Homily: Friday of the 30th Week in OT 2015 - St. Paul's Anguish

As we continue with our readings from St. Paul’s letters to the Romans, Paul speaks of a great sorrow and anguish in his heart.  After his life-changing encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus, Paul realized that not all of his fellow Jews would accept the revelation that Jesus is Messiah, Lord, and God.

With his conversion to Christ, Paul experienced growing criticism and rejection by his fellow Jews.  But it was precisely because he understood God’s call to the Jews, that Paul remained zealous for their conversion.  So much so that he said, “I could even wish to be separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen the Israelites.”  Paul wanted his brothers and sisters to know Christ and to be saved so much that he would give up his own salvation for them, and go to the eternal torments of hell for them. Some people give up their eternal salvation for power, money, sexual pleasure, fame, or revenge.  Paul could not envision a worse fate than to be separated from Christ, but he was willing to accept it for the sake of the salvation of others.

Paul burning zeal for the salvation of People propelled him throughout the known world to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ: through the regions of Asia Minor and on to Europe. Paul’s burning zeal is meant to be an example for each of us. Paul was under compulsion to preach the Gospel, all that he did was for the sake of the Gospel. This might cause each of us to reflect upon, “What drives me? What compels me?  What is the driving force in my life? What am I willing to suffer for? Am I willing to suffer for Christ and the spread of the Gospel? If not, why not?”

A few years ago on World Mission Sunday in 2009, Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that the Church exists to proclaim the message of hope to all of humanity. “The goal of the Church's mission”, he said, “is to illumine all peoples with the light of the Gospel as they journey through history towards God, so that in Him they may reach their full potential and fulfilment. We should have a longing and a passion to illumine all peoples with the light of Christ that shines on the face of the Church, so that all may be gathered into the one human family, under God's loving fatherhood.”

“May we be guided in our missionary activity by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of New Evangelization, who brought Christ into the world to be the light of the nations and to carry salvation "to the ends of the earth"” for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Monday of the 30th Week in OT - "You will Live"

Often we are celebrating the memorial of the saint, even though it is optional, I like to use the reading for the saint of the day because the reading contains some insight, or theological truth, or virtue, that the particular saint exemplifies.  Unfortunately, that disrupts the flow of the readings in the ordinary lectionary cycle. 

So, unless you’ve been paying close attention, you may not have noticed that for the past two weeks we have been reading through St. Paul’s letter to the Romans.  The weekday readings have given highlights from Paul’s letter, in a very logical order. Today, reaching the half-way point, I’d encourage you to go back to the beginning of the letter and read up it straight through. 

St. Paul begins his letter teaching that humanity is in a desperate situation; mankind has turned away from God and is therefore deserving of God’s just judgment and punishment: “the wages of sin”

We cannot save ourselves from sin, Paul continued to explain, not even through perfect observance of the law of Moses.  Rather, explained only faith in Jesus Christ can lead to justification—only through Him is the ruptured relationship between God and man restored, and only through faith in Him can we the sinner hope for everlasting life. 

For the last few days St. Paul has explicated upon the continual purgation every Christian must undergo, even after his initial conversion to Christ.  For Christianity is meant to involve, not just one major conversion at baptism, but a continual and complete conversion of our life—of our heart, our mind, our soul.  Sin will try to continue to have its sway over us, there are parts of us, we recognize, if we are humble, that resist conversion.  So we must try and try again, learning to live according to the law of the Spirit—learning to follow the inspirations of the Spirit.

So here in second half of chapter 8, at the half-way point of his letter, Paul explains that when the Christian chooses to put the "flesh" to death by living in the Spirit he will have life.

A new way of living, a more intimate relationship with God than we previously enjoyed, is available when we take this putting sin to death in us seriously.    

That spirit of slavery is always at work.  Compulsions, addictions, vices , unforgiveness, resentment, impatience, overeating, sloth, and gossip, will continue to attempt to enslave us, but when we practice mortification, fasting, self-discipline, and deep prayer, “the deeds of the body” will be put to death. 

Pope Francis recently encouraged reading the Bible more as way of encountering God.  “Has he touched me in the depths of my longing? What should I do? Only in this way can the force of the Word of God unfold. Only in this way can it change our lives, making them great and beautiful…The Bible is not meant to be placed on a shelf, but to be in your hands, to read often – every day, both on your own and together with others.”

