June 28 2023 - St. Irenaeus, bishop, martyr, doctor - Knowledge and Error

 

Without a doubt, St. Irenaeus is one of the greatest theologians of the early Church.  St Irenaeus was a disciple of St. Polycarp, who himself heard St. John the Apostle preach and was consecrated bishop by St. John along with our patron, St. Ignatius of Antioch.  

Like St. Cyril whom we honored yesterday, Irenaeus was called to uphold the truth of Christ that comes to us from the Apostles. Irenaeus was bishop two and a half centuries earlier, and he faced what is probably the first major heresy the Church had to confront: Gnosticism.  

The word ‘gnostic’ comes from the greek word for knowledge, as in the words cognizant and recognize.  Gnosis—knowledge is a good thing.  It is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Zechariah sings how God gives his people knowledge of salvation. We have a strong philosophical tradition which confirms the role of knowledge in understanding our faith.

The Gnostics claimed to have secret knowledge of God that was superior to the faith taught by the Apostles. In other words, they thought they knew better than the official teaching of the Church.  

Gnosticism is the basis of every heresy, in a sense. To claim, I know better. I know better than the clear pronouncements of Church Councils. I know better than the Church Fathers. I know that my interpretation of Scripture is more accurate than 2000 years of consistent teaching. 

What sin does that sound like? Sinful Pride of course. The pride of satan in the garden claiming, I know better than God, trust me, not Him. The pride of Original Sin and every sin. 

Again, Gnosis is good. Knowledge is good. We are meant to cultivate our minds, to seek understanding about the natural world, and to use that knowledge to foster unity and concord, to seek knowledge about God and the Church and the Christian Faith to the extent that our intellect allows. 

But, if we arrive at a conclusion which contradicts Church teaching, the teaching of the Apostles, we’ve made a mistake. And those errors, if followed can have disastrous consequences, eternal consequences. We risk not only the loss of our own souls, but leading others astray.

But, knowledge, real knowledge conforms our minds to Christ who is Truth. Jesus said, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Christians seek to know the Truth. And that brings us freedom: freedom from the burden of being the sole arbiter of truth, freedom from moral error which keeps us trapped in sin, freedom to preach confidently. We share the Gospel with non-believers because we are confident in the knowledge of God. 

That knowledge enables us as St. Paul says, to “be gentle with everyone, able to teach, tolerant, correcting opponents with kindness.” And through that gentle, yet confident teaching, “It may be that God will grant them repentance that leads to knowledge of the truth” and freed from the Devil’s snares.

Through the example of the bishop, martyr, and Doctor of the Church St. Irenaeus may we be grounded and confirmed in true doctrine for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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To God the Father Almighty, may every prayer of our heart be directed, for it is His will that all humanity should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

For the Church during this time of Eucharistic Revival: for a deeper love and reverence for the Bread of Life; that the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist will help us to live out our vocation to holiness with greater zeal, self-sacrifice, and trust in God.  

That during this month of June dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: we may make reparation for the many blasphemies committed against God and the Church, and that the afflicted may know God’s compassion in all of their trials.

For all those who reject the faith, for those who show contempt for the holy word of God and the Catholic Church, for their openness to the Truth, and that all Christians may be committed to spreading the faith boldly, patiently, and clearly.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, 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, and for…

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

June 27 2023 - St. Cyril of Alexandria, bishop and doctor - Champion of Truth

 In the Gospels, the blessed Lord warns his disciples against false prophets and spiritual con men. And these agents of error have plagued the Church since the beginning, just as Our Lord foretold. 

The saint we honor today, Saint Cyril of Alexandria, defended and taught the Catholic Faith in the face of a heresy which was creating great division in the Church.  Division is often one of the great fruits of false prophets.

The heresy is now called Nestorianism, named after the bishop who promoted it, named Nestorius.  Nestorius was Archbishop of Constantinople in the early 5th century.  Nestorius taught the heresy that Mary could not be given the title Theotokos, that is God-bearer, and thereby Nestorius taught that Jesus really wasn’t Truly God—a truth clear from Scripture and the Church Fathers and Church Councils like the Council of Nicea.

St. Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria wrote to Nestorius, reminding him of the duty of bishops to preserve sound doctrine, but Nestorius continued to teach error creating division in the Church. And the division became so great that a Church Council was needed to clarify the issue.

So in 431, the First Council of Ephesus was called to deal with this false teaching. Ephesus being the very place where Our Lady—the God Bearer—lived with St. John the Apostle before her Glorious Assumption.  St. Cyril was tasked by the Pope to preside over the Council as Papal representative. Now, many of the bishops gathered at Ephesus, some say the majority of bishops, sided with the heretic bishop Nestorius. But the Papal Representative Archbishop Cyril defended the Truth that Christ is truly God and Truly man and thereby Our Lady can rightly be called Theotokos—God-Bearer—Mother of God.

Listen to his words, from this morning’s Office of Readings from the writings of St. Cyril, “That anyone could doubt the right of the holy Virgin to be called the mother of God fills me with astonishment. Surely she must be the Mother of God if our Lord Jesus Christ is God, and she gave birth to him! Our Lord’s disciples may not have used those exact words, but they delivered to us the belief those words enshrine, and this has also been taught us by the holy fathers” (especially St. Athanasius) 

St. Cyril sets the standard for theological questions in the Church. We must look to Scripture and Apostolic Tradition and apply clear logic. Scripture is clear that Jesus is God—the Word Made Flesh, and that he took that flesh from the Virgin Mary. As St. Paul writes “he fashioned a body for himself from a woman and shared our flesh and blood”. Cyril also looked to the Church Fathers, like St. Athanasius, who taught nothing contrary to the Scriptures. And St. Athanasius several times calls Mary, Theotokos, in his writings.

What’s the practical lesson from this? All Christians need to be discerning, using our gifts of reason and wisdom in living out the Christian faith.  Jesus warns us that there ARE false prophets.  There ARE teachings which lead us away from the true faith, that lead us away from the union of our minds and hearts with God. False teachings, especially in recent centuries, have caused terrible division in the Church. And that division has born nothing but rotten fruit: so-called Christians who promote abortion, euthanasia, sexual perversion, and adultery. There are many sects of Christians who deny the sacraments of Holy Orders, Confession, and Eucharist, and even baptism. So-called Christians who even deny the need for baptism, so clearly taught by Our Lord.

The doctors of the Church, St. Athanasius, St. Cyril, equip us with doing our part to heal the divisions in the Church, to lead souls to the truth. At least one member of our RCIA last year was raised protestant but came to the Faith by reading the Fathers. 

And the doctors help us to be on guard against those false prophets about whom the Lord Himself warned us. 

May St. Cyril help us to revere Our Lady, to champion and live the truth, and to labor always for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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That our bishops and clergy may be zealous in preaching and teaching the truth of the Gospel.

That this fortnight of prayer for religious freedom may help people of faith remain vigilant in defending their religious liberty and united in making their voice heard on behalf of the rights of the Church.

For all those who reject the faith, for those who show contempt for the holy word of God and the Catholic Church, for their openness to the Truth, and that all Christians may be committed to spreading the faith boldly, patiently, and clearly.

