September 30 2019 - St. Jerome - Ignorance of Scripture is Ignorance of Christ

It was only in 1298 that the Church began to declare certain saints as doctors of the Church. As of today there are 36 doctors. Well, St. Jerome is among the original four along with St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. Gregory the Great. The word “doctor” comes from the Latin word “docere”, which means to teach or instruct. The Church sees these great doctors of the Church as the greatest teachers and instructors of the faith.

St. Augustine, in fact, spoke about St. Jerome, saying: What Jerome is ignorant of, no mortal has ever known.” Jerome’s knowledge and work with the Scriptures has left an indelible mark upon the Church. For he is the author of the Vulgate, the official Latin translation of the Scriptures which were utilized for liturgical use and church documents for nearly two millennia.

St. Jerome is quoted in the current Catechism of the Catholic Church which states “The Church…specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful. . . to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.”

There is often hesitation on the part of Catholics to be familiar with the Bible. For the Bible is not easy to understand. To understand the whole we must understand its parts, and to understand its parts we need to understand the whole. But for those who open its pages, the Scriptures are refreshing; they are consoling, instructive, and corrective, they are more valuable than gold.  We should read and meditate on Scripture every day.  Like Jerome, we should seek a “living and tender love for Scripture” that we ma have a living and tender loving care for God and the willingness to follow his Holy Will. 

On this memorial of St. Jerome, we hear of St. Paul’s injunction to Timothy to learn and believe what is in the scriptures for they are capable of giving “wisdom for salvation.” In a world full of so much chaos and error, we need the wisdom of the scriptures to help order or life. Biblical illiteracy serves no one.

When we study the scriptures and internalize them, we become like the wise head of the household extolled by the Lord in the Gospel, who “brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” “All Scripture is inspired by God” both the new and the old. So by them may the Lord continue to equip us for the work of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - -
 
That all members of the Church will find constant nourishment and strength from the Holy Scriptures.

That we may always read and interpret the scriptures according to the “living Tradition of the whole Church” and not according to the errors of the world.

That the uninitiated who seek God may answer the call to Christian conversion and for the success of our parish RCIA programs.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, 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 the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

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.

26th Sunday in OT 2019 - Living no longer for ourselves

In my bulletin column this weekend, I spend a few paragraphs on the life, spirituality, and lessons of the great Saint of the Poor, St. Vincent de Paul, for Friday, September 27, was his feast day, he who is known as the “Apostle of Charity”. St. Vincent devoted his life to charitable service to the hungry, the homeless, war refugees, neglected elderly men, women, and children, and those who had been spiritually abandoned. He set up many houses for the poor, crippled and sick, and personally cared for those with contagious disease during the plague.

Vincent’s early life is quite fascinating: he was the son of a poor, but pious farmer in southwestern France in 1581. Even though it meant a great sacrifice for his family, his father, knowing of the boy’s intellectual gifts and believing him to have a vocation to the priesthood, payed for his studies and encouraged his vocation. A genius, mastering his philosophical and theological training with ease, Vincent was ordained a priest at the incredibly young age of 20.

And, as a charming young priest, Vincent moved easily in among the higher echelons of French society, he even became chaplain to the queen of France. But, his life took a dramatic turn, when travelling home from Marseilles, he was captured by Turkish pirates and sold into slavery by Muslim slavers. He escaped back to Europe after two years, with his slave master, who eventually converted to Catholicism.

This time spent as a slave deeply impacted the young priest. He returned to Paris, and devoted himself to the poor. “It is not sufficient for me to love God if I do not love my neighbor,” he said, “…I belong to God and to the poor.”

Today, nearly, 360 years after his death, the relic of St. Vincent’s heart is still perfectly incorrupt— meaning that, after nearly four centuries, his heart has not decomposed as biological matter normally does. If you don’t believe me, you can see his incorrupt heart and venerate it yourself at the Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris. His heart, transformed by tireless service and charity shows the powerful effect that God’s love has, even on our bodies. Charity is a powerful medicine, perhaps the most powerful.

May our hearts, in time, become like his, but today, let us compare the heart of St. Vincent, with the rich man in today’s Gospel.

It’s certainly a provocative Gospel: Lazarus, covered with sores, being licked and harassed by dogs, longing to eat just the crumbs from the rich man’s table. The rich man, what would we say about his heart? For his cold heart, for his self-absorption, he is condemned to hell. He is tormented, he longs to quench his eternal thirst, but is unable, his pleading is unanswered.

Why exactly is the rich man sent to hell? It’s not simply because he was rich.  Nor are we told that he earned his money in an immoral way. He wasn’t selling weapons to terrorists or involved in human trafficking. It’s not because he directly refused to help Lazarus, either. He didn’t mock Lazarus or abuse him physically or emotionally. Rather, the rich man is condemned to Hell because he did nothing. There was a poor man at his gate and he did nothing. The rich man was so caught up in himself that he made no effort at all to help another who was struggling and dying at his front door. The rich man’s self-absorption made him deaf to Lazarus’ silent plea for help.

The Gospel is the remedy for self-absorption. We celebrate St. Vincent de Paul, and so many of the saints, because allowed God’s grace, the love of Jesus, to transform them. Many of the saints had periods of life where they were self-absorbed: St. Francis of Assisi and St. Augustine had downright sinful pasts. St. Paul murdered Christians. St. Mary of Egypt was a prostitute, St. Angela of Foligno, a vain, greedy, materialistic Adulteress. And really no saint is born a saint. Rather, each, in their own way, cooperate with God’s grace to transform their hearts—to be men and women, not just for themselves, but for others.

You’ve likely noticed that during Ordinary Time I like to use the Fourth Eucharistic Prayer. For one, because it contains a beautiful recap of salvation history: God fashioning creation to reflect his goodness, God coming to the aid of sinful man by sending prophets and finally his son, who preaches the Gospel and dies for our sins. And then, my favorite line: God sends the Holy Spirit, “that we might live no longer for ourselves but for him who died and rose again for us", echoing St. Paul's word to the oft self-absorbed Corinthians.

The rich man in the Gospel walled himself in to his mansion. He lived only for himself. He concerned himself not with the pleas of the hungry, but merely with feeding his own appetites. And in shutting himself off from the poor, he shut himself off from God.

So, how can we live no longer for ourselves but for Him who died and rose again for us? Like the saints, we are called to do something. And it’s different for each of us. Perhaps you are called to physical service, cooking meals and feeding the hungry. Perhaps you are called to spiritual service: to fervent prayer. Perhaps you have great fortitude for doing penances, fasting.

Our St. Vincent de Paul Society is in particular need at this time, not simply for donations, but for volunteers, we’ve had several past volunteers move from the parish, and we need folks to answer the calls for help in our neighborhood, To go to the homes of the needy, to assess their needs and bring them the food and clothing they need, to organize our St. Vincent de Paul collections, like blanket drive. We need men and women for this ministry. So please consider the call to do something.

