Holy Family 2017 - The IGeneration and Faith

A few months ago, a professor of Psychology from the University of San Diego, put out a very insightful book titled: “iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood--and What That Means for the Rest of Us.”

The book is a study of the generation of young people. The author calls them the IGeneration, as they are the first generation that has never known a world without iphones and ipads. The author notes some trends amongst IGen’ers born between 1995 and 2012.

For example, whereas previous generations were eager to get out of the house and find their own way in the world, iGen’ers seem to be slow to move out the house.

I remember when I was growing up, I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license. It meant getting out of the house, exploring the world. On average IGen’ers are much more reluctant to leave the comfort and safety of the parental home, with free wi-fi and free food. They’d rather stay at home and play video games and text their friends, than going out for social interactions.  Sadly, the author of the book shows, one of the consequences of this screen-induced introversion is a lack of social skills and another is depression. IGen’ers describe themselves as unhappier than previous generations.

The book’s chapter on religious attitudes causes us some concern. It’s not a secret that since the 1960s there’s been a growing negative attitude toward organized religion: many baby boomers and gen-x’ers describe themselves as “spiritual, but not religious.” But, as recently as the 1980s, 90 percent of high school seniors identified with some religious group. But now in 2017, only a third of 18-24 year-olds claim to believe in God, at all. Less than that pray on a regular basis, and less than that attend Church services.

What happened in the course of 20 years? Well, screen time has certainly replaced prayer time. And it’s also replaced family time. And this has been detrimental to religious faith. Vatican II described the family as a domestic Church. In other words, the family is where the basics of Christianity are learned and lived out. And when those family religious practices are replaced by sports, entertainment, not to mention the secular propaganda found in nearly every pop song, video and movie, the virtue of religion is never developed.

I am in such awe of so many of our parish families, who make the sacrifices to come to Church every week, who are providing Catholic education for their children, who seek to make Christ the center of their family life despite all the competing activities out in the world. It takes much more effort than in generations past; the culture today simply does not support religious practice—and our young parents deserve much credit for their energy and sacrifices.

Today’s Solemnity of the Holy Family, within the Christmas octave, reminds us that family is to be a bedrock of faith. And our Scripture readings today speak of God’s plan for families.

Sirach for example describes a sort of family ideal: a father and mother set in honor and authority over their children, children revering and praying for their parents, obeying them and caring for them when they grow old.  The biblical ideal is not meant to be discarded simply because it is difficult. It is the timeless word of God. Most families are works in progress, and that is okay. But each family member needs to take personal responsibility for the good of the family, to living up to the ideal set by God.

We all know of truly tragic and heart-breaking family situations – divorce, children lost to drugs, squabbles over inheritances, misunderstandings, even betrayals – but even in those situations, God’s word speaks: “Put on, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another”
A few years ago Pope Francis suggested some practices to ensure peace in the family: he encouraged the use of three phrases, hopefully you’ve heard and used them before: please, thank you, and I’m sorry.

The word “please” helps us to develop a respect for the time and effort of others. The phrase “thank you” helps us to appreciate the dignity of others, who give of their time and treasure for our good.  And the phrase “I’m sorry” helps us to mend the brokenness caused by selfishness.

These three phrases: “please, thank you, and I’m sorry” help us to develop the humility needed for the Christian life. For when we are able to say please, thank you, and I’m sorry to each other, we learn the importance of saying, please, thank you, and I’m sorry to God.

In the Gospel for this Holy Family Sunday, we hear that after the birth of the Christ Child and after he was presented to God in the Temple, the Holy Family returned to their home town of Nazareth, the Christ child “grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.”

How can your family grow and becoming stronger, become filled with God’s wisdom and favor?

The family that prays together stays together. Time should be set aside every week, perhaps Sunday nights, to put down the screens and turn off the televisions and to gather as a family, to sit down with the Sunday scripture readings again, to perhaps pray a family rosary together, and to pray for one another. You’ll never regret time spent in family prayer, praying with your spouse and your children, but, most of us regret spending so much time with the IDevices. For those IDevices so often lead us to focus inordinately on “I” and not “Us.” You really might also want to consider a family rule of not bringing the idevices or even televisions into the bedrooms, as they are known to distract us from the rest we should be getting.

On this Holy Family Sunday let us commit to making our families places where the Christian faith grows and becomes strong, where the favor of God comes to rest upon us, as we make Christ the center of our family life, through prayer, charity, and bearing our trials, anxieties, and hardships trusting in God’s grace, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

December 29 2017 - St. Thomas Becket - The Price of Peace

On the second day of Christmas we heard of the suffering of St. Stephen, stoned to death for his witness to Christ. On the third day of Christmas we heard of the suffering of the Apostle St. John, who suffered arrest, torture, and exile for Christ. Yesterday, we heard of the suffering of the Holy Innocents, slaughtered by the King in his attempt to rid the world of Christ. On this fifth day of Christ, the Church honors the Archbishop Thomas Becket, murdered on the steps of his Cathedral for opposing the king’s plans to infringe upon the freedom of the Church.

We also heard the story of the presentation of Jesus in the Jerusalem Temple. The identity of the Christ Child continued to be revealed to the Holy Family through the prophecy of Simeon. His future will involve upheaval, pain and suffering.

For someone who was prophesied as the Prince of Peace, the liberator of captives, proclaimer of good news to the poor, he certainly seems to be surrounded by tremendous suffering and upheaval! Simeon told the Lord, His Master, that he was ready to die now that he had seen Jesus alive. Jesus’ Mother Mary was even going to have to suffer: swords of sorrow would pierce her heart.

If he is to bring peace, good news, reconciliation, and eternal life, it all certainly seems to come at price. And I think that’s right. It does.  His kingdom of peace in our souls is born when we die to sin, and that is not a popular message. It’s a message that the saints have embraced and the world has resisted for two thousand years.

St. Stephen, killed for preaching Christ. St. John, arrested, tortured, and exiled for preaching Christ. St. Thomas Becket, killed for preaching that the powers of the world must submit to the rule of Christ.

In the Incarnation, Jesus became like us that we might become like Him. But that transformation comes at price. We must submit, we must die and let him live in us. This truth is what allowed Paul to joyfully proclaim: “it is not I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.” The cross is the price for peace.

If it was true for Jesus, and if it was true for Mary, we can be sure it’s true for us as well. And the sooner we do, the sooner we trust God, and embrace the cross of obedience, faith, and self-sacrifice, the sooner we will know his peace, and peace, the life, the light the world cannot give, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the witness of the Church may help all nations come to believe in the Lordship of Jesus, and that our Bishops and Priests might have the courage to proclaim the truth amidst the errors of the world.

That those in civic authority may submit their minds and hearts to the rule of Christ, the Prince of Peace and Hope of the nations.

For the healing of families divided by sin and selfishness, for a strengthening of all marriages, that young people may be formed to have deep and authentic faith.

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness, addiction, or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body.

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

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

December 28 2017 - Feast of the Holy Innocents

Historically, Herod was well known for his cruelty. He was believed to have engineered the death of a rival prince. Fearing the schemes of his own sons who Herod believed to be planning to usurp the throne, he had them executed as well. Caesar Augustus, who was no stranger himself to murder and intrigue, was said to have commented that, “I would rather be Herod’s dog than his son.”

Knowing his paranoia and cruelty, it is not surprising that Herod felt threatened by the rumor of the birth of the promised Messiah in Bethlehem. If these rumors were true, such a revelation meant the end of Herod and his dynasty. When he was unable to discover the identity of this child, we heard today how Herod ordered all the young children in the region around Bethlehem to be killed.

Herod’s extreme brutality and grasp for power at the threat of the loss of his throne reminds us of the many “Herods” throughout history—those who stop at nothing to safeguard their own personal kingdoms. 

