May 31 2018 - Feast of the Visitation - Pro-life witness of the Gospels

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

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

John is a powerful pro-life model for John recognizes that Jesus was truly human from the moment of his conception. Some might claim that it is “above their paygrade” when human life exists. But Scripture and modern science show that human life begins at conception. And we therefore have a duty to reverence it, to protect it, to rejoice over it.

Mary, too, is a powerful pro-life figure. For even with the great burdens she now faced, she goes in haste, to help the pregnant, elderly, Elizabeth. Mary is a pro-life model for us all, showing us that we even with all the burdens we face, we are all to have a special care for pregnant mothers, especially pregnant mothers in difficult circumstances. We are to devote to them our time, talent, and treasure in helping them nurture and bring-forth life.

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

I reflect on the pro-life dimension of this scripture in light of the terribly sad news of Ireland’s vote to overturn its pro-life laws. Only one in three citizens of Ireland voted to protect life. The other two-thirds join the many Americans who see abortion as a solution, as a way of empowering women, as a way to riches and happiness.

But as St. Theresa of Calcutta often taught, “It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you live as you wish… The greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion, which is war against the child. The mother doesn't learn to love, but kills to solve her own problems. Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want.”

May the heavenly intercession of St. John, St. Elizabeth, and Holy Mary help restore reverence and care for human life, especially the protection of the unborn. May they help us witness to the Gospel of Life for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
 
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That the leaders and members of the Church my fulfill with joy their calling to proclaim, celebrate, and serve the Gospel of Life.
That God may protect all unborn babies, and keep them safe from the scourge of abortion, and for the safety and welfare of all pregnant mothers, and that all mothers and fathers will know the assistance of the Christian Church in nurturing and raising their children.
For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.
For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

8th Week of OT 2018 - Tuesday - Holiness isn't just for Lent

Depending on the year, the 8th Week of Ordinary Time sometimes falls before Lent. So every few years we would be hearing today’s readings on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. We’d be thinking of the types of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving we’d be engaging in over the Lenten season. We might be removing the chocolate and the candy from our kitchens in order to remove temptation. We might be having one last punchki.

And today’s readings would be a perfect preparation for Ash Wednesday. St. Peter: calling the Church to be holy as God is holy. Calling us to listen to the prophets who “testified in advance” to the sufferings of Christ. Hearing the Lord in the Gospel calling his disciples to “give up everything” and follow Him. These readings would remind us to make sure during Lent to strive for holiness, to listen attentively and reflect often of the scriptures in the Old Testament that point to the suffering of the Messiah, and to “give up everything” that keeps us from the holiness God is calling each of us to.

Thank goodness that Lent is over and we don’t have to do any of that, right? Well, no. The call to holiness, the call to pray, fast, and give alms, isn’t just for Lent. As I’ve said before, there was an order of monks who took as the motto of their order, “Semper Quadragesima” always Lent to remind the Church, that those spiritual practices are indispensable, whether during Lent, or Easter, or Ordinary Time.

The call to holiness echoes always. It's truly universal, not just for a season, but for the whole of life. And it is up to us to respond to the invitation. To allow the Holy Spirit every day to reveal those worldly attachments we need to fast from. To allow the Holy Spirit every day to the prayer that will nourish us, particularly meditation upon the Sacred Scriptures. To allow the Holy Spirit every day to help us to be attentive to the needs of the poor and inspire us to the works of charity.

May we respond generously this day and all days to the call to holiness, the call away from self-centeredness, to the ways the Spirit wishes to bear ever-more abundant spiritual fruits in us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That Christians may respond generously to the perpetual call to prayer, fasting, and works of charity.

For the Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of May that the lay-faithful may fulfill their
specific mission, by responding with creativity to the challenges that face the world today.

For our young people beginning summer vacation, that they may be kept safe from the errors of our culture and kept in close friendship with Jesus through prayer and acts of mercy.

That protection for the unborn child may be enshrined in the laws of every nation and in every human heart.

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

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

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

Memorial Day 2018 - Remember rightly to live rightly

Memorial Day was originally an occasion to remember and to decorate the graves of the soldiers who died in the American Civil War. Today’s Civil holiday, rightly so, has grown to encompass all those who died in war in the service of our country.

Memory is an important faculty of the human soul. Our memories contribute to who we are, the choices we make. As Christians, our memory of the life of Jesus Christ, his teaching, his sacrifice, his death and resurrection defines us. This is why every week, on the Lord’s Day, Christians gather at the altar, to remember. When we stop remembering, we cease to be who we are called to be, we cease to honor God as he is meant to be honored.

The same can be said for those our nation honors today. As a nation, we remember their sacrifice, that it not be in vain. And our memory of their bravery is meant to shape us, to shape the course and discourse of our nation. We are to remember what they fought for, that this nation may be a place where all people can come to pursue life, liberty, and happiness, free from the tyranny of oppressive governments. Failing to remember is to fail to be worthy of their sacrifice.

Today, we are to carry their memories in our minds and hearts. We thank God for them. We Pray for them. We Observe silence for them. Perhaps, we even weep for them. We allow them to inspire us, to make right use of the rights of life and liberty they fought for. We seek particularly to be free from the selfishness which can so easily dominate our lives.

As Christians, we recognize that only by living according to God’s plan, as enumerated in the beatitudes, as we heard in the Gospel today, that we can come to inherit the true life, the true liberty, the true happiness of God’s kingdom.

May we remember rightly, that we may live rightly, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Let us pray to our Heavenly Father, confident that He is generous to those who call upon Him with faith.

