5th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2026 - Salt

 

I remember as a kid, my dad telling stories about working in the salt mines under Lake Erie when he was a younger man.  Morton Salt has about 3 miles of salt mines 2000 feet underneath our great lake.  . This salt is an important source of revenue for the State of Ohio, and the salt is utilized in a number of ways: particularly as a seasoning for our food and on our roads during the winter. With 3 miles of salt mines, it kind of makes you wonder why we supposedly have a winter salt shortage this year. But I degress.

Immediately following the Lord’s teaching on the beatitudes, which we heard last Sunday, the Lord says that his disciples must become like salt. Talk about bringing us down to earth. In order to attain heaven, you must become like salt.

Salt was used in a number of ways in Jesus’ time, just as it is for us. And those different ways salt is used can certainly help us to understand what Our Lord meant when he told us to become like salt.

First salt is used as a seasoning. So, too, Christians are to be a sort of seasoning to an otherwise bland world.  There is nothing more interesting—no one more full of life than a true Christian saint filled with the life of Christ. The saints are the best season we can imagine, and we must become like them. Do you know the names of any famous athletes, actors, businessmen, or politicians from the 13^th century? But we certainly remember names like Francis, Clare, Dominic, Anthony of Padua, Elizabeth of Hungary, Hedwig, Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas, Raymond of Penafort, Albert the Great. So why would we want to be like athletes and actors? Strive to be truly remembered for your holiness, for seasoning people’s lives with the goodness of God.

How else is salt used? Salt is necessary for life. Even the most stringent nutritionists have to admit that salt is a necessary component of the human diet. The ancients, too, understood, salt was necessary for good health.  Similarly, Christians need to be salt in this way. The health, the survival of a society depends on Christians—doing what Christians do, infusing societal life with the life and goodness and truth and beauty of God. Our mission isn’t just to come to Church and leave our faith at the door. Our mission is to infuse this neighborhood with the saltiness—the life—of Christ because without the life of Christ it will die.

Salt is also a Preservative: In the days before refrigeration, salt made preserving food. Salt keeps food from decay. So Christians, have the task of preserving our world from spiritual decay. Seeing many of the strong Christian values in our country begin to fade, Christians need to take up again this call to preserve. Christians must preserve our world—and protect our children—from spiritual rot.

Salt is also a Purifier: The salt in the oceans of the world act as a natural cleaning agent, and most water purification systems use salt as a "purifier." Christians are to be the world’s purifiers: opposing the corrupting powers of malice and perversion and greed. Each of us too needs to seek the constant purifying of our minds from the world’s corrupting influence. In his second New Testament Letter, St. Peter writes, “make every effort to be found without stain or defilement.” So, we must constantly purify our minds through study of God’s word, interiorizing the doctrines of our faith, imitating the example of the saints.

Salt also has a destructive power.  As a kid, I’d run to the kitchen to get a salt shaker when I found a slug in the garden.  In the ancient world, when an army would conquer their enemy, they’d knock down the walls, raise the city to the ground, then really to rub it in sometimes they would cast salt upon the earth so that nothing would ever grow there again. Are Christians to be a destructive power in society? In a sense we are! We are to be a an opposing force against the powers of evil and the manifestations of the Antichrist.

Satan is like that slug, a garden slug, and he is diminished when Christians really get salty with the life of Christ. We are meant to disrupt the work of the antichrist to deface the dignity of the human person. Satan seeks to pervert life, lead souls away from God, and we must get salty in this battle. We need to take back territory and claim it for Christ.

Another use for salt: as we know all too well, living here in Cleveland—Salt is used for the melting of ice. Salt makes things flow that are frozen.   The Church’s task is to loosen up a world frozen in its own self-regard, frozen in violence and selfishness, frozen in habits of “oppression, false accusation and malicious speech” to quote our first reading.  When we are faithful to Christ, we have a melting influence.  

Think of the power of one saint. Saints melt hearts frozen against Christ. Hardened atheists have come to Christ by finding about the goodness of Francis, the piety of Padre Pio, the selfless charity of Mother Theresa and Elizabeth Ann Seton. Many souls have been converted to Christ because they saw Christians selflessly engaged in acts of charity. When the Church is faithful, we have that melting influence to get cold hearts flowing in the right direction again.

Finally, just like it’s used on our roads, in ancient times salt was also used to prevent people from slipping on slippery paths.  Christians are called to help souls from slipping into damnation—promoting the teachings of Christ on a societal level which give stability to civilization, pointing out when fellow Christians begin down slippery paths away from God. We call them fallen Catholics because they have slipped. The reason why we are to take Catechesis and strong moral formation is to help people from slipping and falling

You and I are called to be salt. But the Lord warns that salt can lose its flavor. Perhaps maybe you have lost a bit of enthusiasm for the Christian life. Perhaps Christ is not the vital force in your marriage that he should be.  Maybe you don’t feel like you are having a positive influence on your neighbors, or the fallen away members of your family. 

The solution: Pray, pray, pray.  You cannot be salt without constant prayer.  A priest who does not pray is worthless, husbands and wives who do not pray will not have the strength and power to faithfully live out the Christian responsibilities of the marriage sacrament.  Young people who do not pray will not have the strength to withstand the nearly unending torrent of evil from our culture. 

Salt: an ordinary substance with tremendous potential, which is why the Lord tells us to be salt: ordinary people with tremendous potential, many uses, vital to life and civilization. We must become salt by bringing Christ into our workplaces, into our conversations, into our civic life, in our family life. Be salt, my friends, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

12th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Wednesday - Authentic vs. False Prophets

Yesterday, we celebrated the birth of the great prophet of the Lord, St. John the Baptist. 

Sometimes we think of a prophet as one who can foretell the future. But that is not really the biblical understanding of the role of the prophet. Rather, a prophet is one who has the ability to point to the Truth in the present. 

In today’s Gospel, the Lord Jesus warns his followers to beware of false prophets. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them.” If true prophets point us to truth, false prophets lead us away from the truth.

John the Baptist was a true prophet because he pointed to the truth that Jesus is the Lamb of God, the Son of God. John was a true prophet because he called people to acknowledge the truth that they had sinned and needed a Savior.

False prophets do the opposite. Ultimately, they point us a way from Jesus. But often, they do so subtly. They say, follow your feelings. It’s your body, you can do whatever you want with it. You don’t need a Savior, you’re fine just the way we are. 

False prophets absolutely permeate our culture. “By their fruits you will know them.”  We see the fruits of these false prophets all around us: broken marriages, the destruction of unborn life, widespread confusion about gender identity, addiction, corruption in government and institutions, ignorance of Scripture, and falling away from right religion. These are not the signs of God’s kingdom, but of a world led astray by voices that do not speak for Christ.

Now, the Lord issues this warning to his followers because he knows that we have a tendency to gravitate toward voices who tell us what we want to hear, that encourage us to justify giving in to temptation and deviating from the path of righteousness because righteousness is hard, bearing the cross is hard.

But, as followers of Jesus, we must cling to the true and the good even when it is difficult. We must form our minds through prayer, Scripture, and sound teaching, so that we may not be deceived. 

Let us pray for wisdom, courage, and fidelity, that we may recognize the true voice of the Shepherd and reject the lies that lead to ruin, and help others to do the same, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Let us turn to the one true Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and offer our prayers with hearts open to truth and grace.

