January 31 2024 - St. John Bosco - David's Self-Offering

 We’ve been reading from the book of Samuel for the last three weeks since the conclusion of the Christmas season. And we’ve come to the book’s final chapter.

Chapter 24 of II Samuel occurs near the end of David’s life. David has served as king for many years. There have been many successes and many failures. And even in the end, as we heard today, David is still not trusting God as he should. David calls for a census of those able to serve in the military—those who would live and die for the nation. And for David this was a sinful act. Why?

Because it was a failure to trust God. The census infringed upon the prerogatives of God who himself keeps the register of those who are to live or die. And so we heard that there would be a consequence of David’s sin. Sin always has consequences. And so there was a plague. And the plague swept through the nation.

The plague began in the late spring during the wheat harvest. And just as the plague was reaching Jerusalem, David approaches the angel of the Lord, there on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite—the place where wheat was processed—where the edible grain is separated from the stalk.   

And there David offers himself on behalf of his people: “It is I who have sinned, punish me, spare them.” This is David’s finest hour, is it not? The shepherd king offers himself as a self-sacrifice to spare his people. The good shepherd lays down his life for his flock.  David becomes the grain of wheat willing to die, so that his people might live. A beautiful, noble moment for David. 

And that’s where our reading stops this morning. But in the final verses of the book of Samuel we read how this very spot, this threshing floor, this place where David offered himself as a sacrifice, will be ordained by God as the place on which his Temple would be built—the altar, the place of worship, that would serve as the locus of religious worship for the next thousand years. And as Jews would come to offer their sacrifices to God in that place, they would recall that they were to emulate David. They weren’t simply making sacrifice of wheat, and animals, they were making sacrifices of themselves.

So too, for Christians, as we gather at the altar, yes, we gather at the cross, that place in which our shepherd king offered sacrifice of himself, but at the same time, we must offer ourselves. As Eucharistic Prayer IV says: “may all who partake of this one Bread and one Chalice, that gathered into one body of the Holy Spirit, they may truly become a living sacrifice in Christ to the praise of your glory”

As we gather at the altar this day, with all of our successes and failures, like David, like all Christians, saints and sinners a like, we offer ourselves, submitting ourselves to the Divine Will, that our lives may be always in service to the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

During this Catholic Schools week, for all young people, for their teachers and catechists and parents who are the first teachers of the faith, and that the truth of the faith may be learned, cherished, and practiced in every Catholic school and Christian home.

For all young people who have fallen into delinquency, through the intercession of St. John Bosco, they may they turn away from sin and crime, and develop a deep love for the ways of Christ.

For all those in prison, for those who struggle with addiction and mental distress, that the healing of Christ may bring them wholeness and the promises of Christ may bring them hope.

For the sick and suffering among us, for those who care for them, and for all of our beloved dead, especially X, for whom this mass is offered.

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.

4th Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Tuesday - Jesus enters our misery and brings new life

 There is an old Irish saying that "old sins cast long shadows." In other words, Sin has consequences. In the readings from Samuel, we’ve been hearing about the consequences of David’s sins in his own family.

David's sins of adultery and murder reverberated beyond his relationship with Bathsheba. His sins affected his entire family as his son and heir followed his example of sexual sin by defiling his own sister, Tamar. 

David's failure to give his daughter justice created a resentment that festered in her brother Absalom until he sought revenge against both his brother and his father. Absalom murdered his brother and became next in line to the throne.

Yesterday’s reading detailed how David had to flee Jerusalem when the loyalty of the people was transferred to Absalom. The consequences of David’s sin rippled into the life of the nation, and David was cursed by his own people, they threw stones and dirt at him as he passed by.

Today, we read how David’s servants murdered Absalom. And even though Absalom was seeking to kill David, the death of his son struck him to the heart. Sin has consequences, in our families and to our nation.

In the Gospel, we read of another child who had died, not the son of a king, but the daughter of a synagogue official. At her apparent passing, there was weeping and commotion much like David’s own weeping in the first reading. And Jesus enters into this grief-filled scene, and restores the life of young girl. 

Considering these two readings side by side, we see a powerful parallel. Sin, and the consequences of sin, namely, disease and death bring us misery. But Jesus enters into this miserable state of ours and brings new life. We may not be able to avoid the misery brought about by our own sins. But Jesus enters into our misery and brings new life. 

The Gospel passage also foreshadows how those who die in Christ will be raised to new life in the resurrection. But notice, how Jesus brings healing as a result of the pleas of the synagogue official.

The Lord hears the cry of the poor. The Lord hears the prayers we offer for the sick, for family members who have gone astray. And we need to persist in our prayers for those in need. But also, recall, that we are anointed Christians, and that the Lord wishes to bring healing, relief, a new life, through us. We must respond to the cries of the poor, entering into the misery of others, as the chosen instruments the Lord wishes to use to bring about his glorious will, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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To God the Father Almighty we direct the prayers of our heart for the needs and salvation of humanity and the good of His faithful ones.

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

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

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief.

For ourselves and our own community, that the Lord may graciously receive us as a sacrifice acceptable to himself.

For our beloved dead, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Mass is offered.

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.

4th Week in Ordinary Time 2024 (School Mass)- Unbinding through education

 The image in the Gospel is a powerful one. A man possessed by a demon had been bound, shackled, and chained because that demon caused him to thrash about and cause harm to himself and others. Because of that demon, that evil spirit within him, he could not control his body, he could not control his words, he could not control his actions. 

And then Jesus draws close to the demon possessed man. And through his divine authority as God in the flesh, Jesus commands the demon to depart from him. And free from the demon, he regained used of mind, his body, his words, and his actions. The chains could come off and he could return to his family—to pursue the goodness for which he was created.

Again, what a powerful story: Jesus offers freedom from the spirits and ideas and behaviors which cause us harm. Jesus offers us freedom from evil, those sorts of evil which take root in our minds and hearts, which can lead us to harm the people we love, and even ourselves. The sort of evil that causes us to act more like wild animals than children of God. Evil that keeps us from peace and joy and goodness.

What a powerful story. One that contains a promise. Draw near to Jesus. Allow Jesus to draw near to you. Be willing to allow Jesus to free you from all the forms of evil that shackle and chain and cause self-harm and harm to others.

A powerful story for any day of the year for us to consider, but also one that is absolutely perfect for the beginning of Catholic Schools Week.

Why do Catholic Schools exist? Education. What is education? The word education comes from the latin – educare – to lead a person out of something. To lead a person out of something. Out of what? Out of ignorance. The sort of ignorance that can cause harm to ourselves and to others. An uneducated mind can cause real harm in this world. And so education leads us out of ignorance. Out of Ignorance, but also it leads us into, the higher realm of Truth and Life and Goodness. And that is where happiness lies. 

When we are young we put training wheels on bicycles so we do not harm ourselves or others. But through the training and practice education offers, those training wheels can come off and we can ride further and faster and freer and happier.

Students, let your teachers teach you. Because in a Catholic School, Jesus is at work through them to lead you out of ignorance.

But teachers, your responsibility is great, to allow the Truth and Goodness of Jesus to animate your vocation. Education is not simply accomplished through words, words, words. But how you conduct yourselves, your prayerfulness and patience and gentleness and generosity and faith. 

The evil spirits and errors of our world are legion, they are many. But the goodness of Christ can free all those who want to be free. And children need examples of those who live in the freedom of Christ. 