For Pope Francis, Bishop Nelson, and all the bishops: may they rightly lead the Body of Christ in faithfulness to all the Lord teaches and commands.

For our President and all elected government representatives, may the Holy Spirit grant them wisdom and guide them to promote authentic and lasting peace in the world, an end to terrorism, respect for religious freedom, and a greater reverence for the sanctity of Human Life.

For the protection of all those who serve in our nation’s military, and for all wounded servicemen and women, for all those widowed and orphaned because of war.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our family, friends, and parish, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom for whom this mass is offered.

Gracious Father, hear the prayers of your pilgrim Church, grant us your grace and lead us to the glory of your kingdom, through Christ Our Lord.

Holy Trinity 2018 - To KNOW the One True God

I’ve found that today’s Feast, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, is one of the most difficult to preach on. The Trinity is the supreme mystery of the faith, and how do you put mystery into words. The Trinity is the most sublime and exalted of our Christian doctrines, how do you distill that down into something manageable?

I think there is the temptation for the preacher to turn this homily into a Catechism lesson. I could summarize what the Catechism says about the three divine persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Catechism after all spends about 800 paragraphs on the Trinity, which itself is a distillation of what the Scriptures, Church fathers, Church councils, Popes, and saints have said about the subject for the last 2000 years. And again, I think there is a temptation to make this homily, and our entire treatment of the Trinity, about head knowledge. But our faith is about much more than head-knowledge.
Many languages have two words for knowledge, they differentiate between head-knowledge and heart-knowledge. In German, for instance, the two words are wissen and kennen. Wissen is the head-knowledge, the facts that you get from reading a textbook. Kennen is the heart-knowledge gained from intimate, personal experience.

In espanol, as well: saber is to know the facts about something. Conocer is your relational, experiential knowledge. In italiano, we find the same thing, sapere and conoscere.  Sapere la risposta giusta. - To  know the right answer. But, conoscere un amico nuovo…to know a new friend…by having  spent time with them.

So, this Trinity Sunday, we are challenged to grow in our knowledge of the Trinity. But not just head-knowledge; heart-knowledge too. To grow in head knowledge, we turn to the Scriptures, to the Theologians, to our Catechism. Two books every Catholic should have on their night stand: the Holy Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

For some head-knowledge of the Trinity you can start with Catechism number 234 which says: “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself .It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the “hierarchy of the truths of faith.” The whole history of salvation is identical with the history of the way and the means by which the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, reveals himself to men “and reconciles and unites with himself those who turn away from sin.”

Christians do need to have some head-knowledge about God. We should be able to answer some basic questions about God: what does it mean that God is Father and Creator. What does it mean that the Son is consubstantial with the Father. What does it mean that the Holy Spirit is the Lord the Giver of Life. We seek to grow in our ability to explain our faith to non-believers, to seekers, questioners, and doubters. Parents, of course, have the great responsibility of teaching the faith to their children, helping them to understandit and articulate it. And that certainly comes partially from that head-knowledge.

But our faith also requires us to grow in our heart-knowledge of God. “This is why you must now know, AND fix in your heart, that the LORD is God” we heard in our first reading. Jesus at the Last Supper even taught that “Eternal Life consists of knowing the only true God”, and that word ‘knowing’, is the Greek word GiNOsoke, it’s that heart-knowledge, the intimate knowledge two lovers have of each other.

And I believe sharing our heart-knowledge about God is very attractive to non-believers; our ability to speak from the heart about God draws them in. To share with others how we have encountered Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is part of the mission of going and making disciples, we heard about in our Gospel.

Our heart-knowledge about God the Father, comes from encountering God as a loving Father of mercy who accepts us back with open arms when we’ve strayed from his household. It comes from learning to trust in the providential care of the Heavenly Father instead of worrying all the time. It comes from learning to see the Father’s hand guiding the events and relationships of our life. People long to hear about our heart-knowledge of the Father, who provides, guides, forgives, and gathers.

What about our heart-knowledge of the second person of the Trinity, the Son? How is your life different because of Jesus Christ? Heart-knowledge of Jesus comes from listening to his voice, looking into his eyes, encountering the warmth of his heart in daily prayer. It comes from being challenged by Him to repent. It comes from encountering his love-outpoured on the cross, his love-outpoured in the Eucharist. People long to hear about our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

And finally, our heart knowledge of the Holy Spirit. Yes, we are to share the head-knowledge THAT the Holy Spirit was sent upon the Church at Pentecost 2000 years ago, as we celebrated last Sunday. But people long to hear how the Holy Spirit animates the Church now in 2018. They long to hear how you have experienced the Holy Spirit’s healing presence, his enlightening presence. When have you heard His consoling whisper in a time of grief, or his mighty light at a time of confusion?
The Holy Trinity is mysterious, but as we encounter Him in our liturgical worship in our daily prayer, and in our charitable service, we begin to know with our minds and fix in our hearts that the Lord is God.

The celebration of Mass is the Holy Trinity acting now in history. Breathing new life into the Church, nourishing us with the Eucharist, enkindling our hearts for the work of the Gospel. As we continue this sacred celebration and as you go forth from here into the world, Let God the Father teach you how much he loves you. Let God the Son teach you about how much he loves you. Let God the Holy Spirit teach you about how much he loves you for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.

May 25 2018 - Pope St. Gregory VII - Global war against marriage and family

The Collect for Pope Saint Gregory VII spoke of his fortitude and his zeal for justice. His fortitude was certainly manifest in the many problems he faced, as Vicar of Christ, at the end of the 11th century. In spite of much opposition, he worked for important Church reform: removing prelates and bishops who had obtained their offices by simony or bribery, suspending priests guilty of concubinage, fighting against the investiture of ecclesiastical benefices by temporal rulers.