Cruel King Herod represents all the powers that stand against Christ. Yet, when we are honest with ourselves we must admit that hostility to Christ exists not just out in the world, they lurk within us all. There are parts of ourselves that want nothing to do with Christ: they are the parts of us that resist conversion.

Yet this feast is not focused on the hostility of Herod, but on the witness of the innocents. The Lord Jesus, who was born in order to die for others, begins his life with others dying because of him. Those young children slaughtered by Herod are counted amongst the ranks of the glorious martyrs, whose blood is shed in witness to the Lordship of Christ.

The sacrifice of the Holy Innocents was not in vain. From heaven, no doubt they pray for us now. They pray for the conversion of the Herod’s of our modern day, who put innocent life to death. And, they pray for our conversion as well, especially those parts of us that resemble Herod’s hostility to holiness. They pray that our “Herodness” may be changed into holy innocence, that the darkness in our world may be converted to light, that error may converted to truth, and cruelty be converted to compassion, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the witness of the Church may help all nations come to believe in the Lordship of Jesus.

That our president and all civil servants will carry out their duties with justice and honesty, and for the reversal of any law which permits or leads to the destruction of innocent human life, and that God may protect all unborn babies, and keep them safe from the scourge of abortion, we pray to the Lord.
For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life and a strengthening of all marriages in holiness.

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness, addiction, or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body.

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

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

December 27 2017 - St. John, Apostle and Evangelist - Patron of the Diocese of Cleveland

St. John the Apostle is often depicted in art with his head resting on the breast of Christ, as he does at the Last Supper. Among the apostles, it was John alone who remained at Christ’s side at the crucifixion. John, in a sense, is among the first-born of the apostles, along with Peter, James, the Lord’s inner-circle. So how fitting it is to celebrate the apostle’s feast in such proximity to the Lord’s birthday, which John described in his Gospel, as the Word becoming flesh.

St. Ireneaus, bishop of Lyons around the year 200, reported with assurance: “John, the disciple of the Lord, who rested on the heart of Jesus, wrote a Gospel when he was in Ephesus.” Ireneaus, of course, was a disciple of St. Polycarp, who died around 156, and who was made bishop of Smyrna by St. John himself. Remaining so close to the Lord, it is no wonder that his Gospel is among the most mystical, filled with the most intense insight into the divine identity of the Lord.

In the Gospel for today’s feast, we read John’s own account of the morning of that first Easter. Upon hearing the news of the empty tomb, John sprints ahead of St. Peter to reach the Lord’s resting place. Was it his youthfulness or his intense love of the Lord which allowed him to reach the tomb first? Probably a little bit of both. Peter was likely weighed down by the guilt of having denied the Lord, during the Passion, while John had remained faithful. John, in his humility, though, shows deference to the Prince of the Apostles, by allowing Peter to enter the tomb first.

His humility may be a bit surprising, as elsewhere in the Gospel, John shows a thunderous temperament, wanting to call fire down from heaven on a group of unwelcoming Samaritans. Jesus, in fact, calls John, and his brother James, the sons of thunder.

We know, though, that the thunderous temperament of John was indeed tempered into a pure and zealous love of the Lord. After the resurrection, John preached the Gospel fearlessly, he was arrested, tortured, and exiled to the island of Patmos, from which he wrote his three new testament epistles, and continued to shepherd the Church with great pastoral care.

After his death, the bishop Polycrates testified that John’s body was returned to Ephesus, where he was once bishop and caretaker of the blessed Virgin Mary.

St. John is the patron of the diocese of Cleveland, and he is a powerful example to all of us: of zealous love for the Lord, temper under control, mystical prayer, devotion to the Blessed Virgin, tireless pastor, who used his intellectual gifts to combat the errors plaguing his flock and bestowing to the Church of all ages, a portrait of piercing insight of the Lord Jesus. May we know continuously the example and heavenly intercession of so great a patron saint for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.

For the Church of Cleveland under the patronage of St. John, apostle and evangelist, and particularly for Bishop Nelson Perez, that together we may witness faithfully and tirelessly to the truth of the Gospel

For Christians who are persecuted throughout the world, especially those who face martyrdom, that they may have a faith that is constant and pure.

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body.

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

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

December 26 2017 - St. Stephen - The First Martyr

Yesterday, we were joyfully celebrating Christ’s Birth.  Today we commemorate the birth into Heaven of the first martyr of the Church, the Deacon Stephen. And, in the atmosphere of Christmas joy, the celebration of martyrdom seems out of place. In fact, this whole week is pretty bloody: thursday we’ll commemorate the infants of Bethlehem, slaughtered by King Herod and Friday, the murder of the Bishop Thomas Becket in his Cathedral.

The baby Jesus is so loveable, so adorable, and no doubt, we are called to cherish him, to hold him in our arms and love him.  Yet, in holding him so close, we must ensure that we do not stifle him—holding him back from accomplishing in this world what he was sent to accomplish: our salvation.  The temptation is to keep the baby Jesus, small and undemanding.  Yet, to love him, is to love the entire Jesus, cradle to cross: as baby, teacher, master, and lord.

The divine Child in Mary’s arms grows into the same man who says in the Gospel today, “You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.” The babe of Bethlehem calls us to follow him with total trust and faithfulness.

Saint Stephen the deacon followed the Lord’s call.  The word deacon, comes from the Greek Word, diakonia, the New Testament word for service. Stephen is the patron of all deacons, an example for deacons to serve others out of love and to remain ever faithful in the defense of Christ’s teaching.
Not all of us are called to be deacons, but all of us are called to diakonia—to serve in whatever capacity we can—in building up the Church and leading others to Christ.

St. Stephen’s diakonia reminds us of the indivisible link between the Christmas creche and the cross, and that Our Lord came not to be sentimentalized, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.


St. Fulgentius, in a homily for this feast said, “The love that brought Christ from heaven to earth raised Stephen from earth to heaven…Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven.” May St. Stephen help us to more fully and faithfully love and serve the Lord in every dimension of our earthly life, and be made worthy of the kingdom of heaven, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.

That all Christians who joyfully celebrated Christ’s birth may be strengthened in Christian charity toward all.

That through the intercession of St. Stephen, all ordained deacons, may be strengthened in faith, hope, and love.

For Christians who are persecuted throughout the world, especially those who face martyrdom, that they may have a faith that is constant and pure.

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body.

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

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

Christmas 2017: "They wrapped him in swaddling clothes."

What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

“What Child is this,” What child is this whose birth we gather to celebrate this day? We learn a lot about his identity and his mission, by the company he keeps, by those who gathered for his birth: Angels, shepherds, wise men, a carpenter, and a sinless virgin: seekers, workers, the humble. There are certainly some seekers, some workers, and maybe even some angels here tonight. As my favorite Christmas card says, “the wise seek him still.”

We also learn a lot about the Christ child by where he was born: not in a royal palace, not in a hospital, not in his family home, not even in the village inn, but in stable, a cave used for housing and feeding animals in the backwater town of Bethlehem. We have a God who chooses to be born into “straw poverty”, who teaches us to seek him and to serve him in his poor ones.

But I’d like to focus not on those who witnessed his birth, nor on his place of birth, I’d like to focus on his clothes. When the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds, by what sign were they to know him? His swaddling clothes. “And this will be a sign for you,” the angel said, “you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

There is a story about a number of priests who were on a retreat with the famous biblical scholar, Donald Senior, and they were going around the room talking about their favorite biblical passage.  One priest said his favorite passage was, “Lord, to whom shall we go, you have the words of everlasting life.”  Another priest said his was, “Let it be done to me according to thy word.”  The priests expected the noted biblical scholar to have some complex passage from St. Paul’s letters, but he said his favorite passage was, “and they wrapped him in swaddling clothes”.  They wrapped him in swaddling clothes.  He says, “we have a God who was a baby in a manger, we have a God who wore a diaper, we have a God who was wrapped in swaddling clothes.  That’s how accessible, that’s how loveable our God is.  He’s a baby.  And he wants us to pick him up, and embrace him, and kiss him, and he wants us to tell him that we love him, and need him, that he has changed our lives, and that we will spend our lives loving him.”

