Homily: February 6 - Saint Paul Miki and companions

During the 16th century, the Catholic faith reached Japan by the efforts of the Jesuit missionary Saint Francis Xavier. Jesuit outreach to the Japanese continued after his death, and around 200,000 Japanese had entered the Church by 1587.  Paul Miki joined the Jesuits in 1580 as a young man, and became known for his eloquent preaching, and helped many Buddhists to embrace Christianity.

Religious tensions led to a period of persecution-- churches were destroyed and missionaries were forced to work in secret.  Miki and his companions were arrested, and condemned to death.  Paul Miki and his 25 companions were forced to march from Kyoto to Nagasaki, a 600 mile march, where they then February 5, 1597.

The group was made up of 6 Franciscans, from Spain, Mexico, and India, 3 Japanese Jesuits, and 17 lay Catholics.  They were catechists, doctors, simple artisans and servants, old men and innocent children—all united in a common faith and love for Jesus and his Church. They were all crucified by being attached to crosses with ropes and chains and then put to death by the thrust of a lance. 

When missionaries returned to Japan in the 1860s, at first they found no trace of Christianity. But after establishing themselves they found that thousands of Christians lived around Nagasaki and that they had secretly preserved the faith that Paul Miki and his companions died for.

From the Cross, Paul Miki gave his final sermon.  He said, “All of you who are here, please, listen to me. I am a Japanese by birth, and a brother of the Society of Jesus. I have committed no crime, and the only reason why I am put to death is that I have been teaching the doctrine of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I am very happy to die for such a cause, and see my death as a great blessing from the Lord.  I want to stress and make it unmistakably clear that man can find no way to salvation other than the Christian way.  The Christian religion tells us to forgive our enemies and those who do harm us, and so I say that I forgive the king and those responsible for my death. I have no hatred for the king; indeed, I wish that he and all the Japanese would become Christians.”

When John Paul II visited Nagasaki in 1981, he said, “In this holy place, people of all walks of life gave proof that love is stronger than death. They embodied the essence of the Christian message, the spirit of the Beatitudes, so that all who look up to them may be inspired to let their lives be shaped by unselfish love of God and love of neighbor.”

May we like Paul Miki and his companions be found faithful in witnessing to the unselfish love of God and neighbor, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: February 5 - Saint Agatha - virgin, martyr

Saint Agatha is one of the great virgin martyrs of the early Roman church, who in the midst of persecution, chose to be faithful to Christ no matter what the cost.  She was martyred in the brief but ferocious persecution of the emperor Decius. 

This persecution was the first empire wide persecution.  It required all citizens of the Empire to offer a sacrifice to the Roman Gods, renounce the Christian faith in front of a Roman official and obtain a certificate called a libellus proving they had done so.

Some Christians publically rejected their faith by offering the sacrifice; some compromised their faith by bribing the official to obtain the libellus. 

Saint Agatha was a beautiful young woman who was sought after by many of the wealthy suitors of her time.  She, however, had given her heart to another.  She had consecrated herself to Christ—to be His bride—to spend her life in his prayerful service and consecrated virginity.

One Pagan Roman man, threatened that he would turn her in to the authorities if she did not marry him.  She refused to marry him, and since she would not offer the pagan sacrifice, she was  imprisoned, and tortured, and eventually killed.

The Church’s honoring the virgin-martyrs, is not some statement that marriage is bad.  Marriage is very good, it’s a sacrament instituted by God for the sanctity of spouses and the proliferation of the human race and the education of Children, all very good.

But we honor the virgin martyrs like Agatha, Susanna, Agnes, Anastasia, Dymphna, not just because of their courage and perseverance, but because of their immense love of Christ.  All of them offered their life rather than betray the union of their hearts with the Heart of Christ.  These weren’t naïve little girls, they knew what their consecration to Christ would mean in a time of hostility towards the faith. 

A few centuries later, Saint Benedict would exhort his monks “to prefer nothing to the love of Christ.”  The virgin martyrs show us in their faithfulness, in their purity, and in their total consecration what that looks like.  Christians must not compromise the faith in the face of political hostility, and we must not compromise in the face of sinful temptation.

Where a lukewarm faith and lukewarm love of Jesus Christ will always produce a lack of courage in the face of hostility and a lack of fortitude in the face of temptation, a burning passion for Christ fills us with the resolution to publically witness the faith and to abhor sin. 