For the Church throughout the world: That she may continue to form faithful prophets who speak the truth of Christ with boldness and compassion in every age.

For leaders in government, education, and media: That they may act with integrity and resist the temptation to mislead or manipulate, always seeking the good of those they serve.

For those led astray by the confusion and moral darkness of our time: That through prayer, sound teaching, and Christian witness, they may come to know the truth that sets us free in Christ.

For the sick, the poor, and the suffering: That they may be comforted by the presence of Christ and supported by the love and prayers of His faithful disciples.

For the faithful departed: That having followed the voice of the Good Shepherd in this life, they may be welcomed into eternal peace and joy.

Father of truth and mercy, grant our prayers and all that we need remain faithful to your Son in all things. Through the same Christ our Lord.

12th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Monday - Humble self-examination

 In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches many lessons about the attitudes and actions that Christians need to practice: we need to pray, fast, give alms, we need to forgive if we wish to be forgiven, we need to be willing to make peace with our brother, and be willing to suffer for the Gospel.

We heard from the part of his sermon today where Jesus teaches his followers about judging others. He tells us to stop condemning what needs to change in others without changing what needs to change in ourselves. 

This is one of the most challenging teachings of Christ, because it calls us to a deep honesty—complete honesty—about our own hearts, attitudes, and motives. It is easy to notice the faults of others—their selfishness, their bad temper, their hypocrisy. But it is much harder to notice, let alone admit, the ways that we ourselves are failing to love as we should. We look at ourselves with rose colored glasses, while looking at others with laser focus. 

The Lord’s teaching to remove the speck from our own eye is a call to humility and conversion. It challenges us to look inward, to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what needs healing and repentance in our lives. 

The humility of self-examination is one of the most vital, yet most difficult, virtues in the spiritual life. It is the quiet, honest posture of the soul that says: “Lord, I know I am not yet who you call me to be. Show me the truth about myself—not to discourage me, but to heal me.”

At its core, humble self-examination is the refusal to live on the surface of life. It is a deliberate turning inward, not in self-absorption, but in the hope that God will reveal what lies beneath: our mixed motives, our hidden resentments, our pride, our attachments, our wounds.

This kind of humility recognizes that we are complex creatures—capable of great love, but also of deep selfishness. We don’t always understand why we act the way we do, or why certain patterns repeat themselves. And so we ask the Holy Spirit to shine light into our inner life.

To follow Christ means being willing to do the hard work of interior transformation. And when we do that work, we begin to see others differently—not as people to condemn, but as fellow sinners in need of mercy because we’ve seen how deeply we need mercy ourselves, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Mindful of the Lord’s call to examine our hearts and to grow in compassion and humility, let us bring our needs before the God of mercy and truth.

For the Church: That all Christians may respond to Christ’s call to interior conversion, growing in humility, self-awareness, and love of neighbor.

For leaders of nations and all who hold authority: That they may govern with wisdom and justice, and seek peace rooted in mutual respect and the dignity of all people.

For an increase in compassion, an end to war and terrorism, and for the protection of the most vulnerable.

For those who are sick, poor, or burdened by suffering: That they may experience the comfort of God’s mercy and the support of a compassionate community.

For the faithful departed: That, purified by God’s mercy, they may see Him face to face and rejoice in His presence for eternity.

Loving Father, You see into the depths of our hearts and call us gently to repentance and healing. Hear these prayers we offer and grant us the grace to grow in humility and love, through Christ our Lord.

11th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Friday - What do I treasure?

 Today’s scripture readings challenge us to ask ourselves, “What do I treasure?” “What do I value most?” “Do I treasure the things of this world or do I treasure the things of God?” “Which do I treasure most?”

In the first reading, it is very evident where St. Paul’s treasure lies.  

St. Paul enumerates his sufferings for the spread of the Gospel: dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from fellow Jews, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers instigated by false Christians; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, frequent fasting, cold and exposure, daily pressures, all for the sake of the Gospel. 

St. Paul suffered not to build an impressive resume.  When he’s listing off all that he suffered, he’s not complaining.  Rather, he embraced all of these sufferings  because he treasured the Gospel above all else, and desired to share that treasure with others.

 ‘What do I treasure?’ St. Paul highlights an important connection. What we treasure can be equated to what am I willing to suffering for? What will I go out of my way for to obtain? 

St. Paul reminds us that heaven is obtained not by sitting idly, but by embracing the cross. Broad is the way and wide is the gate that leads to destruction. Meaning, we attain heaven and eternal life, not simply by doing what is easy all the time. Oftentimes we will need to fight against our fallen nature, our slothful nature, the part of us that just wants to relax and self-indulgent. Jesus says we need to “strive to enter the narrow gate”. 

Effort is needed to pray, to fast, to do penance, to engage in the works of charity, and spread the Gospel. 

St. Paul, then, is a great model for us, a model most necessary for us at every age, lest we excuse ourselves from the necessary work of the Gospel, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. 

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Let us place our needs and the needs of the world before our heavenly Father.

For the Church: That all the baptized may treasure the Gospel above every worldly good and, like Saint Paul, willingly embrace the sacrifices needed to proclaim Christ to every nation.

For the nations and their leaders: That those entrusted with authority may govern justly, defend human dignity from conception to natural death, and foster lasting peace among peoples.

For the grace to treasure the things of God: That we may resist the lure of worldly comforts, strive each day to enter through the narrow gate, and devote ourselves generously to prayer, penance, works of charity, and the spread of the Gospel.

For the sick, the suffering, the poor, and the afflicted: That all who bear heavy crosses may unite their trials to Christ’s Passion, receive comfort and healing, and be supported by the charity of the Christian community.

For the faithful departed: That those who have died in Christ may inherit the eternal treasure of heaven and rejoice forever in the presence of God.

O God, source of all true riches, hear the prayers we bring before You, and grant that, treasuring Your kingdom above all, we may share its everlasting joy. Through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

11th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Tuesday - The Call to Christian Perfection

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a command that may feel overwhelming: “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” At first glance, it may seem impossible. How can we, limited and sinful as we are, ever hope to be perfect like God?

This command to be perfect comes at the climax of a chapter where Jesus has redefined righteousness—not as merely following rules, but as a transformation of the heart. He tells us not just to avoid murder, but to let go of anger. Not just to avoid adultery, but to purify our thoughts. Not just to love our neighbor, but to love even our enemies. These are the marks of Christian perfection: a heart conformed to the heart of God.

Perfection is not something we accomplish by our own efforts. It is a grace, a work that God accomplishes in us if we cooperate with Him. As St. Thomas Aquinas taught, the perfection of the Christian life consists chiefly in charity—in loving God with our whole heart and loving our neighbor with God’s own love.

So, the command to “be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect” is a calling to the perfection of love, to grow into the fullness of charity that is a greater and greater share in the love of the Father Himself.

That means that Christian perfection does not happen overnight; it is a lifelong journey. It happens through prayer, the sacraments, self-denial, forgiveness, and service. It happens when we resist the urge to retaliate, when we speak the truth in love, when we are generous with our time and patient with the people who challenge us.

Again, we do not grow in perfection on our own; it requires effort to cooperate with the grace of God. Perfection is the result of grace and free will. You can’t have perfection without both.

