January 21 2025 - St. Agnes - The Virgin Martyr: A corrective force for humanity

 Listen again to our Collect prayer this morning for the feast of St. Agnes: “Almighty ever-living God, who choose what is weak in the world to confound the strong, mercifully grant, that we, who celebrate the heavenly birthday of your Martyr Saint Agnes, may follow her constancy in the faith.”

Whenever we celebrate a liturgical feast, the collect prayer contains themes corresponding to the particular feast. Today’s collect prayer mentions how God chooses the weak to confound the strong.

No doubt, the collect is alluding to the line from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians from which we read today: “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something,”.

When she was martyred, St. Agnes was a thirteen-year-old consecrated virgin. In the eyes of the world, she was foolish, poor, weak, powerless and irrelevant. And yet, those with eyes of faith can see her wisdom, her spiritual wealth and power. She is not only relevant, but also a corrective force to the fallenness of the world, and an inspiration to Christians.

Agnes embodies the spiritual truth that hat true strength comes not from physical might or political influence but from God, true wealth lies in virtue and the ability to stand against evil, and true wisdom is found in living not just for worldly success but for eternity. 

For her martyrdom, she won the heavenly crown, reminding us that fidelity to God in the face of earthly threat is the fulfillment of our faith. 

When she refused the advances of the governor’s son, she was threatened with death. But she held firm to her consecration to her true Beloved, Our Blessed Lord, reminding us that there is a deeper love than earthly romantic love. 

The fallen world, which often idolizes romance, physical beauty, self-interest, and compromise, is confronted by her unwavering pure love of God. And she challenges us to examine whether we are conforming to the world or living as citizens of heaven.

Agnes’ constancy in the face of persecution invites us to live with the same clarity of purpose, courage, and love for Christ. When we face ridicule or pressure to abandon our faith, Agnes’ witness encourages us to remain steadfast.

Her life invites us to learn to rely on God’s strength, especially in moments of weakness, and to remember that, like her, we are called to be witnesses of faith, even in a world that may mock or reject us for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - - -  

To God the Father almighty, dear brothers and sisters, may every prayer of our heart be directed, for his will it is that all humanity should be saved and come to the knowledge of truth.

That during this season of Ordinary Time, Church leaders and all Christians may grow in the practice of the virtues and make use of their spiritual gifts in service to God. 

That as he begins his term of office, our nation’s new president will be assisted and protected by God’s grace and conduct his administration in righteousness. May he labor always for peace, justice, and the common good with respect to God’s laws and the dignity of every human person. 

For all those preparing for baptism and full initiation: that they may be open to the grace of conversion and the joy of the followers of Christ.  

For those who struggle because of addiction, mental illness, chronic sickness, unemployment, or ongoing trials of any kind: that they may be healed and strengthened in Christ. And for the victims of the fires in California. 

For the repose of the souls of our departed loved ones…

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

8th Week of Ordinary Time 2024 - Tuesday - The last shall be first

 

In the ancient world, wealth, power, and privilege were considered signs of blessing from God. But the Lord gives a contrary teaching. 

“Many that are first will be last, and the last will be first". Here Jesus reverses the expectation of the worldly minded.  

Greatness in the kingdom of God comes not from power, but humility, not from wealth, but generosity, not in gaining possessions, but in giving oneself away. 

And to the extent that we give ourselves away in loving service—we will find meaning, happiness, fulfillment, and joy that nothing else in the world can give. It is by giving ourselves away—giving of our time, talent and resources, that we store up treasure in heaven.

In yesterday’s Gospel passage from St. Mark, we heard of the rich man who goes away sad after his encounter with Jesus. He had asked the Lord what it takes to inherit eternal life, and the Lord instructed the rich man to go and sell his possessions and follow him.

Due to his unwillingness to detach from his possessions, the rich man departs from Jesus, not with the joy of discipleship, but with sadness. There is always sadness when we are unwilling to follow where Jesus beckons, to give-up with God invites us to give-up!

Jesus is the model and master of self-giving. He doesn’t just tell us the way to heaven, he shows us the way through his self-emptying, his self-giving, his total donation of himself to the Father.

May we seek that holiness of life shown to us by Our Lord, and thus come to share with him in the joys of heaven for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - - -  

That Christians may respond generously to the perpetual call to holiness through 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.

That during this month of May, all people may turn their hearts to the Blessed Virgin Mary, seeking her aid and imploring her intercession with increased and fervent devotion, imitating her example of Faith, Hope, and Love.

