Friday after Ash Wednesday 2026 - Conversion leads to Divine Intimacy

 

On this First Friday of Lent, we are immediately challenged by God’s word to ensure that our Lenten penances are rightly ordered.

In our reading from the prophet Isaiah, God says something startling.

The people are fasting. They are bowing their heads. They are wearing sackcloth. They are afflicting themselves. And yet God says: “You fast, but I do not see it.” Why? Because their penances have not changed their hearts. The people were performing religious acts. They are keeping the ritual. They are technically doing what is required. But at the same time: They continued to exploit their workers. They quarreled and fought with each other. They pursued their own interests. They neglected the poor.

Their penance were simply external. Their hearts remained untouched, unmoved, unconverted.

This is one of the central temptations of Lent: to reduce penance to religious performance: Give something up. Eat less. Pray a bit more. Check the box.

But Isaiah reminds us: God is not impressed by religious theater. He wants conversion. “This is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, setting free the oppressed, sharing your bread with the hungry, clothing the naked, not turning your back on your own.”

Notice the movement. True penance loosens the grip of selfishness and turns the heart outward in mercy.

When we fast properly, selfishness diminishes—our ego, our pride, our attachment, our indifference diminishes—in order to give way to charity—to that of the Lord’s own heart

If Lent does not conform our hearts more closely to His—if our fasting does not make us more patient, more merciful, more generous—then we are bowing our heads like reeds while our hearts remain stiff.

Our Isaiah read ends with a powerful promise. If you allow your heart to be converted, if you allow selfishness to be transformed into charity—then you will know the closeness of God: “Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!”

What a beautiful promise that reminds us that the purpose of Lent is union with God.
Lent is not about impressing God. It is about removing the obstacles that prevent us from allowing his life to flow through us. Interior conversion leads to active charity which leads to divine intimacy.

Lord, may our Lenten penances soften our hearts, detach us from selfishness, move us to charity, and unite us more closely to you, for the Glory of God and the salvation of souls.

Trusting in the Lord, we call upon Him with sincere hearts.

For the Church throughout the world: that during this holy season of Lent her fasting, prayer, and almsgiving may bear fruit in true conversion and works of mercy.

For the Holy Father, bishops, and priests: that their lives may reflect the charity of the Sacred Heart and lead God’s people to authentic repentance and deeper union with Christ.

For civil leaders and all who exercise authority: that they may release those bound unjustly, defend the oppressed, and govern with justice and compassion.

For the poor, the hungry, the infirmed, the homeless, and those who suffer injustice: that our Lenten sacrifices may translate into concrete charity and real assistance for those in need.

For our parish community: that our fasting may soften our hearts, diminish selfishness, and make us more patient, merciful, and generous toward one another.

For those who struggle to repent or who feel distant from God: that they may experience the Lord’s promise of closeness.

For the faithful departed: that purified of every attachment to sin, they may rejoice forever in the fullness of divine charity. We pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, you desire mercy and not empty show. Purify our hearts this Lent and hear the prayers we offer with confidence through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

September 5 2025 - St. Teresa of Calcutta - Transformed through prayer and charity

 

While a college seminarian, I spent a semester studying in Rome. Once a week, a few other students and I would walk down past the Coliseum. And right next to the Church of St. Gregory, the same patron saint as this church, there was and still is today a home for destitute and homeless men run by the Missionary Sisters of Charity the Religious Order founded by St. Mother Teresa

And at this house for the destitute, men would come off the streets, and the dear sisters would feed them, and offer them a bed for the night, a shower, medical care if need be.  

The sisters were breathtakingly patient, gentle, and kind as they treated these men as they would treat Jesus himself.  Mother Teresa took the words of today’s Gospel very seriously. “That which you did for the least, you did for me”.

I never met Mother Teresa , she died when I was still in high school, but I’ve met a number of her sisters, who had met her, who were inspired by her to give up their lives in service. And so many of those sisters possessed this charism of charity—that is certainly Mother’s lasting legacy to the Church.

It’s said that when anyone met Mother Teresa, they were often shocked at the fact that no matter how busy she was and no matter how many other people were around, when she talked to you, you felt like you were the only person in the world. She gave you her total attention, her total love, her total self every moment. She wasn’t looking past you to see if there was someone more important in the room. She wasn’t checking her social media.  She didn’t appear to be worrying about the other duties she had to attend to. She wasn’t trying to get back home so she could sit on her couch to veg-out or binge her favorite television show or get home to get dinner going. In her presence you experienced love.

One reason she was able to do this was because she gave Jesus her full-loving attention in her daily prayer. She would make holy hours of Eucharistic adoration daily. And because she gave Jesus her full, loving, attention in prayer, she was able to give you her full attention. And she didn’t just give Jesus her prayer, she gave him her service in everyone she met.

“That which you did for the least of my brethren, you did for me”. And you’d think that after day after day, week after week, year after year Mother and her sisters would be tired of helping people. But no. They are among the most fulfilled joyful people I have ever met. True joy. Not just bubbly, not just artificially cheerful, not putting on an act. When you allow love, charity to transform you, you receive the gift of joy.

May St. Teresa's holy example of loving service, charity for the poorest of the poor, care for the least, help us, inspire us, teach us, and challenge us, that, like her, we may be transformed through prayer and works of charity for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Let us bring our prayers to the Lord with humility and trust.

For the Church throughout the world, that she may be a clear sign of God’s love for the poor and forgotten, and that her members may serve others with the selfless charity.

For all religious sisters, especially the Missionaries of Charity, that their lives of prayer, simplicity, and loving service may be strengthened and bear much fruit for the Kingdom of God. And for an increase in vocations to the consecrated religious life.

For the poor, the homeless, the sick, and the dying, those who feel unloved, forgotten, or abandoned, that through the care of Christian hearts and hands, they may know their dignity and the love of Christ.

For those who have died, the deceased members of our families, friends and parish, and for the forgotten and the poor who died alone, and for all the souls in purgatory, that they may come to see God face to face

God of love and mercy, You inspired St. Teresa of Calcutta to be a light to the world through humble service. Hear our prayers and grant that, following her example, we may love You with undivided hearts and serve You in our neighbor.