To strive for Christian perfection is not to aim at being morally superior or scrupulously correct—it is to aim at becoming a living image of Christ, who reveals to us the perfect love of the Father.

So today, as we come to this altar, let us ask the Lord for the grace to grow in holiness. May our lives be built more and more on the foundation of Christ’s love, until we are made perfect—not by our efforts alone, but through our cooperation with His, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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With confidence in God’s mercy, let us offer our prayers to the Father, who calls us to perfection through His Son.

 That she may continue to proclaim the call to holiness and help all the faithful grow in love through the sacraments, prayer, and acts of charity.

For all leaders in the world: That they may govern with wisdom and justice.

For our parish: That we may cooperate daily with God’s grace, growing in holiness through prayer, self-denial, and acts of service.

For the poor, the sick, and those who suffer:  That they may be comforted by the love of Christ and supported by the generosity and compassion of His disciples.

For our beloved dead:  That, having sought to conform their hearts to Christ, they may now behold the perfection of God’s glory in heaven.

Heavenly Father, you call us to be holy as you are holy. Strengthen us to follow your Son with sincere hearts, cooperating with your grace, that we may one day be perfected in your love. Through Christ our Lord.

11th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Monday - Reform begins with yourself

 

For the rest of the month of June, our ordinary time weekday Mass Gospel passages will be taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount from chapters 5 through 7 of Matthew’s Gospel. 

From the very beginning of his Sermon, the Lord is clear that his disciples are to live differently from the rest of the world.

Today’s gospel includes a number of these counter-cultural teachings: “When someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.”  The world would say that when someone slaps you on the right cheek, slap them back, harder, get them back, teach them a lesson so they never think to slap you again.  Rather than responding with vengeance, Christians are to respond to violence as Christ did. During his Passion, as he was beaten and mocked by Roman Soldiers, he offered his sufferings to the Father for our salvation, he prayed from the cross that sinners be forgiven.

Instead of returning “evil for evil”, we are to return “good for evil”. This not only stops the cycle of violence, but allows God to reverse and transform it.  The Christian bearing an evil patiently instead of reacting mindlessly or calling for vengeance becomes a source of mercy in the world. 

St. Paul touches upon this in his letter to the Corinthians. Aware of their trials he tells them that they are to react to “afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, and riots” not by inflicting these evils on others, rather with “purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, unfeigned love, and truthful speech.”

Yesterday, Pope Leo addressed a group of young people gathered in Chicago to celebrate his pontificate. I recommend watching the entire message, which I posted on the parish facebook page, but a line of his message stands out in light of today’s Gospel, from the thought of St. Augustine. Pope Leo said, “Saint Augustine says to us that if we want the world to be a better place, we have to begin with ourselves. We have to begin with our own lives, our own hearts.”

Do you see the connection with today’s Gospel? If we simply respond to the evil in the world with more evil, then we are just part of the evil. Rather, we are to respond to evil as the Lord Jesus himself, with godliness, holiness, patient endurance, prayer. 

If we seek to see peace in the world, if we wish to see purity, kindness, and truth, we must cultivate these things in our hearts. May God help us, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Mindful of the Lord’s call to live differently from the world and to overcome evil with good, let us offer our prayers to the Father who is rich in mercy.

For the Church throughout the world: That she may faithfully proclaim the radical call of the Gospel, urging all people to holiness, forgiveness, and peace.

For all civil leaders and those in authority: That they may seek peace and justice not through revenge or oppression, but through mercy, dialogue, and the common good.

For those who struggle with anger, resentment, or the desire for revenge: That God may soften their hearts and fill them with the peace that comes from Christ.

For young people: That they may be inspired by the Gospel and the witness of the saints to live lives of virtue, courage, and love.

For the sick, the suffering, poor and afflicted: That they may be comforted by the patience and mercy of Christ and supported by the Christian community.

For our beloved dead: That having endured the trials of this life, they may rejoice forever in the peace of heaven.

Father of mercy, you sent your Son not to condemn the world but to save it through love. Strengthen us to follow his way of peace and patience, that we may reflect your holiness in our daily lives. Through Christ our Lord.

10th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Tuesday - Holy Saltiness

 

Well, after 40 days of Lent, and Holy Week, and the Paschal Triduum, and 50 days of easter, almost exactly 25% of the liturgical year, we’ve returned once again to Ordinary Time.

The green of Ordinary time reminds us of the growth for which we are to strive, the growth in holiness, and virtue, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Green is also the color associated with the theological virtue of hope. We hope that what we do in the ordinary course of the Christian life will lead to heaven.

Our Gospel readings during Ordinary Time focus mostly on the teachings and works of Jesus throughout the course of his public ministry, from after his baptism in the Jordan before he reaches Jerusalem.

Ordinary Time is like a slow pilgrimage, during which we are pondering each day, with each step, the truths of our Lord, and how to incorporate them into the concrete details of our life.

Today Jesus teaches that his followers are to be the salt of the earth. In the ancient world, salt had a number of uses. So, too, Christians have a number of jobs.

The first job for salt most of us think of is seasoning. Salt makes food tasty. So, too, Christians are to be a sort of seasoning to an otherwise bland world.  There is nothing more interesting, no one more full of life, than a Christian saint filled with the life of Christ—something each of us are to aspire to.

Salt is also a Preservative: In the days before refrigeration, salt made preserving food possible for times of famine. Christians have the job of preserving what is good and holy in creation, and fighting off spiritual decay.

Salt is also a Purifier: most water purification systems use salt as a "purifier." Christians are to be the world’s purifiers: opposing the corrupting powers of malice and perversion and greed, purifying the mind and heart of society by preaching the word and calling to conversion.

Salt is used to melt ice. Christians are called to melt the coldness of the icy hearts of the world, particularly through our charity. There is nothing more heartwarming than when we act in selfless Christian charity.

Finally, salt is used to prevent people from slipping on slippery paths.  Christians are called to help souls from slipping into damnation—again by preaching the Gospel, instructing the ignorant, and correcting the sinner.

During this Ordinary Time, consider how you are called in the concrete details of your life to add some holy saltiness—purification, sanctity, warmth, and stability—to the people and relationships around you for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

As we journey through Ordinary Time, trusting in the Lord’s grace at work in our daily lives, let us offer our prayers for the Church and for the world:

For the holy Church of God: That through her preaching, teaching, and sacramental life, she may bring the seasoning of joy, the warmth of charity, and the light of hope to a world grown cold with indifference.

For all who are called to positions of leadership and influence: That they may uphold what is true and just, and help preserve what is good in society.

For our parish community: That we may grow each day in holiness and virtue, becoming instruments of God’s grace in our families, our workplaces, and our neighborhoods.

For the sick, the poor, those who struggle with spiritual dryness or despair, and those in need: that God’s grace may bring healing to their wounds and warmth to their hearts.

For the faithful departed: That, having followed Christ in this life, they may now rejoice in the eternal banquet of heaven.

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

1st Week of Lent 2025 - Friday - Transformation of heart and behavior

Several times this first full week of Lent, we read from Jesus’ great Sermon on the Mount. 

On Tuesday, Jesus taught his disciples how to pray—that Christian prayer is much more than babbling, like the pagans. We are to prayerfully turn our hearts to the Father, seeking His Will, His sustenance, His forgiveness and ability to forgive, and his protection from evil. Our prayer is to be deepened and purified during this Lenten season.

