May 31 2022 - Visitation of Blessed Virgin Mary - Pro-life Joy and Compassion

 

On the final day of this Marian Month of May, we celebrate the joyful feast of the Visitation, a celebration of life. 

For me, today’s Gospel is one of the great Pro-Life passages from scripture. We heard today, John dancing and leaping in the womb of Elizabeth like David joyfully dancing before the Ark of the Covenant when he first encounters his unborn cousin, Jesus, only days old in the womb of Mother Mary.

The infant John the Baptist in his mother’s womb is a powerful pro-life model for us, as John recognizes that Jesus was truly human from the moment of his conception and he leaps for joy over life. Some might claim that it is “above their paygrade” when human life exists. But both Scripture and modern science are clear that human life begins at conception. And we therefore have a duty to reverence it, to protect it, to rejoice over it. 

Mary, going in haste, to help the pregnant, elderly, Elizabeth, models for us that even overwhelmed with burdens of our own, we are all to have a special care for pregnant mothers, especially pregnant mothers in difficult circumstances. We are to devote to them our time, talent, and treasure in helping them nurture and bring-forth life.

Mary would also stay with Elizabeth until the birth her baby, accompanying her through childbirth, and through those difficult days as a first-time mother. Mary reminds us to have a special care for mothers and children throughout pregnancy and afterwards as well.

The Second Vatican Council, in its Decree on the Church in the Modem World, Gaudium et spes, reiterated the Church's ancient and consistent teaching that “from the first moment of conception life must be guarded with the greatest care while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes” His Holiness, Pope Francis, in keeping with his predecessors, has likewise been quite clear and emphatic in teaching on the dignity of human life in the womb.

Compassion and joy fill those who embrace Church teaching on reverence for life, and who engage in what Pope Francis calls “self-forgetful service of our neighbor” and the needs of the poor in the works of mercy.

May the heavenly intercession of St. John, St. Elizabeth, and Holy Mary and the life and grace of Our Lord help restore reverence and care for human life and make us self-forgetful in charity, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - - -  

That the leaders and members of the Church may fulfill with joy their calling to proclaim, celebrate, and serve the Gospel of Life.

That God may protect all unborn babies, and keep them safe from the scourge of abortion, and for the safety and welfare of all pregnant mothers, and that all mothers and fathers will know the assistance of the Christian Church in nurturing and raising their children. 

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

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

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

Ascension 2022 - Dogma & Denial of Holy Communion

 

40 Days after his Resurrection, Jesus Christ ascended, body and soul into heaven. We proclaim our belief in this truth every time we recite the Creed: “ He suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven”

There’s something striking about this dogma of faith isn’t there? Dogma, by the way, is another name for “what the Church believes”, a fundamental teaching of our Faith, required for all Catholics to believe, truth requiring belief.

I don’t know if you’ve figured this out about me after nearly 4 years as your pastor, but I love the Church’s Dogmas. I love the fact that we have explicit beliefs that define us. There is a lot of confusion and subjective opinion in the world, people disagree about all manner of things: what’s the best pizza place in Cleveland, who’s the more masterful classical composer Bach or Mozart, what’s the more enjoyable sport to watch baseball or football, these things are a matter of taste. And De gustibus non est disputandum—matters of taste are not worth arguing about. You like Athens Pizza, I like Angelo’s Pizza, great, wonderful, enjoy. Each to his own taste.

However, as Catholics, there are matters which are not up for debate, which are not a matter of subjective opinion or taste—dogmas that will not change, cannot change, they are part of the fabric of Christianity and part of what God himself as revealed to us. They are certainly not dependent on a majority vote. And that’s a very good thing. We can’t vote that Catholics no longer need to believe that Jesus Ascended. It happened. It’s not up for debate. And that’s good. Something to anchor your life to.

There are three different types of Dogmas. The first type are those clearly reported in Scripture. For example, in our first reading, the Acts of the Apostle contains an account of Jesus Christ’s Ascension into heaven: “As they were looking on, he was lifted up”. And then again in the Gospel this weekend, we read: “As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven.” Clearly reported in scripture. Clearly enumerated in our Creed. Here’s a Dogma that if you want to be Catholic you need to learn it, believe it, profess it. 

And that is a gift from God. Again amidst all the chaos and bafflement in the world, Catholics profess truth. We might not know what the heck is going on in our country right now, or what’s going to happen with inflation, or war, with these horrific pockets of violence in schools erupting over the country, but we know Jesus Christ Ascended into Heaven, and that’s something to base your life on.