November 13 2024 - St. Frances Xavier Cabrini - Unwavering Faith in Jesus

 

A few months ago, a movie was released based on the life of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini. 

The movie did a lovely job portraying how Mother Cabrini came to this country from her native Italy at the request of the Pope to care for the Italian immigrants. The movie did a great job depicting Mother’s love for the orphans and the poor. The depiction of the squalor in which those early italian immigrants lived and the racism they suffered gave me a new appreciation for their plight. The costumes and sets were spot on. And honestly the treatment of the Church and the hierarchy were pretty fair. 

However, there’s one thing that the movie really shied away from, and it’s a pretty bizarre omission. While it depicted Mother Cabrini’s tireless charity, the movie glaringly omitted her faith. The movie depicted Mother Cabrini as a sort of extremely determined feminist social worker, rather than a woman of deep prayer and faith. I don’t think the movie ever mentioned Jesus Christ.

In fact, an article put out by the National Catholic Register said, “Cabrini is not specifically a religious movie”. And that is totally bizarre, because Mother Cabrini was a specifically religious woman. 

At her canonization in 1946, Pius XII said in his homily: 

“Where did she acquire all that strength and the inexhaustible energy by which she was able to perform so many good works and to surmount so many difficulties?  She accomplished all this through the faith that was always so vibrant in her heart; through the divine love that burned within her; and, finally, through the constant prayer by which she was so closely united to God…She never let anything turn her aside from striving to please God and to work for his glory for which nothing, aided by grace, seemed too difficult or beyond human strength.”

The world loves a story of determination and charity, but it often misses the deeper truth of what gives that determination its strength. St. Frances Xavier Cabrini’s life was not simply about good works—it was a life transformed by her deep, burning love for Jesus Christ. It was her intimate relationship with Him, nurtured in prayer and the sacraments, that allowed her to see every orphan, immigrant, and sufferer as a child of God, worthy of dignity and care.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini challenges us to cultivate that same love for Jesus in our own hearts—a love so vibrant and powerful that it transforms everything we do. We can start small: spending more time in prayer, drawing closer to Jesus  in the Eucharist, and asking for His guidance in our daily lives. And as we grow in love for Jesus, we’ll find the strength to reach out to those in need, just as Mother Cabrini did—not out of obligation, but out of joy, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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That all members of the Church may grow in their love for Jesus Christ, drawing strength from prayer and the sacraments to serve others with tireless charity.

That world leaders may work to uphold the dignity of every person, especially the poor, the marginalized, and immigrants.

For those struggling to find purpose or strength in their lives: that they may encounter Jesus Christ in the life of the Church and find in Him the courage and joy to live for His glory.

For the sick, the suffering, the poor and afflicted, immigrants and refugees: That they may experience the healing and comforting presence of Christ through the love and care of others.

During this month of November, we pray in a way for our beloved dead, may all the souls in purgatory be welcomed into the eternal embrace of God’s love, especially N. for whom this mass is offered, 

Loving Father, through the example and intercession of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, may we grow in faith, hope, and love. Hear these prayers we bring before You and grant them according to Your will, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

November 11 2024 - St. Martin of Tours & Veteran's Day

 Today we celebrate two things: Veteran's Day, honoring the men and women who have served in the military, and the feast of St. Martin of Tours—a soldier, a bishop, and a saint.

The story of St. Martin is simple yet profound. Martin was a young soldier when one cold day, he encountered a beggar shivering in the street. Moved with compassion, he took his sword, cut his own cloak in half, and gave it to the man. That night, Martin dreamed of Jesus dressed in the half-cloak, saying to the angels, “See, Martin, though he is but a catechumen, has clothed me with his own cloak.”

This story reflects directly on today’s Gospel, where Jesus describes the final judgment, separating those who acted with compassion from those who did not. He tells his disciples that when they show love, mercy, and kindness to others—feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked—they are serving Him.

In giving his cloak to the poor, cold, destitute beggar, Martin was clothing Christ, and Martin’s dream that night confirms it.

Veteran’s Day adds another dimension to our reflection. St. Martin was a veteran. And we are grateful today for those veterans, who like Martin, sacrificed and served others, often enduring hardship and risk to protect those they loved, and even strangers they would never meet. Their courage and their sacrifices are acts of service, and on this day, we honor them with gratitude. 

Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel urge us to live this spirit of service and compassion every day. They invite us to consider: Do we see Christ in the people around us? Do we act on His call to serve the “least” among us—the poor, the sick, the lonely, the stranger?

Let us pray today for the grace to serve others with the same humility and love as St. Martin, and may we honor those who serve by following in their footsteps, bringing compassion and dignity to all, recognizing in each face the face of Christ our Lord for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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That the nations of the world will seek to work together in harmony and peace; we pray to the Lord:

That our homeland will be preserved from violence and terrorism; we pray to the Lord

In gratitude for the service of our veterans; for blessings upon them, and for all veterans who suffer the physical and psychological effects of war. May we prudently and wisely use and guard the freedoms for which our veterans labored and suffered.

For all veterans experiencing physical or psychological, that they may know God’s healing and strength, and that all veterans may be blessed for their self-sacrifice.

For all veterans who gave their life for our liberty, and for the repose of the souls of all of our beloved dead, family, friends, those whose names are written in our parish necrology, deceased priests and religious, for all the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this mass is offered.

God, Almighty Father, creator of mankind and author of peace, as we are ever mindful of the cost paid for the liberty we possess, help us to use that liberty to promote peace and justice and spread saving Gospel of Christ. Through the same Christ Our Lord.

30th Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Wednesday - Holy Striving

 

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”

The word translated “strive” in this morning’s Gospel is the Greek Word agonizomai, from which we get the English word agonize. The implication here is that those who seek to enter heaven must do so through struggle and strain, like a running athlete exerting himself toward the finish line, all muscles taut and giving his all in the effort.

It can’t be a coincidence that Jesus’ passion begins with the “agony” in the garden, where shows us that even he strives, and agonizes, and sweats blood, to do the Will of the Father.  