Today, we hear that not only our prayer, but our hearts and minds are to be purified as well. Not only are we to avoid grave sins like murder: we are to be purified from the slightest hint of any attitude that leads to murder. We are to avoid anger toward our brother, we are to avoid calling him belittling names, and we are to seek to reconcile with him even before fulfilling some of our other religious duties.

Here is yet another teaching from the Sermon on the Mount that our conversion must be more than skin-deep, our conversion to Christ means more than just giving lip service to ideas like forgiveness and peacemaking. 

We are to be purified from inner attitudes that lead to sin, injustice, division, and malice. We are to seek to actively overcome our inhibitions towards working for peace. In fact, we are to actively cultivate those dispositions where we are ready to go out and make peace even when it costs us something. 

If you don’t, what does the Lord say, “you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” If we are unwilling to purify our hearts and actively work for peace there is a sort of debt, there is something missing. And we will not be able to progress spiritually in this life or likely from purgatory into heaven in the next life until that purifying has taken place.

From what the saints say, it is more pleasant to work for that purification in this life, than in purgatory. So we should do it now. My guess is that this is issue is a major stumbling black in the spiritual life for a lot of Christians: the unwillingness to make peace with those who have offended us, with whom there is some sort of open wound.

I get it, it’s hard, it’s uncomfortable, it’s humbling. “Why should I have to be the one to make peace?” Because we are Christian and the Lord told us to.

Again our readings remind us, that Lent is not simply about performing exterior deeds of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, but is aimed at inner transformation, where we can think with the mind of Christ, and more importantly, love with his heart, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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We should pour forth prayers at all times dear brothers and sisters but above all in these days of lent we ought to watch more intently with Christ and direct our petitions more fervently to God.

For the Church, that this Lent may be a time of deep interior purification, leading each believer to more fully embrace the mind and heart of Christ.

For those struggling to forgive or reconcile with others, that they may find the courage, humility, and strength to actively seek peace

For those preparing for baptism and reception into the Church at Easter, that their hearts may grow pure and radiant through prayer, fasting, and acts of charity, we pray to the Lord.

For Holy Father Pope Francis, in this time of illness, and for all the sick, suffering, and those who carry heavy burdens, that they may experience the comforting presence of God, who draws near to those who earnestly seek Him, we pray to the Lord.

For the faithful departed, for the deceased members of our family, friends, and parish, for all the souls in purgatory, that through our prayers and sacrifices, they may swiftly enter the eternal peace of God’s presence.

Grant we pray our 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.

11th Week of Ordinary Time 2024 - Tuesday - Sins of parents and leaders and seeking perfection

 Yesterday, from the first book of Kings, we read of the many sins of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel in conspiring to have the vineyard owner Naboth killed, so they could steal his land. Today, we read how they even denied Naboth proper burial—truly despicable behavior for a king and queen.

Then we read how God sent Elijah to confront Ahab to pronounce God’s great displeasure and judgment upon him. Now, Elijah was not some stranger to Ahab. By this time Ahab knew Elijah's credentials. Ahab had enough wisdom to recognize that this was very serious, and so he humbles himself and repents. And God judged Ahab’s repentance sincere, and extended his mercy.

No sin is too great that it cannot be forgiven. God’s acknowledgement of Ahab's repentance is one of many signs throughout the Old Testament of God's mercy to a repentant sinner—even a covetous, idolatrous, conspiring, murderous, thieving king like Ahab. 

However, Elijah announces that there will still be earthly consequences for Ahab and Jezebel’s sins. Although Ahab's repentance was genuine, repentance does not erase the temporal consequences of our actions. The sins of parents can have long-lasting consequences on their progeny and the actions of leaders can have long-lasting consequences on their nation. This story serves as a lesson about the importance of righteous parenting, leadership and the enduring impact of sin.

The Word of God emphasizes the need for future generations to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors and strive for righteousness. 

In light of the first reading, the Lord’s teaching in the Gospel today carries an interesting lesson. Jesus teaches, “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." Oftentimes, children learn terrible habits from their parents. The sins of parents, the fractures in their marriage, their personal vices, their acts of selfishness can have terrible ripple effects in the lives of their children—effecting how their children relate to the world, to others, and to God. 

And so the Lord’s teaching, “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” means that children should strive to break the familial cycles of sin—to unlearn the sinful habits of their parents. Don’t simply imitate your biological Father, strive for the perfection of your Heavenly Father. 

The teachings of Jesus are to supersede, replace, and perfect our family’s ways of doing things, especially those behaviors which contradict the commandments of God. 

Thank God for the good holy example of good parents. But we know that there are some Ahab’s and Jezebel’s out with kids. May we set good Christian example for those children and for those Ahab’s and Jezebel’s because they can repent too. May we all seek the perfection of soul God desires for each of us through Christ, 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 through our prayer, fasting, and works of charity. 

For our young people on 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

11th Week of Ordinary Time 2024 - Monday - The sins of Ahab and Jezebel

Along with our readings from the Sermon on the Mount, we have been reading lately from the Old Testament book of Kings. Last week we heard how Elijah condemned King Ahab’s promotion of pagan worship through Israel.  King Ahab, influenced by his pagan wife Jezebel, actively promoted the worship of Baal in Israel, building pagan altars and temples in direct violation of the command to have no other gods before the God of Israel.

Today, we read of the twisted morals of this corrupt royal couple. 

First we heard of King Ahab’s covetousness. In violation of the 10th commandment Ahab coveted his neighbor’s property. When Naboth refused to sell or trade his ancestral land to Ahab, the king became sullen and angry. Almost comically, 1st Kings describes Ahab whining from his bed and refusing to eat when he didn't get what he wanted.  His wife, Jezebel, enabled and encouraged his sinful attitude, and then enacted a corrupt plan to obtain the object of Ahab’s covetousness. 

Jezebel orchestrated false accusations of blasphemy against Naboth by recruiting two scoundrels to serve as false witnesses, in violation of the 8th prohibiting bearing false witness.

Then, based on the false charges, Jezebel arranges for Naboth to be stoned to death. This violates the 5th commandment, "You shall not murder".

Then, after Naboth's death, Jezebel tells Ahab to take possession of the vineyard he wanted, stealing his neighbor’s property, breaking the 7th commandment.

All in all, the royal couple used their authority to pervert justice, oppress the innocent, and facilitate sin. 

Ahab and Jezebel’s actions reveal hearts hardened against God and a willingness to use deceit, injustice and violence to gratify selfish desires. Here is a cautionary tale of how sin perverts and destroys.

Don’t be like Ahab and Jezebel. Don’t rationalize sin. Don’t give yourself license to violate the commandments. Don’t think yourself so high, mighty, or educated that the commandments of God don’t apply to you. Sin is destructive no matter who you are.

Rather, our continued reading of the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel, illuminates the way of life God wants for us: a life of radical interiorization of God’s love and mercy—charity that goes beyond social conventions. Instead of returning “evil for evil”, we are to return “good for evil”. We must be zealous, not in seeking selfish pursuits, but in cultivating holiness within ourselves, and helping others to do the same.