Dogma is not political theory, it is not philosophical speculation, it’s not wishful thinking. It’s real. It’s true. You can bet your life on it. You can bet your soul on it. And you should spend your life telling the world about it. 

So some of our Dogmas are directly stated in Scripture. Other Dogmas are not stated directly, but are clearly implied. For example, The Bible not once, ever, uses the word Trinity—yet it is clear from Scripture that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three divine persons of the Blessed Trinity.

A third type of Dogma, still carrying the same weight, are those truths which can be defended by Scripture, but cannot be found in scripture, but have been clearly taught from the time of the Apostles and professed by the early Church. For example, that Jesus instituted the seven Sacraments. Or that His Blessed Mother was Assumed into Heaven. These Dogmas aren’t professed weekly in our Creed, but we still believe them with unshaking Catholic belief. 

This is why it is a good idea for you to own and read the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Catechism is a beautiful, thorough, systematic enumeration and explanation of the Dogmas of the Catholic Church. You want to know what the Church teaches about The Holy Trinity, the Sacraments, the Church, the Commandments. It’s all there. Read it. Belief it. Profess it. Live it.

And again, thank God for Dogma. Or else, I would be up here just making this stuff up. I’m not here to preach the Gospel according to Estabrook. That would be a ridiculous waste of time. My opinions are not Gospel, and the Gospels are not my opinions. And when I preach, thankfully, the Dogmas of the Church limit and direct my preaching. The Dogmas ensure I don’t stray into opinion-land and heresy. As St. peter says in his first reading “Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God”.

The Catechism lists four sins against God, which violate the faith that we owe to God as a response to his Divine Revelation. Incredulity, Heresy, Apostasy, and Schism. All have to do with refusing to believe what the Church teaches. These sins are very very serious. To refuse to believe in what God has revealed, to repudiate the Christian faith, and to refuse to submit to legitimate authority in the Church are serious sins. “Those who reject you, reject me” the Lord said to the Apostles. But sadly, these sins are not rare.

You may have seen in the news, a certain Catholic California politician whose archbishop has legitimately declared that she is not to present herself for Holy Communion* until she publicly renounces her error regarding the dignity of innocent human life in the womb and her cooperation with the grave sin of abortion.

The politician has brought this penalty upon herself, and thanks be to God that this good archbishop is trying to help her come back to the fold, for her soul is at stake. Her actions and words have clearly demonstrated her break with Catholic teaching and practice, her rejection of her bishop’s legitimate teaching authority. From what I’ve read, the archbishop has tried—he’s pleaded with her, invited her to discuss her error, and she’s obstinately refused. 

So she is not to present herself for Holy Communion because to receive Holy Communion is to claim one’s desire to be in Communion—with God, with the Body of Christ the Church. 

It may be difficult to understand but excommunication is always medicinal penalty—it’s medicine—to help a soul who is sick to recognize that it is sick and to seek restoration with the Church. The invitation to return to the fold is always there. 

In a letter to his archdiocese, the archbishop writes, I “ask all of the faithful of the Archdiocese…to pray for all of our legislators, especially Catholic legislators [who have gone astray]…that with the help and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they may undergo a conversion of heart in this most grave matter, and human life may be protected and fostered in every stage and condition of life.” 

This may be an uncomfortable topic for us, but as your pastor, I didn’t want this to go unaddressed. There have been a lot of conflicting news stories about this, and excommunication is a complicated issued. But it affects all of us. It reminds us of the importance of defending human life, of course, but also how error can lead us away from God and communion with the Church, and that we should always be open to correction. Where Christ has gone, we hope to Go, but that involves following him, obeying the Dogmatic teachings of the Church that he has established, and living it. We are to be not just hearers of the word, but doers of the word. 

As always, if you have any questions about this or any dimension of Catholic belief or practice, let’s sit down and talk.

May we firmly believe, profess, and live all  that our holy mother the Church teaches, so that where Christ the Head of the Church has gone in his Holy Ascension, we, the members of his Body may follow, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

*an earlier draft used the word "excommunication". The politician is not to be admitted to Holy Communion” as per the Code of Canon Law, can. 915

May 27 2022 - St. Augustine of Canterbury - Small Steps

 

On Wednesday, we celebrated the venerable Benedictine monk, St. Bede. Today we honor another Benedictine who lived about 100 years earlier, St. Augustine of Canterbury.

