22nd Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Wednesday - The Kingdom of God

Yesterday, we heard in the Gospel how the Lord made the headquarters for his public ministry in Capernaum, and there he was wildly successful: evoking astonishment, perhaps even belief, and performing many healings, miracles, and exorcisms. But after not much time there, he tells the crowds that he must move on: “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God”

What does that mean? What is the kingdom of God?

The kingdom of God is to replace the kingdom of Satan—the kingdoms—some petty, some grand—which Satan rules over in this world.

Jesus’ miracles and exorcisms are proof that God is at work to overthrow the kingdom of Satan. The demons are powerless to stop him. Illness is banished at a word. The dead are raised, like Jairus’ daughter. Jesus’ public ministry signals the inbreaking of the kingdom of God and the end of Satan’s reign over the earth and over souls.

The first reference to the kingdom of God in the Gospel of Luke occurs at the annunciation. The Archangel Gabriel explains to Mary of Nazareth that the son that she will bear “will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

The everlasting kingdom promised to David and proclaimed by the prophets is at hand is something new, something different from the temporal earthly kingdoms. In the Gospel of Luke, especially, we see the Lord going to the marginalized, the sick, the demon possessed, the poor, and even to women and children who had lower social status. The kingdom of God belongs to such as these. It is a kingdom where the mighty are cast down from their thrones, and the lowly are lifted up, the hungry are fed, and the rich are sent away empty.

We see Jesus also dining with sinners. Sinners, who sought their happiness in sin, too are invited to membership in the kingdom through repentance, to find their joy in God, and admitted to the kingdom through the redemptive suffering and death of Christ the King on the cross.

The kingdom of God preached by Jesus is the long-awaited reign of God over all time and space—a restoration of the order and justice of God disturbed by evil and sin—an end of evil and violence and slavery and destruction, suffering and sadness, and most of all death.

Through baptism we are made members of the kingdom of God, the bonds of sin and death are broken, but that entails responsibility on our part, to use our God-given freedom to continue the mission of gathering in the poor and the sinner to God’s kingdom for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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As the month of August comes to an end, we pray for the virtue of humility, for the ability to repent of our sins, pray as we should, and seek God’s will over our own; for the grace and willingness to become instruments for the building up of the kingdom of God.

For an end to indifference  to God and human dignity in our government & educational institutions, businesses, and personal attitudes and for a flourishing of the Gospel in our land.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for those who struggle to practice Christian chastity, 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; for the repose of the soul of Fr. Russ Lowe who will be buried today.

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.

 

 

22nd Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Tuesday - A tale of two Galilean towns

 For the first nine weeks of Ordinary Time, the weekday Gospel readings are taken from the Gospel of Mark. And then for about 12 more weeks, the Gospels are taken from Matthew. From now until the end of the liturgical year, we read from the Gospel of Luke. 

Notice though, that we didn’t begin with Luke Chapter 1, we’ve skipped already to chapter 4, and that’s because those first four chapters of Luke are the infancy narratives and we read through those chapters throughout advent and Christmas. 

Our Ordinary Time reading of Luke begins with the beginning of the Lord’s public ministry.

Had we not celebrated the memorial of The Passion of St. John the Baptist, yesterday, we would have heard how the Lord’s public ministry began with rejection. He comes out of the desert, having fasted for 40 days, filled with the spirit, he goes to Nazareth, opens the scroll, begins to read how the prophecies of old are now being fulfilled in their midst, and he is driven out of town by his townsfolk, and they attempt to hurl him over a cliff.

So, today, we hear that the Lord decided to take his ministry to Capernaum—a distance of about 25 miles, the distance from downtown Cleveland to Akron or Madison. . Perhaps a week had passed since Nazareth. For the rejection at Nazareth took place in a synagogue on a sabbath, and today’s passage, which immediately follows, takes place, again, in a synagogue, on a sabbath. And the reaction to his teaching couldn’t have been more drastic.

Instead of rejection, like there was in Nazareth, in Capernaum there is astonishment, miracles, healings, and exorcisms. He is not driven to the edge of town, he is welcomed into a home in the heart of town, to the home of Simon, who will be later named Peter. A tale of two cities, a tale of two responses to Jesus—to his Gospel.

The reader of the Gospel is presented with an immediate choice: do I want to be like the people of Nazareth or the people of Capernaum. Do I drive Jesus from my midst through my sins and hard-heartedness, or do I welcome him and his Truth and become open to the healings and miracles and deliverance that he brings.

The people of Nazareth claimed to know him but really did not. Their familiarity had led them to contempt. People of faith, even life long Catholics, however, know a secret, that we can constantly rediscover Jesus anew, if we are honest in our spiritual lives, and welcome him deeper into the recesses of our lives and hearts.

Throughout the remainder of Ordinary Time, reading through St. Luke’s beautiful Gospel, may we allow the Lord to challenge us, teach us, heal us, and deliver us for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the flourishing of spiritual gifts in the universal Church and our parish, for the sanctification of our parishioners, the conversion of the faithless, and the grace to be not just hearers of the word but doers of the word. 

For an end to indifference to the Gospel, to God and human dignity in our government & educational institutions, businesses, and personal attitudes.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for those who struggle to practice Christian chastity, 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.

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.

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2022 - The virtue of Humility and the purification from Pride

 This month, many of my bulletin columns and homilies have been about the virtue of humility. If you remember, we began the month of August with the feast of doctor of the Church, St. Alphonsus Liguori. And that great teacher of the faith recommends that each month we intentionally focus on developing and practicing a particular virtue. If we are going to grow in holiness and grow in virtue, we need to be intentional about it. And the virtue for the month of August, St. Alphonsus recommends practicing is the virtue of humility.

One of the most important laws in Christ's Kingdom is the law of humility. This law says that "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted".

In other words, greatness in his Kingdom comes not from trying to prove that you are more important than other people, lording power over others, or garnering or amassing more worldly attention than other people. 

Greatness in God's eyes comes from serving others, elevating others, helping others advance in holiness.

In his great sermon on the Mount, the Lord reiterates the law of humility: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." We are before God like beggars—poor in spirit, recognizing our need of God for life—for everything. To be poor in spirit is the first step in obtaining beatitude—blessedness. There can be no growth in holiness, no progress toward the kingdom without humility; for if our actions are not motivated by humility, we are motivated by its enemy, pride.

The law of humility is stated directly in (in the book of Sirach): "conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved... Humble yourself... and you will find favor with God."

The first sin of Adam and Eve was a sin against humility, refusing to submit to the instruction of God, not trusting that God would provide for them. Because sinful pride is so ingrained in us, the Lord Jesus taught us to practice humility not simply by his words, but by his example, living out humility to the extreme: through his passion and death.

Jesus, the Lord of heaven, was born in a stable. He lived in obscurity—as the son of a manual laborer. Even during his public ministry, He allowed his reputation to be dragged through the mud by the lies and corruption of his enemies. He allowed himself to be stripped of every honor, to be condemned as a criminal, and freely took on the most humiliating form of death - crucifixion. But humbled so thoroughly, he is now glorified so magnificently.

We are to imitate the humility of Christ in all of our relationships and endeavors. The Christian must first of all be humble. No remember, humility does not mean that we think less of ourselves than we should. TO be humble is to live in the truth that we are children of God, and that is something to celebrate. We are children of God, dependent on God, dependent on the Father’s providence for all we truly need. We are also sinners in need of conversion. And called to be servants—to serve God, and God alone, in the master’s vineyard. 

