September 9 2022 - St. Peter Claver - For I was a slave and you cared for me

 St. Peter Claver, whom we honor today, lived in a time when men, women, and children in Africa were being captured and sold into slavery.  The poor Africans were put on slave ships where they suffered from starvation, dehydration, and truly disgusting conditions.  Although the practice of slave-trading was condemned by the Popes of the time, it continued to flourish. Africans died by the thousand as they made their way from Africa to the Americas.  

St. Peter Claver, a priest born in Spain, understood the wickedness of the slave trade.  He came to South America where he would minister to the slaves brought there. As they came into harbor, he gave them food and water and medicine, and told them about God who loves them, and about Jesus who suffered like they did, and so many asked the priest for baptism. St. Peter Claver baptized hundreds of thousands of African slaves into the Catholic faith.

Peter Claver recognized the human dignity of the slaves when the rest of the world treated them like property and cattle to be sold, traded, and slaughtered if they did not perform. The recognized their humanity because he had learned to see with the eyes of God and love with the heart of Christ. 

Peter Claver remarked more than once how it took everything in him at times to go down into the disgusting conditions of the slave-ships filled with filth and stench.  He reminds us that true loving service isn’t necessarily about liking what we do—we might even experience revulsion at the conditions in which the poor live; but loving service means being faithful to the duties of mercy despite our personal feelings.  

Peter himself, came to be despised by the slave-traders and those making a profit from the slave-trade. No doubt, his care for the slaves pricked their consciences. But remember, the Lord did say, you will be hated because of me. St. Peter was hated because he sought to be faithful to Jesus in caring for Him in the enslaved. When I was a slave you cared for me. One of the consequences we must accept is that seeking radical holiness will lead us to be hated by the world. But, when the wicked hate you, you’re doing something right.

In 1650 Peter Claver fell victim to an epidemic and was abandoned to die in his sickness.

St. Peter Claver saw with the eyes of Christ, and loved with his heart, pouring out his love in such humble, humble service—he came to be known as a slave of slaves. May each of us respond to the call to holiness with that same radical generosity for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Christians may be diligent in bringing the truth of the Gospel into every sphere of society, and for all those who harden their hearts toward God, for those who have left the Church, for all those in serious sin, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

For an end to slavery, human trafficking, and all forms of inhumane oppression; and for the protection and respect of all human life.

For those whose lives are marked by suffering, illness, or grief, that they may find hope in the promises of Christ.

For the repose of the soul of Queen Elizabeth II who died yesterday, for her family and subjects who grieve her loss, for graces upon the rule of her successor King Charles, that his reign may be Godly, and for the repose of the souls of the dead, for all of the souls of purgatory, and for N. for whom this mass is offered.

Heavenly Father, hear the prayers of your pilgrimage Church, grant us what we truly need to remain faithful to your Son in all things. Through Christ Our Lord.

4th Week in OT 2019 - Friday - Unafraid to preach the Truth

If you were reading Mark’s Gospel from beginning to end, this long passage of John the Baptist’s martyrdom comes as an unexpected interlude.  In the previous verses, Jesus sends out the Twelve apostles on a special mission to teach and cure the sick and drive out demons.  But before their return, St. Mark relates this lengthy account of the execution of John the Baptist.

St. Mark uses the life and arrest and death of John the Baptist to foreshadow what will happen to Jesus. Jesus will be arrested and condemned to death on pretty shady charges built on lies and selfishness. But the fate of John the Baptist is also a lesson for all of us. For taking up the Gospel mission, we too might have to face the hostility of the world.

Why did Herodias want John dead? She harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him because he dared to call out their public and flagrant sin. John had incurred the wrath of the ruling family by publicly denouncing their adulterous conduct. And this leads to another question: why did John bother with the Herods?

Likely John knew that the behavior of political leaders has a powerful impact on the moral environment of the country at large. The Herodian scandal had the potential of normalizing adultery, dulling the consciences of the people and putting obstacles in their hearts rather than preparing the way for the Lord.  And like the prophets of old, John was willing to risk his life for the message of God.

