow, is a moment to turn to the Lord, and to know the comfort that can only come through Him.

When are overwhelmed with grief for our loved ones the best thing to do is to turn to God in prayer for their souls and to renew our hope in the resurrection. As Saint Thomas Aquinas said that the greatest act of love we can perform on behalf of the dead is to pray for them.  

And yet, we simply don’t pray, today and this month, for those who were good, we pray for all souls. No matter who they were in life, how they acted, who they loved or hurt, we pray for all of the souls in purgatory, that they may be open to all of the purification they need in order to enter eternal life with God. If there is a soul, who may have hurt us or hurt a family member, that we cannot bring ourselves to pray for, we should work on that today, and this month. Praying for our enemies, truly praying for their greatest good, their conversion to Christ, shows that we are not bound by malice or hate for them, but are concerned for all souls.

The scripture readings for this holy day speak of a time when the dead, when all souls shall be gathered before Christ, to be judged, but in the meantime, we continue to pray for all, to work for the good of all, the conversion of all, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - - 

That Christ, Son of the Living God, who raised up Lazarus from the dead, will raise up to life all the dead who have been redeemed by his precious blood.  We pray to the Lord.

That Christ, consoler of all who mourn, who dried the tears of the family of Lazarus, the widow’s son, and the daughter of Jairus, will bring comfort to all those who mourn for the dead.  We pray to the Lord.

That Christ, our Savior, will destroy the reign of sin in our earthly bodies, and grant us eternal life.  We pray to the Lord.

That Christ, our Redeemer, will look on all those who have no hope because they do not know him, and bring them to faith in the resurrection and in the life of the world to come.  We pray to the Lord.

For all those who have died. For our beloved dead who we pray for in a special way today, this All Souls day and during the month of November, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for those who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord.

September 15 2020 - Our Lady of Sorrows - Consolation for the Grieving and Grieving Sufficiently our Sins

Throughout the month of September so far, I have been using as part of our general intercessions a petition to Our Lady of Sorrows, whose feast we celebrate today: that through her intercession the grieving may know the consolation of God, and that all of us might grieve sufficiently for our sins.

From her unique place in the economy of grace and the plan of God, Our Lady uniquely intercedes for the grieving. Seven times in her life, her heart was pierced with sorrow—we speak of the seven sorrows of Mary. And so she has a special compassion for the grieving. Those who grieve never make a mistake in seeking her intercession—like children running to their mother after enduring physical harm or an emotional fright. We bring to her the wounds endured—the wounds of loss—the broken heartedness and shattered earthly hopes that we experience in this valley of tears—this mortal life.

And yet, she also prays constantly for us, who do not grieve sufficiently, that is, for our sins. Her son was born to die for us, he sufferings were on account of our sins. It pains her when we do not weep sufficiently for the sins which led to our separation from God, which led to Christ’s brutal crucifixion.

Saint John Paul II referred many times to our culture’s “loss of the sense of sin”.  When we slough off sin, pretend that it doesn’t matter, claiming that “everyone does it, so it must be okay.”  But no, sin is abhorrent to the goodness of God. And rarely do we sufficiently grieve over the great loss of grace which our sins bring. Mary mourns for those who refuse to look upon the crucifix with contrite hearts.  Mary mourns for the baptized who so often continue to choose the empty promises of the Evil One rather than the life-filled promises of Christ. 

Mourning over sin is the road to beatitudes—blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. For only when we mourn our sins sufficiently, can we really appreciate what Jesus did for us. Psalm 30 speaks of God’s promise to turn our mourning into joyful dancing.

Here at St. Ignatius, Our Legion of Mary is dedicated especially to Our Lady of Sorrows, so this is a special feast for our parish. Members of the Legion and all of us have a special duty to pray for the grieving and to go to their side: to go the grieving, to bedside of the dying, to attend wakes and funerals with those who grieve their deceased relatives and friends. And also the special duty to pray for those who do not grieve their sins—and to go to their side—to approach families members and members of our parish who have stopped going to Church, who do not go to the Sacrament of Confession, to invite them home.

May we never hesitate to turn to our Lady in times of grief, and to ask her intercession to help us grieve and repent rightly, that with her, who participated in the Passion of her Son, may merit with her a share in the resurrection, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

For our newly installed Bishop, that Our Lady’s intercession might bring him great assistance in the great responsibility and challenge of shepherding the diocese of Cleveland.