On Christmas Eve a few years ago, Pope Benedict wrote, “God is so great that he can become small. God is so powerful that he can make himself vulnerable and come to us as a defenseless child, so that we can love him. God is so good that he can give up his divine splendor and come down to a stable, so that we might find him, so that his goodness might touch us, give itself to us and continue to work through us.”

His swaddling clothes certainly speak of Our Lord’s humility.

Yet, the swaddling clothes have another significance.

Bethlehem wasn’t known for much, but it did have one industry, you might call it. The shepherds of Bethlehem raised lambs for the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. They were Levitical shepherds and raised the lambs that would be used in the Passover sacrifice in the Jerusalem temple. And when it was time for these lambs to be born the shepherds, would bring them into the shepherd’s cave and then they would be swaddled because the sacrifice had to be without spot or blemish.

A baby born in the same place as the sacrificial Passover Lambs, swaddled like a Passover lamb, pointed to the fact that this child was the Lamb of God born to be the sacrifice which takes away the sins of the world. Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen would often say, some men were born to live.

He was born to die for us.
Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spears shall pierce him through,
the cross he bore for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
the Babe, the Son of Mary.

The cross he bore for me, for you. This is why he was born. Or as we recite in the Creed: "For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man." The Creed itself links these two ideas: his birth and our need for a Savior.

Had our greatest need been knowledge, God would have sent us an educator.  Had our greatest need been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.  So too had our greatest need been for money, God would have sent us an economist.  Had our greatest need been for pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But, because our greatest need was for redemption from sin, God sent us a Savior.
His very name, Jesus, means “God saves”. As the angel said to Joseph, “you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

To us is born a Savior, into the poverty of Bethlehem, to bring us the riches of heaven.
To us is born a Savior, who is wrapped in swaddling clothes, that we may know we are wrapped in God’s love.
To us is born a Savior, who brings healing to the most broken of the human family.
To us is born a Savior, who commands the storms of our life to “Be still!”
To us is born a Savior, who casts out demons from the darkest souls.
To you is born a Savior, the Passover Lamb, who allows his hands and feet to be nailed to a cross to rescue us from our sin.
To us is born a Savior, who pronounces our sins forgiven and who feeds us with his flesh and blood, that we might have eternal life.
To us is born a Savior, who sends us out to bring his scattered sheep into one flock, the Church.
To us is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

4th Sunday of Advent 2017 - 4 Marian Lessons

All four candles of the Advent wreath are lit, for we are on the threshold of Christmas. In just a few hours, we will begin our Christmas festivities. So, how can we use the few hours we have left to the best of our ability--to our greatest spiritual benefit?

Well, our Scripture readings focus us on the Blessed Virgin Mary, particularly the moment of her response of faith to become the Mother of the Son of God. I submit that the best way to prepare for Christmas is to do just what our Scripture readings have done: to focus on Mary: so we can emulate her attitude, her faith, her response to God. And so I propose four short Marian Lessons to keep in mind—lessons from Mary’s own Advent journey.

The first lesson is from Mary’s Annunciation. From the angel’s lips, Mary heard that she was to conceive and bear a child, who would reign on the throne of David as the Son of the Most High. Gabriel had spoken of high and glorious things, and how does Mary respond? Her attitude here is so striking: her calm reserve and her humility; without pretension, without apparent anxiety, in plain ordinary words, Mary calls herself the handmaiden of the Lord—she identifies as a humble servant who trusts God.
The key to Mary’s calmness, her peacefulness, was not doubt her humility. For humility trusts the Lord in all things and seeks to serve the Lord in all things. Instead of placing the ego, at the center, humility places God’s Will at the center. If your family is anything like mine, Christmas can be a time of high drama, even some anxiety. So before Christmas dinner, before facing the in-laws, before the kids rip open the presents, pray, that you might follow Mary’s example of surrendering every moment to God’s will.

The second lesson is from Mary’s Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth. Soon after the Annunciation, Mary “went in haste to the hill country of Judea”. Here is Mary, chosen by God for this monumental task, in a unique position in all of human history, facing many unknown realities. What is she going to tell her parents? What is she going to tell her husband Joseph? What are her neighbors going to think of her pregnancy, since she has not yet moved in with her husband? And what does the Blessed Mother do? She makes haste to take care of her cousin. If she was at all anxious, she doesn’t show it; she puts her questions aside and goes to help another.

Be like Mary: Be quick to help and serve each other this Christmas. I remember, at Christmas Eve dinner at my grandparents, nearly every year, there was all this drama about setting the dinner table, and again, when it was time to clear the table after dinner. Cousins would complain, aunts would argue. It seemed like everyone was keeping track of what everyone else was doing. Christmas isn’t about serving those who serve us, but charity without measure, making haste, like Mary, to help in any way you can. It’s not about keeping track, but simply giving what you can when you can, even seeking out opportunities to serve and to give.

The third lesson is from Mary’s Journey with Joseph to Bethlehem. The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was about 65 miles and took four or five days: 65 miles, probably on the back of a donkey, through rocky terrain, while nine months pregnant. Mary also had to face that her Son, the Son of God, would not be born in the comfort of her own home, surrounded by her close family. Rather, he would be born in a foreign town, hopefully in the comfort of an inn, but you never know.

The need to travel to Bethlehem for the Census was beyond her control, here we see Mary’s trust and also her willingness to suffer: her willingness to trust God amidst suffering without complaint. As you gather with family, there will likely be some things which are beyond your control—some annoyances you will likely have to suffer quietly and patiently. It may be the unnerving way your in-laws comment on your life choices; it may also be the sad revelation that family members aren’t living the Catholic faith as they should. Like Mary, bear the small annoyances quietly and patiently, and set good Christian example for those who need it.

The fourth Advent lesson is lesson from the Nativity. Having humbly surrendered to God’s will, having made haste to help others, having quietly and patiently suffered months of pregnancy and miles of difficult travel, Mary was able to behold the Christ child in her arms and behold his face in peaceful joy. We too must take time, amidst the busy-ness of the holiday, and hold the holy infant, so tender and mild, in our hearts and souls. “Cum Maria contemplemur Christi vultum”: with Mary, let us contemplate the face of Christ. Beholding the face of the infant Christ Child is a special type of prayer unique to this time of year as the image of Mother and Child is presented so vividly to us. Take time with your family to kneel in prayer before the nativity scene, to put yourself, to kneel down with shepherds and wise men, and simply behold him.

To keep Christ in Christmas, and to experience true Christmas peace and joy, requires active cooperation with the will of God. Humility isn’t easy, charity isn’t easy, bearing difficulty and suffering isn’t easy, and prayer isn’t easy. But with the help of Our Lady, Mary Most Holy, we are able to cooperate with God, like her, most generously, and experience the closeness and splendor of the Christ child, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

December 22 2017 - An attitude of gratitude for Christmas

The readings today remind us that every gift and every blessing comes from God. God is the origin of every good thing in our lives.

In the first reading, from the first book of Samuel, Hannah brings her son Samuel to the temple to present him, dedicate him, and consecrate him to the Lord. Remember, Hannah had experienced deep sorrow and misery over her barrenness, so she prayed devoutly for a son. She recognizes that the birth came through the Lord’s great favor, and so she returned to the temple where she once prayed, now to thank God for her son. “I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;”

Yesterday, we heard how Our Lady went in haste to the hill country of Judea to care for her kinswoman Elizabeth. When Elizabeth praises Our Lady, calling her “the mother of my Lord”, Mary in turn praises God by praying her great Magnificat. Mary recognizes that God is the source of her blessing, and returns all praise to Him.

