Homily: 5th Week of Easter - Tuesday - Peace, not as the world gives

There is a special blessing that the priest gives only during the rites of Christian burial—the funeral rites.  He says, “may the peace of God, which is beyond all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Saint Paul in his letter to the Philippians speaks of this “peace of God, which is beyond all understanding”, and the Lord himself speaks of this same peace in the Gospel today: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” 

The peace that comes from Jesus Christ is quite different from the peace which comes from the world.  For the world, peace is a feeling of contentment—that everything is alright, everything’s fine.  For the world, peace comes from pretending that things aren’t so bad, or by dulling the senses through alcohol or drugs.

Yet, Jesus speaks His words of peace on the night before his own passion and death in the company of his disciples.  He had already promised them that where he was going, they would have to go to.  He promised them that following Him involved taking up their own cross.  So Jesus isn’t  saying, Peace is a future without crosses.  Jesus, on his way to the cross, was not superficially wishing his friends an easy, comfortable existence.  Christian peace is not cross-free. 

Pope Benedict wrote that “Real peace can only be brought by release from the captivity of comfortable lies and the acceptance of suffering.  Repression is the most common cause of mental illness and healing can be found only in a descent into the suffering of truth.”

So the peace that Jesus gives isn’t a nice feeling that comes from pretending or running away from crosses—what God asks of us. 

Nor does Christian peace come from selfish indulgence.  Christian peace is just the opposite of selfish indulgence.

The world falls into violence and depravity precisely when it makes itself autonomous from God.  True peace cannot be found apart from radical surrender to God and willingness to give fully of oneself in service.  True peace comes not from selfish self-indulgence, but in generous self-giving.

Just as Jesus gives himself on the cross, he gives himself on the altar.  He gives himself in the Eucharist, that we can learn how to give of ourselves. 

Making God present in society is the only source of true peace.  So we must ask Jesus to teach us how to really be transformed by the Eucharist we celebrate today, that we may become, through him, people of peace, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: 4th Week of Easter - Saturday - ""the disciples could not but be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit"

Earlier in the Easter Season we heard how Peter and the Apostles had been arrested and imprisoned and were taken before the Sanhedrin, the jewish Supreme court, and were threatened that they best stop preaching in Jesus’ name.  Refusing the order to stop preaching, the Apostles were flogged.  Bleeding and wounded after having been whipped and humiliated, the acts of the Apostles, says that they left the presence of the Sanhedrin rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer for the sake of the name of Jesus.

Now, several chapters later, Paul and Barnabas are preaching to the Gentiles, but once again the powers of darkness conspire to silence the preaching of the Gospel, and the two are driven out of town, yet we hear how "the disciples could not but be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit." 

Are these guys crazy?  The things that would normally make us think ourselves as failures, they saw as opportunities for rejoicing.  Bloody and beaten, they rejoice, driven out of town, they rejoice.

Would you or I be rejoicing after that?  We find it hard enough to put up with traffic on broadview Rd!

When our love for Christ is mature, we are glad to suffer for his sake.  Immature love, is not willing to persevere, it’s not willing to be generous, it doesn’t look to the sufferings or needs of others out of fear that it might be asked to go beyond its comfort zone.  Pope Benedict once wrote how the wind and fire of the Holy Spirit must continually break down the barriers that we men and women continue to build between us; that, though we continually close our doors because we want to feel secure and do not want to be disturbed by others and by God, the grace of the cross alone is able to transform the world and build peace.

These apostles were willing to suffer for Jesus because of their deep, vibrant love of him and their conviction that the Gospel message must be lived and preached, even when, especially when it requires something of us.

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do”  Jesus says in the Gospel.  He particularly speaks here of his ability to reconcile souls to his Father through the embrace of the cross.

When we, with Christ, embrace the Cross, new souls will find life, miracles will be performed, disciples will be filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: April 25 - Feast of Saint Mark - Evangelist & Martyr

In the midst of our Easter festivities this year we celebrate the feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist.  Mark was not one of the twelve apostles, but from the Acts of the Apostles.  We know that he was a disciple of Saint Peter. 