Entering heaven requires real effort on our part to conform our lives to the will of the Father and the teachings of Jesus Christ. We can’t simply slide into heaven. 

This effort takes many forms in the Christian life. First, there is the daily effort of self-denial - the small but constant choices to put God's will above our own desires. Whether it's choosing to bite our tongue rather than speak in anger, or rising early for prayer when we'd rather sleep in, these daily exercises of virtue prepare us for larger spiritual challenges ahead.

Then there is the effort of perseverance in faith during times of darkness and doubt. Just as Jesus faced his moment of agony with the words "Not my will but yours be done," we too must sometimes wrestle with God's will when it seems difficult or unclear. This is not a sign of weak faith, but rather an opportunity to exercise spiritual endurance.

There is also the effort of charity - the deliberate work of loving others as Christ loves us. This means actively seeking the good of others even when it costs us something. It means forgiving those who hurt us, serving those in need, and building up rather than tearing down. 

And perhaps most importantly, there is the effort of continual conversion - the ongoing work of examining our lives, recognizing our sins, and striving to change with God's grace. This is not a one-time event but a lifelong process of allowing God to reshape us into the image of Christ.

But let us be clear: this spiritual striving is not mere human willpower. We do not earn our way into heaven through our own efforts alone. Rather, our striving takes place within the context of God's grace, which both enables and perfects our efforts. Like branches drawing life from the vine, our spiritual exertions bear fruit only when they're energized by God's own life within us.

The narrow gate beckons us to this holy striving. Will we strive for heaven? The choice is ours, but the grace to succeed is God's gift to all who truly seek Him.

So let us embrace this blessed striving - knowing that the One who calls us to enter through the narrow gate has already blazed the trail before us, showing us not only the way, but giving us the strength for the journey for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

Let us pray for the needs of the Church and the world:

For the Church, that in our daily striving for holiness, we may be strengthened by God's grace and encouraged by the example of our Lord.

For all who serve in ministries of charity, that their efforts to love and serve others may be sustained by divine grace and bear abundant fruit.

For our parish community, that we may support one another in the daily exercises of self-denial and grow together in holiness.

For all victims of war, for peace in the Holy Land, an end to the violence and the consolation of the suffering. May God come to the assistance of the communities and families devastated by terrorism and war; and may world leaders work together for peace. 

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or disease: that they may know God’s consolation, healing, and grace.

For the faithful departed, that having strived to follow Christ in this life, they may now enter through heaven's gate into eternal joy, we pray to the Lord...

Loving Father, hear these our prayers, and bless us with the grace to strive for holiness on our journey toward heaven, through Christ our Lord.

30th Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Tuesday - Mustard seeds can change the world

The parable of the Mustard Seed reminds us how tiny acts of faith can bring about tremendous goods. An act of kindness, an act of goodness, an act of charity appears so small and insignificant, but it can transform the world. 

Consider the Church herself: A small group of uneducated Galilean fishermen and a small group of itinerant missionaries like Paul and Timothy have changed the world. She started off small, imperceptible on a global scale. Now, she has grown and reached nearly every corner of the globe. 

The Church has been foundational in the creation of educational systems. Monasteries, cathedral schools, and later, universities—like the University of Paris, Oxford, and Bologna—were established by the Church. The monasteries kept knowledge and learning alive in the dark ages. The monks applying their learning to practical problems, advanced agricultural techniques and metallurgy. They practically enabled science to emerge as a method of addressing everyday human needs.

Catholic patronage has inspired the world’s greatest art, architecture, music, and literature. The Church invented hospitals. Church Canon law laid the foundation for many principles seen in modern legal systems. Catholic thinkers, especially during the Scholastic period, have shaped Western philosophy.

The lives which have been touched by the charity of the members of the Church is beyond measure. Missionaries established schools, hospitals, farms in the poorest most undeveloped areas, uplifting local economies and advancing health and education in diverse cultures.

The positive impact of the Church in history and in human lives is incalculable. But again, we started as a mustard seed. 

But the mustard seed principle is not just for the church as a whole, it is the way of life for the individual Christian. We take small acts of charity very seriously because it is clear that this is how God wants to spread his kingdom: through small acts with great love, as st. therese the little flower would say, whom we celebrated at the beginning of the month.

We must not discount or underestimate the power of those little acts of kindness: of giving a coat to a shivering stranger, a hot meal, a listening ear, a comforting message, a prayer card, a helpful reference to a bible verse that touches upon a doubt or concern. 

The Christian who is quietly trying to bring relief to the suffering, the sick, and the lonely, is a mustard seed that God uses to transform the world. May we be faithful in this great vocation of being mustard seeds…for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the mission of the Church in all corners of the world, that her charitable work in schools, hospitals, and communities may uplift the poor, advance health, bring the love of Christ to the underserved, and the Gospel to all people.

For all victims of war, for peace in the Holy Land, an end to the violence and the consolation of the suffering. May God come to the assistance of the communities and families devastated by terrorism and war; and may world leaders work together for peace. 

For a greater respect for human life in our laws and institutions: that we may cherish, defend, and protect the most vulnerable

That all Christians may embrace their calling to bring hope, comfort, and relief to those in need. For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or disease: that they may know God’s consolation, healing, and grace. 

For the souls of the departed, that through the mercy of God, they may experience the fullness of eternal life in His Kingdom.

Loving Father, you reveal your Kingdom in the smallest acts of charity and faith. Hear these prayers we bring before you, and grant us what we need to be faithful in bringing your love to the world. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Holy Thursday 2024 - Three Indispensable Gifts

 Knowing that within hours his passion would soon begin, Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples.  Within hours, he would be sweating blood in the garden of gethsemane, and his disciples would abandon him. Within hours, he would be arrested, falsely accused, tortured and mocked, and before long he would be carrying his cross up the hill of Calvary where he would hang in anguish, and die.

Jesus, at his last supper knew he was about to die, and yet,  in the face of indescribable suffering, the Lord in his goodness bestowed upon His Church three precious gifts: the gift of the Eucharist, the Gift of the Priesthood, and the Commandment of Charity. 