May this Catholic Schools Week help us to recommit to the learning and teaching Jesus wants for us, that we may live in the freedom befitting the children of God for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

January 26 2024 - Sts. Timothy & Titus - "God did not give us a spirit of cowardice"

Following the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul yesterday, today we commemorate two of Paul’s closest co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord: Saints Timothy and Titus.  

Sometimes, when we think of St. Paul, we think of him single-handedly converting Asia Minor and Greece, but not so. Paul had friends, coworkers, companions. 

On his second missionary journey, Paul recruited young Timothy from his native town of Lystra in Asia Minor. Timothy received training as an apostle as he accompanied Paul. 

The book of Acts, chapter 16, tells us “Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him…As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” Later, Paul sends Timothy on important apostolic missions to Thessalonica, another to Corinth. And when Paul was imprisoned for his witness to Christ, Timothy stayed at Paul’s side, until he was sent to Ephesus to be Bishop of that place.

Titus was a gentile disciple and close friend of Paul, also accompanying and assisting Paul in his missionary activity.  Titus was with Paul at the Council of Jerusalem, and when Paul was having trouble with the community at Corinth because of community division, erroneous faith and rampant immorality, Paul sent Titus bearing his letter to the Corinthians, and Titus embraced them with the love of the true pastor’s heart.  This was probably one reason, why Paul felt so assured at naming Titus bishop of Crete, which was also riddled with error. He too would be martyred--beheaded by his adversaries in Crete in AD 97.

As they shared in the missionary activity of the Church, Timothy and Titus now share a feast day, reminding us all that we share our work in the vineyard of the Lord, and we are to draw courage from their examples. As we heard in Paul’s second letter to Timothy: “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.”

What is that holy work that I would do for God if I weren’t afraid—afraid of hardship, afraid of the judgment of the worldly, afraid of suffering? What fears or worldly vices are keeping me from drawing strength from God, from being filled with his holy power and divine love? What do I need to say no to, in order to say yes to God? To draw upon the image from the Gospel, what are the mustard seeds that I am called to plant, so God can bring about flourishing in the Church?

Through the holy example and heavenly intercession of Saints Timothy and Titus and the whole communion of saints, may we know the strength that comes from God in bearing our own share of hardship for the Gospel, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That our bishops in union with the Pope, may share a profound zeal for faithful preaching and teaching, stirring up the flame of faith in the life of the Church. Let us pray to the Lord.

That our parish may build up missionary disciples equipped for working together for the spread of the Gospel. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the conversion of all hardened sinners and all persecutors of the faith and those in error, that the Lord may touch their hearts and remove the blindness from their eyes. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who have suffered as a result of violence or abuse, all of the sick and suffering, especially victims of natural disaster, poverty, and addiction, may they be comforted and supported by God’s healing love. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. Let us 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

3rd Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Tuesday - The Ark of the Covenant and the soul's journey to joy

 Our reading through the historical books of Samuel allow us to consider the significance of some of the powerful biblical events. Today we hear of young King David, presiding over the Ark of the Covenant finally making its way to Jerusalem. The ark certainly has had a long journey.

The Ark of the Covenant, remember was constructed at Sinai using the pattern given by God to Moses. The Ark guided Israel’s 40 year journey through the wilderness. Upon reaching the edge of the promised land, under the leadership of Joshua the Israelites carried the Ark with them, and the Jordan River split allowing passage into the land of Canaan. 

In the Battle of Jericho, the Israelites’ first battle in the conquest of Canaan, they carried the Ark and marched around the city for days with armed men and the seven priests sounding the seven trumpets. On the seventh day, the wall of Jericho fell and the Israelites took over the city. After the conquest, Joshua set up the Ark, together with the tabernacle, in Shiloh. The Ark remained in Shiloh until the battle between the Israelites and the Philistines during the time of Eli.

When the Israelites were defeated by the Philistines, they took the Ark to Eben-ezer hoping to win the next battle. However they were defeated again, and the Ark was captured by the Philistines. In Shiloh, the High Priest Eli fell dead upon hearing the news of the Ark’s capture.

The Philistines brought the Ark with them to their capital city, Ashdod and put it in the temple of their idol god Dagon. However, on the next day, the gigantic statue of Dagon fell to the ground. The same thing happened again the following day. When the city began to suffer plague due to the ark’s presence there the Ark was moved to the city of Gath and then Ekron, but the plagues continued.

After keeping the Ark for seven months, the Philistines decided to return it to the Israelites together with offerings of expensive gifts upon the advice of their diviners and priests. The Ark is transported to Kiryat Yearim, where it stayed during the reign of King Saul for twenty years, and was pretty much neglected.

Then today we read of David, having secured the walled Jebusite city of Jerusalem, brings the Ark into the new capital city of the united kingdom. David girds himself in a sort of liturgical garment and dances in joy before the ark.

The story of the Ark coming to Jerusalem is reminiscent of the souls journey to God. At times we follow God’s plans and allow ourselves to be guided by God. At times we presume that our will corresponds with God’s will and we suffer defeat, the consequences of our presumption, and sin, and idolatry--from our perspective there is separation from God. But God is at work to topple our idols and to be reestablished in our hearts where he can receive the honor and worship he desires and deserves, which brings us the joy that truly gladdens our hearts.

Through God’s help, may we remain with Him, and like David learn to dance for joy in his presence, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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To God the Father Almighty we direct the prayers of our heart for the needs and salvation of humanity and the good of His faithful ones.

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

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

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief.

For ourselves and our own community, that the Lord may graciously receive us as a sacrifice acceptable to himself.

For our beloved dead, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Mass is offered.

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.

January 22 2024 - Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children - Call upon the name of the Lord

 On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court legalized abortion throughout the United States in its companion decisions Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton. Since that time, millions of children have lost their lives, and millions of women and families have been wounded by abortion.

On June 24, 2022, the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturned Roe v. Wade, and we praise God for the great opportunity state and federal legislators now have to protect pre-born children. While God, in His mercy, ended the nearly fifty-year nationwide regime of abortion on demand, right now state and federal laws, in many instances, are still hostile to pre-born children. So, great prayer and advocacy is very needed.

While the Church has deep concerns about the "many threats to human life and dignity in our society," including euthanasia, the death penalty, immigration policy, racism, poverty, care for the environment, criminal justice reform, economic development and international peace, the protection of innocent life in the womb is, as Pope Francis rightly explains, “the preeminent priority”.

Vatican II declared, “God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.”

On this Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children we recited in our responsorial psalm, from Psalm 8, “O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!” 

Why is that Psalm used for this mass? Psalm 8 begins, “LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth! I will sing of your majesty above the heavens with the mouths of babes and infants.”

The Psalm alludes to the fact that God is attentive to the cries of babes and infants. The praises that are sung to God by God’s faithful ones throughout the earth are rightly aligned with concern for babes and infants. In a sense, we are only giving God lip service, if we do not also care for the innocent babes and infants. Care for the babes and infants is an integral part of our Catholic faith. And justice—our hope for justice—for those babes and infants, lies in the name of the Lord.

We invoke the name of the Lord today for the legal protection of the unborn.

Recall the words of St. Bernadine, praising the name of the Lord Jesus. St. Bernadine said, “Glorious name, gracious name, name of love and of power! Through you sins are forgiven, through you enemies are vanquished, through you the sick are freed from their illness, through you those suffering in trials are made strong and cheerful. You bring honor to those who believe, you teach those who preach, you give strength to the toiler, you sustain the weary.”