Saint Peter refers to Mark as “my son” in his first letter, which we heard today, which could mean that Mark had been baptized by Peter.  Mark was not an eyewitness to the actions and teachings of Jesus; he learned the details of Jesus’ Ministry which he put into his Gospel from Peter.  For this reason Saint Mark’s Gospel has sometimes been called the “Gospel of Peter”.  Saint Mark’s Gospel can be read easily in a single sitting, as the shortest of the Gospels.  It wouldn’t be a bad thing to read it today.

Mark also accompanied Saint Paul on a mission to Cyprus, after going from Jerusalem to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.  Saint Paul even speaks of Mark as his coworker and his consoler during his imprisonment in Rome. 

According to the historian Eusebius, Mark ended his days as bishop of Alexandria.

Early this month, a group of pilgrims from Saint Columbkille parish were able to visit the famous basilica of Saint Mark in Venice, Italy.  Saint Mark is the patron saint of Venice and his relics were brought there from Alexandria in the ninth century.  Atop the basilica is the figure of a lion because the lion is the symbol for Saint Mark’s Gospel. 

Mark is represented as a lion because his Gospel begins with the voice of John the Baptist crying out in the wilderness.  The voice of one crying in the desert: Make ready the way of the Lord. 

The Lion is also a symbol of courage, and Saint Mark courageously faced a martyr’s death.  While he was celebrating Mass in Alexandria, his persecutors seized him, tied a rope around him and dragged him through the streets, then imprisoned and killed him.

The Entrance Antiphon, like the Gospel of the Mass, recalls the missionary apostolate mandated by Christ: “Go out to the whole world, and preach the Gospel to all creation.”

May Saint Mark’s example and prayers help us to carry out the Gospel of Christ throughout the world, proclaiming it to all creation, for the Glory of God and Salvation of souls.

Homily: 4th Week of Easter - Wednesday - Faith grows when it is communicated with joy

Yesterday, we heard in the book of Acts about that Breakthrough moment, where the Gospel begins to be preached and received by the Gentiles.  Today we hear of the inauguration of Saint Paul’s first missionary journey—the first of three—a sojourn of about a 1000 miles.  This first journey is going to take Paul and Barnabas through some pretty dangerous territory. 

We may not personally be called travel through rapid rivers, steep mountains, malaria-plagued lowlands, and bandit-ridden passages, like Paul and Barnabas.  But, look at their readiness to go and serve.  Look at their readiness to pick-up and go to where the Spirit directs them.  Look at their courage, leaving the comfort of what they know to serve God.

In the Gospel today, Jesus speaks about the important of faith—faith that brings light in darkness, faith that leads to eternal life.  Paul and Barnabas are men of great faith, you can tell, for not only have they been enlightened, but now they are ready to bring the light of faith into the darkest parts of the world.  They engage in a mission that is in no way, self-serving, rather, they endure great hardship for the purpose of spreading that light.

Saint Margaret Mary said, “faith is the torch which illuminates, animates, and sustains you, so that all your actions and sufferings may be for God.”

The person of faith is deeply committed to the evangelizing effort because he understands that faith means the difference between eternal life and eternal death.

When Pope Benedict announced the Year of Faith last year he described it as “a summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the One Savior of the world.”  Yet, conversion to the Lord entails turning towards others, to bring the Lord more deeply into their lives. 

Every Catholic is called by virtue of his or her baptism to follow Christ and proclaim the Gospel. Faith, like love, only comes alive when it’s given away. But you cannot love what you do not know, and you can’t give away something you don’t have. “Faith grows,” Pope Benedict said, “when it is lived as an experience of love received and when it is communicated as an experience of grace and joy.”

In grace and joy today, may we work to spread the light of the Gospel in world grown so dark, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: 4th Week of Easter - Tuesday - Gospel Breakthrough

The readings from the Book of Acts throughout the Easter season continue to give us a glimpse into the formation of the early Church.  We hear of what happened, after Jesus gave his apostles the Great Commission to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” 

Well, for four weeks, we’ve heard how the Gospel was spread in Jerusalem and Judea—amongst the Jews.  But today, we hear of one of the great breakthroughs of human history. 