May the Word and Sacrament continue to strengthen us in holiness.  May the Eucharist we celebrate and receive today, continue to free us from the powers of slavery, and enable us to live more fully in accord with the Spirit of God for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: 30th Sunday in OT - Priesthood Sunday - Jesus is calling you

Since 2003, in the United States, the last Sunday of October for us Catholics is known as Priesthood Sunday.  It’s not that Catholics are to spend the day sitting around thinking about how great priests are.  Well, maybe a little. 

But today is a day to reflect on the vocation of the priesthood—the role priests play in our lives, in our church, and in God’s plan for salvation, and to reflect on the entire Church’s role in promoting priestly vocations.  “God, are you calling me to be a priest?” That should be a question our single Catholic men ask often, especially during high school. It’s a duty we have to God, to ask how we can best serve him. And it’s the duty of every member of the faithful to promote and support vocations: “God, are you calling my son to be a priest, what can I do to help him hear your voice, to hear your call?”  That goes for grandparents, and aunts and uncles, and godparents as well.

I’ve gotten to know many of our dioceses priests over the years.  Each one can speak of hearing God’s call.  Sometimes that call is loud and clear, sometimes it takes the form of a burning desire to serve the Church.  Sometimes that call initially comes through others, pointing out that they would make a good priest. We just heard in the Gospel, Jesus had his disciples do the calling: “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you" they said.  Is there a young man in your family, in this parish, who you should be saying those words to?  Sometimes our young men really don’t consider the call until they receive the encouragement of parents and friends: “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”

In preparation for this homily on priesthood, I asked the Lord what I might say from my own life as a priest.  And I thought of an encounter I had, in my first assignment, with a dying man named John.  I had been summoned to a nursing home to the pray and administer the sacraments for John, he had suffered a severe stroke and was now very close to death.  His family was not able to be there, so it was just me, the man, and the nurses.  Having suffered such a massive stroke, the man was essentially paralyzed: unable to move, or speak, he couldn’t even open his eyes. 

So, I came into the room, and I introduced myself, I say, “Hello, John, my name is Father Estabrook, I’m a Catholic priest from Saint Columbkille Parish in Parma.  I’ve come to pray with you.  You have come to the end of your earthly journey, and now you must prepare your soul to meet God.  If you have any sins from your whole life that you have not had the chance to confess, please tell them to God now, and ask for his mercy, as I anoint you with the holy oils, and pray for your salvation.”

So, I put on my stole.  And, I begin to make the sign of the cross.  And this paralyzed man, begins to lift up his hand, to sign himself.  The nurses let out a gasp.  So we continued the prayers of the Church, I anointed him, and I said the final prayer of commendation: Go forth Christian soul from this world in the name of God the almighty Father, who created you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who suffered for you, in the name of the Holy Spirit who was poured out upon you, for forth, faithful Christian.”  I blessed him, and saw a single tear in his eye, and the unmistakable sign of peace.

Many times, I have been so blessed as a priest to help people make a peaceful death.  It is a great honor to be with people near death, for God draws close to them. And that this paralyzed man was able to make the sign of the cross, was a miracle, that priests are often able to witness.

On this priesthood Sunday, we pray for priests. Because we need priests. Who will be there with you to administer the final sacraments?  Who will be there for me?  This is why we pray for priests.  To be instruments of the grace we need to get to heaven.

Priests to baptize, priests to absolve, priests to celebrate the Eucharist, priests to help hardened sinners return to Christ, priests to help families live the Gospel.  We will need priests until the end of time, to carry out the ordained ministry according to Christ’s plan for his Church.  And each of us has a role to help young men hear God’s call.

I know we have many good young men in our parish.  Men who could be doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, men who could have a pretty successful college football career.  Our young men could be successful in the world of business or politics, and we hope many will be.  Because we need men of strong faith in the world.

But, amidst all of these professional possibilities, and the possibility of being a good husband and father, the Lord continues to call good men to the priesthood.  There are 80 men in this diocese currently studying at our seminary. 

A few years ago, a minor league baseball player who was set to play for the Oakland A’s turned down the chance at millions of dollars to enter the seminary. 

This morning the Cathedral, Bishop Lennon ordained five young men as transitional deacons, who, God willing, this May will be ordained priests.  Five men, from families just like the ones who make up St. Clare parish.  Five men, who as boys probably fought with their sisters, got in trouble from time to time, liked to watch football with their dads, whom have mothers who just want them to be happy.  I know it took my mom a few years to realize that the priesthood can be a very happy life.  For there is nothing that compares to seeing God’s hand working in people’s lives, and being a part of that.