These gifts were not arbitrary; they were given with profound purpose—that his mission would continue—the mission of the Church might succeed through the centuries. Together, these three gifts embody the Church's sacramental, hierarchical, and moral dimensions, guiding our mission to evangelize, sanctify, and serve in the name of Christ.

Let’s reflect upon these three gifts. First, the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the Lord’s gift of his body and blood—through which the Lord remains with his Church really and sacramentally until his glorious return. Through the Eucharist, Jesus transforms our altars into Calvary from which the blood of salvation flows throughout the whole earth.

The Eucharist is indispensable to the life of the Church. It would be easier for the earth to survive without the sun, than for the Church to survive without the Eucharist. It is indispensable to our identity, our mission, and our spiritual life. Without the Eucharist, the Church would lose its most profound connection to Christ, the source of our unity, and its sanctifying power in the world. On Holy Thursday, we thank God for the gift of his body and blood in the Eucharist.

Secondly, at the Last Supper, the Lord gave us the gift of the priesthood. And the sacramental priesthood is indispensable to the Catholic Church. 

Priests are the only ones who through sacramental orders are capable of consecrating bread and wine so that they may become the Body and Blood of Christ. Similarly, only priests can absolve sins in the name of Christ through the Sacrament of Confession. Priests have also been tasked by the Lord to ensure that the liturgy is celebrated properly and reverently, fostering the active participation of the faithful and enabling them to encounter God in the sacraments.

Priests, too, have the divine mandate to teach the faith. Through the preaching, teaching, and pastoral guidance of priests, the Lord Jesus helps his flock understand the Gospel and the Church's teachings, and to live out the Gospel in daily life. When priests are lax in their duties, the mission, identity, worship, and sanctification of the church suffers.

So on Holy Thursday, the we thank God for the gift of the priesthood, and we pray for our priests.

Thirdly, at the Last Supper, the Lord gave us the commandment of Charity. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" And of course, the commandment of Charity is indispensable for the Church. 

The commandment of charity encapsulates the essence of being a follower of Christ. It defines the Christian identity not by doctrines or rituals alone but by love—a love that is sacrificial, unconditional, and mirrors the love of Christ for humanity. This love is a visible mark of Christian discipleship, as Jesus Himself said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another"

Charity, as commanded by Christ, is the foundation upon which Christian community is built. It fosters unity, mutual care, and the sharing of goods and burdens within the Church. This love is not merely an ideal but a lived reality that is witnessed in the acts of service, kindness, and generosity among the members of the Church.

The commandment of charity is indispensable to the Church's mission in the world. The witness of love is perhaps the most powerful evangelizing tool, as it reflects the very nature of God, who is Love (1 John 4:8). Through acts of love, especially towards the "least of these" (Matthew 25:40), the Church makes visible the Kingdom of God and draws people towards Christ.

Tthe Lord's commandment of charity is indispensable to the Catholic Church because it animates our life, directs our mission, shapes our community, and witnesses to the reality of God's love for the world. Without this commandment, the Church would lose her distinctive character as the community of love that reflects the very heart of the Gospel.

As we reflect on these gifts, we are called to respond to them and cherish them. To receive the Eucharist is to welcome Jesus into our hearts and to be transformed by His love. To honor the Priesthood is to recognize Christ's presence among us, guiding, sanctifying, and teaching through His ordained ministers. To live the commandment of love is to see Christ in every person and to serve Him in them, especially the least of our brothers and sisters.

Tonight, as we commemorate the Last Supper, let us deepen our appreciation for these divine gifts. Let us pray for the grace to live them out more fully, so that, united with Christ in His sacrifice, we may share in the glory of His Resurrection.

As the Lord rose from supper and began to wash the feet of his disciples as an example to follow, I now invite those who have been chosen to come forward for the washing of their feet. In this beautiful ritual ponder the presence of the Lord in the gifts he has left the Church, in the Eucharist, in the priesthood, and in the command to love one another for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. 

2nd Week of Advent 2023 - Monday - Advent Charity

 On the feast of Christ the King, just prior to the beginning of Advent, we heard the great parable of the sheep and the goats being separated one from another—judged on the criteria of their charity or lack thereof. Christ will return at the end of time and we will be judged—did we love or not.

But God does not does expect us to do something that He himself has not done. In fact, recall the scripture that God is love. Deus Caritas Est. We are to love because we were made to do so. We were made in the image of the One who is love—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—a communion of life and love.

In the Isaiah reading today, we hear of God coming to the rescue of the blind, the deaf, the lame, and the mute. He restores them to life out of love. He restores creation making it safe from vicious jackals and tepid marshes out of love. He makes it a place where those he has ransomed out of love can sing in peace and joy. Isaiah foretells that God will come to the aid of his people to save us from sin and death. His motivation is love.

And so in the Gospel, we hear the Lord praising the charity, the love, of the friends of the paralyzed. Aware of their friend’s misery, these friends use their hands and feet to overcome obstacles to bring their friend to the Lord. They go to what many might think to be excessive ends—climbing to the top of a roof—in order to bring their friend close to Jesus, and they do so out of love.

Advent calls us to love—to go to excessive ends to bring relief to the blind, deaf, lame, mute, poor, and paralyzed—to the physically helpless and afflicted. But also, to the spiritually helpless and afflicted—those afflicted with atheism, doubt, discouragement, confusion, error, malaise, and even pride—to bring them close to Jesus if we can. And we do so out of love—love for them and love for God.

And when we are faithful to the call to love, we are transformed by love into love growing in likeness to the one we prepare to celebrate at Christmas, then one who will judge us at the end of our lives for our charity. Salvation and the Christian life means entering into the life of God who is love, allowing our conversations, decisions, work and leisure to be animated by love for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces and for an increase in charity among all the people of God, that cleansed of every vain and selfish desire we may be instruments of the love of God. 

That Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to His Holy Will.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

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

Almighty ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

November 17 2023 - St. Elizabeth of Hungary - Charity without expectation of repayment

 “What good is it if we only show charity to those who show charity to us” we hear in the Gospel today. 