The scene today takes place after the death of the first martyr, Stephen.  The blood of the martyrs are the seeds for the early Church.  People, like seeds, are scattered by the persecution of the Church that follows Stephen having been killed for his faith and for preaching about Jesus.  “They went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,” preaching the word to no one but the Jews.

Because of some of the new disciples of Christ were Greek-speakers, they began to share the good news of the Lord Jesus with some of the Gentiles in Antioch.  This may seem very natural and inevitable to us now, but this really was a breakthrough—Gentile converts. 

Each of us are called to work for converts by sharing the Good News.  Where do the breakthroughs need to occur in your own life?  When’s the last time you shared your faith with a stranger?  Could you see yourself talking to a stranger at a coffee shop or the rec center about Jesus and about the Catholic Church?  There are people out there who want to know more about Jesus, they want to know about Catholicism, but they have no one to talk to.  Just as the hand of the Lord was with those in the first reading, he is with us, guiding us to, pushing us into new missionary territory.

Could you see yourself praying the rosary peacefully outside an abortion clinic with other fellow Catholics?  Could you see yourself leading your family in prayer the next time they came to visit?

Jesus says in the Gospel today, “my sheep hears my voice”.  He wants to use us as his mouthpiece.  Will you spread the Good News today? For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: 4th Week of Easter - Monday - "I am the gate for the sheep"

One of the first internal challenges of the early Church was the notion of Church membership.  Those who converted from Judaism wrongly supposed that Gentiles were not included in God's kingdom.  

Consequently, as we heard in the reading from acts today, they objected that Peter "entered the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them".  Jesus, of course, taught to make disciples of all nations, and Saint Paul, as we know, takes up that mission to convert the Gentiles.

Yet, we hear in today’s Gospel, Jesus’ warning about spiritual thieves and marauders—those who have come “only to steal and destroy”.  The early Church was very aware of forces both external and internal which seek to scatter and destroy the Church—false shepherds who lead the sheep away from the unity of the one flock.

Jesus says today that he is the gate of the sheepfold.  In one way, no one can become a member of his flock without going through him—one must be baptized through, with, and in Jesus to gain membership into this flock destined for eternal life.  Yet, today, I think Jesus is warning us to be very, very careful about those forces which disrupt or harm Catholic unity—to be very vigilant against those attitudes which are divisive or take us away from the right practice of the Catholic faith: to beware of politicians, tv and movie-stars, or even priests who teach things which are contrary to the Catholic morality or doctrine.

On the other hand, in connection with the first reading, people of every race, nation, and tongue need to be welcomed with generous open arms, if they are living a life of faith in Jesus.

Jesus said today, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”  May we be free from all divisive attitudes which keep us from living this abundant life, vigilant against all forces which seek to take us away from Jesus, and at work to bring and welcome those who desire it, into the unity of Jesus’ flock, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: 4th Sunday of Easter - Good Shepherd Sunday & The Book of Revelation

An orator will often put his most powerful argument at the very end of his speech in order to really drive home his point.  Well, throughout the Sundays of Easter, our second reading each week is taken from the Book of Revelation.  The book of Revelation is of course the last book of the Bible, and it’s been said that If the entire bible was lost and only the book of revelation remained, you’d still have the whole message—you’d still have the heart of the Christian message.  So this is a very important book for Christians.  It’s also one of the least read books of the Bible.  Partially, I think because it’s so difficult.  It’s filled with complex symbolism.

A college friend of mine said that she didn’t read the book of Revelation because the idea of the end of the world scared her.  It’s true, Revelation is filled with plagues and earthquakes and disasters, and famines and battles and horrific beasts, terrible sufferings and trials.  But equally, Revelation is the story of the victory—of the eternal praise and exultation of the victorious Lamb of God.