Mary and Hannah teach us an important lesson as we approach Christmas. Christmas is filled with so many blessings: of family, presents, good food. As we partake in these great blessings, it is important for us to do so with the prayerful gratitude. At the end of each day, in fact, we do well to look back on our day, thanking God for each and every blessing.

The O Antiphon for today, the 22nd of December, reminds us of our humble origins. “O King of the nations, the cornerstone and the desire of all peoples. Come and save the human race, which you fashioned from clay.”

Made from the clay, we owe our gratitude to God for everything, for the gift of life, for the food which fills the earth, for the time we’ve been given to “work out our salvation” as St. Paul says.
May an attitude of gratitude prevail in us this Christmas by using our time, talent, and treasure for his will, not simply our own. May we recognize in the Christ Child the source of all blessing and salvation, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That all peoples of the earth may come to believe in God as the source of all life, goodness, and blessing.

For the protection of the unborn, and the overturning of all laws lacking respect for the dignity of human life.

That those struggling with winter depression or addiction may find peace and joy in Christ.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

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

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

December 21 2017 - Winter is past!

On this darkest day of the year, the first day of winter, we hear a surprising message from the Song of Songs: “winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth”.  Those of us who live in Northeastern Ohio know that the snows are just beginning, the flowers won’t be seen for several months. Yet, the Church proclaims that because the Lord is near, it is a day of spiritual springtime, a time of new growth, a time where light begins to appear again.

The Gospel reading as well is full of life and vibrancy: the pregnant Virgin Mother going in haste to visit her once barren cousin Elizabeth, the baby John the Baptist leaping in his mother’s. There is singing, there is the joyful expectancy of the two mothers, there is praising of God.

These readings remind us of the importance of walking by faith. Naturally, it may be cold and the darkest day of the year.
Supernaturally, however, our hearts can be burning, on fire with love for God  as the light of Advent shines ever more brightly. Some people experience a deep depression this time of year, as the sun is seen less and less. Christians, though are called to rejoice in spite of the darkness of the world. We turn our faces to the light of the true sun. The O Antiphon speaks of Jesus as the Radiant Dawn, Splendor of eternal life, and Sun of Justice.. Christ is our light precisely because he saves us from the cause of our most crippling depression, sin, which brought darkness to our minds, and separation from God.

Today, may we bask in the light of our coming savior through our prayer and charity towards those in need, may we bring his light into the dark corners of the world, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That those in the darkness of error and faithlessness may be enlightened by the light of Christ through the witness of the Church

For the protection of the unborn, and the overturning of all laws lacking respect for the dignity of human life.

That those struggling with winter depression or addiction may find peace and joy in Christ.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

December 19 2017 - Deliverance from spiritual barrenness

In our readings we see a parallel between the birth of Samson, which began the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines, and the birth of St. John the Baptist, which began the deliverance of all of mankind.

Both Samson and John were consecrated to God from the womb, neither was to drink strong drink, or cut their hair, which is why you often see depictions of John the Baptist out in the wilderness with a long-scraggly mane. Both Samson and John’s mothers suffered from barrenness, an inability to conceive, until the intervention of God.

Samson died because of his mission.  John the Baptist died because of his mission.

Why does the Church give us this pair of stories to reflect upon on this late advent day, in preparation for Christmas.

For one, I think, it helps us to trust that God can and does bring about tremendous fruitfulness in what appears to be barren situations. Both Elizabeth and Samson’s mother,  were barren for decades.

Where there is spiritual barrenness in our world and even in our hearts, at times, God is at work to bring about fruitfulness. Our job is to trust God’s promises, like Elizabeth and Samson's mother.

Secondly, we see God breaking into human lives to begin to deliver his people. God does not drop salvation impersonally out of the sky. His deliverance occurs through the conception of children, in this case Samson and John the Baptizer  These baby boys prepare the way for the birth of another Baby, Jesus.

God sends salvation in incarnate, human packages. So we need to be attentive to the people God has placed in our lives, to help us along the way of holiness, and to recognize that we too are to help others be delivered from their sins, particularly through acts of charity and sharing of the truth of the Gospel.

May we continue to increase our trust in the Lord to bring life to the spiritual barrenness in our world and in our souls and to help us to be his instruments to deliver his people from their sins, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That God may bring the faithless to believe in His Son and increase the faith of those struggling to believe.

For all expectant mothers and for those who struggle with barrenness, that God may grant them strength and grace.

That children and young people may seek to be consecrated to the Lord in word and deed and become instruments of Christ’s Truth and Love.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

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

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

December 18 2017 - O Adonai

Yesterday began what is often called “Deep Advent” or “Late Advent”.  Where the first two weeks of Advent focus on the Second Coming of Christ at the End of Time, the second half of Advent focuses on his first coming at his birth and his abiding with us.  The scripture and the prayers of the Mass help us to focus on the identity of the Christ Child, and the mission for which he is born.

The Gospel acclamations during these last few days of Advent are the ancient “O Antiphons.” Each Antiphon begins by addressing Christ by one of His messianic titles from the Old Testament. O Sapientia, O Adonai, O Radix Jesse, O Clavis David, O Oriens, O Rex Gentium, and O Emmanuel. The antiphon ends with a heartfelt plea for his coming.

The archangel in the Gospel refers to the Christ Child as a child with many names. He will be called Jesus, who name means “God saves”. His name signifies his identity and mission. Mary’s son is God in the flesh born to save us from or sins.

Archangel Gabriel explains this fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us."

Today, I chanted “O Adonai et dux domus Israel”.  O Adonai and leader of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

The Christ Child for whom we prepare is identified with the Lord of Israel and the giver of the law. The O Antiphon refers to the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai and also the prophet Isaiah who says, “Adonai is our lawgiver, Adonai is our king: he will save us.”

Again, preparing well for Christmas isn’t simply about making sure our presents are wrapped and cookies are made. We do well to meditate deeply on the identity and mission of the Christ Child.

Recognizing that the Christ Child is Lord, Adonai, means that we belong to him, we owe our loyalty to Him as subjects to a king, we owe our obedience to his law, and we owe worship to his glory, bringing to him the pure and acceptable offering of the total submission of our minds, hearts, and lives.

May our honor of him help every tongue to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That the witness of the Church may help all nations come to believe in the Lordship of Jesus.

That our president and all civil servants will carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for the dignity of every human life.  We pray to the Lord.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life and a strengthening of all marriages in holiness.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

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

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

3rd Sunday of Advent 2017 - Joy and Liberation

This last week, Bishop Perez celebrated Mass for about 50 inmates at the Cuyahoga County Jail. Our diocese has a fairly strong outreach to the imprisoned: mindful of the Lord’s teaching, “when I was imprisoned, you visited me.” Visiting those imprisoned, spending time with them, bringing them the Sacraments of the Church, is an important ministry, helping the imprisoned to remember that God has not abandoned them.

Whatever the circumstances leading up to their imprisonment, a knowledge of God’s love and God’s presence can help them find redemption and hopefully make a positive return to society.
So Bishop Perez celebrated Mass this week in anticipation of Christmas, just a week away. And he shared a little reflection on the Christmas story. He noted that the beautiful depictions of the Nativity scene we see on Christmas Cards, are not entirely accurate. Jesus was born in a cold, dirty cave, into a “real mess” said the Bishop.

Bishop likened the situation of the Holy Family on Christmas to some of the prisoner’s situations, which might also be described as a “real mess.” But the Christmas message is that it is precisely into the real mess of our lives that the Christ Child desires to be born: into the messiness, into the challenges and hardships, into the illnesses and financial concerns, into the addictions and family divisions. And the Bishop prayed that “As you confront what you are confronting, may you come face-to-face with the Christ Child.”