So on this priesthood Sunday, once again, we pray for priests—that our young men may have the 

courage to answer that call with generous hearts, that all of us will be generous in our support for such young men—and that all priests might be renewed and strengthened in holiness for the carrying out and preaching of the Gospel—that the good work God has begun in them, might be brought to fulfillment—for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: October 23 - Saint John of Capistrano, Franciscan missionary

After a thorough education in law, at the age of 26, John of Capistrano became governor of the Italian city of Perugia.  After war swept through his region of Italy, John was thrown into prison.  But there, something remarkable happened.  He experienced a deep conversion to Christ. While imprisoned, he found freedom in Christ.

As a result of his conversion, around the year 1406, John entered the religious life as a member of the Franciscan Order, itself already 200 years old.  Most of us wouldn’t mind, if what happened to John would happen to some of our government officials, being thrown into prison where they would experience the Gospel, it would certainly be good for their souls, and for our country.

After his conversion, Friar John became one of the greatest preachers of the 15^th century.  He was instrumental in the conversion of many heretics and many who were obstinate to the faith. He truly believed that there could be no truly free human society unless first and foremost Christ was enthroned as King, and those principles which Christ came to teach were embraced.

He also spoke about the importance of all of the baptized to lead lives of holiness.  Listen to his words: “those who are called to the table of the Lord ought to glow with the brightness that comes from the good example of a blameless and praiseworthy life.  They must completely remove from their lives the filth and uncleanness of vice.  Their upright lives must make them the salt of the earth for themselves and for the rest of the human family. The brightness of their wisdom must make them the light of the world that brings light to others.  Jesus declared ‘You are the Light of the World’! Now, a light does not illumine itself. But instead it diffuses its rays and shines all around upon everything that comes into its view.  So must it be for your glowing lives.”

On the saint's tomb in the Austrian town of Villach, the governor had this message inscribed: "This tomb holds John, by birth of Capistrano, a man worthy of all praise, defender and promoter of the faith, guardian of the Church, zealous protector of his Order, an ornament to all the world, lover of truth and religious justice, mirror of life, surest guide in doctrine; praised by countless tongues, he reigns blessed in heaven.” I wouldn't mind having any of those monikers, but especially the last, "he reigns blessed in heaven", which ought to be the goal of each one of us.

St. John of Capistrano: an example to us all, of our vocation to holiness. As we draw near to the table of the Lord to be fed with His Body and Blood, let us seek to be that light of the world which draws all men to Christ, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: October 19 2015 - Saints Isaac Jogues, John de Brebeuf, and companion martyrs

Since 1926, the third Sunday of October, yesterday, has been set aside for the Catholic Church around the world to renew its commitment to missionary work.  So yesterday, was World Mission Sunday. And for many decades many men and women from this country would answer the call to bring the Gospel to Africa, to Asia, to the Middle East, to Oceania.  Now, many priests and religious from those countries, come here, yes, to care for immigrants from their native land, but also to do some of the hard work of evangelization that American Catholics are sometimes unwilling to do.

It takes great courage, great conviction for the Gospel to leave ones native land, and a great openness and trust in the Lord.  Such conviction and trust, perhaps we need to better cultivate, especially among our young people.  Missionary work and evangelization are more important than CYO sports, or business school.

We celebrate today saints who left the comfort of their native land to bring the Gospel to North America.  Saint Isaac Jogues, Saint John de Brebeuf, and their Jesuit companions came from France, in the mid 1600s, to what was considered, New France, to the Northern U.S. and southern Canada, primarily Quebec.  These men were considered martyrs even for setting out on their missionary journey, for their mission was full of peril, hardship, the likelihood of death.

Imagine the courage it takes, the conviction for the Gospel, to leave your home, knowing that you would likely die for the message you carried.  Conviction for the Gospel must have burned in their breasts. They were impelled by love of Jesus Christ and for the desire for the salvation of souls.

Listen to these words from the spiritual diary of St. John de Brebeuf, to get a sense of this man’s conviction: “Jesus, my Lord and savior, what can I give you in return for all the favors you have first conferred on me? I will take from your hand the cup of your sufferings and call on your name…I bind myself in this way so that for the rest of my life I will have neither permission nor freedom to refuse opportunities of dying and shedding my blood for you, unless at a particular juncture I should consider it more suitable for your glory to act otherwise at that time. Further, I bind myself to this so that, on receiving the blow of death, I shall accept it from your hands with the fullest delight and joy of spirit.”