The Christian life is to be marked by charity. Our love for God is to be seen in our charitable works—our patience, kindness, and generosity toward our fellow man and our attentiveness to the needs of the poor. But that charity isn’t to be shown simply to those who show charity to us, rather, true charity is to be shown to all, especially those who have no ability or no intention of repaying us. “For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.”

To be honest, it is easier to love the grateful than the ungrateful. The grateful give us that instant gratification of a positive response for our good deeds. It’s easier to lend to someone as a favor. Not only do you know you are going to be repaid, but now they owe you a favor. The lender profits from the favor. That’s not really charity, that’s self-interest. 

Rather, t Jesus teaches us that his followers are to be motivated by more than self-interest and instant gratification. The Christian is not simply to be motivate by natural inclinations, but by supernatural grace, and the teaching of the one who embraced the cross. We are to give, not just to those who can repay, but to those who are unable to repay, to the helpless. We are to improve our own standing, but that of others, at the cost of ourselves.

At first, our self-interested selves recoil from this sort of behavior, but do it enough, and you begin to develop the virtue of real charity—which is a share in the very life of God.

Today we honor St. Elizabeth of Hungary. During a severe famine, the noblewoman Elizabeth exhausted her family treasure to feed the poor and sick. She built a hospital from her family funds, tending to the sick, feeding them, often by hand—sometimes 900 patients every day. She provided for the welfare of orphans and helpless children. 

Many criticized her material benefactions as excessive, but can one be excessive in caring for Christ? “That which you did for the least of my brethren, you did for me.”

St. Elizabeth is revered as the patron saint of third order Franciscans, but no doubt, she has something to teach us all about the Lord’s invitation to conversion and true holiness, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

For blessings upon the Bishops as they conclude their meeting in Baltimore, that their conversations, prayers, and deliberations may be for the good of the Church and the mission of the Gospel. 

For our consecrated religious, and all third order Franciscans under the patronage of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, may they be strengthened in their works of charity and sustained in their witness to Christ’s saving Gospel.

That families experiencing division may know the peace and reconciliation that comes from Christ.

For all those struggling with addiction, mental illness, chronic sickness, unemployment, or ongoing trials of any kind, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, or for those who will die today: that they will be fortified and blessed with God’s special favor and consolation.  

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

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

September 18 2023 - St. Joseph of Cupertino - Mystical Gifts and Charity

 St. Joseph of Cupertino was renowned for mystical gifts, particularly, he was given the gift of flight—he would literally fly through the air, float, and levitate in prayerful ecstasy. This mystical gift was so frequent that his biographers said that he spent over half of his religious life in the air in ecstatic levitation and flight. 

The collect for today's mass alludes to his gift of flight: "DEUS, qui ad unigénítum Fílium tuum exaltátum a terra ómnia tráhere disposuísti: pérfice propítius; ut, méritis et exémplo seráphici Confessóris tui Joséphi, supra terrénas omnes cupiditátes elevati, ad eum perveníre mereámur.O God, Who didst purpose to draw all things unto Thy Son when He was lifted up from the earth: mercifully grant that we, by the merits and example of Thy seraphic Confessor, Joseph, being lifted above all earthly desires, may be worthy to come unto Him." 

This gift was such a spectacle that for 35 years he was forbidden from celebrating Mass publicly, lest his gifts become a distraction to the worship of God.  But on many occasions faith was kindled in those who witnessed his gifts, and of course the stories of his gifts were recorded and verified for the cause of his canonization.

St. Joseph of Cupertino is also loved because he is one of the great patron saints of students. St. Joseph apparently was not a great intellect. I heard one Franciscan priest call him intellectually dense. In fact, he was turned away from his initial attempts to enter religious life because he seemed “incapable of any useful activity.” Eventually, the Franciscans allowed him to take care of the convent mule—that was all they thought he could do. It was only after a period of time that the friars came to understand the great virtue of this humble, simple friar. It was also discovered that he had the gift of infused knowledge. Not through natural study, but through this gift of grace he could unravel challenging theological and moral questions to the astonishment of scholars.

And hence he is known as a patron of students, especially at exam time, praying and hoping that St. Joseph Cupertino will come to their aid with a bit of infused knowledge of their own that they had failed to attain through their studies.

With all of his mystical gifts, the greatest was his charity. Whatever our intellectual gifts or spiritual gifts, we are called above all to practice charity. “If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.” In other words, if we go throughout life without charity—without the practice of self-sacrificial Christ like love, then we are just going through life making a bunch of noise. And the mission of the Church is not served by Catholics who are just making a bunch of noise.

Rather, we are to exert the effort necessary to practice charity when the Lord presents us with the opportunity for it. Some of us think that if the Lord were to just give me spectacular spiritual gifts, then I could win souls. But St. Paul is saying, no, his job, your job, the task of every Christian is to practice, above all, charity. Charity is the choice to remain patient when we want to be impatient, a choice to practice kindness when we want to be selfish, a choice to endure and persevere in doing good when we want to give up, a choice of being humble when we want to be pompous, forgiving when we want to brood over injury.  

Work, work, work at growing first in charity, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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.

May 09 - St. Louise de Marillac - Patroness of Social Workers

 After the death of her husband in 1625, Louise de Marillac at the age of 34, discerned a calling to devote the rest of her life to caring for the sick and poor alongside the holy priest, St. Vincent de Paul.

St. Louise was intelligent, self-effacing, and possessed a supernatural endurance that belied her continuing feeble health. Her rented home in Paris became a training center for other women who discerned a call to serve the sick and poor. 

The number of women who joined her grew rapidly and soon there was the need for a so-called “rule of life.” Louise herself, under the guidance of St. Vincent, composed the rule for the Daughters of Charity. Their dress was to be that of the peasant women. Of this community, St. Vincent wrote: “Your convent will be the house of the sick; your cell, a hired room; your chapel, the parish church; your cloister, the streets of the city or the wards of the hospital.”

At the time of her death on March 15, 1660, the congregation had more than 40 houses in France.