We heard in today’s reading this great multitude “from every nation, race, people, and tongue” standing “before the throne and before the Lamb” worshipping and praising him.  This is the eternal destiny of the faithful Christian.

The word itself—Revelation—means “unveiling”—so in the book of Revelation the curtains are pulled back—the mystery of heaven is unveiled.  The author of the book of Revelation, John the evangelist, now an old man exiled to the island of Patmos, narrates this vision of the end, when “God’s people will neither hunger nor thirst anymore, when the Lamb who is in the center of the throne of heaven will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

The message of Revelation is that despite the darkness of history, despite the persecution of the Church, despite the sorrows and suffering of our lives, those who are on the side of Christ will share in his ultimate victory.

The book of Revelation is also very clear and very honest that the Church has real enemies, that there is real evil, that there does seem to be a demonic intelligence at work.  It is very clear that there is a real spiritual battle taking place throughout history. 

And the early Church, the original audience of the book of Revelation, had already begun to experience what Christ had promised, that those who followed him would be persecuted for his sake.  The Roman Empire for the first three hundred years after the birth of Christ led horrible persecutions and tortures against the early Christians.

Last week, I was able to make pilgrimage, with some parishioners of Saint Columbkille, to the great city of Rome.  Visiting Rome is always quite moving, being so immersed in thousands of years of history.  I am always struck by the contrast between the ruins of ancient Rome—the old Roman forum, the ancient pagan temples, and the Coliseum, on one hand, and on the other, the splendor of the Catholic Church, the majestic basilicas of Saint Peter and Saint John Lateran.  The splendor of the Catholic architecture is a testimony, that we won.  It is not the power of the violence of a secular state that brings victory and salvation, rather it is the power of God’s love and compassion and peace and self-sacrifice.  Being able to witness a hundred thousand people gathered in Saint Peter’s square to spend time with Pope Francis is such a contrast to the thousands of Roman citizens who used to gather with the Roman Emperor for the persecution and torture of Christians.

The Spiritual Battle in the book of Revelation also reminds us that every Christian is engaged in his own, personal, spiritual battle.  He faces temptation, he faces the tendency of self-centeredness and self-aggrandizement and selfishness on a daily basis.  There is a constant struggle to keep God at the center of our life, to pray as we ought, to reflect on scripture as we ought, to engage in works of charity as Jesus teaches us, and to allow him to lead us in the ways of holiness.  The great cloud of witnesses, the Saints, remind us that holiness is possible, that the power of Christ’s victory can do amazing things when it is unleashed in our lives.

While in Rome, last week, we were also able to visit the Christian catacombs—burial places on the outskirts of Rome, where because of the persecutions, Christians were forced to worship in secret.  One of the images found in many of the catacombs is the image of the Good Shepherd: Christ the shepherd, holding the lambs on his shoulder.  What a powerful image for those Christians who if arrested for refusing to worship the emperor as a divinity could be thrown to the lions in the arena.  The Good Shepherd who promises that God is greater than all violence, all evil, all sorrow.  The Good Shepherd promises eternal life to those who follow him. 

The fourth Sunday of Easter is of course known as Good Shepherd Sunday, it is also for Catholics a world-wide day of prayer for vocations.  We need men and women who are willing to consecrate themselves in dedicated service to the Church.  We need priests, deacons, and religious to serve the Church.    Even though Pope Benedict XVI was an absolute genius, and explained the faith in an unparalleled way, Pope Francis offers us a unique insight, this humble man reminds us that ordinary folk are called to serve the Church—ordinary folk like you and me, your sons and daughters, and grandchildren.

Last week, we had a young man from our parish, who is considering a call to the priesthood visit the seminary.  And, after four years here at Saint Columbkille, I believe we have several young people being called to priesthood or religious life.  But they don’t just need my encouragement, they need your encouragement and prayers.

I hope that everyone here present today, has in mind one person that they will pray for or encourage to consider a religious vocation.  We need priests to continue the ordained ministry and sacramental life of the Church, we need consecrated religious brothers and sisters to remind us that holiness is possible in the world, and we need families to pray for and promote vocations…vocations come from families.  And to hear from one’s mother or father or aunt or uncle that they are supportive in you pursuing a call to the priesthood or religious life is invaluable. 