St. Augustine, whose feast is August 28 said, “If you should ask me what are the three most important virtues, I would tell you they are humility, humility, and humility…if humility does not precede all that we do, our efforts are meaningless.”

Such humility is the foundation for the life of holiness and for all the virtues. St. John Vianney said: “humility is to the various virtues what the chain is to a rosary. Take away the chain and the beads are scattered; remove humility, and all the virtues vanish.”

As I’ve also mentioned in the past, this summer I’m reading Dante’s Divine Comedy as part of my daily spiritual reading. In the second book of the Divine Comedy, Dante begins to climb the mountain of purgatory. There he meets those souls who have repented of their sins, but who still require purification. In life, if are attached to sin, even if we repent, we will still require some purification after death. The saints teach that it is far easier to work on the virtues in this earthly life, than in purgatory. So we do well, as St. Alphonsus says, to be very intentional in growing in the virtues.

But for those requiring purification, the mountain of purgatory, in Dante, is divided into seven terraces, seven levels, in which souls are purified of their attachments to the seven deadly sins: pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust. 

Many people think lust or wrath are the worst sins we can commit on earth. But for Dante, it’s pride. Because, again, pride keeps us from obtaining all the other virtues: it keeps us from faith, hope, and love. 

So the very first terrace of purgatory is for the purification of pride. And the souls for their purification from pride are carrying this great weight on their backs and shoulders, the weight of their pride. The greater your pride the more purification you need. And for many of those souls, their going to be carrying that weight around for a while, as in purgatory, the purification at attainment from virtue is a slow process.

Interestingly, at the beginning of each terrace of purgatory, Dante finds these marble sculptures—these marble depictions of the virtue the souls will need to require. Much like how are stained glass windows depict so many of the saints and biblical figures exhibiting faith and charity, those marble sculptures were a visual aid for the poor souls. 

Also interestingly, on each terrace, Dante encounters a marble statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for she is the model of all virtues, the perfect disciple of Christ, the example for all Christians to contemplate. At the base of that first terrace, Dante sees this marble depiction of the annunciation: in which the Archangel Gabriel announces God’s will to Mary, and she humbly declares herself to be the Ancilla Domini, the handmaiden of the Lord. She then offers the prayer of humble surrender: fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. Let it be done to be according to thy word.

That is certainly a prayer we do well to begin each day with: Lord help me to be your servant today. Help me to serve you at every moment, in every encounter and interaction, in all of my words and deeds. Help me to hold back, restrain, and discipline my pride. Help me to keep the image of the Blessed Mother first and foremost in my mind and heart, that I may imitate her humility. Our Lady of Humility, pray for me, that I may become worthy of the promises of Christ.

In addition to starting the day off on the right foot, with some good humble prayer, ensure that at some point in the day you are picking up that Bible. Reading and taking to heart the Word of God is one way God wants to help us grow in holiness. If you say, “I don’t need to read the Bible. I don’t need to take to heart God’s word. I know everything I need to know. I have more important things to do.” Is that Christian humility? 

I’ve said it before as well, but if you are able, try to attend mass throughout the week. For at Mass, we encounter the humility of Jesus Himself, who gives himself to us in the humble appearance of bread and wine. 

In the words of St. Augustine, at Mass we become what we receive—through the humble reception of the Eucharist, we receive the one who was obedient to the Father’s will unto death. At Mass, we humbly recognize that before God we are beggars, we are the blind and the lame, the crippled and poor, mentioned in the Gospel, whom the Lord has welcomed into his banquet, because he desires our company, and desires to nourish us and strengthen us for the humble work of the Gospel. May we seek to practice humility in all of our duties, responsibilities, relationships and endeavors; humble in our earthly life, that we may be exalted in eternal life, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

21st Week of Ordinary Time 2022 - Friday - Eternal Consequences and the Light of Faith

 

Chapter 25 of Matthew’s Gospel contains the Lord’s final teachings prior to the beginning of his Passion. In it we read two parables—the parable of the 10 virgins and the parable of the talents. The chapter concludes with the Lord’s teaching on the great judgment—the eternal separation of the sheep and the goats.

These are some solemn teachings. They all speak of consequences.

The wise virgins are allowed into the banquet feast, while the foolish are shut out. The wise stewards who invest the talents with which they’ve been entrusted are praised by the master when he returns and welcomed into joy, while the foolish steward is called wicked and lazy and useless by the master; he is thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. And then of course the great judgment. For engaging in the works of mercy: feeding the Son of Man when he appeared as a stranger, clothing him, visiting him in prison, they shall inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world, while others, are called goats, and for neglecting the works of charity, they are ordered to depart from the Son of Man, they are called accursed, and sent to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and the fallen angels.

The teachings of the Lord Jesus have consequences—eternal consequences.

Like all 10 virgins at the beginning of today’s parable, all Christians are given a lamp of grace. In the baptism ritual, a candle is handed to the newly baptized and the priest tells them: “receive the light of Christ. You have been enlightened by Christ. Walk always as children of the light and keep the flame of faith alive in your hearts. When the Lord comes, may you go out to meet him with all the saints in the heavenly kingdom.”

This post-baptismal instruction is clearly inspired today’s Gospel. The light of Christ, the light of faith is given to us in baptism, and wisely it must be kept alive by practicing the pillars of our faith: right belief, sacraments, obedience to the commandments, and prayer. Without all four of those, we foolishly allow the light of faith to become extinguished.

Sadly, we all know of Christians who appear to have allowed their lamps to become extinguished, or whose flame is but a bare flicker, in danger of the next wind, the next sin, blowing it out. We have a duty to them to help rekindle the light, by leading them to the truth of Christian doctrine, the grace of the sacraments, the right practice of the moral teachings, and a vibrant prayer life—especially to relight extinguished flames through the Sacrament of Confession.

We do not know the day nor the hour when the Bridegroom will return or our earthly life will come to an end. May the Lord find our souls persevering in his grace, with the flame of faith alight and blazing, for the glory of God and salvation of souls

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For the flourishing of spiritual gifts in the Church and in our parish; and for the grace during this month of August to practice the virtue of humility in all of our relationships and interactions. 

For our young people in these early days of the school year, and for their teachers: that the Word of God might be cherished, studied, and practiced in every classroom and home. 

That politicians and government officials may protect religious freedom, promote virtue, and look to the law of Christ to guide their work for the good of nations and all peoples. 

For those beset with any sort of trial, illness, or burden: that the Lord will build up his strength within them and assist them in their needs. 

That those who have died may share in the joy of life-everlasting with the Risen Lord, especially the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the souls in purgatory…

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.

August 24 2022 - St. Bartholomew - Without duplicity

 Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael, was a pious Jew who lived in daily expectation of the coming of the messiah. His home was at Cana. And even though Cana was twelve miles away from the Sea of Galilee, it is likely that Bartholomew, was a fisherman. For when St. Peter stood on the Sea of Tiberias after the Resurrection and announced he was going fishing, Bartholomew called out with the other apostles, “we are going with you”.

