5th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025 - Put into the deep waters

 

When the new millennium began, Pope John Paul II wrote a letter to the Church and used the words of Jesus to Peter from today’s Gospel as its title.  In latin, they are “duc in altum”—“put out into the deep”.  

You might imagine Peter’s confusion or perhaps rolling his eyes and muttering under his breath, when Jesus, a carpenter, spoke those words to him, telling Peter, a professional fisherman,  how to do his job.  Peter and his crew had just fished all night and had just finished cleaning all of their equipment when Jesus instructed Peter to cast his net into deep waters.  

Even though it contradicted his professional sensibilities, trusting his master, Peter cast out into the depths of Lake Gennesaret, and catching so many fish, they had to call for another boat to bring them all in.  

In his uncertainty, he placed his deep trust in the Lord, and that made all the difference.  Pope John Paul II, aware of the many challenges the Church faced at the turn of the millennium, failing economies, impending wars, a culture becoming bent on instant gratification and materialism, he called upon Christians just like the Lord did to Peter, to cast out into the deep.  

If we are going to remain faithful amidst all of these worldly pressures, temptations and challenges, we must seek to be ever more deeply converted to Christ, to love him ever more deeply, to drink deeply of the Holy Spirit.

He had offered the same message when in Saint Peter’s square in 1978 in the opening address of his pontificate, he said, “Do not be afraid to Open wide the doors of your heart for Christ.”  Cast out into the deep, open wide the doors. 

Saint John Paul knew the importance of the Christian having the courage to enter the deep waters of prayer and service. 

He wrote how Christians must seek to meet Christ in prayer not only in imploring his help when things aren’t going our way, but also in thanksgiving, praise, adoration, contemplation, listening and ardent devotion “until the heart truly 'falls in love'".  Prayer is a deep ocean, and most of us only like to get our feet wet. 

But we are called to plunge into the deep, where we don’t just speak to God, but we hear him and experience Him calling us by name. In those deep waters of prayer, we experience healing, emboldening, guidance, challenge, and union with Christ.

If we are only praying when we want something, if we only treat God like he’s Santa Clause, then we will never really fall in love with Jesus.  Rather, the Holy Father calls us to a deeper prayer life: time set aside every day for adoration and contemplation and listening.

In another sense, those words, “put out into the deep” is a call to every Christian, no matter what their state in life, to take up the missionary mandate of the Church. We are to put out into the depths, into the unknown, to bring in the catch of fish. 

What are the deep waters for us?  For many of us, no doubt, it is into the lives of family members who have left the practice of the church and to our neighbors.

And these places, it might seem foolish to our sensibilities, like Peter, the expert fisherman, being directed to cast into waters he had already fished. To those whom we have declined our invitation Church months or years ago, we do well to try again periodically. After all, you’ve been praying for them, no? God has been working in their lives, right? Maybe they weren’t ready in the past, but they might be ready, now! Your inclination might be to dismiss them, but the Lord hasn’t stopped working to open them to the way, the truth, and the life.

This week, prayerfully consider, “what are the deep waters that you are calling me to fish, Lord? Who are those fish swimming deep down in the depths, that I am being called by God  to try to reach?”

In the first reading, we heard of the call of Isaiah. The Lord certainly had a job for that would have been contrary to his sensibilities: to preach to his own people that their sins were so great that there would be consequences if they did not return to God with all their heart. But he said, “Here I am Lord, send me!”

 Recall, too,  that it was after the hot coal had been touched to his lips that Isaiah was prepared to be sent by God to preach. God said to him, “See, now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.” 

God wants to touch the hot coal of his mercy to our lips as well. Being vigilant and serious about removing sin from our lives makes us, like Isaiah, more effective in going to the places God wants to send us and speaking the words God wants us to speak. If it’s been a few months or more since the hot coal of the confessional has touched your lips…it’s time! Make a good, thorough examination of conscience and a good confession. The diocesan-wide evening of confessions returns this year on Wednesday March 19th. Most parishes in the diocese, including ours, will welcome the faithful from 5-8 pm. 

The call to cast into the deep is the call to trust the Lord. Trust the Lord. He knows better than you. He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows what you are capable of with his help. No one who truly trusted the Lord was ever disappointed. Let him forgive your sins and let him send you.

The same Jesus who called Peter to the depths is calling you—calling you to deeper prayer, deeper surrender, deeper mission. You may feel unworthy, as Isaiah did. You may feel unequipped, as Peter did. You may feel like you have tried and failed before. But the Lord is not asking for your perfection—He is asking for your faith. He is asking you to trust Him enough to go where He sends you, to try again, to open your heart fully to Him. The Lord does not abandon those who trust in Him. And He will not abandon you. Put out into the deep, open wide the doors of your heart, and you will see the power of God at work in your life, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

12th Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Tuesday - Laying your troubles before God

During the reign of Hezekiah, King of Judah, in the late 8th century BCE, the Assyrian Empire, under King Sennacherib, was expanding aggressively. After subjugating various neighboring nations, Sennacherib turned his attention to Judah, laying siege to fortified cities and eventually threatening Jerusalem itself.

And what was Hezekiah’s response to this threat? Instead of cowering in fear or surrendering or engaging in a violent military solution, which probably wouldn’t have gone well anyway due to the size of the Assyrian army, King Hezekiah takes the matter to the Temple, spreads out the letter from Sennacherib, the Assyrian King, before God, and prays for deliverance. 

Hezekiah’s prayer acknowledges God’s sovereignty over all the kingdoms of the earth and God’s power over all the creations of man, contrasting the true God of Israel with the false gods of the nations destroyed by Assyria. God is not like the idols made by human hands. The living God who controls the fate of nations.

The prophet Isaiah then assured Hezekiah that God has heard his prayer and will save Jerusalem.

The climax of the story is the miraculous intervention by the angel of the LORD, who strikes down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, leading to Sennacherib’s retreat to Nineveh where he is eventually murdered by his own sons. This dramatic turn of events serves as a powerful testament to the belief that God actively intervenes in human affairs to protect His people, especially when they show unwavering faith.

This story is an example of the power of prayer and the efficacy of turning to God in times of crisis. When we are facing an Assyrian army of our own, we must turn to God for guidance and trust in God’s providence. 

Hezekiah demonstrated humility by acknowledging his limitations and seeking divine help openly. Strength lies in honestly recognizing our vulnerabilities and being open to seeking help and counsel from others and the wisdom of the scriptures and saints.  

Hezekiah righteous leadership and commitment to his faith were key factors that led to divine favor and protection. So, too, our faith matters. Our prayer matters and brings similar divine favor and protection to our loved ones and the church. 

In the Gospel, the Lord speaks of two ways: one that leads to destruction and one that leads to life. Hezekiah shows us the way of life today: trusting in God, living righteously, praying with conviction and humility, heading the wisdom of the prophets. May we follow the example of such holy ones for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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For the Church, that we may always turn to God in times of crisis and demonstrate unwavering faith in His providence. Let us pray to the Lord.

For world leaders, that they may govern with righteousness and humility, seeking divine wisdom in their decision-making. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those facing overwhelming challenges, that they may find strength in prayer and trust in God's power to intervene in their lives. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our community, that we may resist the temptation of false idols and instead place our trust in the living God who controls the fate of nations. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who feel threatened or besieged, that they may find courage in the example of King Hezekiah and seek God's protection. Let us pray to the Lord.

