30th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Suffering and the Hope of Glory

In the course of her decades of self-sacrificial service, Mother Theresa, St. Theresa of Calcutta, witnessed tremendous suffering. She encountered the abjectly impoverished, the abandoned and forgotten. She saw the agonies of Jesus in the orphans and homeless and victims of war discarded by society. She was keenly aware of the suffering caused by disease and violence and the suffering we cause to each other through neglect and greed. And yet, this woman, this saint, was not discouraged, nor did she lose faith in a good and loving God. She kept her gaze fixed firmly on heaven, and so allowed heaven to permeate her life.

She knew that in light of heaven, suffering was temporary, and helped the suffering to have hope. She said, “In light of heaven, the worst suffering on earth, a life full of the most atrocious tortures on earth, will be seen to be no more serious than one night in an inconvenient hotel.”

Mother Theresa echoes the sentiment of Saint Paul in the passage from Romans 8 today, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.” Paul, too, knew what it meant to suffer. He suffered greatly for the Gospel. And he knew his audience knew what it meant to suffer. They suffered persecution for the Gospel as well, not to mention the ordinary sufferings of life.

But Paul dares to speak of our terrible earthly sufferings as “nothing” because his Christian hope was supreme. He says something similar to the Corinthians: “this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure.”

Suffering when faced with Christian faith and hope, transforms into the blossoming of the Kingdom of God—like the blooming of a mustard seed into the largest of trees.

Benedict XVI wrote in his second encyclical on hope:  ”We can try to limit suffering, to fight against it, but we cannot eliminate it. It is when we attempt to avoid suffering by withdrawing from anything that might involve hurt, when we try to spare ourselves the effort and pain of pursuing truth, love, and goodness, that we drift into a life of emptiness, in which there may be almost no pain, but the dark sensation of meaninglessness and abandonment is all the greater. It is not by sidestepping or fleeing from suffering that we are healed, but rather by our capacity for accepting it, maturing through it and finding meaning through union with Christ, who suffered with infinite love.”

May we see our crosses today in light of eternity, and not flee from those opportunities to grow in truth, love, and goodness, despite the suffering that growth entails, and thereby witness to the power of the Christian faith for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For perseverance in holiness, especially for our Pope, Bishops, and Priests, and that the faith of Christians may lead unbelievers to Christ.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October, “that the breath of the Holy Spirit may engender a new missionary ‘spring’ in the Church

That young people be inspired to respond generously to God’s call to sanctity, and for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

For all the sick and suffering, and for all those in hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice care, for all those who will die today, for their consolation and that 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 family, friends, and parish, for the deceased clergy and religious of our diocese, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, you 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.

October 28 2019 - Apostles Simon and Jude - Preaching against Pagan Idols

It is always good to reflect upon the importance and significance of the Apostles and their mission.  Simon and Jude were chosen by our Lord as apostles to establish the Church throughout the world.
In the Gospels, Simon is called the Zealot. He may have been part of the political group of Jesus’ time called the Zealots who were planning to overthrow the Roman occupying force. Or he may have simply been zealous for God. In any case, Simon put aside any plans he had for himself to follow the Lord and to proclaim the kingdom of God.

St. Matthew tells us that St. Jude was the Lord’s “brethren” so, likely a close cousin of the Lord’s. Some ancient sources even speculate that Jude was the groom at the Wedding at Cana, though there is no scriptural evidence to support this. Jude is quoted in the Gospels of John—he asks the Lord at the Last Supper, ‘Master, what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling in him’” The Apostles’ certainly became bearers of God after Pentecost, filled with the presence of God, as the spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
It is not clear why Simon and Jude are celebrated together in the same feast. They are also mentioned together in the Canon of the first Eucharistic prayer. Perhaps, it is because they were said to have traveled together, preaching the Gospel throughout Mesopotamia and Persia.

Legend has it that after winning thousands of converts, they were arrested in the Persian city of Suanir for refusing to offer pagan sacrifice in the temple of the sun and the moon. They explained that the sun and the moon were only creations of the one true God. They then cast out demons from the pagan idols  and two black, hideous evil spirits, began howling and blaspheming.  For exposing the idols as demons they were killed by an angry Persian mob.

Simon and Jude perhaps ought to be invoked in our own day when many are returning to a sort of earth worship at the expense of authentic Christian faith.

As the Lord called Simon and Jude from their various walks of life to follow him, may our own plans become secondary to the call of the Lord. May their example grant us courage, and their prayers assist us in our call to holiness for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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May Simon and Jude obtain courage for all bishops and priests to preach the fullness of the truth and teach authentic Christian doctrine.

May the holy apostles help all Christians to be strengthened in the faith, hope, and charity.

For the conversion of all who engage in false worship, for all unbelievers, and for Catholics who have fallen away from the faith, for those whose love of created things has eclipsed the love of the Creator.

That the sick, suffering, overburdened, and destitute, may know the help of the Lord who made heaven and earth.

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.

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

30th Sunday in OT 2019 - Priesthood Sunday - Servants of Divine Love

Earlier this week we celebrated the feast of Pope St. John Paul II. And at morning mass,  I shared a story about Pope John Paul, that I’d like to share with all of you.

As many of you know, I was able to study as a seminarian in Rome in the year 2004. I was still five years away from ordination, but during those months I was certainly confirmed in my vocation and my desire to serve the Church in many ways. This was especially true on the morning of Holy Thursday. As we gathered for the Chrism Mass at St. Peter’s basilica, I had a great seat, right on the aisle, and I would be able to see Pope John Paul II as he processed to the altar. I had seen the holy Pope from a great distance a few years before at World Youth Day in Toronto, and several times during that semester as we gathered in Piazza San Pietro for the Holy Father’s Wednesday Audiences and the Sunday Angelus, but this was as close as I’d ever be. And I swear as this frail Pope processed toward the altar, he looked right into my eyes and it was as if Jesus Himself were looking at me in love. And I got an overwhelming sense that my path toward the priesthood was the right one.

Many people still speak of powerful encounters with Pope John Paul and the miracles that surrounded him. But I’ll never forget his loving gaze. The high points of the spiritual life, are certainly those moments where you encounter the Lord’s love for you, aren’t they—when you experience God looking at you, all of you, with love.

Christian discipleship is at its core is essentially a response to God’s great act of love, sending His Son to die for us. I’d venture to say that the more you understand and take to heart the depth of God’s love shown for us in the crucifixion, the more you will desire to imitate Him and to give your own life in service to Him.

And I’d venture to say that the vocations of so many priests are born out of that gaze of love. The priest is at the service of Divine Love—leading members of the church in fulfilling that great command to love the Lord with all your mind, all your soul, all your heart.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said, “If I were asked if I had my life to live over again, would I live the priesthood as I have? The answer is: ‘No, I would try to love Christ more.”  I think every priest goes to sleep at night with the thought that he could have loved Christ and his people more that day. 

Vatican II explained that the priesthood is at the service of love. The Vatican II document on the ordained priesthood explained, “priests have been placed in the midst of the laity to lead them to the unity of charity, " loving one another with mutual affection; anticipating one another in showing honor.” It is their task, therefore, to reconcile differences of mentality in such a way that no one need feel himself a stranger in the community of the faithful. [Priests] are defenders of the common good, with which they are charged in the name of the bishop. At the same time, [priests] are strenuous assertors of the truth, lest the faithful be carried about by every wind of doctrine. [Priests] are united by a special solicitude with those who have fallen away from the use of the sacraments, or perhaps even from the faith. Indeed, as good shepherds, they should not cease from going out to them.