During this month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we pray that following the Lord’s teachings, imitating his example, through prayer and reception of the sacraments, our hearts may be filled with truly charity like his, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

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

For our young people on 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

10th Week of Ordinary Time 2024 - Friday - Reorientation of sinful desires

 As I mentioned at the beginning of the week, we have begun to read through the Lord’s great sermon on the mount from the Gospel of Matthew. 

Jesus' teaching on adultery and lust in today’s passage is part of the larger context of the Sermon on the Mount, where the Lord teaches His followers to cultivate righteousness that goes beyond external observance of the law. Christians aren’t simply to follow the commandments mindlessly, rather our obedience to God comes from a true reordering of values, a reorienting of desires, authentic interior transformation, and the cultivation of a heart that is fully devoted and aligned to God.

Jesus' words about adultery and lust are part of His call for that complete reorientation of our lives towards God. Again, this reorientation involves not merely external compliance but a deep, interior transformation that affects every aspect of our being, including our desires, thoughts, and relationships. Purity, faithfulness, and sacrificial love are good not simply because they keep us from sin, but because they are good in themselves and mirror God’s being. 

So how is this radical reorientation to come about? Our first reading and Psalm give us a hint. They both point to the need to cultivate a rich spiritual life centered on God. 

In the first reading from the first book of Kings, Elijah learns to hear the voice of God not in the fierce rock-crushing, mountain-rending wind, the earthquake or the fire, but in the tiny whispering sound. Elijah reorients himself to God through quiet listening. 

Similarly, the Psalmist expresses a deep longing to see God's face and be in His presence. He recognizes the need to reorient himself from the activities of normal earthly life to actively pursue God. 

Like Elijah, the inner transformation that Jesus desires for us, the reorientation we need comes through quieting our hearts and minds to discern God’s presence and voice through prayer. Like the Psalmist, we must intentionally turn away from earthly activities, to seek the face of God. We must actively create space for silence and attentive listening to God's voice and God’s face.

The reorientation of our lives is only possible through the cultivation of a rich spiritual life. When we seek God's presence in prayer, meditation, and the sacraments, we open ourselves to the transformative power of God’s grace. As we grow closer to God, our desires begin to align with His will, and we find the strength to resist the temptations that once held us captive.

Moreover, a deep spiritual life enables us to see others through the eyes of God, recognizing their inherent dignity and worth. This counteracts the objectification and commodification that often fuel sinful desires like lust.

Let us pray for the grace to cultivate a rich spiritual life, one that transforms our desires and open’s us to the guidance of God’s Spirit who impels us to live as faithful witnesses to God's love in the world, 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 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

11th Week in Ordinary Time 2023 - Tuesday - Pro omnibus et singulis (For all and for each)

 Throughout his Sermon on the Mount, the Lord expounds what it means to be truly righteous, truly holy—to live in such a way that one is filled with the life of God on earth, that you may enter into the beatitude of God in eternity. 

And so hear today the a portion of his sermon on love. Already he has challenged his disciples to expand their concepts of holiness and generosity, and today’s passage certainly presents a challenge as well. 

The Lord begins with a saying his audience would have been familiar with, a saying that even seems like common sense: “you have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” 

It's easy to love one's neighbor. My neighbor looks like me, talks like me, acts like me.  He’ll let me borrow a mule, or a wine press, or a piece of bread if I ask him.  I feel comfortable inviting him over for a cup of coffee.  My neighbor is lovable.

But an enemy, he looks differently, he talks differently, he might not worship the same God as me or vote for the same politicians. In fact, if I think about it, he is undermining the very fabric of society, he’s barely human; therefore, the best thing would be if he were to not exist at all, right?  Hating one's enemy makes sense...and, honestly...it's not all that difficult.

But, Jesus says, listen: the sun rises and sets on the evil and the good alike; God loves the person you perceive as your enemy just as much as he loves you.  For God loves without measure.  

To follow Christ is to love without regard to race or creed. You must seek what is best pro omnibus et singulis—for all and for each individual—neighbor or enemy. And if you are to treat each with love…is there really any distinction at all?  Kindness must not be limited to those who are kind to us.  

For many, perhaps for most, this may be the hardest of all Jesus’ instructions. But, as we heard this last Sunday, “God proved his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” God loves the sinner. He loves those who made themselves his enemies. For a sinner becomes an ally and an agent of evil in his sin—evil which opposes the goodness of God. You have opposed God. I have opposed God in my sin. But he died for all those who opposed him, out of love and utter goodness.

And that very same divine love for all is to make its dwelling in the hearts of Christians and is to animate our lives, our behaviors, our actions, our decisions, our relationships pro omnibus et singulis—for all and for each for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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

For the Church during this time of Eucharistic Revival: for a deeper love and reverence for the Bread of Life; that the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist will help us to live out our vocation to holiness with greater zeal, self-sacrifice, and trust in God.  

That during this month of June dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: we may make reparation for the many blasphemies committed against God and the Church, and that the afflicted may know God’s compassion in all of their trials.

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

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.

June 13 2023 - St. Anthony of Padua - Priest, Doctor of the Church - Man of Beatitude

 For the next three weeks, thereabout, our weekday mass Gospel readings will be taken from the Lord’s great Sermon on the Mount.  It is clear from the very beginning of the Sermon, with the Lord’s delivery of the beatitudes, that Christians are to live differently from others in the world—with a righteousness even surpassing that of the Jewish scribes and Pharisees, as the Lord teaches. In short, the Lord teaches that we must seek to be like Him, to be like his Father, to be holy.

St. Anthony desired the radical holiness preached by Jesus.  He entered the Augustinian Order as a young man as a way of turning away from the temptations of the world in order to seek the perfection of his soul.  One could say that he followed the call to religious life as a way of pursuing that purity of heart to which the Lord calls us in the beatitudes.  The pure of heart are those who love God with undivided allegiance.  They pursue God’s Holy Will single-heartedly, without mixed motives.  This is what Anthony desired.

Though he had dedicated his life to study, prayer, and learning, immersing himself in Sacred Scripture, it was a rather strange event which caused St. Anthony to become a Franciscan.  It was when he heard news that Franciscans had been put to death for preaching the Gospel in Morocco, that he felt called to join the order.  Where most of us run away from suffering, St. Anthony ran toward the opportunity to practice the final two beatitudes: blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, and blessed are those who are persecuted for Christ’s sake.  

St. Anthony, through his practice of the beatitudes, through his desire to totally belong to Christ through the vows of his religious profession, became a radiant beacon of the light of Christ, to whom we look to imitate 800 years later.

In the face of the many problems in the world—violence, materialism, poverty, moral relativism, Jesus calls us each of us to radiate the holiness of God by putting on His mind and heart—seeking to be holy as He is holy—suffering for the Gospel, as he suffered.  Christians are called to beatitude—and the world will be impacted for better or for worse by the way Christians live our lives.  Through the example and heavenly intercession of St. Anthony of Padua, may we be faithful to this call of holiness today and all days—for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her.

For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them.

That the members of the Franciscan Order and all those consecrated religious may inspire us to strive for greater holiness.

For the priests of the diocese who begin a new parish assignment today, especially for the newly ordained, that they may be faithful to Christ in every dimension of their ministry. 

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, especially for the sick and victims of war and terror and natural disaster.

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

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.

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023 - Unless your righteousness surpasses...