In our culture which grows increasingly hostile to Christ and his message, may Saint Agatha and the virgin martyrs teach us to love Him and hold fast to Him and prefer nothing to the love of Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

4th Week of Ordinary Time - Monday - Responding to Jesus' invitation

Throughout the Gospels, there are many reactions to Jesus and his miracles and preaching.  Some people are amazed and praise him, some people call him a blasphemer, the apostles leave their livelihoods to follow him, the rich young man goes away sad. 

After Jesus healed this man possessed by a demon from Garesene, his townsfolk have a rather said reaction.  Their townsman who was suffering these terrible effects of demon possession had been healed, the demons were sent into this herd of swine and sent over a cliff.  Rather than amazement and praise of Jesus they were afraid and begged him to their district.

In the face of what must have been a stunning manifestation of power, they could not remain neutral towards Jesus.  And rather than face the uncomfortable question of who Jesus is and what claim he might make on their lives, they would prefer to have life go on as it is, without any divine interruptions to rock the boat.

In our modern day we have many reactions towards Jesus.  Many ignore him, some claim that he is but one enlightened teacher among many, which is also a way of ignoring him.  Many people, even Christians are lukewarm concerning Jesus, they just want enough association with him to hopefully get to heaven and count themselves as good people, but they don’t want others to think they are fanatical or anything.

Yet, the Saint and the martyr show us the response to Jesus that leads to the fullness of life and that deep, intimate, life changing love of Jesus is also possible.  However, the saint and the martyr also show us the consequences of this radical love of Christ—Jesus' friends  often endure mockery, scourging, chains, imprisonment, and violent death in his name.  Yet, radical love of Jesus is incomparable to even life’s greatest sufferings. 

Jesus invites us into this relationship of radical love of Him, and he sends us out to invite others into that same relationship.  This is also why the saint and the martyr are so effective at bringing others to Jesus.  They show us that love of Christ is greater than love of any worldly treasure.  Radical love produces radical results. 

As the Lord comes into our midst in Holy Communion today, let us allow him to lead us ever more deeply in that communion of radical love for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Miracles!

This week in the school with the first and third graders we were talking about miracles.  One of the most distinctive and well-known characteristics of Jesus’ ministry was his performing of miracles.  And the first and third graders did a great job at listing the different miracles we can read about in the Gospels: Jesus’ changing of water into wine at the wedding feast at cana, Jesus’ calming of the storm while on the sea of Galilee and his walking on the water, Jesus’ multiplication of the loaves and fishes. And of course his many healing miracles: he healed the blind beggar, the ten lepers; He miraculously reattached the soldier’s ear which had been cut off by saint peter in the garden of Gethsemane   Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter, and even raised his friend Lazarus from the dead.  

So, I asked the first and third graders, “why did Jesus perform miracles”?  They hit the nail on the head, when they answered, one because he loves us and wanted the sick to be healed, and two, because He wanted people to know that He is God.  Well done, first and third graders.  

People from all around galilee heard that Jesus could perform miracles, and came to him in great crowds. And many came to believe in him when they saw his signs and heard his teaching.

After the ascension, the apostles began their mission of spreading the Gospel.  And the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people.  There are stories of the miracles of the apostles: Saint Thomas the Apostle performing miracles in India, Saint Peter was released from prison by angels, Saint Jude the Apostle has been known throughout the centuries as the patron saint of hopeless causes—his prayerful intercession has brought countless miraculous cures.

And throughout the history of the Church many saints have had miraculous powers: Saint John Bosco, whose feast was on Thursday, performed so many miracles that Pope Pius XI said, “The supernatural almost became natural, and the extraordinary, ordinary”.  He too could miraculously heal lethal illnesses.  He once raised a young boy from the dead who died in a state of mortal sin so the boy could make a sacramental confession.  Saint Padre Pio could read the hearts of those who came into his confessional. 

I personally witnessed what I believe to be a miracle from a modern day saint.  I was attending world youth day in Toronto and we were all camped out in a field on Saturday night, as we were to celebrate Sunday Mass in the morning with Holy Father Pope John Paul II.  At about 5 a.m. it started to rain.  Everyone woke up and covered themselves in tarps and umbrellas, but it was pretty miserable.  When Mass started it was raining harder than ever, and everyone was totally soaked.   

The Rite of Sprinkling can be used as the Penitential Rite, when we are sprinkled with Holy Water as we recall the saving waters of Baptism.  Pope John Paul II looked out at the crowd in the pouring rain and declared, "Today we will have the Rite of Sprinkling by natural means!" Then after he said the prayer, the rain stopped and the sun came out as we began singing the Gloria. 