This week also the Church celebrated the feast of a saint who was himself imprisoned. St. John of the Cross was imprisoned, nearly starved, and publicly flogged by his own religious community. Not for committing a crime, they opposed and imprisoned St. John for attempting to reform his community according to the rule, the statutes, of his religious order. St. John saw that his community had abandoned the austerity, the poverty, and the discipline called for by the Carmelite Rule, but when he called for reform, he was silenced and imprisoned.  Some people don’t like to be told that they are not being faithful to God!

In prison St. John came to know the cross quite acutely; for there he learned to unite his sufferings with the suffering and death of Jesus, as he sat month after month in his dark narrow cell.
But, he did not blame God for his situation, he did not become bitter because of the injustice. His sufferings did not diminish his desire for holiness. Rather, his desire for union with God increased. He passed the time reflecting on the Scriptures which he had memorized and composing poetry. In the darkness of the prison, he bloomed into a great mystical poet and theologian, and even enjoyed a depth of prayer that could be described as ecstatic. In the dark dank prison cell he discovered joy, the joy of the cross.

We, present here today, are not imprisoned, like the inmates of the County Prison or like St. John of the cross, but there’s likely a measure of messiness to each of our lives, or perhaps we feel imprisoned by circumstances beyond our control. And Advent helps us to prepare for new ways to encounter Christ in whatever we are facing.

The third Sunday of Advent is traditionally called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for rejoice. During this holy season we look forward in joy for the coming of our savior. On this Gaudete Sunday, St. Paul give us what sounds like an insane teaching: rejoice in the Lord always, In all circumstances give thanks. Paul writes these words just about 10 years before he himself would be imprisoned because of his preaching of the Gospel of Christ. Rejoice always. Really? Even in prison? Unemployment? Marital difficulties? Even when I seem to be failing at all life’s demands? I think Paul would, yes, rejoice always.

Of course, we don’t rejoice over the hardships and injustices themselves—over the unfortunate events and family divisions. St. Paul is saying, Christians are able to rejoice despite these trials because the Lord is near.

I think this is one dimension of the “liberty to captives” that Isaiah prophesied about in our first reading: that Christians are never truly captive, we are never truly alone, never truly abandoned because the Lord is near, and he gives us the freedom to be faithful despite our temptations and hardships.

Another dimension of this liberty that Jesus the Messiah brings is that he actually does help us mend the broken relationships, he helps us overcome the imprisoning sinful tendencies, he heals the wounds of sin and division in our life when we let him. Sometimes the working of grace doesn’t happen as quickly as we would like, or in the manner we first expected. Sometimes the Lord urges us to change our unrealistic expectations or to work harder for the peace we long for or to trust and fast and pray more deeply.

St. Paul writes about joy over 20 times in his New Testament letters. Joy is to be the defining characteristic of the Christian. Joy comes not from being free of crosses, but being filled with the life of the Lord despite those crosses, uniting ourselves to Jesus through those crosses. Joy comes from knowing the Lord and experiencing his nearness. The imprisoned Christian can be more full of joy than the spoiled Atheist in the midst of his mansion and earthly treasures.

If anyone here is experiencing a joylessness this Advent season, I encourage you to seek the Lord’s presence more deeply in prayer, in scripture, in the eucharistic chapel, in service of the poor. Joylessness is often a result of taken our focus off the Lord and onto the non-essentials and worldly pursuits. So repent of those times you’ve allowed selfishness or anxiety distract you from the closeness of the Lord, that you may be filled with his life and joy, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Friday - 2nd Week of Advent 2017 - Freedom from self-delusion

In yesterday’s Gospel, Jesus proclaimed that “among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist.” He praises John for his humility, his service, his willingness to undergo suffering for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. And then in today’s Gospel, Jesus compare’s John’s attitude, with these noisy, disagreeable children, foolishly parading through the marketplace, mocking Jesus, and missing the point of his presence among them.

Jesus is saying, John gets, but many don’t: John rightly identifies Jesus as the Son of God, others misidentify Jesus as just another charlatan or entertainer; John prepares well for the coming of the Messiah, many remain unprepared, foolishly parading through life, mocking Christ’s message.

This foolishness has continued through the ages, and continues in our own day. Holy Church prepares rightly for the Advent of Christ, the world plays foolish games; Holy Church repents, engages in works of mercy, prayers more fervently, the world acts continues down its road of self-delusion, self-indulgence, and self-destruction.

Yet, there is certainly a challenge for all of us to consider the games we play with God: instead of repenting, instead of praying more fervently, instead of seeking out volunteer service opportunities, what games do we play with God, what excuses do we make?

Our games do not bring peace of soul, gentleness, or joy; they perpetuate restlessness, family division, and addiction. As Jesus says, “Wisdom is vindicated by her works”. God sees through our games, through our self-delusion. But we can be sure that God desires nothing more than to free us from them.

21st century Christians must be very careful, that our attitude towards Advent, our attitude towards Jesus, doesn’t mimic the moral and spiritual laxity of our age, but follows the wisdom of the saints, the humble seriousness of John the Baptist, the solemn surrender of the Blessed Mother.

May our Advent devotions bring us freedom from the foolish and selfish attitudes of our age into a deeper and more authentic faithfulness to the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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We raise up our prayers of petition, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That Advent repentance and devotion may prepare us rightly for Christmas joy.

That our president and all civil servants will carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for the dignity of every human life.  We pray to the Lord.

For the conversion of those who reject Jesus and His Church, those who have fallen into serious sin, and those who have fallen away from the Church.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

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

Almighty ever-living God, who brings salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

December 14 2017 - St. John of the Cross - Lessons from Prison

For attempting to reform his Religious Order, the Carmelites, St. John of the Cross was imprisoned, nearly starved, and publicly flogged by his own religious brothers. They opposed John’s determination to observe the primitive Carmelite rule which emphasized austerity, poverty, and discipline.

It was in prison that John came to know the cross acutely, for there he learned to unite his suffering with the suffering and death of Jesus, as he sat month after month in his dark narrow cell.

His sufferings did not diminish his desire for holiness, rather, his desire for union with God increased. He passed the time reflecting on the Scriptures which he had memorized and composing poetry. In the darkness of the prison, he bloomed into a great mystical poet and theologian.

He authored books and poems titled The Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night of the Soul, the Spiritual Canticle, and The Living Flame of Love. 

Of the thirty-six Doctors of the Church, John of the Cross is known as “the Mystical Doctor” for his writings on the mystical union with God the soul achieves through purification and purgation of its selfishness in this life through suffering and penance.

In his Ascent of Mount Carmel, John teaches, evidently from his own experience, that the soul must empty itself of itself, of selfishness, of ego-centrism. The source of our unhappiness in this life isn’t suffering, necessarily. Rather it’s selfishness.

We are restlessly dissatisfied because we seek to fill the infinitely deep caverns of our souls with the petty goods of the finite world: pleasure, sex, power, and prestige.  This drive to fill our hearts with the finite only leads to deeper dissatisfaction.

Yet, when we turn our hearts over to the infinite, to God, our deepest yearnings are met.  The spiritual life, therefore, consists of letting go of false aspirations, ideas, and attachments, and rightly ordering our desires: putting God first, and everything else second and only for the sake of God.

John is an excellent saint for Advent. He teaches us that the best way to prepare for Christ is through the renunciation of selfishness. We prepare best for Christ’s coming into our life through seeking to be free from all that keeps us from knowing, loving, and serving God. By undergoing this purification we become ready to receive the one we are destined to receive, Jesus Christ, whom we wait for, and prepare for, and long for, and hope for, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.
That through self-denial and embrace of the cross the Christian people may experience ever-deeper union with Christ and a more faithful proclamation of the Gospel.