 For the past two weeks we’ve been hearing from the Lord’s Great Sermon on the Mount from Matthew’s Gospel. Two weeks ago, we heard the beatitudes, which the catechism says, “express the vocation of every Christian”. Every Christian is called to pursue beatitude, to pursue holiness by putting on the mind and heart of Christ. The beatitudes are the standards by which every action of ours is to be measured. Does my use of money help me to obtain beatitude? Does the use of my time help me to obtain beatitude? Do my choices and habits and the way that I treat family members, strangers, and enemies, help me to obtain beatitude?

Then, last week we heard the Lord tells us that we must be the salt of the earth and light of the world. The influence of Christians in the world is to be detected like salt in food, like a light shining in the darkness. Our faith that Jesus Christ is Lord and God is to be detected by those we encounter—again in our families and in society. 

This week, the Lord gives further explanation of how his disciples are to live. In fact, he sets a very high standard indeed. “Unless our holiness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees we will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” So the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Christian conduct goes beyond merely keeping the natural law or the Ten Commandments. We are challenged us not just to be “good” but genuinely “holy”—transformed by God’s grace inside and outside.  I often meet people who say, “I don’t go to church, but I’m a good person.” Fine, be a good person, try with all your might to be a good person. But Christianity isn’t simply about being a good person. It’s about becoming holy—filled with the life of God. Being good isn’t enough to get into heaven. Good is not good enough. Do you believe that?

Let’s look at what the Lord teaches us about holiness.

First, he says, it’s not good enough simply to avoid murder. Of course, we need to avoid murdering each other. But that’s not enough for heaven. Christians seek conversion even from the sort of thoughts that set us down the path to unjust violence, and seek to love others with Christ like love. And we don’t love our neighbor as ourselves if all we do is not kill them. We avoid all envy, jealousy, and vengeance, rivalry. We turn away from hurting others with our tongues and machinations. If you detect an ounce of anger toward anyone, pray for the Lord to free you. If you can detect that you have failed to forgive anyone, pray that the Lord give you the grace to help you to forgive.

Secondly, the Lord says it’s not good enough for us to avoid adultery. Again, of course adultery must certainly be avoided. We must avoid all lust and any attitude or reasoning or habit that allows lust to take root in us, that views other humans as objects for our own gratification. Rather we seek the beatitude of purity of heart. And purity of heart is obtained through prayer, self-discipline, avoiding occasions of lust as best we can, and repentance for lust in the sacrament of confession.

Thirdly, the Lord gives married couples special instruction here: to not only avoid divorce but any selfish behaviors that could lead to someone wanting to divorce you.  Just because someone married you, does not give you the right to be selfish toward them. Rather married couples have the duty of helping your spouse grow in holiness by your own example of prayer, forgiveness, patience, and fidelity to the commands of God. And that’s true for each of us: whether a priest, married, single, monk or nun we must set good Christian example and help each other obtain heaven.

Lastly, the final standard the Lord mentions in this section of his sermon to his disciples is about truthfulness. It’s not good enough to simply tell the truth when you are under oath, or to be the sort of person that people only believe when you are under oath. 

Jesus, the Lord, who is the truth incarnate, wants his followers to be distinguished as people of truth, integrity, honor, and transparency. 

“Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven” Christians seek not just to be good,  we seek to be righteous. Not self-righteous. 

The Pharisees got their name because they refused to eat and speak with sinners. We must not self-righteously distance ourselves from those who have different beliefs than us. In fact, we are to be seeking them out, to bring them to Christ. 

We are not to be self-righteous, but actually righteous…where the law and commandments and virtues and life of God transforms us from the inside out, where every obstacle to authentic Christ-like love is transformed into the charity.

This morning I had a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses knock on the rectory door. I did not turn them away. Rather, I invited them in. I sat down with them. And to be honest, they scrutinized me, for almost an hour. They tried to poke holes in Catholic theology, for Jehovah’s Witnesses deny many truths of our faith, including the bodily resurrection of Jesus, that Jesus is true God and true man; they deny the Trinity. I did my best to answer their questions and perhaps reexamine their errors.

But, I shared with them that this parish is both committed to the truth, and also serving those who do not have the truth. We feed the hungry, and clothe the naked, and teach the ignorant, no matter what they believe. The Good News isn’t just believed and professed. It is lived. I pray that Christ might convert their hearts, and recognize that each of us must do penance for their conversion. 

Providentially, in just 10 days, we begin the season of Lent. A time for us to do penance for ourselves and for others. In the next 10 days, please, take some real quality time to discern the type and level of prayer, fasting, and works of charity that God wants from you, for the sake of souls and to help you pursue the righteousness God wants for each you. For God didn’t make us to be mediocre and lukewarm, but on fire for pursuing his Holy Will for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023 - Salt of the earth

 I remember as a kid, my dad telling stories about working in the salt mines under Lake Erie when he was a younger man.  Morton Salt has about 3 miles of salt mines 2000 feet underneath our great lake.  This salt is an important source of revenue for the State of Ohio, and the salt is utilized in a number of ways: particularly as a seasoning for our food and on our roads during the winter.

Immediately following the Lord’s teaching on the beatitudes, which we heard last Sunday. The Lord says that his disciples must be salt. Talk about bringing us down to earth. In order to attain heaven, you must become salt. 

Salt was used in a number of ways in Jesus’ time, just as it does for us. 

First salt is used as a seasoning. So, too, Christians are to be a sort of seasoning to an otherwise bland world.  There is nothing more interesting—no one more full of life than a true Christian saint filled with the life of Christ. 

This week we celebrated Catholic Schools week, and daily over in the school, the students learned about some of the patron saints of Christian Education, saints like Thomas Aquinas, John Neuman, Angela Merici, Elizabeth Ann Seton, holy men and women who bristled with energy and joy and charity. The saltiness of the saints has changed human history. So become salty—using your unique gifts and talents to serve the Lord.

How else is salt used? Salt is necessary for life. Even the most stringent nutritionists have to admit that salt is a necessary component of the human diet. The ancients, too, understood, salt was necessary for good health.  Similarly, Christians need to be salt in this way. The health, the survival of a society depends on Christians—doing what Christians do, infusing societal life with the life and goodness and truth and beauty of God. Our mission isn’t just to come to Church, our mission is to infuse this neighborhood with the saltiness of Christ for its own survival. Salt helps regulate a body’s heart rate, digestion, respiration, brain activity, and blood pressure—and without Christians living out the mission in a particular area, the society’s ability to pump blood, think, breath, digest will soon fail.

Salt is also a Preservative: In the days before refrigeration, salt made preserving food possible for times of famine. Christians will have the job of preserving what is good and holy in creation, opposing spiritual decay. Seeing many of the strong Christian values in our country begin to fade, Christians need to take up again this call to preserve. Christians must preserve the nation, marriage, family, the young from spiritual rot. 

Salt is also a Purifier: The salt in the oceans of the world act as a natural cleaning agent, and most water purification systems use salt as a "purifier." Christians are to be the world’s purifiers: opposing the corrupting powers of malice and perversion and greed. Each of us too need to seek the constant purifying of our minds from the world’s corrupting influence. We purify our minds through study of God’s word, interiorizing the doctrines of our faith, the example of the saints.