An interesting job description, no? the duty to assert truth in the face of the winds of error from the world, to reach out to those not making use of the sacraments of Confession and Eucharist, to seek out the fallen away, to reconcile differences in a community, to defend the common good. And yet all of these tasks are summed up in the priest's duty to love.

Please know, that if I have failed to love any of you, I’m sorry. If I have made any Catholic feel himself a stranger, I’m sorry. If I’ve failed to assert truth and promote the sacraments, I’m sorry. But at least it’s the failure we all share, the failure to love, the failure to be like the tax collector in today’s Gospel, who lives on his knees, in humility before God. Thank you for your prayers for the sanctification of priests, and for me in this first year as pastor.

So, a short homily today, as we welcome seminarian Joe McCarron, who will speak to us after Communion. Joe, thank you for your willingness to serve the lord in holiness and love. Know of our prayers for you and the seminarians.

It takes a lot for a young man to trust the Lord enough to give years of his life to discern a call to the priesthood. Thank you Joe for your witness and your example. May the good work the Lord has begun in you, be brought to completion.

On Priesthood Sunday, we pray for the sanctification of priests, that they may be faithful servants of divine love, and we pray for the grace to unite our lives in union with Christ the High Priest who came not to be served but to serve and to give his life in ransom for many for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

29th Week in OT 2019 - Friday - Reading the signs

On Wednesday, I was taking my regular walk along the old canal in Independence when I spotted a woolly bear caterpillar crossing our path. Folklore has it that the brown and black pattern of the woolly bear predicts the intensity of the upcoming winter: if the color brown is dominant the winter will be mild, if black is dominant, the winter will be severe. Surprisingly, this woolly bear was mostly brown, so perhaps we have that going for us. A scientific study from a few decades ago largely debunked woolly bears as reliable weathermen, so we won’t be basing our winter salt purchases on an insect I saw on a Wednesday afternoon.

In the Gospel today, Jesus is making his way toward Jerusalem when he comes across a group of non-believers. He points out how easily they forecast the weather by observing the signs—clouds and winds. But they were missing something more important than weather, what was happening in their midst. The signs of the kingdom of God where all around them: loaves being multiplied, the lame walking, hardened sinners repenting, and the good news spreading. But with all these signs many refused to believe.

Similarly today: our technological advancement is unparalleled. My phone has more computing power than the computers which put men on the moon. And yet, with all the technological advancement, large swaths of humanity close their senses, and their minds and hearts, to the message of God. Sports and entertainment, political power, excessive wealth, sexual license—the pursuit of the earthly-- take priority over the cultivation of the soul and the pursuit of righteousness that leads to eternal life.

Jesus urges the crowd to judge that the kingdom of God is at hand, that it is the time for repentance, and turning away from the seductive and ultimately empty, promises of the world. And in this present age, Christians are called to be the signs of the kingdom.

Through our lives, through our care for the poor, through the fruits of the spirit cultivated and blossoming in our lives, through our devout worship, through our penances, we are to be the signs that the kingdom of God is at head and the time for repentance is now, before it’s too late. For winter is coming, the end draws nigh, the day is now far spent, it’s later than we think.

May the signs of God’s kingdom manifest in our lives for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That Christians may be faithful to evangelization, especially in the face of opposition, and for Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October, “that the breath of the Holy Spirit may engender a new missionary ‘spring’ in the Church.

For those who have fallen into error, for Catholics who have grown lukewarm in their faith, for those who have left the Church, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

That world leaders may look upon the Son of God, believe in him, and seek the peace and justice that only he can bring.

That our young people may take seriously the missionary call of Christ, that they will turn away from the evils of our culture to spread the good news of Christ’s eternal kingdom.

For all whose lives are marked by suffering, may they come to know the healing and peace of Christ.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased clergy and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, you 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.

29th Week in OT 2019 - Wednesday - Weapons of Righteousness

A few years ago, Pope Francis was asked in an interview: “Who is Jorge Mario Bergolio?” And the holy father answered simply: “I am a sinner. This is the most accurate definition. It is not a figure of speech, a literary genre. I am a sinner.” He said something similar  when he was asked by the Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel if he would accept his election. He said to them: “I am a sinner, but I trust in the infinite mercy and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

St. Paul is quite clear in our reading this morning that even after our rebirth in baptism, sin continues to have a certain sway in us and in the world. We are all sinners, we experience temptation, and fall, some of us many times, into the same-old sins. And yet, God is every merciful and patient, as Pope Francis says. And when we humbly and sincerely approach the mercy of God, we begin to experience a freedom from those sinful tendencies.

And something amazing happens when we humbly approach the mercy of God: the parts of our personalities which were held under the sway of sin become “weapons of righteousness” St Paul says today. Pride when handed over to the mercy of God is transformed into a humility that shames the devil. Greed when handed over to the mercy of God is transformed into generous self-giving through which God feeds and nourishes his people. Lust when handed over to the mercy of God is transformed into passion for prayer and the works of charity. Sloth when handed over to the mercy of God is transformed into diligence and piety which build up the Church.

Slaves of sin are transformed by grace into slaves of righteousness, Paul says. A saint is a sinner who has kept trying.

This is why we do well to examine our lives and humbly acknowledge those sinful tendencies which remain, because those are potential weapons for righteousness. For the person who fails to examine his life and acknowledge his sins will ultimately fail to grow in righteousness. That which is not handed over to God will not be converted, which makes empty confession lines quite concerning.
And the Lord’s parable this morning speaks of the eternal destiny of those who fail to acknowledge their sinfulness and  hand their lives over to God.

So may we be generous and diligent in repenting of sin and handing more and more of our lives over to God, that we may be transformed in righteousness for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That all Christians may know the grace of sincere repentance and seek to grow in virtue and the fruits of the spirit.
For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October, “that the breath of the Holy Spirit may engender a new missionary ‘spring’ in the Church.
That young people be inspired to respond generously to God’s call to sanctity, and for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
For all the sick and suffering, and for all those in hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice care, for all those who will die today, for their consolation and that 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 family, friends, and parish, for the deceased clergy and religious of our diocese, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
God of mercy, hear our prayers, ease the sufferings and comfort the weakness of your servants, and bring us to eternal life, through Christ our Lord.

October 22 2019 - Pope St. John Paul II - Love of the Shepherd

As many of you know, I was able to study in Rome in the year 2004. I was still five years away from ordination, but during those months I was certainly confirmed in my vocation and my desire to serve the Church in many ways. This was especially true on the morning of Holy Thursday, as we gathered for the Chrism Mass at St. Peter’s basilica. I had a great seat, right on the aisle, I would be able to see Pope John Paul II as he processed to the altar. I had seen the holy Pope from a great distance before at World Youth Day in Toronto, and several times during that semester as we gathered from Wednesday Audiences and the Sunday Angelus’, but this was as close as I’d ever be. And I swear as this frail Pope processed toward the altar, he looked right into my eyes and it was as if Jesus Himself were looking at me in love. And I got an overwhelming sense that my path toward the priesthood was the right one.

Many people still speak of powerful encounters with Pope John Paul and the miracles that surrounded him. But I’ll never forget his loving gaze.