Throughout the day today, call upon the name of the Lord for the unborn, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.  

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That the leaders and members of the Church may fulfill with joy their calling to proclaim, celebrate, and serve the Gospel of Life, we pray to the Lord…

That Court decisions which permit the destruction of innocent life may be resisted and reversed, we pray to the Lord…

That God may protect all unborn babies, and keep them safe from the scourge of abortion, we pray to the Lord...

That all women facing difficult or unplanned pregnancies may receive compassionate care and the support they need, let us pray to the Lord.

That all medical professionals involved in the practices of abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia, may experience conversion of mind and heart and cease these activities, we pray to the Lord…

For all women who have had abortions, that they may seek out and experience God’s tender mercy, we pray to the Lord.

In thanksgiving for the many children who have been saved from abortion through the efforts of the pro-life movement, we pray to the Lord…

For all the dead, for all the souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and for X, for whom this Holy 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

2nd Week of Ordinary Time 2024 - Friday - David's humility, mercy, and peace

 Continuing our reading from the first book of Samuel, we hear of a very strange story today. To review, the anointed King Saul had hardened his heart toward God and was deemed unworthy of the kingship of Israel. So God sent Samuel to Bethlehem, where Samuel anointed the shepherd boy, David.

In his guilt, Saul sought out a skilled harpist to ease his troubled heart, and his servants located one—the very same shepherd boy that had just been anointed, David of Bethlehem. David enters into Saul’s service, and Saul comes to trust David so much that Saul makes David his personal armor-bearer. It is during this time of service of Saul, that David, guided by his faith in God, defeats the philistine giant Goliath.

David grows in fame and admiration among the people of Israel, and Saul begins to grow jealous. Desiring to keep his enemy close, Saul offers David the hand of his daughter as a bride. The two marry, and David becomes royalty. Saul sends David to the front lines of battle, and David is so successful that Saul’s jealousy escalates into hatred and he attempts to kill David with a spear. 

So, David flees into hiding, and as we heard today, as Saul is in pursuit of David, Saul, has a call of nature, and goes to relieve himself in the very cave where David was hiding. David had a chance to kill Saul. Davids cohort even urges him to take Saul’s life. But David spares Saul out of reverence for his holy anointing. Even though Saul was a bad king, and killing Saul would enable him to assume kingship of Israel, David’s faith and reverence for God guides his decision to spare Saul.

David announces his presence, giving up his advantage, and approaches Saul in a spirit of humility. And realize, Saul could have commanded his troops into the cave to slaughter David right there. Guided by faith, David makes himself vulnerable to a man who wanted him dead. David's speech moves Saul emotionally and he remembers the affection he once had for David. For the first time in many chapters, Saul calls David by name, a name he once used in friendship. And maybe it’s out of self-pity, or maybe it’s out of remorse that he had become obsessed with killing an innocent man, but Saul breaks down in tears, and the two are reconciled. 

David’s humility and faith transformed this hostile relationship—a hostility that could have had devastating effects on Israel—a civil war between the supporters of David and the supporters of Saul. David’s humility and faith healed a national division, and a broken friendship. Through David’s humility and faith, God delivered Israel and Saul from evil. 

How might God be calling you to imitate David’s example? How might God be calling you to humble yourself—to trust in God—in order to bring about the healing of division or some other good that God desires? Is there anyone in your life toward whom you might be called to imitate David’s humility and mercy? 

May we be guided by humility, mercy, peace in all of our relationships. For Jesus proclaims “blessed are the humble”, “blessed are the merciful”, “blessed are the peacemakers”. Humility, mercy, and peace are blessed. May we seek that blessedness for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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To God the Father Almighty we direct the prayers of our heart for the needs and salvation of humanity and the good of His faithful ones.

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

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

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief.

For ourselves and our own community, that the Lord may graciously receive us as a sacrifice acceptable to himself.

For our beloved dead, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Mass is offered.

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.

January 17 2024 - St. Anthony of the desert - Retreat in order to be filled

Last night, I attended an event hosted by the Young Adult Ministry of the diocese called, “Theology on Tap”. It meets monthly at a local bar, and a priest or lay person offers a presentation on some theological topic. Last night, Fr. Mike McCandless, former vocation director for the diocese and current administrator of Holy Family parish in Stowe, offered a powerful presentation on retreats: why we should make a regular retreat. 

Catholic priests are required by canon law to make an annual retreat. We took retreats once or twice a year during seminary, and a week long silent retreat leading up to our ordination to the diaconate and to the priesthood. It was on an 8 day silent retreat that I was confirmed in my decision to enter the seminary.

A retreat is exactly that, a withdrawal from the distraction of the world in order to encounter God. Our spiritual director in the seminary would often say that the retreat is closer to heaven than anything else we would experience in seminary. For on retreat, one rests and seeks to be refreshed and enlightened by God’s presence in an intentional and focused way. We become immersed in silence and adoration and meditation on the Word of God and contemplation of God’s presence. 

And even more than simply encountering God, we engage in retreat  to be filled with God’s very life. St Bernard said that we are to be not simply canals in which the Word of God goes in one ear and out the other, but reservoirs, to be filled with the very life of God.

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Anthony of the desert, who himself retreated from the world in order to encounter God. Anthony retreated to the desert because the desert is the place devoid of material attachments and earthly pleasures—those distractions which keep us from seeking God. And there in the desert, Anthony did encounter God.

And yet, like Christ, who himself made a 40 day silent retreat in the desert, Anthony also encountered the devil. The devil would send Anthony great temptations which took great effort and prayer to overcome. The devil would also physically assault Anthony, and beat him to the point of unconsciousness.  

But through that spiritual battle, learning to rely on the Word of God to be his armor, to be his light, Anthony grew in holiness to a tremendous degree. Many souls would seek out the advice of the Desert Abbot St. Anthony. St. Athanasius, Anthony’s biographer, even writes how the emperor Constantine, sought out Anthony’s advice on the administration of the Roman Empire.

Anthony wrote back to Constantine, advising him “not to think much of the present, but rather to remember the judgment that is coming, and to know that Christ alone was the true and Eternal King.”

Our seminary spiritual director would often tell us: each of us needs a regular retreat to encounter God—one hour per day, one day per week, one week per year. We ignore this advice to our own peril and the peril of those we are called to serve.

May we take the time we need to focus our minds and hearts on God, to seek that encounter with Christ in the desert, where he is waiting to meet us, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

To God the Father Almighty we direct the prayers of our heart for the needs and salvation of humanity and the good of His faithful ones.

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

For the peoples of the world, that the Lord may preserve harmony among us.

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may grant them relief and move Christians to come to the aid of the suffering.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life, for all monastics and hermits, and that all Christians may seek the perfection for which they were made.

For our beloved dead, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Mass is offered.

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.

2nd Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Tuesday - The heart of a shepherd

 Over the last week, we have read in our first readings the call of Samuel and the defeat of the Israelites at the hands of the philistines and the loss of the ark. Samuel rallys the Israelites and takes lead of their army and subdues the philistines. After a period of some relative peace in Israel, the Israelites go to Samuel, in his own age, and ask for a king. And this was a disappointing request because it illustrates israel’s failure to allow God to be their king.

But God tells Samuel to give in to this request, and they receive what they asked for. A man named Saul from the time of Benjamin is anointed king—a king of some successes and some failures, but ultimately he is disobedient with God. Yesterday, we heard how Saul’s disobedience—his rebellion against God—has leads to him being rejected by God.