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

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

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

June 21 2023 - St. Aloysius Gonzaga - Love God with all your strength

 

St. Aloysius Gonzaga was born into a noble family in Renaissance Italy.  16th-century Florence was not very different from 21st-century America.  It was a lax, morally careless, self-indulgent age. At the young age of 7, Aloysius vowed not to be part of it.   

By age 11 he was teaching catechism to poor children, fasting three days a week and practicing great penances. After reading a book about Jesuit missionaries in India, Aloysius announced his desire to be a priest in the Society of Jesus. However, it took several years to obtain permission from his father, who had more worldly dreams for his son.

In 1591, a catastrophic plague struck Rome and the Jesuits opened up a hospital.  The young Jesuit novice, Aloysius, nursed patients, carried them on his shoulders, washed them, and made their beds.  As a result of his tireless care of the sick, Aloysius caught the disease himself. He was overcome with a great fever and died at the age of 23 in 1591. His holiness was so evident that he was beatified by Pope Paul V in 1605.  

St. Aloysius Gonzaga is a patron saint of catholic youth and teenagers. Like young people, we all experience social pressures. St. Aloysius reminds us to have courage to stand firm in the faith against the tides of society which are antithetical to the Gospel. Due to his willingness to put himself in direct contact with plague victims, St. Aloysius was also named patron saint of those with HIV and AIDS and their caregivers.

St. Aloysius is often shown in sacred art and statues as a young man wearing the black cassock of the Jesuits and contemplating a crucifix. He contemplated the suffering of Our Lord, and considered how he, too, was called to suffer in order to further the kingdom of God.  The young saint, once said, “He who wishes to love God does not truly love Him if he has not an ardent and constant desire to suffer for his sake.”  Aloysius helps us to consider how taking on how the great commandment to love God with one’s whole strength and to love one’s neighbor involves suffering for them. 

Doing good, accomplishing good, furthering the kingdom, bringing souls to God, involves some suffering on our part. Will you willingly embrace that suffering if it is God’s will for you?

Through the intercession of St. Aloysius, may each of us consider how God is calling us to pour ourselves out in service of the kingdom, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Through the intercession of St Aloysius Gonzaga, patron of young people, that the young may be blessed with true faith, the desire to serve the Lord above seeking the pleasures of the world, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life.

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 those with HIV, AIDS, and their caregivers, 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 repose of the good Jesuits who have served the Church, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.

11th Week in Ordinary Time 2023 - Tuesday - Pro omnibus et singulis (For all and for each)

 Throughout his Sermon on the Mount, the Lord expounds what it means to be truly righteous, truly holy—to live in such a way that one is filled with the life of God on earth, that you may enter into the beatitude of God in eternity. 

And so hear today the a portion of his sermon on love. Already he has challenged his disciples to expand their concepts of holiness and generosity, and today’s passage certainly presents a challenge as well. 

The Lord begins with a saying his audience would have been familiar with, a saying that even seems like common sense: “you have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” 

It's easy to love one's neighbor. My neighbor looks like me, talks like me, acts like me.  He’ll let me borrow a mule, or a wine press, or a piece of bread if I ask him.  I feel comfortable inviting him over for a cup of coffee.  My neighbor is lovable.

But an enemy, he looks differently, he talks differently, he might not worship the same God as me or vote for the same politicians. In fact, if I think about it, he is undermining the very fabric of society, he’s barely human; therefore, the best thing would be if he were to not exist at all, right?  Hating one's enemy makes sense...and, honestly...it's not all that difficult.

But, Jesus says, listen: the sun rises and sets on the evil and the good alike; God loves the person you perceive as your enemy just as much as he loves you.  For God loves without measure.  

To follow Christ is to love without regard to race or creed. You must seek what is best pro omnibus et singulis—for all and for each individual—neighbor or enemy. And if you are to treat each with love…is there really any distinction at all?  Kindness must not be limited to those who are kind to us.  

For many, perhaps for most, this may be the hardest of all Jesus’ instructions. But, as we heard this last Sunday, “God proved his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” God loves the sinner. He loves those who made themselves his enemies. For a sinner becomes an ally and an agent of evil in his sin—evil which opposes the goodness of God. You have opposed God. I have opposed God in my sin. But he died for all those who opposed him, out of love and utter goodness.

And that very same divine love for all is to make its dwelling in the hearts of Christians and is to animate our lives, our behaviors, our actions, our decisions, our relationships pro omnibus et singulis—for all and for each for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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To God the Father Almighty, may every prayer of our heart be directed, for it is His will that all humanity should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

For the Church during this time of Eucharistic Revival: for a deeper love and reverence for the Bread of Life; that the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist will help us to live out our vocation to holiness with greater zeal, self-sacrifice, and trust in God.  

That during this month of June dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: we may make reparation for the many blasphemies committed against God and the Church, and that the afflicted may know God’s compassion in all of their trials.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, 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, and for…

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

June 19 2023 - St. Romuald - Reparation & Evangelization

 On Friday we celebrated the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus—a feast day on which we make reparation—through prayer and penance—for the blasphemies and sins committed against God and His Holy Church. And throughout the year, the first Friday of each month is traditionally set aside for this purpose as well—to do penance and offer prayer and make reparation for our sins and those of the world.

Well the saint honored today, made that his life. St. Romuald grew up without the practice of religion in Ravenna, Italy. But after he witnessed his father kill a relative in a duel over and argument about money, he entered monastic life to escape the violence of the world and to perform penance for his father. 

He took penance very seriously, and made some of the less strict monks a bit uncomfortable. But after some time, his father repented of his sins, and entered the monastery as well.

Now, Romuald would later become abbot of the monastery, and would also go on to be sent by the Pope to preach in Hungary, and also founded a new religious order, the Camaldolese hermits, but that initial inspiration to do penance for another shouldn’t be glossed over.

We see a lot of evil in the world right now—sins repugnant to the call to holiness are pridefully celebrated, blasphemies are broadcast, vice is normalized and encouraged. What can I we, the church asks? We can follow the example of St Romuald—if not entering religious life to do penance, we can certainly fast and pray a little bit more assiduously in reparation for the multitude to of sins and for the conversion of sinners. Our Blessed Lord Himself said, some demons are only cast out through prayer and fasting. 

We speak a lot about evangelization these days, the need to spread the Gospel. Monks and hermits like St. Romuald remind us of a powerful way of engaging in evangelization—joining a religious community who take religious vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the context of a penitential rule of life. The great powerhouses of evangelization throughout history, have often been those monasteries where men and women have sought to conform themselves to Christ and to do penance for sin. Hermits inspire people to turn away from the emptiness and the noise of the world in order to find Christ. That’s evangelization. We become effective instruments of evangelization when we are serious about our personal call to holiness. 

And shouldn’t that be the pursuit about which we are most serious? St. Romuald brought his father to Christ through his humble quiet life of prayer and penance. May his example and heavenly intercession inspire us to similar endeavors for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

To God the Father Almighty, may every prayer of our heart be directed, for it is His will that all humanity should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her.

For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them, and deepen in them the virtues of justice and religion.

For an increase in vocations to the consecrated religious life—especially to those holy orders of hermits—who inspired us by their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, especially for the sick and victims of war and terror and natural disaster.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, 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.

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023 - Father's Day lessons from Pope Francis

 Happy Father’s Day (weekend). There was a book published a few years ago, called “Our Father: Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer by Pope Francis”. And the book contains a conversation between Holy Father Francis and an Italian priest and prison chaplain named Father Marco Pozza. 