The Gospel for this memorial retells the Lord’s invitation to Peter to love him. No doubt, St. John Paul, a successor of Peter, loved the Lord immensely. And his love of the Lord enabled John Paul to truly feed the Lord’s flock with a shepherd’s heart. The love of the shepherd emanated from the holy Pope, it shined from his eyes and his embrace of the poor in his world wide travels, logging over 725 thousand miles in travels, visiting corners of the globe that no Pope had previously visited, proclaiming, as we said in our psalm, “God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.” He was truly a missionary Pope that taught us to be courageous in spreading the Gospel.

“Do you love me” the Lord asks to each of us. Then “feed my sheep.” May each of us take up the invitation to love and to feed with the truth, goodness, and beauty of the Holy Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That through the teaching, preaching, and pastoral care of the Church all Christians will grow in their love of the Lord Jesus.  We pray to the Lord.

That we may all benefit from the heavenly intercession of Pope St. John Paul II, especially in this time of “spiritual turbulence.”

For all missionaries who seek to bring the Gospel to the margins and marginalized.

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 clergy and religious, 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.

29th Week in OT 2019 - Monday - Faith or Greed

Our two readings provide a stark contrast this morning. On one hand, St. Paul enjoins us to imitate the faith of Abraham. When he and his wife Sarah were late into their 80s, God promised this barren couple an abundance of offspring, their descendants would be as numerous as the stars. And long after most people are hoping to be well into their retirement, God sends them on a journey of trust, far from home, to the promised land. Despite their barrenness, despite their old age and infirmity, despite having no idea where God would lead them.

St. Paul says today that Abraham glorified God and was fully convinced in the promises of God. This is why Abraham is a perennial model of faith for us. Abraham trusts that God will bring new life where barrenness seemed to reign, supernatural strength in the face of seemingly physical limitation. St. Paul pleads with the Roman Christians, and all of us, to trust in God’s goodness and promises and to praise God even in the midst of trial.

Contrast the faith of Abraham with the greed of the rich fool in the Gospel. The rich fool thinks only in terms of financial well-being, he lives a sort of Godless existence. Money is his God, earthly treasure is his life’s pursuit. He does not consider his eternal welfare, for he lives only for a safe, secure, earthly existence.

“Take care”, Our Lord teaches, “to guard against all greed, for life consists of more than possessions.” Life, right living, righteousness, involves being oriented not simply to the accumulation and protection of physical goods, but allowing God to lead us to what is spiritually good. Not simply storing things and possessions up at home, but allowing God to lead us beyond the walls of comfort, to undiscovered countries, allow God to breath new life in places where barrenness reigned supreme.

Lots of souls out there, living only for the earthly, devoid of faith, unaware of God inviting them to something more. May God speak to them through our lives, through our righteousness, through our radical trust and faith amidst trials for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102119.cfm

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For courage to preach the Gospel in season and out, for the sanctification of the clergy, and the flowering of spiritual gifts amongst the laity.

That our civil representatives may use their authority to lead and build our nation in godly ways, for the protection of the unborn and religious freedom.

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.

That young people be inspired to respond generously to God’s call to sanctity, and for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

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 clergy and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, you 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.

29th Sunday in OT 2019 - Persistent Prayer

During the 12th and 13th century, a dastardly heresy swept throughout Europe known as Albigensianism. The Albigensians struggled with the reality of evil in the world. They believed in a good Creator God who wants our souls to flourish, but couldn’t understand how that a good God could allow evil and disease and war and suffering in the world.  Many of us perhaps struggle with that same issue, the problem of evil in the world. But the Albigensians fell into heresy when they adopted the belief that in addition to the One God of Spirit and Light and Goodness, there was a second equally powerful God of matter and darkness and evil. The Albigensians claimed that Jesus really wasn’t God, because God couldn’t suffer, he couldn’t really take on flesh, because flesh is evil. They forbade the eating of animals and milk, and condemned marriage and procreation since they believed begetting children meant imprisoning a beautiful pure soul in a prison of flesh. And they denied the sacraments, refusing to believe that the divine would come so close to us. And it’s really remarkable how popular, how rampant this heresy became.

Well, in the early 13th century a brilliant young priest named Dominic Guzman was accompanying his bishop on a diplomatic mission from Spain to Northern Europe. In his travels, Dominic became aware of two enormous challenges for the Church of his time: entire regions of Northern Europe were largely unevangelized, and the Albigensian heresy had spread like wildfire, particularly in France.
When Dominic brought these challenges to the pope’s attention, the pope personally asked Dominic to devote himself to preaching to the Albigensians. Dominic’s initial efforts of preaching were unsuccessful. The Albigensians were unconvinced that God became flesh and died on the cross for our salvation. They were unconvinced that sins could be forgiven through the waters of baptism, that God would became present under the appearance of bread and wine, that the One True God had created this world good.

So Dominic prayed and fasted and did penance, and one day in 1214, Dominic received a heavenly vision, a heavenly visitor, Our Lady appeared to Him and said, “Dear Dominic, do you know what weapon the Most Holy Trinity wants to use to reform the world?...I want you to know that in this kind of warfare the ‘battering ram’ will be the Rosary. So, if you want to reach these hardened souls and win them to God, preach my Rosary!”

And this campaign must have worked. For in my hands I hold a rosary…and have you met any Albigensians lately? Dominic taught the people to pray the Rosary and Europe was converted.
So, why did Our Lady called the Rosary “a Battering Ram”? Because a battering ram is a large beam, sometimes a whole tree, handled by many people, used to open a large gate, or to make an opening in a wall.  It only works with the repetition of blows on the gate or the wall.  Our Lady compares the Rosary to a battering ram: all those rosaries in the hands of so many Christians, all those Hail Marys prayed in order to knock down the gates of hell and defeat demonic heresies.

I tell this story because it is October, the month of the Rosary; we celebrated the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7. But, also because the praying of the rosary relates to our scripture readings today, on prayer and perseverance.

In the first reading from Exodus we hear how Moses had to persevere in keeping his hands raised during a battle with the Amalekites. As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel was victorious in battle; but when he let his hands down, the Amalekites, Israel’s enemies got the upper hand.
This is a great metaphor for the spiritual life—when we keep our hands raised before God, persevering in prayer, engaging in the works of mercy, victory is won—our souls grow as they are meant to. When we grow lax, lukewarm, and disobedient, our souls diminish.

Similarly, in the Gospel, our Lord praises the widow who perseveres in petitioning the judge for justice. Jesus praises this widow who overcomes—what—being poor, being without husband, having little social status—in persuading the hardened heart of the judge.

The parable certainly reminds us that the Christian life requires perseverance in general. Daily, we must overcome temptations, we must be faithful in the midst of suffering and pressures from the world, we must repent of our sins, we must not giving up working for the conversion of non-believers.

Often in the Gospels the Lord takes up the theme of perseverance, he speaks of the need to carry our crosses daily; He enjoins us to not stop seeking until we find God, to not stop knocking until that door is open, he says though he sends us out as sheep amidst wolves, and will be persecuted even by members of our family, he says, “the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

What will give us the strength to persevere in the Christians life, certainly a prayer life that perseveres. St. Alphonsus Ligouri says, “if, then, we wish to persevere and to be saved—for no one cannot be saved without perseverance—we must pray continually. Our perseverance depends, not on one grace, but on a thousand helps which we hope to obtain from God during our whole lives, that we may be preserved in his grace.” Jesus told his disciples this parable of the persistent widow after all to teach them the necessity of prayer for the spiritual life.