Are you looking for a stronger, richer experience of God in your life? St. Vincent said, “Go to the poor: you will find God.” So, please consider joining our st. Vincent de paul. Send me an email or leave a message on the Vincent Paul voice mail.

Lazarus comes in many forms. He is the physically hungry, he is the widow whose family no longer comes to visit, he’s the infant in the womb in danger of being aborted for whom we pray during these 40 days for life, he is the abandoned child in need of a safe home in which to live, a foster home, or adoption; he’s the young college student who has been inculcated with the errors of our secular culture who needs to sit with someone who can clearly articulate the Truths of Our Faith; he’s the hardened sinner who needs our prayers and penances for the sake of his soul. What can you do to help Lazarus, there’s got to be something?
May we turn our ears to the cries of the poor, and answer those cries with charity, living not for ourselves, but for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

September 27 2019 - St. Vincent de Paul - "His heart was moved with pity"

“His heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned like sheep without a shepherd”. St Matthew gives us a glimpse into the heart of Our Blessed Lord, into the heart of God.

Our Lord, Man and God, sees the crowds coming to him; lost, broken, hurting, and crying out for their shepherd, and his heart is moved to “pity” over their existential loneliness.

There suffering is compounded because they do not know how close God is to them, they do not know that God draws close to those who suffer, who himself identifies with those who suffer throughout human history by becoming one who suffers, the one, in fact, who suffered most.

The vocation of the Christian, my task and yours, is to imitate the Lord in drawing close to those who suffer, and through compassion, to remind them, to reveal to them that God is close to them.

The saints, like St. Vincent de Paul, are so revered and honored by the Church, because they remind us of that great vocation, for they have so decreased their egos and their selfishness, through prayer, charitable works, and self-forgetfulness, that they become great instruments of God’s compassion.

In Paris, St. Vincent de Paul ministered to the homeless, war refugees, neglected elderly men, women, and children, and those who had been spiritually abandoned. He set up many houses for the poor, crippled and sick and personally cared for the patients who had the most contagious diseases. He would dress their wounds and nurse them back to health.

St. Vincent explained, “It is not sufficient for me to love God if I do not love my neighbor…I belong to God and to the poor.” 

We pray that we may respond generously to those in need for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
- - - - - - -

That all Christians may grow in charitable attentiveness to the needs of the poor in our midst.

That all those searching and longing for Christ may find him through the witness of His Holy Church.

That the work and ministry of all Vincentian organizations and charitable institutions may bear fruit for the spread of the Gospel.

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

25th Week in OT 2019 - Wednesday - The holy remnant

Yesterday, we heard from the book of Ezra, how the Jews, returned from Babylonian captivity, rejoiced at the reconstruction of the Temple. Those returning from exile began to keep the feasts of the Lord again, particularly the Passover, the celebration of their freedom from Egyptian slavery.

Well, some time later, a second wave of exiles return from Babylon, and we hear today Ezra lamenting over the fact that this new group does not have the same fervor for their faith as that first group did. Ezra falls to his knees and mourns for the sins of the people who have intermarried with the Babylonian pagans and have adopted their practices.

Ezra’s mission was to help these people return to God’s law, but he is overwhelmed at how resistant they are to returning to the faith, and he pleads God’s mercy on behalf of the people. He acknowledges that even though the people had abandoned God, God has not abandoned them.
He refers to that small group of faithful Jews, as a holy remnant—a small group who remains faithful even when the rest turn away from the Lord.

Yesterday, I spoke of how in many places in the west, America, and Europe, the Church appears to be a lot like the crumbling Jerusalem Temple. We are well aware of the great number of Christians who have intermarried with the world, and have abandoned the faith for the pagan ideals and practices which do not give supernatural life--bishops and priests and religious even who have forsaken the truth.

We recall then our holy vocation to be like that holy remnant, who keeps the faith, who pleads on behalf of those who do not pray, to restore our ruins.

The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church because there will always be a holy remnant who trust in the power and authority of Jesus Christ to proclaim the Kingdom of God and heal the sick, as we heard in the Gospel today, who carry out the Gospel mission in humility, even in the face of opposition from the world.

“Bless the Lord, you his chosen ones”, his holy remnant, forsake the ways of the world and recommit daily to the work of the Gospel, to Christ Our Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -
 
That the Pope, Bishop, and clergy may work to build up the Church according to the precepts of God’s Holy Word.

For the purification of Holy Church from all error and heresy, especially among those who preach and teach, for the conversion of souls hardened to the truth of the Gospel.

That the fire of the Holy Spirit may be evident in all members of the Church, and in this parish community.

For mercy and peace for all those who suffer: for the sick and diseased, for those undergoing surgery this week, for the destitute and despairing, for all victims of war, violence, and abuse, and for those who will die today and the consolation of their families.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, and for N., for whom this mass is offered.

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.

25th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Rebuilding the Temple

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow, we hear from the book of Ezra.  Ezra tells part of the story of the Jews return to Israel after the Babylonian captivity.

For over a hundred years, the Jews were captive in Babylon, cut off from their traditions, history, rituals, stories, and temple worship.  A generation of Jews who didn’t know how God freed their people from slavery in Egypt, they grew up without the knowing the promises God made to Abraham, without the knowledge of the ten commandments or the promised land, and without the Temple, the center of their faith.  Could you imagine? No faith, no hope, no knowledge of God’s love. They grew up only knowing the gods and practices of Babylon-- a culture which practiced child sacrifice, polygamy, and other behaviors condemned by Jewish law.

After the Babylonians were defeated by the Persians, the Jews were freed. Ezra, the priest, was tasked to lead the Jews back to Jerusalem. But what they found there was devastating: they found the holy city in ruins--her walls breached and knocked down, the great temple destroyed.  They wept.
A campaign was launched by Nehemiah to rebuild the temple and Ezra the priest endeavored to reeducate the people who had grown ignorant of their history, of their traditions, rituals and practices—to teach the people who they were, their identity, and the laws of the faith which enabled them to be the people God had chosen them to be.

We heard today of the completion of the building of the Temple, which took much effort and many sacrifices to complete, yet, when it was done, the people celebrated with great joy.

Over the last few generations, the Church in the west, Europe and America has seen similar devastation. Places where Catholicism flourished are now nearly devoid of our holy faith. Generations are essentially ignorant of Catholic Doctrine. Beautiful churches fall into ruin.

Rebuilding will always follow the model we find in Ezra: teaching, prayer, and sacrifice. I think, and I’d like to hope, that the younger clergy particularly, are committed to rebuilding, through the teaching and practice of the fullness of God’s Word…for watered-down Catholicism is a failure and leads to ruin...We seek to rebuild according to God's plan, not our own image of what we think the Church should be, for as Psalm 127 says, "Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain" by striving for lives of holiness in union with the Lord.