And in this conversation, Pope Francis offers his insight into the words that our Blessed Lord taught us to pray. What it means to call upon God the Father, and so on. But, he also reflected upon the importance of our earthly fathers. And I think it significant that Pope Francis has this conversation with a prison chaplain. Because so many of the imprisoned—in Italy, in the united states, and around the world, are men and women, who more than often have very broken relationships with their earthly fathers. 

Statistics are abundantly clear: when a child is raised without a father there is a greater risk of behavioral problems; they are more likely to commit a crime and go to prison. They are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, more likely to suffer obesity, more likely to drop out of school, and to experience poverty. Teen girls without fathers are 7x more likely to get pregnant as a teen.

On the other hand fathers involved in their children’s lives improve their children’s overall emotional and social well-being, those kids do better in school, they are less likely to carry guns and deal drugs. Good fathers reduce the parenting stress of the mothers. Fathers help their children to be honest, ethical, hardworking adults. 

The impact on religious life is also striking. Data shows if a father does not go to church, even if his wife does, only 1 child in 50 will become a regular church goer. But, if a father does go regularly, regardless of what the mother does, between two-thirds and three-quarters of their children will attend church as adults. 

Raising a family in today’s culture us tremendously challenging. So in the course of his conversation with that prison chaplain, Pope Francis offered five pieces of wisdom, which I will now share. 

“The first thing needed is this,” Pope Francis said, “that the father be present in the family; that he be close to his wife, to share everything, joys and sorrows, hardships and hopes. A father needs to be close to the children as they grow up; when they are playing and when they are working on a task; when they are carefree and when they are troubled.”

Presence. Closeness. Earthly fatherhood is to be a reflection of the Heavenly Father, and scripture speaks over and over of God’s closeness to his people. Deuteronomy asks, “what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him?” Psalm 16 says, “Because God is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” And Psalm 145 says, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.” Hebrews says, God will NEVER leave us or forsake us. So, earthly fathers must be involved, be near, and be present in all of those family activities and tasks. After a long grueling day at work, it is difficult to be “emotionally present” to one’s family. But’s it vital. 

Secondly, Pope Francis explains that God the Father gives earthly fathers an example to follow in patience. God loves us even when we are sinners, Paul says in the second reading today. And so Fathers have to be patient,” he explained. Love is patient. Children really can test one’s patience. But as Scripture says “God is slow to anger…so Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger dwells in the heart of fools.” Learn to count to 10 and inwardly ask, “Is what I’m about to do or say going to help my kid or hurt my kid emotionally?”

And many times, the Pope admits, “there is nothing that can be done, like the father in the story of the Prodigal son, but wait in patience, kindness, generosity, and mercy, and pray.”

Now, patience doesn’t mean you aren’t to discipline your children. And that’s the third word of wisdom, Pope Francis says discipline, but don’t humiliate.  Scriptures says, “do not fail to correct your children…a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother” Children who are not disciplined often grow up rebellious, have no respect for authority, and as a result find it difficult to willingly obey and follow God. God Himself uses discipline to correct us and lead us down the right path and to encourage repentance for our wrong actions. Hebrews says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” 

Fourthly, Pope Francis explains that Father’s need to be a source of comfort in their children’s failures. “Children need to find a father who is waiting for them when they return from their failures. These children will do all they can in order not to admit their mistakes, not to let their embarrassment show, but they need this security. Not finding their father at the door opens wounds inside them that are difficult to heal.” Let your children know that they can come to you in their failures: business failures, relationship failures, moral failures. That you will help them overcome their challenges and to learn wisdom from their failures.

Finally, the Pope reminds earthly Fathers to have constant recourse to the heavenly Father in prayer and the practice of religion. “Without the grace that comes from the Father who is in Heaven,” the Pope says, “fathers lose courage and abandon the field.” Fathers please speak to your children about the importance of Faith. Tell them why you go to Church. Why you receive Holy Communion. How Catholicism is indispensable. 

Fathers, when the grace of God is evident in your life, that touches the hearts of your children like nothing else in this life. Your witness, your faith is indispensable, irreplaceable. The Pope says, “The Church, our mother, is committed to supporting the good and generous presence of fathers in families. Fathers: you are in our prayers, for your vocation is vital.

In the Gospel, we heard how “at the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.” So many in the world today are troubled and abandoned--fatherless. Perhaps, some of you have wounds of abandonment--physical or emotional. And the Lord looks upon all the abandoned and offers the healing of his sacred heart, and calls all the abandoned to mercy.

But the Lord sends us out as laborers, just like he did the apostles, to the troubled and abandoned of the world: to bring God’s love, God’s healing, God’s grace, the message of the Gospel, to be baptized, to have faith in Christ, to receive his body and blood. May we be generous and faithful in this holy calling of ours, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

June 16 2023 - Sacred Heart of Jesus - Reparation for blasphemy and rest for the weary

 While honoring the Sacred Heart has roots stretching back to the early Church, special devotion to Christ’s burning love for mankind is closely associated with St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a 17th century Visitation nun at the convent of Paray-le-Monial. It was to this humble nun that our Blessed Lord revealed His desire that a special feast of reparation to His Sacred Heart be established on the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi (or the third Friday after Pentecost). 

After Mass today, we will pray to together the Act of Reparation prescribed by Pope Pius XI along with the Litany of the Sacred Heart. A plenary indulgence is granted if it is publicly recited on the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus as long as the ordinary requirements for the indulgence are met.

Particularly this year, we have reason to pray the Litany. A few days ago, it was announced Archbishop Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), along with his brother bishops have called on Catholics to pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart, and make this act of reparation with the intention of repairing the spiritual damage inflicted by sin.

Archbishop Broglio writes: “Catholic Christians traditionally recognize June as the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. During this time, we call to mind Christ’s love for us, which is visible in a special way in the image of His pierced heart, and we pray that our own hearts might be conformed to His, calling us to love and respect all His people. This year, on June 16—the day of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus—a professional baseball team has shockingly chosen to honor a group whose lewdness and vulgarity in mocking our Lord, His Mother, and consecrated women cannot be overstated. This is not just offensive and painful to Christians everywhere; it is blasphemy. It has been heartening to see so many faithful Catholics and others of good will stand up to say that what this group does is wrong, and it is wrong to honor them. We call on Catholics to pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart on June 16th, offering this prayer as an act of reparation for the blasphemies against our Lord we see in our culture today.”

In the Gospel today, the Lord say "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” There are a lot of people, Christians and non-Christians alike in our world who are getting very tired of the constant bombardment of evil in the media, in politics, in the education system being forced on our young ones. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the answer. We go with our burdens and our fatigue to the Sacred Heart, to refresh us, to strengthen us, to rekindle our fire for the good fight, and to make reparation for all of these evils. The good Lord knows our struggle, he has chosen us to be Christians now in 2023, and in His Heart are the graces and strength we need to be faithful. 

To anyone growing weary of all of the chaos and blasphemy and impurity and evil: go to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We bring our needs to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Please respond to each of these petitions, “Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy on us”

That the Church may be continually cleansed and sanctified by the blood and water that gave us new birth.

For all who have fallen away from the Church, for those who lack faith, and in reparation to the Sacred Heart for all sin and all blasphemy.