Speaking of miracles, February 3rd is the feast of Saint Blaise.  And so We will bestow the blessing of throats at the end of Mass today invoking the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr from the 4th century, who miraculously cured a young boy who was choking to death.

In the Gospel this morning, Jesus had come to Nazareth, into the synagogue of his youth, and read from the scroll a passage of how the messiah would come performing miracles: the blind would see, the deaf would hear, and a time of favor from the Lord would be inaugurated.  
Jesus explained how this prophecy was being fulfilled in their hearing

The people had already heard of some of the healing miracles Jesus had performed.  So what was their response to his radical claim—the claim that he was the long-awaited for Messiah?
Well, initially they were favorable.  They thought, hey, this is the son of Joseph, the carpenter.  If this guy is really the Messiah, we are his home-town boys, this is going to be favorable for us.  He’s been performing miracles, I could definitely use one of those.  A miracle-working messiah, and I’m his next door neighbor.

Jesus knew their hearts.  They wanted the miracle without discipleship.  They wanted the fame without the hard work.  They wanted the glory without the responsibility.  They wanted resurrection without the cross.  

Detecting their selfishness, Jesus tells two stories from the Old testament, one about the 
widow of Zarapheth, and the other about Naaman the Syrian. These two people were non-Jews, and God came to them—these foreigners, these outsiders, precisely because of the hard-heartedness of the Jewish people.  

In relating these stories Jesus was saying listen, if you think I have come for you to prosper in the eyes of the world, you have another thing coming.   I’m not here to bring you worldly fame, worldly wealth, or even miracles.  

Incited by this, Jesus’ townsfolk rose up, drove him to the edge of a cliff to kill him, right there and then.  A few minutes ago they were saying how great he was, praising the gracious words coming out of his lips, now they were filled with murderous fury?

Why?  Because Jesus didn’t give them what they want!  Jesus was not here to be glorified as an earthly king.  But rather, to help us, once and for all to overcome our selfishness, and to show us that it is the path of self-sacrifice which leads to heaven.  

This has everything to do with who we are as members of the Christian Church in this 21st century.  We can easily fall into the same trap.  Why should I go to Church God, what am i going to get out of it?  What have you done for ME lately? Why should I face public ridicule for publically living my faith, God?  What have you done for ME lately?

I come to Mass, I put money in the envelope, I say my daily prayers, and so, I should get something good out of that.  Where’s my miracle?

That attitude is of course disastrous for the Christian life.  

For, in a sense, the entire Christian life is the grateful response of already having received the miracle.  The gift of new life through baptism, a second chance at heaven, the gift of faith that Jesus is God, that he is the way to heaven.  That’s the miracle that truly changes us.

We can measure our success as Christians not by how comfortable our faith is making us, but by how uncomfortable it is making us.  Pope Benedict said, “"...the path of each single Christian, like that of the Church as a whole, leads to new life, to eternal life, through the imitation of Christ and the experience of his cross."

As we prepare for the penitential season of Lent, we can consider what Lenten penances will truly help us grow in imitation of Jesus and the experience of the cross. 

For, our question to God, dear Christians, must never be “what have you done for Me lately, Lord?”, but, “what can I do for you, Lord? how can I serve you”? for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: 3rd Week of Ordinary Time - Friday - "You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised."

Since Monday of the first week of Ordinary Time our first reading from daily mass has been from the letter to the Hebrews, and we’ll continue to hear from it until the Saturday before Ash Wednesday.

In the New Testament you can find the Letter to the Hebrews immediately after the thirteen Pauline letters.  No one but God knows who wrote this letter.  A passing reference to Saint Timothy seems to suggest that it was written by someone in the circle of Saint Paul and his assistants, but it’s authorship is unknown.

It seems to be addressed to a group of Jewish Christians who were undergoing persecution for their new faith, but we do not know where this group of Jewish Christians lived.  To these Jewish Christians, the author of this letter shows Jesus to be the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. 

Over the past few days, we’ve heard that Jesus is the fulfillment of the old priesthood.  That where the priests of the old covenant offered sacrifice after sacrifice which could not truly take away sins, Jesus is the priest who offers one sacrifice for all of time to take away all of the sins of the world. 

So we find the author of Hebrews in today’s reading, urging those Jewish Christians who are facing persecution not to give up faith. Though you are tempted in the face of hardship, don’t forsake your faith in Christ, Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises, and therefore Jesus’ promises will be fulfilled. "You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised."

If you surrender your faith you have lost.  But if you surrender your life to God, you share in Christ’s victory.