So, today’s reading opens up with Samuel being sent by God to Bethlehem, he encounters Jesse of the tribe of Judah, and Samuel chooses, not the strong first born son of Jesse, but the scrappy red-cheeked youngest of Jesse’s sons as the new king, the shepherd boy David.

God wants a king who doesn’t just appear to be strong, or simply physically strong—God is not interested in physical attributes but in interior purity of heart.

This isn't the first time God shows special favor to shepherds: Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses were shepherds. Shepherds make good kings. And God’s favor of David is certainly evident, for as he is anointed, God’s Spirit rushes upon David. 

David, the anointed shepherd king, foreshadows of course, Christ our Lord and king, who identifies himself as the Good Shepherd in the Gospels.

God loves shepherds. Shepherds love for their sheep is not unlike God’s love for us. After all, David will later compose that most-loved psalm 23, “the Lord is my shepherd”.

But if God loves shepherds, and Jesus is the good shepherd, and we are to imitate Jesus, then we do well to consider what it means to become more shepherd-like. We are to cultivate gentle-loving care for sinners, courage in retrieving the lost sheep from evils of the world, diligence and focus, purity of heart, who considers the good of the flock, the church. With the heart of a shepherd, we are to protect, guide, and nurture, and lay down our life for the ultimate spiritual good of others for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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To God the Father Almighty we direct the prayers of our heart for the needs and salvation of humanity and the good of His faithful ones.

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

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

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief.

For ourselves and our own community, that the Lord may graciously receive us as a sacrifice acceptable to himself.

For our beloved dead, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Mass is offered.

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.

2nd Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Monday - Christ the Bridegroom

 Throughout the Old Testament prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Hosea, as well as in Song of Songs, God reveals the mystery of His desire for union with humanity – a union so intimate that He describes it as spousal love: God is the bridegroom and Israel is the bride.

Despite the infidelity of the people of Israel, God still pursues them with a merciful love. The promise of the bridegroom, however, remained incomplete in the Old Testament.

In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist makes the astonishing claim that Jesus is the Bridegroom—Jesus is God come to earth to unite humanity. John says, “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom… He must increase; I must decrease” 

And in the passage from Mark’s Gospel today, we heard how Jesus identifies himself as the Bridegroom. St. Matthew also reports Jesus’ self-identification as the Bridegroom.

In fact, the Lord also shows that he is the Bridegroom through his deeds. At the wedding at Cana, the wedding party runs out of wine. In Jewish culture it was the groom’s responsibility to provide the wine. And what do we find happening at the wedding at Cana? Jesus miraculously changes jugs of water into an abundance of wine, showing himself to be the long-awaited bridegroom.

Jesus further reveals himself as the bridegroom at the end of his life through the Eucharist and on the Cross. More than a last meal, the Last Supper is a wedding banquet wherein Jesus, like a good husband, offers the total gift of Himself. On the Cross, Jesus consummates this gift and weds himself totally to humanity forever. On the cross, too, his dying breath, in Greek was tetelestai—it is consummated. 

The Church celebrates the Eucharist daily as a memorial of what our Bridegroom has done for us. St. John Paul wrote "The Eucharist is the sacrament of our redemption. It is the sacrament of the Bridegroom and of the Bride." 

Moreover, "the entire Christian life bears the mark of the spousal love of Christ and the Church.” We seek to live upstanding lives, lives full of virtue and grace-- "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev 21:2).—that the union we have begun in Christ on earth, may come to its fulfillment in heaven, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

To God the Father Almighty we direct the prayers of our heart for the needs and salvation of humanity and the good of His faithful ones.

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

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

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief.

For ourselves and our own community, that the Lord may graciously receive us as a sacrifice acceptable to himself.

For our beloved dead, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Mass is offered.

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.

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2024 - Speak Lord, Your Servant is Listening

 For those of you who attend weekday mass or who reflect upon the weekday scripture readings, this is the second time in a week that we read of the call of Samuel from the first book of Samuel. And it’s such a powerful story. 

First Samuel opens in a dark time in Israel's history. The twelve tribes which had settled in the promised land had ignored the warnings of Moses.

On the precipice of the promised land, God spoke to the Israelites through Moses, commanding his people to “faithfully keep and obey all these orders which I am giving you, so that you and your children after you may prosper forever, doing what is good and right in the eyes of God.” God wants his people to prosper and gives them what they need to prosper. 

And yet after the twelve tribes make their way into the promised Land, the Book of Judges records the troubling statement that instead of doing right in the eyes of God everyone was doing what is "right in his own eyes". That is a way of saying—what?—they had adopted a competing morality—they had given up on the ways of God and were determining for themselves what is right. 

When an individual insists on only doing what is “right in his own eyes” – scripture shows us, over and over, that the result is misery. When a whole nation is doing that, it’s so much worse. This explains a lot of the misery in our world today—when we only do what is right “in our own eyes”—turning our eyes and ears and hearts away from the Lord—failing to raise our children in the ways of the Lord—there is misery on a local, national, and global scale.

And so as a result of their unfaithfulness, the Israelites were living in a very dark time, of their own making. We even see those themes of darkness and blindness in the first reading. Samuel tells us that revelations and visions from God were uncommon and infrequent, as if there was this veil of darkness and faithlessness between God and his people.  Eli’s vision was so weak he couldn’t see, and Samuel is stumbling in darkness, he’s confused, God is calling out to him, and he doesn’t even recognize God’s voice. 

As the story begins, Samuel is so spiritually hard of hearing—his faith is so weak—that he is unable to recognize that it is God—the God of his ancestors—calling out to him. It’s like his faith is so weak, he can’t even fathom that God could be calling to him, he thinks it’s Eli calling to him—he keeps running back to Eli, “Here I am, what do you want?”

Anybody relate to that? In our spiritual infancy, we don’t really pray as we should, we don’t really serve as we should, but as we grow in spiritual maturity, and we begin to put more effort into our spiritual lives, we gradually come to discover God’s presence with us, we come to discover our vocation in Christ.

Like Samuel, we are often a little slow to believe, a little hard of hearing, a little unaccustomed to the sound of the voice of God. But God keeps calling out to us. And as we begin to take more seriously the call to pray, the call to serve, the call to engage in works of charity, the call to repentance, we begin to respond to God with greater and greater willingness to serve.

I bet there are people in this church who have very little idea of what God is calling you to. You are here. That’s wonderful. After all, God is calling you to go to Church every week. There are many people in our world and neighborhood who aren’t doing that. But there’s more to the Christian life than going to church once a week. Of course. God is calling, are we listening? Are we responding with the same willingness and zeal that Samuel eventually develops.

In the Gospel this week, we read from the opening chapter of the Gospel of John. And there are some parallels between our first reading and Gospel. John’s Gospel in fact begins acknowledging that prior to coming of Christ, the world was in darkness, and Christ was born as a light shining in darkness, for the darkness has not overcome the light of God.

And then as we heard today, God is so good, that amidst all of our present darkness, Jesus enters directly into our lives and draws people to himself.

Andrew, the brother of Peter, had been a follower of St. John the Baptist. So immediately you know something about Andrew. Andrew was willing to follow John the Baptist--this wild prophet, who ate locusts and wore camel hair and lived out in the desert. Andrew was willing to go to great lengths to seek God. Andrew was a man of hope. He hoped that the coming of the Messiah was right around the corner and he was doing everything he could to prepare for it. 