For “causing such a stir”, as Pope Francis would say, Pope Gregory’s enemies arrested him during midnight Mass one Christmas eve, wounded him and had him imprisoned. He was rescued by the good people of Rome, who loved the Pope deeply for his holiness and concern for the Church. Later, The Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV forced Pope Gregory into exile and called for a new Papal election, where the anti-Pope Clement XIII was elected. The holy, courageous Pope Gregory died in exile, as the collect said, “rejecting evil, that the Church may be free to carry out in charity whatever is right.”

Though the lay investiture controversy has been resolved, the Church continues to face hostility from worldly powers for preaching the Gospel, particularly the truths contained in the Gospel today. Our Blessed Lord, in teaching about divorce, calls humanity back to God’s original plan for the family, as found in the first chapters of the book of Genesis.

Our Lord’s clear teaching is not popular in our culture today, but we continue to see the devastating effects the rejection of the biblical vision has on our society. Pope Francis has undertaken this topic repeatedly over the years, even speaking of gender theory and gender politics as a global war against the family.

He says “Today, there is a global war trying to destroy marriage… they don’t destroy it with weapons, but with ideas… we have to defend ourselves from ideological colonization.”

Pope Francis has received backlash for proclaiming the Gospel, as have many good priests and catechists at the local levels. Sadly, even many Catholics don’t see anything wrong with the legalization of same-sex marriage, or these gender ideologes which deny that humans come in two genders, male and female. We see Catholic politicians on the national and local levels acting as agents for error-ridden gender politics.

So, we pray for the fortitude of the Saints, like Pope Saint Gregory, to “reject” all of the evils and errors of our day: the moral confusion, the attitudes and ideologies that undermine the good of families and the health and holiness of Christian marriages.

Free from error, may we come to carry out in charity all that is right for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of May that the lay-faithful may fulfill their specific mission, by responding with creativity to the challenges that face the world today.

That Politicians and government officials may look to the law of Christ to guide their work for the good of nations and the human race, especially for the protection of the unborn.

For all married couples, that they may be faithful to the Gospel in every dimension of their married life , and for troubled marriages, that all spouses may practice patience and authentic charity toward each other and their children.

For our young people beginning summer vacation, that they may be kept safe from the errors of our culture and kept in close friendship with Jesus through prayer and acts of mercy.

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

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

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

7th Week of Easter 2018 - Tuesday - The High Priest's Love for God and Man

There are many titles applied to Jesus throughout the Scriptures: he is the Messiah, the Savior, the Son of God, the Son of Man.  He is also called the High Priest.  Each title focuses on a particular aspect of who Jesus is and what that means for us.  Today’s Gospel is from the final section of Jesus’ farewell discourse known as his High Priestly Prayer.

Jesus turns from addressing the apostles and begins addressing the Father, praying that his Father might be glorified in what he is about to do: namely his Passion, Death, and Resurrection, and that his disciples might receive eternal life through it.

In his High Priestly prayer Jesus opens a window into his relationship with His Father. The Father glorifies the Son, and the Son glorifies the Father. The Father loves the Son, and the Son loves the Father through his humble self-sacrifice. Jesus reveals the nature of God, that “God is love”, a reality St. John will reflect upon in his first New Testament Letter. Jesus reveals the inner nature of God and simultaneously calls his disciples to the same highest, purist form of self-giving. God’s life is to become our life, our lives must become characterized by divine love.

Whether you are an ordained priest,  a homeless beggar, a widow, or a farmer, like St. Isidore, whom the Church honors today, we are called to a life which glorifies God, a life in which the love that exists between the Father and the Son increasingly characterizes our own life.

Love isn’t easy. Love involves embracing suffering for the good of others, it involves self-sacrifice for those who have no way of repaying you. But by practicing this form of Christ-like love, our souls expand, our life obtains the purpose for which it was created.

Today each of us are called to bring God to others and bring others to God. God is to be glorified in us by accomplishing the work that God has given us to do, to bring others to believe in the one that God sent for our salvation.

May the entirety of our lives—our thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes, all be conformed this day to Jesus Our High Priest for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For Catholics in all walks of life, that we may glorify God through our daily labors in service of the Lord.

Through the intercession of St. Isidore, we pray for farmers, day laborers, and those who work by the sweat of their brow, that they may receive a just reward for their laborers, and for the unemployed and underemployed.

That spouses may help each other to grow rich in the treasures of heaven, and all those preparing for Holy Matrimony may do so rightly and chastely in the eyes of God.

That all families may seek to model themselves after the Holy Family and always know their guidance and protection.

For the sick, the suffering, the lonely, and the dying, that they may know the consolation of the grace of God.

For the deceased members of our family, friends, and parish, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, and for all those who have fought and died for our nation’s freedom.

May 14 2018 - St. Matthias - Counterbalancing evil

Matthias is mentioned only once in the entire New Testament—that short passage in the Acts of the Apostles describing the resplendent hour when he was chosen as an apostle.

More than forty days had passed since the unforgettable events of Holy Week.  The eleven were no doubt still astonished by all that took place.  The Lord had risen just as he said he would; the Resurrected Lord had appeared to them multiple times.  He had just Ascended into heaven and promised that the Holy Spirit would descend upon them.

The eleven decided that they had to replace Judas.  So Matthias became the first apostle chosen after the death of the crucified Lord.  One author said, “the dead branch of Judas had to be broken away from the living vine of Christ, that Matthias might be grafted in its place.  What Judas squandered was now entrusted to Matthias; what Judas should have accomplished was now to be completed by Matthias.”