A Particularly powerful prayer in preserving us in perseverance is of course the Holy Rosary. Pope Francis this year called upon “all the faithful of all the world, to pray the Holy Rosary every day” during the Marian month of October, especially during this time of “spiritual turbulence” as he called it. The rosary is not a relic from the past century to be discarded. No, it is a powerful spiritual weapon, that the Holy Trinity wishes us to utilize in the great spiritual battle in which we find ourselves. For though the Albigensian heresy has been defeated, we know plenty of other errors and lukewarmness which separate souls from God.

I’ve taken the liberty of printing up some guides on how to pray the rosary, just in case it’s been a while or you were never taught. They are available at the parking lot Church entrance.
Prayer is powerful. In can win miracles. It can convert hardened hearts. It can bring relief to the sorrowful and light to the confused.

Oremus pro invicem, let us pray for one another, that we may persevere in the Christian life, be strengthened and supported in our weaknesses, and equipped, as St. Paul says, for every good work for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

October 18 2019 - St. Luke - Gathered in to be sent out

St. Luke’s Gospel was written between 70 and 85 A.D.  Tradition holds Luke to be a native of Antioch, where Ignatius, our Patron, was Bishop. 

Luke was not one of the twelve apostles or one of Jesus’ disciples; for Luke was a Gentile convert.  So, he is probably the only non-Jewish writer of the entire Bible. 

Of all the passages from his Gospel, the Church has chosen for his feast the passage of the sending of the 72 disciples. 72 is a symbolic number for the Gentiles throughout the Bible, and so this passage, must have been quite dear to Luke, himself a Gentile who had been converted to Christ. He himself was a portion of that harvest gathered in by the disciples of the Lord Jesus, as are all of us—chosen to go into the world to bear fruit that will last. 

We have been gathered in, in order, to be sent out, to “make known the glorious splendor of God’s kingdom” as we recited in the Psalm today.

St. Luke made known the kingdom through his writing, his painstaking investigation into the events of Jesus’ life, and in his willingness to embrace suffering for the sake of the kingdom. Luke accompanied Paul on his third missionary journey, remaining at Paul’s side during his imprisonment and at trial before Caesar in Rome. It was in Rome that Luke wrote his Gospel and the book of acts. After the death of Paul, Luke spread the Gospel in Italy, Dalmatia, Gaul, Macedonia, and Egypt. And in March of 84 AD, he died a martyr’s death, some legends say, crucified to an olive tree.

We have been gathered in, in order to be sent out, to announce the kingdom of God is at hand to the nations. There is a likely a person whom we will encounter today—we may not even know them yet—a person to whom we are called by God to witness to the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. We pray for that person now, that we may minister to them courageously.

 May St. Luke assist us in our mission as disciples of Jesus, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Christians may be faithful to their vocation to spread the Gospel in word and deed.

That on this feast of St. Luke, patron of medical doctors, all doctors may have a reverence for life, and for the conversion of all who do not believe.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October, “that the breath of the Holy Spirit may engender a new missionary ‘spring’ in the Church.

For all the sick and suffering, and for all those in hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice care, for all those who will die today, for their consolation and that 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 family, friends, and parish, for the deceased clergy and religious of our diocese, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

God of mercy, hear our prayers, ease the sufferings and comfort the weakness of your servants, and bring us to eternal life, through Christ our Lord.

October 17 2019 - St. Ignatius of Antioch - Parish Patron Saint (School Mass)

Today is the Feast Day of the Patron Saint of our Parish, St. Ignatius of Antioch. Happy Feast Day to all of our parishioners present.

What does it mean that St. Ignatius of Antioch is the Patron Saint of our parish and school?

That St. Ignatius is the patron Saint of our parish, means that we venerate and honor him in a special way, we look to his holy example and ask for his prayers intercession in a special way. His statue stands along Lorain Ave, as if guarding us from evil, and also welcoming those who want to know Jesus.

Each of us should be able to tell the story of St. Ignatius of Antioch. He was a Catholic bishop who lived almost 2000 years ago. He was arrested when it was against the law to be a Christian. He was sentenced to death, and was marched from Syria to Rome where he was thrown to the lions. Yet, while he made his way to Rome, he did not fear death, nor did he try to escape. Rather, he wrote letters to encourage the Christians to keep the faith, to believe in the promises of Jesus.

Upon the small table in the middle of the sanctuary, is a relic of St. Ignatius, a piece of his bone. And I invite you to direct your prayers to St. Ignatius today, asking him to help you to love Jesus today, to obtain blessings for your family and for this parish.

The theme song for the school year is “Go Make a Difference” right? “Go make a difference” well St. Ignatius lived 2000 years ago. He made a difference in the life of the Church through his courage, he made a difference by encouraging others, he made a difference by teaching others to follow Jesus and to love Jesus. And over those 2000 years he continues to make a difference, now in 2019, not because he made a lot of money, not because he was the best athlete, not because of his popularity, but because of his holiness.

The sort of difference God needs us to make in the world always, always has to do with us growing in holiness, becoming like Jesus in our love for God the Father and our willingness like Jesus to embrace hardship for the sake of the Gospel.

Ask St. Ignatius today to help you make the difference God wants you to make, through faith in Jesus, through patience, love, self-control, and service of those in need, for the glory of God and salvation of souls. St. Ignatius of Antioch. Pray for us.

28th Week in OT 2019 - Wednesday - Faith and Good Works

On Monday, we began the great letter of Saints Paul’s to the Romans.  Excluding feast days and solemnities, the first reading for weekdays will be from this particular Pauline epistle until the first week of November.

The letter to the Romans wasn’t the first of the epistles to be written, but it is the first letter we come across in our bible—right after the book of Acts.  It is the longest of the letters, and perhaps the most important.  It was written to Christians in Rome, the capital of the world, and it is the world’s first systematic, logically organized Christian theology.

Paul is writing to this community, whom he has never met, in order to build them up and strengthen their faith. Why? Because as he states, “the one who lives by faith will live.”  In other words, faith in Jesus Christ leads to everlasting life.

In the introduction to the letter which we we heard on Monday, Paul lists his credentials:  I am Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.  Here is a man who has given himself entirely to God in faith in order to instill faith in others.

Paul then goes on to explain the universal need of salvation, how through wickedness and sin, we lost the glory of God. He continues to elaborate today that God judges rightly and impartially.

Man forms his judgments about the world and his neighbor based on incomplete truths. He is often motivated by envy and arrogance. We hold others to standards that we do not keep for ourselves. But not God. God’s judgment, Paul writes today is impartial. It doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or Gentile, old or young, rich or poor, “God will repay everyone according to his works…those who persevere in good works” will inherit eternal life.

Paul connects faith in Christ Jesus and good works, much like St. James in his epistle: “faith without works is dead” and as we proclaimed in the Psalm “Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.” We do not come to eternal life through works alone, but authentic and saving faith must translate into humble acts of kindness and charity and obedience to the commandments of God.

Faith has led us here to the celebration of Holy Mass, the great work of prayer for the needs of the world and needs of the Church. May we go forth into the world today committed to acts and works of mercy, living in the truth of Christ, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Christians may be dedicated to the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

That we may be attentive to the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, unemployed, or suffering from addiction, mental, or physical illness, imprisoned, and those most in need.

For mercy for the most vulnerable of our human family, the unborn; that their mothers may choose life and be supported by a culture of life.

For the young people of our parish. May they be strengthened to be witnesses to the Gospel of mercy and work for a future that embodies a genuine culture of mercy.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October, “that the breath of the Holy Spirit may engender a new missionary ‘spring’ in the Church.

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.

O God, you 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.