And when John pointed Jesus out to him as the Lamb of God, Andrew immediately begins to follow Jesus. And after staying with Jesus he goes to his brother Peter and tells him the Messiah is here. It’s time. 

Those beautiful attitudes that we read about in our scriptures this weekend—pf openness to God and readiness and willingness to serve God and allow God to draw us deeper—are to be cultivated in our lives. The readings challenge us, don’t they? Do I have the courage, like Samuel, to say to God, “speak Lord, your servant is listening”—I am at your complete service, I will go wherever you send me, Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will? Do I have the zeal of Andrew, to speak about Jesus and the importance of following Him to my family?

 God is calling, are we listening? If you don’t hear him, you might need to listen a little harder, because he is speaking, calling us to serve, and to cultivate virtue, and to utilize our spiritual gifts for the sake of the kingdom, to bear the light of Christ amidst the darkness of the world for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

1st Week of Ordinary Time 2024 - Friday - Earthly Kings and Personal Responsibility

 As I explained earlier this week, from now until Lent, our weekday first readings will be taken from the historical books of the Old Testament: I & II Samuel, I & II Kings.  

I Samuel opens in a dark time in Israel's history. The twelve tribes which had settled in the promised land had ignored the warnings of Moses and Joshua. They had been urged to  “faithfully keep and obey” the commands of the Lord. Instead of doing what was good and right in the eyes of God, they turned away from the covenant demands. 

Yesterday’s reading contained the account of how, as a result of Israel's infidelity to the covenant, the Philistines defeated Israel and carried away the ark of the covenant. But then, Under Samuel’s spiritual leadership, Israel repented of their sins, defeated the Philistines, retrieved the ark, and built new shrines for the worship of the one true God. 

Everything seemed great, when, as we heard in the reading today, the people make a disturbing request: “appoint a king over us, as other nations have.” This is not the first time the Israelites asked for a king. They had made the request of the judge Gideon to rule over them and to create a royal dynasty, but Gideon refused. Why is this a disturbing request? 

It was Israel's vocation to be God’s divinely chosen people and to be set apart from the other nations of the earth. They were not supposed to be like the other nations of the earth, which had earthly kings to dictate their lives. By asking for a king, by asking to be like the other nations, Israel is rejecting its true king and its own special vocation.

So we heard how God tells Samuel “Grant the people’s every request. It is not you they reject, they are rejecting me as their king.” And we know the rest of the story, how Israel is going to have some decent God fearing kings, and also some wicked kings that bring terrible suffering, who lead Israel to abandon the covenant, to worship false gods, to engage in forbidden immoralities. The rejection of God’s kingship over and over leads to israel being conquered by foreign powers, having families ripped apart and marched into exile.

This story reveals a very sad tendency, the tendency to abandon the responsibility of being God’s chosen ones, to give up the personal responsibility of living with God as your king. 

Yes, we have God appointed authorities in the church and we do need to obey legitimate authority, but no one can force you to live with God as your king, no one can force you to be a saint. If you live with God as your king, your life, your soul will prosper. But it really doesn’t matter who is Pope, who is president, who is mayor, who is pastor: if you personally do not make God your king, you will be miserable, you will be paralyzed.

But Jesus commands the paralyzed in the Gospel today, to get up and walk, walk in the true freedom of the sons and daughters of God, walk as a true subject of the Divine King, and the world will be astonished, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - -  

That the preaching and teachings of the Pope, Bishops, and clergy may be a source of strength and guidance for the Holy Church.

That those in civic authority may submit their minds and hearts to the rule of Christ, the Prince of Peace and Hope of the nations.

For the liberation of those bound by evil, those committed to sin an error, those oppressed or possessed by evil spirits, and for the conversion of the hardest hearts.

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

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

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.

1st Week of Ordinary Time 2024 - Wednesday - Speak Lord, your servant is listening

 As I explained yesterday, from now until Lent we will be reading sequentially through the initial chapters of the Gospel of Mark. We will hear of the Lord’s healings and teachings and miracles and exorcisms.

We will also be reading a lot from the historical books of the Old Testament up until Lent: I & II Samuel, I & II Kings.  

I Samuel opens in a dark time in Israel's history. We even see those themes in today’s reading: revelations and visions from God were uncommon and infrequent, Eli’s vision was so weak he couldn’t see, and Samuel is stumbling in darkness, straining to discern the voice of God.

These dark days in Israel were partially a result of their unfaithfulness. 

Prior to the Conquest of Canaan, the Israelites were commanded by God, “faithfully keep and obey all these orders which I am giving you, so that you and your children after you may prosper for ever, doing what is good and right in the eyes of God.”

And yet at the conclusion of the conquest, the Book of Judges records the troubling statement that everyone was doing what is "right in his own eyes". The Israelites were in direct violation of their covenant obligation to act as God commanded.

When an individual insists on only doing what is “right in his own eyes” – his spiritual blindness brings him misery. When a whole nation is doing that, it’s so much worse. This explains a lot of the misery in our world today, a lot of the darkness—when we only do what is right “in our own eyes”—turning our eyes and ears and hearts away from the Lord—failing to raise our children in the ways of the Lord—there is misery on a global scale.

Anyway, God is so good, that in times of misery and darkness, God raises up prophets, workers, teachers, priests, to bring individuals and nations back to God. And that’s what we find God doing in today’s reading. We read of the call of Samuel, God raising up Samuel who will be sent as a prophet to Israel. Notice, that as the story begins, Samuel is so spiritually hard of hearing that he is unable to recognize that it is God talking to him. Wisely, he learns from Eli to humble himself and surrender to whatever God wishes to tell him. Samuel goes on to play a very important role in the history of Israel; when Samuel spoke, all of Israel listens, but only because Samuel first learned to listen to God.

As I’ve said before, God has chosen us to be his prophets in this dark age. It is a vocation and mission each of us has received at baptism. Like Samuel, this is a call we might only come to realize gradually, but God IS calling us to call the fallen back to wholeness in God. But first we must learn to listen to God, through prayer, through the discernment of truth by meditating on God’s word. May we each respond to God as Samuel did, “speak, Lord, your servant is listening” for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

That the preaching and teachings of the Pope, Bishops, and clergy may be a source of strength and guidance for the Holy Church.

That those in civic authority may submit their minds and hearts to the rule of Christ, the Prince of Peace and Hope of the nations.

For the liberation of those bound by evil, those committed to sin an error, those oppressed or possessed by evil spirits, and for the conversion of the hardest hearts.

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

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

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.

1st Week of Ordinary Time 2024 - Tuesday - Attentiveness to the Word of God

From now until the beginning of Lent on February 14 this year, our weekday Gospel readings will be taken from the Gospel of Mark.  

Without skipping any passages we’ll make our way from chapter 1 through chapter 8—beginning with the Lord’s baptism, which we heard yesterday, up through the Lord’s feeding of the five thousand during his public ministry. During these few weeks of Ordinary Time before Lent, we will read of healings and exorcisms, parables and teachings and miracles.

Why do we read from the Gospels in this way? Why do we read from the scriptures at all at Mass? After all, at the Last Supper, Jesus said, take and eat, take and drink, he didn’t say take and read.

In scripture we find that God’s Word precedes His presence. Before, the Son of God became incarnate in the womb of the Virgin Mary, his presence was first announced by an angel. When God spoke to Mary, she responded obediently, “Let it be done unto me according to Thy Word.” She first receives the Word of God and then she becomes pregnant as the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

Similarly in the Mass, we first listen to the Word of God prior to the reception of the Word Made Flesh in the Eucharist. And so, the liturgy of the Word in the celebration of Mass is of great importance. 