So may we be obedient members of the Shepherd’s flock, open to the ways in which he wants to use us as his instruments, amidst so many evils of the world, instruments filled with joy and his Holy Spirit for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: 3rd Week of Easter - Friday - His flesh is true food

Today’s Gospel was the last in a series of readings from John, Chapter 6, what is called the Bread of Life discourse.  Jesus has talked about how the food he gives does not perish, how it is the bread of life, and that those who eat this bread will be raised on the last day.

Today Jesus perhaps gives the hardest part of the teaching on the Eucharist, this bread of life is his flesh and his blood, we are to eat of it, if we are to have eternal life with Him.

This shocking statement started a quarrel amongst the disciples; and as a result of their inability to accept this teaching, some of those who had begun to follow Jesus, turned away from him and went back to their former way of life.  Nevertheless, Jesus did not recant or even modify His terminology. He was willing to lose even the twelve apostles rather than change or water down his wording here.

St. Thomas Aquinas maintained that believing that Eucharist is truly the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ is the most challenging act of faith.  The Eucharist does not look like Christ; thus tests our faith. 

Saint Thomas Aquinas penned a number of hymns about the Eucharist.  We are probably most familiar with the Pange Lingua Gloriosi, which is sung on Holy Thursday, and part of which, the Tantum Ergo, is sung at Benediction.  In another hymn, the Adoro Te Devote, Saint Thomas teaches us about this mystery of Jesus’ real presence which defies the senses. 

Sight, taste, and touch in Thee are deceived; the ear alone most safely is believed: I believe all the Son of God has spoken: Than Truth’s own word there is no truer token.”

We believe that the Eucharist is Jesus’ true flesh because…he said so, and we believe what we have heard---there is no truer Word than his.

In the conclusion of Saint Thomas’ hymn he writes, “Jesus, whom now I see hidden, I ask you to fulfill what I so desire: That the sight of your face being unveiled, I may have the happiness of seeing your glory.”

The Word made flesh, makes himself food for our souls; may we be bearers of this great truth, so that others may come to believe, that they may come to eat his flesh and drink his blood that they may have eternal life, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: 2nd Week of Easter - Wednesday - the Gospel triumphs over the world

Throughout the season of Easter, we hear extensively from the Acts of the Apostles, the power of Christ's Resurrection transformed the lives of ordinary fishermen into the most powerful force in human history.

We heard today how a prison cell could not contain the message of new life, how the good news carried by ordinary people wants to burst open doors that are "securely locked" to the rest of the world.  The Power of God's life and God's love, the power of his grace is more powerful than any worldly power or institution.

Any of you who saw Father Robert Barron's wonderful series on Catholicism may remember Father Barron's thoughts upon visiting the Colosseum.  "look at the wreckage, this was once the splendor of the Roman EMpire" compare that to Saint Peter's, John Lateran, we won, the spirit is shown to be more powerful than the powers of the world.  Every Good Friday, the Pope comes into the Coliseum carrying the Cross.  Now, remember the Cross was a symbol of Roman power, "if you cross us, this is what we'll do to you!  If you cross the Roman State we will subject you to this sort of humiliating torturous death.  That's how secular power tends to maintain its position, through threats of power."  Yet now, the Pope caries the cross into the Coliseum, saying,  it is not the power of violence of the secular state that brings victory and salvation, rather it is the power of God's love, and compassion, and peace.

Cardinal George of Chicago tells a story about witnessing the election of Pope Benedict XVI.  As the Cardinals were gathered in the Loggia of Saint Peter's watching the new Pope greet the people, Cardinal George says I was gazing over toward the Circus Maximus, toward the Palatine Hill where the Roman Emperors once resided and reigned and looked down upon the persecution of Christians, and I thought, 'Where are their successors? Where is the successor of Caesar Augustus? Where is the successor of Marcus Aurelius? And finally, who cares? But if you want to see the successor of Peter, he is right next to me, smiling and waving at the crowds.'"