Bartholomew was evidently a close friend of Phillip. The two of them seemed to be actively looking for the Messiah, and had initially thought that John the Baptist was the Messiah. But after Philip had encountered Jesus at Galilee, Philip, as we heard in the Gospel today, runs to announce to his friend Bartholomew, that it wasn’t John, but Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth, who was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets 

We can only wonder what Bartholomew meant when he said, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nazareth was just a couple miles—just nine miles—from Bartholomew’s hometown of Cana. Perhaps he was speaking with a bit of mockery so often found between two neighboring villages. But his small-town prejudices did not keep Bartholomew from venturing with Philip to see Jesus.

And in this encounter, Jesus himself gives us an insight into St. Bartholomew’s character and faith, “there is no duplicity in him”. The Lord peered into his heart and found him to be a man of impeccable honesty, forthright, open, plainspoken, straightforward, upfront, earnest, innocent, and unpretentious. “Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” says Psalm 32.

All Christians are to be without deceit, without duplicity. We are to live for the Lord and die for the Lord. We cannot serve two masters. 

After the resurrection, the apostle Bartholomew labored in the master’s vineyard, spreading the Gospel throughout the Iranian Empire and along the Persian Gulf. Around the year 69 he was martyred, skinned alive and crucified. He is sometimes depicted in Sacred Art, holding a knife, which was used to flay him, and sometimes even carrying his skin over his arm, like in Michaelangelo’s Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel. Due to the nature of his martyrdom, Bartholomew is patron saint of those with skin diseases, dermotologists, leather workers, tanners, and butchers.

Honesty, guilelessness, is not a popular trait. Many people prefer comfortable lies. Many act one way in public and another in private. Some live double-lives. But Christians are to be people of Truth, for our Lord says, “I am the Truth” honestly acknowledging our faults and vices and sins, that they may be healed. We are to speak the truth and live the truth in love for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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

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

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

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

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

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

21st Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Tuesday - Have I been Pharisaical?

 

In the style of the Old Testament prophets like Amos, Isaiah, and Micah, the Lord Jesus, in the Gospel today has launched into a full-scale public denunciation of the religious leaders of Jerusalem for their hypocrisy and failures in religious leadership. He literally calls them “hypocrites” and “blind guides”. 

How do we read through these types of passages? How do we read any passage of Scripture?

What lesson is there, in the Lord’s criticism and condemnation of the Pharisees, for my growth of soul? The Lord’s indictment of the Pharisees should lead us, especially those involved in Christian leadership, to a sober examination of conscience. Where have I acted like a Pharisee?

In Chapter 23 of Matthew’s Gospel, the Lord issues 7 of these criticism—7 “woes”. “Woe to you” for doing THIS---this action—this hypocritical behavior.

And so if we are reading through these criticisms looking for a spiritual lesson for ourselves, then these 7 woes are like 7 questions for self-examination.

Do I practice what I preach? Do I perform ‘religious actions’ to impress others or to truly honor God? 

In today’s passage we hear of two criticisms. First, the Lord says,  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity.” The Mosaic law ordered tithing of the produce of the land, and the scribes taught that such tithing extended even to the smallest herbs of your garden.

The Lord here is criticizing the preoccupation with matters of little importance while neglecting justice, mercy, and fidelity. 

Have I neglected mercy because I was too caught up with a minor detail? The Christian life is to be filled with acts of justice and mercy. Have I become preoccupied with the trivial and neglected what matters most in the Christian life?

The second criticism in today’s passage: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence” has to do with what? The Pharisees we know were obsessive about ritual purity, while neglecting the more important matter of interior, moral purity. Purity of the heart. 

Am I really doing the hard work of seeking interior conversion of my faults and vices? How much of my time and effort is dedicated to self-indulgence? We can become very very skilled at justifying self-indulgence if we aren’t careful: I deserve those three hours on the couch every day. I can tell you, self-indulgent consumerism is keeping a lot of Christians from the simplicity and works of charity God wants us to be engaging in.

I encourage you to go back and read through Matthew 23. Those seven woes, are very helpful in identifying the sorts of faults all of us Christians can develop. If you can’t deal honestly with these questions…you’re in trouble. There is some resistance to grace. But the good news is, spiritual growth is possible—through prayer, regular confession, honesty and humility. May we seek the life and spiritual growth God wants for each of us wholeheartedly, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the flourishing of spiritual gifts in the Church and in our parish; and for the grace during this month of August to practice the virtue of humility in all of our relationships and interactions. 

For our young people preparing to return to school, and for their teachers: that the Word of God might be cherished, studied, and practiced in every classroom and home. 

That politicians and government officials may protect religious freedom, promote virtue, and look to the law of Christ to guide their work for the good of nations and all peoples. 

For those beset with any sort of trial, illness, or burden: that the Lord will build up his strength within them and assist them in their needs. 

That those who have died may share in the joy of life-everlasting with the Risen Lord, especially the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the souls in purgatory…

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.

August 22 2022 - Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 One of my favorite memories from seminary is that every night, gathered in a relatively dark chapel, the seminarians would pray Night Prayer, and to conclude Night Prayer, we would chant one of the medieval Marian Hymns in Latin: the Salve Regina, Regina coeli, and Ave Regina caelorum each of them singing the praises of the Blessed Virgin as Queen. Hail Holy Queen, Hail Queen of Heaven.

The middle ages saw countless depictions of the Blessed Virgin in art as Queen, seated on a throne, often wearing an ornate jeweled crown, holding a royal scepter. And yet, depictions of the Queenship of Mary are even found in the ancient icons, with the Virgin seated together with Christ the Pantocrator, the Sovereign King.  

And yet, today’s feast of the Queenship of Mary was only instituted for the universal Church in 1955 by Pope Pius XII—the original date of today’s feast being set as May 31, the last day of the month traditionally dedicated to Mary. 

The reformed calendar transferred the feast to today, August 22 because today is the octave day of the Assumption. We find this linking of Mary’s Assumption and her Queenship in the final chapter of the Vatican II constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, which states “The Immaculate Virgin was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory when her earthly life was over, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conquerer of sin and death.”

We honor our Lady today simply because God honored her, exalting her as queen, but today is also a celebration of the role that our Queen continues to play in God’s plan. It is a celebration of her heart.

Pope Pius IX said of Mary's queenship: "Turning her maternal Heart toward us and dealing with the affair of our salvation, she is concerned with the whole human race. Constituted by the Lord Queen of Heaven and earth, and exalted above all choirs of Angels and the ranks of Saints in Heaven, standing at the right hand of Her only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, she petitions most powerfully with Her maternal prayers, and she obtains what she seeks...Therefore, let all approach with greater confidence now than before, to the throne of mercy and grace of our Queen and Mother to beg help in difficultly, light in darkness and solace in trouble and sorrow...

. . Whoever, therefore, honours the lady ruler of the Angels and of men - and let no one think themselves exempt from the payment of that tribute of a grateful and loving soul - let them call upon her as most truly Queen and as the Queen who brings the blessings of peace, that She may show us all, after this exile, Jesus, who will be our enduring peace and joy."

So may we fittingly honor the Queen of Angels and of the Church today and all days, and come to know of and benefit from the love of her maternal and immaculate heart, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That Pope Francis and all members of the Church, like the Virgin Mary, magnify the goodness of God through word and deed.

That the Queenship of Mary may awaken government leaders to the fulfillment of their highest priorities in the plan of God.

That all Christians may find in Mary the example and strength to carry out our individual vocation, for the sanctification of all families, and the protection of all young people from the evils of error and sin.