That our young people may be blessed to be raised in homes where the Gospel is shared, cherished, and practiced.

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

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster and inclement weather, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, the imprisoned, the unchaste, 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. We pray.

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 Hour of Reparation - Healing from Scandal and Grief

In response to the sexual abuse crisis engulfing the Church, the Holy Father, Pope Francis has asked the faithful and the clergy, “the entire holy faithful People of God to a penitential exercise of prayer and fasting, following the Lord’s command.”

“This can awaken our conscience and arouse our solidarity and commitment to a culture of care that says ‘never again’ to every form of abuse,” he said. “Every one of the baptized should feel involved in the ecclesial and social change that we so greatly need.”

To be honest, my first emotions in response to the news of these recent revelations were those of anger and sadness. Anger and sadness over brother priests, consecrated to the Lord, who disgraced their sacred orders; anger at the injustice of bishops and cardinals covering-up the crimes of the abusers; sadness for the pain caused to the victims and the scandal caused to them, how their image of the priesthood and of the Church and perhaps of God has been damaged, how their trust in their priests has been undermined.

Emotions of anger and sadness must always be brought to the Lord to be healed, lest they fester and become poisonous. Likely, I am not alone, here tonight, in bringing my anger and my sorrow to the Lord to be healed.

I came across a quote, just yesterday, from a letter written by the irish playright Oscar Wilde. Wilde writes from prison, this letter which he titled “De Profundis”, out of the depths, the first words of Psalm 130. Wilde writes from the depths of prison, a place of helplessness, despair, anger and sadness. A short sentence near the letter’s beginning resonated with he. He wrote, “where there is sorrow, there is holy ground.” “where there is sorrow, there is holy ground.”

His words reminded me of the second beatitude, “Blessed are the sorrowful, for they shall be comforted.” A time of sorrow can become holy when that sorrow is brought to the Lord. Whether we are grieving the loss of a loved one, a broken relationship, the loss of property, or we are sorrowful for the sins of fellow Christians, like during this time of scandal, grieving can be a holy activity, when our grief is brought to God to be healed.

I think our grief is so great, because grief is a consequence of wounded love.

We grieve the sins of the clergy because we love the clergy, we love our bishops and priests, and it grieves us when they fail, when their sins are so great. We grieve the wounds of the victims, because we love them, especially our young people who put their trust in the Lord and those he has ordained to serve the Church. We grieve their sense of betrayal.

But I truly believe that in coming here is holy, acknowledging our anger and grief before our Eucharistic Lord. This is holy ground because we come to the Lord for healing, healing our wounds, and those of the Church.

We pray that the Lord will hear the prayers of the grieving and bring healing to all the victims of abuse, those who are scandalized by the sins of trusted clergy, and that the Lord will give us strength to continue to work for the spread of the Gospel, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

24th Sunday of OT 2017 - Highs and Lows, Chaos and Harmony, Joy and Sadness

This has certainly been a week of highs and lows. While citizens of Texas sought to rebuild their lives after the devastating Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma caused catastrophic damage to several Caribbean Islands and the Florida Keys resulting in loss of life and home. In the wake of both storms, however, there has been a tremendous outpouring of charity, of which we have an opportunity to share in this weekend, with a collection at the doors of the church after Mass.

Here in Cleveland, we’ve seen a spectacular display of talent and sportsmanship in our local Major League Baseball Team, with a new American League Record of a 22-game consecutive streak breaking a record that has stood for a hundred years. Even a non-sports fan like me can appreciate that tremendous accomplishment.

Liturgically, this week celebrated two of my favorite feast days: the feast of the exaltation of the cross on Thursday, and Friday, the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. Here are two feast days in which we reflect upon how God’s goodness brings light to times of great darkness, how the cross, and the tears of the Blessed Mother can signal the defeat of evil. I’d like to repeat an invitation I make from time to time: if you have weekday mornings free, try to come to daily mass. There you get to celebrate with the Church these amazing mysteries of our faith.

Another, high point this week was on Tuesday evening. We had wonderful attendance for the first segment of Bishop Robert Barron’s video series on the Pivotal Players of Catholicism. We watched with wonder and awe a beautiful video on the Life of St. Francis of Assisi, and had a delightful discussion of the video afterwards.