For the members of the Carmelite Order, that their life of prayer and penance will be for the Church a source of renewal and strength.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life and a strengthening of all marriages in holiness.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

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

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

December 12 2017 - Our Lady of Guadalupe - The Holy Protection of the Mother of God

In 1531, Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego as Our Lady of Guadalupe. In the image imprinted on his tilma, Our Lady wears a black band around her waste, showing herself to be with child. To the pagan nation of Mexico, Mary revealed herself as a mother: the mother of Christ and their mother as well. Mary would help them break the bond of a false religion which involved the abominable practice of human sacrifice.

For this reason Our Lady of Gaudalupe is invoked as patroness and protector of human life.
The protection Mary offers to those who call her “mother” runs through this feast. The collect spoke of how God has placed us under the protection of the the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe. For nine months, the Christ child grew in the protective womb of Our Lady. From the cross, Jesus taught us to call Mary “Mother”, to seek her maternal protection.

The Vatican II Constitution on the Church, speaks of the ancient devotion to Mary’s protection: “Clearly from earliest times the Blessed Virgin is honored under the title of Mother of God, under whose protection the faithful took refuge in all their dangers and necessities.”

I remember reading a report last year of seven Iraqi Catholic women who claimed Mary protected them from ISIS terrorists. When ISIS soldiers stormed their shelter, they prayed to Our Lady as the hid under beds which were being used by the soldiers. They said, “When ISIS entered our room, they didn’t see us, we feel that the Virgin Mary closed their eyes from seeing us.”

Sometimes it seems that the powers of evil which surround us and conspire against the Church are so cunning and pervasive. Yet, God has not left us unprotected. He has given us such a powerful advocate and protector in Our Lady.

She who was guarded from sin from the moment of her Immaculate Conception throughout her whole life guards her sons and daughters from sin and evil as well. The theologian Richard of St. Lawrence writes: “Mary protects us under the mantle of Her humility.”

And of course, the Memorare written by St. Bernard implores Our Lady’s protection, praying “REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided.”

St. Bernard also said: Mary “recognizes and loves those who love Her. And She is ready to help all that call on Her, especially those who resemble Her in chastity and humility.”

May we place ourselves under the protection and guidance of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who helps us in remaining faithful to her Son in all things, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We bring our prayers to God through Mary.

Please respond to the petitions: “Mother of the Redeemer, intercede for us”

That Our Lady may protect the Church from all evil, and aid us in the mission of the Gospel.

That all government leaders may be awakened to the supreme dignity of each human life, and that all people of our nation may work together for and end to the culture of death.

For all mothers, that they may find in Mary the example and strength to carry out their
vocation.

For all refugees forced to flee from their homes, that God bring peace to them and their country of origin.

That the sick may draw strength, consolation, and healing by turning to Our Lady, who
intercedes for us from her place in heaven.

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

We pray, O Lord our God, that the Virgin Mary, who merited to bear God and man in her chaste womb, may commend the prayers of your faithful in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.

Monday - 2nd Week of Advent 2017 - What does love look like?

Inside our school entrance is a lovely advent wreath, and written on the wall behind the Advent wreath are the words: “Advent is a time for hope, love, joy, and peace”. Hope, love, joy, and peace, as I mentioned last week are the four Advent themes symbolized by the four advent candles.

The candle for love now has been lit as we have entered the second week of Advent. So, this week we meditate on the love infusing this beautiful season—the love of God which transforms us to love others.

The scriptures, songs, and prayers of Advent aid us in recognizing God’s love. How does the old Advent hymn go?  “O Come, O Come Emmanuel to ransom captive Israel.” God comes in the flesh to set us free from the captivity of sin because he loves us.

From love we were made, by love we were made, for love we were made, and Advent helps us to open our hearts to a God who longs to set us free from sin and selfishness.

God wants to see the deserts and parched lands of our souls bloom and flourish, as we heard from the prophet Isaiah. He wants “the eyes of the blind opened, the ears of the deaf cleared; the lame leaping like a stag, the tongues of the mute singing.” In the Gospel, Jesus causes a paralyzed man to walk and pronounces his sins forgiven. Jesus is born in Bethlehem to put an end to the reign of paralysis, the imprisonment of sin. Why? Because he loves us, and made us, not for the misery and paralysis and imprisonment of sin, but for the freedom and fullness of selfless love.

Recognizing God’s love, we in turn are compelled to spread that love. As St. John writes, “since God loved us, we ought to love one another.”

In the fourth century, Saint Augustine wrote, “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.”

May our Advent devotions open our hearts ever more deeply to the love of God that we may love others in return for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

For an increase in charity among the Christian people, that we may be cleansed of every vain and selfish desire, in order to become instruments of the love of God.

That our president and all civil servants will carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for the dignity of every human life.  We pray to the Lord.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

For Pope Francis prayer intention for the month of December, “That the elderly, sustained by families and Christian communities, may apply their wisdom and experience to spreading the faith and forming the new generations.”

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

Almighty ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant tha the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

2nd Sunday of Advent 2017 - The Advent Desert of Anticipation, Preparation, Humility, and Repentance

John the Baptist is certainly one of the VIPs—the Very Important Persons—of the Advent season featuring prominently in our Advent scripture reading. The Gospel of Mark begins with the very strange account of this wild man, dressed in camel hair, eating locusts and wild honey, out in the middle of the desert.

What is more puzzling? His diet and his wardrobe or the fact that people were coming from all over the country to hear him preach in the middle of the scorching desert? People poured out in multitudes, walked for miles to hear John preach. Today, you couldn’t pay some people to make this journey.

And, he wasn’t telling people how to get rich. He wasn’t performing stand-up comedy. He wasn’t their favorite football player. He wasn’t out there performing miracles or magic tricks. So, why were they out there? Why were they listening to him, and why were they allowing him to plunge them into the Jordan river?

The Jewish people of Jesus’ day lived in deep longing and anticipation of the Messiah foretold by the prophets. The Messiah would be the one to usher in the age of comfort and peace like that foretold in the first reading today from the prophet Isaiah. The age of suffering and woe would be at an end. The injustices suffered by God’s people would be righted. The separation from God due to sin would be closed. God’s people would be gathered up into the mighty arms of God and held close to his heart forever.

This is what we all long for: the sadness and restlessness of the human condition, the violence and suffering to come to an end.

And John the Baptist appearing out in the desert preaching the words of Isaiah, dressed like the prophet Elijah, who also wore a garment of camel hair, meant the time had come, the Messiah was near at hand. The anticipation they felt must have been incredible. To prepare for the iminent arrival of the Messiah, John told them to repent of their sins and to be baptized as a sign of repentnence.
And this is why John the Baptist is the VIP of Advent. John perfectly symbolizes—or, better, lives and expresses—the key themes of this season: anticipation, preparation, humility, and repentance.
Notice, how during the Advent season, the music played and sung here in church is quite different from the music you hear in Starbucks and the stores. We aren’t playing Christmas music yet, because it’s not yet Christmas. We still have a lot of preparation to do. If by the time you get to Christmas and you are already sick of Christmas, you didn’t do Advent right.

The world, our culture, is certainly not doing Advent right. Advertisers bombard us with Santas and Snowmen, not because they are interested in helping us celebrate the Advent of Christ, but mostly because they want to sell us candy cane flavored lattes and urge us to max out credit cards on christmas presents. But, this is not what Advent is for. And with all that bombardment, we can be quite sick of it all by later December.

Rather, Advent is to help us become like the people of the Gospel today who undertake the arduous venture out into the desert to prepare rightly for the coming of the promised Messiah. The scriptures, the prayers, the solemnity of Advent compel us to get our lives in order, our priorities straight.
As I’ve said before, the Advent season is a perfect time for making a good confession. Why? Because Confession helps us identify the crooked ways of our life that need to be made straight; it helps us to identify the ways our mountainous egos need to be made low. It helps us to recognize the ways “we must decrease, that Christ may increase” in the words of the Baptist. Confession helps us repent of the ways we have have misused our time, talent, and treasure for our own selfish ends.