So, please pray daily for your priests and bishops, and support them by demanding the fullness of the Gospel, that will help us to seek the holiness the Lord wants for each of us, that we may all go rejoicing to the house of the Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - - -
 
That the Pope, Bishop, and clergy may work to build up the Church according to the precepts of God’s Holy Word.

For the purification of Holy Church from all error and heresy, especially among those who preach and teach.

That the fire of the Holy Spirit may be evident in all members of the Church, and in this parish community.

For mercy and peace for all those who suffer: for the sick and diseased, for those undergoing surgery this week, for the destitute and despairing, for all victims of war, violence, and abuse, and for those who will die today and the consolation of their families.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, and for N., for whom this mass is offered.

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.

September 23 2019 - St. Padre Pio - The perpetual struggle against self

Padre Pio was one of eight children from a poor peasant family in the small Italian village of Pietrelcina. His parents named him Francesco in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. Francesco was very devout even as a child, and at an early age felt drawn to the priesthood. He became a Capuchin novice at the age of sixteen, and took the name Pio in honor of Pope Saint Pius V, the patron Saint of Pietrelcina. and after seven years of study was ordained a priest.

On September 20, 1918 Padre Pio was kneeling in front of a large crucifix when he, like his namesake, St. Francis, received the marks of the crucifixion on his hands. The doctor who examined Padre Pio could not find any natural cause for the wounds—they neither healed nor became infected, but would ooze blood continually until his death fifty years later.

The wounds of the stigmata were not the only mystical phenomenon experienced by Padre Pio. The blood of his stigmata had an odor described by many as similar to that of perfume or flowers, he could read people’s souls, people would come to him in confession, and he would know their sins before they confessed them, he was capable of bilocating—on several instances he appeared in the United States while he was also still in Italy.

Yet, when Pope Paul VI visited Padre Pio’s tomb about five months after he died, he said the greatness of Padre Pio was not in these extraordinary mystical phenomena. The greatness of Padre Pio was in the fact that he was a humble friar, who humbly celebrated Mass, heard confessions from dawn to dusk; he was a man of suffering and prayer.

When asked if the wounds of his holy stigmata caused him suffering, he said, “well, the Lord didn’t give them to me for decoration.” 

And speaking of the suffering involved in the spiritual life, he said, "The life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual struggle against self; there is no flowering of the soul to the beauty of its perfection except at the price of pain". Many are called to spiritual greatness, but few are willing to accept the suffering involved, the effort involved, and the surrender to God.

May the example and intercession of Padre Pio help us to seek that spiritual greatness the Lord wants for each of us for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -
 
For perseverance in holiness, especially for our Pope, Bishops, and Priests, and that the lives of all Christians may shine with the light of good and holy works for God.

In thanksgiving for the many miraculous healings experienced through Padre Pio’s intercession, and for continued healing of those who seek his aid.

That all the sick and suffering may know the aid of heaven.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

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.

25th Sunday in OT 2019 - "You cannot serve both God and Mammon"

“You cannot serve both God and mammon." Last week, a parishioner, perhaps looking ahead to this week’s reading, asked me before Mass, “Father, what does the Bible mean when it refers to mammon?”

Just from the context of today’s Gospel, we can surmise that mammon has something to do with money or wealth or earthly possessions.  After all, this teaching about mammon follows a parable about steward who squandered his master’s property, certainly recalling from last week, the parable of the prodigal son who squandered his inheritance on his earthly appetites.

This dishonest steward, instead of serving his master’s interests, has squandered his office, and only after getting caught, does he scramble to make some amends. Instead of serving his master, he has served an idol, a false master, himself.

The word mammon comes from the Aramaic word for “trust”. So “mammon” is something, anything that you trust in, other than God. It could mean money, it could mean power, it could mean your own ego.

So, Jesus isn’t calling money, evil, here, per se. Most people use money for very good reasons, like providing for their family.  But some people sell out their family, their country, their integrity . . . for money.  Money becomes a false idol, money becomes mammon when it is pursued at the expense of one’s soul. But again, not just money can become mammon; I read an article this week in which a Hollywood actress was boasting that it was her multiple abortions which enabled her to grow in fame—she willingly sacrificed the lives of her children for personal fame and wealth. Mammon is a relentless unholy god that demands sacrifice for short-term gain at the expense of others.

Last week, the prodigal son, having squandered his inheritance, was symbolic of sinful humanity, guilty of a squandered relationship with God resulting in the spiritual death of sin. But the good news was that the father in the parable, was symbolic of God, who runs to embrace his repentant son in mercy. Each of us, falling into sin, over and over, is pursued by God who longs to embrace us in his mercy.

Well, the dishonest steward, this week is symbolic as well, but of who? Well, Jesus is certainly addressing the Pharisees, who have squandered their holy office, their sacred duty, for their own sordid gain. They were supposed to be true spiritual leaders in Israel, helping people to be faithful to God and helping people to recognize how God was working in their lives. Jesus equates the Pharisees with the unfaithful, dishonest, steward, for their failure to help people recognize Jesus as Son of God and follow Him.

But this parable is also addressed again, just like last week, to every Christian of every age, to all of us. The parable challenges us to ensure that we do not squander the time we have been given, the treasure with which we’ve been entrusted, and to be vigilant against becoming a slave to mammon, and to serve God in even the smallest of matters.

So, what does it mean to serve God? Our first reading defines this service as care for the poor, honesty in our business transactions. Speaking through the prophet Amos, the Lord God, has some pretty harsh words for those who would take advantage of the poor and whose priorities are not aligned with God’s. “Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land.. Never will I forget a thing they have done!” Lest we think we are off the hook as long as we are not cheating the poor outright, the Lord condemns just as strongly those who are anxious for the Sabbath to be over in order to pursue the things of the earth.

Rather, we are to live for God all week, by placing Christ at the center of everything we do, and to remember our responsibility to the poor in our midst, the materially poor and spiritually poor, to ensure that we are setting good example for young people, to ensure that our time, talent, and treasure is entirely at the service of God.

Time, talent, and treasure. That’s a phrase this parish is pretty familiar with. Over the last five years, our former pastor Fr. Troha was very vigilant in calling the parish to commit their time, talent, and treasure to the Lord’s service. And though, we know longer will have the month long stewardship renewal, we do well to make an examination of our personal stewardship with questions like: am I reasonably supporting the Church and the work of the Church with my time, talent, and treasure? Am I setting aside time every day for some form of service to God? Am I setting aside a reasonable amount of treasure every week that will go to help someone else-- that will lift someone else’s burdens? What is an appropriate percentage of my income to give to God? 1% 5% 10%? Am I using my talents to make the world more beautiful, to glorify God so that strangers and neighbors and family may believe in Him? Could I get to daily mass during the week, or could I do spiritual reading, if I spent less time on social media, if I didn’t stay up so late watching television?