For each of us, that we may choose the path that leads to life by living righteously, praying with conviction, and trusting in God's guidance. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the grace to recognize our own limitations and vulnerabilities, and the wisdom to seek help from others and from the teachings of the saints. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who have died, may they rejoice forever in the presence of the Lamb of God, especially X….

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

Holy Week 2024 - Tuesday - Humble Service in the Shadow of the Cross

 Throughout chapters 40 to 55 of the Book of the prophet Isaiah are found four songs or poems, called the Servant Songs. 

They describe how God will call forth a chosen servant to bring about his will of justice and salvation. Through his servant, God will bring about the reconciliation of all those scattered by sin, all those subject to injustice, evil, and death. And he will do so, not with the sword or violent rule, but through peace. 

And while God’s servant is described as a sharp sword and a polished arrow, in our first reading today, this imagery indicates that the servant is an effective instrument of God. As a "sharp-edged sword" God’s servant will cut through falsehood, injustice, and oppression with the truth and message of God. As a “polished arrow” he will remain on target in his mission without deviation. Yet, even though, he is faith and humble, strong and effective, God’s servant will also undergo rejection and suffering in his mission.

In the Gospel, on the eve of His greatest trial, we encounter Jesus in the upper room, embodying the very essence of Isaiah’s servant. Amidst the intimacy of the Last Supper, He knows the heartbreak of betrayal and the sting of denial lurking among His closest companions. And yet, in this moment, He chooses to serve, to wash the feet of His disciples—including Judas, the betrayer, and Peter, the denier. This act, typically reserved for the lowest servant, symbolizes the entirety of Jesus' mission: a call to radical humility and sacrificial love.\

In this juxtaposition, we find the essence of our calling. Jesus, our teacher, and master, demonstrates that true greatness in the kingdom of God is not found in domination or force, but in humble service and loving sacrifice. As we will hear at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, Jesus tells us, "If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet"

In a world that glorifies power and self-interest, we are called to be servants. And this is a call to love not only in words but in actions—often in simple, unseen ways. It is a call to trust in God's mysterious plan, even when the path leads through suffering and humiliation. For, as Jesus shows us, the path of servitude is also the path to resurrection and life.

This Holy Week, we do well to reflect on the call to Christ-like trust and Christ-like service. Are there feet we are called to wash through acts of kindness, forgiveness, and service? Are there ways we have sought to assert our own will instead of submitting to God's?

Through his embrace of death and resurrection, the Lord Jesus has opened the Way to the Father. As his friends and followers, may we follow him, in humble service and acceptance of the Father’s will. May we, like the servant in Isaiah and like Jesus Himself, be lights in the darkness, leading others to the love and mercy of our Heavenly Father to the way that leads to life eternal, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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That God may be pleased to increase faith and understanding in the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity. 

That those in need may find assistance in the charity of faithful Christians and that peace and security may be firmly established in all places.

For strength to resist temptation, and the humility to sincerely repent of sin.

That through fasting and self-denial, we may be ever more conformed to Christ.

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

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.

1st Week of Advent 2023 - Tuesday - The Peace we long for

 During the season of Advent we recall the promises of God—promises God has communicated to humanity through his prophets—promises to fulfill our deepest needs and longings—the promise of peace, salvation, and eternal life. Particularly, we read extensively through the eloquent writings of the prophet Isaiah. 

In today’s passage from Isaiah, we hear promises of peace that will be established through the anointed one—the savior. 

And this peace is profound and supernatural—something only God could accomplish: Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the baby goat; The baby shall play by the cobra's den, and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair. 

Again, this is a peace only God can accomplish. No amount of animal training or human ingenuity can make it completely safe for a baby to play in a cobra’s den. A wolf, if he gets hungry enough, will eventually devour the lamb. 

However, God promises that his anointed one—his Christ—will establish something new—not only protection for the weak, vulnerable, and innocent lambs, baby goats, and human infants from the fierce, deadly powers, but a newfound peace. 

What a promise! The world is filled—our lives are filled with so much strife, jealousy, violence, fear, destruction, family and national division—strife crushes us. There is so much suffering we don’t even think about it, we can’t—the innocent children who suffer in our own neighborhood, let alone around the world—it is so immense, that we feel helpless to do anything about it. 

Advent focuses our attention on the one who can. The one who is able to accomplish the things that are impossible for man—the things that are hidden even from the wise and the learned. The one who can bring peace because He is both God and man. 

And God’s promises are made known to us, that we may believe in them, and pursue them, to align ourselves with them, and the one who alone can fulfill them. 

The secular humanists and materialists will insist that man can obtain peace for himself—just the right set of political and socio-economic policies, the right scientific breakthrough and new technology and we can create utopia for ourselves. But human attempts will always fail to achieve what we most deeply long for—God Himself. And that’s the promise of Advent: God comes to us, so prepare your hearts to receive Him, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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

That Christ may visit his holy Church and always find her repentant of sin and watchful in prayer.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces.

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.

4th Sunday of Advent 2022 - A virgin shall conceive

 
We’ve come to the final Sunday of Advent. All four candles of the Advent wreath are lit; we are on the threshold of Christmas. We have been preparing our hearts through prayer, good works, music, decorations. Signs. Signs that God is close. Christmas is near.

In our first reading, King Ahaz was given a sign. A sign that God was near.

For King Ahaz was facing a dilemma: a dreadful one. On one hand, His enemies in northern Israel were attempting to coerce him to join them in a coalition—a collation against the Assyrian superpower. The assyrians were sweeping through the region, conquering everyone with whom they came in contact. And so King the Arameans and the King of Northern Israel thought they’d band together and get Ahaz to join them.

On the other hand, Ahaz has a bit of political cunning. He knows, there’s no way this coalition is going to stand against the Assyrian superpower. So he he’s being tempted to bow down and worship the gods of the Assyrians. 

What is he to do? He’s facing this Giant—Assyria. Reminding us of his great great great grandfather David, who also faced a Giant—named Goliath. Well, the God sends his prophet, Isaiah, to the king. And Isaiah tells Ahaz to have faith in God, like David facing Goliath. God is your protector. And Isaiah, knowing that, Ahaz’s faith is sort of weak at moment says, you want to know God is with you, ask for a sign, any sign, as high as the heavens and deep as the netherworld, a sign that will show you that God is with you. And Ahaz, in a moment of false piety, says, oh no, I couldn’t possibly do that. 

And Isaiah says, fine, God will give you this sign, a sign that you couldn’t come up with on your own:  “The virgin will conceive and bear a son and she shall call him Emmanuel.

It is impossible to say exactly what the fulfillment of this prophecy meant to King Ahaz. Who was the virgin in his day whose child was to signal that God was with him and his people? We do not know who she was. And sadly, chose not to believe. 

Ahaz trusted not in the power of God, but in the power of man. He entered into a protection treaty with Assyria, which on the one hand guaranteed him security and saved his country from destruction, but on the other hand demanded a price: the worship of the protecting power’s national gods. Idolatry. And after Ahaz had concluded the treaty with Assyria, despite Isaiah’s warnings, an altar was built for the worship of the Assyrian gods in the very Temple of Jerusalem. This violated the covenant with God. And it wouldn’t be long before Jerusalem was conquered by Babylon a few decades later. 

The Church gives us this powerful passage—a virgin will conceive and bear a son. We like Ahaz are being urged by God to trust him. Will you heed the warnings of the prophets and turn away from sin. Will you heed the invitation of the prophet to trust in God and his promises? Will you stand firm in the face of worldly pressures or bow to earthly gods? 

