Homily: Friday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time - Joyful Acceptance of Suffering

We read from the letter to the Hebrews for the first four weeks of Ordinary Time.  The letter’s original audience was a group of Christians who had converted from Judaism who were now undergoing persecution for their new faith.

It was not easy being a Christian in the first century.  Early believers suffered insults and sometimes even violence from neighbors and government leaders.  Many were imprisoned or had their property seized. 

Confidence in God’s promises enabled the early Christians to endure such hardship joyfully.  In today’s reading we hear how the Jewish Christians “joined in the sufferings of those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property.”

As these sufferings went on, month after month, year after year, their perseverance in hope continued to be tested.  It was important for the early Christians to return constantly to the unshakable knowledge that God is faithful to his promises. 

In the twenty-first century, we face similar challenges.  In the face of life’s difficulties, we too are tempted to take our eyes away from god and look elsewhere for solutions.  The childless couple, the bankrupt business owner, the unemployed laborer—the list of those who are tempted to lose hope in God is long.  Eventually, each of us finds ourselves struggling with this temptation.  Events in our life cause us to examine whether we really trust God’s promises.  The world, the flesh, the devil conspire to persuade us that God is distant and that, in the face of hardship, we are left to our own resources.

In those times, we, like the early Christians must return to the source of our hope.  We do well to recall the enthusiasm we had when our faith was strongest.  But also, we must allow the Holy Spirit to teach us that God is with us in our struggle.  God wants to strengthen our faith.  He allows trials so that we can learn how absolutely reliable he is. 

In this way we can, like the early Christians, come to joyfully accept our sufferings, because we realize, that through them we learn to love and trust God  perfectly, in preparation for eternal life, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: January 27 - St. Angela Merici - School mass

Angela Merici was born on March 21, 1474.  Out of love for Jesus, she consecrated herself to him before she was ten years old and persuaded her sister to do the same—promising never to get married and to live a life of prayer and service.  Around the age of 10 her parents and sister died suddenly, and so she moved to a nearby town to live with her uncle.

One day, during harvest-time, Angela was out in the field, alone, when she had a vision of heaven.  She saw angels and young women coming toward her singing and surrounded by light.  One of the young girls was Angela’s sister who had died, and she told Angela that God wanted her to establish a company of consecrated women. 

With her great love of the Lord, she was saddened by the ignorance of the children in her native Italy, especially their lack of religious training.  She took it upon herself to give regular instruction to the young neighborhood girls.  She was joined by women with similar ideals.

It wasn’t until the age of 61 that she, and 28 young women formed the Order of Ursulines, the first teaching order of religious sisters in the history of the Church. St. Angela and the Ursulines were dedicated to re-christianizing family life through solid Christian education, especially for young girls who were the future Christian wives and mothers.  The Company of St. Ursula spread throughout Italy and France and eventually through all of Europe.  They were the very first Catholic nuns to land in the new world. 

Before Cleveland was even a diocese, Father Amadeus Rappe, who would become the first bishop of Cleveland was chaplain to the Ursulines in the town of Boulogne-sur-Mer in France.  In 1847, when he became the first Bishop of Cleveland, it was among his top priorities to establish schools.    He invited the Ursulines from Boulogne-sur-Mer to begin a foundation in Cleveland and to start the Catholic school system in north eastern Ohio. 

The Order of Consecrated Religious Sisters founded by St. Angela Merici, run Ursuline College over in Pepper Pike, less than 3 miles from here.  The Ursuline Sisters were the first teachers at our Parish school here at St. Clare Parish.  Their convent was where the parish office is now.  There is a stained glass window of St. Angela by the eastern entrance to the church.  I think your families would be very impressed if you brought them over to the window of St. Angela, when you come to Church this weekend.  Tell them who she was at what she did.  Tell them about the vision she had and how she consecrated herself to God, how she dedicated her life to teaching, and how the parishioners of St. Clare parish benefit from her hard work and dedication to God.

St. Angela knew the importance of passing on the faith, taking serious efforts in the lives of children to instill in them faith in Jesus Christ.  She was a woman of action whose efforts changed Church history, When she saw the ignorance of the children in her neighborhood, she didn’t just wring her hands or complain, she went out and taught them.

She is a wonderful saint to celebrate and to ask for her prayers during this Catholic Schools Week.  And she prays for all school children from her place near God in heaven, that we may be faithful to all that we learn about Jesus, and like her, to spread that faith to others, for the glory of god and salvation of souls.

Homily: January 26 - Saints Timothy and Titus - Co-workers in the Lord's Vineyard

Following the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul yesterday, today we commemorate two of Paul’s close co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord.

St. Paul is certainly the Apostle par excellence, founder and pastor of many Churches.  Yet it is clear that he did not do everything on his own.  He relied on trustworthy people who shared his endeavors and responsibilities.

Timothy was Paul’s number one collaborator and dearest disciple.  When Paul was passing through Lystra at the beginning of his second missionary journey, he chose Timothy, whose name in Greek means “he who honors God”.  And truly he did bring honor to God through pouring himself out in service to the Church.  He was accompanied Paul and Silas through bandit-ridden highlands, and was even sent out by Paul on two important missions: one to Thessalonica, the other to Corinth.  The Church historian Eusebius tells us that Timothy was made the first bishop of Ephesus. 

Since in his Letter to Timothy, St. Paul tells him to “stop drinking only water, but have a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses” Timothy is invoked as the patron saint of those with stomach ailments.

Titus, accompanied Paul to the Council of Jerusalem and was also sent to Corinth with the task of bringing  that unmanageable community to obedience. From Corinth, Paul gave him the mission of taking up a special collection for the poor Christians of Jerusalem.  In the Pastoral Letters addressed to him, we read how Titus is Bishop of Crete when Paul calls him to Nicopolis, and later to Dalmatia. 