In a reflection on these events, Pope Benedict wrote: “He was enrolled with the eleven apostles.  We know nothing else about him, if not that he had been a witness to all Jesus’ earthly events, remaining faithful to him to the end.  To the greatness of his fidelity was added the divine call to take the place of Judas, almost compensating for his betrayal” and “we draw from this a final lesson: while there is no lack of unworthy and traitorous Christians in the Church, it is up to each of us to counterbalance the evil done by them with our clear witness to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.”

To counterbalance scandal and betrayal by clear witness to Jesus.

In an age, when we have no lack of Christians who have abandoned the commandments, the clear witness of the faithful is needed.  To counterbalance their apathy and listlessness, we go forth to bear good fruit.  To counterbalance their idolatry of worldly vices, we fast, do penance, and purify our heavenly worship. To counterbalance materialism, we practice generous self-giving. Pope Francis himself said recently, that we must heed the call to offer the total commitment of our lives to Christ in order to be a “counterbalance to evil.”

Jesus chose the twelve personally.  But he also chose Matthias through the apostles.  And he has chosen us to be clear witnesses in this twenty-first century of the Church, to be a source of goodness the world so desperately needs.

Through the example and prayerful intercession of the Apostle Matthias, may we also be faithful to this divine call of ours and bear good fruit for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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May we join the Holy Apostles in our prayer for the world and the Church.
As the Apostles witnessed to the Resurrection of the Lord, may we be his witnesses to the farthest corners of the world.
For the bishops, the successors of the apostles: That they may be courageous in stirring up the flame of faith and defending the Church from error.
For all of the sick and suffering, especially victims of natural disaster, poverty, and addiction, may they be comforted and supported by God’s healing love. We pray to the Lord.
For all who long to see the face of the Father, for all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. We pray to the Lord.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

Ascension Sunday 2018 - The divine stamp of gaurentee

Years ago, a Catholic missionary was preaching in the open square of a village in North India.
As he finished, a Muslim man approached him and said: "You must admit: we Muslims have one thing you Christians have not, and it is better than anything you have." The missionary smiled and said, "I should be pleased to hear what it is." The Muslim went on, "You know, that when Muslims make pilgrimage to Mecca, to the burial place of Muhammed, we have our founder’s coffin, his body to venerate to embolden us. But when you Christians go to Jerusalem, your Mecca, you find nothing but an empty grave."

The Missionary replied, "Ah ha! But that's just it, and it makes all the difference. Mohammad, the founder of Islam, is dead, and he is in his coffin. But our Leader has risen from the dead and returned to heaven."

As Christians, we don't just believe in a philosophy or a theology, we believe in a person, a Savior, a God who is alive and who has brought our own human nature into heaven.

There is however an ancient monument on the Mount of Olives. When Christ Ascended into heaven, he left his footprints in the rock of Mount Olivet. You can visit this spot, or see an image of Christ’s footprints on the internet. Our faith isn’t based on wishful thinking, but on real events which we have received from the apostolic tradition.

The reconciliation of humanity and divinity was pleaded for and longed for in ancient Israel. From the Old Testament we know of an ancient Jewish practice which foreshadowed the Ascension.  Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter into the Holy of Holies in the Jerusalem Temple. He would pass through a huge, thick, ancient curtain into the Holy of Holies symbolizing the throne of God in heaven. There the High Priest would offer the sacrifice of atonement, pleading to God to forgive the sins of humanity which separates man from God.

In his Ascension, Christ goes to the true eternal Holy of Holies, the inner chamber of the universe, heaven itself. Christ, who is both the atoning sacrifice and the priest, He has brought fallen, and now, redeemed humanity to heaven.

The Ascension is the stamp of guarantee that humanity is redeemed, and has a place in heaven. And no other religion makes that claim. And this is why we are bold as we go out into the world to proclaim the Gospel. The Gospel isn’t based in wishful thinking. It isn’t based in fairy tales.
Christianity isn’t man’s best attempt at religion. It isn’t man’s word about God, it’s God’s word about man. God Himself offers the Divine Guarantee, that following Christ leads to everlasting life.
And so bearing witness to Christ, to his message and the power of his goodness: this is our primary mission on earth. Before he ascended, Jesus didn't say, “Enjoy yourselves. And if you have time, go to church once and a while.”  No! He said, "Go be my witnesses to all the nations."

We are each called to witness in different ways. God calls some to witness as priests. He calls some to consecrate their lives as full-time missionaries. Others are called to be leaven in the world, transforming culture from within, either as humble workers or as great leaders. But each of us God tasks to bear witness to Him by allowing the Christian faith to permeate every dimension of our life, ever relationship. And, until this mission becomes our highest priority in life, until it becomes more important than sports, than bank accounts and stock markets, more important that receiving the adulation of our neighbors for a fine-kept lawn or a new car, until the Gospel is our highest priority we will experience an interior restlessness that nothing will cure.

For, we were created to live in friendship with God, and that means sharing in God's projects. And his project in this fallen world is "that repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached in Jesus’ name to all the nations". May we grow in our faithfulness to this mission.

On this Ascension Sunday we also honor our mothers on this Mother’s Day. We thank our Mothers for all of their sacrifices, with flowers and chocolates, cards and kind words, praises and prayers. But we acknowledge that the best way of honoring them is by becoming the people God made us to be; for they bore us in their wombs, that we may become bearers of God’s Word to all nations, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

6th Week of Easter 2018 - Friday - Childbirth and New Spiritual Life

Jesus explained to the Apostles that their experience of his absence will sometimes feel like the sufferings of childbirth.