For those who suffer any sort of trial, illness, addiction or trial: that the help of Our Lady, queen of heaven and earth, may fill them with the grace needed to carry their crosses with faith and hope 

For the deceased members of our family and friends, for all of the poor souls in purgatory…

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time 2022 - Strive to enter through the narrow gate

 On Monday, this past week, the Church celebrated the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, body and soul, into heaven. The Son of God came into the world so that each of us likewise might spend eternity, body in soul, in heaven alongside her. 

And in today’s Gospel, the Lord tells us how to do just that: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate.” 

Let’s dive into that most poignant line. The word “strive” in the original New Testament Greek is a really interesting word. It’s Agōnize-es-the, from which we get the word agonize. Jesus tells us here to agonize—struggle and strain to enter heaven. The implication here is that those who seek to enter the narrow gate must do so by real effort, like an athlete making exerting all of his strength to reach the finish line, all muscles taut—almost seeming to push, push, push past his emotional and physical limits. 

Is that how most of us would describe our efforts to grow in holiness? In the practice of prayer and good works? Are we struggling and straining to use the time we’ve been given for the work of the Gospel? Most of us would humbly admit, no we don’t. Which is why we pray over and over, Lord have mercy upon us. 

Notice the Lord doesn’t say, it’s important to have striven for heaven at one point in the past or it’s okay if you put off striving for heaven for when it is most convenient for you—to strive to enter the narrow gate at some indeterminate time in the future. Agōnize-es-the isn’t a past tense verb, it’s not a future tense verb, it’s in the present tense: “agonize now and don’t stop” The Christian life requires constant effort for heaven.

Now, there are some protestant denominations that profess that as long as at some point in your life you acknowledge that Jesus is God and Savior, that you are basically automatically guaranteed heaven. Some of us Catholics treat baptism with the same attitude. But that doesn’t align with the biblical data. Baptism isn’t that end of the race, it’s the starting point. 

And, on the other hand, many say, well, I’ll begin to take prayer seriously tomorrow, I’ll go to confession next month, I’ll engage in some charitable work when it’s more convenient. I’ll begin reading the Bible just after this season of Gray’s Anatomy (is that still on, I have no idea?) But what happens? To quote Meredith Wilson: “You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays.” Excuses about not getting serious about the Christian life leave us emptier and sadder for it.

To be saved, to enter the Kingdom, to get to Heaven, you need to strive for it now and until you draw your last breath. 

And on top of this immense, all-encompassing agonizing effort on our part to reach heaven, what does the Lord say next? The gate of heaven is narrow. The width of the door to Heaven is the span of a needle’s eye, something that is anything but easy to pass through. 

Listen to Matthew’s version of today’s Gospel, where the Lord says “The gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. But the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it” In other worse, The highway to hell is wide and easy; the road to heaven, the road to life is difficult, and not found by everyone.

And notice Jesus doesn’t say, complain about how narrow the gate is, how small it looks.  Many souls are presented with the commandments of God and the teachings of the Church, and say, 

no, too narrow, too rigid, too outdated, for me”.  They seek to refashion the gate and make it wider. They lobby for the Church to change her teachings instead of having the courage and fortitude to change themselves. But that’s not what Jesus asks. 

Entering the narrow gate requires us to change, and the behaviors and attitudes that are incompatible with heaven, incompatible with Church teaching, all need to be eradicated from our lives: our selfish clinging to sinful pleasures, our grudges and hatreds, our prideful self-aggrandizement. And this is all very hard, to let go of the bad habits and sins we have cultivated over the years.

C.S. Lewis’ wrote a powerful allegory called “The Great Divorce” in which he describes two types of people, those who are willing to give up their selfish clingings and those who get to go to heaven and there is a great divorce, a great chasm between them.

It is a tough gospel, a tough lesson. But, isn’t it the message of the cross? The key to the narrow gate of heaven is the cross that the Lord has told us that we must take up and carry, each and every one of us.

The daily examination can be a tremendous help in letting go of our vices and carrying our crosses more faithfully. The daily self-diagnosis: where have a dropped the cross today? Where have I failed to strive and strain for beatitude?  Where have I fallen into old habits—that so unfortunately keep me from the freedom and joy God wants for me, had I strived and struggled just a little harder?

Now of course this doesn’t mean we can’t physically and emotionally rest from our labors. The human body needs rest, we need the sabbath, we need a vacation now and then, but even leisure is to be placed at the service of striving for heaven. I rest because I must in order to serve God.

And again, this all sounds impossible. But the key is to try. And God knows how we try and how we don’t. But he also doesn’t leave us to accomplish this impossible task on our own. He gives us the strength we need at Mass, in the Eucharist. 

Jesus doesn’t leave us agonizing on our own, with all our weaknesses, staring at the uphill narrow road. He gives himself to us to strengthen us on the inside so that we might finish the race and keep the faith. We can indeed do all things in him who strengthens us. He empowers us by his word, he bolsters by the intimate friendship of prayer, and fortifies us by the awesome gift of Holy Communion so that united with him we might follow him step by step. The Mass—where we are fed and strengthened with prayer, worship, word and sacrament is a foretaste for those who persevere of the heavenly banquet.

And that’s how the Gospel today ends doesn’t it? With that beautiful image. Those who strive and strain to enter the narrow gate, from east, west, north, and south, will come to recline at the heavenly table in the kingdom of God. 

May we find our strength, our life, in the Eucharist today, to carry the cross, to strive to enter the narrow gate, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

August 19 2022 - St. John Eudes - The Greatest Commandment of Love

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the Lord gives a teaching on the greatest commandment. The Greatest Commandment, the highest priority of the life of the Christian is to love God with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love our neighbor. 

All of us fall short of the greatest commandment, choosing to love the things of earth and the pleasures they bring more than their creator, choosing to indulge in vice rather than cultivate virtue, choosing to hoard rather than to generously give.

All of us fall short, but the saints come the closest. And that’s certainly true for the saint honored by the Church today, St. John Eudes, one of the great saints of the 17th century. 

During the plague, he worked indefatigably to bring the sacraments to the dying. And while he was truly tireless in this work, he came to discern that the Church was infected as well and was in bad need of reform.  There was rampant superstition among the uneducated, rampant immorality and ignorance among the lower clergy, pomposity and special privilege among the prelates of the Church. 

And so as the plague subsided, he devoted himself to tirelessly preaching parish missions, earning the reputation of one of France’s greatest preachers.  

His concern for the need for spiritual growth among the clergy prompted him to seek permission to found a new community, the Congregation of Jesus and Mary. The group was devoted to the proper formation of clergy in seminaries.  

St. John also founded a religious community for women called the Sisters of Charity of the Refuge; they served former prostitutes who wished to change their lives and do penance.  This group later became the Institute of the Good Shepherd, who served in the Diocese of Cleveland for a time, at the location which is now the diocesan seminaries.

“Our wish, our object, our chief preoccupation,” he says “must be to form Jesus in ourselves, to make his spirit, his devotion, his affections, his desire, and his disposition live and reign there.”

Now, father, you might be thinking, you told us that the beginning of the homily that the greatest commandment is to love God and to love our neighbor. But St. John Eudes is telling us that our chief preoccupation is to form Jesus in ourselves.

Of course, the two things are identical. For love has a name, love has a face, and it is Jesus Christ. Greater Love has no one, than the one who has laid down his life for us. We are able to love because he first loved us. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. The imitation of Christ is the practice of the love of God and neighbor. It is the Spirit of Christ that dwells in us that enables us to fulfill these commands. His Sacred Heart is to beat in our breasts. 