On this World Day for the Sanctification of Priests, may the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the intercession of St. Margaret Mary and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, imbue all priests with his grace, strengthen their hearts, and renew them in their vocation, conforming them to Christ, head and shepherd, servant and spouse.

For all those who are sick or burdened in any way, may come to know and experience the refreshment of Christ’s love. 

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 of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

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

10th Week of Ordinary Time 2023 - Wednesday - Christian Confidence

 

There is a common idea these days that if you are not open to changing your mind on a subject, you are arrogant and egotistical. And it’s true. A lot of people put too much stock in their own opinions, their own way of seeing things. They develop very strong feelings about their ideas, and defend them tooth-and-nail.

And yes, we should always be open to deepening our understanding about the world, about each other, and most importantly about God. But Christians standing firm in the Truth, and in the truths of our faith, is not arrogant or prideful. Because the Truth of our Faith isn’t a matter of opinion. It’s not one attempt of man among many to grasp at the truth. 

The Truth we profess and preach comes from God, and that gives us a confidence. 

From the first verse in Genesis to the last verse in Revelation, the Bible is about why and how people are to have confidence in God. We are to trust Him and we get in trouble when we don’t. We are to listen to Him as obedient children. We are to follow his voice as sheep do to a shepherd. We are to build our lives on the solid rock foundation of his teachings. And because God does not deceive us, for he cannot deceive nor be deceived, we can have confidence in what He has revealed to us.

Confidence in God means I can trust Him in all situations. St. Paul writes to the Corinthians about this confidence he has in sharing the Gospel. We heard today, “Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather, our qualification comes from God.”

In the midst of so much confusion in the world, I find joy in knowing the Truth and sharing the Truth. When I get to share our Faith in RCIA and over in the school classrooms and in adult faith formation and even in preaching at Mass, I even get a little gleeful.

And sadly, yet there are some people, even some professed Catholics, who value their own opinions over the Truth taught by the Church’s Magisterium. And they call us arrogant and egotistical, and even hateful. I’ve experienced it. I’ve experienced it here. But love rejoices in the truth. 

Paul tells Bishop St. Timothy, “impart the word of truth without deviation.” We don’t and can’t change the Truth because the world disbelieves it or hates. As our dear Pope Benedict used to say, “Truth is not determined by a majority vote.” 

But, the danger, the responsibility of sharing the truth means that you better be careful that you aren’t confusing your opinion with the Truth that comes from God.  There are people on the right and there are people on the left who make this mistake. God save us from prideful heresy and valuing human tradition over Sacred Tradition.

But have confidence in sharing the Truth of the Gospel. There are people who long to hear it. There are people who long to embrace it for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - - -  

For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her in her mission and all of her trials. 

For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them, and deepen in them the virtues of justice and religion.

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, especially for the sick and victims of war and terror and natural disaster.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, 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.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

June 13 2023 - St. Anthony of Padua - Priest, Doctor of the Church - Man of Beatitude

 For the next three weeks, thereabout, our weekday mass Gospel readings will be taken from the Lord’s great Sermon on the Mount.  It is clear from the very beginning of the Sermon, with the Lord’s delivery of the beatitudes, that Christians are to live differently from others in the world—with a righteousness even surpassing that of the Jewish scribes and Pharisees, as the Lord teaches. In short, the Lord teaches that we must seek to be like Him, to be like his Father, to be holy.

St. Anthony desired the radical holiness preached by Jesus.  He entered the Augustinian Order as a young man as a way of turning away from the temptations of the world in order to seek the perfection of his soul.  One could say that he followed the call to religious life as a way of pursuing that purity of heart to which the Lord calls us in the beatitudes.  The pure of heart are those who love God with undivided allegiance.  They pursue God’s Holy Will single-heartedly, without mixed motives.  This is what Anthony desired.

Though he had dedicated his life to study, prayer, and learning, immersing himself in Sacred Scripture, it was a rather strange event which caused St. Anthony to become a Franciscan.  It was when he heard news that Franciscans had been put to death for preaching the Gospel in Morocco, that he felt called to join the order.  Where most of us run away from suffering, St. Anthony ran toward the opportunity to practice the final two beatitudes: blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, and blessed are those who are persecuted for Christ’s sake.  

St. Anthony, through his practice of the beatitudes, through his desire to totally belong to Christ through the vows of his religious profession, became a radiant beacon of the light of Christ, to whom we look to imitate 800 years later.

In the face of the many problems in the world—violence, materialism, poverty, moral relativism, Jesus calls us each of us to radiate the holiness of God by putting on His mind and heart—seeking to be holy as He is holy—suffering for the Gospel, as he suffered.  Christians are called to beatitude—and the world will be impacted for better or for worse by the way Christians live our lives.  Through the example and heavenly intercession of St. Anthony of Padua, may we be faithful to this call of holiness today and all days—for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - -  

For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her.

For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them.

That the members of the Franciscan Order and all those consecrated religious may inspire us to strive for greater holiness.

For the priests of the diocese who begin a new parish assignment today, especially for the newly ordained, that they may be faithful to Christ in every dimension of their ministry. 

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, especially for the sick and victims of war and terror and natural disaster.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, 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.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

June 12 2023 (EF) - St. John of San Facundo, confessor - The victory of Truth

ST JOHN OF ST FACUNDO was a Spanish Augustinian friar and priest. He was known as a peacemaker and reconciler of enemies among the nobles and factions of Salamanca. He was a model religious and was entrusted with important offices in his Order — master of novices, definitor for the province, and prior of the convent of the city of Salamanca.

He is remembered especially for his preaching which produced a great reformation of morals in Salamanca. Yet, the boldness shown by Saint John in reproving vice several times endangered his life. 

On one occasion, a powerful nobleman, having been corrected by the Saint for oppressing his vassals, sent two assassins to slay him; but the remarkable holiness of the Saint struck such awe into their minds that they were repelled and humbly begged his forgiveness. The nobleman himself, falling sick, was brought to repentance, and recovered his health by the prayers of the Saint whom he had endeavored to murder.

Saint John was especially zealous in denouncing the vices of impurity, and it was in defense of holy purity that he met his death. A noblewoman poisoned St. John after her companion in sin converted and broke off the sinful relationship. After several months of terrible suffering from the poison, St. John went to his eternal reward. This painful death and the cause for which he suffered it have caused several of his historians to say that he won a martyr's crown.

Vice, particularly impurity, seems to be enshrined and enthroned in our culture right now. But here is a saint who emboldens us to stand firmly in the truth against the moral evils of our day, regardless of the hostility that will result.

In my office, over in the rectory, I have a quote from the Augustinian rule hanging on my wall, perhaps it also inspired today’s saint: “nam non vincit nisi veritas: Victoria ceritatis est caritas. For nothing conquers but truth: the victory of truth is love.” The true Church faces many pressures to compromise the truth of the Gospel, but love for God and love for souls emboldens us to remain solid in the Truth, and souls will be saved through the Church’s witness. The victory of standing in the truth is to bring souls to encounter God’s love.

And yet, recall that so many of our contemporaries are totally without faith. They were raised without faith. Their education made no reference to the faith. Great victories can be won by simply teaching the faithless how to make the sign of the cross, teaching them about God who loves them and desires holy relationship with them, sharing with them a simple Gospel parable, giving them reasons to believe by our good works.