October 15 2019 - St. Teresa in Ecstasy

One of my favorite works of art is located in the corner chapel of the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome. I remember walking miles through the rain the first time I visited Rome to see this sculpture of St. Teresa in Ecstasy in carved white marble by the famous Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The sculpture depicts Theresa, garbed in her flowing Carmelite habit, reclined on a cloud. Over her, a joy-filled angel holds a golden arrow ready to pierce her heart with Divine Love.

Bernini drew his inspiration for this sculpture from the amazing life of this saint.

For many years, Teresa had difficulty sitting through her prayers. It was after meditating deeply upon an image of the Passion of Jesus scourged, bound, and crowned with thorns standing before a hostile crowd that she resolved to dedicate herself seriously to the practice of prayer.

As she grew in prayer, her love for the Lord deepened. She would become absorbed in deep contemplation and would become so filled with divine love that her body would spontaneously levitate—hence Bernini depicting Teresa floating on a cloud. She would feel overwhelmed by love and the experience of the illuminating grace of God washing through her soul.

Her profound book, The Interior Castle, describes the Christian souls journey to union with God.

Forty years after her death, she was Canonized by Pope Gregory XV.  And, in 1970, Pope Paul VI bestowed upon her the title “Doctor of the Church” along with Saint Catherine of Siena making them the first women to receive this distinction. She well deserves the title the Doctor of Prayer, as she describes how the Lord invites each of us to abandonment to the Divine Will through prayer.

Fr. Thomas Dubay wrote a wonderful account of Teresa’s contributions to our understanding of prayer, called The Fire Within.  He writes, “Genuine prayer, does not happen without effort.  Depth of communion with the indwelling Trinity occurs only in a person intent on living the Gospel totally, one who is humble and patient, temperate and obedient, pure and kind, free of selfish clinging.  It is not accidental that our very best explanations of contemplative prayer have their origin in men and women of marvelous sanctity.”

Let us allow this great Doctor of the Church to teach us how to pray, how to open ourselves to the love God has for each of us, to contemplate the indwelling presence of the Trinity, that we may be united to God in all of our activities and relationships for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Christians may seek to grow in holiness through prayer and penance.

For an increase in vocations, and for the spiritual welfare of the Carmelite Order.

For those who have fallen into error, for Catholics who have grown lukewarm in their faith, for those who have left the Church, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October, “that the breath of the Holy Spirit may engender a new missionary ‘spring’ in the Church.

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.

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.

O God, you 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.

Columbus Day 2019 - Into the unknown

In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison issued a proclamation encouraging Americans to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage with patriotic festivities, writing, “On that day let the people, so far as possible, cease from toil and devote themselves to such exercises as may best express honor to the discoverer and their appreciation of the great achievements of the four completed centuries of American life.”

And In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Columbus Day a national holiday, largely as a result of intense lobbying by the Knights of Columbus.

Controversy over Columbus Day dates back to the 19th century, when anti-immigrant groups in the United States rejected the holiday because of its association with Catholicism. Controversy over this holiday continues into our own day, not so much by anti-immigrant groups, but by those who view Columbus as an icon of the negative aspects of colonialism. One wonders, however, if anti-Catholicism still underlies the controversy, a disagreement with our Catholic mission to evangelize all peoples of the earth.

For Columbus, his voyage of discovery was a work of evangelization. On board his ships were missionaries; his first act upon landing in the New World was to plant the cross, claim the new lands for Christ and His Church, and ask the missionaries to offer Mass. In fact, upon first sighting land, he and his crew prayed together the Salve Regina.

Columbus on the other hand, plunged willingly into the unknown in order to spread the saving faith. He willingly endured the violent storms of the Atlantic, as St. Paul and the Apostles did, in fidelity to Christ’s great commission, to spread salvation to the ends of the earth. “Through Christ”, we read from the Scriptures this morning, “we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles”

Columbus is celebrated not simply because of his great navigational feat, with its geographical, economic and political implications, which continue to effect history. He is celebrated for his faith, an act flowing from what he believed to be the purpose of life, the purpose of all life, to make God known, to make God’s mercy known through Jesus Christ.

Christians are called to venture into the unknown for the spread of the faith. Into what unknown waters is God calling us to explore, what unknown lands is he calling us to claim for Christ and his Bride the Church, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That Catholics around the world will be ever more zealous in their preaching of the Gospel.

That young people be inspired to respond generously to God’s call to sanctity, and for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

For those whose love for Christ has grown cold, for those who have fallen away from the Church, for those with unrepentant hearts, for their conversion and the deeper conversion of all people.

For the Knights of Columbus and all who look to the inspiration of Christopher Columbus, may they continue in good works and be examples of virtue and faith.

For the sick and the suffering, and all persecuted Christians, that they may come to experience Christ’s healing and peace amidst their illnesses and needs.

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

O God, you 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.

28th Sunday in OT 2019 - Prayers of Petition and Eucharistic Gratitude

In ancient Israel, no one was more pitiable than a leper.

The book of Leviticus prescribed that in order to avoid contact with others, the leper had to shout “Unclean! Unclean!” as they passed by and couldn’t come within 50 yards of a healthy person. They were prohibited from entering towns, they were cut off from their family, they were barred from Temple worship. Theirs was a life of total isolation: no friendship or family, no sense of belonging, no affection. And in today’s gospel we meet 10 of them.

10 Lepers stood off at a distance and shouted to Jesus. But instead of shouting “Unclean” they cry out to be cleansed. “Jesus, master, have pity on us!” Their cry echoes so many of the psalms in which the suffering cry out to God for healing, strength, relief, and protection. And Jesus heard them and heeded their plea.

In Jewish law, in order for a leper to be readmitted to society, a priest had to declare them cured of their disease. So, Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priests. And on their way to the priest, the 10 were miraculously healed. The healing of the 10 lepers in the Gospel parallels the miraculous healing of Naaman the Syrian in the first reading.

Naaman seeks out healing from the God of Israel. Following the instruction of Elisha the prophet, Naaman plunges himself into the waters of the Jordan and emerges healed. God answers the plea for mercy, not just of a jew, but a foreigner.

What about you? What is your plea for mercy? What plea for mercy did you bring to Mass today?  Mercy for yourself, for your family, for our nation, for the world? The experience of suffering brings us to our knees. Prayer for mercy is one reason we come to Church, isn’t it? To plea for mercy? Mercy to end an illness, to end an addiction, to end family division, to end faithlessness, to end our modern day versions of leprosy which bring pain and isolation.

One of the reasons it is good to get to Mass a few minutes early, is so that you have the opportunity to recollect why you are here. Before the beginning of Mass, we do well to articulate to God our personal petitions for mercy, to entrust ourselves to the mercy of God, to plea for miracles.

This is going to sound somewhat strange, but the moment I typed that word, ‘miracles’ this morning as I was composing my homily. I received an email from a parishioner. “Father, a miracle just happened. My liver was failing, and I went to the doctors and they told me I was going to die. A week after you prayed over me, I go to the hospital and the ER doctor told me that my liver is fine, I’m not going to die. Weird, I know. Either that was a miracle or the doctors made a mistake. I had many people praying for me.” Thanks be to God, right? A miracle in our midst!

Miracles are real. Just as the miraculous healing in the Gospel signaled that in Jesus, the kingdom of God was breaking in to human history, modern day miracles are granted that we may know that God is still at work in our lives, that we ought to entrust ourselves to God’s providence and mercy.
Yet, in the Gospel today, the miraculous healing was only the first part of the story.