Though the New Testament Letters addressed to Timothy and Titus contain a lot of directions about naming bishops and presybters and organizing the community, they are still rich sources of Christian spirituality and practical wisdom.   They also provide a glimpse into the life of the early Church.

The sources concerning both Timothy and Titus highlight their readiness to assisting St. Paul in the spread of the Gospel, taking on various offices and responsibilities that were far from easy.  In serving the Gospel with such generosity they are examples for us all.

God granted these men with apostolic virtues of courage, perseverance, generosity, through their intercession may we use the gifts God has given us for the building up of the Church, the passing on of the faith for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Captain Ahab & Jonah

The book of the prophet Jonah, from which our first reading was taken, is one of my favorite books in the bible.  And that’s not just because it’s only four chapters long and can be read in one quick sitting—it’s full of drama, humor, and insight.

Jonah has inspired painters, poets, and artists with its strong imagery.  The early Church fathers saw Jonah in the belly of the big fish for three days as a foreshadowing of Jesus buried in the tomb before his resurrection.

Herman Melville, the author of the greatest American epic, Moby Dick, was also inspired by Jonah.  Most of us are somewhat familiar with this story of Captain Ahab pursuing the great white whale. 

In chapters 8 and 9, before the crew set sail on their whaling voyage.  a few crew members go to Church in the small whaleman’s chapel of New Bedford.  Father Mapple, a whaler in his own day stands in a pulpit shaped like the stern of a ship a delivers a sermon about the reluctant Prophet Jonah.

We heard today how Jonah set out for the great city of Nineveh to announce to them a message of repentance.  He did not want to go to Ninevah.  The Ninevites were not Jews, and Jonah believed that he would be killed for pointing out to them how they were transgressing the commands of God. Father Mapple preached about the need to turn away from our own self-interests in order to serve God. 

Unfortunately, Captain Ahab was not attending Church that day.  Captain Ahab became bent on his mission of revenge to hunt down Moby Dick at all costs.  His obsession and hatred for the whale became the path of his own destruction.  For the story ends with Ahab being dragged down to a watery death by the whale.

Moby Dick in a sense is a cautionary tale of what happens when we become fixated on worldly pursuits, when we allow revenge and hatred to rule our lives.  We put our friends at risk, Ahab put his crew members at risk, Jonah bent on escaping God’s Holy Will led to a shipwreck. 

In our Second Reading today, St. Paul urges us to recognize that this world is transitory, it is passing away.  Nothing on this earth is worth losing our souls over: possessions, trophies and worldly fame, positions of power, moments of earthly pleasure, all of it is passing away, so it is important for Christians to be detached from these things, especially not to make them the center of our lives.  In the Gospel, Jesus himself says For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Captain Ahab settled on a whale.  Many of our contemporaries are settling for a lot less.

In Father Mapple’s sermon to the whalers of New Bedford, he encourages his listeners, like Jesus does in the Gospels today, to turn away from sin.  “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” are Jesus’ first words in the Mark’s Gospel.  God calls Jonah, and tells him to go to Ninevah with a message of repentance.

Repentance is such an important first step in the spiritual life.  Every Mass begins with an act of repentence.  Lord, have Mercy, Christ, have Mercy.  Lord, Have Mercy.  Our second graders, before receiving their first holy communion, first make their first confession.  To instill that repentance precedes communion.

In just a few weeks we’ll begin again the great season of Lent.  The Church gives us this wonderful season of repentance where enter into some serious self-examination.  We examine our lives in light of the Gospel, we look at our worldly attachments, our sinful attitudes and behaviors, and we repent from them.  We detach ourselves from worldly pleasures by practicing fasting and abstinence.  Worldly pleasures are not evil in themselves, but they can become evil when we place them at the center of our lives, or when we indulge in them or pursue them  to such an extent that we that we fail to serve God as we should.

When God sent Jonah into the Assyrian city of Nineveh, it was a very odd mission, one that he initially rejected.  At the time the Assyrians were the great enemy of Israel.  And God sends Jonah, a Jew to Ninevah to tell them to repent.  This would be like a Jew, during the second world war, walking into Germany, into Berlin, and telling Hitler that God was displeased, and if he doesn’t Berlin would be destroyed in 40 days. It is no surprise that Jonah is known as the reluctant prophet.

The messages and missions that God has for us are not always easy.  It was of course, not easy for Jonah, he even ran away from God there for a while.  Even when he saw that it would put his crew at risk, it was not easy for Captain Ahab to change.  And we see the results of his failure.

Sometimes we become so accustomed to our hatreds, our grudges, as unhealthy as they are, that giving them up is hard, it feels like dying.  I remember encouraging some 5^th graders to give up television and video games for Lent, one year.  When I mentioned it, they let out this loud wail…not a Moby Dick whale, but a loud groan, as if I were asking them to cut off a limb.  Giving up the attachment is hard, but we do so, because the attachment is a cancer, that is causing selfishness to spread to our heart.   

In the spiritual life, sometimes it is our souls themselves that are resistant to the new life God wants for us.  So we cling to our whales, like Captain Ahab, and our whales drown us.  Sometimes, the resistance comes from outside. 

On one occasion, a group of priests were visiting St. John Vianney, the parish priest of the small parish in Ars, France, where thousands of people would come so that Fr. Vianney could hear their confession.  One night the visiting priests heard these loud crashes coming from Fr. Vianney’s room, like furniture being hurled into the walls.  They came to his bedroom door to make sure he wasn’t being attacked by robbers.  Father Vianney calmly answered the door, asking them what they wanted.  They asked about the loud noises, and he said, the worst assaults of the devil happened when he was on the verge of “landing a big fish.

A big fish…a big sinner would be coming to the sacrament of confession, and that angered the devil because he would be losing a soul that he thought was his.  Yet, this did not phase the saintly pastor.  He knew that to endure these torments would bring about even greater grace for souls.

For many of us, bringing up religion to family members who have left the Church results in surprisingly vicious and hostile remarks.  But sometimes we are delightfully surprised to find them ready and willing to return to the Church, they just needed an invitation.