May the great Saint John Eudes assist us by his heavenly intercession to be formed by God, to love God and neighbor, and to preach and teach that love by our lives for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - -  

For the return of all who have wandered from the Sacraments, for those who do not believe in God and for those whose love for God has grown tepid, and for all those who sadly suffer from scrupulosity, for a trust in the Mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

That the young students of our school beginning classes next week may know the love of Christ in their families, that each school family may seek to practice right religion to the honor of God.

That the mercy of the Sacred Heart may bring peace to 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.

20th Week of Ordinary Time 2022 - Wednesday - Woe to the Shepherds

 On the fourth Sunday of Easter every year, we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday. The Lord Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.

Shepherds are found throughout the Scriptures. The Old Testament psalms describe God as a shepherd leading his flock to nourishing, restful, safe places.  Abraham was a Shepherd, as was Jacob.  Before he became King, David was a shepherd boy. All the way back in the first book of the bible, Abel was a shepherd before he was killed by his brother Cain.

 Good Shepherds feed, protect, and guide their flock. But in our reading from Ezekiel this morning, we hear not of good shepherds, but bad shepherds. Ezekiel gives this prophetic condemnation of the shepherds of Israel who are failing in their task at every turn. And they are failing not out of an excusable incompetence or forces beyond their control. The selfishness and greed and lusts of these bad shepherds is contributing to the scattering of God’s flock.

Several of the prophets at different stages in Israel’s history take aim at the complacent shepherds: Jeremiah, Isaiah, Zechariah. And of course the Lord himself is critical, and offers warnings, to the pharisees, Sadducees, chief priests, and scribes who were leading Israel away from God and using their positions of power for their own benefit.

I’m not going to lie: this passage should make the clergy tremble. It makes me tremble. Each of us will be held accountable by God for our sins, especially those sins which keep us from fulfilling our God-given vocations—vocations that we swore to uphold—to gather in the lost sheep, and to protect those in our fold. The shepherds of the church are not beyond reproach by God. 

Now, there are certainly those outside the Church, as well, who are in leadership positions: they lead people, teach people, govern people. And there are some good shepherds out there. But there are also some very very bad shepherds, who are misguiding our youth, instilling in them values and ideas which are repugnant to the Gospel and natural law. And many parents, who themselves are called to be shepherds, who have allowed their children, basically to be brain-washed. And we will all be held accountable.

But the good news, the good news in our gospel today, is that conversion is possible at every stage of life: in the morning, at noon, in the evening, our at the last hour of the day, even with our final breath, our generous God, offers undeserved mercy, to those who will admit that they have strayed. 

Bad shepherds—whether parents, teachers, politicians or priests are invited to change—to take up once again the mantle of a righteous leader—who like the good shepherd will lay down their life for the flock entrusted to their care. 

Pray for the shepherds—daily--of Church, nation, and families. For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - 

That the love and faithfulness of the Good Shepherd will fill the hearts of the clergy, and for the protection of God’s flock from all error. Let us 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.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For the Church’s missions amongst the poor and unevangelized throughout the world, that the work of Christ may be carried out with truth and love. Let us 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.  Let us 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.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. Let us 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.

August 16 2022 - St. Stephen of Hungary - "Apostolic King"

 

Around the year 1000, the disparate and often warring tribes of Celts, Romans, Huns, and Slavs were united into a Christian Kingdom under St. Stephen, first King of Hungary. Most of his people were still pagan, as was his own father, the family only having converted to Catholicism when Stephen was 10 years old. 

As his people were given to violence and revolt, Stephen guided his people toward peace and order by admitting Christian missionaries from Bavaria into his country.  The attempt to convert his people was met with hostility. His people wanted to hang on to their old religion and old pagan ways.  But Stephen fasted and prayed, he established monasteries and built churches.  He also made blasphemy and adultery crimes.  

Through his strict, yet benevolent rule, King Stephen brought about order and peace. He was a true evangelizer of his country.  He consecrated the nation to Mary, whom he called “the Great Lady”. He, himself gave religious instruction to the poor, and in view of his many good works and spread of the faith, the pope bestowed on him the title “Apostolic King.”  

A Hungarian parish here in the diocese of Cleveland, is named after St. Stephen’s son, St. Emeric.  Cleveland, in fact, is a hub in the united states for immigration from Hungary.  Cleveland was known as “Little Budapest” for many years, having the second largest Hungarian community outside of Budapest itself. 

Listen to these powerful words, St. Stephen wrote to his son, St. Emeric: “I urge you above all things to maintain the catholic and apostolic faith with such diligence and care that you may be an example for all those placed under you by God.”

In the Gospel today, we heard that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to get into heaven. It’s hard, but not impossible. Wealth can be a serious obstacle to sanctity when it is loved more than God and neighbor. 

But there have been saints who were kings: St. Edward, Good King St. Wenceslas, St. Hedwig. And there have been a number of saintly queens: St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Clotilde, St. Margaret of Scotland. Even some saintly royal couples like St. Henry and St. Cunigunde.

These saints show us that whatever wealth and whatever earthly power we possess needs to be put under the subjection of the King of Kings. 

St. Stephen used his temporal power to build up the kingdom of God. He was not spared hardship or suffering, his evangelical efforts were met with resistance, but he entrusted his work to Our Lady, sought to conform himself with Christ, and fasted and prayed for the spread of God’s kingdom.  

By St. Stephen’s example and prayers, may we do all we can today, using whatever influence, gifts and talents God has granted us, for the spread of His Kingdom, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - 

For the flourishing of spiritual gifts in the Church and in our parish; and for the grace during this month of August to practice the virtue of humility in all of our relationships and interactions. 

For our young people preparing to return to school and for their teachers: that the Word of God might be cherished, studied, and practiced in every classroom and home. 

That politicians and government officials may protect religious freedom, promote virtue, and look to the law of Christ to guide their work for the good of nations and all peoples.

For those beset with any sort of trial, illness, or burden: that the Lord will build up his strength within them and assist them in their needs. 

That those who have died may share in the joy of life-everlasting with the Risen Lord,

especially the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the souls in purgatory...

August 15 2022 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - De Maria, numquam satis, Concerning Mary, never enough.

Looking around my office this morning, I saw a painting of the immaculate heart, a small statue of the Blessed Virgin I found in Madagascar, a cross stitch of the Blessed Mother holding the Christ child my mother gave me on the occasion of my ordination, an icon of Mary, Seat of Wisdom, I had commissioned, a stained glass window of the crucifixion with Mary standing at the foot of Jesus, and an image of Our Lady of Czestochowa, I rescued from a garage sale. Some might think this excessive. But I say, never enough. 

 St. Bernard, the eloquent doctor of the Church, who is remembered for his great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary once wrote: “De Maria,  numquam satis”, “Concerning Mary, never enough.” That's certainly true for the spiritual writers and theologians who extoll the virtues of Mary: there is never enough ink to write about her holiness. But it's also true for the honor that we are to show our Lady.

 When we love Mary, it helps us to love God. So we can never love Mary enough. When we seek Mary’s intercession, we are seeking help from the woman God chose to bear his only Son. So we can never seek her intercession enough. When we honor her, we show honor to her Creator, who made her Immaculate. So we can never honor her enough. Mary reflects the light of God like a perfect Mirror, she is called Mirror of Justice. Peering into her face, we see God’s love for us reflected, and magnified. So, we can never say enough about her, because we can never say enough about God.