Having realized that he had been healed through the intervention of Jesus, the one leper, a Samaritan, returns to Jesus to offer his profound gratitude. Again, like Naaman in our first reading, returning to Elisha, confessing the true God of Israel, the Samaritan leper in the Gospel returns to Jesus, and falls on his face before Jesus, recognizing Jesus as God and King.

Here is a second reason we come to Mass every week, to fall prostrate before our God and King who has brought about the healing, not of our bodies, but a more important healing, the healing of our souls from sin. We come to Mass week after week to thank God for the saving grace we received at baptism, the grace won for us through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.

Thanksgiving is at the heart of the Christian life. You’ve no doubt heard the Greek New Testament word for Thanksgiving: it’s the word “Eucharist”…”Eucharistia”, found in our Gospel today; the leper fell on his face before Jesus and offered Eucharistia. It is not a coincidence that “Eucharist” became the word the early Christians gave to their weekly gathering at the altar. They gathered, as do we, to offer God humble thanksgiving for our salvation in Christ Jesus. In Christ, God has done for us, what we could not do for ourselves. He has healed us of the leprosy of sin, which brought alienation from heaven, and isolation from true communion with each other.

Without coming to Mass every week to offer eucharistic thanks, we begin to take our salvation for granted, we take Jesus’ sacrifice for granted, his pain and his suffering offered for us. Without mass, we begin to take God for granted and begin to act as if we are entitled to heaven. We are not. We are not entitled to that which is lost through sin. Without thanksgiving we are like those other 9 lepers who were healed, but did not return to Jesus to offer thanks.

So we come to Mass every week, thanking God for the gift of our salvation. And we thank God for the blessings we’ve received throughout the week and throughout the life. Another reason to get to mass early, to take the time to count our blessings, to recall how we have been blessed this week, how prayers have been answered in our life and in our family, for the health we do have, the safety we have received, the goodness we have enjoyed. Thank God for those who recovered from surgery, for the time you got to spend with those who bring you happiness, for the sweet memories you shared with your spouse, for the word of encouragement when you really needed it, the ability to experience the beauty of nature or a symphony or a church.

Something happens when we offer God true thanksgiving from the heart. Resentment begins to melt away. Envy over the things we don’t have is replaced with gratitude for the things we do. We experience joy over the presence of God dwelling within us. The praise that filled the heart of Jesus begins to fill our heart.

Count your blessings daily, thank God daily, fall on your face daily before the God of Mercy, petition God daily, for the needs of the world and the needs of the Church, pray for miracles, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

27th Week in OT 2019 - Friday - Irrational Opposition to Jesus

As Jesus’ mission progressed, the Lord began to face mounting opposition from his critics. His critics even began to criticize the good he was doing. When Jesus forgave the sins of the paralytic, the Jewish leaders accused him of blasphemy; when he allowed the sinful woman to anoint and honor Him, a Pharisee was upset that he allowed such a woman to touch him.  Jesus was constantly being ridiculed for reaching out and eating with tax collectors and prostitutes. And, we heard in the Gospel, how Pharisees accuse Jesus of using the power of the devil to cast out a demon.

In the present age, the good work of the Church is similarly criticized.  When she speaks about the dignity of marriage, she is criticized and called anti-Gay.  When she speaks about the evil of abortion, she is criticized as being anti-woman.  When she speaks about the importance of holding on to the timeless truth that comes from God she is called anti-progress. When Pope Benedict spoke out against certain violent tendencies in Islam, he was criticized for being anti-tolerance.  When Pope Francis spoke wrote about the dangers of unfettered capitalism, “the cult of money and the dictatorship” of an inhumane economy, he was lambasted and called ignorant. Priests who are faithful to their duty to obey Church law are labeled as rigid or unpastoral.

The Church has been labeled anti-freedom, anti-science, anti-human flourishing.  And yet, she is the greatest instrument of true progress, true freedom, and true joy.

Today’s Gospel reminds us that there will always be irrational resistance towards the Church, toward the Christian message.  But that doesn’t mean we stop working or compromise the Truth.  Resistance to the Gospel doesn’t mean that we have the authority to change it.  We might have to state it more clearly, with greater conviction.  We might simply have to suffer for it. 

We shouldn’t be surprised that working for the spread of the truth feels like a constant, uphill battle.  Christ continued his ministry despite the opposition.  And so must we. 

May we be faithful when we face opposition in our Gospel mission for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That Christians may be faithful to evangelization, especially in the face of opposition, and for Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October, “that the breath of the Holy Spirit may engender a new missionary ‘spring’ in the Church.

For those who have fallen into error, for Catholics who have grown lukewarm in their faith, for those who have left the Church, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

For an increase in devotion to Our Lady’s Holy Rosary, and that we may all come to more fully imitate Our Lady’s faith and purity.

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.

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.

O God, you 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.

October 9 2019 - St Denis and the Rise of Militant Secularism

On my pilgrimage to Europe this last summer, I had the opportunity to drive past Notre Dame Cathedral. It was about a month after the great fire that destroyed the iconic spire of the Paris Cathedral. I remembered watching video of the fire and shedding a tear or two, at the destruction of the glorious edifice built in honor of Our Lady.

Early reports stated that the fire was set accidentally, but the event certainly raised our attention to the numerous church fires and vandalisms around Paris that proceeded it.

On the façade of the Notre Dame Cathedral, not destroyed by the fire, there is a statue of a headless bishop, holding his severed head. That bishop, was the first bishop of Paris, who had been a missionary sent from Italy to spread the faith in the city of Paris in the mid 3rd century, before it was even called Paris, it was called “Lutetia Parisiorum” by Julius Caesar.

Paris, at the time was filled with different pagan religions, and St. Denis was so successful in the conversion of the Pagan Parisians, that Pagan leaders conspired against Denis.  Denis was arrested and sentenced to death by decapitation.

Even so, St. Denis was not done preaching the Gospel.  According to legend, once decapitated, he stood up, picked up his severed head from the dirt and walked about 4 miles north, preaching a sermon the entire way.  A basilica was built at the spot where he finally collapsed and died. That basilica—the basilica of Saint-Denis—is among the recently vandalized churches around Paris.

One report of the vandalisms spoke of a “militant secularism” spreading throughout France. This secularism seeks to sever itself from its Christian past, by propagating hatred toward the Church. There is certainly no guarantee that an age of martyrs, like that in which St. Denis lived, won’t return again. For the old pagan gods are being replaced by new pagan gods and they are arriving with a vengeance. And sadly, the militant secularism is welcomed by many Europeans who have fallen away from their Christian roots. Church attendance in France is abysmally low. Only 5% of Catholics attend Mass in France.

French and European Catholics certainly need the courage and perseverance of St. Denis in this increasingly secular age, as do we. For to become severed from the truth and practice of the Catholic faith is to be severed from life itself. We invoke St. Denis and of course, Our Lady, we fast and pray, for the grace we need to be the Christ-light in the darkness, bearers of the truth of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October, “that the breath of the Holy Spirit may engender a new missionary ‘spring’ in the Church.

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

That all hatred for the Church may be replaced with love for Jesus Christ and the peace that comes from his Sacred Heart.

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 clergy and religious, 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.

27th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Ordinary Spiritual Growth

Every year we hear this passage from the prophet Jonah on the first week of Lent, 7 days after Ash Wednesday.  It’s one of the most dramatic responses to the call to repentance in the entire old testament: a city of about 120,000 people all come to repent the nobility, the peasantry, show signs of their repentance by fasting, covering themselves with sackcloth, and sitting in ashes.