Bede put his impressive intellectual gifts in service of the Church, writing histories, biographies, martyrologies, works of science, numerous commentaries on the bible and sacred chant, from within the confines of his monastery, St. Augustine of Canterbury served the Lord in a different way. He didn't stay in his home monastery. Rather, he was a member of a delegation of missionaries to early Anglo-Saxon England.

Early missionary activity amongst the Anglo-Saxons of Brittainy were largely unsuccessful. The Gospel failed to take root in the British Isles initially, except among the small pockets of Celtic peoples. So around the year 595, Pope St. Gregory the Great sent a delegation of forty monks to Brittania, including the Italian Benedictine monk, Augustine.

Though Augustine and his band of monks heard stories about the ferocious Anglo-Saxons and the treacherous waters of the English Channel, they proceeded on their mission with the assurance of the Pope. They constructed a church and monastery at Canterbury, on the site where the famous Canterbury Cathedral now stands presently. Augustine was consecrated its first Bishop.  And by 597, thousands of people were coming to actively seek baptism.  

Most of us do not receive letters from the Pope telling us to go evangelize particular nations and regions, but all of us have received the commission of our Lord to go and make disciples of all nations, all of the baptized have the vocation of laboring for the spread of the Gospel.

We also live in a culture much like that which Augustine found upon his arrival to Britain, small pockets of Christian faith, mingled with pagan elements, with considerable opposition from the culture.

In a letter to Augustine, Pope Gregory the Great wrote: "He who would climb to a lofty height must go by steps, not leaps."  The task of evangelization might seem like a lofty mountain, but we can make great inroads through small steps: conversations with non-Catholics, small acts of charity towards strangers, imitating Christ in all of our attitudes and choices.

Through the prayerful intercession and holy example of St. Augustine of Canterbury may we be faithful to the small steps the Lord calls us to take in the spread of his kingdom for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - -  

That the Saints may inspire us and continue to help us put Christ at the center of our life. 

That the Saints may inspire us to works of charity and caring for the needy.

That the Saints may inspire us to confess our sins, strengthen in virtue, and be devoted to the spread of the Gospel.

That the Saints may inspire us to bear our sufferings in union with Christ, and may help the suffering to know the comforting presence of God, especially the sick, the elderly, those in nursing homes, hospitals, hospice care, addicts and those imprisoned, those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today.

In the wake of the horrific school shooting in Texas this week, we pray for the victims of this shooting and their families, for all the public safety responders and for the southwest Texas communities stunned by this unthinkable incident.

For our beloved dead…

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.

May 25 2022 - St. Bede - Frequent Meditation on the Scriptures

 

The Collect prayer spoke of how God brings light to the Church through the learning of the Priest Saint Bede, also known as Bede the Venerable. 

St. Bede is a doctor of the Church born around 672 AD a time in history often called the dark ages. But St. Bede’s Benedictine monastery was anything but dark, it was infused with the light of learning. Bede was a historian who wrote biographies, martyrologies, works of science, numerous commentaries on the bible and sacred chant. 

As a historian, his Ecclesiastical History of the English People has remained one of the most authoritative historical sources of that time period, so he is even venerated by secular historians. But that is not the extent of his impact. He is credited for beginning the custom of marking the dates of history from the Incarnation with the term anno domini. So we mark the year as 2022 AD, anno domini, because of St. Bede. 

Here was an extremely active soul, who put his intellectual gifts and his learning in service of the Church, and that changed the world. And, he encouraged all souls to do same, encouraging Christians to avoid idleness. He said, “Because we cannot totally avoid idleness, we should put it to flight, as far as we can, by stirring up good thoughts, and especially by frequent meditation on the scriptures, according to the example of the psalmist who said, “Oh, how I have loved your Law, O Lord; it is my meditation all the day.” 

So to meditate on the scriptures throughout the day is a powerful way of sanctifying time, making Christ more and more the center of our life, but also stirring up inspiration. The scriptures bring us into contact with the fount of life, to meditate on them is to drink of life-giving waters, and those waters refresh us, they give us spiritual energy for doing God’s will. 

St. Bede exemplified the Benedictine principal of Ora et Labora—work and prayer. His prayer infused his work, gave him strength for his work, and his work glorified God and has left a lasting impact on the world. 