Imagine the sort of prayer life that brings a man such tremendous freedom, to give his life away for Jesus.  May each of us be filled with similar conviction for the Gospel, in bringing Christ to souls and souls to Christ, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: 29th Sunday in OT - 2015 - Suffering Servitude

Our first reading is one of several prophecies from the prophet Isaiah about God’s suffering servant.  The Jewish people were not quite certain about whom this prophecy was about: was it about the king, about a prophet, about the messiah? What was clear is that this Suffering Servant was a person whose whole existence would be given to offering himself as sacrifice for others—through him, God would right the world’s wrongs.

You might remember the story from the book of Acts, there was an Ethiopian eunuch going through the desert, reading one of the Suffering Servant Passages from the prophet Isaiah, and he was very confused by it.  And the Holy Spirit told the deacon Philip to go Eunuch to explain the passage. Philip explained that, this suffering servant who gives his whole existence as an offering to God and a sacrifice for others, is Jesus Christ. Tell me more, the Ethiopian asked, and after Philip taught him, the Ethiopian was so moved, that he asked to be baptized, and the Deacon Phillip baptized him, on the side of the road.

Jesus alludes to his identity as the Suffering Servant in the Gospel today.  Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, where he was going to have to suffer and die.  And on the way he was giving lessons to his followers of what it means to follow him. 

Immediately, before this morning’s passage, he had told them, for the third time in Mark’s Gospel, that he would have to undergo suffering and death in Jerusalem. But in response to that terrible news, James and John this morning, seem to sort of miss the point.  Now, James and John were amongst the first disciples called by Jesus, they were fishermen, the sons of a man named Zebedee.  And they were among Jesus’ closest friends, who went everywhere with him.  But as Jesus is talking about his suffering, they ask a question that would immediately set off red flags for any parent.

“Mom, dad, promise to say yes to anything I ask for. You don’t need to know what it is, just say, yes” No parent in their right mind would ever concede to that, and neither did Jesus. “What do you want?” Jesus asks.  “We want the highest thrones in your kingdom, not as high as yours, of course, but right next to yours.”  Giving them the benefit of the doubt, they probably asked this because they wanted to be significant in Jesus’ mission, they wanted to remain close to him. 

But Jesus perhaps detecting some ulterior motive, responds  "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" In the Old Testament, one’s cup, referred to, one’s lot in life, one’s destiny.  To drink the cup meant to accept the destiny. So Jesus is asking, are you willing to share my destiny? The one that he had just talked about, suffering and death in Jerusalem? Are you willing to suffer and die with me? Can you be baptized, immerged, into the will of the Father as I am, will you be plunged into death like me?

Not likely understanding the magnitude of the Jesus’ question Jesus, they look at each other and nod and said, “We Can”.  We sometimes respond to Jesus with the similar naïve enthusiasm.  “Jesus I’ll do anything you want me to do.” Really? “Will you suffer for me?” ummmm “Will you become a priest?” ummmmm…”Will you become a missionary and bring my Gospel to Africa?” ummmm… “Will you stand up for the faith when you might get mocked for it?” “Well…when I said I’ll do anything for you, what I meant, is I’ll do anything if I don’t have to change.”

Jesus says to James and John, “The cup that I drink, you will drink” They would suffer greatly in their lives, James would be martyred for the faith, executed by the sword in Jerusalem. John would be tortured then exiled to the island of Patmos.

The other 10 Apostles heard James and John’s question, and they became indignant, so Jesus summoned all twelve together to give them a lesson. You want to be Great in my kingdom? Greatness in the world means lording your authority and power over others, but greatness in the kingdom comes through service.  You want to become greatest in Jesus’ kingdom, become the greatest servant. Be willing to serve in whatever capacity God is calling you, spend your life in service. Give God the blank check.

Jesus is giving a radically counter-cultural teaching here.  Again, greatness in the world usually means, having the position of power, having the wealth to do whatever you want, having fame where everyone recognizes you and applauds you as you are coming down the street.  But that’s not greatness in the eyes of God.  No number of Heisman Trophies will gain you entrance into heaven; heaven is not contingent on the number of people you have working for you, the size of your house, or your bank account. To become great in the eyes of God requires one to pour out one’s life in service to God’s Holy Will.