Now, none of the Apostles had ever experienced the pains of childbirth, themselves; but no doubt, they knew it to be one of the most intensely painful human experiences.

So when Jesus says, following me will bring you intense pain and grief, you wonder why the apostles stuck around! Well, yes, as the Lord taught, there would be pain and grief and suffering, but all that would seem like nothing, like a distant memory, compared to the joy to follow.

The Apostles would truly experience great suffering. They would see their Lord and Master crucified, in what appeared to be ultimate defeat. Then they would experience the feeling of abandonment following the Lord’s Ascension. And then in their work for the spread of the Gospel around the world, we know they would undergo terrible sufferings for the sake of the Gospel. They would face persecution in nearly every corner of the earth.

Jesus’ words at the Last Supper give the Church hope. That our sufferings for the sake of the Gospel meaning something—that the suffering indeed furthers the Gospel and brings salvation to souls lost in error and sin.

The example of a woman in labor was a common biblical image for the end of days. Just as a woman is in anguish as she gives birth, so also the Church experiences anguish throughout history. But once the baby is born, the mother no longer remembers the pain but is filled with joy. Similarly, the Church’s grief will pass away, and be transformed into joy over the new life experienced through Christ.

As is often the case in pregnancy, our work for the Gospel may be marked by great stress. Under these circumstances, we will be pressured to terminate the new life the Holy Spirit wishes to create in us. We will be tempted to seek escape from the hard work through various pleasurable distractions.

Today begins the annual Pentecost Novena. Nine days of prayer perhaps corresponding to the nine months of pregnancy, itself symbolic of the whole of the Christian life. Let us pray fervently these nine days, turning to God in times of stress, nurturing the new spiritual life God wishes to bring to birth in us, knowing that all we suffer for His sake will be transformed into joy for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That through the preaching and teaching of the Church and all that she suffers, all people will come to recognize Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

That those charged with civil authority will show Christian compassion to the poor and marginalized, particularly for the safety and defense of the unborn.

For all Christian families: that the mercy, purity, and peace of Jesus will reign in their hearts and homes.

That the Church may cooperate with God’s grace for a flowering of new spiritual life during this Pentecost Novena.

For the sick, the suffering, those in nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice care, for the underemployed and unemployed, for the imprisoned, those with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, that the Spirit of Consolation may comfort them.

For the deceased members of our families, friends and parish, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for all those who fought and died for our freedom.

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

6th Week of Easter 2018 - Thursday - What does it mean...

40 days ago, we celebrated the Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus on Easter Sunday.  And 40 days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended to the right hand of his Father in heaven.  Traditionally, the Feast of the Ascension, a holy day of obligation, was celebrated today, as Ascension Thursday.
In most of the dioceses of the United States, including Cleveland, the liturgical feast has been transferred to the following Sunday.

So we have a few extra days to ponder along with the Apostles in the Gospel today: “What does this mean that he is saying to us, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?"

We do well to ponder these questions, to ask, what meaning does the Ascension of Jesus have to my life? How is my life to be different because of it? How can I help others come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of this event in salvation history? What impact does it have on my Christian faith? On my Christian Hope? On my Christian Love?

Jesus’ Ascension should fill us with deep joy. For it is a sign of his victory, his faithfulness to the mission given to Him by His Father. It is a sign that his earthly mission of saving souls and starting Church was complete. He did it!

This event impacts our Faith: because of his Ascension, the Lord is not bound by time and space, he is not limited by geographical distance, we do not have to travel to Galilee to know the closeness and presence of the Lord Jesus.

The Ascension fills us with Hope. That he goes to prepare a place for us, as he promised. I can really HOPE to be with God in heaven, because the faithful son, has gone there to prepare a place for us.
And the Ascension should fill us with deep love: love for God for His mighty works, for the revelation of His goodness, for the blessings that flow from it.

For as we heard earlier this week, the Lord ascends to heaven, so that the Holy Spirit might be sent upon the whole Church. So the Ascension enables us to be filled with the supernatural burning charity of the Holy Spirit.

Tomorrow is nine days until Pentecost. The Apostles gathered for nine days of prayer, after Ascension Thursday, with the blessed Mother, before they received the gift of the Spirit—this was the first novena. We do well to join with them, in the Pentecost novena (praymorenovenas.com), as a way of honoring the Ascension and disposing ourselves to the Gifts that come through God’s Almighty Plan, for the building up of the Church, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all bishops, priests, catechists, and parents may be faithful in preaching and teaching the saving Gospel of Christ.

For those who do not believe in God and for those who have fallen away from the Church.

For an increase in the gifts of the Holy Spirit among all Christians, and for all who are persecuted for the faith.

For the sick, the suffering, those in nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice care, for the underemployed and unemployed, for the imprisoned, those with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, that the Spirit of Consolation may comfort them.

For the deceased members of our families, friends and parish, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for all those who fought and died for our freedom.

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

6th Week of Easter 2018 - Tuesday - Convicting the World

The Gospel of John’s account of the Last Supper is quite different from the other Gospels. For one, St. John omits the institution of the Eucharist and includes the washing of the Apostles’ feet.  John’s Last Supper is also a much longer text, spanning several chapters compared to just a few verses in other Gospels. And this is so, principally because it contains what scholars call Jesus’ Farewell Discourse in which Jesus delivers one of the most moving, theologically rich, and mystical passages in the whole New Testament.