Originally her feast day was March 15, the anniversary of her death, but in 2016 Rome decreed that her feast day be changed to today, May 9, the anniversary of her beatification by Pope Benedict XV in 1920. Louise de Marillac was canonized in 1934 and declared patroness of social workers in 1960.

Her holy life certainly serves as an inspiration to the members of our St. Vincent de Paul societies, and to all of us. We all do well to discern in what ways we can bring the goodness and compassion and charity of God to the sick, poor, and downtrodden of our own native places. How we are called to organize with other people of good will, to carry out the holy work of God.

Service to the poor is often a daunting work—their needs are so great, their obstacles so seemingly insurmountable. But writing to one of her sister Daughters of Charity about their often difficult work, she said, “I know, my dear Sister, that it is very difficult for us to carry out our responsibilities well, but God who has given them to us will not deny us His grace. Let us humble ourselves profoundly so as to obtain it. This we can do by manifesting holy distrust of ourselves and great confidence in His goodness, which will lead us to ask Him quite simply what He wants us to do.”

Through the intercession of St. Louise de Marillac, may we all humble ourselves profoundly in order to receive the grace needed for all of our great responsibilities, in our daily lives, in our service of the poor, in the mission of the Gospel, for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

January 23 2023 - St. Francis de Sales - "The measure of love is to love without measure"

 “Love one another as I love you,” the Lord said to his disciples the night before he died. And St. Francis de Sales—remembered and honored by the Church today—took seriously those words. 

St. Francis believed this and spent his life seeking to conform himself with that love, and as a good priest, bishop, and spiritual director, helped others do the same. Due to his writings and his labors, he was granted the title, doctor of the Church. In fact, he is even known as the Doctor of Charity, for his great insights into helping Christians love as Christ loves.

Echoing the sentiments of the Master, St. Francis de Sales wrote, “the measure of love is to love without measure”.  

Christ’s love was love without measure. He died for the greatest of sinners. He bore the weight of my sin and yours. Forgiveness is available to everyone who seeks it because Christ’s love is without measure. As the Father loves me, so I love you. I love you. 

And that indeed is part of our mission, isn’t it? To make known the love of God. The love of God that impelled Christ to lay down his life for us. The love of God that is to become the foundation of our lives. The gentle charity and mercy of the Father that is available to every sinner. If this does not motivate you, what does? 

To advance in holiness is to advance in love—to love without measure. Give without counting the cost, the Lord teaches in the Gospel, and he doesn’t offer this teaching, without backing it up by his own example. 

St. Francis de Sales wrote, “It is not those who commit the least faults who are the most holy, but those who have the greatest courage, the greatest generosity, the greatest love, who make the boldest efforts to overcome themselves, and are not immediately apprehensive about tripping.”

Sometimes Christians get in this mindset, if I just go throughout life without committing faults, then I’ll go to heaven. But the Lord teaches that the way to heaven
is not just avoiding sin, but also involves growing in charity—seeking to become more generous—courageously generous—day by day--being transformed into love. 

Through the example and prayers of St. Frances de Sales may we learn to love without measure those God brings into our lives for the glory of God and 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, care for her, and aid her in her mission.

For the peoples of the world, that the Lord may establish and 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 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 of Advent 2022 - Monday - What does love look like?

 In the fourth century, Saint Augustine wrote, “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.” 

In the Gospel, Christian love is beautifully illustrated in the companions of the paralyzed man. Aware of their friend’s misery, they use their hands and feet to overcome obstacles to bring their hurting friend to the Lord. The charity of the friends becomes an opportunity for new life for the paralyzed man. 

To grow in Advent charity, our eyes, ears, hands, and feet are to be placed in greater service of God, greater service of those in need. 

Pope Benedict XVI wrote his first encyclical on Love. Love, which is not a sentiment, not an emotion, but an action which seeks the healing and the wholeness of others. 

My favorite line from any papal encyclical in the past 20 years, and probably the only line from a papal document I can quote from memory comes is this: “Love is the light—and in the end, the only light—that can always illuminate a world grown dim.”

Whose dark world will you make brighter today? Whose paralysis will you bring to the Lord? How will you be a true loving friend today, by bringing someone to Jesus in your words and deeds? Who needs the use of your hands, feet, eyes, and ears in order to begin a new life with Christ as Lord?

This Advent day is an opportune moment to thank God for all those who through their efforts, their friendship have brought us to Jesus. And also to consider how we like the friends of the paralytic, to go out of our way, to exert real effort, perhaps even to break social convention, to do something others might consider crazy, in order to help others come to Jesus

May our love increase, and may the light of Christ’s love be evident in us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces and for an increase in charity among all the people of God, that cleansed of every vain and selfish desire we may be instruments of the love of God. 

That Christ may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to His Holy Will.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, and ward off every affliction.

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

Almighty ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

January 24 2022 - St. Francis de Sales & the Calvinists

 St. Francis de Sales was an outstanding and highly influential bishop, spiritual director, author, and preacher whose life spans the turbulent decades following the Protestant Reformation.  He was born at Savoy in France in 1567.  He studied with the Jesuits at Paris, and finally at Padua, Italy where he obtained doctorates in both civil and canon law.  It was hoped by his father, that he would become a lawyer and follow in his footsteps as a senator; instead, Francis desired to serve the Church.  

He was ordained a priest in 1593 and dedicated himself to the re-evangelization of the many Catholics who had fallen away to Calvinism.  Between 1595 and 1598 he won many converts to the Catholic Church by his persuasive preaching but at the same time he was often in danger of his life at the hands hostile Calvinists.  

At the young age of 32 Francis was ordained a bishop and made coadjutor of the Calvinist stronghold of Geneva, and was installed as ordinary 3 years later.  For 20 years he labored zealously for the conversion of the Calvinists. You may have come across his most famous books: The Introduction to the Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God, written primarily for lay people who were in danger of being assimilated by the calvinist culture.

In the Treatise on the Love of God he writes: “In holy Church all is by love, in love, for love and of love.”  Meaning that God, who is love, is the source of all of the Church’s activity we do and all is directed to him. 