Jonah, preached the message to the Ninevites, and the entire town converted, everyone from the king and his court, down to the lowly peasants, even the livestock. 

We can have hope that God is also at work, when he gives us difficult missions. 

This sort of hope led over 650 thousand people down to Washington D.C. for the March for Life this week.  Hope that God will work through their witness to the truth.  Hope that God will use their witness to soften hearts that have been hardened to the truth of the Gospel of Life.

May the Holy Spirit help us to be free from our sinful detachments, that we may embrace the work God has for each of us, and know God’s assistance what that work becomes difficult, for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Friday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time - You cannot give what you do not have.

Very early on in our priestly formation, there is an old latin saying which every seminarian commits to heart: “non dat quod non habet”, non dat quod non habet, you cannot give, what you do not have.

This is true in everyday life: I cannot give you 50 dollars, if I do not have 50 dollars first to give. 

But this is also true in the supernatural life.  As Christians, we cannot spread the Gospel, if we have not first received it. 

We see this maxim at work in the Gospel today.  Before Jesus sends out His twelve new Apostles into the world, St. Mark tells us he first called them “to be with him.”  The Apostles’ task, first and foremost, is to have a close personal relationship with Jesus—“to be with him”.  Without intimacy with him, there will be no effectiveness in their mission. 

Likewise, in the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.”

The sign of a well-founded, mature faith is the natural way we communicate it to others, and that only comes from being familiar with the Lord as we are with a friend, a spouse, a family member.  We will never be successful in our Christian mission unless we spend time with the Lord. 

When Pope Benedict called for a Year of Faith a few years back, he encouraged a two-pronged approach for deepening our faith.  He called Catholics to study their faith—to form small groups to read the documents of Vatican II, to read the catechism, to engage in Scripture study.  If we don’t know the doctrine of the faith it is impossible to teach to others.

But also, he urged us to seek the encounter with the Lord Jesus in prayer.  For true faith is not merely the result of academic study, it comes from personal encounter.

Unfortunately, many fallen away Catholics suffer from poor catechesis and lack of prayer.  So we need to practice them all the more, so when the Lord sends us out into the lives of unbelievers, we may explain the faith clearly and lead them in prayer.

You cannot give what you do not have.  May we therefore seek that deepening of faith, of understanding and personal encounter with the Lord, that we may bring others to Him for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: January 20 2015 - Sts. Fabian & Sebastian, martyrs

Today we have the option of celebrating the memorials of two martyrs: St. Sebastian, a lay person martyred in the persecutions in Rome in the third century under the emperor Diocletian, and Pope Saint Fabian, who was martyred when the Emperor Decius decreed that all Christians must offer a sacrifice to the pagan gods, and killed the ones that wouldn’t.

Little is known historically about St. Sebastian, yet depictions of his martyrdom are vast. The legends state that Saint Sebastian was a Christian who joined the Roman army and would secretly visit the Christians who were arrested  and sentenced to death, so he could give them comfort and encouragement.  He was discovered, and sentenced to death by the Emperor himself; he was to be put to death by being shot with arrows.  He was shot at by numerous archers.  But miraculously, he did not die.

Artistic depictions always show him standing by a Roman column with arrows sticking out of him.  Another saint, Saint Irene nursed him back to health.  One day, Sebastian heard that the Emperor was going to be passing by.  When he did, Sebastian denounced the Emperor for his cruelty to Christians.  This time the sentence of death was carried out, and he was beaten to death with clubs.  His relics are kept at the Basilica of St. Sebastian in Rome, though his head is in the famous church of the Four Crowned Martyrs.

Here is a martyr of tremendous courage and perseverance.  Perhaps this is why he is the patron saint of Athletes.  His courage and perseverance from 1700 years ago has left a lasting impression on history, and reminds us of the greatness that Christians are capable of and called to.

Pope Saint Fabian was Pope from 236 to 250 AD.  He is famous for the miraculous nature of his election, in which a dove is said to have descended on his head to mark him as the Holy Spirit's unexpected choice to become the next pope.  This was a great consolation since the previous Pope Pontian had died while exiled and imprisoned because of his faith in the desolate prison of Sardenia.

Fabian organized greater care for the poor in Rome and the flock began to grow again after a terrible persecution.  Yet, along came the new Emperor Decius, who decreed that all Christians were to deny Christ, and forced them to worship pagan idols.  Many stood firm in their faith, suffering torture and death, one of the first of which was Pope Fabian.  Arrested, he was thrown in prison and died at the hands of his brutal captors.  He is buried in the cemetery of Calixtus.  But later his body was brought to the basilica of St. Sebastian in Rome

These early saints made such a tremendous impact upon the Church.  The stories remind us of the faith and courage that Christians are capable of and called to.  The Opening prayer presents the martyrs as a model for us because of their “spirit of fortitude” which gave them strength to offer their lives in faithful witness.

In all of the challenges of living in this modern age, with the example and prayers of the saints and martyrs, may we be given that same spirit of fortitude in our witness to Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.  

Homily: Monday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time - Fasting and Wedding Feasting

Although Jewish law required fasting only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the Pharisees practiced fasting twice a week as a mark of devotion.  As a sign of repentance for their sins even John the Baptist and his disciples kept these fast days as well.  But when Jesus and his disciples are seen breaking these weekly fast days, especially by feasting with sinners, he is criticized by the Pharisees. 

Jesus replies by evoking a very powerful Scriptural image.  In the Hebrew Scriptures, God revealed his love for his chosen people as a spousal love—the love a bridegroom has for his bride.  Yet, Israel, over and over behaves like an adulterous wife.  God speaks through Jeremiah the prophet saying: Like a woman faithless to her love, even so have you been faithless to me, O house of Israel.” 

The Jews believed that the Messiah would one day come and fully restore and realize the nuptial bond between God and his people.  We hear this beautiful promise in the prophet Hosea who says: “I will espouse you to me forever: I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity, and you shall know the Lord.”