What made Christ’s death meritorious was his obedience to the Father, and our sufferings to can become meritorious when we endure our hardships with confidence in union with Him.

A gentleman called the rectory one afternoon asking if he could be a Godparent for a relative.  He hadn’t been to church in two years because he was unemployed and he didn’t see the point.  And I said coming to mass is precisely what you should be doing, so that you and your family could pray together for God’s assistance and you can receive strength in your time of trial.

We will endure hardship in this present age, and our faith shows us how our crosses are part of the road to heaven.

May all that we suffer in the present age but united with the sufferings of Christians throughout the centuries and in the future, a suffering that is united to Christ, a suffering which leads to new life for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: January 31 - Saint John Bosco - "Work, work, work for the salvation of souls."

 

This year marks the 200^th year since the birth of Saint John Bosco.  So many miraculous occurrences happened to and around John Bosco that Pope Pius XI said of his life, “The supernatural almost became natural, and the extraordinary, ordinary”.  Through Don Bosco’s blessing, many people were cured of dread diseases. One young boy who died in a state of sin, was even raised from the dead so he could make a good confession  He had the gift of prophecy, and could read hearts.  He had a vision of Our Lord and Our Lady at the age of nine, and from then on was determined to become a priest to fulfill the vocation they had shown him.  Although he started his studies late, John was so diligent that he completed the necessary work and was ordained in 1841, at the age of 26. 

Don Bosco was deeply concerned with the youth of his parish, many were being arrested for juvenile delinquency.  Once in prison, they learned more about crime, and would be back in jail soon after their release. 

He worked tirelessly with young boys in his neighborhood, providing for them a solid education and formation in the faith.  “There are three things to stay on the path to Heaven, he would tell them, “Go to confession regularly, receive Communion often, and choose a regular confessor to whom you can unburden your heart.” 

His goal to make saints out of them, and at least one of his boys became a saint, St. Dominic Savio. 

Set aflame with the same fire of love, may we seek out souls and serve you alone.  Don Bosco would say, “work, work, work for the salvation of souls.”  Through his love and care, many of these young boys, not only were saved from a life of crime, many of them entered seminary and become good and holy priests. 

The lives of the saints – like the life of Don Bosco – should be for each of us not merely some pious stories that we recall just to make us feel good; the lives of the Saints should be a daily challenge for each of us, a challenge to our complacency, a challenge to the easy compromises we make to the demands of Christian living, a challenge to the spiritual myopia that prevents us from seeing the needs of the materially and spiritually impoverished in our midst.

So we pray through Don Bosco’s intercession for the salvation of our young people from our culture of death, and that we may be diligent in working always for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

3rd Week of Ordinary Time - Wednesday - Whoever has ears ought to hear

One of the most distinctive and well-known characteristic of Jesus’ teaching is his use of parables.  A parable is a short, memorable story or image, usually drawn from nature or daily life, that conveys profound spiritual truths.

And though we are 20 centuries and thousands of miles removed from ancient Israel, Jesus’ parables and teachings speak right to the heart.  Jesus’ parables are simple enough for a child to understand them, yet they have a hidden depth of meaning that it is not always easy to grasp, but only comes to light upon thoughtful, reflection.

Jesus acknowledges the real possibility that people might see him but not perceive him, hear and listen to him and not understand him.  Even the disciples are often very slow in grasping the message Jesus has to give, but he insists that they must allow themselves to be drawn into his teaching and accept the radical implications for their lives.

So, in a way, through Jesus’ parable of the sower, he teaches us how to listen to parables.  It is a parable about parables.  When you are listening to the teacher you do best when your heart is not rocky, or thorny, but when you have cultivated the rich soil of your heart to receive Jesus’   Word. 

Jesus the teacher wishes to teach.  But it will be very hard for the thorny rocky heart to accept his teaching.  The obstinate heart is a real enemy to discovering who God is, what God wants for you, receiving the mercy God wishes to bestow, and bearing the fruit God made you to bear.  Like rich soil, the disciple hears the word of God, accepts it, and bears fruit.

How’s the soil of your heart?  Rocky, thorny, thin, or rich?  What kind of fruit is it bearing? Love or selfishness? Joy or melancholy? Peace or restlessness? Patience or boredom? Kindness or stinginess?  Gentleness or harshness?  Self-control or laziness?  The type of fruit we bear might be a good indicator that the Word of God has not fully penetrated and transformed our hearts, that we have not cooperated with it as intensely as we ought.

May our hearts be cultivated into the rich soil that generously receives God’s word and bear fruit that will last into eternity for the glory of God and salvation of souls.