May this wonderful Saint embolden us to confess the faith in our own day and help others do the same, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

EF READINGS

 A reading from the book of Sirach

Happy the rich person found without fault, who does not turn aside after wealth. Who is he, that we may praise him? For he has done wonders among his people. Who has been tested by gold and been found perfect? Let it be for him his glory; Who could have sinned but did not, and could have done evil but did not? So his good fortune is secure, and the assembly will recount his praises.

A continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

10th Week in Ordinary Time 2023 - Monday - Instruments of Encouragement

 Today’s Gospel is one of the most famous passages of the New Testament, if not the entire bible—the beatitudes.  Yet, I’d like to focus on the first reading, from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, because we’ll be reading second Corinthians for the next two weeks.  

Paul founded the church at Corinth around 50 AD, spending about 18 months there establishing a community of believers consisting of both Gentiles and converts from Judaism.  And II Corinthians was written as a sort of prelude to Paul’s third and final visit to Corinth, in which Paul expresses great joy that the Gospel was finally beginning to take real root in the hearts of the Christians there. There had been some real spiritual progress in the community: some of the divisions had been healed, some of the moral issues had been overcome. So Paul writes to encourage the Corinthians to keep the momentum going, while also addressing some of the enduring pastoral issues and problems which afflicted the Church.

Encouragement. Several times, just in the opening lines of the letter, Paul mentions encouragement.

Paul writes, “God encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God.”

All Christians experience affliction of some form or another. Illness, financial troubles, temptations, hostility from the world or even from family members. All of us, share in the sufferings of Christ, all of us have some share in the cross. Paul, is certainly speaking from personal experience here. Later in this very letter he’ll explain: “Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.”

But Paul also testifies that God encourages us in our afflictions: He strengthens us, he heals our wounded hearts, he shows us the way forward, he helps us to keep our hearts focused on reaching our eternal goal.

And Paul explains that God encourages us in our afflictions, so that we may encourage others in their afflictions with the encouragement we have received. Our afflictions aren’t meaningless. The healing and wisdom we gain is meant to be passed on to others. 

This principle is utilized in programs like Alcoholics Anonymous. Addicts who have found wisdom and courage and strength to face their addictions share that wisdom, courage, and strength with new addicts. Similarly in many Christian bereavement programs: those who have experienced healing from grief, share that healing with others. 

God makes us into his instruments through the trials we face. Always be ready to share the lessons and wisdom and strength and encouragement you have gained through your trials with others for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - 

For the whole Christian people, that the beatitudes of Christ may animate our lives. 

That our nation may be united by God’s Spirit, guarded from terror, observant of God’s Holy Laws, and vigilant against threats to our freedom, peace, and well-being. May the Wisdom of God guide our government leaders and legislators, our families, businesses, civil institutions, and all our domestic affairs

For our young people beginning summer vacation, that they may be kept close to the truth and heart of Jesus; that young people may live in faith-filled homes where the Gospel is cherished, studied, and lived-out.

For the sick, the impoverished, the lonely, those suffering from mental illness, those most in need, and those near death: may God, through the mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, be close to them in their trials. 

For 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

Corpus Christi 2023 - The power and witness of the Corpus Christi Procession

 Just a few weeks ago we celebrated the Feast of the Lord’s Ascension. And St. Luke gave us a very interesting detail about the apostles who witnessed the Lord’s Ascension, do you remember? St. Luke told us, “While the apostles were looking intently at the sky as the Lord was ascending into heaven, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. And they said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?” As if to say, why are you just standing around. The Church isn’t supposed to just stand around, immobile, paralyzed. Don’t just stand there. It’s time to move. 

Well, tomorrow/this morning, we are going to do just that. We are going to take to the streets, bringing the Lord Jesus in procession out into the world—in our Corpus Christi Procession.

Why will we process with the Eucharist through the streets surrounding our parish church? The procession is an act of homage and worship. We do it because we love the Lord, we want to honor him, we want to spread his glory in the world. We seek to honor God and to extend the thanksgiving and glory we give to God at the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass out in the world. 

It’s also an act of imitation, in a sense. Our Lord went into the highways and byways, preaching. And so we bring the Lord into the streets of our neighborhood, that he may preach through his Eucharistic Presence. 

We may appear strange to unbelievers: carrying enshrined in the elaborate monstrance, what looks to the world as a piece of bread. Why do they do this strange thing, they might ask? But that question sparked by our procession might be the beginning of God’s truth breaking into their lives. So we gladly process with the Blessed Sacrament for the world to see, that the Lord may draw souls to Himself through this act of devotion of his Church.

For finally, the procession is an act of evangelization. Showing to the world that believing in Jesus makes a difference in our lives. Look how he gathers people from all different walks of life, he feeds us all, he invites us all to follow him.

Pope Benedict XVI in 2008 spoke about the power of Eucharistic Processions. He said, “The Corpus Christi procession teaches us that the Eucharist seeks to free us from every kind of despondency and discouragement, wants to raise us, so that we can set out on the journey with the strength God gives us through Jesus Christ.”

There is a lot of despondency and discouragement out there, no? There have been few eras in human history with such discouragement and loneliness. Drugs and alcohol, porn and prostitution, binge watching, binge eating, binge shopping are signs of that loneliness and emptiness in modern society, signs of spiritual starvation. And the Corpus Christi Procession is a countersign to the world that there is something more, something that satisfies, something worthy putting down your iphones, getting out off your couch, out of your house, in order to obtain. It’s a sign that God has visited his people and gives us the food that strengthens us for the challenges of life. 

Pope Benedict goes on. He says, The Corpus Christi Procession witnesses that, we can find our way through this life if we allow ourselves to encounter “the One who is the Word and the Bread of Life” and if we let ourselves “be guided by his friendly presence.” Our humble yet joyful Eucharistic Procession shows that Christ’s presence is a friendly presence, one that invites. After all, we are here today because we have responded to that invitation, and the Eucharistic Procession is one way the Lord extends that invitation to others. 

Finally, Pope Benedict asks, “Without the God-with-us, the God who is close, how can we stand up to the pilgrimage through life, either on our own or as society and the family of peoples? The Eucharist is the Sacrament of the God who does not leave us alone on the journey but stays at our side and shows us the way. Indeed, it is not enough to move onwards, one must also see where one is going! “Progress” does not suffice, if there are no criteria as reference points. On the contrary, if one loses the way one risks coming to a precipice, or at any rate more rapidly distancing oneself from the goal.”

With all of the confusion and chaos in the world, humanity needs a reference point, needs to know that something is true and good. And if God is not the reference point, then we are distancing ourselves from Him—we are nearing the precipice, the edge of a cliff.  And doesn’t it feel like that right now? Doesn’t it feel like our society is on the edge of a cliff and is dangerously close to falling off? 

But the Eucharist Procession, says, God can lead us through this difficult time. God can lead us through the chaos. It’s not yet too late. Follow Jesus. Trust Jesus. 

When our blessed Lord saw the hungry crowd  he said, “I am sorry for the multitude. They have nothing to eat.” But he fed them. And in the Gospel today, he explains how, he gives not just ordinary physical bread for the sustenance of our bodies. But the Bread of Life for the sustenance of our souls.

And the Church is tasked with feeding the world with both. Feeding the physically hungry. And also making invitation to the table at which the Lord feeds our souls. He sends us out to the spiritually starving multitude of the world, and he sends us out to say, God has food for you, inside his Church, come inside, God sees how hungry you are. The Savior feeds us. Step away from the precipice. God is here. The hungry, lonely night is over. 