Sadly we see swaths of people abandoning faith, when faith is needed now more than ever. We are seeing the political consequences of faithlessness play out in our very day. Pagan idols bring us neither protection nor joy. 

Ahaz chose not to believe. So God gave all of humanity the same choice as Ahaz. That the virgin of Ahaz’s day was neither named nor identified points to the fact that the promise reached far beyond the historical moment of King Ahaz. It was a promise that reached far beyond that hour, and continued to shine for Israel as a star of hope pointing to an unknown future.

But that star comes into view again centuries later, when the veil is finally lifted, and the virgin’s identity and the identity of her son are made known. The Virgin who conceives by the power of the Holy Spirit and gives birth to the Son of God—Emmanuel, as we heard in the Gospel today. 

And even though Jesus is not actually named Emmanuel, Jesus “IS Emmanuel, as the entire history of the Gospel demonstrates. He is true man and at the same time God, God’s true Son, with us.”

“The virginal conception of Jesus is a divine work that surpasses all human understanding and possibility.” This is precisely what Ahaz resisted. He was not open to mystery, he was not open to faith, or the divine work that surpasses understanding and possibility.

God invites all of humanity to trust in the sign. The sign of signs. Will you trust? Two weeks ago, I reflected on how If you were to pick up the bible, and turn to nearly any page of the holy book, God is inviting humanity to trust Him. Sometimes the bible gives us models of trust, and then sometimes we see the consequences of what happens when we don’t trust God.

Adam and Eve are told to trust God. He would feed them, he would take care of them. Don’t eat of the forbidden tree, just trust me. And we know how that worked out. 

Abraham, is called our father in faith, He trusted God to leave his homeland and follow the path that God was showing to Him. Proverbs says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Isaiah speaks of his own trust in God when he says in chapter 28: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” Jeremiah, the grumpier prophet says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.”

The Lord Jesus in the Gospels teach us to trust when he says: “do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

Over and over, the injunction to trust God, to trust in his promises, and over and over in Scripture illustrations of the blessings that come in trusting in God, the tragic consequences when we don’t. 

King Ahaz failed to trust in God. And that had tragic consequences for the nation which he ruled. Even though Isaiah pointed out signs that God was with him, he chose not to trust. And, it’s easy to condemn Ahaz, but this is a sin of which we’re all guilty. 

Catechism 397 explains the first sin and every sin, as a failure to trust God. It says, “Man, tempted by the devil, let his trust in his Creator die in his heart and, abusing his freedom, disobeyed God's command. This is what man's first sin consisted of. All subsequent sin would be disobedience toward God and lack of trust in his goodness.”

And so Advent is needed. We need Advent to help us renew our trust in the promises of God and to resist the inroads the enemy has made in our lives and to repent of our failures to trust.

But then consider, that the sign of the Virgin conceiving and giving birth becomes the very model of trust for us. The Virgin is the perfect example of the "obedience of faith" mentioned by Paul in the second reading.

Lumen Gentium says, “the Blessed Virgin stands out among the poor and humble of the Lord, who confidently hope for and receive salvation from Him.” Failure to trust was the origin of sin, but the exercise of trust became the origin of salvation. 

“To celebrate Advent means: to become Marian, said Pope Benedict XVI, “to enter into that communion with Mary’s ‘Yes,’ which, ever anew, is room for God’s birth, for the ‘fullness of time,’” In the final Advent days ahead, renew your trust that the Savior is indeed born of the virgin, point out his saving birth for all to see, for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

2nd Week of Advent 2022 - Tuesday (Dec 6) - St. Nicholas: Consoler and Defender of Truth

 

The book of the Prophet Isaiah is divided into two parts. In the first 39 chapters of the book, Isaiah offers a series of warnings to Israel. Those chapters are not devoid of many powerful promises of the age of the Messiah to come, but the thrust of those 39 chapters contain a message of warning: the devastation which will ensue without repentance on a national scale. So those first 39 chapters are often called “The Book of Woes” because Isaiah describes the woes that will befall Jerusalem, and the Temple, if they fail to repent.

Today’s reading begins the second part of Isaiah. Fast forward a generation. Did Jerusalem repent? Sadly no. And the destruction came, just as Isaiah foretold. Jerusalem was sacked, the temple was destroyed, the Babylonians deported thousands and thousands of Jews into exile, families were ripped apart, the nation was ravaged.  

But, amidst the destruction and suffering and sadness and captivity, Isaiah delivers a message of heavenly consolation: that God will come to the rescue of his people, as we heard today, sins will be forgiven, land will be restored, and God’s glory will be revealed through his people. So this last half of the book of Isaiah is often called the Book of Consolation because it speaks of comfort that will come to Israel through God’s intervention.

These passages have been interpreted by the Church fathers as an anticipation of the consolation that Christ will bring. The fifth century theologian Theodoret of Cyrus wrote, “The true consolation, balm and release from all human ills is the Incarnation of Christ.” God did come to the rescue of his people, and not simply the nation of Israel, but of all humanity; God has forgiven sins, and again, not just of Israel, but all of us, through Christ; 

And that prophecy of God’s glory being made known through his people, is especially fulfilled in his saints. The saints who have repented, how have allowed the life of God and goodness of Christ to dwell in them and transform them from the inside-out are great beacons of glory.

Today the Church celebrates one of the great saints of the early 4th century: the bishop St. Nicholas of Myra. There are tales of this Bishop St. Nicholas’ heroic charity toward the poor, and miracles, even raising the dead. He was an instrument of God’s comfort and consolation. 

Bishop St. Nicholas was also an instrument of justice--a defender of the Christian faith. When the ugly error of Arianism began to spread throughout the Church, Nicholas fulfilled the apostolic duty of opposing that error. For theological error & heresy are great injustices against Truth, wounding the unity of the Church which is to glorify God. 

What a wonderful Saint for us to honor during Advent who inspires us to turn away from worldly error and selfishness—to turn toward charity, truth, generosity that we, and the entire Church may live always 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.

1st Week of Advent 2022 - Friday - Afflict the comfortable, comfort the afflicted

 I got a call from a local newspaper once. A brother priest, who is also a dear friend, had been named pastor of one of our diocesan parishes. The local neighborhood newspaper was doing a story on the new pastor, and so they called up some of the priests who knew him. I was asked some basic questions: how I knew him and so on, and then was asked why I thought Father would be a good pastor. And I said Father is a lot like the prophet Isaiah, and even Jesus himself, he believes in comforting the afflicted, and afflicting the comfortable.

Isaiah is read throughout Advent, and this is an important principle to keep in mind. Isaiah afflicts the comfortable—a lot. He seeks to awaken Israel out of her complacency, her faithlessness, her sin, her alliance with pagan nations and worshipping of their pagan gods and following their perverse and pagan ways. The first 39 chapters of the book of Isaiah are called the Book of Woes, in which Isaiah warns Israel, challenges Israel, about their falling away from God’s covenant. In the book of Woes, Isaiah foretells the devastation that will befall Israel, Jerusalem, and the Temple, if God’s people fail to repent repent. He afflicts the comfortable.

The last half of the book of Isaiah is called the Book of Consolation. In those last 25 chapters, Isaiah comforts the afflicted. He offers a message of consolation to those Jews who had been taken off into Babylonian Captivity. Yes, there was a nation-wide failure to repent, and destruction had come. But even then, Isaiah consoles, communicating that God had not turned his back on his people, even though they had turned their backs on Him.