We begin Lent on Ash Wednesday doing the exact same thing—with fasting and the imposition of ashes on our foreheads.  And throughout Lent we undertake practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—visible and external signs of our internal sorrow for our sins.

Repentance is a pre-requisite for new spiritual life.  Repentance seeks to end the cycle of sin by acknowledging it with heartfelt sorrow and firmly resolving to sin no more.  Repentance ends the illusion that independence from God and his commandments brings the fulfillment we long for.

I’ve spoken before of the order of monks who take as their motto: “Semper Quadragesima”— “Always Lent”.  They seek to live, all year round, in that penitential Lenten Spirit because it is so effective in disposing us to the new spiritual life God wants to bring forth in us. If we are not actively seeking to be free from selfishness and to grow in generosity and charity, then we are in trouble.

Penitential Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, are taken up, particularly during Lent, but they are meant to be part of our normal spiritual growth—our Ordinary Time spiritual growth.

In the Gospel, Jesus rebuked Martha for being anxious about many things and not focusing on the one thing that really matters, namely, Himself, his presence in her life.  So what are the modes of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that perhaps we need to commit to or recommit to, in order to be more centered on Christ, more serious about becoming liberated from selfishness.

Semper Quadragesima—always Lent.  May we be generous in surrendering all the different parts of our life to God’s transforming mercy, and allow God to reform, reshape, and renew us today and every day, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That hearing the call to repentance preached by the Church, all men may turn away from their sins to the mercy of Christ.

That world leaders may look upon the Son of God, believe in him, and seek the peace and justice that only he can bring.

That our young people may take seriously the missionary call of Christ, that they will turn away from the evils of our culture to spread the good news of Christ’s eternal kingdom.

For all whose lives are marked by suffering, may they come to know the healing and peace of Christ.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased clergy and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, you 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.

October 7 2019 - Our Lady of the Rosary and the Battle of Lepanto

Over the last 2000 years, there have been a number of authenticated apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And during these appearances, Our Lady has often exhorted the seers to pray the rosary. Why the Rosary? The Rosary, Our Lady, explained to St. Dominic is the spiritual weapon by which The Holy Trinity wishes to reform the world.” The rosary is a powerful means of intercession, a weapon against error and vice, as well as an avenue to sanctification that can be employed by the novice and the mystic alike.

Today’s Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, was established to honor the power of Our Lady’s intercession through the rosary at a decisive moment in history.

By the middle of the 15th century, the Turkish Ottoman Empire conquered the Byzantine Empire, plunging a large portion of eastern Christendom under Turkish rule. Over the next hundred years, the Turks expanded their empire further and further west, both on land and by sea. They terrorized the coasts of Italy and Spain, taking captive over 10,000 Christians, whom they used as slaves. By 1570, the Turks had captured the Island of Cyprus and amassed a naval fleet there, giving them virtual control of the Mediterranean.

Pope Saint Pius V now had grave and immediate concerns that within the year, the Turkish forces could invade any part of Christian Europe and bring it to its knees. So he financed a naval fleet and formed a coalition known as the Holy League to counter this threat and protect Christian civilization. This proved easier said than done, as many of the major powers in Europe were reluctant to enter into a war that could result in their financial ruin.

The Venetians were interested in finding a diplomatic solution, but when their diplomats, who had been promised safety, were attacked and murdered by the Turks, the immanence of this threat became more apparent, and they joined the Holy League.

On October 7th 1571,  the Holy League, outnumbered by the Turks, sailed to confronted the Battle of Lepanto. At the Pope’s insistence, all of Europe was asked to pray the rosary for the victory of the Christian fleet. When the smoke cleared that day, the majority of the Turkish fleet was decimated, while the Holy League lost very few ships. Over 10,000 Christian slaves who were serving as oarsmen on the Turkish galleys were freed.

The Western Mediterranean and Western Europe were liberated from the Turkish threat and the victory was attributed to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A feast was instituted (the Feast of Our Lady of Victory) which was later renamed the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Today, it is clear that the powers of the world are reorganizing to confront Holy Church. There is external persecution in many places: Christians who are courageous enough to live their faith in the open do so at the threat of loss of employment, mockery from their families, disqualification from political office. Christians in some countries are enslaved and killed. And In many places, Holy Church is attacked from within, doctrine is criticized, Sacred Tradition and Scripture are disregarded, right faith is undermined.

May we entrust ourselves again to Our Lady and her Rosary. It is the weapon the Holy Trinity wishes to reform the world, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That, during this month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, many Christians will discover new and deep devotion to Our Lady’s powerful intercession and maternal care for the Church.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October, “that the breath of the Holy Spirit may engender a new missionary ‘spring’ in the Church.

For the health and sanctification of the members of our parish Altar and Rosary Society and Legion of Mary and for increased membership for these groups.

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 and religious 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.

27th Sunday in OT 2019 - Increase our Faith

Have you ever cried out to God in words similar to those of the prophet Habakkuk in our first reading, “How long, O LORD?  I cry for help but you do not listen!” How long must I suffer? I many times must I go through this particular trial?

What trial was Habakkuk lamenting? Well, scholars continue to debate this topic. Some think Habakkuk lived just prior to the Babylonian attack on Jerusalem. If that’s the case, the holy prophet would be lamenting the evil and iniquity of so many of his fellow Jews who were forsaking the covenant, and that God would likely allow the Jews to be conquered by some foreign power as he had in the past.

Some scholars think that Habakkuk lived right after the Babylonian attack, and was crying out to God because of the devastation of Jerusalem wrought by the Babylonian invaders.

And some scholars think that Habakkuk may have lived several centuries later, during Alexander the Great’s conquest of the near East. Again Habakkuk's words would be interpreted as a chastisement upon Israel for abandoning the faith.

Whoever Habakkuk was, and whenever he lived are ultimately ancillary to the profound message of this book, the heart-wrenching longing for God to intervene in the experience of suffering: “How long, O LORD?  I cry for help but you do not listen!” How long must I suffer?

The good news is that God does not abandon Habakkuk in his suffering. He receives a word of hope from God: Don’t give up. Be patient. Persevere in faith. God’s justice will ultimately prevail. If you were to read on in the book of Habakkuk, which is only three short chapters long, God gives Habakkuk a vision of a series of punishments for the wicked, robbers, embezzlers, deceivers, exploiters and extortionists, tyrants, deviants and idolaters. The book is pretty doom-filled, but it speaks to our very deep desire, a desire that each of us experience at our core, for justice, for God to rescue those who suffer, vindication for the innocent, and an end of oppression and pain, and bolsters our faith in the promises of God.

Our second reading addresses the need for perseverance as well. St. Paul urges the bishop Timothy to stir into flame the gift of faith. That amidst all of the difficulties the Church was experiencing Timothy needed to stir up the faith of his people and in his own soul that God’s power may fill them. To stir up the faith, that’s an important task for each of us. For we know, all too well, how many for baptized Catholics that flame has been virtually extinguished. They do not attend Mass. They do not pray. They do not engage in the works of mercy. Sin seems to have taken sway in their lives.

Now I’ve known many people where a nearly extinguished faith has become rekindled. They’ve seen the power of God at work through a vibrant Christian community. They’ve experienced the love of God in the compassion shown them by Christians. Sometimes, it was a traumatic event in their life that led to a sort of spiritual awakening, a death of a loved one, the reality of grief, that helped them discover the need for God.