“This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever" for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

June 9 2023 - St. Columbkille - Faithfulness in all circumstances

 Earlier this week we celebrated the Apostle to the Germans, St. Boniface, who brought Christianity to the Germanic Tribes of northern Europe. Today, we honor a saint who lived about a 150 years before St. Boniface, who is credited with taking Christianity to Scotland. While today is also the feast of St. Ephraim, I like to honor St. Columbkille, as he is the patron saint of my first parish assignment at St. Columbkille Parish in Parma. 

Born of royal bloodlines on both his mother’s and father’s side in County Donegal in northern Ireland on December 5, 521, his proper name was Colum MacFehlin MacFergus. He completed his studies in the Irish monastic schools, and was ordained a priest, and spent the first fifteen years of his priesthood working among the poor in his native Ireland and became famous for his works of charity and preaching. He also spent time as a scribe, copying the Scriptures. The great illuminated manuscript, the Book of Kells, is attributed to St. Columbkille.

Tradition asserts that there was a bit of a feud between St. Columbkille and St. Finian over the ownership of a particular manuscript, and the feud got so heated that Columbkille discerned that it was an opportune time to leave Ireland and go evangelize an entirely different country. Funny how God works.

So, in 563 with twelve fellow monks, Columbkille left Ireland and set sail for the Scottish Isle of Iona, where he established a monastery which served as a base for his evangelizing mission. He spent the next 34 years establishing churches and schools and making disciples who were attracted to the faith due to Columbkille’s ardent penances, fervent prayer, sincere preaching, and deep confidence in God. Columbkille died in 597 and is honored as the Patron of Scotland.  He is a patron of poets, bookbinders, and a co-patron of Ireland.  And you can still visit the Iona Abbey, on the Isle of Iona, off of Scotland.

Here's an example of a saint, who made good use of the time he had been given in circumstances that were beyond his control. He was forced to leave his native land. But because he persevered in the faith, he sowed the seeds for Christianity to grow in a place where it had not been before. And this was possible because he had allowed Christianity to flourish in his life through prayer, penance, study, and even writing holy poetry for God.

And isn’t that what Christians are called to do? We don’t get to control all the circumstances of our lives. But we are to live out the faith and spread the faith in whatever circumstance we find ourselves. 

May St. Columbkille inspire us to generously live out our faith in all the challenging circumstances of our lives for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - 

That those in public office may govern with wisdom, put an end to all political corruption, and work for a society of authentic justice and peace with special care for the most vulnerable.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life, for a strengthening of marriages, for all single people who strive to follow Christ, and for the graces needed for our evangelizing mission.

For an end to oppression, racism, hatred, addiction and injustice. For the healing of all the sick. 

That those who have died may share in the joy of life-everlasting; for our deceased family members, friends, and fellow parishioners, for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. 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.

9th Week of Ordinary Time 2023 - Wednesday - Resurrected bodies and Consecrated Virginity

 Every Sunday, Catholics profess our faith in “the resurrection of the body”: We firmly believe, that, just as Christ is truly risen from the dead and lives forever, so after death the righteous will live forever with the risen Christ in a physical, bodily eternity. 

Since humans were created by God as bodily beings, the fullness of our redemption will also include a resurrected, glorified body. We will have bodies in eternity: hands, feet, mouths, eyes, and ears, just like Jesus did after his resurrection. This body will have the characteristics of Christ’s glorified body.

Perhaps inspired by his encounter with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus, St. Paul explains that our resurrected bodies will be radiant with divine glory. 

Thomas Aquinas reflects upon this further stating that the resurrected body will be incapable of suffering; we’ll be able to move without difficulty or labor. In the resurrection there will no longer be sickness, pain, or disability. 

But what will we do with our bodies? St. John affirms that in eternity we shall see God as he is. We will share in the very life of God, the eternal exchange of love within the Holy Trinity.

In today’s passage from the Gospel of Mark, the Lord teaches about life after the resurrection. He says, “When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven.”

In an earlier passage, the Lord teaches that marriage is part of God’s plan “from the beginning” and is a sacred bond that no human is authorized to break. 

In today’s passage, the Lord affirms that marriage on earth is “until death do us part”. As good and necessary as marriage is for the present age, it will give way to something far greater, a union with God and all the saints that will infinitely surpass the earthly one-flesh union of husband and wife.

In Catholic tradition, the vocations to consecrated virginity and celibacy are especially valued as signs reminding us of this ultimate destiny. Consecrated virginity and celibacy remind us, that in this life, no matter our vocation, we are to aim at the divine, turning to God with our whole body, mind and soul; to want to please God in everything; as Paul writes in Romans: to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect” for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - -  

To God the Father Almighty, may every prayer of our heart be directed, for it is His will that all humanity should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her.

For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them, and deepen in them the virtues of justice and religion.

For the support of all of the churches consecrated virgins and celibates, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life. 

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, especially for the sick and victims of war and terror and natural disaster.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, 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.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

June 6 2023 - St. Norbert - Church Renewal through Scripture and Eucharistic Adoration

 Yesterday, we celebrated the feast of the Apostle to the Germans: St. Boniface, who around the year 750 is sent by the Pope to evangelize the wild frontier of Europe at the time: the Netherlands, Austria, and Germany—spreading the Gospel among the scattered Germanic tribes and delivering them from their pagan worship and witchcraft. The blood of the martyrs certainly water the fields of Christendom in Europe, for within two hundred years of Boniface’s martyrdom, the Holy Roman Empire was established. 

Today’s saint, was born into the German nobility in the high middle ages. Norbert was ordained a subdeacon and was given a role in the imperial court as chaplain to the emperor and was put in charge of dispensing alms to the poor. But soon, Norbert fell into the trap of worldliness and began to take on a lot of the vices and bad habits of the emperor’s court. The Holy Roman Empire was not always very Holy…or Roman for that matter. Anyway.

During a violent thunderstorm, Norbert had a close brush with death. That glimpse of mortality and the judgment that comes at the end of life, led Norbert to a deeper conversion to Christ. At his ordination to the priesthood in 1115, Norbert gave away all of his possessions and moved to the valley of Premontre in northern France, from which we get the name Premonstratensian, the contemplative religious order he would go on to found. Because Premonstratensians, is a bit of a mouthful, they are typically called, the Norbertines, these days.

As a contemplative, Norbert’s life revolved around Prayer, Scripture, and the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. As a priest and later as an archbishop, Norbert spent many hours in contemplation of the divine mysteries.  Consequently, His preaching and teaching were infused with the fruit of his time in prayer.

He believed that devotion to the Scriptures and to the Blessed Sacrament were essential for the renewal of his diocese and for the religious life of his monks. He encouraged the members of his religious order to read the scriptures often, and to pattern their lives after the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  These days when we are talking more and more about evangelization, that means Catholics must become much more familiar and devoted to the Scriptures, so that we can draw people to Christ through them.

Norbert was also devoted to the Blessed Sacrament, and Norbert attributed the conversion of sinners, the reform of the clergy, and the spread of the Gospel throughout his diocese to time spent in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  Religious art often depicts him holding a monstrance or kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

As the Church begins this year of Eucharistic Renewal, St. Norbert certainly offers a program for all of us to follow: to turn away from worldly vices and to alternate between time with the scriptures in our laps and time on our knees before the Blessed Sacrament for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

To God the Father Almighty, may every prayer of our heart be directed, for it is His will that all humanity should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her.