Jesus uses the criticism of the Pharisees to reveal something amazing about his identity: he is the bridegroom.  In a veiled way, Jesus is identifying himself as the God who desires to wed his people, and His presence, walking among the villages of Galilee, was a signal that Israel’s infidelities were about to be washed away and the wedding covenant renewed once and for all. 

One does not fast at a wedding feast.  So his disciples don’t fast.  But Jesus also hints forebodingly when the bridegroom would be taken away. 

We of course live in this period.  The Church has rightly resumed the practice of fasting, particularly during the season of Lent.  Though every time we come to Mass, the wedding feast, there is a little fast of one hour before receiving holy communion.

But our fasting is very different than the fasting of the Pharisees, whose fasting had devolved into empty custom.  Our fasting is to be done to heighten and intensify our prayer, as a way of preparing for the joy of the wedding banquet.

The fasting during the season of Lent prepares for the celebration of the marriage of Jesus and the Church which occurs at Easter, and we fast before receiving Holy Communion to prepare for the beautiful marriage of Jesus and our individual souls. 

In fasting, and in all of the practices of our spiritual life, we seek not mere external observance but interior transformation, that our souls may be opened to the great gifts God desires for us. 

As our nation observes the civil holiday of Martin Luther King Jr, let us seek the transformation of our hearts, that we can work for authentic justice and peace between all people through the faithful preaching and living of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Petitions:

For leaders around world, that they might find ways to bring an end to war and violence, and promote peace and development for all nations, we pray to the Lord. . . .

For those who serve in elected office, and for all the people of the United States, that we may be united in building a society in which all people are treated with dignity, and God’s laws may be practiced in freedom.

For the Church, that we may be a witness to Christ's love by practicing charity and promoting justice and peace throughout the world.

For Catholics throughout our nation, that the values of our faith may guide us as we exercise our civic responsibilities

For the safety of all those traveling to our nation’s capital this week for the March for Life, for the success of their witness, for the unborn, for an end to abortion and the Right to Life, that all people might come to a deeper respect for human life from conception to natural death.

For all the needs of the sick and suffering…

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead…

Homily: 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) - "Behold the Lamb of God"

Last week, as we celebrated the Feast of the Lord’s Baptism, we heard St. Mark’s account of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist.  This week, we heard of another encounter between Jesus and John.  There was John, presumably still down in the area around the Jordan river, and seeing Jesus walk by, and utters words that continue to echo throughout the centuries, “Behold the Lamb of God”.

In the original greek of John’s Gospel, “Ide o amnos tu theu.” The ‘amnos’—was a very special type of lamb, one that would be used in a sacrificial offering.  John is telling his disciples that Jesus is the lamb who will be sacrificed for the sins of the world.  Yet, conscious of the future violent act against him, John’s disciples went and followed Jesus.

Those words are repeated at every Mass, now, in every language around the world.  In Latin, “Ecce Agnus Dei.”  In Italian ‘Ecco l’Agnello di Dio”.  In Spanish, “Este es el Cordero de Dios”.  As the priest holds up the consecrated elements, “Behold the Lamb of God”. Blessed are those called to the Supper of the Lamb.

As Catholics we believe that when we celebrate the Eucharist, Jesus is really present—bread and wine are really transformed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.  So when the priest is holding up the Consecrated Host and Chalice and says “Behold the Lamb of God”, in a way he’s saying, “look, here he is.  He is just as present here to us, now, as he was when as he walked along the Jordan River.” 

Moreso, I don’t just say, Look here he is, I say, “Behold”.  The word behold carries much more weight.  To “behold” something means to thoroughly take in what you are seeing.  To Behold Jesus, is to take him in to the depths of your soul.  Let him change you, let him teach you.  Allow him to free you from "immoralities of the flesh" as St. Paul calls them in our second reading, your addictions, your selfishness, your impurity.  Fall down and worship, for here is something worthy of centering your life upon. 

To our eyes, the Eucharist looks like bread and wine, but to our faith, we see beyond the appearance into the depths.

Saint Pope John Paul II said, "The church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship. Jesus waits for us in this sacrament of love. Let us be generous with our time in going to meet Him in adoration."

Don’t just look at the Eucharist, behold Him, adore Him, contemplate Him, drink from him as the fountain of eternal life.

A few years ago, I came across a very interesting video on the internet titled “Eucharistic Flash Mob”.  The video begins and you are staring at this fairly busy city side walk.  There are people walking in and out of stores, folks talking on their cell phones, babies being pushed in their strollers, hundreds of people are walking down this sidewalk. Then all of a sudden this Capuchin Fransican Monk, in his brown robe, shaved head, and full beard, walks onto the scene and sets this bag down on the ground.  And to see a monk on the streets is strange enough and it draws some people’s attention.  But then, he reaches down into the bag and pulls out a stole, he kisses the stole, and puts it around his neck.  And, out of the bag, he takes a monstrance, with the Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist in it.  And he holds it up, and just begins to adore the Blessed Sacrament. 

Then, another monk, carrying a portable microphone begins to say to the crowds, “Jesus Christ is in every book of the Bible.  In Genesis Jesus is...“The Seed of the Woman”.  In Exodus He is…“The Passover Lamb”.  In Leviticus He is… “The Priest, the Altar & the Sacrifice”.  In Numbers He is…“The Pillar of Cloud by Day and the Pillar of Fire by Night”.  In Deuteronomy Jesus is…“The Prophet Like Moses”.  Come and kneel before Him now.

And the monk holding the blessed Sacrament is standing in the middle of this circle on the sidewalk.  And people start to make a clearing around him, and a few people kneel, right there on the sidewalk. 