At the end of every day, we do well to make an examination of conscience—an account of how we have spent our time, talent, and treasure—to repent of our selfishness and to seek God’s help in being more generous the next day.

Just like last week, this week’s parable contains challenge, warning and promise. Yes, we are challenged to ensure we are honest and prudent before God, and we are warned, that we will, at the end of life, be required to give a full account of our stewardship before God. But we also hear God’s promise: those who are faithful shall be known as children of the light; a “tranquil life of devotion and dignity”, as St. Paul, describes in our second reading, “is pleasing to God.” And shall be rewarded in eternity.

For to the extent which we have given ourselves away in this life, in imitation and in union with Christ Our savior, we will be blessed in eternity. So may we be generous for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Sept 20 2019 - St. Andrew Kim, St Paul Chong Hasang, and companions - Blood of Martyrs, Seed of Christians

St. Andrew Kim, the first native-born Korean priest, risked his life smuggling missionaries into Korea, so that his native countrymen might have the Word of God preached to them. For this he was arrested, tortured and killed.

Andrew Kim was canonized in 1984 by Pope St. John Paul II, along with a very heroic seminarian, Paul Chong Hasang, and 103 other martyrs who died for the faith in Korea. When Seminarian Paul Hasang was captured, he gave a written statement to the judge who would decide his fate defending Catholicism. The judge, after reading it, said, "You are right in what you have written; but the king forbids this religion, it is your duty to renounce it” to which the seminarian replied, "I have told you that I am a Christian, and will be one until my death." For this, he too, was tortured and killed.

St. Andrew Kim Parish in Cleveland is named in honor of this courageous martyr, and is home to many Korean Catholics in our diocese. In fact, the diocese has had a long relationship with the South Korean Archdiocese of Daegu which has sent their seminarians to our seminary to complete their formation. They are ordained here in Cleveland, and serve in our parishes for a number of years before returning home. We, in a very real sense, are beneficiaries of the heroic martyrdom of the saints we celebrate today.

For centuries, Catholicism was seen as a threat to Korean customs and traditions, so Christianity took root in Korea only after much struggle and effort. But when it did begin to take root, those roots were strong.

At their 1984 canonization, Saint John Paul II called Saint Andrew Kim, Saint Paul and their 111 companions “the leaven” that lead to the splendid flowering of the Church in Korea.

How are we called to be “leaven” today—the leaven that will lead to the flowering of the Church in our own land? What will we do today that will lead souls to Christ? What will our Christian witness look like today in our own limited capacity?

The blood of the martyrs is the most powerful leaven in the Church, inspired by the heroic sacrifices of the martyrs, may the Holy Spirit teach us to pour ourselves out in faithful service this day, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -
 
For all Christians facing persecution for the faith, that their sufferings may bring about the conversion of hardened souls to Christ.

For the good Korean Catholics of our diocese, that they may continue to be a blessing to our local Church.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, 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 the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

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.

24th Week in OT 2019 - Wednesday - Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth

I came across a small booklet at my home parish in Madison, many years ago. It was titled, “Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth”, those two epithets in reference, of course, to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

As God guided the Israelites on their exodus from Egypt by giving them a pillar of fire to light their way across the dark wilderness  (Exod. 13:21), today God guides us through his Catholic Church.

And in this age of countless competing religions, each clamoring for attention, one voice rises above the din: the Catholic Church, which St. Paul calls “the pillar and foundation of truth” (1 Tim. 3:15) in our first reading today.

“Great is Artemis of Ephesus” cried the rioting crowd of Ephesus when Paul challenged their idolatry with the Gospel. The pagan peoples throughout the centuries have all claimed greatness for their various gods. But Paul counters the pagan cries with “Undeniably great is the mystery of devotion”, that is Christ. For the Christian God does not remain hidden in some unreachable realm, but he has “manifested in the flesh”. He is visible.

So too, his Church, the pillar of fire, the pillar of truth is visible. The power of her holiness can be seen in the saints, the power to transform lives of dissipation into lives of heroic sanctity.

And as pillar of truth, the Church clearly teaches the truth of the Gospel without compromise with the errors of the world. And she has clear, visible structures to oversee and govern this teaching mission: her hierarchical structure, the teaching magisterium, the pope, and the Apostles who order and lead with authority coming from Christ Himself.

Any merely human organization with such members would have collapsed early on. And her vigor, with over a billion members, one sixth of the human race, is not simply a testimony to the cleverness of the Church’s leaders, but to the presence of the Holy Spirit, guiding her and protecting her.
As a pillar of truth, she is often in conflict to those who belong to the world, as the Lord describes in the Gospel today, the people of this generation who, like children in the marketplace yell out calls of mockery and disdain.

But we know that through Holy Church, we have union with God Made Flesh, Jesus Christ, Our Lord, our assurance of eternal life, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - - -
 
That our Holy Father, all the bishops, priests, and deacons of the Church will courageously preach the Truth of the Gospel in its fullness.
For the purification of Holy Church from all error and heresy, especially among those who preach and teach.
That the fire of the Holy Spirit may be evident in all members of the Church, and in this parish community.
For mercy and peace for all those who suffer: for the sick and diseased, for those undergoing surgery this week, for the destitute and despairing, for all victims of war, violence, and abuse, and for those who will die today and the consolation of their families.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, and for N., for whom this mass is offered.
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.

September 17 2019 - St. Robert Bellarmine - Adorned with learning and virtue

St. Robert Bellarmine was a brilliant man.  He was a promising scholar from his youth in Tuscany, and was devoted to studying Church History, the Fathers of the Church, and Scripture.  He was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1570, a time when the Church was being attacked by Protestant “Reformers.”

He became a professor at what is now the Jesuit-run Gregorian University in Rome and his lectures there became the basis of his most famous work, his three-volume Disputationes de Controversiis Christianae Fidei adversus hujus temporis Haereticos—“Disputations Concerning the Controversies of the Christian Faith Against the Heretics of This Time” containing the lucid and uncompromising explanation of Catholic doctrine in light of errors of his day.

When he was made a Cardinal by Pope Clement VIII, St. Robert insisted on living a simple life rather than embracing the privileges he could have had.  He abstained from luxurious meals, and gave away many of his possession to clothe the poor.   He served as a theologian to the pope and published two important catechisms.  St. Robert Bellarmine’s long delayed canonization took place in 1930 and he was declared a doctor of the Church one year later.

Here was a man totally dedicated to Christ and His Church.  He devoted his life to the study of Scripture and Catholic doctrine.  His writings, intelligence, and character served the church at a time that was most needed.  God gave Robert Bellarmine wisdom and goodness to defend the faith of His church and to help others understand it.