For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them, and deepen in them the virtues of justice and religion.

That the Norbertine Order and all those consecrated religious may inspire us to strive for greater holiness.

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, especially for the sick and victims of war and terror and natural disaster.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, 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.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

June 5 2023 - St. Boniface - Axes and idols

 

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Boniface, who is known as the apostle to the Germans. Boniface was born in what is now England in the 7th century, at a time when Western Europe was still rebuilding itself after the fall of Roman Empire.

By the time he was about forty years old, the Benedictine Boniface was known as a gifted scholar and preacher, and was abbot of a Benedictine monastery. But at the request of the Pope, Boniface traveled to mainland Europe to spread the Gospel in places yet unevangelized. He travelled into the wild frontier lands of what are now the Netherlands, Austria, and Germany. Even though the Pope had made him Bishop prior to his mission, his initial efforts were unsuccessful.

One of the obstacles Boniface faced was that the German tribes clung to their pagan worship. They believed in Christ to some extent, but they refused to reject the old gods like Odin and Thor. They also refused to give up witchcraft.  

The story goes that Boniface made way to a giant oak tree where the germans gathered to offer false worship to the Thor.  So Boniface, took an axe and he begins chopping down this tree. The pagans cursed Boniface and waited for him to be struck dead by the old gods for his sacrilege.  But, just after chopping a small notch in the tree, God finished the job: the tree was blast apart from above from a bolt from heaven.  And the germans who had before cursed Boniface now began to believe in the one True God.  Moreover, Boniface took the wood of the tree and built an oratory in honor of Saint Peter whose successor had sent him on this mission.  

This is why you’ll often see stained glass windows and statues with St. Boniface in his bishop’s attire, holding an axe, standing on a tree trunk. 

Pagan oaks of error, superstition, and false teaching seem to be sprouting up like weeds all over the place these days. There are gatherings of professed witches in every major city. There are witchcraft stores in Lakewood. The old idols of fame, power, pleasure and wealth take on various forms, and yet, even within the Church, we have prelates and clerics who have made public opinion into idols—allowing public opinion guide church life rather than divine revelation.

Working for the spread of the Gospel in our modern world seems like daunting work, but remember that Boniface only needed to take those first courageous swings with the axe before God did the rest of the work. Boniface’s actions challenged the false beliefs of the society around him, and brought others to Christ.

Perhaps there is a pagan idol that you are called to take a few swings at. Perhaps God might be challenging you to pick up the axe with your fellow Christians. Likely, we all have axes to swing. The least we can do is  pick up the axe of persistent prayer, that our contemporaries may be delivered from their modern idols to belief in Christ.

In a letter written to a Benedictine abbess, Saint Boniface wrote: “Let us stand fast in what is right and prepare our souls for trial…let us be neither dogs that do not bark, nor silent onlookers, nor paid servants who run away before the wolf.” Christians cannot be silent onlookers as souls are swayed to worship the false idols of the day. 

May we hold firmly to the faith Boniface taught with his lips and sealed with his blood, and confidently profess that faith by our deeds, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Trinity Sunday 2023 - Divine Truth that conquers our sinful pride

 As I’ve shared before, I had the great privilege of living in Rome for my last semester of college seminary. Rome is truly one of the great pilgrimage destinations of our faith. It is a deeply powerful and moving experience to visit the churches, and the relics of the saints, and the Vatican—not to mention to see all of the sacred art and architecture inspired by our faith. Rome is also a major global destination for tourists—those who really have no intention of a spiritual experience. But, that’s okay. For there have been many who visited Rome as a tourist, but then had a powerful conversions. 

But, one of things about Rome that always bugged me, is that you can’t go a day without hearing—on the subways, on the street corners, in some of the piazza’s—the song “My Way” made popular by Frank Sinatra. 

And to be honest, I liked that song as a teenager. And perhaps that’s not surprising. Willful teenagers are very interested in doing things “my way”. The lyrics to the song paint the picture of a person at the end of their life, not apologizing for doing things “my way”. I took control, I made the plans, I overcame doubts, I’ve pushed past tears, I’ve refused to kneel, because I did things “my way”. 

And I guess I get it, the song is played over and over and over in Rome because it was made popular by an Italian-American, although it was written by a Frenchman—and it’s appeals to the tourists. But hearing that song with its lyrics of boastfully and pridefully rejecting any way but my own, refusing to kneel to any god but my own ego, in the Holy City is deeply disturbing. Because Rome, as our Christianity’s religious capital in a sense is supposed to be about anything but, “my way”. For our faith boasts not “my way” by Thy way be done, God’s will be done, not my own. Willfulness is what got us in trouble in the first place. Willful sinful pride is the cause of our downfall. And sinful pride continues to lead us away from God.

I bring up my mostly rational disdain for that song on this Trinity Sunday because at the heart of today’s feast is faith. Faith in something that I don’t define. Faith in something I don’t control. Faith in something that is bigger than me. A mystery greater than my finite intelligence can grasp. Faith in something that my ego must surrender to. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit whether I understand what that means or not. 

And we are not the source of this Truth. The fact that we know that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—One God, in Three Divine Persons, isn’t something that we figured out for ourselves. It’s not a matter of human ingenuity or industry. This Truth about God—God’s Triune Nature—has been revealed by God Himself as a truth for us to accept. 

And perhaps this is why Christianity is so terribly difficult for so many people in our modern day to accept. Because “My Way”, "my truth", "my opinion", "my body, my choice" is the anthem, the motto, the modus operandi, of modern man. Many may not admit it directly, but it’s certainly right under the surface of so many of our contemporaries: no one is going to tell me what to believe. No Pope. No priest. No holy book. I’ll determine what my own truth is, thank you very much. 

But that sounds a lot like Adam and Eve all over again, doesn’t it? It’s our downfall. Choosing to be closed to the truth that comes from God will always lead to our destruction—separation from God and division within the human family. 

One of my  favorite documents coming out of the Second Vatican Council was a document called Dei Verbum—latin for the Word of God...on Divine Revelation--how God communicates His Word, His truth to us. Right at the beginning of the document, Dei Verbum explains God’s desire to make Himself known, to make his truth known to us. It says, “In His goodness and wisdom God chose to reveal Himself and to make known to us the hidden purpose of His will by which through Christ, the Word made flesh, man might in the Holy Spirit have access to the Father and come to share in the divine nature. Through this revelation, therefore, the invisible God out of the abundance of His love speaks to men as friends and lives among them, so that He may invite and take them into fellowship with Himself. This plan of revelation is realized by deeds and words…the deepest truth about God and the salvation of man shines out for our sake in Christ, who is both the mediator and the fullness of all revelation.”

As a bit of a theology nerd, that paragraph makes my heart go pitter-pat. God has revealed this Truth—that He is Triune—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to draw us closer to Him in Love--that we may know Him and love Him and have friendship with Him. 

Today’s feast used to be one of my least favorite to preach on because I thought it was about coming up with some analogy to help you all better understand the relationships between the three divine persons, or the nature of God, or what the word consubstantial actually means, or explaining the heresies which misrepresent the truth about God. But really, at the heart of today’s feast is God desiring us to him—to draw us into a friendship that will change your life. 