 St. Louie Marie de Montfort wrote, “We have not yet praised, exalted, honored, loved and served Mary as we ought. She deserves still more praise, still more respect, still more love, and still more service.”

 Today’s glorious Feast of Our Lady’s Assumption celebrates the dogma of our faith solemnly defined by the Venerable Pope Pius XII during the Holy Year of 1950. The Assumption is the supreme crown of her privileges – to be preserved immune from the corruption of the tomb,  to be carried up body and soul to the exalted glory of heaven, there to sit in splendour at the right hand of her Son, the immortal King of the ages. "De Maria, Numquam Satis" apparently also applies to the favors God Himself shows to Our Lady.

 In the beautiful Papal decree (MUNIFICENTISSIMUS DEUS), defining the Dogma of the Assumption, Pius XII recalls the eloquent words of St. John Damascene from 1200 years prior. Pius XII writes St. John Damascene, an outstanding herald of this traditional truth, spoke out with powerful eloquence when he compared the bodily Assumption of the loving Mother of God with her other prerogatives and privileges.” And then he quotes St. John Damascene who writes, "It was fitting that she, who had kept her virginity intact in childbirth, should keep her own body free from all corruption even after death. It was fitting that she, who had carried the Creator as a child at her breast, should dwell in the divine tabernacles. It was fitting that the spouse, whom the Father had taken to himself, should live in the divine mansions. It was fitting that she, who had seen her Son upon the cross and who had thereby received into her heart the sword of sorrow which she had escaped in the act of giving birth to him, should look upon him as he sits with the Father. It was fitting that God's Mother should possess what belongs to her Son, and that she should be honored by every creature as the Mother and as the handmaid of God."

It is always beneficial to us to honor our Lady throughout the Christian life, and yet, in celebrating this glorious Feast, we also contemplate and celebrate our own destiny, provided we endeavour to persevere along the path of grace. The Mother filled with God’s grace is brought body and soul into heaven. She is the stamp of guarantee that we too can come to heavenly glory if we persevere in living in God’s grace, in allowing God’s grace to live in us.

She is, as we sing in the salve regina, Mary is spes nostra: Our hope. We have firm hope that trusting in God like she has, obeying God, loving Christ as she has, is sure foundation for hoping in heaven. And she is our hope, in that she will always help us achieve that end, if we turn to her—her example and most powerful intercession.

She knows the Way, more intimately than any human creature, and she will always help us follow Him, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - -

That Pope Francis and all members of the Church, like the Virgin Mary, magnify the goodness of God through word and deed.

That the Assumption of Mary may awaken government leaders to the supreme dignity of each human life, called to the heights of heavenly glory.

For all mothers, that they may find in Mary the example and strength to carry out their vocation, for the sanctification of all families, and the protection of all young people from the evils of error and sin.

For those who suffer any sort of trial, illness, addiction or trial: that the help of Our Lady, gloriously assumed into heaven, may fill them with the grace needed to carry their crosses with faith and hope

For the deceased members of our family and friends, for all of the poor souls in purgatory…

[EF READINGS]

A reading from the book of Judith

Blessed are you, our God, who today have humiliated the enemies of your people. Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all the women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, the creator of heaven and earth, who guided your blow at the head of the leader of our enemies. Your deed of hope will never be forgotten by those who recall the might of God. May God make this redound to your everlasting honor, rewarding you with blessings, because you risked your life when our people were being oppressed, and you averted our disaster, walking in the straight path before our God. You are the glory of Jerusalem! You are the great pride of Israel! You are the great boast of our nation!

A continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke

At that time Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.”

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2022 - Great Cloud of Witnesses

 Every week in the bulletin, we include a calendar of the liturgical feasts and feast days of the saints for the upcoming week. Most of you are not able to attend mass on the weekdays, or maybe you never thought that you should. But those feast days and saints are listed in the bulletin so that you can remain connected to the liturgical calendar. For example, so that on the feast day of St. Clare, this last week, you could call to mind that great saint, maybe reflect a little on her life, so that your life might be filled with some of the wisdom and virtue that filled her life.

Devotion to the saints should be a consistent part of our life as Catholics. We celebrate the feast of All Saints every year as a holy day of obligation on November 1, reminding us of that great cloud of witnesses, as the letter to the Hebrews puts it, who urge us on in the Christian life. 

The great cloud of witnesses are those who have taken up the Cross of Christ, who have walked by faith with Jesus Christ as their Lord, who now intercede for us from their place in heavenly glory. We are connected, part of a communion of saints, not only with our contemporaries who are alive on earth, but also with the dead, who are alive in heaven.

This doctrine is important, it helps us to know and to seek the assistance of our brothers and sisters. For, the members of the Church on earth are like athletes in a stadium, competing for the gold medal of eternal life, and the saints of heaven are the past gold medal winners who are cheering us on, bringing us a drink of water when we are thirsty through their intercession, and also giving us coaching tips through their example.

This month of August we have already celebrated some real heavy-hitters—powerful saints: August 1, the great Alphonsus Ligouri, moral theologian who taught the Church so much about striving for virtue—the need to strengthen your faith like strengthening your muscles. August 2 celebrated St. Eusebius of Vercelli, a faithful bishop who stood up for the faith when many of his fellow bishops were siding with the heretical Roman emperor.

August 4 was celebration of the patron saint of parish priests, my patron, St. John Vianney, who labored tirelessly for his parishioners in the small French town of Ars, often hearing 12 hours of confessions a day—so many confessions that a train track was laid to travel from Paris to his small French village parish. Please pray to him for me. 

August 8, this week was the feast of St. Dominic who traveled throughout Europe preaching the Gospel in the face of a heresy called Albigensianism, and teaching people how to pray the rosary, which the Blessed Virgin Mary personally gave to him.

August 9 was the feast of St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, a jewish philosophy student whose search for truth led her to the Catholic faith, who after joining the Carmelites, was arrested and sent to the gas chamber at Aushwitz.

August 11, my mother’s birthday, was also the feast of St. Clare, who was raised as an Italian noble, but gave up her wealth and her social prospects, and heard the call of St. Francis to a life of total devotion to God, and consecrated herself to a life of adoration of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament 

August 14 is the feast of St. Maximillian Kolbe, a priest who was arrested and sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz, who traded his life for a jewish prisioner condemned to death.

And that’s just the first half of August. Such a great cloud of witnesses, who teach us to strive after holiness. The Lord in the Gospel says "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” Well, the earth is set on fire through saints. The fire of holiness blazes in the hearts of the saints and they spread that fire as the serve the Lord. And God wants that fire to be set ablaze in our hearts. 

The saints I mentioned themselves looked to the great cloud of witnesses who went before the. No doubt, St. Alphonsus looked to the witness of great theologians before him like Augustine and Aquinas. No doubt, St. Eusebius looked to the example of faithful bishops who refused to bow to earthly pressure like Athanasius. No doubt Saint Clare looked to the example of the holy women who gave up earthly riches to follow Christ more deeply like St. Agatha, St. Cecilia, St. Catherine of Alexandria, a philosopher saint who also no doubt inspired St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross.

If you want to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, as Hebrews tells us, the saints will help you. I love to preach on the saints throughout the week, and I hope some of you take up the invitation to attend mass on the feasts of the saints, to honor these holy ones—to hear of their example, so they can inspire you and help you.