Salt also has a destructive power.  As a kid, I’d run to the kitchen to get a salt shaker when I found a slug in the garden…a little morbid, yes…you surprised?  In the ancient world, when an army would conquer their enemy, they’d knock down the walls, raise the city to the ground, then really to rub it in sometimes they would cast salt upon the earth so that nothing would ever grow there again. Are Christians to be a destructive power in society? In a sense we are! We are to be a force against the powers of evil, the manifestations of the Antichrist.

You see, the antichrist is like that slug, and he is powerless when Christians really get salty. So all the ways in which human life is violated and discounted, all forms of hatred and violence, we are meant to interrupt them and get in their way.

Another use for salt: as we know all too well, living here in Cleveland, Salt is used for the melting of ice. Salt makes things flow that are frozen.   The Church’s task is to loosen up a world frozen in its own self-regard, frozen in violent and perverted ways.  When we are faithful to Christ, we have a melting influence.   Think of the power of one saint, how he can melt hearts that have been frozen against Christ. Many souls have been converted to Christ because they saw Christians selflessly engaged in acts of charity. When the Church is faithful, we can have that melting influence in a neighborhood or state or country to get things flowing in the right direction again.

Finally, just like it’s used on our roads, in ancient times salt was also used to prevent people from slipping on slippery paths.  Christians are called to help souls from slipping into damnation—promoting the teachings of Christ on a societal level which give stability to civilization, pointing out when fellow Christians begin down slippery paths away from God. We call them fallen Catholics because they have slipped. 

You and I are called to be salt. But the Lord warns that salt can lose its flavor. Perhaps maybe you have lost a bit of enthusiasm for the Christian life. Perhaps Christ is not the vital force in your marriage, that he should be, or the reason you get up in the morning. Maybe you don’t feel like you are having a positive influence on your neighbors, or the fallen away members of your family.  

The solution: Pray, pray, pray.  You cannot be salt without constant prayer.  A priest who does not pray is worthless, husbands and wives who do not pray will not have the strength and power to faithfully live out the Christian responsibilities of the marriage sacrament.  Young people who do not pray will not have the strength to withstand the nearly unending torrent of evil from our culture.  

Salt: an ordinary substance with tremendous potential, many uses, vital to life and civilization. We must become salt by bringing Christ into our workplaces, into our conversations, into our civic life, in our family life. Be salt, my friends, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

12th Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Tuesday - Do not give to dogs what is holy

 In my fifth year of seminary, we took a class on the synoptic Gospels, the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke. There was a separate class on the Gospel and letters of John. And, for the final term paper we were to choose a single passage from one of the Synoptic Gospels and write a 12-15 page paper on that passage. I thought I’d challenge myself and pick a single verse. And the verse I chose was the first verse of today’s Gospel: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine”

It's a perplexing teaching. What is our Lord talking about? Evangelization? Eucharist? Or is it a broad principle to be applied to a variety of situations? Obviously he’s not saying that we should refrain from preaching the holy Gospel to the unevangelized. That’s definitely our mission as Christians: go and make disciples of all nations. 

This line would be interpreted by the Church fathers in the early church to refer to the prohibition of admitting to holy communion those in a state of mortal sin. Do not give to dogs what is holy. The holy referring to the Eucharist, and the dogs referring to those who have given into their bestial nature and have fallen into sin without repentance. 

But, what makes this enigmatic teaching more perplexing is that in the preceding passage, as we heard yesterday, the Lord tells us not to judge. So, on one hand he is telling us to stop judging, on the other hand, he tells us that we are to use our judgement, in order to refrain from throwing pearls to the swine.

I tend to believe that the passage does contain a lesson for our efforts in evangelization. There comes a point where your audience, at least for a time, shows itself to be closed to the gospel message. And it’s time to stop wasting your energy and move on to another group of people. There comes a point, as the Lord himself teaches, that the evangelist has to shake the dust from his sandals, and move on. In Matthew 10 he says, “And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.” That’s not giving in to defeat, that’s just being wise with your time.

But, just because the Gospel is rejected in one place, by one person, doesn’t mean you give up altogether. That’s where as Christians, sometimes, we give up too easily. We run into a little bit of difficulty in our Gospel mission, and throw our hands in the air and give up entirely.

The saints show us what such perseverance looks like. At age 11, St. Aloysius was teaching the catechism to poor children and fasting three days a week and often woke in the middle of the night to pray.  He joined the Jesuits despite great resistance from his family. And when the plague struck Rome in 1591, he nursed the sick, washed them, made their beds, continuing to care for the plague victims even when he himself caught the disease.

St. Aloysius shows us that Christians are to be filled with youthful-enthusiasm in the works of mercy, and perseverance when we face our own crosses.

May St. Aloysius aid us in our share of the Gospel mission for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That Pope Francis and all the clergy may witness to the truth of the Gospel faithfully, courageously, and compassionately. 

Through the intercession of St Aloysius Gonzaga, patron of young people, that the young may be blessed with true faith, the desire to serve the Lord above seeking the pleasures of the world, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life.

For the conversion of the unbelievers, for the return of Catholics who have left the Church, and for success in our Gospel mission.

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 those who struggle to live the call of Christian chastity, 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 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.

11th Week of Ordinary Time 2022 - Friday - The sin of consumerism

A few years ago, the Arts & Entertainment channel began airing a show called, “Hoarders”.  The show chronicles people whose accumulation and hoarding of material stuff has become so excessive that it is has become difficult to move through the house; sometimes whole rooms are inaccessible becomes they are filled with material stuff that has begun to decay.  In many cases the houses become so unsanitary that children are forced into foster care, or the house is condemned.  

There are no doubt many psychological factors involved in compulsive hoarding, but often the show challenges the viewer to examine our own attachments to material things.

When Jesus says “do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth” he is not imposing a ban on all possessions, of course; it is not a sin for us to own things. The Catechism speaks of a right to private property. Nor is Jesus forbidding us to “stock up” and save for times of famine.  The book of proverbs tells us to look to the example of the ant that stores up in the summer for what it will need in the winter and calls foolish those who make no provisions for their families or the future.

But, St. Thomas Aquinas would say that concern for earthly things becomes sinful when we treat material things as ends in themselves; we fall into sin when we become so preoccupied with material things that we neglect our duties toward God and our neighbor.

Now, most of us are not compulsive hoarders. But, we live in a very materialistic consumeristic culture where it is easy to overvalue THINGS. The culture promotes preoccupation with earthly things, earthly concerns to the detriment of spiritual matters. Because "money makes the world go round", right? 

But consumerism is deadly because at its root it says my happiness can come from something other than God. It says, “You have stuff and if you are unhappy, you just haven’t found the right stuff, the right thing. So keep buying, keep hoarding, eventually you’ll find it.” And that is radically contrary to the Gospel. To quote St. John Paul II, Consumerism leads to “attitudes and life styles… which are objectively improper and damaging to physical and spiritual health”.

So we need to be on guard against the prevailing consumeristic headwinds, and teach our young people especially, to value spiritual matters, by our own good example.

Every day, we need to be intentional in turning away from the pursuit of happiness-through-consumerism by seeking heavenly treasures through prayer and charitable service. 

When our lives are focused merely on the material, the earthly, we become unhappy and exhausted.  Rather, the spiritual life brings us into right relationship with God—the peace and joy that the world cannot give.  May we spend this day in God’s service, properly ordered, seeking spiritual things over earthly things, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Christians will guard themselves against the evils of the world through study and prayer, and cultivate the life of the spirit for the good of all.