We are reminded of the need to learn and understand our faith in order to defend it when it is under attack and also to spread it when the time is right.  St. Bellarmine wrote: “if you are wise, then know that you have been created for the glory of God and for your eternal salvation.  This is your goal; this is the center of your life; this is the treasure of your heart.  If you reach this goal, you will find happiness.  If you fail to reach it, you will find misery.”

In the Gospel today for the memorial of Robert Bellarmine, the Lord himself teaches the danger of giving God lip-service, rather than seeking to conform your life to the Holy Will of God. “Not everyone who calls out, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven.” This warning certainly keeps us vigilant, to consider all as loss, as St. Paul says, which keeps us from gaining Christ.

May we, like St. Robert Bellarmine, count all as loss, which does not help us to know and love Christ, to be adorned like him with learning and virtue, so to live the faith with joy for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - -
 
That Robert Bellarmine, patron saint of Catechists, may assist with his prayers all those who teach the faith to be free of error and for the conversion of the heretics of our time.

That God’s wisdom may order our life, to pursue the treasures of heaven above all.

That the uninitiated who seek God may answer the call to Christian conversion and for the success of our parish RCIA programs.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, 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 the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
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.

September 16 2019 - Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian - The medicine of repentance

In yesterday’s Sunday Gospel, we heard three parables of rejoicing when the lost are found. There was joy and a celebration when the lost sheep was found. There was joy and a celebration when the lost coin was found after a time of diligent searching. And there was joy and a celebration when the lost son, the prodigal son, came to his senses, and returned home: he was dead and has come back to life, he was lost, and now is found.

Our Lord told these parables in response to the pharisees criticism that he dined with sinners. He tells these parables to signify that he has come precisely for sinners, and that the pharisees should be rejoicing over this fact. They should be rejoicing that he has come as the instrument of God’s mercy, that sinners may repent and be reconciled to God.

The saints we honor today, a martyred Pope and a martyred bishop from the 3rd century were church leaders who were concerned with the reconciliation of sinners.

During the persecution of Decius, many Christians had offered incense to the gods to save their lives. Others had bribed the authorities and had obtained a document which stated that they had offered such sacrifices.

The question arose of whether it was possible for these apostates to be reconciled to the Church. In the year 251, Pope Cornelius called a synod in Rome, and declared Catholics could be restored to the Church with what he called, “the usual medicines of repentance”.  That through penance and firm purpose of amendment, a sinner could be readmitted to Communion again. He was supported in this by many bishops, but especially St. Cyprian, the most important bishop in North Africa, who was one of the most important theologians and writers of the time.

There is no sin so great that it cannot be absolved in the Sacrament of Confession. . God reaches out to the sinner, those who have publicly denied him, those living as if he did not exist. I think of many atheists who have publicly claimed to not believe in God, some of them were raised Catholic. For whatever reason, anger at God, pride, public pressure, they renounced their faith. God is even reaching out to them.

We pray for apostates: as long as they breath it is not too late for them to repent. The Lord might even be preparing some of us to witness to the faith to them, preparing us to be apostles of mercy, instruments for the conversion of sinners. The angels of heaven who rejoice over the conversion of sinners, are waiting for us, to do our part in the reconciliation of those who have fallen away. Unlike the joyless second son in yesterday's Gospel, we welcome sinners home with great celebration

Through the intercession of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian may we faithfully bear God’s mercy to all those in need of it, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
- - - - - - -

That the Pope and all the clergy may be courageous and kind instruments of mercy, and for the grace and strength to seek out the lost, last, and least.

That through the intercession of the martyrs Cornelius and Cyprian, lapsed Catholics will be moved to return to the Sacraments.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, 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 the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

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.

24th Sunday in OT 2019 - God is at work to find the lost

In the three parables of Luke chapter 15, we hear of three lost objects: A lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son.

What do they have in common? Well, they are lost. The sheep becomes lost because he strays from the flock. The coin is lost in the darkness of a windowless home perhaps due to the negligence of its owner. “My son was lost” the father said, lost in selfishness, lost in his stubbornness, lost to his passions, lost to the consequences of his imprudent actions, lost in a ruptured relationship with his family, with his father.

Now, of course, the first two objects, you can’t really blame for becoming lost. The dumb sheep really doesn’t know any better than to wander off; inanimate coins can’t be blamed for becoming lost. But the son, he made some choices, didn’t he? His alienation from family, his separation from his father’s house, was due to his own free will; he chose to demand his inheritance before the proper time; he chose to squander his inheritance on a life of dissipation.

His prodigality, reminds us of Eve in the garden. No doubt he began to entertain some really bad ideas even before the demand of the inheritance, without thinking of their consequences. He allowed himself to become enraptured in temptation.

And like Adam and Eve, his sin involved a father. Adam and Eve ignored the commands of the Heavenly Father, to not eat from the forbidden tree. And the prodigal son treated his father, as if he was meaningless to him.

The prodigal son, squandering his inheritance in sin, is representative of humanity, become separated from God in sin. And much of humanity still, living their life as if God did not exist. We, like Him, can become so lost, we don’t even realize it.

It makes us think of those who seem lost to addiction. The addict often denies the damage being done in their lives. They see their bodies wasting away and continue to drink; they see the damage they are doing to their families and continue to gamble or overspend; they see the broken relationships and broken dreams and continue to head down the path of self-destruction. The addict minimizes the most important things, like family and health, and over values the high, the pleasure, the indulgence.
So too the prodigal son overvalues his independence, his pleasure, and undervalues the relationship with his father.

This parable is often read as analogy, where again, we are the prodigals. God the father, runs to embrace us with his mercy, an embrace of love and forgiveness and welcome when we have sinned. Yet before the father saw his son form a distance and ran to him, God was also at work mysteriously behind the scenes, in the son’s decision to return home.  It’s really a sort of miracle that he even recognized how lost he was, how close he was to death. For often, addicts push themselves to the brink of destruction. The sinful soul often denies its loss of grace, the danger of hell, and fails to repent.

When I celebrate the sacrament of confession, especially for a soul in mortal sin, it is a joy. We rejoice with the angels of God who rejoice when a sinner repents. And as a priest, it is a joy to be that instrument of mercy. But I also recognize that before that soul walks into the confessional, God was at work to wake them up, to help them to realize their sinful state, to bring about the repentance, which is so often the fruit of the prayers and sufferings of the Church, your prayers, and the sufferings offered up in union with the Lord.

It also makes me think of those with whom we work in the RCIA. Yes, RCIA prepares souls for the Sacraments of New Life, baptism, confirmation, and eucharist. But, God was already at work, behind the scenes, before these souls even show up to that first RCIA session. Again, the fruit of prayers and penances.