Here we are, in the basilica of Saint John Lateran, the Cathedral of the Successor of Saint Peter.  What a wonderful place to reflect on the victory of Christ carried by the Catholic Church.

In this morning's catechesis, Pope Francis spoke of the new way and the new life that is available to the world through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Through Baptism, we become beloved children of the Father, able to call God, "Papa", who loves us even when we go astray.  But following Christ is more than just following commandments, "it is about being like Christ, thinking and acting like Christ, and being transformed by the love of Christ."

In each of us there are remnants of the old way of life, attitudes of selfishness, and hardness, violent words, violent thoughts, entitlement, but each of us are called to surrender to the power of the Spirit, as the Holy father said today, by hearing God's word, praying, sharing in the sacraments, put to death those old ways, to think and act like Christ, bearing witness to the freedom, the joy and hope born of his Victory, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Divine Mercy Sunday 2013

Given in Rome, at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major

Jesus I trust in you.  Today is Divine Mercy Sunday—just the 13th time Divine Mercy Sunday has been celebrated as a feast of the Universal Church, since its institution in 2001.

Divine Mercy is not a new concept.  The message of God’s Mercy has been preached for almost two thousand years.  It is the message of the Christian faith.  God has mercy upon sinners.  We are loved even when we are unlovable because of our sins—now matter how sinful, we are called to be forgiven by God.

Mercy is available to us from God and it is available in abundance.

Both St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas went so far to say that Mercy is God’s greatest attribute.
The same message can be found in the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska a polish nun who unlike the great Augustine or Thomas Aquinas had little more than a grade school education.  Jesus himself appeared to St. Faustina and told her to fill her Diary with the message of His mercy.

The diary was actually banned in 1958, a ban which lasted 20 years, during which time the Church investigated the authenticity of the message.  Through the labors of a fairly well known polish Cardinal of the Church—a certain Karol Woitijia that the ban was lifted, and the message of Mercy began to spread throughout the world with great vigor.

Six months later, that Cardinal was elected Pope John Paul II.

It was on that first Divine Mercy Sunday in the year 2000, that John Paul II canonized Sister Faustina.

Our Lord Himself appeared to Saint Faustina a number of times, insisting that she make known His desire to pour out his mercy upon all people.  The Lord taught her the chaplet of Divine Mercy, a devotion which has spread all of the world. “My daughter," Jesus said to her "encourage souls to pray the chaplet I gave you…help me save souls.”  For that is what is at stake here.  The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is a powerful and effective means for us to cooperate with Jesus in the mission to save souls.
While praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, near the end of her earthly life, Sister Faustina received a vision: she saw a man on his deathbed writhing in torment.  While he lay dying, a host of demons surrounded him waiting to take his soul to hell.  But, she continued to pray: “for the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world”.  Soon the dying man became calm, repentance for his sins filled his heart. He was comforted by the trust in God’s mercy which came through Faustina’s praying of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
The chaplet of Divine Mercy is a simple but powerful prayer.  We do well to pray the chaplet, for sinners on their death beds, for those who are hardened in lives of habitual sin.
But, not only are we to pray for God’s mercy to be poured out on sinners, we must seek to put God’s mercy into practice.
We are to offer kindness and mercy and compassion to others.  Do people experience patience, calm, and mercy and kindness in your presence?
How full of mercy are we, if we are so quick to fly off the handle at the slightest inconvenience or difference in opinion?  How full of mercy are we, if we are slow or unwilling to forgive others? How full of mercy are we, if we are closed to giving our time, talent, and treasure for the good of others?