Now in the Gospel the Lord also speaks of how he has come to cause division—the consequences, even in families, that come from being his follower, the sufferings that we must endure from the hands of sinners, as Hebrews puts it. 

And the saints also know what it’s like to experience the consequences of being a Christian. For opposing the heretical bishops and the heretical emperor, St. Eusebius was arrested, dragged through the streets, and imprisoned. The Albigensians, who were poisoning the minds and souls of good Christians throughout Europe, no doubt drove St. Dominic out of some of their strongholds. St. Clare, experienced, probably not just a little bit of hostility from her own family, when she told them she was going to renounce her wealth and follow a homeless preacher. We certainly know the resistance that St. Theresa Benedicta and St. Maximilian Kolbe suffered, arrested and murdered by Nazis. 

St. John Vianney faced great hostility from the devil himself. The devil set John Vianney’s bed on fire and hurled furniture at him to discourage him. But John Vianney knew, that when the devil started acting up, when those hostilities were the greatest, it was always a sign, that God was about to do something amazing, usually in the form of bringing a soul who had been away from confession for a number of years back to the sacraments. 

God is glorified in his saints and in the sufferings of the saints, and God wants to shine his glory, make his glory known to the world, through us. But we must cooperate with grace. We must strive to develop those virtues, those unused, undeveloped, neglected muscles. We must make time for prayer and study and service. We must confess our sins, seeking to be rid of every sin that clings to us, as Hebrews puts it, and adore the Eucharist, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus.

But when we do imitate the saints, the Lord begins to shine so brilliantly in our lives, not to mention giving us the strength to endure our hardships and crosses, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

19th Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Friday - Divorce and Accompaniment

When the Pharisees approached Jesus and asked him a question about marriage, they were not seeking to learn, like we Catholics seek to learn from Jesus about God and how to live. They were looking to trap him.

Remember, earlier in the Gospel, John the Baptist was arrested and killed for his teaching on marriage. John had claimed that King Herod’s “marriage” to the wife of his brother Philip was unlawful. 

To ask Jesus about marriage was to invite him to criticize the same king and suffer the same consequence. It was a trap.

But the Lord speaks truth anyway. Not only is it unlawful to marry someone who is already married, it is impossible. Divorce, in the biblical sense, the severing of the marriage bond, is impossible. It is impossible to sever the marriage bond of two people whom God has joined.

And this is the consistent, unchanging teaching of the Catholic Church for two thousand years. 

Our current Catechism, in number 2384 states “Divorce is a grave offense against the natural law. It claims to break the contract, to which the spouses freely consented, to live with each other till death. Divorce does injury to the covenant of salvation, of which sacramental marriage is the sign. Contracting a new union, even if it is recognized by civil law, adds to the gravity of the rupture: the remarried spouse is then in a situation of public and permanent adultery.”

Now, the Catechism in number 1649 recognizes “that are some situations in which living together becomes practically impossible for a variety of reasons” such as in the case of abuse. “In such cases the Church permits the physical separation of the couple and their living apart.” But, “the spouses do not cease to be husband and wife before God and so are not free to contract a new union.”

And there are cases in which some marriages, assumed to be valid at the time of the wedding, are later investigated to be null due to a number of invalidating circumstances. In these cases annulments are able to be granted.

What should we, attending daily Mass, take away from this teaching? Maybe we do well to consider: what can we do to help Catholics lives out in fidelity to God this teaching on marriage? What can I do for the “divorced” Catholics in my life? 

My own parents, by the way, had their marriage declared null. The annulment process is often the road fallen-away Catholics need to walk in order to return to the Sacraments. 

Likely, like John, like the Lord himself in the Gospel today, we are called to speak the truth with love, patience, compassion, and courage. But not just to speak  the truth, but to accompany our loved ones, walking with them side by side, doing whatever way we can to help them live for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

- - - - - 

That all Christians may seek to be faithful to the Lord’s teachings and commandments concerning marriage and the family, that Christian families may be filled with love and joy.

For all married couples, that they may be faithful to the Gospel in every dimension of their married life and give all an example of God’s ever-faithful love.  

That the children of our parish and school may be blessed to know the grace of faith-filled families, that they may be shielded from the sins and errors of our culture.

For Pope Francis and for all the bishops and clergy of the Church: that they will be faithful to the preaching the truth of the Gospel especially in the face of secular pressure and persecution.  

That the sick, lonely, elderly, homeless, widowed, and all those experiencing trials or suffering of any kind may be strengthened by God’s love and know His comfort and peace.  

For those who have died, for all deceased spouses; that they may know the eternal peace and joy of the kingdom of heaven.  

19th Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Become like Children (St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross)

 In his teaching about the Kingdom of God, besides his employment of a lot of agricultural imagery, Jesus often used the image of the child.  

Children are eager, energetic, and ready to learn and grow.  So should we be.  Eager to please the Lord by our conduct.  Energetic in our charity and generosity towards others.  And always ready to learn about our faith and grow in holiness.

Children are dependent on their parents for life, security, and education.  And so are all of us upon God. 

And Jesus says, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”  

Childlike humility is characterized by its deep trust.  Imagine the child gazing into the eyes of their parents in wonderment, listening to every word they are saying and believing it, taking it into their heart.  That is supposed to be every Christians attitude toward God—straining our ears wanting to hear him, wanting to sit in his lap, lay our heads on his chest.

In today’s first reading, God tells the Prophet Ezekiel to be obedient like a trusting child and eat what he would give him. The chief sin of the people of Judah was their disobedience to God, their refusal to be obedient trusting children. “Be not rebellious like this house of rebellion, but open your mouth and eat what I shall give you.” Those words are also spoken to us. The world, the culture is rebellious toward God, refusing to eat the food God gives us. 85% of Catholics refuse to come to Mass weekly to be nourished by Word and Sacrament. So we must go to the them. It is commanded.

“Eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel.” Notice how Ezekiel is nourished by God, then sent on a mission. And again, so are we. We are fed by the Word of God, in order to live by the Word of God, which entails speaking the Word of God to others, becoming prophetic instruments, speaking to the rebellious of the need to return to God, becoming fishers of men. 

Today, we celebrate a saint, Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, a jewish convert, who came to Christ late in life, who became like a child late in life. After a long career in philosophy, she entered the Camelite monastery. The year was 1932, Adolf Hitler was chancellor of Germany. In 1942, the Nazi’s arrested Sister Teresa Benedicta.  She and her sister Rosa, also a Catholic, were transported to Auschwitz in Poland by boxcar.  One week later, Sister was murdered in a gas chamber. She is celebrated as a virgin martyr.

May St. Theresa help us to trust God, to run like children to the cross, by which God is glorified and men are saved for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the conversion of atheists, agnostics, those who are cynical towards Catholicism, moral relativists, those who reject the Faith, and all lapsed Catholics, that the Holy Spirit will help them discover the Truth of Christ. 

That the Holy Father, the Bishops and all Clergy and Religious will be shining examples of fidelity to the Truth.

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, 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.

August 8 2022 - St. Dominic - To contemplate and share the Truth

 

The Opening Prayer calls Dominic “an outstanding preacher of truth.” Truth. Veritas, in latin, is an important aspect of Dominican Life.

One of the mottos of the Dominicans is, “To contemplate the truth and to share with others the fruit of contemplation.”

The contemplation of truth for the Dominic occurs through prayer and study. 