And the monk with the microphone continues:

In Joshua Jesus is…“The Captain of Our Salvation”.  In Judges He is…“Our Judge and Lawgiver”. In Ruth He is…“Our Kinsman-Redeemer“.  In I & II Samuel He is…“Our Trusted Prophet” In Kings & Chronicles He is…“Our Reigning King” In Ezra He is… “The Rebuilder of the Broken-Down Walls of Human Life”.  Come and kneel before Him now

By this time there are at least fifteen people young & old kneeling down in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  And the camera pans to others on the street.  You can see some people had never seen a monstrance before say, “what is he doing, what is going on”.  A group of kids ask their parents what is going on.  Some people deliberately walk through the space where the monk is standing.  There are some that don’t kneel, but stick around, interested, questioning.  Some people hurry by, as if they didn’t want to catch germs.  You can see in their eyes, they are making a conscious attempt, to get away from the Eucharist. 

And the monk on the microphone continues through the books of the bible, the books of the Old Testament and then the books of the new: In Matthew Jesus is…“God with us” In Mark He is… “The Son of God”. In Luke He is…“The Son of Mary – feeling what you feel”.  In John He is…“The Bread of Life”.  In Acts Jesus is…“The Saviour of the world”.

He was bruised and brought healing,

He was pierced and eased pain,

He was persecuted and brought freedom,

He was dead and brought life,

He is risen and brings power,

He reigns and brings peace.

The world can’t understand him;

the armies can’t defeat him;

schools can’t explain him;

and the leaders can’t ignore him.

Herod couldn’t kill him;

the Pharisees couldn’t confuse him;

the people couldn’t hold him;

Nero couldn’t crush him;

Hitler couldn’t silence him;

the new age can’t replace him;

and Oprah can’t explain him away!

By now, there are dozens of people kneeling in adoration, and applauding and cheering, and onlookers extremely confused. 

He is my redeemer.

He is my saviour.

He is my God.

He is my Priest.

He is my Joy.

He is my Comfort.

He is my Lord

and He rules my life.

The monk with the monstrance gave benediction, signing the crowd with the Eucharist, and the crowd began to disperse. The monk put the Blessed Sacrament safely in his bag, took off his stole, and walked away. 

Behold the Lamb of God.  John points to Jesus for us, that we can point Him out for others.  But in order to do that we must behold him.  Put him at the center of your life, let him change you, let him teach you…for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Friday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time - Entering into God's rest

All this 1^st week of Ordinary Time until the beginning of February, the first readings on normal weekdays are taken from the Letter to the Hebrews.  The Church does not know who wrote the letter to the Hebrews; for many years, a certain verse of chapter 13 seemed to point to Saint Paul, but the jury is still out.

This Letter seems to be addressed to new Jewish Christians, that is Christians of Jewish ancestry.  They were undergoing a severe persecution for their new faith.  The letter states how they  "endured mockery, scourging, even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, sawed in two, put to death at sword's point". So the letter is written to them to strengthen their resolve against abandoning their faith in the face of severe testing.  In fact, scholars say that it is not a letter at all, but a sermon, which should be read aloud in its entirety, if you wish to experience its full power.

Hebrews, over and over again shows how images and stories from the Old Testament are fulfilled in Jesus.  As the Council of Trent declared: the New is Hidden in the Old and the Old is unveiled in the New. 

Both yesterday and today, we heard how the author quotes Psalm 95, as a warning against growing weary and giving up in their witness to Jesus. They are urged to remember the example of Israel’s revolt in the desert that cost a whole generation the loss of the promised land.  It is Jesus who promises to lead us into true paradise.

During Ordinary time we focus on our day-to-day discipleship of Christ.  Not only are we reminded of the need to persevere in times of trial, but we do well, to read and reflect on Scripture, both Old Testament and New, to find strength in our ordinary-day-to-day discipleship.

There was a heretic condemned in the early church by the name of Marcion.  Marcion claimed that the God of the Old Testament and his religion were evil, compared to the new God and new faith presented by Jesus.  So Marcion rejected the entire Old Testament, and even books of the New Testament which did not support his view.

Rather, the Church upholds the Old Testament as inspired text.  In the Old Testament we see God preparing humanity in varied ways for receiving the saving faith and remaining true to that faith in times of trial. And reading and reflecting upon it can open our hearts to that saving faith which strengthens us in times of trial.

The letter to the Hebrews uses the image of a pilgrimage for the Church.  Pilgrims need the sort of attentiveness, patience, obedience, and perseverance found in this beautiful letter.  May we open our hearts to receive all that we need to remain faithful to God on this our pilgrimage, particularly through reading and reflecting on God’s Holy Word, that we may truly enter into his rest, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Monday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time - Spiritual Growth

Now that the Christmas season is ended, we enter into a few weeks of Ordinary time before Lent, beginning early this year, on Wednesday, February 18.

It often feels strange to be wearing the color green in the middle of winter.  Under a few inches of snow, with the grey skies and bare trees, the color green is virtually absent.  Green usually symbolizes the color of fresh leaves and grass, the color of life, it symbolizes growth, and vitality, and hope.

The Green during Ordinary Time is to remind us Christians that we should be working hard on spiritual growth during this time.  Just because the green grass is dormant doesn’t mean we are allowed to be.

The Gospel gives several insights about spiritual growth this morning.

First Jesus says, that “this is the time of fulfillment”.  Jesus uttered those words 2000 years ago because God was breaking into history in a decisive way to fulfill his promises and bring his whole plan to completion. It was a turning point in history, when God entered creation personally to save us from our sins. 

But we hear these words at the beginning of Ordinary time, because God also breaks into our lives through grace.  Ordinary time can be a turning point, when we turn away from our selfish habits and sins, and turn more fully to a life of charity.  We can turn away from harboring grudges and make peace and work for reconciliation. He has a plan for the perfection of each of our souls, and we do well to cooperate with that.