That Christians could grow in holiness and likeness of God because God desires our sanctification; that we can in fact become more and more filled with the life of God while still here on earth by cooperating with his grace and disciplining our vices were ideas that flew in the face of the Calvinist theology at the time. And they are still profound for us today. 

To advance in holiness is to advance in love.  We see this love embodied in Jesus who makes a complete gift of himself to his Father for our salvation.  “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love” We see this love in the saints, we seek to conform themselves to Jesus through grace, following his command at the end of the Gospel today: “This I command you, love one another”

May we take up this great adventure that St. Francis de sales, this great Doctor of the Church, the Doctor of Charity, as he is known, lays out for us.  Through the example and prayers of St. Frances de Sales may we progress in holiness and charity for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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

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

For openness to the example and teachings of the holy saints.

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 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 7 2022 - St. Raymond of Peñafort - Impelled by the love of Christ

 I have a fond affection for today’s saint, Raymond of Penyafort. He was always invoked by our seminary teachers of canon law, as he is the patron saint of canon lawyers. 

St. Raymond was a truly gifted Dominican priest, who lived about 800 years ago. He was born into the Spanish nobility and had an excellent education.  By age 20 he was teaching philosophy; by the age of 30 he had doctorates in both civil and church law. In his early 40s he joined the Dominicans about a year after the death of their founder, St. Dominic.  About a decade later, he was summoned to Rome by Pope Gregory IX to serve as the Pope’s personal confessor.  While in Rome, the Pope gave him the task of bringing together for the first time, in one volume, all of the laws and decrees of the popes and church councils.  For this, St. Raymond is known as the Father and Patron saint of Canon Law.

At age 60, Raymond was appointed an Archbishop, though he became sick and resigned in hopes of getting some peace.  But, peace in retirement Raymond would not receive.  At age 62, he was elected as head of the Dominicans.  Raymond worked hard, visited on foot all the Dominican Communities, and reorganized their constitutions.

In his last 35 years, (by the way, did I mention St. Raymond lived to be 100?), he promoted the study of Hebrew and Arabic, so that the Dominicans in Spain could preach the Gospel to Jews and Muslims.  He encouraged St. Thomas Aquinas, one of his contemporaries, to write an explanation of the faith to help missionaries in their work.

St. Raymond is a wonderful saint to honor and reflect upon in the Christmas season. “The love of Christ impels us” as St. Paul says in the epistle today, speaking of how charity transforms the lives of the saints, directs and animates them. Why would a man devote all those decades of his life to tireless service, if not for the love of Christ—the love he had for Christ, and more importantly the love Christ has for him.

When we recognize how deeply we are loved by Christ, that changes everything. One gets the impression, that many Catholics these days have not allowed the love of Christ to penetrate their inmost being. 

The Christmas season ends this Sunday, with the baptism of the Lord, but with the time left, let us ponder deeply the love of Christ present at Bethlehem, present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the love of Christ which is to fill our minds and spirits for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

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For faithfulness to the laws of God and the precepts of Holy Church, and that through the intercession of St. Raymond, all civil lawyers and canon lawyers may practice law with integrity and for the good of souls.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life, that many young people may respond generously to the Lord’s call to ordained and consecrated service.

For conviction and courage in our own role in the Church’s evangelization 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 those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

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

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

November 17 2021 - St. Elizabeth of Hungary - Christ disguised as a leper

 Today the Church celebrates St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Elizabeth was born in the year 1207, right about the time St. Francis of Assisi founded the Franciscans, and she too is one of church history’s great examples of charity. 

As daughter of the King of Hungary, and betrothed to the Noble Landgrave of Thuringia, Elizabeth had at her disposal substantial wealth, which she used to care for the poor.

During a severe famine, she exhausted the treasury and distributed her entire store of corn to the poor. She built a new hospital, tending to the sick, feeding them, often by hand—sometimes 900 patients every day. She provided for the welfare of orphans and helpless children. 

When many criticized her material benefactions as being excessive, her husband said that her charities would bring upon the whole realm divine blessings. But even he sort of reached his limits when she brought a leper into their castle to quarantine him from the rest of the populace. 

Interesting story though: as Elizabeth’s husband went to have the leper removed, he discovered that the leper had the holy stigmata, and that his saintly wife was truly taking care of Christ in the sick and poor. 

Through his wife, he learned how we Christians are called to take risks in revering and caring for Christ, seeing Him and loving Him, in our neighbor, including the most revolting. In the works of mercy, we care for Christ, and we also help others discover Christ disguised in the leper.

“What good is it if we only show charity to those who show charity to us” we hear in the Gospel today. Rather, as we see evidenced in the life of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Christians are to show charity to those who cannot repay us, the poor, the sick, and the dying. We are to “lend expecting nothing back” in giving of our time, talent, and treasure.

St. Elizabeth is revered as the patron saint of third order Franciscans, but no doubt, she has something to teach us all for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For blessings upon the Bishops gathered in Baltimore for their annual meeting this week, that their conversations, prayers, and deliberations for the good of the Church may be blessed. 

For our consecrated religious, and all third order Franciscans under the patronage of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, may they be strengthened in their works of charity and sustained in their witness to Christ’s saving Gospel.

That families experiencing division may know the peace and reconciliation that comes from Christ.

For all those struggling with addiction, mental illness, chronic sickness, unemployment, or ongoing trials of any kind, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, or for those who will die today: that they will be fortified and blessed with God’s special favor and consolation.  

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

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

11th Week in Ordinary Time 2021 - Monday - Above and Beyond

 Early on in his Sermon on the Mount, the Lord teaches that the righteousness of his disciples must surpass that of the Scribes and Pharisees. This teaching no doubt surprised his listeners, for the scribes and Pharisees were zealous about conformity to the law of Moses.  The very word Pharisee came from the word meaning “to separate”. The Pharisees sought to separate themselves from everything that was sinful. They would even avoid eating with sinners, hence, their consternation when Jesus would dine with tax collectors and prostitutes.  

How could our holiness possibly "surpass" that of the people of Jesus' day who obeyed every letter of the law?  It sounds as if Jesus has just set the highest standards in history.  