In today’s passage, Isaiah has just delivered a word of warning to those he describes as spiritually drunk. Through unfaithfulness, God’s people had become so stupefied to God’s word, they were blind and deaf to God. 

But immediately after his word of affliction to the comfortable, Isaiah offers a word of hope, speaking of the day of the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah says On that day the deaf shall hear; And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah offers his prophetic message of comfort and affliction to a nation, but we can also consider his message to us. Every individual needs to be stirred up a bit, each of us has become complacent, a bit. And we also find ourselves afflicted with suffering that we did cause. And in our affliction, God is present to us, offering us hope and strength and the promise that those who follow the Messiah, who allow Jesus the Savior to heal their blindness, as he does in the Gospel today, will be ultimately delivered from earthly suffering His new heaven and new earth. 

In our Advent pilgrimage, may we take the message of the prophets to heart, to till the soil of our hardened hearts and the salve of God’s healing and comfort to our wounded hearts, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

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

That Christ may visit his holy Church and always find her repentant of sin and watchful in prayer.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces.

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.

1st Week of Advent 2022 - Tuesday - Rotting Stump or Fruitful Branch

 

Throughout Advent, we read extensively from the book of the prophet Isaiah. Since Isaiah is such a long book, 66 chapters, the longest of the prophetic books, we really only get to read bits and pieces at Mass. 

Yesterday, we read a passage from chapter 4 of Isaiah. Isaiah foretells how Israel and Judah’s unfaithfulness to God will have some pretty devastating consequences. God’s people, Isaiah explains turned to sorcery & divination like their pagan neighbors (2:6b), so they were embroiled in the occult and pagan religions; they made alliances and covenants with pagans (2:6c); they lusted after financial gain and filled their lives with material things to secure their future instead of trusting in God (2:7), and there would be consequences for these things. 

Violating their covenant with God would bring societal chaos and destabilization. The Jews would would seek out leaders to help stabilize society, but the godless would prove themselves unqualified, mislead the people and set up conditions for anarchy, making the nation vulnerable to their enemies.  the Assyrians—Jerusalem would be sacked and destroyed. 

Isaiah chapters 9 and 10 which proceed today’s reading, speak of not only the devastation of Jerusalem, but of a time when the house of David would be in shambles. And remember, God had made a promise to David, that his descendants would flourish, and from his line would come the king of kings, and Isaiah said, there will be a time when the Davidic line would appear more like a rotting stump than a flourishing royal tree. 

But then, in today’s reading, we read of a glimmer of hope. Isaiah prophesied that God would not forget his people, and that from that rotting stump, would arise a new shoot, a new branch, from which the Messiah would come—a Savior. And unlike those useless corrupt leaders and kings—"The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A Spirit of counsel and of strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.”

I don’t know about you, but at times it seems like the political upheaval and societal chaos described by Isaiah hits a little close to home. But Advent calls the faithful, to focus not on the rotting stump, but on the new shoot—to align yourself with Him, to ensure you are grafted upon Him, that you are placing your trust and hopes not in earthly princes or political machinations or material security or occult practices like the unfaithful to whom Isaiah prophecied, but in the wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, and holy Fear of the Savior, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

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

That Christ may visit his holy Church and always find her repentant of sin and watchful in prayer.

That Christ may fill the Pope, our Bishop, and all the clergy with spiritual gifts and graces.

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.

Holy Week 2022 - Tuesday - Song of Suffering and Glory

In the days of Holy Week, the Church presents select passages from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. These particular passages are known as the “Servant Songs”, and in these passages the prophet Isaiah depicts the Messiah as God’s faithful Servant through whom God would deliver the world from the prison of sin. There are four of these servant songs.

Yesterday, we heard from the first of the servant songs from Isaiah chapter 42: “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased… I formed you, and set you… To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.” God’s servant has a mission, and that first servant song foretells how that mission will be successful. 

Today we read a selection of the second servant song from isaiah chapter 49. Isaiah foretells how, God's servant will be successful and victorious in carrying out his mission, but he will also experience some difficulty, even feelings of failure. “I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength.” There were points in his ministry, where the Lord’s miracles and preaching were met, not with conversion and belief, but with hardness of heart and attempts to silence him. And then it appears that the servant feels defeated in the midst of this overwhelming task assigned to him by God. And yet, his discouragement is quickly transformed into confidence as he acknowledges that all he is doing and will do is for God’s sake and mission. Despite initial difficulties, the servant proclaims, “I am made glorious in the sight of the Lord, and my God is now my strength!”

Now notice in the Gospel today, at the last supper, St. John tells us, Jesus was deeply troubled, he had intuited that one of his closest friends was going to betray him, and that the head of the apostles, Peter was going to deny him. After all this time, after all the miracles they had witnessed, how could these closest ones not get it. The words of the servant song, perhaps piercing his heart, “I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength.”

But just like the servant song, after speaking of discouragement, the Lord speaks of glory. “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.” Even if his own friends betray him and abandon him, he will glorify God, God’s merciful love will be made known in Jesus’ Passion of Death, the mission will be victorious. 

It is good for us to ponder what was going on in the heart of the Lord during Holy Week, at the last supper, during his Passion. He, like us, knows what it means to overwhelmed, and troubled, and discouraged. But like Him, it is important to remember that when we are faithful, if we do the work, God will be glorified. In those low moments, like the suffering servant, we are to renew our confidence in God, that our reward is not an earthly one, but a heavenly one; that through our trials, God is our strength; and in our sufferings, we will be glorified with Him, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That God may be pleased to increase faith and understanding in the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity. 

That those in need may find assistance in the charity of faithful Christians and that peace and security may be firmly established in all places.

For strength to resist temptation, and the humility to sincerely repent of sin.

That through fasting and self-denial, we may be ever more conformed to Christ.

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

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.

3rd Week of Advent 2021 - Wednesday - "Near indeed is salvation"

 

Throughout the Old Testament God is revealed as Savior. 

In the early books of the Old Testament God saves people from famine, from slavery, and from enemy armies. Over and over, through Judges like Gideon and Deborah, God saves his people who fall into sin and become vulnerable to enemies like the Amorites, Philistines, and Canaanites. David sings of how God saves him from the murderous plots of saul, and is a constant savior to the people of Israel.

We know the story well of the devastation wrought by the Babylonians. Israel, having forsaken God quite profoundly, fall to the Babylonians and are marched off into exile.

For about two generations, from 587 to 538, the exiled Jews lived under the oppression of the Babylonians. Prophets like Daniel began to speak of how God would save the Jews from Babylonian exile.

In the Gospel, we hear how God the Savior had now come in the flesh, curing the blind and the lame and the lepers and the deaf, and raising the dead. The same God who saved the people of Israel over and over in the Old Testament, had now come as the savior of all mankind.

These Advent readings help us appreciate who Jesus is, who we will be celebrating at Christmas. Not an ordinary man who simply had nice things to say about getting along with each other. He is God in the flesh come to save his people—and not simply from physical ills or enemies, but from the great spiritual enemies of the human race—sin and death. 

These Advent readings help us appreciate who Jesus is, who we will be celebrating at Christmas. Not an ordinary man, who goes about an ordinary life. He is God in the flesh come to save his people—and not simply from physical ills or enemies, but from the great spiritual enemies of the human race—sin and death. 

“Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him” writes David in today’s Psalm. 

Like Isaiah, like David, like John the Baptist, we are to point people to Jesus who is the Savior of mankind. Christmas is not the celebration of the birthday of an ordinary child. It is the birth of the Savior of mankind without whom we would remain exiled from heaven forever. 