Secondly, Jesus says, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  Because we aren’t preparing for one of the great feasts like we do during Advent and Lent, Ordinary time can seem so-very ordinary.  Our lives can often seem so-very ordinary.  We see the same people every day, do the same tasks every day.  But when we are faithful disciples, even our ordinary day-to-day duties are transformed.  When we are faithful in small things or in large, we merit and grow in grace, and we infuse a little bit of heaven, into this fallen world.

Also, during ordinary time our hearts can be opened to a deeper experience of God’s kingdom already begun—Jesus living and reigning in the heart of the faithful Christian.  Through Baptism, faithful Christians carry with them God’s sanctifying grace—the presence of God. 

The great teachers of prayer like St. Theresa of Avila and John of the Cross show us the that the Christian is meant to develop in prayer.  All living things are meant to grow: acorns develop into oak trees, tadpoles into frogs, babies into adult men and women.  So too the soul is meant to grow through prayer in transforming union with God. 

We do well during Ordinary Time to read the great masters of prayer.  To allow them to teach us what it means to develop in mystical prayer and the experience of God’s abiding presence.

This is the time of fulfillment, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. May we grow in faith, hope, and charity this liturgical season, cooperating with God’s plan and in the experience of his reign for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

Homily: Baptism of the Lord 2015 - Eternal Life

For Catholics, the Christmas Season is marked by three great Feasts.  The Feast of the Lord’s Nativity, the Feast of Epiphany, and today’s feast of the Lord’s Baptism.  These three feasts teach us some very important things about the Lord Jesus, and hopefully should help us encounter his love for us in a more profound manner. 

On Christmas, we journeyed with the humble shepherds to the manger in Bethlehem.  The poor shepherds give testimony that this child associates with the poor and the lowly.  The Most High God doesn’t simply love us from a distance, he comes into the grime and the muck of humanity—into poverty, and filth, and obscurity, and suffering to be among us, to save us from our sins, and to show us the way to true peace and freedom

At Epiphany, we journeyed with wise men from the east bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  The gold testified that he was a king, the frankincense testified that he would reconcile us to God, and the myrrh testified that he would die for us.  Jesus was born to save us from our sins, and desires to sit on the thrones of our hearts. 

On this Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we heard St. Mark’s version of Jesus’ Baptism.  This is one of the rare stories found in all four Gospels.  Where the other Gospel writers tell us how John the Baptist protested when Jesus asked to be Baptized, Mark, in his usual style, is pretty sparse with the details.  All Mark really tells us is that John the Baptist was preparing people for the coming of the kingdom.  But he also includes, as do the other Gospel writers, what happens WHEN Jesus is baptized. 

Something amazing happens, right?  The Holy Spirit descends like a Dove and the voice from heaven speaks.  So, at Christmas, we had shepherds testifying to Jesus’ identify, on Epiphany we had the wise men testifying who Jesus is, now at his Baptism, not only is John the Baptist testifying to Jesus’ Identity, but God the Father and God the Holy Spirit show up as well, to testify that Jesus is the Son of God.

Jesus is not just a wise philosopher like Socrates, he’s not just a moral teacher or spiritual guru .  He’s not a peace activist.  He is God, the second person of the Holy Trinity. His teachings are not just opinions; they are not an amalgamation of human wisdom.  They are the Word of God.

And therefore his Church is not just a social group, like the Rotary Club.  We can join or leave the Rotary Club without consequence to our immortal soul.  That cannot be said for the Church.  What Jesus teaches we believe firmly and without reserve because he is God; where Jesus goes, we follow, for his and his alone is the path that leads to eternal life.

I began Mass this morning asking our catechumens two questions.  What do you ask of God’s Church?  They answered: Faith.  For what does Faith offer you, I asked?  Eternal Life. 

What a wonderful amazing thing, that these five people from diverse backgrounds, jobs, families, have come here, like so many of you, to receive eternal life.   They have come here today to commit to walking the way of Christ which leads to eternal life.  Our very first session of RCIA I asked them, why are you here?  How did the path of your life lead here?  Some said, I want to know more about the Catholic faith.  I want to be Catholic.  I want to share the faith of my family.  I have come to recognize that the Catholic Faith is true.

For many of us: we were baptized as infant and received our religious instruction as children.  But, I think each of us realizes that being Catholic is not just a choice that was made for us, when we were baptized as infants.  It is a choice we make daily.  A choice to believe and profess all the Church teaches. A commitment of our lives daily to God’s care.  A choice to avoid the things that are harmful to our souls, which may compromise our faith. 

Tori, Kenitha, Jennifer, Michael, and Stephen choose freely to be here today.  But also because God has been working in their lives to bring them here.  God has worked through the members of this parish, through the testimony of our faithful parishioners to enkindle in them the fire of faith.  They are here in answer to your prayers.  And I ask you to continue to pray for them as they continue their journey towards full initiation in the Church at Easter.  When you see them at Mass, greet them, let them know that you are praying for them.    

In a few moments we will each personally recite the Profession of Faith.  This is the faith of the Church, this is the faith of the Baptized.  We are proud to profess it.  We look forward to the day that our catechumens will profess it with us as full members of the Church.  Through this faith, may each of us come to the joys of eternal life with Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: Epiphany 2015 - "The Wise Still Seek Him"

On this beautiful Feast of the Epiphany, we reflect on the journey of the wise men—the magi—as they journey to the newborn king in Bethlehem.  The journey of the Magi stands for the journey that all of us must make to come to know Christ.

First of all, who were the Magi anyway?  Matthew uses the greek work “Magoi”.  And there’s been a lot of speculation about these mysterious figures: were they magicians, astrologers, astronomers, kings? 

There was a well-developed culture in the Middle East, particularly in Babylon, of astronomy: gazing up into the night sky, charting and measuring the stars.  Astrologers would try to divine messages from the movement of the stars.  Scripture is very clear that the time for astrology is passed; Christians are forbidden to have anything to do with astrology, or divination, or fortune telling.  Christians are to direct their lives, not by looking up to the stars to divine some hidden message, but by looking to the Word made flesh, and imitating him in all things.