The Lord gives a series of examples of how Christians must practice this surpassing holiness. When someone strikes you, turn the other cheek, when someone asks for a tunic, give him your cloak as well, should someone press you into service for one mile, go with him two.

Like the Pharisees and Sadducees, Christians must certainly be zealous about obeying the moral law: avoiding killing, lying, adultery, stealing, and the like. But Christians are to go above and beyond obedience to the 10 commandments. We must surpass the 10 commandments by practicing something the Pharisees and Sadducees did not: true charity. Christians must be zealous about cultivating zealous charity in our personal interactions.

Our charity should surprise the people that ask for our help. Here’s more than what you asked for, because, I truly care. I want to see you flourish. I want you to know the goodness of God. 

When we recognize how immeasurably loved we are by God, this sort of charity becomes easy. So we cultivate this generous self-giving by prayer, reception of the sacraments, and simply, through practice. Practice generosity, over and over, and it will become second nature, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

That the bishops of the Church will act as true prophets through their faithful teaching, their courageous witness, and their self-sacrificing love. We pray to the Lord.

That government leaders around the world may carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for freedom and the dignity of human life.  We pray to the Lord.

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

For the grace to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, to love our neighbors and enemies and those who persecute us, and to share the truth of the Gospel with all.  We pray to the Lord.

For all those who share in the sufferings of Christ—the sick, the sorrowful, and those who are afflicted or burdened in any way.  We pray to the Lord.

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

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

January 27 2021 - St. Angela Merici - Let love for others be intense

 Angela Merici was born on March 21, 1474.  Out of love for Jesus, she consecrated herself to him before she was ten years old and persuaded her sister to do the same—promising never to get married and to live a life of prayer and service.  As she grew in age, she became concerned by the lack of religious training of the young people, so she took it upon herself to give regular instruction to the young neighborhood girls.  She was joined by neighborhood women with similar ideals.

It wasn’t until the age of 61 that she, and 28 other women formed the Order of Ursulines, the first teaching order of religious sisters in the history of the Church. St. Angela and the Ursulines were dedicated to re-christianizing family life through solid Christian education, especially for young girls who were the future Christian wives and mothers.  The Company of St. Ursula spread throughout Italy and France and eventually through all of Europe.  They were the very first Catholic nuns to land in the new world.  

Before Cleveland was even a diocese, Father Amadeus Rappe, who would become the first bishop of Cleveland was chaplain to the Ursulines in the town of Boulogne-sur-Mer in France. When in 1847, he became the first Bishop of Cleveland, it was among his top priorities to establish schools.   So, he invited the Ursulines from Boulogne-sur-Mer to begin a foundation in Cleveland and to start the Catholic school system in north eastern Ohio. 

St. Angela knew the importance of passing on the faith, taking serious efforts in the lives of children to instill in them faith in Jesus Christ.  She was a woman of action whose efforts changed Church history, When she saw the ignorance of the children in her neighborhood, she didn’t just wring her hands or complain, she went out and taught them.

Like St. Paul who we celebrated on Monday, timothy and titus who we celebrated yesterday, St. Angela knew the importance of passing on the faith to the younger generation, and did something about it. She emulates many of those virtues St. Peter writes about in his first letter: sober minded, hospital, loving of others with intensity, a steward of God’s manifold grace, one who despite her challenges, served God with the strength that God supplied. Her concern for the young was a concern for the Lord Himself. She loved others intensely because she loved him intensely.

May we do the same, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, next week, we pray for all students in Catholic schools, that the Spirit of God may grant them the gifts of wisdom and understanding, and that teachers may share their knowledge with gentleness, patience, and competence. 

For parents, the first teachers of their children, that by their faith and love, they may be blessings to their families, and for a strengthening of all families in faith. 

In Thanksgiving for the Ursuline Order, for their efforts to instill faith in our Diocese over the decades.

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

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

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

27th Week in OT 2020 - Monday - Unconditional love of Jesus Christ

 The parable of the Good Samaritan is usually interpreted in one of two ways.  The first is to read it literally as Jesus’ answer to what mercy, compassion, and neighborliness looks like.  The scholar of the law asks Jesus, “who is my neighbor?” And Jesus answers: even the person that you would normally overlook, even the person that the rest of the world considers unclean, that’s your neighbor, and you need to pick him up when he has fallen, you need to see past your preconceived notions and stereotypes and prejudices, and you need to treat him with mercy and compassion and tenderness.

The second way of interpreting the Good Samaritan parable is to see in this allegory a description of what God has done for each one of us in Christ Jesus.  God has raised us up when we fell upon robbers and have been “half dead” because of sin.  We’ve been raised up, tended, cared for, restored to life because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. 

Jesus is the Good Samaritan. And as each one of us has been treated with compassion by God, we must extend that compassion to others. The entire Christian life is essentially a response to what God has done for us through Christ. For us love of God and love of neighbor are inseparable for in Christ love of God and love of neighbor were inseparable.

So the answer to the scholar’s question, who is my neighbor? The answer is “everybody” because everyone is treated as “neighbor” by God—without condition. Jesus gives his life for all, he loves all, and so must we.

No one must be excluded from our charity. There’s not anything anyone has to do in order to become “deserving” of our charity, just as there was nothing that we had to do in order to deserve that Jesus laid down his life for us—he did not die for the righteous, but for the unrighteous. 

Just as the priest and the levite thought they had pretty good reasons for stepping over the man, we often develop reasons for holding back our charity. But this parable of Jesus really calls us to love without condition, to go the extra-mile, not just for those who can pay us back, but especially for those who can’t. 

But when we do, we love in a Christ-like, godly way, and make the goodness of God known, and present, and palpable. This is a love that transforms the world, may we be free from all that keeps us from the unconditional love of Jesus, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the grace to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, to love our neighbors and enemies and those who persecute us, and to share the truth of the Gospel with all.  We pray to the Lord.

That during this election season, civility may prevail, and that those with differing political views may work together for a good, just, and righteous society. Let us pray to the Lord.

That during the month of October dedicated to the Holy Rosary, we may be strengthened in devotion to Our Lady and trust ever-more in her maternal intercession. Let us pray to the Lord.

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