And the greatest of these, is Jesus, the suffering servant, the one whose whole existence was in service of pouring his life out that sinful man could gain eternal life.  “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." And he is the model for all Christians.

The fundamental attitude of the Christian is one of service.  When we see a neighbor, our first question shouldn’t be “what have they done for me lately?” But, what can I do for them? Mom, Dad, what can I do around the house? What can I do to help? Dear husband, dear wife, what can I do for you?

The saints show us what suffering servitude looks like at the heroic level. Something to aim for. Monday is the feast day of one of my favorite saints, one of the north American martyrs, Saint Isaac Jogues.  In 1636, the Jesuit Priest Isaac Jogues traveled to Quebec to preach the Gospel to the Huron Indians.  The Hurons were a very peaceful tribe, and many Hurons converted to Christianity through the preaching of Fr. Isaac and his companions. However, the Hurons were constantly attacked by the Iroquois, and during one attack, Father Issac was captured by the Iroquois and imprisoned for 13 months.  He and his companions were beaten, tortured, and forced to watch as the Huron converts were tortured and killed by the Iroquois. 

Isaac was able to escape imprisonment and he returned to his native land of France. He had to receive special permission from the Pope to continue to celebrate Mass because several of his fingers had been cut or chewed off during his tortures.  Father Isaac could have stayed in Europe to die peacefully, but in 1646, the Iroquois signed a peace treaty with the Hurons and Fr. Isaac thought it a good opportunity to bring the Gospel to the Iroquois Nation.  So he returned to North America, but on his way to evangelize the Iroquois he was captured by a war party of Mohawk Indians, and on October 18, 1646, Father Isaac was tomahawked and beheaded.

Yet because of his tremendous courage and willingness to suffer for the faith many Iroquois converted to Christianity and welcomed missionaries with open arms.  And The faith began to grow amongst the Mohawks as well. .  Because of the suffering service of Father Isaac, another figure of holiness was born to Christ—a young Mohawk princess named Kateri Tekakwitha, who was canonized a few years ago.

In a letter composed before his death, Saint Isaac Jogues wrote: “Our single endeavor should be to give ourselves to the work of the spread of the Gospel and faithfulness to God, and to not let our own desires get in the way of doing God’s work.”

May that become our single endeavor, inspired by the saints, instructed by the Word of God, may we follow in the way of the suffering servant, Christ Our Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: October 16 - St. Margaret Mary - Promises of the Sacred Heart

In 1677, Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitation nun in France and revealed his Sacred Heart. She said, “I could plainly see His heart, pierced and bleeding, yet there were flames, too, coming from it and a crown of thorns around it. He told me to behold His heart which so loved humanity. Then He seemed to take my very heart from me and place it there in His heart. In return He gave me back part of His flaming heart.”

“Behold this Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, in order to testify its love. In return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrileges, and by the coldness and contempt they have for me in this sacrament of love.... I come into the heart I have given you in order that through your fervor you may atone for the offenses which I have received from lukewarm and slothful hearts that dishonor me in the Blessed Sacrament" (Third apparition).

In order to transform our hearts, the Lord showed Margaret Mary His Sacred Heart.  He himself calls us to devote ourselves to honoring His Sacred Heart.  And as if the transformation of our hearts were not enough, our gracious Lord also made 12 promises to all those who devote themselves to His Sacred Heart.

1.            I will give them all the graces necessary for their state in life.

2.            I will establish peace in their families.

3.            I will comfort them in their trials.

4.            I will be their secure refuge during life, and, above all, in death.

5.            I will shed abundant blessings on all their undertakings

6.            Sinners will find in My Heart an infinite ocean of mercy.

7.            Lukewarm souls will become fervent.

8.            Fervent souls will rapidly grow in holiness and perfection.

9.            I will bless every place where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.

10.          I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.

11.          The names of those who promote this devotion will be written in My Heart, never to be blotted out.

12.          I promise thee, in the excessive mercy of My Heart, that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their Sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

There are many ways to show one’s devotion to the Sacred Heart.  Prayers throughout the day, prayers before and after the reception of Holy Communion, of course the first Friday devotion mentioned in the 12^th promise.  Here in the Diocese of Cleveland we have a wonderful ministry of enshrining the image of the Sacred Heart in one’s home

Our Lord called St. Margaret Mary whom he called “the Beloved Disciple of the Sacred Heart” and the Heiress “of all Its treasures”.  May we seek to follow her example and come to her same reward, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.