We should not be in a hurry just to receive the Eucharist. We should savor the Word of God spoken to us, and attend to it with great attentiveness.

The 2nd century Church father Origen of Alexandria spoke of the importance of carefully and attentively listening to the Word of God, saying that we should have the same care in listening to the Word of God at Mass to receiving the Eucharist. He said, “You who are accustomed to take part in divine mysteries know, when you receive the body of the Lord, how you protect it with all caution and veneration lest any small part fall from it, lest anything of the consecrated gift be lost. For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect. But if you are so careful to preserve his body, and rightly so, how do you think that there is less guilt to have neglected God’s word than to have neglected his body.”

So over the course of these weeks before Lent, pay attention to Word of God, savor it, savor the details of the Lord’s words and works, "Receive the word of God, not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God" as was prayed in the gospel acclamation today, and take care to retain what you hear, to cherish it like our Lady in your heart, that you may be drawn deeper into the divine life, and be a beacon of God’s presence in the world, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

That the preaching and teachings of the Pope, Bishops, and clergy may be a source of strength and guidance for the Holy Church.

That those in civic authority may submit their minds and hearts to the rule of Christ, the Prince of Peace and Hope of the nations.

For the liberation of those bound by evil, those committed to sin an error, those oppressed or possessed by evil spirits, and for the conversion of the hardest hearts.

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

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

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.

Epiphany 2024 - Star worshippers, astrology, and reordering life to Christ

 In keeping with the ancient practice, following the proclamation of the Epiphany Gospel, I just chanted what is called the announcement of Easter and the Moveable Feasts for this liturgical year.  

Before the age of mass-produced calendars and smart phones, the chanting of the feasts was a practical necessity; now, we do it as a way of remaining rooted to Catholic tradition, and to remind us to plan our year around Christ—to order our year—to orient our lives to Christ. 

And in a very real sense, that’s what the feast of the Epiphany is all about, reordering. The birth of Christ has reordered creation, it has reordered time, it has reordered history, and it has reordered humanity. The Magi from the east, following the star to Christ, illustrates this reordering. 

There is an ancient hymn from the Eastern Orthodox liturgy that talks about this reordering. It goes like this: Your Nativity, O Christ our God, / has shone to the world the Light of knowledge; / for by it, those who worshipped the stars / were taught by a star to adore You, / the Sun of Righteousness, / and to know You, the Dawn from on High. / O Lord, glory to You!”

Those who worshipped the stars, referring to the magi, were reoriented, they were taught by a star to adore Christ. 

In the ancient east, and many parts of the world, the stars had tremendous significance; so much so, that many peoples actually worshipped the stars. 

Learned ones, like the magi, of course could keep track of the seasons by studying the stars. Keeping track of the winter and summer solstice, and the spring and autumn equinox, was even a matter of survival. The stars told people when to plant their crops. Plant too early, or plant too late, and your family, your village, would starve. The stars could be counted upon. They were a source of stability in an otherwise chaotic universe. And for that reason, it’s not too difficult to grasp why the ancients worshipped the stars as divine beings. For what is religion but that which helps us to order our lives to something that is greater than ourselves.

So, the gentiles—the pagan world—were star worshippers. The Sumerians, the Babylonians, where the magi in the gospels were from, the Egyptians worshipped the celestial bodies. For the Romans, mercury, venus, mars, Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn, were the names of not just planets, but gods. Many of the constellations—Orion, cassiopia, Hercules—are named after gods who were worshipped. 

It’s also not too difficult to grasp why astrology has been so popular throughout the millennia. Now it’s considered rather silly to think that the position of the stars and planets have any bearing on our personality or world events. But that’s because of Christ. Why are we not worshipping planets and stars right now? Because of Christ.

The Feast of Epiphany celebrates this. It celebrates the pagan world, once bound by error and idolatry—enslavement to stars—now through the birth of Christ  being given the invitation to know and worship the one true God. The magi, representing all the star worshippers of the world, now come to know, adore, and worship the maker-of-the-stars-made-flesh. 

Notice the gifts which the magi bring to the Christ child. The bring gifts, not just fit for a king, but fit for a god. And to this day, we still use these gifts to worship him. We use gold—in our church vessels and furnishings. We use oil—to anoint—to open the soul to divine life. We use frankincense—as part of our worship—to acknowledge the presence of God. 

The time for astrology has passed. We don’t look to the stars for answers to guide our life, we look to the creator of the stars, who has made himself known, and who has entered into this world, to save man from idolatry, error and sin.

In fact, scripture and our catechism explicitly prohibit astrology. The Catechism lists astrology as a sin against the first commandment. It says, “All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums...contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.”

As our western culture continues to reject Christ more and more—we are seeing a rise in popularity and interest in astrology and occult practices. Instead of converting to truth, the world is reverting—regressing, going backwards. If you pay attention to pop culture, you see occult and demonic symbolism all over the place, and witchcraft. Remember, we had demonic graffiti on our church steps this summer. Lucifer—the light bearer—who is called “the morning star” in the book of Daniel--revels in our culture’s regression back into the old occult practices. Back in the 1960s our culture celebrated the dawning of the age of Aquarius with the sexual revolution and the beginning of the breakdown of the family and the eclipse of right religion. And it’s only gotten worse.

But there is also some good news here. There is a hunger for the divine. If Magi from the East will travel thousands of miles to seek Christ, then it’s not impossible for people who live down the street, to accept an invitation to meet Christ here. Because he is here, really and substantially, in the Eucharist. He is proclaimed by the Church, and encountered in our divine worship. And meeting him, and knowing him, and loving him will change your life, and deliver you from the misery that comes from those empty pagan practices.

But the task of the Church—the task of our parish is to be on fire with love for him. The light of our love is the new star that will guide the searchers and seekers to Christ.

Now of course we have some competition. Not only the false light of those old pagan practices, but the addictive light of iphones and computer screens, the light of technology promises people happiness without the need for old fashioned things like church and prayer. The internet, social media, is a new god for a lot of people—and it’s got people enslaved. In a sense, it’s almost worse than the old gods—because at least people were praying back then—they believed in something bigger than themselves. 

So our competition is pretty fierce. And that probably means that Christians of 2024 need to be a lot more public about our faith than in previous generations to draw people’s attention away from the false gods of the world to the one true God—Christ the Lord. Are you up to the task? Are you willing to be reordered a little in order to be the instruments God wants to draw souls to Christ? 

Well, it starts at home, dear ones. Make sure your days are ordered to him—praying as much as you should be, fasting from frivolous entertainment—interacting with real people, geting the rest you need to keep your strength up for the work God has for you, ordering your family life to focus on Christ, to draw life and light from Christ, for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

First Friday Holy Hour - January 2024 - Discerning our purpose

This morning, I shared a quote from Bishop John Nepomocene Neumann, the one and only American bishop canonized by the church, whose liturgical feast is today. 

In a sermon on the work God has for us, bishop Neumann said, “Everyone who breathes, high and low, educated and ignorant, young and old, man and woman, has a mission, has a work. We are not sent into this world for nothing; we are not born at random; we are not here, that we may go to bed at night, and get up in the morning, toil for our bread, eat and drink, laugh and joke, sin when we have a mind, and reform when we are tired of sinning, rear a family and die. God sees every one of us; He creates every soul, . . . for a purpose. He needs, He deigns to need, every one of us. He has an end for each of us; we are all equal in His sight, and we are placed in our different ranks and stations, not to get what we can out of them for ourselves, but to labor in them for Him. As Christ has His work, we too have ours; as He rejoiced to do His work, we must rejoice in ours also.”  