St. Mark connects the fate of John with the sending out of the apostles. For the apostles have the mission of calling sinful humanity to conversion. And Mark makes no secret that Christians will likely garner the hatred of the world for preaching the Gospel. St. Mark later records this sentiment from the lips of Jesus himself who says, “You will be hated by all because of my name.”

In a world of spineless jellyfish afraid to preach the Gospel, be a John the Baptist. For the Lord also said, “there is no one born of woman” greater than he. May we each be faithful to the Gospel commission to preach the Gospel fully and with courage for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That the bishops of the Church will act as true prophets through their faithful teaching, their courageous witness, and their self-sacrificing love. We pray to the Lord.
That government leaders around the world may carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for freedom and the dignity of human life.  We pray to the Lord.
For the grace to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, to love our neighbors and enemies and those who persecute us, and to share the truth of the Gospel with all.  We pray to the Lord.
For all those who share in the sufferings of Christ—the sick, the sorrowful, and those who are afflicted or burdened in any way, especially those effected by hurricanes and storms.  We pray to the Lord.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased clergy and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray to the Lord.
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.

July 14 2017 - St. Kateri Tekakwitha - Lily of the Mohawks

Kateri Tekakwitha is the first Native American woman of North America to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. She was born at Auriesville, New York in 1656, near the place where the Jesuits St. Isaac Jogues and John de Brebeuf had been martyred—tomahawked by Iroquois warriors just nine years before.

Kateri’s mother was an Algonquin who had been baptized, but she was taken captive by the Iroquois and given as a wife to the chief of the Mohawk clan.   Two children were born of this marriage, but only Kateri survived; her parents and her brother died in a smallpox epidemic when Kateri was 4 years old.  Kateri’s own face was permanently disfigured and her eyesight was impaired because of the disease.

Jesuit missionaries came to minister to the Christians who were taken captive by the Mohawks. Though the new chief, Kateri’s uncle, hated the Jesuit missionaries, Kateri began to study the catechism with them.  She was baptized on Easter Sunday at the age of 19.

At 23, she took a vow of virginity, consecrating herself to the Lord. But the celibate life was not held in high regard among the Mohawks, and being the only devout Christian in her lodge, Kateri was subject to constant abuse and insults.  She was ridiculed for keeping Holy the Sabbath and for praying the Rosary.

On the advice of a priest, she fled the abuse and walked two hundred miles to an Indian Mission village near Montreal.  There she devoted herself to prayer and works of charity and penance; dedicated to the Lord in all things, her sanctity blossomed.  She is known as the Lily of the Mohawks.
Kateri herself said: “I am not my own; I have given myself to Jesus.  He must be my only love.”  Her last words were, “Jesus, I love you.”

She was beatified by Pope St John Paul II in 1980 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.

At her canonization, Pope Benedict said, “Her greatest wish was to know and to do what pleased God. She lived a life radiant with faith and purity.  Kateri impresses us by the action of grace in her life in spite of the absence of external help…”

Jesus taught in the Gospel that we would be hated by all because of him. Kateri was hated because she Christian. Kateri repeats the example of so many saints before her: Holiness thrives on the cross.  Her strength came from her close and constant union with God in prayer.  She is a model for all those who are rejected by their own because of their fidelity to Christ.

May Kateri, Lily of the Mohawks, help us all to endure our crosses faithfully and to blossom in holiness for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That every nation, tribe, and tongue may be gathered into the Church of Christ and magnify Him through works of praise.

That all those persecuted for their faith may know the strengthening grace of the Lord and come to receive the reward of the saints for their perseverance.

For the consecrated virgins of the Church, that as Christ as their spouse, they may inspire us to seek Him above all things.

For the healing of all those afflicted with physical, mental, emotional illness, for those in hospitals, nursing homes, hospice care, those struggling with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today.

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 deceased priests and religious, for those who have fought and died for our freedom, we pray to the Lord.

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.