So throughout the day, sanctify the time you’ve been given by meditating on the scriptures, praying the liturgy of the hours. You will be inspired, refreshed, challenged out of complacency, awakened out of idleness, comforted in weariness, and united to Christ.

May we, like St. Bede, make Christ the center of our history by making him the center of every day, meditating on his words, imitating his love for the Father for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

That the Saints may inspire us and continue to help us put Christ at the center of our life. 

That the Saints may inspire us to works of charity and caring for the needy.

That the Saints may inspire us to confess our sins, strengthen in virtue, and be devoted to the spread of the Gospel.

That the Saints may inspire us to bear our sufferings in union with Christ, and may help the suffering to know the comforting presence of God, especially the sick, the elderly, those in nursing homes, hospitals, hospice care, addicts and those imprisoned, those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today.

In the wake of the horrific school shooting yesterday, we pray for the victims of this shooting and their families, for all the public safety responders and for the southwest Texas communities stunned by this unthinkable incident.

For our beloved dead…

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.

6th Week of Easter 2022 - Tuesday - The Holy Spirit will convict the world

 Nearing the Feast of Pentecost, our Gospel readings continue to be taken from the Lord’s Farewell Discourse from John’s Gospel. In today’s passage, the Lord reveals that the Holy Spirit “will convict the world.” He will Convict. Here, the word “convict” is used in the legal sense: a criminal is convicted of a crime, meaning, his crimes are brought to light, it becomes clear that he is guilty of committing evil. So, the Holy Spirit will convict the world, bringing to light the evil in the world, the criminal errors and behaviors of the world. 

And the Lord mentions 3 particular areas in which the Holy Spirit will convict the world: in regard to sin, righteousness, and condemnation.

The Holy Spirit, through the preaching and teaching of the Church shows that the world is all wrong about sin. The world say “sin isn’t real. Right and wrong are simply subjective to the individual. What’s wrong for one person is right for another. God’s commandments are fabrications of the patriarchy for the purposes of controlling the vulnerable. It doesn’t matter what you believe in, how you act” FALSE.

Sin is real. Behaviors, decisions, choices, and attitudes contrary to the divine law are evil. And choices which are not in conformity with the goodness of God cause real harm to souls. Sin mutilates souls, darkens intellects, weakens will, deepens the attraction to graver evils. Sin begets sin. The deeper one falls into sin, the farther one falls away from God. The world is wrong about sin. 

It is also wrong about righteousness. We cannot make ourselves righteous by our own activity. For, righteousness comes from being in communion with God, allowing the life of the living God to fill one’s soul, to make choices in conformity with the Divine Will of God.  The world will always fail in its attempts to build a utopia because it divorces itself from God. There can be no secular utopia. We cannot hope to accomplish anything of lasting good value without God.

Rather, we are to “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” Unless God is the builder of our lives, our families, our nations, our building is in vain. 

So the world is wrong about evil, the world is wrong about goodness, and finally it is wrong about condemnation. The world says all roads lead to heaven. This is false. All roads except the road of Jesus Christ lead to eternal condemnation. “No one comes to the Father except through me” Jesus says himself. In the end “There are two ways, one of life and one of death, and there is a great difference between the two.”  

As baptized members of the flock of Christ, we are sent into a hostile, unbelieving world. But unbelievers and even hostile anti-Catholics will be converted, will be attracted to the Truth when they see the truth evidenced in our lives—the truth that the life of Christ bears fruit that the world cannot produce—true lasting peace, joy, gentleness, chastity, patience—and leads to life everlasting.

You want to proof that Jesus Christ is truly God and Lord? Look at the evidence produced by the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church. Look at the courage of the martyrs; look at the saints he has produced, look at their miracles, their righteousness. Look at the unity he has brought among the disparate people of the world who accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Look at the patience and joy and understanding and knowledge he gives to ordinary people who pray.

The world is convicted by the Holy Spirit working in our lives. May we witness to the saving Gospel in every conversation and decision today and all days, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - -  

God the Father was glorified in the death and resurrection of his Son. Let us pray to him with confidence.

God the Father bathed the world in splendor when Christ rose again in glory, may our minds be filled with the light of faith.

Through the resurrection of His Son, the Father opened for us the way to eternal life, may we be sustained today in our work with the hope of glory.