Everyone I’ve worked with in the RCIA has always shown up to that first session, because whatever has been going on in their life, perhaps they were protestant, perhaps they were raised with no religion, perhaps they lived a life of dissipation, like the prodigal son, and recognized the damage of their self-destructive behavior, perhaps, like St. Paul describes himself in the second reading, they were a persecutor of Catholics, arrogantly convinced of their own self-righteousness. In all these cases, they always show up to that first session because God has been working, and they have this holy desire for something more.

We are happy to announce that RCIA will be starting in just a few weeks. If you are unbaptized or a member of another faith tradition and are seeking something more, RCIA is for you. God has placed that desire for something more in your heart, and it’s time to make the journey home.

The parable of Son is an invitation for all of us to seek that something more. If you are not a fully initiated Catholic, seek that something more in the RCIA. If you are a Catholic who has fallen into mortal sin, seek that something more in the Sacrament of Confession, the merciful embrace of the Father. If your spiritual life has become arid, dry, seek something more through prayer and service. If you know of someone who has fallen into a life of dissipation, invite them to something more. Be the instrument of God in their life, that helps them home. Pray, pray, pray for those who are lost, that they may be found. They may appear lost to us, but they are not lost to God.

God is at work in each of our lives, urging us to seek that something more, that union with Him through faith, hope, and love, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

September 13 2019 - St. John Chrysostom - Preach in and out of season

St. John Chrysostom was born in Antioch, about 250 years after our parish patron, the bishop St. Ignatius of Antioch went to his martyrdom. Perhaps the seed of our patron’s martyrdom yielded the fruit of St. John’s great faith.

The Gospel reading for his feast day is the parable of the sower of the seeds, for St. John sewed the seeds of the Gospel through his eloquent preaching and teaching. His name “Chrysostom” means golden tongued, about 600 hundred of his sermons and commentaries on scripture have been preserved, as well as many treatises on the moral and spiritual life, and a very famous book on the priesthood.

He explains that priests, as preachers must never simply preach what people want to hear, but preach the fullness of the Word of God. “A preacher must have a noble disposition to be able to check the inordinate and useless passion of the people, and to direct their attention to what is more profitable, and so to lead and direct them without being himself the slave of their fancies.”

Our Lord, we know from the Gospels, faced much hostility for the content of his preaching. He did not compromise the truth in order to appease the fancies of his audience.

In an age of moral relativism, when even many Christians turn away from authentic doctrine and sound moral teaching, each of us has the duty to remaining faithful to the truth of Christ despite pressures from the world and the worldly. Priests and bishops are under great pressure to compromise, to deviate from the truth, to preach to appease those "itching ears that turn away from sound doctrine" as Paul say, just as faithful Christians are labeled as “intolerant” by those who reject Church teaching, even by members of our family.

Rather, we seek to develop our skill in preaching, in sharing the truth of the Gospel clearly and eloquently, like St. John the Golden-Tongued, “to preach the word; in season and out of season; to reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction” as St. Paul writes to Timothy; for we were not made Christian to win the adulation of men, but for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
- - - - - - -

That the bishops and priests may be men of sound doctrine, and courageously preach the Gospel in its fullness. We pray to the Lord.
That government leaders around the world may carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for freedom and the dignity of human life.  We pray to the Lord.
For the grace to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, to love our neighbors and enemies and those who persecute us, and to share the truth of the Gospel with all.  We pray to the Lord.
For all those who share in the sufferings of Christ—the sick, the sorrowful, and those who are afflicted or burdened in any way, especially those effected by hurricanes and storms.  We pray to the Lord.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased clergy and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. 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.

23rd Week in OT 2019 - Wednesday - September 11 and the Promise of Peace

Yesterday, I mentioned how the short letter to the Colossians is divided into two parts: the doctrinal and the practical. Well today’s reading begins Paul’s practical advice to the Christians of Colossae; and what practical advice does he give?

“Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry…by these you once conducted yourself…but now you must put them all away…so put away anger fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths.”

He doesn't begin with how they are to structure their community. He doesn't say what sort of charitable programs they are to offer. He begins with conversion. Putting sinful actions to death is a key to life. 

Though Christians have been raised up “in company with Christ” we know all too well how easy it is to fall back into the tendencies of the old nature, what Paul calls the “practices of the old self.” So, those sinful attitudes and tendencies have to be put to death over and over and over, lest they dominate our lives and reclaim our souls, and tear their community apart.

18 years ago, on September 11, 2001, the world evidenced what happens when those worldly powers have their way. Left to their own devices the world and the worldly are bent on self-destruction. Two smoldering heaps of ash and rubble is a perfect example of where immorality, fury, and malice leads.

Rather, Our Lord gives us the recipe for beatitude in the Gospels, to true fulfillment in union with God, the way to true, lasting and eternal peace. Jesus addresses in the beatitudes those who are poor, those who are weeping, those who are hungry, those who are insulted and excluded, and he promises that something better is possible through Him.

Through His help, through His Grace, and the grace of the Sacraments, may we seek what is above always, that beatitude the Lord desires for us, that he suffered and died to obtain for us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - - - -  
That through Our Lady, Queen of Peace, terrorism and war, may be brought to an end.

That our civil representatives may use their authority to lead and build our nation in godly ways.

For all those who harden their hearts toward God, for those who have left the Church, for all those in serious sin, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster and inclement weather, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, the imprisoned,  for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.

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

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.

29th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Empty, seductive philosophies

Since last Wednesday, we’ve been reading from Paul’s letter to the Colossians. It’s a short letter, only four chapters; you can read the whole thing in 10 minutes.

Like most of Paul’s letters, Colossians is divided into two parts.  The first two chapters make up the first part.  They are theological and doctrinal.  The second part, which we’ll read tomorrow, begins the practical application.  And the two parts are connected: the Christian life is comprised of both right belief and right action.

The need for right belief is why Paul gives such stern warning today: “See to it that no one captivates you with an empty, seductive philosophy, according to the tradition of men, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ.”

We know all too well how the world seduces Christians away from Christ and away from the Church. And that “seduction” often begins with errors, false beliefs, philosophies contrary to the teachings of the Church. The error begins in the mind and then effects the way of life.

For Paul, right doctrine and right action are inseparable. Christianity opens the mind and heart to what is truly pleasing to God, and the Christian, knowing what is good and pleasing, acts accordingly. Caritas and Veritas, love and truth are inseparable—they are the two faces of the same gift that comes from God. As Augustine said: “nothing conquers but truth, and the victory of truth is love.”

In the Gospel, we hear of the Lord’s naming of the Twelve Apostles. The Apostles and their successors, the bishops, are integral in the Lord’s plan for the Church. They are to safeguard us in the Truth. In the great diversity of peoples and nations, they, by their teaching and preaching are to labor to help us remain united to Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They, like good shepherds, are to fight off the wolves and thieves that seek to steal the sheep from the flock.