Each one of us is created by God with a purpose. What an important reminder! And yet, where do we discover that purpose? How do we discern it among the many confusing choices we have in life?

Here. Right here. Kneeling in front of God incarnate, made present in the Holy Eucharist. This is the place the saints have gone for clarity, guidance, and strength. To the Eucharistic presence of Christ.

Here is the silence we need in order to hear him speaking. Here we assume the posture of kneeling—which is at both a posture of humility, and readiness for service. Here we separate ourselves from all the things we could be doing, in order to focus on the one thing, the unum necessarium, the one thing necessary, the will of God.

Lord show us your will for us—your will for us to serve you by cultivating our interior life, which is your presence in our souls, through prayerful adoration. Help us to rejoice in the work you have for us—to not seek selfish gain, but that which profits the mission of the Gospel. What are the gifts, what are the talents you are urging us to cultivate? What are the comfort zones you are urging us to leave? Who are the strangers you are urging us to speak to? What vices are you urging me to give up? What unknown roads are your urging me to walk? What modes of service are you urging me to take up? Give us strength in our trials, and a sincere hope of attaining eternal reward through obedience to your Holy Will, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

January 5 2024 - St. John Nepomucene Neumann - You have been created for a purpose

Although he was born in Bohemia in 1811, in what is now the Czech Republic, John Nepomucene Neumann is celebrated as an American saint.  After studying in Prague, John Neumann came to New York at the age of 25 and was ordained a priest. He used his gifts to learn 8 languages so he could hear confessions for the different immigrant groups.

After several years of working among German speaking immigrants, he joined the Redemptorist community, the missionary community founded by St. Alphonsus Ligouri. While a novice for the Redemptorists, he served at St. Alphonsus Church in Peru Township in Huron County, Ohio, just a little over an hour West of Cleveland. 

At age 41 he was named bishop of Philadelphia where he was particularly committed to providing educational opportunities to immigrant children. He organized the parochial schools into a diocesan system and invited religious institutes to establish new houses within the diocese to provide necessary social services.

In 1854, Bishop Neumann traveled to Rome and was present at St. Peter's Basilica on December 8, when Pius IX solemnly defined, ex cathedra, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

While doing errands on Thursday, January 5, 1860, Bishop Neumann collapsed and died on a Philadelphia street. He was 48 years old. He was beatified by Pope Paul VI during the Second Vatican Council on October 13, 1963, and was canonized by that same pope on June 19, 1977. He is the only canonized American bishop.

In a sermon on the work God has for us, bishop Neumann said, “Everyone who breathes, high and low, educated and ignorant, young and old, man and woman, has a mission, has a work. We are not sent into this world for nothing; we are not born at random; we are not here, that we may go to bed at night, and get up in the morning, toil for our bread, eat and drink, laugh and joke, sin when we have a mind, and reform when we are tired of sinning, rear a family and die. God sees every one of us; He creates every soul, . . . for a purpose. He needs, He deigns to need, every one of us. He has an end for each of us; we are all equal in His sight, and we are placed in our different ranks and stations, not to get what we can out of them for ourselves, but to labor in them for Him. As Christ has His work, we too have ours; as He rejoiced to do His work, we must rejoice in ours also.”  

Bishop Neumann was faithful to the work God had for him, may we do the same, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

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

For the lukewarm and for all who are searching and longing for Christ, may they find him through the holy witness of His Church.

Through the intercession of St. John Neumann, for the success of our Catholic schools, that young Catholic families may be centered on Christ, and that all Catholics may be diligent in our evangelizing mission.

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

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

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

January 3 2024 - Holy Name of Jesus

According to the Mosaic Law, on the 8th day, young baby boys were to undergo circumcision and given their name. Now in many cultures, a child is given a name at the time of birth, chosen by his parents. But for the Jews, the naming of the child was delayed until the child became a member of the Jewish people through circumcision. Only after he entered into that sacred bond with God, invested in the covenant between God and his people, would the child be named.

There is something so powerful and beautiful in that custom. Your name signifies your identity, your deepest self. You don’t really have an identity if you don’t have a name. And the Jews believed that you don’t have a name—you don’t have an identity—until you entered into relationship with God and into the human race as a member of the Jewish people through the shedding of your life blood. Unless you have shed your own blood for your people and for your God you don’t really have a name or an identity or a people.

Jesus: what a perfect name for the Christ Child. For in Hebrew, the name of Jesus—Yeshua—means Yahweh saves, or God saves. No name has better fit a child in all of history. He is God and Savior. He is God who saves. As the angel told Joseph, “you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

And that perfect name, that name given by heaven itself, is as St. Paul writes to the Philippians, “the name above every other name.” It is the name given to us by God, so that we may call upon him. 

The holy name of Jesus is uttered in prayer by holy devout souls, it is evoked for strength by martyrs at their time of death and all those asking God’s aid in carrying their own crosses. By the name of Jesus, demons are scattered, which is why the demons revel in the fact that the holy name of Jesus is blasphemed in so many corners of our culture—in movies and television, on the internet, as an expletive. 

When you hear his name blasphemed, it is praiseworthy to make the sign of the cross in reparation. If you are in the company of someone who blasphemes his name, it is certainly appropriate to request that they stop blaspheming his name in your presence. 

In one sermon on the Holy Name, St. Bernadine said, “Glorious name, gracious name, name of love and of power! Through you sins are forgiven, through you enemies are vanquished, through you the sick are freed from their illness, through you those suffering in trials are made strong and cheerful. You bring honor to those who believe, you teach those who preach, you give strength to the toiler, you sustain the weary” 

When I am waiting in line at a doctor’s office or grocery store, I like to slowly and simply recite the name of Jesus, to quiet the mind down enough where only the name of Jesus fills it. It’s a beautiful, simple, yet powerful way of praying, encouraged by the saints.

May this Christmas feast of the Holy Name help us believe in Jesus’s name, treat the name of Jesus with reverence, give us conviction in to invoke Jesus’ name in our prayer, live in communion with the Holy Name of Jesus, proclaim Jesus’ name to the ends of the earth, and willingly suffer, like the apostles, for the sake of the name. For the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

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We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.

For the conversion of all those who have turned their hearts from Christ, for those who have fallen into serious sin, for a strengthening of all of the faithful in virtue. And That God may bring the faithless to believe in His Son and increase the faith of those struggling to believe.

For Christians who are persecuted throughout the world, especially those who face martyrdom, that they may have a faith that is constant and pure.

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body. 

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

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

January 2 2024 - Sts. Basil & Gregory - Building up the Body of Christ

Today is the only day of the entire year on which we celebrate two doctors of the Church together. Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzen were both bishops of the 4th century and dear friends. Both the Church of the East and the Church of the West look upon them with great love Their holiness of life, the excellence of their teaching and the harmonious synthesis of their gifts in service of the Gospel were exemplary. 

For their memorial today, we read a passage from the letter to the Ephesians where Paul is writing about the mission of the Church and Church unity.

Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers of the Church are to work together to equip Christian believers with the tools and competencies for serving God—for carrying out the mission of the Church. And what’s our mission? St. Paul tells us that our common mission is building up the Body of Christ. 