Thursday, in addition to the liturgical celebration, was also the one-year anniversary of the passing of our beloved Father Wendelken. The anniversary of the death of a loved one is always bitter sweet. Their absence is felt, life is different without them, but one also looks back upon very fond memories with gratitude for the blessing of being a part of their life.

And then, of course, beginning the week, was the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and yesterday, (Friday) another terrorist attack in London.

Highs and lows, grace and chaos, causes for happiness, causes for sadness, fear, and anger. What is the meaning of all of it? What do we do with all these experiences, feelings, and emotions? I believe our scripture readings give us some important insights.

Firstly, from our second reading. St. Paul reminds the Christian that our life is not our own. “For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.” No matter what happens in life: a job promotion or months of unemployment, a bountiful harvest or sweeping famine, the death of a loved one or a new baby brought into the world. Whether there is chaos or harmony, peace or war, we belong to Christ and in all that we do, and through everything that is happening around us, we must persevere in the Christian life, we must follow the commandments of God, we must persist in prayer, and we must reach out to those in need.
In fact, one might say, that in times of joy and prosperity it is easy to bless God and thank God, but it is in times of adversity that our faith is truly put to the test. Catastrophic storms, terrorist attacks, family deaths, these things cause our faith to be tested. And during these times, and in times of temptation, we must recommit to our faith all the more: that we belong to God and our called to be saints.

Pope St. Gregory the Great spoke of why the saints are triumphant in the spiritual life through temptation and even the threat of physical death. He said,  "The saints, therefore, do not live and do not die for themselves.  They do not live for themselves, because in all that they do they strive for spiritual gain: by praying, preaching and persevering in good works, they seek the increase of the citizens of the heavenly fatherland.  Nor do they die for themselves, because men see them glorifying God by their death, hastening to reach him through death". So in the good times and bad, we must call to mind frequently, that we belong to God and are called to be saints.

The second insight from the scriptures this week helps us to understand what we are to do with all these powerful emotions caused by life’s storms. When terrorism strikes, when innocents lose their lives, when people we love betray our trust, we experience anger. And if that anger is not dealt with properly it can fester and transform into resentment, bitterness, and hatred.

As Christians, how are we called to deal with anger? The readings repeat it over and over again, Jesus repeated it over and over again: forgiveness. For Jesus, forgiveness is one of, if not the defining characteristic of the Christian. Jesus Himself, pleads forgiveness from the cross: forgive them, for they know not what they do.  Peter in today’s Gospel asks, how many times should I forgive my brother, as many as seven times?  Jesus answers, I say to you, not seven times, but seventy times seven times.  Forgive without limits.

Forgiveness is hard. We all love to be forgiven. When we make a mistake, when we act out of anger, when we accumulate a debt, we love to be forgiven. But forgiving the mistake, forgiving another’s foolishness, forgiving a debt, is much more difficult.

But the urgency to forgive is evident in the Gospel today: he who does not forgive, shall not be forgiven by the higher authority.

In the beatitudes, Jesus proclaims Blessed are the merciful. Showing mercy, forgiving debts, letting go of anger through forgiveness, is the path to blessedness, it is the Christian way. And when we begin to practice absolute forgiveness, when we begin to take this stuff really serious, miraculous things occur: inner wounds begin to heal,  we stop becoming irritated at minor setbacks and annoyances; an unshakeable peace begins to grow inside of us; we begin to turn less to earthly things to numb our feelings, and turn more to God in thanksgiving for sharing in the cross of Christ. Who wouldn’t willingly give up their resentments for those great gifts from God!

In this celebration of Holy Eucharist, amidst the storms of this earthly life, we are reminded that we belong to God and called to a life of mercy and blessedness in this life, so that we may share in the eternal blessedness of heaven, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: 31st Sunday in OT 2016 - "To seek out and to save"

A priest I know tells the story of a young man who was dying of cancer—who was just 24 years old.  In the final stages of his illness, the priest went to see the young man, and the young man said: “Father, you once told us something that has made it easier for me to accept my death.  You said: ‘There are only two potential tragedies in life, and dying young isn’t one of them.  You said the first tragedy is If you go through life and don’t know that you are loved, and the second is if you go through life and you don’t tell those whom you love that you love them. When the doctors told me that my cancer was terminal, my family has stood by my side, I realized how much I’ve been loved, and I’ve been given this time to tell my family and others how much they mean to me.  People ask me: ‘What’s it like being 24 years old and dying?’  I tell them, ‘It’s not so bad.  It beats being 50 years old and living without values and faith and knowledge that I’m loved by God and my family.”