May all the ends of the earth turn to him for salvation, justice, and peace, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Holy Father, all bishops and priests, religious and laity may shine with the Light of Christ’s love for the lost and despairing.

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

For those who have fallen away from the Church, who have become separated from God through error and sin, for those who reject the teachings of Christ, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

That our young people will turn away from the evils of our culture to spread the good news of Christ’s eternal kingdom.

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or illness: may they experience the healing graces of Christ and the saving powers of God.

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

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.

2nd Week of Advent 2020 - Wednesday - Rejuvenation for the weary

On the second Sunday of Advent we heard Isaiah’s prophecy that the Lord would bring comfort to Israel. “Comfort, comfort to my people…for your captivity is at an end”. Remember, Israel had entered the harshest darkest winter of its history, at least since the time of the enslavement of the Hebrews in Egypt. Ready your souls, Isaiah announced, for God is about to draw you close to Himself.

Today’s reading continues that very same chapter, chapter 40 of Isaiah, where Isaiah continues to explain how God will bring strength and rejuvenation and vigor to Israel. In fact, Isaiah describes a sort of supernatural strength: the people of Israel will run and not grow weary, they’ll soar, as the wings of eagles.

In the Gospel today, the Lord Jesus identifies Himself as the one who will grant this strength. The Lord says, come to me, and I will give you rest. Here we have another inadequate English translation of the original Greek. For in the Greek, the Lord doesn’t just say I will give you “rest”, but rather, I will give you “rejuvenation”, “renewed strength”. 

So, as we find so often in our Advent Scripture readings, in the first reading we have the promise, and in the Gospel, we have the Lord showing how he is the fulfillment of that promise. Gos promises strength to the weary, and in Christ he gives strength.  Through the sacraments and in imitation of his goodness, we are given tremendous strength to endure these cold, harsh times.

This year, more than ever, I think we commiserate with Israel in the experience of weariness and captivity. We feel captive to forces which seem beyond our control. Many experience real captivity stuck in their houses either out of fear or real concern for their health. Captivity is wearing. The experience of wanting things to change but feeling powerless to do so, is wearing. 

Which makes the Lord Jesus’ promise all the more important—which makes Advent all the more important. This is the time for the Church’s rejuvenation through Christ. In our weariness, we are to turn to Christ, running toward him in prayer and good works. It’s not like we don’t have the time.

Sadly, many are so discouraged, and honestly, improperly formed in their faith, that they aren’t turning to God as they should. They aren’t developing the sort of prayer lives that CAN be a real source of rejuvenation in Christ. They aren’t taking advantage of the opportunities to make a real difference in the lives of others, and they are sadder for it, and more weary for it.

We lift up the souls of all the discouraged and the weary today, that the Lord may break into their lives, perhaps even using us as his instruments of His Advent, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Holy Father, all bishops and priests, religious and laity may shine with the Light of Christ’s love for the lost and despairing.

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

For those who have fallen away from the Church, who have become separated from God through error and sin, for those who reject the teachings of Christ, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

That our young people will turn away from the evils of our culture to spread the good news of Christ’s eternal kingdom.

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or illness: may they experience the healing graces of Christ. 

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

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.

1st Week of Advent 2020 - Friday - Out of the gloom and darkness, the blind will see

 

During the Advent Season daylight is seen less and less, the darkness comes earlier. Remember back in summer—the long wonderful days of summer, sunlight until 9pm?

As the physical world gets darker and darker as we near Christmas, the theme of light emits from our scripture readings, we hear about God’s promises of light. “Out of the gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind will see” Isaiah promises from our first reading. Isaiah accurately describes the spiritual situation of Ancient Israel—exiled, captive, the presence of God hidden from them. Isaiah also describes the spiritual state of mankind—exiled from God, captive by sin, the presence of God hidden by our earthly suffering, our incredulity, and our self-centeredness. 

Without God humanity walks in blindness. 

To not have the light of God in one’s life is far worse than being physically blind.  In every dimension of society men and women going through life, raising their families, as if God did not exist.  They do not know his promises, they do not recognize his presence, they do not walk in his truth. 

Spiritual blindness is truly an epidemic—its symptoms are the erosion of the moral fabric of families and cultures, the corruption of children, the neglect of the poor among us.

It is no coincidence that in the Gospels, one of Jesus’ most oft repeated miracles was the healing of the blind.  For his mission is to bring spiritual sight and light, he is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s promises. 

The blind men in the Gospel cry out to Jesus, “Son of David, have pity on us”. They recognize Jesus as heir to the throne of David, they recognized him as the Messiah, they recognized their blindness and their need for healing, and that they cannot heal themselves. 

The blind men are in a sort, good examples of Advent faith for all of us. We consider the identity of Our Lord as Son of David, and how he and only he can heal us, and save us.

We cry out with them, “have pity on us.”  Bring us light, bring us healing, “come, that we may see you”. Give us the purity of heart that allows us to see you. Give us the faith that helps us detect you in the chaos and suffering of the world. Scatter the gloom and darkness of our lives, that we may bear the light of Christ to all we meet, 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 through the courageous witness of the Christian Church, the Lord will restore spiritual sight to the inwardly blind, that we may be attentive to the will of God and the needs of the poor.

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

That Christ may heal every disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and bring peace to the suffering.

For the deceased of our parish, family and friends, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Almighty ever-living God, you 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 may rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

1st Week of Advent 2020 - Wednesday - The ultimate promise

 

To understand the impact of Isaiah’s words during advent, again, it is good for us to consider the context of the people of Israel at the time. Remember, it is the darkest point in Israel’s history. Most of the Jews had been banished from the land of milk and honey, the promised land. They were in exile. Family members had been separated as a way to break their spirits. The Temple of God, where they went to worship and bask in the presence of God had been destroyed.

So, imagine the impact of Isaiah’s message from God, this promise of a holy mountain on which the peoples would be gathered back together again, where they would feast, where tears would be wiped away. Ok. Maybe we can endure our sufferings a little longer, if this is what we have to look forward to. Maybe we will get our spiritual lives in order, so that we can become heirs of this promise.

This is certainly one of my favorite passages from the prophet Isaiah. And it’s no wonder why many family members request this passage to be read at funerals for their deceased loved ones. For it contains a powerful message of hope and peace and comfort at a time when it is desperately needed—a time of loss, separation, grief. The family dinner table will never be the same. 

This promise is so powerful because it speaks not just to the situation of Israel at a particularly dark moment in its history, but to the situation of every human person in relation to God. 

It’s the promise that through the Messiah, all that was lost through sin will be restored. The exile from paradise. The hostility between nations, and families, and individuals. The sorrow and grief. Hunger and disease. Death itself will be destroyed. And the encounter with God which was experienced in the Garden of Paradise will be made possible once again. 

Through the Messiah, as Isaiah promises here, we will behold God, we will see God who is hidden through life, who seems especially hidden in the dark times of our life. Here is the fulfillment of our hearts deepest longing--this really is the ultimate promise.

Advent helps us to mold our souls to receive this promise, helping us get our souls into shape through prayer and penance. So what needs to change in me, what attitudes need to change, what habits need to change in order for God to bring his promises to fulfillment in my life? 

The Lord is moved with pity, as we heard in the Gospel, over our sad, sorry state. He sees that we are spiritually famished for his presence. And we see him in the Gospel, on the mountain, feeding the hungry souls. May we respond generously to Him as he is so generous to 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 through the courageous witness of the Christian Church, Our Lord will bring hope to the hopeless and joy to the joyless.