For what did Paul say in the second reading today?  The Lord “is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” If I’m okay and you are okay, no need of a savior, then the impact of Christmas on us will be lost. We won’t appreciate Jesus’ arrival at Christmas unless we feel in our bones how much we need him. And Sacramental Confession helps us to do just that.

After confessing our sins, we are compelled to reach out to those we’ve hurt, the poor who we’ve ignored; to show some sign of our repentance through acts of goodness and charity. Advent is the perfect time to make amends and to reach out in care to families or individuals going through tough times.

That’s the wisdom of this season. It’s the wisdom of John the Baptist: to focus on Christ, his mercy and his love.

As we prayed in our collect today, may no earthly undertaking hinder us who set out in haste to meet the Lord, but may our learning of heavenly wisdom gain us admittance to his company.  May we make haste into the Advent desert of anticipation, preparation, humility, and repentence, unhindered by all of the earthly distractions confronting us this season. May we learn the heavenly wisdom of the prophets and saints, like John the Baptist, that we may join in the joyful company of Christ this Christmas, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

December 8 2017 - Immaculate Conception - Prepared by grace for service to God

In my homily for the 1st Sunday of Advent, I reflected upon how we prepare for the important events in our life. Parents prepare for the birth of their children, our second graders prepare for the sacraments of reconciliation and first eucharist, our eighth graders prepare for the sacrament of confirmation. Our teenage parishioners prepare to obtain their driver’s license, they prepare for college, for their jobs. Preparing to become a priest requires nine years of seminary preparation. The most important things in life require great preparation.

We see this truth reflected most gloriously in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For today we celebrate the way God prepared Mary to become the mother of our savior. In preparing Mary to be the Mother of Jesus, God did not wait for her to graduate high school; he did not wait for her to learn to read and write; he didn’t wait for her to learn to speak or walk. God prepared Mary from the very moment she became a human being, the very moment of her conception, the very moment she became a baby in her mother’s womb.

From the very moment Mary existed, she was filled with a special grace from God never before given to any other member of the human race: the grace of being immaculately conceived, the grace of being clean of all sin. Could God do it? Of course! He’s God! The Archangel Gabriel in the Gospel today said it perfectly: “nothing is impossible for God”. 

Mary's greatness doesn't come from her intelligence, good looks, charm, bubbly personality - it doesn't come from her natural qualities. Her greatness, her true beauty, comes from being filled with the grace of God and surrendering to God’s plan for her life.

And that’s true for us as well. What matters most in life is allowing God to fill us with grace and cooperating with that grace. Just like Mary, God has a plan for each of us. But it is up to us, like Mary to respond generously to God’s plan, to trust in God, to learn from the events of our life, to become the people God made us to be.

What does God want from us? The same thing he wanted from Mary: Sinlessness, selflessness, and cooperation with his grace.  In the epistle, Saint Paul wrote, “God chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish”.  God chose Mary, and God choses us, but it is up to us to respond generously to God.

And so we pray today that Mary’s yes and radical surrender to God may resound in our life, may the sinless immaculate ever-virgin Mary assist us in turning away from the selfishness and self-centeredness and fear and material attachment which keep us from great holiness, may she help us discover God’s will in our life and help us respond to God with wholehearted surrender, obedience, and trust, and prepare well for all God has in store for us, for His Glory and the salvation of souls.

December 7 2017 - St. Ambrose - Drinking deeply of the Word of God

In his biography, the Confessions, St. Augustine details his conversion from heresy to orthodoxy, from vice to virtue. For years Augustine wandered from one strange philosophy to another, even into strange Gnostic cults like the Manichaeists.

The great turning point in Augustine’s life was during his stay in the northern Italian city of Milan. There he heard the preaching and teaching of the holy bishop St. Ambrose. Ambrose, by living an exemplary life worthy of Augustine’s admiration, was able to attract Augustine to the truth and goodness of the Christian Gospel.

Each one of us here today is able to profess the Catholic faith because that faith was shared with us by others. For many of us, it was our parents who gave us the gift of faith. Augustine came to the faith through the many tears shed and prayers offered by his mother Monica and being exposed to the truth in the preaching and life of a holy bishop. We all have a part to play in sharing the faith, and we must never underestimate the value of solid preaching and teaching and good Christian example.

In order to share the truth we must be grounded in the Word of God. St. Ambrose, as bishop, urged his priests to dedicate their free time to reading and studying the scriptures. Listen to Ambrose’s advice to his priests: “Drink, then, from Christ, so that your voice may be heard….He who reads much and understands much receives his fill.  He who is full, refreshes others.”

Advent is truly a time for all of us to drink deeply from Christ. For all of us are called to refresh others, to bring others to Christ in our own way. But we cannot give what we do not have. Unless we have drunk deeply, we will draw from an empty well.

Sit with the scriptures open upon your lap in a quiet place every day. "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock” the Lord teaches in our Gospel today.  To reflect upon the prophets and the words of Our Lord is to open our minds, and hearts, and our souls more deeply to Christ, who longs to come to us and make his home in us with His Father, that we may share his light, his love, and his truth for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That the teaching and preaching of the Pope and all bishops and clergy will be founded firmly upon the full truth of the Word of God.

That all those who wander in error, far from the Gospel of Christ, may be led through the preaching and example of the Christian people to the fullness of faith.

That our president and all civil servants will carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for the dignity of every human life.  That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

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

Almighty ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant tha the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

Tuesday - 1st Week of Advent 2017 - A glimmer of hope

The four candles on the Advent wreath certainly help us count down the weeks until Christmas. The wreath though is more than a primitive calendar, each of the candles represent different themes of the Advent season.

The first candle represents hope: hope in God, hope in his promises, hope for his justice, hope for salvation that only he can bring.

The second candle represents love: the reign of love that the savior comes to establish, the love which should characterize the Christian people’s attitude toward one another, the love we are to extend to the poor and down trodden.

The third candle, the rose colored candle represents joy: the joy that is born at Christmas, the joy of the birth of the savior, the joy of a restored relationship with God, the joy which is a foretaste of the joy of the eternal joy of heaven.

The fourth candle, which will only burn for a few hours this year, due to the proximity of the 4th Sunday and Christmas Eve, represents peace: the peace of that most holy night, the peace of reconciliation and forgiveness and mercy.

Now only a single candle is lit. Sometimes in life all you have is a single candle, a glimmer of hope. For the people of Isaiah’s time, living in the devastation of a ruined divided kingdom, all they had was a promise of hope, spoken through lips of God’s prophet. A promise that despite the terrible destruction—separation from the families, the forces of evil pressing in on every side—God would bring about a reign of justice so great that even wolves and lambs, babies and cobras will be at peace.

Out of what appears to be a dead, hopeless situation, the Lord can cause new life to sprout and rise up. Your stump might be a broken family devastated beyond reconciliation, a ruined marriage without the possibility of reuniting, or a drug-addicted child, whose mind and life cannot be rebuilt.

The single candle reminds us that it is good to have hope that God can bring new life to hopeless situations. For where we see a lifeless wasteland, God sees the potential for abundant life. Where we see devestation, God sees the seeds of new life. Let your hearts dare to hope, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That through the witness and charity of the Christian Church, Our Lord will bring hope to the hopeless and joy to the joyless.

That our president and all civil servants will carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for the dignity of every human life.  We pray to the Lord.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

For Pope Francis prayer intention for the month of December, “That the elderly, sustained by families and Christian communities, may apply their wisdom and experience to spreading the faith and forming the new generations.”