But night after night, these Babylonian astronomers would be attentive to the movement of the stars.  And the Magi of the Epiphany story, conscious of the prophecies of Isaiah, and observing this unique celestial event sought the king, whose coming was foretold. 

I received some wonderful Christmas cards this year, and I am very grateful for the many kind cards received by parishioners here at St. Clare.  My favorite card this year, was a silhouette  of the Magi, with the bright Christmas star shining down on the newborn Christ child and the words printed underneath “the wise still seek him”.  “The wise still seek him”.  What is the definition of a wise person, the one who seeks truth and conforms his life to that truth.  The measure of our wisdom is the extent that we conform our life—our minds, hearts, and actions, to Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life.

In scripture, the opposite of the wise man is the fool.  The wise man seeks God and His Holy Will.  The fool seeks his own way.  Psalm 14 says, “the fool says in his heart, there is no God”.  The fool acts as if God doesn’t exist. 

Sin is foolishness because when we sin we ignore God and his commandments.  Plenty of foolish people not coming to Mass this weekend, because they think that whatever they are doing is more important than being faithful to the commandment of God.

So in Matthew’s Gospel we see these Magi  actively seeking the Truth.  The Magi in Matthew’s Gospel do not sit around waiting for the truth to come to them.  They set out on a quest for truth,  they move, they do something, they embark.  They saw the sign of the newborn king, and said, now we must go out, and they did. 

In the ancient world, even a trip of 100 miles was a major undertaking.  Outside of rush-hour traveling is relatively easy these days. We can drive 500 miles in a day, and maybe just need to stop a couple times to top off our coffee cups and gas tanks.

But the wise men, knowing that this was the most important journey of their lives, decided to undertake this journey over very bad roads, exposed to extreme and unpredictable weather—it might rain, it might snow, there might be a sand storm. They’d have to sleep outdoors, and there is the constant danger of robbers, brigands, and wild animals.   

But they were willing to do it.  And here is the second spiritual lesson: when you see the sign of God, you seek it, with every ounce of your being.  The quest for Christ is the most important journey.  The wise man realizes that all things are secondary to the search for God. 

In the history of the Church we see the saints doing just this: seeking not riches, comfort, or positions of power, but God above all.  We see Mother Theresa going out to the poor dying in the streets, picking them up out of the gutter, and giving them the dignity of shelter and care.  Women like Angela Merici, seeing the young people uncatechized and uneducated, organizing with other women from her neighborhood to become the teaching order of Ursuline Sisters.  John Vianney, on his knees every morning in front of the Eucharist praying for the conversion of his flock who instead of going to Church were going to the bars and brothels.  John Paul II returning to communist Poland to preach the Gospel at the risk of his own life.  Saint Clare, our patroness, who instead of living in the comfort of a castle, sought the poverty of the convent to fall in love with Jesus Christ.  The saints show us that the wise seek him, with their whole hearts.

The Magi seek Christ, they follow the star to Bethlehem  And what do they do when they find him? They prostrate themselves, and they bring him the rich and costly gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  They bring the finest things they could find, gifts worthy of a king. 

Here is another important lesson.  Once you’ve come to Christ and found him, give him your best.  The great danger in the spiritual life is to just give God the leftovers. Rather, give God your best.  Give God more time than you give to worldly distractions.  Start and end your day with prayer, turn off the television, put down the cell phone, and pray, prostrate yourself in his presence, use your finest gifts in his service.  If he’s given you a talent for art, make beautiful art for him, if its cooking, make some food for the hungry. Give God your best.

Finally, having come to Christ, giving him their gifts, Saint Matthew tells us the Magi returned to their home country by a different route.  A different route.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “of course they go back a different route, you never come to Christ and go back the same way you came.”  The encounter with Christ changes you…if weren’t changed you didn’t truly encounter him.

Coming to Mass, offering God the best we have in worship, encountering him and receiving him in Holy Communion, should change us.  We are to go from this mass differently than when we came in.  Do you come to Mass expecting to be changed, hoping to be changed?  To talk differently, to choose differently, to act differently.

The Lord invites us to seek him, to find him, to encounter him, and to be changed by him. 

Today, as he comes to us in Word and Sacrament, let's promise Jesus once again that we, like the Magi, will gladly follow wherever he wants to lead for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

January 2 2015 - St. Basil and Gregory Nazianzen - Luminaries of Christian Faith

The liturgy refers to Saints Basil and Gregory as luminaries—they illuminate by their teaching and example what it means to lovingly profess the truth of the Gospel.

Though both men eventually became Bishops and doctors of the Church, both started out as, “men of the world”.  Basil writes about frivolously wasting time on vanities, and “one day, like a man roused from deep sleep, I turned my eyes to the marvelous light of the truth of the Gospel, and I wept many tears over my miserable life.”  Pope Francis suggested for our new years resolutions, we resolve to turn away from worldly decadences and anything that might get in the way of nurturing the spiritual life.

Both Basil and Gregory were great friends and spent themselves without reserve in faithful service to the Church and in the virtues.  And perhaps that is the true measure of authentic friendship: a good friend helps you to serve God with more of yourself, good friends help us to become saints. True friends help to bring out those qualities in you which are effective in building up the kingdom of God.
As faithful bishops, both Basil and Gregory faced the growing hostility of the Arians, and both sought to mend divisions within the Church.  It may be small comfort, but the turmoil in the Church after Vatican II is a mild storm compared to the devastation caused by the Arian heresy, a trauma the Church has never forgotten.  In the first reading, the Apostle John warns us against listening to those who teach falsely about Jesus.  We like Basil and Gregory are called in our time cling to the true faith and to teach and preach it amidst hostility.

Both were dedicated to the charitable works.  In fact, the charitable institutions Basil founded in his diocese of Ceasarea in Cappaddocia where the sick would come to receive treatment are the origin of our modern day hospitals. For this, Basil is the patron saint of hospital administrators.  Another New Year’s resolution suggested by Pope Francis is that we endeavor to take care of brothers and sisters who are weaker … the elderly, the sick, the hungry, the homeless and strangers, because we will be judged on this.