Jesus’s Farewell follows the example of the farewell speeches of the great men and women from the Old Testament: people like Jacob, Moses, David, Tobit, Noah, Rebecca, Isaac, and Enoch.
Addressing those who are closest to them, they speak about their impending deaths, and offer comfort in the face of the grief their announcement produces.  They promise how God’s care and God’s saving plan will continue. And they leave instructions on how those left behind should behave.

Jesus’ farewell discourse fits this pattern well: he speaks about his coming crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension to the Father. Jesus certainly offers instructions for his disciples, as well: they are to love one another, by following his example of humble self-sacrificial service.

Today we hear how news of Jesus’ going to the Father so fills the disciples hearts that they are rendered speechless. Jesus makes the astonishing claim that it is better that he goes than if he stayed. Because the sending of the Spirit will usher in a brand-new chapter in God’s Saving Plan in which the world will become convicted for the Gospel.

The Spirit Advocate, like a defense attorney, will prove the case for Jesus Christ. He will defend Christ’s claim to be God, to be the Messiah, to be the Savior. This great court case will play out over the remainder of human history, and the evidence with which the Spirit will use to prove the case, is us, the Church.

You want to know Jesus is Lord? Look at what the Spirit has done throughout human history and continues to do. Look at the Saints he has produced. Look at the miracles he has accomplished and continues to accomplish. Look at the Courage He inspires and the consolation he brings to the suffering.

To those with eyes, let them see, the work of the Spirit. May each of us cooperate as well as we can with the Spirit, that others may come to know the evidence of God, Father, Son, and Spirit, working in our life.

May He continue to use us to convict the world that Jesus is Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all bishops, priests, catechists, and parents may be faithful in preaching and teaching the saving Gospel of Christ.
For those who do not believe in God and for those who have fallen away from the Church.
For an increase in the gifts of the Holy Spirit among all Christians, and for all who are persecuted for the faith.
For the sick, the suffering, those in nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice care, for the underemployed and unemployed, for the imprisoned, those with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, that the Spirit of Consolation may comfort them.
For the deceased members of our families, friends and parish, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for all those who fought and died for our freedom.
O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

6th Week of Easter 2018 - Monday - Called to Testify

In many of the stories of the saints, the holy ones are brought before judges, governors, kings, even emperors, to give testimony for their Christians faith.

In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus taught how on His account, his disciples would be “brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.”

I think of the Apostles being brought before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, or the first martyrs of Rome, saints like Felicity and Perpetua and Agatha, I think of that wonderful scene from the Man for All Seasons, of St. Thomas More standing before the English tribunal or the Ugandan St. Charles Lwanga and his companions refusing the perverted desires of the Ugandan King.

 Where are we to get such courage, such eloquence of word and deed?

As we near the end of the Easter season and the Great Feast of Pentecost, our readings speak of the Advocate, the Paraclete, who comes to the aid of Christians in testifying to Jesus.

In the Greco-Roman courtroom, your paraclete or advocate was the one who stood at your side and gave you help and assistance as your court case was tried.  Your advocate gave you counsel, pleaded your case, and interceded on their behalf, to teach them what they most know, to give them the words the must speak, when called upon to testify.

I think this is why some Christians back-off from or are hesitant to form a vibrant relationship with the Holy Spirit. We sense the Holy Spirit wants to impel us out of our comfort zones to witness to Christ. And that’s terrifying. So we “fall-away” from forming that deep powerful relationship with the Advocate.

But, Christians are to be witnesses to Jesus Christ in the courtroom of this world. Many will form their judgments about the truth of Christianity based on our testimony. And if they find us cowering in fear of witnessing to our faith, why should they convert? If we don't show conviction for Christ, why should they?

May we grow in our trust in the aid of the Holy Spirit, who helps us to be faithful to our vocation to boldly witness to Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all bishops, priests, catechists, and parents may be faithful in preaching and teaching the saving Gospel of Christ.

For those who do not believe in God and for those who have fallen away from the Church.

For an increase in the gifts of the Holy Spirit among all Christians, and for all who are persecuted for the faith.

For the sick, the suffering, those in nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice care, for the underemployed and unemployed, for the imprisoned, those with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, that the Spirit of Consolation may comfort them.

For the deceased members of our families, friends and parish, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for all those who fought and died for our freedom.

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

6th Sunday of Easter 2018 - No Greater Love

At the Last Supper, Jesus gave to the apostles the commandment to love. So during the Easter season, we read extensively from the Acts of the Apostles so many wonderful stories of the Apostles faithfulness to the Lord’s command to love, all of their efforts to spread the kingdom of Christ’s love—how they endured imprisonment and torture and the threat of death that we might be saved, that Christ’s saving Gospel might be spread.

It is always beneficial and fruitful to meditate on the example and the virtues of the apostles—their miraculous works and their sufferings; for they teach what loving Jesus looks like
On the third of May, this last week, the Church celebrated the feast of two apostles, Saints Philip and James. And on Thursday, I preached about these two apostles, but I wanted to go into a bit greater depth, today, particularly into the great example of the apostle Philip, who is such a marvelous example of fidelity to the commandment to love—his very name, in Greek means “the one who loves”

In the Gospels, we first meet Philip when he begins following the Lord. And it really is love at first sight for Philip. We read in John Chapter 1 how Jesus was in Galilee and the Lord simply says to Philip, “follow me”. No arguments, no proofs, no signs, Philip simply follows the Lord. And in the very next verse, Philip is joyfully running over to Nathanael, proclaiming, “we have found the Lord the one Moses had spoken about in the law and the prophets.” When you really love someone you are willing to tell others about them.