Here is the challenge to examine our hearts, today.  To be full of mercy means forgiving our past hurts, and being very quick to forgive in the face of inconveniences, even to bear little injustices patiently.
With all the hatred, war, violence, and bigotry, the world is in great need of God’s mercy.  And now, more than ever, Christians need to be those instruments of mercy, through prayer, and through concrete acts of love.
Thomas Merton said, “Mercy is the key to transforming a whole world in which sin seems to have sway.”
On Divine Mercy Sunday, two years ago in 2011, John Paul II was beatified in Rome.  He has been recognized by the Church to have lived a life of great holiness and heroic virtue and that the faithful do well to venerate him and to turn to his intercession, we may now address him in prayer as Blessed John Paul II.
Not all Popes of course are canonized or beatified. But the Church and the world were truly blessed by the compassionate and prayerful shepherding of John Paul II.  He called together millions of young people for the World Youth days.  He exercised the Petrine ministry with a tireless missionary spirit, traveling around the globe more than any other Pope in history to bring the message of Christ to us.
Through the intercession of Saint Faustina, Blessed John Paul, and the blessed virgin mar, mother of mercy, may we've free from all that keeps us from being poured out in service, in charity for others, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Octave of Easter - Saturday - New Evangelization

We are in the seventh day of the eight day Octave of Easter. This octave sets the tone for fifty days of celebration, which St. Athanasius called a "fifty-day Sunday."  One of the great themes of these fifty days is proclamation.

It is the Church’s task to celebrate and proclaim Easter: to proclaim Christ’s victory, to spread his Gospel to the ends of the earth.  Though, it is the task of the Church to proclaim Easter, it seems it is the task of the powers of darkness in the world to stop the Easter message from being proclaimed.  As we heard in the Acts of the Apostles, Peter and John were warned by the Sanhedrin to stop teaching in Jesus’ name.

Can you imagine being so bold of a proclaimer of the Gospels, that the powers-that-be issue edicts against you?

Our society attempts to pressure us not to teach in the name of Jesus—it seeks to suppress the witness of the Church.

But, we mustn’t allow anything to hinder us in this mission, especially not fear of suffering, rejection, or persecution.  For, we heard in the Gospel, Jesus himself rebuked his followers for their stubbornness and hardness of heart for not doing their job.  When he said, go and proclaim, he meant it. 

In recent years, following the call of Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict, and now Pope Francis, there Church is mobilizing for the new evangelization, bringing the Gospel anew not only to mission lands but to the secularized post-Christian cultures of the West.  Blessed John Paul encouraged Christians to allow themselves to be filled with the ardor of apostolic preaching.

It seems like an impossible task, but we see in the Acts of the Apostles, how these early witnesses change the world.  Despite those impossible odds, despite the powers of darkness that inspire to suppress the truth, despite the hardships, these ordinary people change the world.  For the Risen Lord is with us, just as he was with the Apostles.

May we be found faithful in this call to spread the Gospel, and may we know the constant accompaniment of the Lord as we preaching and teach in his name, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Octave of Easter - Thursday- Facing Reality

G.K. Chesterton once said, "When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing -- they believe in anything." 

Our culture seems to be one long series of attempts to escape from reality, using alcohol, drugs, TV, promiscuity, video games, computer games, mind-games—a belief that anything can make you happy, anything except for Christian faith.  There is a terrible Denial, in the psychological sense of the word, which permeates our society. We deny the existence of objective truth, sin, and responsibility for our actions. Many pretend that they'll live forever and never face Judgment Day.

Pope Benedict wrote that Christian Faith in the Risen One is faith in something that has really taken place…faith stands on the firm basis of reality.”  So, the Christian faith is not about escaping reality by believing in stories that never really happened.  Unlike all other religions, Christianity believes that God became a human being. We believe that God was actually a baby, physically died on a cross, and was buried in a tomb. We also believe that Jesus rose from the dead — not just spiritually but bodily.

In today’s Gospel, when the apostles saw the risen Christ on the evening of His resurrection, "they thought they were seeing a ghost". Jesus showed He was real by showing them His hands and feet, inviting them to touch Him, and eating a piece of fish.  He said, “it is really me!” 

The truth of Jesus’ Resurrection, the fact that he really rose, he really conquered death, fills Christians with conviction and courage in witnessing to His Gospel in a world that seems to be happier with error and unbelief. 