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

Almighty ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant tha the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

Monday of the 1st Week of Advent 2017 - Watchful in prayer, exultant in praise

Unlike the weekdays of Ordinary Time, the weekdays of Advent have their own particular collect prayer, prayer over the gifts, and prayer after communion.

During the seasons of the year, these prayers, which the priest offers to God on behalf of the Church, are not mere formalities before we get to the meat of the mass, they help us focus our attention on the aspect of the mystery of God that we are celebrating.

The prayers for Advent, for example, have a double focus. Advent prepares us to celebrate the historical birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, and also prepares us to welcome his second coming at the end of time. The collects, prayers over the gifts, and prayers after communion often contain theology and scriptural references which help us to focus on these themes.

This is one reason I like to chant these prayers; chanting draws them out a little bit, slows us down so we can reflect on the words that are being offered. So you should listen attentively to these prayers, just as you listen to the scripture readings and the prayers at the altar.

Today’s Collect prayer hearkens to the Gospel we heard yesterday on the 1st Sunday of Advent where the Lord urges us to stay awake for the return of the Master of the House. Listen again to the words of today’s collect prayer: “Keep us alert, we pray, O Lord Our God, as we await the advent of Christ your Son, so that, when he comes and knocks, he may find us watchful in prayer and exultant in his praise.”

Joined with the command to stay awake for the master’s return from yesterday’s Gospel is a reference to the well-known passage from the book of Revelations: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with him and he with me.  I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.”

Advent teaches us to be prepared, to be ready, to be alert for the many ways Christ comes to us. Advent helps us listen better, more attentively, to the many ways Christ knocks at the doors of our hearts, to perhaps even be attuned and opened to new ways.

To remain ready and alert, the Collect tells us that we must be watchful in prayer. Every day this season should be characterized by this prayerful watchfulness and listening.

Like the Blessed Virgin sitting in her house in Nazareth with the book of the prophet Isaiah open on her lap, pondering, waiting on the Lord, we need to be attentive to the scriptures of this season, the liturgical prayers of this season, the cries of the poor this season, to hear the Lord knocking on the doors of our lives. that we may welcome him more fully, and rejoice with him more completely, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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As we await with longing the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, we raise up our prayers of petitions.
That Christ may visit his holy Church and always find her watchful in prayer.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces.

That Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the commong good according to His Holy Will.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

For Pope Francis prayer intention for the month of December, “That the elderly, sustained by families and Christian communities, may apply their wisdom and experience to spreading the faith and forming the new generations.”

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

Almighty ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant tha the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

1st Sunday of Advent 2017 - Preparing well for Christ's coming

The most important things in life require some preparation. When parents discover they are expecting a new child, they prepare a room for the child, a crib, the room is decorated, clothes are purchased, a baby shower is thrown. When a couple becomes engaged for marriage, they prepare, they plan. They meet with the priest for marriage preparation, they attend a pre-cana day, the reception is planned, the wedding garments are acquired, a home is made ready.

Similarly, when a young man realizes his call to the priesthood, his seminary formation involves nine years of college, experience in different ministerial settings like visiting the sick in hospitals and nursing homes, visiting the imprisoned, learning how to craft a homily, teach in the classroom, and celebrate the sacraments.

Even our young ones know about preparing for important events. Our second graders celebrated their First Confession two weeks ago. Before the big day, they learned about sin and about the mercy Jesus extends to us in the Sacrament of Confession; they learned their act of contrition, and the need to do penance for their sins.

Over the next few months, they will prepare for their First Holy Communion by learning about how Jesus gave to His Church the Sacrament of His Body and Blood, teaching that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood shall have eternal life and will be raised on the last day.

We prepare for new jobs, a new driver’s license, new babies, new vocations. Jesus in the Gospel teaches very clearly that we are to prepare for his second coming. For his glorious return and for the end of our earthly lives we prepare for eternity by confessing our sins and conforming our minds and hearts to his. And for that hour “you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming.” You even get the impression from his words, that many will be unprepared, and this is very foolish.

For the most important things we undertake preparation. And I’d venture to say that the more important the event, the longer and more serious the preparation. So, it makes sense that the two most important feasts of the Church year, Christmas and Easter, are each preceded by entire liturgical seasons of preparation. The season of Lent, with its penances, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, helps us to prepare for Easter, the celebration of Our Lord’s Victory over Sin and Death.

And now we begin the great season of Advent, which helps us to prepare for the feast of the saving birth of Our Lord at Christmas. Even the Scripture readings on this 1st Sunday of Advent help us to take seriously the need to prepare well for Christmas: “"Be watchful! Be alert!... May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.”

Being found sleeping, like the unwise Virgins in the Gospel a few weeks ago, is certainly one of the dangers of this time of year: to get so caught up in the commercialization, the food, the decorations, the secular, that we are inattentive to the greater spiritual and religious dimension—the reason for the season, as they say.

So, in order to keep Christ in Christmas, we need to be serious about our Advent preparations. And so what are some of the tried and true practices of preparing well, spiritually, during Advent?

Well, the liturgy of Advent certainly gives us some hints. The major liturgical symbol of Advent is, of course, the Advent wreath. Each family does well to have an Advent wreath in the home, perhaps as the centerpiece of the dinner table, or perhaps on a small altar in the family room.

The family Advent wreath can help the family remain spiritually focused during Advent. The circular wreath reminds us of God’s eternal love who sends his only Son to be our redeemer. The evergreen of the wreath reminds us of the everlasting life we receive only through the birth of our Savior. The light of the candles represent the light of Christ, who entered this world to scatter the darkness of evil and show us the way of righteousness. The progression of lighting candles shows our increasing readiness to meet Our Lord.

So don’t be afraid to light the candles of the wreath: I suggest lighting them at dinner time, along with a special advent prayer or reading of Scripture along with your grace before meals. If the family is so busy that you don’t have time for family dinner together, which is lamentable, perhaps take ten minutes before bedtime to say some prayers at the Advent wreath together.

The candle is also a wonderful symbol for Christian prayer. As the candle burns, it burns in silence, yet its flame is powerful, giving off heat and warmth; even the smallest flame burns and purifies. The candle reminds us the power and importance of increased prayer during this season.
Individually, I recommend prayerfully reading the scripture from daily Mass every day. Prayerfully read through and meditate on these readings; ask God what lessons they contain for living the Christian faith well and preparing well for Christmas. The daily Scripture readings are listed in the bulletin and can also be found on the US Bishops website.

Also, consider attending daily Mass, if but one additional time per week, or even one additional time per month! You will discover great peace and strength which flows from attending Mass daily.
The second lesson from our Advent liturgy is that we are now shrouded and vested in purple. Purple is the color a priest wears when he hears confession. Purple is the color of penance.

So, if it’s been more than a few months, plan on making a good Sacramental Confession either on Saturday or at our parish’s Advent Penance service this season. Parents, give your children the great gift of seeing you go to confession. The memory of seeing my mother go into the confessional ahead of me is burned indelibly in my mind. Also, if there is a family member who hasn’t been to confession in a while, invite them to come with you. It could be as simple as “Hey, I’m going up to the Church for confession, do you want to come?”

Before going to confession make a proper examination of conscience. There is even an app for that. Or feel free to write down your sins and bring the list into the confessional if that will aid you.
Penitential purple also reminds us to detach from earthly things in order to focus on heavenly ones. Perhaps this season you can clean out a chest or closet of clothes or toys and donate them to charity. If there is a neighbor you haven’t talked to in several months or someone new to the neighborhood, give them a tin of cookies, not because they are Catholic but because you are.

Prepare to celebrate Christmas by putting your faith first this Advent. By striving to live in the presence of Christ, with the mind and heart of Christ this Advent, you will prepare room for him to dwell in you this Christmas, for the glory of God and salvation.