That’s why “My way” is such a terrible idea. It’s lonely as it is closed-in on itself because it’s godless and divergent from friendship with God, if me and only me determines what is good and true. Rather, Trinity Sunday invites us to Faith that opens us to the peace, joy, life, and fulfillment that comes from knowing God. And this offers us a firm foundation for the whole of our life. 

There is a well-known prayer called the Act of Faith which expresses this: “O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches because you have revealed them who are eternal truth and wisdom, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. In this faith I intend to live and die. Amen.”

Faith. Faith in God. Faith in the teachings of the Church. This is the firm foundation which enables us to resist being swept up by the chaos of this world.

In the second reading, St. Paul says, “Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.” Agree with one another, on what? This isn't about agreeing on who makes the best pizza pie, over here, but on matters of Ultimate Truth. Possessing the unity of faith in the truth that comes from God. And when we do that, we will live in peace. So, trust the teachings of the Church—all of them—even the ones that might bring you ridicule from the worldly. 

In my experience as a priest—those who trust the Church have greater peace—just like Paul says. If this is a struggle for you, know that I pray for you, because I hope that you can discover the peace that comes from faith that is deeper than your feelings. Faith that is grounded in the Truth of God Himself. Seek deeper faith that you may have deeper peace for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

First Friday Holy Hour - June 2023 - Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

 

The month of June is traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The reason June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart is primarily because during this month we celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart on the Friday after Corpus Christi. This year that will be June 16. Is it a coincidence that June is also the middle of the calendar year, or the heart of the calendar year.

But during this month with seek to deepen our devotion to the Sacred Heart—the heart of intense love for us.

During this month we seek to understand and be grateful for and encounter more deeply and spread for easily the human and divine love of Jesus for the world. And so this devotion gets to the heart of our Faith, the heart of Christianity. God loves us, and commands that we love each other. Love is the Lord’s first and greatest commandment. God asks for our love because He wishes to be the God and Master of our hearts through love. Our Lord has loved us with an infinite love, even unto death, and still loves us without limit. He wants to be loved by us. He appeals to our hearts and bids us love Him in return.

St. Margaret Mary to whom the Lord revealed the devotion to his Heart writes, “He made me see that it was the great desire He had of being loved by men, and of withdrawing them from the road of perdition, that induced Him to conceive this plan of making His Heart known to men, with all the treasures of love, of mercy, of grace, of sanctification, and of salvation, in order that those who wish to render and procure Him all the honor, glory, and love of which they are capable, might be abundantly and profusely enriched with the treasures of the Heart of God.”

Some amazing things in that one statement. First, Jesus revealed to St. Margaret Mary that he desires to be loved by us. God wants our love. God wants signs of our love. God wants us to spend time with him. He wants to hear our words of adoration and receive the silent gaze of adoration.

In the Eucharist, he has certainly given us this opportunity. For when we kneel in Eucharistic Adoration we are able to express our love for God through words and in silence, in simple loving attention. In fixing our hearts on his, present in the Eucharist, our hearts can be set ablaze like his.

And that’s the other thing from that passage from St. Margaret Mary: we are abundantly and profusely enriched with treasure from the heart of God when seek to love God as we can. This gets to the very heart of who God is. God is love. And he enriches us as we seek to love Him. We become better and richer when we love, because by doing so we become like Him.

To know and love Jesus Christ is our highest gain both for time and eternity. No sacrifice could be too great to attain it. And yet, we have this simple blessed hour, which is more like a gift than a sacrifice, to know His love and to seek to love Him more. May this time be blessed, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

June 2 2023 - Sts. Marecellinus and Peter - Martyrs of the Great Persecution

 

As you likely know, for the first three hundred years of our faith, our faith was persecuted throughout the Roman Empire. Some of those persecutions were fiercer than others. Well, around the year 284, the most severe of the persecutions was led by the Emperor Diocletian--known as the Great Persecution. Thousands of Christians were executed under the authority of Imperial edicts.

During the Great Persecution, clerics and laity were rounded up, imprisoned, tortured, and killed, the churches we had managed to erect were burned, along with our scriptures and ritual texts. The goal of the persecution was to finally force Christians to relinquish their faith and to submit to the Roman pagan religion, including the worship of the emperor himself as a divinity. And the persecution was empire wide, from Palestine, Syria, including Antioch to Greece and of course in Rome. 

Many of the martyrs of the Great persecution are still honored with great devotion today: Sebastian, Agnes, Vitus, Lucy, Cyrsogonus, Cosmos and Damian, Januarius, Catherine of Alexandria.

Around 303, the Great Persecution reached its fiercest point. And it was then that the two saints honored today were killed. The first was a Roman exorcist by the name of Peter. While in prison, Peter performed an exorcism on the daughter of the prison-keeper. This demonstration of Christ's power over demons is said to have brought about the conversion of the daughter, the prison-keeper, his wife, and the entire household--all of whom were baptized by the second saint honored today, the Roman priest Marcellinus.

After this, both Marcellinus and Peter were called before a judge who was determined to enforce the emperor's decree against the Church. When Marcellinus testified courageously to his faith in Christ, he was beaten, stripped of his clothes, and deprived of food in a dark cell filled with broken glass shards. Peter was also returned to confinement.

But the conversions continued. And they were so successful in converting their fellow prisoners, that the Roman authorities didn’t want to risk a public execution, lest their deaths inspire even more conversions. So Marcellinus and Peter were taken to a forest in the middle of the night, forced to dig their own graves, and beheaded. 

It is said that the executioner was so moved by their courage that he sought out baptism, and later shared with Pope Damasus the location of the martyrdom, so a church could be built there. 

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of taking part in the celebration of the Sacrament of confirmation with about 40 young people, and so many of them chose as their confirmation patrons, the names of those early Christian martyrs. 2000 years later, young people, still look to the martyrs of the early Roman church as inspiration for living out the Christian faith. 

Why? No doubt, their courage in the face of hostility is perennially inspiring. All of us face some sort of adversity, and the martyrs show us what courage looks like, they show us that courage is possible, withstanding adversity, persevering throughout an earthly trial is possible. Their love for Jesus Christ and the Church is also contagious. 

May Marcellinus and Peter and all of the martyrs of the Roman Church help us to courageously confess Christ in our own day and place, remaining true to Him in word and deed, loving Him with all of our heart, mind, and strength, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - 

For openness to the Holy Spirits gifts, that we may be always bold and clear in spreading and defending the Gospel.

That the faith of the martyrs may give us courage in times of persecution.

For our young people beginning summer vacation, that they may be kept close to the truth and heart of Jesus.

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, 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.

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.

A reading from the book of the prophet Joel

Thus says the Lord God: Children of Zion, delight and rejoice in the LORD, your God! For he has faithfully given you the early rain, sending rain down on you, the early and the late rains as before. The threshing floors will be full of grain, the vats spilling over with new wine and oil. You will eat until you are fully satisfied, then you will praise the name of the LORD, your God, Who acts so wondrously on your behalf! My people will never again be put to shame. Then you will know that I am in the midst of Israel: I, the LORD, am your God, and there is no other; my people will never again be put to shame.

A continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set [him] in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles* into the middle in front of Jesus. When he saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? l But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”