Faith prepares us for death.  Faith helps us to love and to know we are loved.

I thought of this story for several reasons. For one, it is priesthood Sunday. We thank God for our priests and pray for our priests. Priests who baptize, priests who absolve, priests who celebrate the Eucharist, priests who help hardened sinners return to Christ, priests who help families live the Gospel, priests who help us prepare for the end of our earthly life.  The Catholic Church will need priests until the end of time, to carry out the ordained ministry according to God’s plan.  And each of us has a role to help young men hear God’s call to the priesthood—help them to truly believe that to be a priest is a wonderful vocation and in invaluable one.

This may sound a bit morbid or strange, but as I began to discern my own priestly vocation, one of the aspects of priestly ministry that really spoke to me was the priest’s serenity in the face of death. Priests are called to visit the beds of the dying. The priest is summoned to the beds dying strangers and longtime parishioners, both lukewarm and devout souls; and he is called upon to administer the Church’s final rites, to help the soul prepare to meet God.

Death—which most men fear and spend their lives fleeing from and distracting themselves from, priests, put aside this fear, perhaps even conquer it, to bring peace to others. What a blessed vocation!
Another reason I thought of the story is because today is our annual Bereavement Mass. Joining us today are family members of those who have died in the last year. We grieve for those who have died. Grieve because life is different without them, their absence is felt so deeply. And so it’s important for us to gather together in our grief to pray for each other—to turn to God who is the source of our consolation, and to thank God for the opportunities he gave us to love them.

That love, no doubt continues, even years after their passing as we pray for the departed, remembering them at the altar, lifting their souls to God.

This Wednesday, November 2 is the feast of All Souls—a day set aside in the Church year simply to pray for the repose of our loved ones. Though Tuesday is the feast of All Saints, a Holy Day of Obligation, where all Catholics are obligated to attend Mass, I also urge you to consider attending Mass on Wednesday, to pray for our beloved dead.

One of the most devastating and tragic effects of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, was that Protestants stopped praying for the poor souls.  And they really lost something essential to the Christian life. Praying for the dead is part of being Christian. It’s a practice found in Scripture, taught by Sacred Tradition, encouraged in the words and writings of the Saints.

Why do we pray for the dead? It’s an act of mercy! It’s an act of mercy to help those in need. And the souls in purgatory are in need of our prayers. Those who die with even the smallest amount of earthly selfishness, with attachment to the things and ways of the world, are in need of purification before they can enter heaven.

Understandably, many Catholics do not like to pray for our departed loved ones.  We like to imagine our loved ones who did display so much love and affection throughout their lives to have entered immediately into heaven. It can be painful to think of them still awaiting entrance into the heavenly kingdom.  But to be honest, most souls need such purification. The only members of the faithful departed we know with absolute certainty to be in heaven are those definitively declared by the Church to be canonized Saints.  Until a soul is declared a Saint by the church we do not err in praying for their eternal repose.

Many of the saints, St. Padre Pio, St. Catherine of Genoa, had strong devotion to praying for the poor souls.  It is an act of love to pray for our loved ones. So continue to show your love for them by praying for them constantly, offering rosaries and novenas for them, having Masses celebrated for them. Just as we can offer comfort to our loved ones by hold their hands as they lay dying, so too we can bring them comfort and aid through our prayers.

If you haven’t had a Mass celebrated for loved ones recently, go to the parish office this week and schedule a Mass. For, the Mass is the greatest and most powerful prayer we can offer on behalf of those who have died.

Christ's whole life on earth was dedicated to bringing people back into friendship with God, helping them to be free from sin, as he says in the Gospel today: "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."

All of us have been given a share in this mission: to seek and to save what was lost.

By praying for the dead we help souls complete the journey, by sharing our faith with unbelievers we may help souls begin the journey. We thank God this weekend for our priests, and pray that we may always have good faithful priests to assist us on the journey, and pray for and thank God for the gift of our loved ones who have walked with us, laughed with us, cried with us, and embraced us throughout the journey.

May the Lord Jesus, through the Word and Sacrament we celebrate today, make us ever more faithful in the mission for the glory of God and salvation of souls.