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

That Christ may heal every disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and bring peace to the suffering.

For the deceased of our parish, family and friends, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Almighty ever-living God, you 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 may rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

1st Week of Advent 2020 - Tuesday - A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse

 

When giving tours of our magnificent church, I’ll often ask people to try to figure out what is being depicted on the ceiling. And often times, they’ll look at the figure depicted right at the base of the sanctuary, and think that it’s Jesus, maybe coming out of the tomb after the resurrection. And I always say, “no, it’s not Jesus, but he bears a certain family resemblance”.

At the base of the sanctuary, of course, is Jesse, who we hear about in our first reading today from the prophet Isaiah. And I say that he bears a certainty family resemblance because, he is a progenitor of the family tree of Jesus. And so our ceiling depicts the family tree of Our Lord, in fact, there he is all the way near the entrance of the church, blessing us as we come in from the world and blessing us as we go out into the world to proclaim the good news.

So, the stem that sprouts from the stump of Jesse is beautifully depicted on our ceiling, one of the most unique ceilings in the world. I’ve never seen another like it. It is certainly reminiscent of the Jesse tree stained glass window of Chartres Cathedral which is also the inspiration for the stained glass windows which adorn our Cathedral of West Boulevard.

The Jesse Tree certainly connects us with Isaiah’s prophecy, and reminds us that Israel was waiting and longing for this prophecy to be fulfilled, waiting for the tree to bloom, ushering in the age of the Messiah—who would bring peace and justice and reconciliation with God.

Also, consider the context in which Isaiah gave this prophecy. Remember, Israel was in exile. It was the darkest point in Israel’s history. It appeared that the royal line had been severed. To anyone who was paying attention, God’s promise of a flourishing tree of Justice and Peace looked more like a dead stump in the ground. And yet, Isaiah offers this prophecy of hope. That no, the tree is not dead. God’s promise remains intact. Justice will come. Peace will come. Be patient. Have faith.

So, too with us. Every Advent is an opportunity to renew our patience, our faith and our hope. No matter how devastated the world appears. God is still at work. There will be justice for the oppressed. There will be peace. There Lord came 2000 years ago. The age of the Messiah has begun, and it will come to fulfillment when he returns in glory, so we ready our hearts, we ready our souls, we contemplate the truths that the Lord has revealed to the childlike, those who trust in God with childlike wonder, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

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

That through the courageous witness of the Christian Church, Our Lord will bring hope to the hopeless and joy to the joyless.

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

That Christ may heal every disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and bring peace to the suffering.

For the deceased of our parish, family and friends, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Keep us alert, we pray, O Lord our God, as we await the advent of Christ your son, so that, when he comes and knocks, he may find us watchful in prayer and exultant in  his praise. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

 

1st Sunday of Advent 2020 - Recognizing our need for God

During the season of Advent, we read extensively from the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah is the Advent prophet; for, In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we are attentively to Isaiah’s message to Israel. But in order to understand his message, we need to know about the context—what was Israel going through to need a message like the one they receive from Isaiah?

So, let’s consider the context: things had gone from bad to worse for Israel. A few hundred years prior, the twelve tribes had been united under single king. But after just a few generations that unity had begun to suffer. The united Kingdom of David had been divided into the southern kingdom where the Davidic King continued to rule in Jerusalem, and a rival northern Kingdom. The King of the North, not wanting his people to travel to Jerusalem for the Jewish Feasts, started what was basically a new religion, he built a rival temple, instituted new feast days. And as the northerners strayed from the religion of their forefathers, they soon fell into immorality and they became vulnerable to their enemies. And in the year 740 BC, that northern kingdom was conquered by the Assyrians.

Witnessing what happened in the North, the Prophets of the South pleaded with the southerners to remain faithful to God: if it could happen in the north, it could happen to us. And you’d think, they’d have less reason to stray from God: after all, they had the holy city of Jerusalem, the True Holy Temple, the True Religion was being taught. Yet, within a few generations, even the southerners began to slip and stray. 

Prophets like Obadiah, Joel, and Habakkuk, who are painted on the edge of our ceiling,  warned the south that the disaster which befell the North would soon befall the South if they did not reform their lives and teach their children to walk in the ways of righteousness.

This is why, in the first reading, Isaiah calls the southerners an “unclean people” their deeds “like polluted rags”, their nation “withered like leaves”.  And, just as the prophets had foretold, as the south strayed from God, they too became vulnerable to their enemies.  In 605 BC, the Babylonians captured the South; in 589 Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem culminating with the destruction of the city and the Temple in 587.  The remaining Jews, as Isaiah foretold, were “carried away by the wind”—most of the Jews of the South were carried off in chains, marched into Babylonian captivity.  They were exiled from their homeland, from their temple; loved ones were separated.  It was the darkest point in Israel’s history. 

Imagine how shaken the Jews must have been.  No doubt, they thought, How could God allow this to happen to his chosen people, his holy city, his holy temple. Why has God allowed us to fall into captivity? 

Who can’t identify with that sentiment.  Who hasn’t felt captive at some point in their life? Who hasn’t felt captive at some point in the last 10 months? Who hasn’t felt like things had gone terribly wrong in their life? In our country? How could things have come to this? The political turmoil, the civil unrest, the grave immorality all around us, wondering when, O Lord will you show yourself?  When will there be justice? When will there be mercy?

Isaiah then verbalizes some of Israel’s frustration: “oh that you would rend the heavens and come down with the mountains quaking before you.” Israel was desperate for God to show himself, and do something, and save them. 

This is the sentiment that begins the season of Advent—not on a very cheery note, but a realistic one. Right at the beginning, we recognize how much we need God—how much we need a Savior. Our families need Him. Our nation needs Him. I need Him. And if you don’t sympathize with that…If that need for God doesn’t resonate with you. Than a little spiritual tune-up is needed. 

For, we get into spiritual trouble, don’t we, when we forget that we need God? When we fall into what the scripture calls spiritual slumber. Look at what happens in my life when I don’t’ pray as I should…when I don’t keep the commandments of God always before me, as I should…when I don’t keep the example of my Savior always before me. A division between me and God begins to grow. Where there was once prayer now there is some earthly distraction, some selfish pursuit, my spiritual life suffers, my moral life suffers. And I’m certainly not filled with the joy that comes from a vibrant living relationship with God. 

And so Advent begins with this stark warning. Don’t let what happened to Israel happen to you. Recognize your need for God. Repent. Don’t be carried off by the winds of this godless culture. Plead with God, daily, in the words of the Psalm, “Turn our eyes toward you O God.”

For when we go through life without lifting our eyes to God, without recognizing our need for God, the activity of our life becomes vacuous—empty—undirected by anything but our whims. But when we rightly look to God throughout our day, beginning our day with prayer, engaging in our daily activity prayerfully, finding some time to reflect on the Word of God throughout the day, and ending our day in prayer, our lives become full of God’s presence.

Our lives are fuller when we turn our minds and our hearts to God, than they are when we neglect prayer or when we fill our lives with selfish pursuits. We are happier, we are more joyful, our lives have more meaning, when our faces are turned toward God, when our hearts recognize our need for God. 

This week, let us undertake two tasks. First, take stock of your spiritual life. Identify one activity that needs to be replaced with prayer, or at least one that needs to be undertaken with more prayer. And make a holy advent commitment to God, concerning that activity, that the Lord may keep you “firm to the end” in the words of St. Paul today.