So we follow Philip’s example of loving, joyful witnessing. We are to share with others—relatives, friends, strangers—how loving Jesus Christ has changed our lives. Witnessing to the power of our Christian faith shouldn’t terrify us; it should be a common practice for us. For there is power in that sharing, sharing how being a Catholic, how the sacraments, how prayer, how being involved in acts of charity, has changed you. How your lives are different because of Jesus. One of the ways Jesus wants to draw people to himself, is through your joyful sharing of your encounters with Him.
We read about another encounter between the Lord and the apostle Philip at the last supper, in the passage immediately preceding today’s Gospel. Jesus utters those beautiful words, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

And Philip turns to Jesus and utters a request: “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” The Lord gently rebukes Philip here because Philip doesn’t seem to grasp entirely what Jesus is teaching. Jesus didn’t come to grant a heavenly vision, a miraculous sign that would once-and-for-all prove the Father’s existence. Because he loves Philip, the Lord corrects Him. To love the Lord, is to be willing to be corrected by Him, stretched by Him, challenged by Him, drawn out of your comfort zone by Him.

After the last Supper, the Scriptures are silent about Philip, except for telling us that he burst out of the Upper Room with the rest of the Apostles on Pentecost preaching the Good News. Ancient Christian legend, however, details how Philip preached and performed miracles in Galilee, then went to Greece, and finally to a city in Phrygia, in modern day Turkey, called Hieropolis.
Hieropolis was known for its temples to the pagan gods, particularly to a pagan snake-God. And upon Philip’s arrival in Hieropolis, the snakes filling this Temple began to go crazy, hissing wildly and biting people. This reminds us of the scripture that says, the devil is in a great fury for he knows his time on earth is short. Often the devil causes disturbances in families and parishes right when they are on the verge of growing in holiness or performing sacred works for the Lord because he knows he is about to lose some territory.

Anyway, Philip goes around town and begins healing people of these deadly poisonous snake bites. He then prays for the Lord to deliver the pagans from this false snake-god religion, and at the request of Philip’s prayers, God strikes down this large temple serpent. Many people converted to Christ through Philips preaching, including the wife of the governor. This angered the governor and the pagan priests. So they arrest Philip and crucified him on the steps of the temple.  But, during his crucifixion there was a terrible earthquake. From his cross Philip prayed for the salvation of those who crucified him. The temple was destroyed and the people were saved. And after his death, many came to believe in the one about whom Phillip preached, Jesus the Christ.

So a few lessons here. First, Philip gives a wonderful example of Christian charity. He went around healing people. In this story, he heals them before he even starts preaching.

The Christian is always to be about the works of charity. It doesn’t matter if they eventually come to convert or not. We are to be about the work of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, healing the sick, because we are followers of Christ. In this way we are faithful to Christ’s command to love.
Secondly though, we must not be afraid to preach the truth even in the face of other competing religions and worldviews. Just because our culture is infatuated with promiscuity and perversion, doesn’t mean we stop preaching the truth about chastity, modesty, and purity. Just because our culture is infatuated with technology and instant gratification, doesn’t mean we stop preaching the truth about simplicity, self-discipline, silent prayer. We show our love by sharing the truth with them, lest souls continue down paths which lead to eternal separation from God.

Thirdly, Philip was willing to suffer and even to die so that others might know Christ. Christianity isn’t for wimps, or, maybe it is. Maybe it aims to give wimps like us courage, to be bold in our faith, fortitude to withstand the overwhelming temptation of the flesh, and the guts and the steel to make sacrifices so our saving faith might be spread.

May the Lord find us, like Philip, ready to follow Him to the ends of the earth, to use us as his instruments of charity and deliverance. And may Holy Mass today deepen our love for the Lord, and our conviction to proclaim and to live our faith boldly for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

5th Week of Easter 2018 - Friday - "Love one another"

Love is a deeply misunderstood word these days. Sometimes it’s reduced to denote a great delight one takes in a particular object or activity: “I just love ice cream and baseball”, “I just love your new shoes”.

When Jesus says today, “love one another”, he’s not saying, have the same attitude towards each other as you have towards your favorite food, shoes, or sport. This love is conditional, fleeting, and fickle.

When he teaches us to “love one another as I love you” he’s really outlining the beginning and end the Christian life.  We are created by God out of Love and we are created by God For love.  Love is the reason we exist, and it is our purpose.  I am supposed to love everyone and everything God loves.

Because we are called to love those whom God loves, this means that I am to love even the person whom I do not like or even know.  My love needs to extend to every corner of the earth, because that’s how far God’s love extends.  It needs to extend into every jail cell, into every hospital ward, across the political aisle, and even into the life of the hardened sinner, because God’s love is there, too.

When I begin my day and structure my day in terms of loving those whom God loves, something changes. I begin to look on others not simply with my eyes and my feelings, but from the perspective of Jesus Christ.  Going beyond exterior appearances, we begin to see in others that same desire to be loved as we have in ourselves.

Love is definitely a word that our enemy, the devil, wishes to distort and water-down.  He says, only love what you like, only love what you are familiar with, only love when it is convenient for you, love only those who will love you back.

But, in Jesus Christ, we see love’s true face. His love embraces self-sacrifice for the good of the other. His is not just for me, it’s for everyone. And it extends to even those who reject Him, patiently inviting them out of their hardness. Authentic love is larger than my limitations and experiences. In Christ, we encounter a love that is infinite.

Jesus gives us the command to love.  We pray, that today we will be faithful to that limitless love, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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For ever deeper faithfulness in following the commandments of Christ and for the grace to love those who are difficult to love. We pray to the Lord.

For lasting peace throughout the world: that Christ, the Prince of Peace will put an end to all enmity and division, and unify the peoples of the world.