A parish, like ours, isn’t just a building for Catholics to fulfill their obligation to attend Mass on the Lord’s Day. It’s a place where believers themselves are to be built up—to grow in Christian maturity. It’s a training ground for believers to receive the training they need to do the work of God in the world to make new disciples. My efforts as pastor, in conjunction with the Bishop, and those in church leadership is to help train the members of this parish to build up the body of Christ.

Saints Basil and Gregory, who we honor today, through their teaching and preaching confronted a terrible heresy that was drawing souls away from the one true faith. The Church was being ravaged and divided by the Arian heresy—instead of being built up, it was being torn down by the heretics. And so Bishops Basil and Gregory devoted themselves to teaching the Apostolic Faith received from Christ from the beginning to help heal the wounds caused by error. Church unity was preserved and strengthened through their efforts.

The saints take seriously St. Paul’s admonition to “live in a manner worthy of the call you have received”—the call to rid ourselves of sin and selfishness, error and folly, and to spend ourselves without reserve in the service of God. 

Let us pray through the intercession of Saints Basil and Gregory, that the Church and that our parish may be opened to being equipped, being trained for the work God desires of us, for building up the Body of Christ for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

In this time when the goodness and kindness of God our Savior have appeared, let us, dear brethren, humbly pour forth to him our prayers, trusting not in our own good works, but in his mercy.

That the witness of the Church may help all nations come to believe in the Lordship of Jesus, and that our Bishops and Priests might have the courage to proclaim the truth amidst the errors of the world.

That those in civic authority may submit their minds and hearts to the rule of Christ, the Prince of Peace and Hope of the nations.

For the healing of families divided by sin and selfishness, for a strengthening of all marriages, and that young people may be formed to have deep and authentic faith. 

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness, addiction, or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body. 

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

We pray, O Lord our God, that the Virgin Mary, who merited to bear God and man in her chaste womb, may commend the prayers of your faithful in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.

January 1 2024 - Mary Mother of God

 An octave of days have passed since the feast of the Lord’s Nativity.  Most of the world has already left the message of Christmas far behind. Some retail store, I’ve seen, have already begun to sell Valentine’s Day cards and candy. Even some Catholics looked at me quizzically when I wished them a Merry Christmas this weekend. 

Yet, the Church in her wisdom realizes that celebrating the birth of the Savior is too great an occasion to be contained in a single, 24-hour day. This eighth day of Christmas is celebrated with particular solemnity, as we adore Christ embraced by the arms of his Mother.

Among the most ancient and important catacombs in Rome are the catacombs of St. Priscilla on the Via Salaria, east-northeast of the Vatican.  Painted on the walls of these catacombs are numerous frescoes that throw light on the faith of the early Church.  One fresco depicts the Virgin Mary seated, with the infant Jesus at her breast.  Next to her stands a man pointing to a star directly above, the star being the ancient Jewish symbol for the Messiah. 

This Fresco, dating from the early 200s is the oldest known representation in art of Mary and Child.  This fresco evidences that from the very beginning the Church has placed Mary in a place of honor and devotion.

From the cross, Jesus commanded his disciples to “Behold your mother”. And so the church beholds her. The first thing we do every new calendar year, liturgically, is to behold our mother. We behold our mother by meditating upon those passages of scripture in which she is found, we depict her in art, we compose hymns to her, and erect shrines in her honor.

In the holy city of Rome is found the largest basilica dedicated to our Mother, the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, St. Mary Major. St. Mary Major stands atop one of Rome’s seven hills, the Esquiline Hill, mosaics from the 5th century, paintings by numerous master artists from across the century.

The basilica is of particular importance to the Christians of Rome, for it contains the ancient and venerated image of Mary, the Salus Populi Romani, depicting the Blessed Virgin as the help and protectress of the Roman People. She holds the Christ Child with the Greek Words “Mater Theou—Mother of God.”

According to legend, this image was painted by the Apostle Luke. The story goes that after the crucifixion, the pious women of Jerusalem urged St. Luke to visit Mary in the home of John the Apostle to memorialize her image. While he painted, the Mother of Jesus spoke of the life of her son. Which is why St. Luke’s Gospel contains all those marvelous stories from prior to the birth of Jesus. After it’s completion, St. Luke brought the painting back to Jerusalem where it remained until it was discovered by Saint Helen in the 4th century who brought it to Rome. 

The Christians of Rome gone to that image for centuries seeking our Mother’s intercession in times of war and plague and for assistance in all life’s trials and the mission of the Gospel.

Also contained in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is a shrine visited by pilgrims from all around the world—a shrine which contains the relics of the crib in which the Virgin Mother laid the Christ Child in Bethlehem. I’ve visited that shrine on a number of occasions. When I was there with Bishop Perez and a group of priests from Cleveland 4 years ago, we knelt in front of the shrine and sang “Silent Night” together.

Pope Francis has visited that crib a number of times, seeking the intercession of Mother Mary for himself and the church. On one occasion, after praying the rosary at the holy crib, Pope Francis spoke about Mary’s motherhood. He said, “A mother helps her children to grow and wants them to grow well; Our Lady does the same thing in us, she helps us to grow as human beings and in the faith, to be strong and not to give in to the temptation to be human and Christian in a superficial way, but to live with responsibility, to aim ever higher.”  

She helps us to not give in to the temptation to be human and Christian in a superficial way. Superficial. It means shallow or surface-level. Our Christian faith is meant to permeate all of our words and works. Our thoughts are to be Christian thoughts, are words are to be Christian words, our works are to be Christian works. 

In 2024 we must seek to be Christians of substance—of substantial faith—not mediocre or superficial faith. 

And the Holy Father explains, and I agree with him 100% on this, that Mother Mary helps us like no other, nurtures us and teaches us like no other, to live for Christ. She wants us to resemble Christ, she wants the very life of Christ to grow in us, and will help us, if we let her, if we go to her, if we behold her, as Christ himself commanded us from the Cross.

Behold your mother every day this year. Behold her faith, behold her tender love for Christ, behold her tender love for you. Behold her face in art, behold her virtues in poetry and song, behold her nearness with statues and art around your homes, consider wearing her miraculous medal near to your heart as a reminder of her closeness. Behold her by contemplating the mysteries of the rosary and in all those powerful marian devotions passed down to us through the centuries. Bring flowers to her statues and shrines, invoke her powerful intercession in your temptations and trials.

Behold your mother as Jesus commanded that your days may be blessed, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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In this time when the goodness and kindness of God our Savior have appeared, let us, dear brethren, humbly pour forth to him our prayers, trusting not in our own good works, but in his mercy.

That Mary’s maternal care and heavenly intercession will help us all to reach the moral greatness befitting true children of God.  

That through Immaculate Mary, Queen of Peace, Mother of the Lord and Mother of the Church—blessings of goodness and peace may be upon the world and the Church in this Year of Our Lord 2024.

For blessings on all expectant mothers, newborn infants, and young families. 

That from the moment of conception all children will be preserved from bodily harm; for the overturning of unjust laws that permit the destruction of innocent life; and that the minds of all may be enlightened to know the dignity of every human life.  

That the sick may draw strength, consolation, and healing by turning to Our Lady, who intercedes for us from her place in heaven. 

For all those who have died, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for all who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, and for [intention below], for whom this Mass is offered.  

We pray, O Lord our God, that the Virgin Mary, who merited to bear God and man in her chaste womb, may commend the prayers of your faithful in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.