May the example and heavenly intercession o the friends, Basil and Gregory, continue to illuminate for us the path of faithful Gospel living, helping us to seek the truth, to spend ourselves in faithful service of God and our neighbor, and to care for those in need for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Homily: January 1 2015 - A pattern of faith for the year ahead

2014 was an interesting year for the Church of Christ.

In 2014, both Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II were added to the list of canonized saints, and after the confirmation of a medically unexplainable miracle attributed to his intercession, Pope Paul VI was beatified as well.

In 2014, Pope Francis declared a “Year of Consecrated Life”, that we may all come to a deeper appreciation for the ways consecrated monks and nuns exemplify Gospel values, and a deeper commitment in our own lives to seeking Gospel perfection.

While bishops and lay people were meeting in Rome for the Extraordinary Synod on the Family, Pope Francis in a stroke of diplomatic genius was meeting with representatives from the US and Cuba helping to end a decades-old standoff.

In 2014, The Diocese of Cleveland, the 20^th largest diocese in the United States comprising around 750,000 Catholics continues to be the largest Catholic diocesan system of social services, not only in the country, but in the world, through family and community services, services for persons with disabilities, services for the working poor, unemployed, homeless, refugees, elderly, chronically ill, those with mental health problems and addictions.

In 2014, not counting the 700,000 infants baptized, about 100,000 adults entered the Catholic Church just in the United States.  In fact, there are 15 million more Catholics in 2014 than the previous year.

However, this year also had its tragedies.  Hundreds of thousands of Christians in the middle East were displaced because of persecution, violence and conflict.   2014 saw more global persecution of Christians than any other year in recent history.  School girls were kidnapped by slave traders in Nigeria, Meriam Ibrahim was beheaded in Sudan for converting from Islam; hundreds of Christian girls were kidnapped in Pakistan, thousands of Christians were displaced in Central African Republic.

Yet, in these places, faith still perdures. One Iraqi Christian forced to leave her home said, “I had to leave everything I owned behind. We have nothing to our name and will probably never be able to return to our home. But we are encouraged, because we know that Christians around the world have not forgotten about us."

On this first day of the Year of Our Lord 2015, while much of the world is sleeping off hangovers, the Church gathers in the communion of Faith to celebrate this Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God—to learn from the school of Mary.  For she always presents us with a pattern of living for the days ahead. When we look to her example and entrust ourselves to her intercession, the future is always bright.

Today, I would like to focus on three words from the beautiful passage from the Gospel of Luke, three words which give us three lessons about the spiritual life.

The first word is “haste”.  After they receive the message from the angel about, the Shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph.  This echoes an earlier passage, after Mary hears from the angel that Elizabeth was with-child, Mary goes in haste to help her.  Here is an important lesson from the school of Mary.  Once God’s will for you becomes clear, once the opportunity for doing God’s will presents itself, do it in haste. 

One of the tragedies in the spiritual life is when we let the opportunity pass us by, out of fear, or laziness, not wanting to upset our comfort.  So we doddle.  We know we should pray, but we make excuses, we know we should visit a lonely neighbor, but we set it aside for later, we know we should get more involved in some sort of volunteer service, but we ignore the inspiration, and then forget about it. 

God  gives us many opportunities in this life to know, love, and serve Him.  This year, let us be more attentive and quicker to act on those opportunities to work for peace in our families, to reconcile, to help; let us be quicker to pray, quicker to hold our tongues in times of impatience.

The second word from the gospel today is “astonished”.  After they had visited the newborn Christ-child, they went about and made known the message, and All were “astonished” at what the shepherds told them.  Perhaps you were astonished at some of the facts I presented at the beginning of my homily.  God working through people like Pope Francis and ordinary Catholics in the Diocese of Cleveland—astonished that, even in these modern times, Christians are being persecuted and put to death for their faith.  Astonished that evil still has the run of things. 

It was astonishing to many that God intervened in the lives of the poor shepherds, and this poor couple from this tiny town called Nazareth visiting the tinier town of Bethlehem. It’s astonishing that God does intervene in history, even now. God does work in people’s lives to bring them out of the darkness of sin.  God continues to bring people to Christian faith, and to give them strength in times of trial. 

God breaks into history and into ordinary human lives in an astonishing way in Jesus Christ.  We have a God of surprises, of astonishment, be open this year to new experiences of doing God’s will and knowing God’s love for you.  This year, pray that you may be astonished by God, to be more attentive to the ways he is acting in history, how he wants to act in your life in ways that you may or may not expect. 

The third word is “treasured”.  Mary kept all these things; she treasured these things, reflecting on them in her heart.  If it is true what Socrates said, that the unexamined life is not worth living, Mary shows us the key to a happy, worthwhile life.  She reflected about the announcement from the angel, she contemplated the God-man in her own womb, she treasured the strange visitors who came bringing gifts and glad tidings to her new born son; she turned these holy events over in her mind and heart, she looked at their causes, their implications, pondered them, treasured them, gave God thanks for them. 

Sometimes the dryness or boredom or unhappiness we experience in life is from a failure to treasure, to reflect, to ponder, and to give thanks.  Perhaps 2014 for you was a dry year, an empty year, a sorrowful year.  I encourage you to take another look.  Look at the good people who have touched your lives, the ways that God has stretched you to become the person he made you to be. 

Perhaps, on reflection, there is a nagging feeling that maybe you should be more involved in service, in prayer, in reaching out to others.  Perhaps, upon reflection, there were mistakes made this year.  Treasure the ability to learn from those mistakes, and try again, with God’s help.

Let this New Year be a new start once again, of being open to doing God’s will in haste, of being astonished at his activity in our lives, and treasuring our opportunity to work for the glory of God and salvation of souls.