In those delicate times though of spiritual reawakening, much prayer and involvement in a community of fellow Christians is needed, lest the flame of faith dies out again.

So what about us, what’s the temperature of the flame of faith in your life. Lukewarm or blazing?
During my seminary studies, I remember visiting the seminary library one day, and a book on St. Theresa jumped out at me. I opened the book to a random page, and I’ll never forget the quote. St. Theresa writes, “Comparison is death to the spiritual life.” And what she meant by that is when you compare your life to others, that can lead to real spiritual danger. For on the one hand, if I compare myself to someone that isn’t living the faith at all, whose faith has been extinguished, then I won’t grow spiritually, because I’ll think to myself, I’m holier than that guy, so I must be okay. But then on the other hand, you compare yourself to a saint, like St. Francis, and you think, I’ll never become that holy, so I might as well not do anything.

So for Theresa, this unhealthy spiritual comparison leads to a real spiritual mediocrity, faith, instead of being stirred-up is stifled. Rather, the truth is in the middle. Not comparing myself to the wicked, not comparing myself to the saints, I am personally challenged to consider what do I need to do personally to grow in holiness in the concrete details of my life.

In order to fan the flame, St. Paul tells Timothy to take as his norm the sound words that he heard, the Gospel, the Scriptures. To reflect upon and take as your standard, not the philosophies of the world, not the politics of the day, not the excuses of the spiritually lazy, but soundness of the Gospel.
Here is the injunction for every Christian to familiarize ourselves, to study and ponder and meditate upon the Scriptures. When we read the Scriptures, and when we allow them to speak to us, God stirs up our faith. An unopened bible serves no one. A bible collecting dust on a coffee table sets no spiritual fires. So open your bibles daily—read, reflect, and put into practice what you discover there.

Perhaps, take the daily mass readings which are published in our bulletin, and use them as your daily meditation. Ask God when they mean for the concrete details of your life? For example, using our second reading, ask, What does it mean for me to stir into flame the gifts God has given me. What does it mean for me to have a courageous faith, what does it mean to guard the riches of God that dwell within me? What have I considered as impossible that God wants to make possible in my life?
In the midst of death, the Word of God gives us life. In the midst of injustice, the Word of God gives us patience and the strength to work for change. In the midst of spiritual dryness or confusion, the Word of God is a lamp that grants light unto our path.

The apostles say to the Lord in the Gospel, “increase our faith”, is that a request you are willing to make? What would it mean, practically, if your faith were greater?

The apostles made this request of our Lord immediately after his teaching that if their brother sins against them seven times in a day, they need to forgive him seven times a day. They knew that that level of mercy, the ability to love and forgive with the heart of God, required great faith.  So they prayed, “increase our faith”. Is there someone who you would be able to forgive if your faith was greater?

Faith enables us to persevere amidst great trials, it helps us to see God working in the great moments of darkness and suffering, it helps us to perform great works for God which we deemed impossible, it enables us to forgive the greatest of insults, it makes possible tremendous growth in holiness and the working of miracles. Lord, increase our faith, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

October 2019 - First Friday Holy Hour - St. Francis and the Eucharist

St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast is today, had an intense reverence for the Blessed Sacrament. He believed it important for members of the Christian faithful to visit often places where the Eucharist was reserved, to venerate the Blessed Sacrament. When the Blessed Sacrament was carried as viaticum for the dying, he instructed his friars to “glorify and honor on bended knee Lord God living and true” as the Eucharist passed by.

Francis believed with Catholic faith that the Lord is truly present in the Eucharist, and for Francis the Eucharist was especially a sign of the complete self-emptying of Christ, which Francis sought to imitate through poverty and humility. Francis wrote: “…Behold, each day he humbles Himself as when he came from the royal throne into the Virgin’s womb; each day He himself comes down to us, appearing humbly; each day He comes down from the bosom of the Father upon the altar in the hands of the priest. As he revealed himself to the holy apostles in true flesh, so He reveals himself to us now in sacred bread.”

In a letter written to the Friars of His Order, he exhorts ““Let everyone be struck with fear, let the whole world tremble, and let the heavens exult when Christ, the Son of the living God, is present on the altar in the hands of a priest! O wonderful loftiness and stupendous dignity! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! The lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles himself that for our salvation he hides himself under an ordinary piece of bread! Brothers, look at the humility of God, and pour out your hearts before him! Humble yourselves that you may be exalted by him! Hold nothing back of yourselves for yourselves, that he who gives himself totally to you may receive you totally!”

The Eucharist was truly a sign of Christ’s own poverty, which he sought to imitate—Christ who holds nothing of himself back, but pours himself out totally in saving and redeeming grace to us. And yet the Sacrament is also the means by which we may return all that we are and have to Christ – what Francis saw as the holy exchange. In the Eucharist, Francis saw the expression of Christ’s pattern of living through dying, a pattern that we are also called to make our own.

Tonight, we come before the same Lord worshiped and adored by Francis and the saints. We come perhaps, tired from the weeks challenges, burdened by our share in the Cross. But Jesus says to us, as he said to Francis, come to me, I will refresh you, learn from, from my gentleness and humility.
In the presence of the Eucharist, may we become childlike, like Francis, trusting that the Lord gives us everything we need for our share in the Gospel mission, all we need to imitate Him in self-emptying self-sacrificial love for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

October 4 2019 - St. Francis of Assisi and the Crucifix

During the period of his life in which he experienced great spiritual awakening, St. Francis would go to the old ruined chapel of San Damiano to pray. In that dilapidated oratory still hung a Byzantine wooden crucifix, painted in red, gold, and black, depicting  not the tortured Christ of later art, not with the crown of thorns, but a glorious halo, and with the large, open, eyes of the Crucified gazing back upon the faithful, showing his wounds, perhaps as an invitation to imitate him in his Passion, that we too may experience his glory.

We know well the story of how Francis heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him from that crucifix, “Francis, Go repair my Church, which as you see is falling completely in ruin.” And how Francis first, took the words literally, but then went on to bring great renewal to the Church this his life of poverty, penance and evangelization.

Lesser known, perhaps, are the words that Francis spoke back to that crucifix, which contain a summation of his desire to serve the Lord, a prayerful petition for the grace he needed to be faithful to his calling: “Most High glorious God, bring light to the darkness of my heart. Give me right faith, certain hope, and perfect charity. Give me, Lord, wisdom and discernment, so I can always observe your truth and Holy Will.”

Francis experienced a profound out-pouring of God’s love when he gazed upon the crucifix, and desired to respond in kind, with a sacrificial love that embraced suffering for the good of the Church.
“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world,” we heard in Paul’s words to the Galatians this morning. Francis, like Paul sought that perfect-identification with and imitation of the crucified one who suffers for our salvation. And Like Paul, St. Francis would go on to bear the marks of Jesus on his body, signs of his union with Christ in his willingness to suffer for the Gospel.

May Francis assist us in embracing the cross, in seeking the right faith, certain hope, and perfect charity of the Christian life, the wisdom and discernment to observe God truth and Holy Will for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For Pope Francis on this his patronal feast, for the grace to bring renewal to those parts of the Church which are crumbling—a renewal of true faith, where faith has diminished or been corrupted.
For blessings upon all members of the Franciscan Orders, for vocations and that their witness may bring renewal to the Church.
For hope for the despairing and all those who suffer.
For the grace of perfect charity to fill our hearts for those in need.
That all God’s Holy People will be filled with the wisdom and discernment needed to know and obey God’s Holy Will.
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 and religious 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.