So we certainly commit to assisting the bishops with our prayers and penances, and to do our part in reclaiming for Christ all those who have fallen to the empty, seductive philosophies of our day by our own preaching and living of the saving Gospel of Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
- - - - - - -

For Bishop Nelson Perez, and all the Bishops and Clergy, that they may lead the Church in Spirit and Truth and in faithfulness to all that Christ teaches.
For those who have strayed from the flock of Christ, for those who have fallen to the empty, seductive philosophies of the world, for their return to the life of grace.
For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster and inclement weather, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, the imprisoned, the unchaste, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.
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.

September 9 2019 - St. Peter Claver - A slave of slaves

In the age of the explorers and conquistadors, many young men were leaving Europe for the Americas in order to seek out a fortune. Peter Claver, a young Jesuit priest, rather, left his native Spain, to build up treasure in heaven, in Cartegena, a port city in modern day Columbia. The Collect prayer refers to Peter Claver as “a slave of slaves” for he ministered to the African slaves who were brought there to work in the fields and the mines.

When the slave ships entered the port, Peter Claver would board the ships to care for the sick and malnourished. And when the slaves were herded to the slave-market, Peter, would bring them medicine, food, bread, and other items that would help them survive in this new land.

With the help of interpreters, he gave the slaves basic instructions in the faith; he assured them of their human dignity and the salvation that awaited them in God's kingdom.  During the 40 years of his ministry in Columbia, it is estimated that Claver baptized more 300,000 slaves.

Additionally, Peter Claver preached Christ’s Gospel message to the sailors, and tradesman, the imprisoned, and those condemned to death, and to the rich. On many occasions, he was ill-received by the plantation owners and their wives, who looked upon his ministry among their slaves as a waste of their time.

On this Memorial we hear from Matthew 25, the Lord’s teaching on the final judgment, a reminder that service of those in need is never a waste of time. In each slave, to whom he ministered, Peter Claver ministered to Christ himself. And for this, he is counted among the blessed. In the words of Mother Theresa: "At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me.

We might not be called to baptized 300,000 slaves. But we are certainly called to help someone other than ourselves today. Again, in the words of Mother Theresa, “If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one."

May we use the time we have been given today, to serve Christ in the poor, in the midst of their daily suffering, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - -
 
That all Christians may be diligent in the works of charity, and generous with our time, talent, and treasure in serving those in need.
For an end to slavery, human trafficking, and all forms of inhumane oppression, for the protection and respect of human life.
For those whose lives are marked by suffering, that they may find hope in the promises of Christ.
For the repose of the souls of the dead, and for N. for whom this mass is offered.
Heavenly Father, hear the prayers of your pilgrimage Church, grant us what we truly need to remain faithful to your Son in all things. Through Christ Our Lord.

23rd Sunday of OT 2019 - Silence and rest

Since my first year in seminary, my seminary classmates and I, who are now priests, take a week or two vacation at the end of August up in the Algonquin Highlands in Ontario, about three hours north of Toronto.  We canoe a little bit, we swim, we don’t really fish much, we really just enjoy the quiet of the wilderness, good food, and good fellowship.  Two weeks in the wilderness in order to spiritually and mentally prepare for the busy-ness of the school year, when parish life really begins to kick into high-gear. 

And it usually takes a day or two to adjust from the busy, loud world to the quiet of nature.  But then things begin to settle, we settle into the quiet, and then you really begin to notice the beautiful surroundings: the lapping of the lake, the gentle breeze, the occasional cry of the Canadian loon.  It’s a wonderful atmosphere for good prayer and reflection and spiritual reading.

What does my summer vacation have to do with the readings this weekend?  Well, from our first reading we hear how the concerns of the mind, our earthly plans, and the burdens of the body can distract us from the plans of God.

Sometimes we are just physically and emotionally warn out, aren’t we? And we know all too well how our many earthly concerns can weigh down upon us. Our health, our jobs, our family obligations.  And our materialistic culture certainly doesn’t help things when it drums into us over and over that we cannot be happy until we have the next-new thing, the perfect house, the perfect car, the perfect job, that we watch the next new series on Netflix. No wonder why the practice of the faith and Sunday worship  takes second, or third, or last place for so many Catholics who are busy about their worldly business.

Honestly, I considered skipping my Canadian vacation this year, not quite a whole year into my pastorate, with all of the fall parish programs starting up. First Friday Holy Hour. Second Friday Faith Formation. The rockiness of the beginning of the school year. Getting ready for RCIA. Fall weddings. Head start contract renewal. Repair projects. But rest and respite, offers the opportunity to ready ourselves for the challenges ahead. Quiet and prayer is needed to prepare for busyness.

The Catholic Philosopher Svoren Kierkegaard went so far as to say that the constant busyness of the modern world is a sort of disease. The inability to be quiet and unstimulated, is a sort of disease. And If he were a doctor he would prescribe as a remedy for this disease, “silence”.

We had about 30 people Friday night, we came to spend time in prayer with the Lord in silence. That is reason number 72 for us to have a scheduled Holy Hour, where we can spend a long period of silence with Jesus. One parishioner said that Holy Hour, that period of silence with Jesus, allowed the stresses that build up throughout the week to melt away, silence with the Lord allows her to focus on what was most important.

And really, Christians need those moments of quiet every day, don’t we? To stop from the busyness, to recollect ourselves, to seek strength and peace that only God can bring, to remember that our first loyalty is not the earth, but to heaven, not to the things and riches and pleasures of this world, but to God.

This of course does not mean that we lay down our crosses, or take a vacation from our vocations. While on vacation in Canada, every day we celebrated Mass for our parishes, we prayed the Liturgy of the Hours, we engaged in personal prayer. But even our rest from work serves a purpose; holy rest is not selfish, but rather, it serves the purpose of seeking refreshment and union with God. And like the king in this weekend’s Gospel, who sits down and takes time to strategize for battle, our rest from work can give us perspective in how to prioritize our life wisely, and to ready ourselves for the spiritual battle of being out in the world fraught with temptation and trial.

Many find silence disagreeable, even abhorrent, because in silence we are also confronted by our personal demons, guilt from past sins, uncomfortable truths we do not want to face, grief from departed loved ones. But for that very reason, how blessed silence is, for in silence we encounter the Lord who can exorcize those demons, who can bring those sins to light that they may be confessed and forgiven, who can help us face those uncomfortable truths, who can heal our greatest griefs.

The remedy for so many of our ills, so much of our anxiety, so much of our dis-ease, can be found, as Kierkegaard said, in silence and holy rest, where we can encounter the Lord in prayer, and seek his will, and fall in love with Him above all else.  How much of the violence and anger and tension in the world would dissipate if we put down the cell-phones, turned off the internet, and television, and video games for an extra half-hour every day, and read the bible, prayed the rosary, reflected on our life in light of scripture and the teaching of the Church. Would not the paths of the earth be straightened, as our first reading describes?