That those chosen to represent us in government will use their authority to protect the dignity of human life and the welfare of the most vulnerable.

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation or illness: that the Lord may grant his gift of peace to those most in need of it.

For all souls who await the resurrection, for all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. We pray to the Lord.

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

May 03 2018 - Sts. Philip and James - Faith and Works at Home and Abroad

Meditating upon the lives and virtues of the apostles, their faith and works, is always beneficial and fruitful. Particularly in the Easter season, the apostles teach us and inspire us by their goodness and courage and zeal.

While his companions went off into the world, James had the difficult task of remaining in Jerusalem, as its first bishop. Though many citizens of Jerusalem had been converted to Christ after the apostles burst from the upper room on Pentecost, there lived in Jerusalem many who hated the Gospel and conspired against it.

The first verses of his new testament epistle, the epistle of St. James, speaks of the importance of persevering in times of trial: “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”

Details of James the Less’ martyrdom are found in the writings of Josephus, Eusebius, and Jerome. In 63, the Bishop Apostle was arrested and brought to the wall of the Jerusalem Temple. The Jewish High Priest demanded that James renounce Jesus as the Messiah. After giving a stirring sermon proclaiming Christ as Savior, James was thrown from the Temple wall then clubbed to death.
James foreshadowed his own martyrdom, when he wrote, “Blessed is the man who perseveres in trial, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.”

We read about Philip’s faith and burning love for the Lord in the Gospel of St. John. At the beginning of the Gospel, Philip joyfully runs to Nathanael to proclaim, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets wrote, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.”

Scripture is silent concerning the works and martyrdom of Philip after the Lord’s ascension.  Some ancient legends state that Philip was preaching in a Greek town called Hieropolis, where he miraculously cured people bitten by serpents and then killed a large serpent in a temple dedicated to snake worship. For this the pagan priests and the city governor arrested Philip and had him crucified.  So, in Philip we find two characteristics of Easter evangelization: bold courage in preaching against pagan error and warm joy.

We are reminded by these great Easter saints, that whether we are at home or abroad, by persevering in our trials, and by our preaching with bold courage and warm joy lead unbelievers to Christ, we are faithful to the mission of building up the Church and sowing the seeds of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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May we join the Holy Apostles in our prayer for the world and the Church.

As the Apostles witnessed to the Resurrection of the Lord, may we be his witnesses to the farthest corners of the world.

For the bishops, the successors of the apostles: That they may be courageous in stirring up the flame of faith and defending the Church from error.

For all of the sick and suffering, especially victims of natural disaster, poverty, and addiction, may they be comforted and supported by God’s healing love. We pray to the Lord.

For all who long to see the face of the Father, for all our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. We pray to the Lord.

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

May 1 2018 - St. Joseph the Worker - Will your children become workers or thieves?

It was very common for sons, in Jesus’ time, for young boys to learn the trade of their fathers. This was important so that the young man would be able to provide for himself and for his wife and family. There was even a saying among the Jewish men of Israel at Jesus’ time: "If you do not teach your son how to work, you teach him how to be a thief." A man who does not learn how to work will be a drain upon his family and his community.

St. Joseph, in raising Jesus as if he were his own true son, took Jesus into the carpenter’s workshop and taught him to use the tools and skills of a manual laborer. Jesus ministry and teaching was infused with practical knowledge and self-sacrifice that no doubt filled Joseph’s workshop. Contrast the spirit of hard work and discipline of Jesus, Son of the Father, Jesus Bar Abba, in Hebrew, with the thieving, murderous Barabbas, from the passion story. Perhaps, one of the great differences of these two sons was the presence of a father who taught them how to work with their hands.

The feast of St. Joseph the Worker was instituted in 1955 to emphasize the dignity of work, and this feast is needed now more than ever. There is a growing disdain for work among our young people. Many young people, boys in particular, are opting not to enter the work force, but would rather stay in their parents’ basement and engage in virtual fantasy worlds in video games. Many of our schools put so much emphasis on head knowledge now, to prepare students for a college degree they do not necessarily need, that the young people see no reason to develop real life skills.

The dignity of real work runs throughout the Scriptures. I think of how St. Paul laments the fact that some of the Christians in Thessalonica were leading undisciplined lives, accomplishing nothing for the Christian community, they were acting like busybodies, instead of working to support the Church. And to them, St. Paul says, “those who are unwilling to work, should not eat.” And he was speaking about eating at the communal Christian table and perhaps even the Eucharistic table.

The Christian community needs examples of laborers, who, as Pope Francis said recently, “work with integrity and skill in the service of their brothers and sisters.”

Young boys in particular may need special attention these days, so let us hold up St. Joseph as a model for fathers, men, and all adults to serve as good Christian role models for our young people, that through their hard work, they will continue to build up our young people and build up the Church for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Holy Catholic Church, entrusted to the protection of Saint Joseph, may continue to labor faithfully for the salvation of souls.

For Pope Francis prayer intention for the month of May: “That the lay-faithful may fulfil their specific mission, by responding with creativity to the challenges that face the world today.”

That our young people, especially those at risk of disengaging from society, may come to discover the fulfillment found in work and self-sacrifice.

For the unemployed and underemployed, and that all who work may receive a just reward for their labors.

That St. Joseph patron of the dying may help all those who will die today to know repentance of their sins and the grace of a peaceful death.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, those who have supported us by their work, those who fought and died for our freedom, for all of the souls in purgatory and for X, for whom this mass is offered.

Gracious Father, you created us in your divine image, hear our prayers, and grant us the help we need to work always for your Holy Will, through Christ Our Lord.