Secondly, identify a person who you know, who has fallen away from church and prayer and religion and the sacraments. Pray for them. If you have the courage, at the opportune time, reach out to them. Remind them that it’s advent, invite them, perhaps to watch mass or even attend mass with you. And keep them in prayer throughout this holy season. Pray in the words of our psalmist “turn our eyes toward you O God”. 

For any healing, or peace, or unity we hope to see in our families or in our nation, will only when happen when our eyes are rightly turned to God, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

2nd Week of Lent 2020 - Tuesday - Learn to do the good

At the beginning of the liturgical year, we read extensively from the prophet Isaiah, to prepare for our celebration of the coming of Christ during the season of Advent. Well now, during the season of Lent, it should be no surprise to hear from the great Advent prophet as well, as we prepare for the paschal festivities of Easter during this season of penance and prayer.

We heard from the beginning of the first chapter of Isaiah today, who gives a series of instruction: “Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds…cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.” During Lent, we do well to take these instructions to heart.

Yet, Why does Isaiah instruct us that we must “learn to do good?” St. Basil comments: Since moral understanding is neither self-evident nor clear to all, we must learn to do good deeds through our study of sound doctrine.” Doing good is not always self-evident, it’s not always easy to discern, and it’s not always easy to put into practice. Generosity, forgiveness, self-control, it’s not always clear how to put these into practice, and certainly in the face of temptation we aren’t always even thinking about the need to put them into practice.

But in order to lead the sort of lives that God wants, we need to learn, we need to be properly schooled, we need to take the position of a student, of a disciple.

In the Gospel, the Lord condemns the Pharisees for setting themselves above the rest. They liked to be called father, teacher, master all the while forgetting the need to learn what is truly good in the eyes of God, becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Lent, when we our honest, should humble us and teach us how much we need to learn. Lent does humbly sets us on the path of learning right at its beginning, on Ash Wednesday we recall we are NOT master, we are NOT teacher, “we our dust”. And by our Lenten observances of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we put our lessons into practice.

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but that must not be true for us. To be a disciple of Jesus is to be a life-long learner. Learning justice, repentance, courage, balance of priorities, calmness, and generosity. May the Lord find us at his feet, as his humble students today and all days for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the season of Lent may bring the most hardened hearts to repentance and bring to all people purification of sin and selfishness.

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that they may continue to conform themselves to Christ through fervent prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

For the Holy Spirit to guide the appointment of our next Bishop—that he may be a man of true faith and courage.

That we may generously respond to all those in need: the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence. And for all victims of the coronavirus and their families. And for the Church in China and all places where the Gospel is silenced.

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

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.

Friday after Ash Wednesday 2020 - Fasting with Sincerity

Throughout the Gospels the Lord is consistently criticizing the religious practices of the Pharisees. On Ash Wednesday, the Lord challenged the prayer, fasting, and almsgiving of the Pharisees. They love to pray in order get attention and appear to be pious, all the while their hearts are far from God. They take on a gloomy disposition that they may appear to be fasting. They make a big public spectacle about their almsgiving, that they may appear to be generous.

But the Lord criticizes this purely external and self-serving form of religion. Christians on the other hand are seek to please God in our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, by not just completing these activities, but doing so with the right spirit, the right intention and motivations. We aren’t simply to seek the appearance of holiness, for God sees to the heart. We are to engage in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving out of true love for God and love of neighbor.

In his criticisms of Pharisaical religion, the Lord echoed the prophets, like Isaiah in our reading today. Isaiah denounced the Jews of his day who fasted but whose lack of love for God and neighbor could be evidenced in how they treated people: in their quarreling, fighting, mistreatment of servants, failure to heed the call of the starving.


We are called to fast, but fasting which flows from and increases our practice of justice, righteousness, loving-kindness, and attentiveness to the needs of the poor.

Lent aims to deepen our sense and practice of right worship, stripping away our selfish motives, purifying our hearts of indifference--as our Collect today prays, that our Lenten observances may be accomplished with sincerity.

“The days are coming when my disciples will fast” the Lord says in the Gospel. Yes, and the days are here. But our fasting must be done in the right spirit, or it’s no different from the Pharisees.
Each day during Lenten, we do well to ensure that our fasting, prayers, and almsgiving our being done with the right motivation, to please God, to increase our love and selflessness, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the whole Christian people, that in this sacred Lenten season, they may be more abundantly nourished by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

For the whole world, that in lasting tranquility and peace our days may truly become the acceptable time of grace and salvation.

For sinners and those who neglect right religion, that in this time of reconciliation they may return wholeheartedly to Christ.

For ourselves, that God may at last stir up in our hearts aversion for our sins and conviction for the Gospel.

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

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.

2nd Week of Advent 2019 - Wednesday - Faith in the One True God

Over the last week and a half, we’ve heard a number of promises from Isaiah the prophet. Promises that God would send a Messiah to usher in an endless age of peace; how the messiah’s peaceful rule will put an end to war, how God’s people will be protected from the forces of evil and chaos, how God will feed his people with rich foods and choice wines, how tears of sadness and suffering and guilt will be wiped away.

So, over the last week and a half, we’ve heard promises of what God will do. But today, Isaiah justifies those promises. Why should we believe them?

Because God has no equal. He is the Creator of the Cosmos and commander of the heavenly hosts. He does not grow faint nor weary, but lends his own strength and power and life to his faithful ones.

To the Jews captive in Babylon this was an important call to faith. For, they had seen their own holy city and temple destroyed. And while in Babylon, the Jews were exposed to this strange pantheon of Babylonian gods and their strange mystic cults. These false gods seemed to be pretty effective, no?

Yet, Isaiah calls the captive Jews to remember and put their hope in the one true God of strength and power and creation, the God of New Life, whose existence is evident from the life that flows through their veins. . The Messiah will come not come from Babylon, not from these false gods, not from the political powers and armies that destroyed Jerusalem, but from the One True God.

During Advent, we recall the same thing. Our Savior comes not from the world, not from the false gods of the world, not from any political party, not from any human army, not from amassing wealth and material goods, not from technology, medical or environmental. Salvation comes from the One True God and his Son Jesus Christ.

“Come to me, you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will give rest.” This invitation is extended to all people, of every place. Come to ME, all you who are burdened.  Any real healing and comfort and strength and security and peace comes from Him. 

Our secular culture offers a million and one alternatives to Jesus.  But Jesus says, come to ME.  Don’t turn to sin, don’t turn to selfishness, don’t run away from the Church, don’t turn to those million OTHER things, come to ME, Jesus says, and you will find refreshment and rest.

May we place our faith in Him, and lead others to that same faith, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Holy Father, all bishops and priests, religious and laity may shine with the Light of Christ’s love for the lost and despairing.

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

For those who have fallen away from the Church, who have become separated from God through error and sin, for those who reject the teachings of Christ, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

That our young people will turn away from the evils of our culture to spread the good news of Christ’s eternal kingdom.

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or illness: may they experience the healing graces of Christ.

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

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.

2nd Week of Advent 2019 - Tuesday - True Consolation

The book of the Prophet Isaiah is divided into two parts. In the first 39 chapters of the book, Isaiah offers a series of warnings to Israel. Those early chapters are not devoid of many powerful promises of the age of the Messiah to come, but Isaiah predominate message is a warning to Israel--what will happen between now and then if they continue to fail to keep God’s covenant. So those first 39 chapters are often called “The Book of Woes” because Isaiah describes the woes that will befall Israel, Jerusalem, and the Temple, if they fail to repent.