I hope you can all join us for our parish picnic (tomorrow/today) to rest from busyness in the company of your brothers and sisters in Christ. For our crosses our heavy and we need each other, strong relationships with fellow Christians, to help keep us strong and focused on our Christian mission, the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

September 2019 - First Friday Holy Hour - New Wineskins and Eucharistic Adoration

“New wine must be poured into fresh wineskins” .

At mass this morning, I reflected upon how these words remind us of the need for constant renewal in the Christian life. Baptism transforms our souls into new wineskins of grace, but without renewal, prayer, without faithfulness, and the Sacraments, our souls can become brittle again, resistant to the sanctification the Lord desires for us.

We know Catholics, even members of our families, who though baptized, have become resistant to grace. The mere mentioning of the Church at a family gathering, or even a gentle reminder of the need to return to the Sacraments can lead to a heated argument.

So we come before Our Eucharistic Lord tonight for them and for ourselves. We entrust the fallen-away to the Sacred Heart, pleading for miracles of conversion. And we come before Lord asking for conversion for our hearts as well, for the grace we need to be instruments of healing and evangelization.

At World Youth Day, in Cologne, in 2005, Pope Benedict spoke about the profound transformation which the Eucharist both signifies and brings about. He said, “This first fundamental transformation of violence into love, of death into life, brings other changes in its wake. Bread and wine become his Body and Blood. But it must not stop there; on the contrary, the process of transformation must now gather momentum. The Body and Blood of Christ are given to us so that we ourselves will be transformed in our turn…His dynamic enters into us and then seeks to spread outwards to others until it fills the world, so that his love can truly become the dominant measure of the world.”

We kneel down in Adoration, there is a profound contact of our heart with His. The Latin word for adoration, after all is, is ad-oratio - an embrace of love. We embrace Him and He embraces us to make us like Himself.

So let us take some time now to become quiet, to adore the Lord who embraces us and transforms us, who longs to heal us of selfishness and fear, we seeks to set our hearts ablaze with the fire of His Sacred Heart.

After a period of silent adoration, we will offer prayers of reparation followed by benediction.
Rejoice, for the Bridegroom is with us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

22nd Week in OT 2019 - Friday - First School Mass - Purpose of Catholic Schools

Why are you here today? Why are you here in Church on a Friday morning?

One answer, at least for our students, is because, well our teachers told us we were going over to church, and so we here we are.

But why, have they brought you here? Why are you not in your classroom, or playing basketball in the gym, or learning your morning lessons?

Why do students at Catholic schools go to Church, why do you trek across the parking lot, for the celebration of what Catholics call Holy Mass?

That’s an important question, as you will be going to Holy Mass at least once a month this school year. Why are you here? Why disrupt the academic day to come to Church, why do you put down your pencils and crayons and basketballs, in order to come to Church to kneel down and pray? And for those who are Catholic to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus in Holy Communion?

What if I told you, that what we do here, is more important, than what goes on over there? That what we do here, makes what we do over there, possible? Do you believe that? Students? Teachers? Staff?
Just about 50 years ago, the Second Vatican council talked about the purpose of Catholic schools. It said that Catholic schools are, like most schools, zealous about forming young people, teaching young people, reading, writing, arithmetic, academics, and all that. But what makes Catholic schools special is that they, and I quote, to enable young people “to grow in the new life which has been given them in baptism.” New life. We are here at Church, at Holy Mass, to grow in New Life.

This new life is what Jesus is talking about in the Gospel today. If you put new wine into old, dried-up wineskins, they will burst. Similarly, Catholics schools don’t just focus on the mind, on academic learning, but the soul, making sure that our souls don’t become long those old, dried-up wineskins in the Gospel, but that our souls are pliant, open to the new life of God.

Catholic schools recognize that for humans to truly flourish, to really become the people God made them to be, we do not ignore the need of the human soul for God, for worship, for prayer, but we realize its priority, the priority of faith.

Why are we here? To allow God to do the work that teachers cannot do, that none of us can do on our own: to nourish our souls, to transform our souls, to give new life to our souls. For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

22nd Week in OT 2019 - Friday - Weddings and Wineskins

In the Gospel of John, Jesus’ first miracle takes place at a wedding, the wedding at Cana, where water is turned into an abundance of wine. It was there that Jesus ushered in something radically new. He wasn’t just a teacher, he wasn’t just a commentator on scriptures, he wasn’t just a do-gooder: that first miracle at the wedding, with the wine, signaled something new in God’s plan of salvation for sinful humanity.

Today’s from Luke’s Gospel, we encounter those two images again of weddings and wine. Jesus first compares his presence with his disciples to a wedding celebration.  Just as a wedding is filled with joyful celebration, so too, Jesus’ public ministry is a time of great joy for his disciples.  And so too, as Jesus is our companion throughout our own lives, there is a joy that cannot be taken away by any earthly misfortune.  Things can never become so dark that we cannot call upon Jesus as Lord.  No matter how severe our suffering, it can always be united to Him.

Second, Jesus says, “no one pours new wine into old wineskins.”  Since leather wineskins would become dry and brittle with age, the new wine, still in the process of fermenting would burst the old wineskins. 

Before baptism, before discipleship, we had an old nature, an old wineskin.  But when we were baptized and truly made the commitment to follow Christ, we set aside the old nature, and acquired a fresh new nature. For many of us, baptism was very long ago, and those fresh, new wineskins, if they are not constantly renewed can start to grow brittle again, resistant to change, resistant to the new wine of the spirit.

Many of us know Christians, even members of our families, who dabbled in Christianity, practiced it for a while, even 12 years of Catholic school, but now they seemed to have lost their taste for the things of God; even mentioning the faith leads to a heated argument.  The wineskin has burst.

They have allowed their souls to resemble the old nature, prior to baptism, without Christ as Lord.
In the first reading, we heard the great Christological hymn from the letter to the Colossians, proclaiming Christ the first born, the head of the Body, all creation is to be subject to Him, His Lordship. In order to keep the winskins of our souls pliant and fresh, in order to know the joy of the bridegroom in our every suffering, we must subject Ourselves to the Lordship of Christ in all things, in our every endeavor, every relationship, in our every need.

Rejoice for the bridegroom is with us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - - -
 
That all Christians may experience the profound renewal of Spirit needed for spreading the Gospel in our modern world.
For the return of all Christians who have fallen away of the Church and into serious sin, for their conversion, and the conversion of all hearts.
That our young people may be kept safe from the errors and poison of the world, so to grow in the ways of righteousness and truth.
For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, victims of natural disaster, war, abuse, and terrorism, for the sanctification of the clergy, 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 the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
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.