Through His risen Son, the Father sent the Holy Spirit into the world, may our hearts be set on fire with spiritual love.

May Jesus Christ, who was crucified to set us free, be the salvation of all those who suffer, particularly those who suffer from physical or mental illness, addiction, and grief.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

6th Sunday of Easter 2022 - Prepare for Pentecost

 

It’s just two weeks until the conclusion of the Easter season and the celebration of the great feast of Pentecost, and our Gospel on this sixth Sunday after Easter contains the Lord’s announcement about the Holy Spirit, that the Son must return to the Father in order for the Holy Spirit to descend upon the Church. The Lord prepares his apostles for the reception of the Holy Spirit, and so we do well, prior to Pentecost to prepare and reflect upon our openness to the Spirit.

But first: Who is the Holy Spirit?

Each week in the creed we profess our belief in the Holy Spirit: “I believe in the Holy Spirit” Who is He? The Holy Spirit one of three Divine Persons of the Blessed Trinity. He is truly God—consubstantial with both the Father and the Son.  “Holy Spirit" is the proper name if the Third Divine Person. And we call him the Holy Spirit because Jesus himself called him the Holy Spirit, as we heard in today’s Gospel. 

In the Gospel today, the Jesus himself referred to the Holy Spirit as a Teacher. Docébit vos omnem veritátem—he will teach you all truth. The Holy Spirit desires to teach us always what is good, true, and necessary for the Christian life. If we wish to understand the faith, if we wish to live it, if we wish to pass it on, we must allow ourselves to be taught and led by the Holy Spirit. 

We heard in the first reading how St. Paul, Barnabas, and the Apostles were gathered by the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem to discuss some matters challenging the early church: did Christians need to be circumcised, could we eat food offered to idols, could we enter into unlawful marriages. And thanks be to God, the early church was open to the guidance of God on these matters, just as the Church of every age always needs to be attentive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance regarding how to live out the Gospel of Christ in the complexities of our current age.

The Holy Spirit is a teacher and guide to the Church as a whole, but also to us individually. St. Paul says in Romans that “God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Do you love of God and know that God loves you? If so, it’s because the Holy Spirit opened your heart to that possibility. Have you ever repented of sin? If so, it’s because the Holy Spirit has moved you to repentance. Have you experienced love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness. If so, it’s because the Holy Spirit has produced those fruits within you. Do you have a passion for prayer, a love for the Eucharist, a desire to serve the needy, share the Gospel with those who do not know Jesus? It’s because the Holy Spirit has moved you, is moving you to these very very good things.

At World Youth Day in Australia in 2008, Pope Benedict said, “The Holy Spirit has been in some ways the neglected person of the Blessed Trinity,” and confessed that it was only as a young priest teaching theology that he began to recognize the importance of coming to know the Holy Spirit more intimately. He said to all of those young people gathered at World Youth Day that, “It is not enough to know that there is a Holy Spirit; we must welcome Him as the guide of our souls, as the ‘Teacher of the interior life’ who introduces us to the Mystery of the Trinity, because He alone can open us up to faith and allow us to live it each day to the full.” 

Pope Benedict calls the Holy Spirit the Teacher of the interior life. For God, the Holy Spirit, is given to us from the Father to be our constant guide and teacher in the spiritual life. St. Paul tells us, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.” I don’t know about you, but the most moving moments of prayer in my life, have been those times when my prayer seemed to bubble up as if from someone other than myself. That was the Holy Spirit leading my soul, guiding my soul in prayer. 

The Holy Spirit also helps us identify those attitudes and behaviors and choices which hinder our spiritual growth. He illuminates vices which we’ve turned a blind eye to, he pricks our consciences to get to confession. He inspires us to put our faith into practice. 

As we prepare for Pentecost we do well to dispose ourselves to be taught by the Spirit, and I recommend three ways.

First, prayer. Prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to Help you to be open to the Truth God wants you to know. “Holy Spirit, help me to love you, to be open to your gifts, to be taught to pray. Teach me how to love, teach me the faith. Teach me to forgive. Teach me all things I need to know for my vocation, for the Christian life, for my struggle to overcome sin and develop the virtues and gifts you want for me.” Pray. Allow him to teach you what you need how to grow and make use of his seven-fold gifts of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, courage, piety, and holy reverence.