During Easter we hear several accounts of the truth of Jesus resurrection breaking into people’s narrow understanding.  He breaks into the upper room, he breaks doubting Thomas out of his doubt into the greater realm of faith, he opens the eyes of many who do not see him clearly. 

We pray that this Easter season be a time of increased faith for our world so flooded with error and doubt and for all of us: for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Octave of Easter - Tuesday - Preaching the Good News

Throughout the Easter season we hear the saga of the Acts of the Apostles.  We hear how the message of Jesus’ Resurrection impels believers to spread the Good News.  Once the Apostles get over their initial shock and fear, these men who were mostly fishermen , go out and preach as they were commissioned by the Lord to do—knowing the message to be true—having witnessed Christ death and glorious Resurrection.

So, 50 Days after Easter, on the first Pentecost, Saint Peter emerged from the upper room with the other Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to preach.  His sermon was the first public proclamation of Jesus’ Resurrection: his audience, the citizens of Jerusalem.

He stands up, in front of these people, some of whom, may have been the very same who called “crucify him, crucify him” at Jesus’ trial before Pilate, they very same people who watched as Jesus carried the cross through the streets of Jerusalem, so  may have heard the nails being pounded into Jesus’ hands and feet.  

And now Peter, stands before all of these people, and says, “This man, Jesus the Nazarean, whose mighty deeds and wonders and signs pointed to the fact that he was sent by God…you killed, you crucified him.  But God raised him up…So now, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.””

So powerful was this speech, that Luke tells us today “it cut the audience to the heart”, and they turned to Peter and the Apostles and asked, “what they should do”?  Peter answered, “repent and be baptized”.  And about 3000 were baptized!

This is the same Peter, who denied Jesus out of fear.  He is now filled with courage and conviction. 

On the first page of the Catechism we read: “All Christ's faithful are called to hand on [the Gospel] from generation to generation, by professing the faith, by living it in fraternal sharing, and by celebrating it in liturgy and prayer.”

Throughout the Easter season, we will hear the Gospel message begin to spread throughout Galilee and the world through the courageous preaching and works of the Apostles.

We spent Lent in prayer and penance to prepare for the reception of the Easter message.  Now, filled with Easter conviction, we need to be attentive and obedient to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit who wishes to use us to continue to draw converts to Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Octave of Easter - Monday - Do not be afraid to witness

For much of the secular world, Easter is over now. They're back to normal life. For disciples of Jesus Christ, however, Easter means risen life is normal life.  Alleluia! Today is the second day of fifty days of glory.

It is also the second day of the Octave of Easter, meaning, we celebrate Easter each day this week.  We keep celebrating so that we might continue to enter into the meaning of the resurrection. 

In the early Church, the newly baptized would be at each liturgy this week, wearing their white garments.  Listen to the words the priest speaks to the newly baptized:

You have become a new creation
and have clothed yourselves in Christ.
Receive this baptismal garment
and bring it unstained to the judgment seat
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
so that you may have everlasting life.

At the Easter Vigil, and yesterday on Easter Sunday, all of us renewed our baptismal promises of rejecting sin so as to live in the freedom of God’s children, rejecting the glamour of evil and refusing to be mastered by sin, and rejecting Satan father of sin and prince of darkness. 

Having been clothed with Christ we are a new creature, a new creation, and we must live always according to that dignity. 

In Matthew's Gospel, we hear that right from the beginning there was a chilling conspiracy to hide the fact of the resurrection.  The chief priests and the elders gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’  The early Church was well aware of the dark powers that continue to work at odds against the Church, against Christ.

Nevertheless, the first commands Jesus gives to those who first saw Him after His resurrection are: "Do not be afraid! Go and carry the news".  We cannot be afraid to witness.  Non-believers are waiting to meet Christ through your witness.

Some may sneer at us, others may even try to silence us, but some are waiting to meet Christians who are faithful to the promises of their baptism, who give witness to the Resurrection of Jesus, who witness through their integrity of life, through their conviction, through their conversion from sin.  They await your witness for the glory of God and salvation of souls.