For greater generosity for the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, unemployed, or suffering from addiction, mental, or physical illness, and those most in need: that the Lord in his goodness will be close to them in their trials.  

That the Lord will rescue all those who live at a distance from Him because of self-absorption or sin.  

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.  

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.

11th Week of Ordinary Time 2022 - Tuesday - Love Your Enemies

Early on in his Sermon on the Mount, the Lord explains that the righteousness of his followers is to surpass that of the Scribes and Pharisees. 

Now the Scribes and Pharisees prided themselves on their observances of the ritual laws of the Torah and keeping the 10 commandments: they practiced ritual cleanliness, they avoided contact with unclean things and “unclean people” like Gentiles and prostitutes. 

But Christians are to strive for true righteousness: to be righteous and God is righteous, to be filled with the life and justice and peace and beauty and love of God.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus describes for us the way God the Father loves. As God the Father forgives and loves those who have made themselves his enemy through sin and serving other gods, so the way of Jesus demands that we love and pardon our enemies.

Not only are we to love our neighbor, but our enemies as well: those who persecute you, those who sin against you, those with whom your country is at war, those who cut you off in traffic, those who may have bullied you a half a century ago in grade school, those who misuse their power and authority. Love them.  

Love them, forgive them, be patient with them, feed them, clothe them, teach them, serve them, hold no grudges toward them, visit them, pray for them, seek what is best for them. Love them even when it feels like they are scourging you at a pillar, even when they are forcing you to march to your crucifixion.

We see the Lord doing everything he can to solicit the conversion of those who persecute him throughout the course of his ministry, he prays for them even as he is suffering and dying on the cross. And we are called to do the same. That is love. Remaining patient with ones enemies, seeking their conversion, and even praying for them if they nail you to a cross.

This is the way of perfection, because this is what the perfect God did. And the Lord teaches today that we will not really become children of God until we start behaving like God—God who is Love—God who loves everyone, forgives everyone, desires the good of everyone.

Many people in our highly-offendable culture walk around just waiting to attack those who offend them, to verbally assault those who inconvenience them. They are just looking to mark someone as their enemy so they can pummel them with their pent up frustrations, to make them into a scapegoat for all of their problems. 

Christians, rather than being at the ready to pounce on our enemies, must be ready to forgive them, to love them.

May the Lord bring about that change of heart in each of us, to readily love with Christ-like love, 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. Let us 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.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For the Church’s missions amongst the poor and unevangelized throughout the world, that the work of Christ may be carried out with truth and love. Let us 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.  Let us 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.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. Let us 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.

 

10th Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Friday - Inner Transformation

 Since the beginning of the week we’ve been reading from Jesus’ most famous sermon, his sermon on the mount. He has taught his followers to be salt and light, not to lose our saltiness and not to hide our light, and of keeping God’s commandments, the smallest letter, the smallest part of the letter of the law of God.

Today the Lord singles out two of the commandments of the law of Moses regarding adultery and divorce, and by doing so, illustrates a grander point.

Not only are Christians to refrain from activities prohibited by God’s laws—for example adultery and divorce—Christians are to root out the attitudes that lead to sin. 

True external conformity to the laws of God is only possible when we have also sought internal conformity to the heart of God.

Two people are standing in the same line waiting for the cashier at the grocery store. One stands quietly, one angrily complains. One approaches the cashier with gentleness, the other rudely belittles the cashier. 

We must root out—or at least control—those internal dispositions to rudeness, anger, complaint, adultery, divorce, and so on, and desire to remain patient in the face of inconvenience, to remain chaste in the face of all lust.

When the Lord says, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away” he is speaking hyperbolically. In other words, if you possess some license within yourself, that in some circumstance it is okay to belittle a cashier, get rid of it. If you possess some license within yourself, that in some circumstance it would be okay to commit adultery or some other sexual sin get rid of it, tear out, throw it away.

And if that’s not possible, develop, nurture and grow the ability to practice “self-control” in all circumstances. 

Well, I’m just a little hot-headed sometimes, I’m only human. No. Grace wants to transform those parts of us that are fallen, and bring them under the dominion of God. And the failure to cooperate with transforming grace is our own fault, our own most grievous fault. 

May we seek to cooperate with God’s manifold grace with as much effort as we can possibly muster, for the healing and transformation that God wants for us, God who love us despite our faults, but who seeks our redemption and conversion from sin, and so come to the Beatitude God has planned for us for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the preaching and teaching and charitable works of the Church will inspire all people to seek to radical holiness and obedience to the commands of God.

That those in public office may govern with wisdom, put an end to all political corruption, and work for a society of authentic justice and peace with special care for the most vulnerable.

For an end to oppression, racism, hatred, addiction and injustice. For the healing of all the sick. 

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life, for a strengthening of marriages, for all single people who strive to follow Christ, and for the grace to utilize our spiritual gifts for the building up of the Church.

That those who have died may share in the joy of life-everlasting; for our deceased family members, friends, and fellow parishioners, for all the poor 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.

 

11th Week of Ordinary Time 2021 - Friday - Earthly or Heavenly Treasure

 When Jesus says “do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth” he is not imposing a ban on all possessions, of course; it is not a sin for us to own things. The Catechism speaks of a right to private property. Nor is Jesus forbidding us to “stock up” and save for times of famine.  The book of proverbs tells us to look to the example of the ant that stores up in the summer for what it will need in the winter and calls foolish those who make no provisions for their families or the future.

We do well to make good prudent use of the material goods of the earth, but we must not treasure them, or live for them, especially at the cost of our spiritual welfare. Holiness cannot be measured by the size one of one’s bank account. 

We are to be particularly on guard against materialism. Holy Father Pope Francis has spoken often about the dangers of materialism. Recently he said, “Whenever material things, money, worldliness, become the center of our lives, they take hold of us, they possess us; we lose our very identity as human beings”.  Materialism, he says, makes us “self-absorbed” and “finding security in material things ultimately rob us of our face, our human face.”

Instead of loving people and using things, Materialism leads us to use people and love things—to treat others as material goods for our own pleasure.  It is not a coincidence that as materialism spreads so does pornography, prostitution, human trafficking, and sexual violence.  

We all do well to examine our lifestyles in light of Jesus’ teaching today. Do we love people and use things, or have we begun to love things and use people? Have we begun to take false security and false trust in the goods of the earth? Are we guilty of excessive accumulation?

Rather than living for the earthly, the Lord calls engage in the heavenly, to store up treasure in heaven—to engage in the works that merit heavenly grace. Rather than being servants of Mammon, His disciples are to be wholeheartedly devoted to works of holiness: prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and the corporal and spiritual works of charity. 

May the Holy Spirit help each of us to be faithful to the teaching of Jesus, to be free from all that keeps us from loving God and neighbor with undivided hearts, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That our nation’s bishops, concluding their spring General Assembly, may be guided by the Holy Spirit in their deliberations and their call to work for Church unity and the clear and courageous witness of the Gospel. Let us 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.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For the Church’s missions amongst the poor and unevangelized throughout the world, that the work of Christ may be carried out with truth and love. Let us 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.  Let us 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.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. Let us 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.