Secondly, study the faith. The Holy Spirit is the teacher, and he’s been teaching the Church for 2000 years now. But teachers expect their students to study. Do you study your faith. The Holy Spirit has spoken through the scriptures, he has spoken in the saints. Have you ever read the Church Fathers? Augustine, Athanasius, Aquinas, Cyril of Alexandria, Ignatius of Antioch, Irenenus? The Holy Spirit moved these men, taught the Church through these men. He continues to teach the Church through these men. Read Thomas Aquinas. Read the Church Fathers. Read Pope Benedict. Pope Benedict was one of the clearest teachers of the faith we’ve had in 100 years. And when you’ve done that. When you’ve read these guys. Start over. 

Catholics get into big trouble when we think we know it all, we know enough. We are disciples. And disciple means student. We are semper discipulus—always a student.

Thirdly, make devout use of the sacramentals. The sacramentals, holy water, blessed medals, statues, sacred images, crucifixes in our homes. The sacramentals open us, dispose us to the grace of the Holy Spirit. Feel free to fill up a little vial of holy water when you come to church on the weekends. Keep it on your bedstand. Bless yourself when you wake up in the morning as a reminder of your baptism. And teach others about the sacramentals. They can be used by non-Catholics. They are a great introduction to the Catholic faith for some non-believers.

St. Paul in his first letter to Thessalonians said, “Do not put out the fire of the Spirit!,” because in some sense they obviously were limiting his work in them. To the Ephesians he said something even more powerful, imploring them, “Do not grieve the Spirit of God.”  How often, we believers,  grieve the Holy Spirit by ignoring his inspirations. He inspires to repent, and we put it off. He inspires us to feed the hungry, and we put it off. He inspires us to pray, and we put it off. He inspires us to invite fallen away Catholics back to the Sacraments, and we put it off. How much richer our lives would be, how much effective we would be in our mission, how much stronger our parish would be, if we followed the guidance and inspirations of the Holy Spirit, cultivated daily our love of the Holy Spirit, openness to the Holy Spirit.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

5th Week of Easter 2022 - Friday - Chosen and Sent

 In the readings today we have a lot of choosing and sending. Our Lord tells the apostles in the Gospel: “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain.” And in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, “the Apostles and presbyters, in agreement with the whole Church, decided to choose representatives and to send them”

Tomorrow morning at the Cathedral, our own bishop will choose to ordain 3 new priests and send them out to different corners of the diocese for the work of the Gospel, to be both his representative and the representative of the Lord Jesus.

It’s not just bishops and priests who are chosen and sent. Every Catholic is chosen and sent. You have been chosen and sent. This is evidenced in our sacramental life.

In baptism, you were chosen, you were called by name, you were given the life of grace, you were given faith. No Catholic is Catholic by accident. God has chosen every member of the baptized. He knows you, he’s called you, you belong to Him, the sheep of his flock.

We can be sure we’ve been chosen because God continues to care for us.  He chooses us every time he feeds us with the bread of life—the body and blood of his son, who chose to suffer for each and every one of us. He chose to bear my sins, your sins. He chose to redeem us, when he didn’t have to.

He chose us. And he sends us. At every Mass we are reminded by this. Ite Missa Est. Go, you are sent. The Mass is ended Go into the world to announce the Gospel of the Lord. Go, glorify the Lord by your life. Go, multiply those talents. Go, bear fruit that will last. Go, strengthened by the Eucharist, to evangelize and suffer hardships for the kingdom, go and love your enemy and love your neighbor, go and make disciples teaching them all that I’ve commanded, go and baptize.

We get these reminders in the Church’s liturgy, some of us every day. So why do we act as if others are chosen, but not us? Others are sent, but not us? What more do we want, what more do we need to finally possess the conviction that God chose us and God sends us for the work of the Gospel for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - 

For Pope Francis and Bishop Malesic, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd and for an increase in vocations to the ordained priesthood, and that our priests may serve the Church with the love and devotion of the Good Shepherd.

For the new priests being ordained this year, may they be ever faithful to their calling.

That our government leaders will use their authority to protect the dignity of human life and the well-being of the vulnerable, especially the unborn.  

That during this month of May, Christians may turn to Mary, Mother of the Church, seeking her aid and imploring her intercession with increased and fervent devotion, especially by praying the Holy Rosary. 

For deliverance from all evil and all temptation: for those under the influence of drug abuse, addiction, insanity, occultism, atheism, sexual perversion, and any spiritual evils which degrade the human person.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

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.