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

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

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

23rd Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Wednesday - Poor, hungry, sorrowful, and hated

The beatitudes Jesus teaches, the way to attain holiness on earth that leads to beatitude in heaven, are a pretty strange set of teachings at first glance, no? Blessed are you when you are poor? No one wants to poor. Everyone tries to get out of poverty. Blessed are you who are hungry? In Jesus’ day, to go hungry was a sign that you were cursed by God. No one likes to be hungry. Blessed are you who weep? Holiness consists in sorrow? Poor, hungry, now sad? We seek to escape sadness, depression, and grief. And the last one is even more dramatic. You are blessed when you are hated, persecuted, and condemned as evil for being a follower of Jesus. 

Poverty, hunger, sadness, and persecution are roads to holiness. If there was ever a refutation of the so-called prosperity Gospel of modern day preachers, you simply have to read these four verses.

Jesus here refutes the idea that riches, and fat bellies, and earthly satisfaction, and a comfortable, peaceful life are signs of blessing and God’s favor. In fact, to prioritize these earthly pursuits over the seeking of holiness will leave you frustrated, exhausted, spiritually depleted, and possibly damned for all time. 

Each the beatitudes are lessons in the importance of recognizing that this earthly life is not the end all and be all of our existence, but that we are to live for eternity, to use the time we’ve been given to prepare for eternity. Part of that is learning to cultivate the attitudes, behaviors, and habits that truly benefit our souls—including detachment from earthly wealth, bodily pleasures, and social favor. And the other part is learning to be dependent on God and trust in God.

Before God we are to be poor, trusting that God will give us what we need to pursue our highest ends. Before God we are to be hungry, trust that God will feed us with what we need to have the strength to follow his holy will. Before God we are to weep—to weep for our sins, to weep for the time we’ve wasted in following empty pursuits and false prophets. And we are to do so all these things, even if it makes other uncomfortable, even if we are hated by our families and past acquaintances. 

This Gospel entails embracing a real different way of life than the way most of us are brought up with. But the saints who embrace the Gospel, embrace these teachings, show us, that it works. It is the road to true and lasting joy, and fulfillment. It’s the life we really long for, but are often too afraid to pursue, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - -  

For the grace to desire and pursue the holiness God desires for each of us.

For an end to indifference to God and human dignity in our government & educational institutions, businesses, and personal attitudes; and for a flourishing of the Gospel in our land.

For the poor, hungry, sorrowful, and persecuted, that they may trust in the Lord in their trials and know his love and strength. 

For all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. 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

Homily: Friday - 1st Week of Advent 2016 - Words of Comfort & Challenge

I got a call from a local newspaper once. A brother priest, who is also a dear friend, had been named pastor of one of our parishes. The local neighborhood newspaper was doing a story on the new pastor, and they so they called up some of the priests who knew him well to give comment for the story. I was asked some basic questions, establishing my credibility, I guess, and then was asked why I thought Father would be a good pastor. And I said Father is a lot like the prophet Isaiah, and even Jesus himself, he believes in comforting the afflicted, and afflicting the comfortable.

The book of the Prophet Isaiah is divided into two parts, the first 39 chapters are called the Book of Woes, in which Isaiah warns Israel, challenges Israel, about their falling away from God’s covenant. In the book of Woes he describes the devestation that will befall Israel, Jerusalem, and the Temple, if they do not repent.

The last half of the book of Isaiah is called the Book of Consolation, in which, Isaiah speaks to those Israelites who had been taken off into Babylonian Captivity. There was a failure to repent, and destruction had come, but Isaiah offers a word of consolation and promise to them, a word of hope.

In today’s passage, Isaiah has just delivered a word of warning to those who were spiritually blind, deaf to the word of God. The unfaithful of Jerusalem he says have become spiritually drunk, 

stupefied, blind and deaf to God, and had closed their minds and hearts to the truth of the prophets.

Then Isaiah turns the image around, speaking of the day of the coming of the Messiah, he says On that day the deaf shall hear; And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

It’s a wonderful reversal reminding us quite a bit of Mary’s Magnificat, in which she prophesies how the once mighty will be cast down, and the lowly will be lifted up.

Nearly every page of scripture contains some challenge for the comfortable and comfort for the afflicted. In our own affliction, it is good to  know that God draws close to us, that our sufferings mean something, and there will be a reward for remaining faithful to God throughout our earthly pilgrimage.

Yet, we must also allow the word of God to challenge us, to stir us out of our complacency, to stretch us, to impel us to new vistas of charitable service.

In our Advent pilgrimage, may we be comforted in our afflictions and challenged in our complacency, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.