Through prayer we encounter Jesus who said, I am the way, the Truth, and the life. Through prayer, a people who dwell in darkness encounter the light of God. Personal meditation, celebration of Mass, recitation of the liturgy of the hours, and the rosary, make up a significant part of the daily life of the Dominican, so the light of God can infuse their own souls and be shared with others.

Also, study. The Dominican life is also supported by study. The mention of “study” might conjure images of boring classrooms or abstract and impractical discussions. But study is also meant to bring our minds and hearts in contact with Truth. The study of theology, history, liturgy, the writings of the spiritual masters enriches us. St. Dominic knew that the habit of study was important for the preaching mission of his religious order—for study cultivates an attitude of discovery and the discipline—which all Christians need a bit more of, don’t we?

Christians must never stop learning and studying our faith, after all, we are perpetually disciples. Disciple means student. We are to never study studying the words of our Master, Christ the Teacher. Like a child who studies the faces of his parents, we are never to stop studying the face of Christ. There is always something to discover about our faith, for there is always something to discover about Our Lord. 

Pope Benedict XVI took up the topic of Truth in his second encyclical titled Caritas in Veritate, Charity in Truth.    

He writes: “Only in truth does charity shine forth, only in truth can charity be authentically lived… Without truth, charity degenerates into sentimentality.  Love becomes an empty shell, to be filled in an arbitrary way…The word “love” is abused and distorted, to the point where it comes to mean the opposite.  Truth frees charity from the constraints of emotionalism… Truth opens and unites our minds in the lógos of love”

Through study and prayer we seek the contemplation of the One who is Truth, that we may learn to truly love Him, and to love as He loves, to share the contemplation of the truth with others, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

That the pope, bishops, and clergy may be filled with constancy in teaching and living out the Gospel, and that our parish may bear witness with great confidence to our life-giving faith in word and deed.

That all Christians may seek to grow in truth and love through study and prayer. 

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life, especially for the Dominican Orders. 

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

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

Hear Our Prayers, O Lord, and through the intercession of St. Dominic, help us preach the truth of Christ always and everywhere. Through the same Christ Our Lord.

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2022 - "Evidence of things not seen"

 

You may have seen recently images from the new James Webb Space Telescope offering the deepest and sharpest infrared images of the distant universe to date. The James Webb Telescope is taking images not just of stars but of galaxies made up of billions of stars.

For those who believe in God, these images are certainly sparking a sense of wonder and awe at the greatness, power, and intelligence of God the Creator—Creator, not just of our planet or solar system, but of all those galaxies and stellar phenomena. “How numerous are your works, O Lord. You made them all in your wisdom,” says Psalm 104.

Now for those who do not believe in God, these images are surely fascinating, but without faith, stars are just stars, the result of undirected and ultimately meaningless cosmic forces. 

It reminds me of the story of Yuri Gagarin, Soviet cosmonaut and the first human being in space. Orbiting Earth in his spaceship, Gagarin said he looked down and saw how beautiful the planet is. And he urged his fellow man to preserve the beauty of the earth and to increase it. A beautiful sentiment certainly congruent with our faith. The earth is beautiful and we have duty to preserve it’s beauty. 

Now, for many years it was claimed that Gagarin made another pronouncement not so much congruent with our faith. Supposedly, while Gagarin orbited the earth in outer space, the cosmonaut said, “I looked all around, and I did not see God.” 

This was reported by the Communist Government, and now come to find out it was actually the Atheist First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev, who made the statement mocking the idea of God. The pronouncement was ascribed to Gagarin in order to further the party line: you can’t see God in outer space, therefore God doesn’t exist. Some, sadly draw the same conclusion from the new James Webb Telescope images.

But again, for those who believe, the complexity, and structure, and beauty of the cosmos—the beauty of the earth—are signs of God, they are “evidence of things not seen” as the letter to the Hebrews puts it—they are visible evidence of the unseen Creator.

For believers, the fingerprints of the Creator are all over creation—and science can help us discover them. Creation is beautiful, logical, and consistent because the Creator is beautiful, logical, and consistent. Creation is magnificent for the human mind to contemplate because the Creator is magnificent for the human mind to contemplate.

But theology and our Christian faith tell us something, that the physical sciences cannot reveal: while unknown galaxies spirate in silence millions of light years away according to the laws and will of the Creator, at the same time, God is still concerned with your toothache, your anxiety over tomorrow’s meeting, your physical and emotional needs, your soul: the nitty-gritty, day-to-day events of our lives.

And I’ve met some Catholics, who, sadly, do not really believe this. I’ve heard them say it: God is so great, so immense—"that he doesn’t really care about me…he doesn’t have time for me.” And that’s really an old heresy—Deism—which says, God set creation into motion but is now really not at all concerned with the innerworkings of Creation including us. Some of the U.S. founding fathers were Deists.

And some of the Catholics use their Deism to justify acting as if they can simply slide into heaven under the radar. God doesn’t notice me, so it really doesn’t matter how I act. It doesn’t matter if I pray, it doesn’t matter if I go to Church, it doesn’t matter if I follow ALL the commandments. 

But God knows and counts the number of stars and galaxies, the number of hydrogen atoms in the universe, and also the number of hairs on your head. He knows the inner workings of your heart, the motivation for your decisions, your secret fears, your hopes and dreams, your aches and pains, your virtues and sins. He has all the time in eternity just for you. He loves you with love beyond words and desires your well-being more than you do. He hears every one of your thoughts and prayers, and longs for a living, vibrant, authentic friendship with you—he is waiting for you to pray, waiting for you to utilize the grace he bestows upon you in abundance. 

He's waiting for you to open your heart to Him, to let Him more deeply into your life, to allow Him to shape you and form you into the person he made you to be.

In a way, the James Webb space images and other scientific marvels remind us, that God invites our curiosity, our seeking. He wants us to cultivate our minds in order to understand the logic and discover the beauty of the universe—how in the words of Psalm 19 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” He wants us to seek Him and discover Him—and His providential love for us, and His desire that we glorify Him by our lives.

But, in order to reflect the goodness and beauty of God, we need to make conscious efforts to do so. After all, His act of Creation was a conscious willed effort. So, make something beautiful this week: a poem, a drawing, a painting, a short story, a song, a craft, a carving, a sculpture that glorifies God. Spending time using your gifts to make something beautiful will fill you with more happiness than any amount of television, video games, social media debates, or shopping ever could. 

Secondly this week, spend  some prayerful time cultivating that sense of God’s love for you. Spend time with a crucifix in your hands pondering God’s love for you, or meditate upon a bible verse that speaks of God’s love for you, his plans for you, his desires for you, his mercy bestowed upon you in Christ. 

Lastly, exercise the gift of faith this week, the virtue of faith. Faith is a muscle, the more we use it, the stronger faith will become: When you see a beautiful sunset this week or the stars in the night sky say, "Thank you Lord; I believe in you." When you visit a loved one who is sick or dying, say, "Lord, I believe in you; don't abandon this person, give them strength." When you experience life's sorrows, say, "Lord, you suffered for me; teach me to suffer with faith for you." When you experience life's joys, to say, "Lord, this is just a small hint of your love for me; teach me to believe in you more deeply."

At this holy Mass, the Lord comes to us specifically in Holy Communion. Let us exercise our faith, to believe in his real presence, whose body and blood, soul and divinity becomes food for our souls, that we may grow in love and live by faith, becoming the people God made us to be, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.