Today’s reading, begins the second part of Isaiah. Fast forward a generation. There was a failure to repent, destruction did come to Jerusalem, just as Isaiah had foretold. The temple was destroyed, the Babylonians carried many off into exile.

Amidst the destruction and suffering and sadness and captivity, Isaiah offers a word of hope. God will come to the rescue of his people, as we heard today, sins will be forgiven, land will be restored, and God’s glory will be revealed through his people. So this last half of the book of Isaiah is often called the Book of Consolation because it speaks of comfort that will come to Israel through God’s intervention.

These passages have been interpreted by the Church fathers as an anticipation of the consolation that Christ will bring. The fifth century theologian Theodoret of Cyrus wrote, “The true consolation, balm and release from all human ills is the Incarnation of Christ.”

For in Christ the Lord God comes with power to shepherd his flock, through him guilt is expiated and sin is forgiven.

We cannot fathom what life would be like if Christ had not been born 2000 years ago. For we live with a constant consolation that God has forgiven our sins and that the glorious kingdom of God has begun to break into history. God’s glory can be seen already, though dimly, through his Church, in his saints. Because of the incarnation, we are able to say with St. Paul, death where is thy sting.

We repent of our sins in this life, and allow God to straighten the crooked paths in our lives, that God’s glory may be manifest in us ever more, that we may effective in preaching Christ to those who currently live hopeless lives, ignorant of the love God has for them.

May the good news of Christ’s advent bring about repentance in all hearts and hope to the hopeless for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Holy Father, all bishops and priests, religious and laity may shine with the Light of Christ’s love for the lost and despairing.

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

For those who have fallen away from the Church, who have become separated from God through error and sin, for those who reject the teachings of Christ, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

That our young people will turn away from the evils of our culture to spread the good news of Christ’s eternal kingdom.

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or illness: may they experience the healing graces of Christ.

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

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.

2nd Sunday of Advent 2019 - The Spiritual gifts of the Messiah

700 or so years before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah the prophet taught the people of God to look forward to the coming of the Messiah. Last week on the 1st Sunday of Advent, Isaiah spoke about how the Messiah would usher in a new eternal age of peace.  “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” Peace, security for your families, these are some of our deepest longings.
Our lives are filled with so much chaos; history is filled with so much violence and bloodshed. One has to constantly be looking over one shoulder, sizing-up our neighbor, asking “is he friend or foe?” Well, Isaiah says that the Messiah will put an end to this cycle of strife.

This week, on the Second Sunday of Advent, Isaiah continues to tell us a bit about the mission of the Messiah, what he will do: he will strike the ruthless with a rod and bring about justice. And the peace that he spoke about last week, will even extend to nature: the wolf will be the guest of the lamb, babies shall play in cobra’s dens.

But, Isaiah doesn’t just speak of what the Messiah will DO, but who he IS, how we will identify him.  “The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.”

733 or so years after Isaiah, Jesus of Nazareth stood in his childhood synagogue, and applied that line of Scripture to himself. He said, “the spirit of the Lord is upon me.” Jesus identified himself as the Messiah, the savior, the Christ.

And You might remember how that went. His own townsfolks drove him to the town’s edge to throw him over a cliff. They wanted nothing to do with him. We know people who do the same, don’t we? Catholics who have some familiarity with Jesus, but who, now, for whatever reason, want nothing to do with him. Or, folks outside the Church, who think they know him, but erect barriers so they never really meet the real Jesus. And each of us in a sense, are often hesitant to really allow Him to get too close. He might change us and make demands of us. God forbid! But we are invited, during Advent especially, to get to know Him, and to allow him to bring about the transformation that God wants for us.

When John the Baptist preached “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” That word John used in the Greek New Testament for repent, as we know, is “metanoia”—metanoia means change your heart, change your mind, change your attitudes. Well, the Hebrew word he probably used was “Teshuva” which means turn and answer, turn toward God and respond to Him.  And that’s really the Advent invitation, isn’t it? To turn to Jesus and respond to Him by changing our hearts and priorities and attitudes to be like His.

So, let us turn and look at the Messiah, particularly those characteristics described by the prophet Isaiah in today's passage, that we might be like Him.

The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and strength, knowledge and fear of the Lord.

How was Jesus’ life filled with wisdom? Well, what is wisdom? Saint Thomas Aquinas called wisdom “the view from the hilltop”.  The wise person sees from the high vantage point, and puts his life in order according to the big picture. His priorities are in order. To be wise is to recognize that our highest priority in this life, certainly, isn’t career or wealth, pleasure or power, but getting our souls to heaven.

Jesus, the Messiah, certainly teaches wisdom in his preaching and by his life. “Seek first the kingdom of God” he says, and he shows us the priority of saving our souls by dying for them on the cross. He died, not that we might be rich and famous in this life, but for our salvation.

Secondly, Isaiah tells us that the Messiah has the gift of knowledge and understanding. Over and over in the Gospels we see Jesus explaining the scriptures, explaining the meaning of scriptures to people. Even as a young boy of twelve he was found teaching in the Jerusalem temple. St. Luke tells us that his audience marveled at his understanding.

Advent is certainly an invitation to grow in knowledge and understanding. How? We should be reading the scriptures daily. We should be studying our faith, our catechism, seeking knowledge of WHAT the Church teaches and understanding of WHY she teaches it. St. Anselm explained, “Fides quarens intellectum” – Faith seeks understanding. It is the nature of faith to seek to understand the faith.

We have a parishioner who nearly every time I see her, she asks a question about the faith. I love that, it shows a healthy faith.

Thirdly, Isaiah says the Messiah will have the gift of counsel and strength. Counsel is the ability to judge actions as good or evil, and strength is the ability, obviously, to carry them out.  In a teaching on the Gifts of the Spirit, Pope Francis said that “Counsel enables us to apply the gifts of knowledge and understanding in the actual circumstances that confront us in our daily life.”

Not only did Jesus talk the talk, he walked the walk. The gift of counsel was evident in His life. He was able to judge the best way to act in any given situation and had the might, the power, the fortitude to go through with it. And he bestows those gifts upon us.

We grow in counsel by studying the moral teachings of Jesus, examining our consciences regularly in light of those moral teachings, and confessing our failures to live up to them.

Sometimes we know what we should do, but fail to muster the fortitude, the inner strength. So we must have recourse to prayer, praying “Lord help me do what is right.” If you are facing a particularly difficult challenge, go to daily mass, receive the Eucharist daily for the moral strength to do what is right.

Lastly, the Messiah will have the fear of the Lord. Fear of the Lord is a good and holy thing. Pope Francis said, “The gift of fear fills us with awe and reverence for God. It makes us dread the thought of displeasing God because of our love for Him. A right-ordered and healthy fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” Fear of the Lord enables us “to avoid sin and attachment to created things out of reverence and love of God.”

Pope Francis teaches, “Fear of the Lord does not mean being afraid of God: we know well that God is Father, that he loves us and wants our salvation, and he always forgives, always; thus, there is no reason to be scared of him! Fear of the Lord, instead, is the gift of the Holy Spirit through whom we are reminded of how small we are before God and of his love and that our good lies in humble, respectful and trusting self-abandonment into his hands. This is fear of the Lord: abandonment in the goodness of our Father who loves us so much.” And doesn’t Jesus, Messiah teaches us just that, Father, into your hands I abandon my Spirit.

This Advent, metanoia te, teshuvah, turn toward the Lord, learn from him, allow the spiritual gifts that filled his life to fill yours, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.