25th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2024 - The guiding light of wisdom

 

Wisdom runs throughout our Scripture readings today like a golden thread. That shouldn’t surprise us—God’s wisdom can be discovered in every passage of Scripture. It’s a wisdom that helps us order our lives.

This weekend, we’ve heard from the book of Wisdom in our first reading. In our second reading, St. James wrote about "the wisdom from above." And in the Gospel, our Lord teaches us about getting our priorities straight, which is the essence of wisdom. Wisdom helps us order our lives by setting our priorities in line with God’s will.

In the season of Advent, we sing that beautiful hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel. The second verse is all about wisdom:

"O Come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orders all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in its ways to go."

Why are we singing about wisdom in Advent? Because during Advent we are preparing for the coming of Jesus. And Jesus is the fulfillment of the biblical idea of heavenly wisdom. St. Paul writes, "Christ the Power and Wisdom of God. "He came down from heaven to teach us how to live and how to get our priorities straight. He shows us how to order our lives according to what matters most in God's eyes.

In the first reading, the book of Wisdom describes a group of wicked people who refuse to be taught. A just man—wise and learned—tries to instruct them about the law of God and the path of righteousness. This wise teacher is of course a foreshadowing of Jesus centuries later. But how do they respond? They respond the same way Jesus' enemies will respond to him. They call him obnoxious and plot to kill him. Their minds are so disordered, so attached to their errors, that they reject the wisdom that would lead them to goodness.

Imagine that. A wise, holy teacher comes to guide them, and instead of listening, they plot to kill him. God forbid any of us who call ourselves Christians should become so hostile to God’s wisdom that we close our ears and hearts to it.

This passage from the book of Wisdom is one of my favorites because it reminds me to stay open to wisdom, especially when I’m tempted to react emotionally or irrationally. If I feel myself resisting wisdom, I know I need to pause, reflect, and be careful with my words and decisions.

This passage also helps me see the world for what it is. Humans have an unfortunate capacity to find wisdom obnoxious. It’s a spiritual disease, one of the worst. Why? Because authentic wisdom is always good. It always points us to what is right and true.

We also see that there’s a big difference between wisdom and human opinion. Human opinions are often rooted in personal bias and emotion rather than in truth and reflection. The fool, Scripture says, "takes no pleasure in understanding" because he is more interested in voicing his own thoughts than seeking insight. Wisdom, on the other hand, seeks truth and growth, pointing us to what is truly good.

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, one of the characters offers the famous advice: "To thine own self be true." But that’s actually bad advice—both in the play and in life. The character who says it, Polonius, is a fool and a hypocrite, and he ends up getting killed for his foolishness. Scripture tells us, "Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool" (Proverbs 28:26). Being true to yourself might sound good, but it can lead you down the wrong path if your heart isn’t aligned with God’s wisdom.

Instead, the Bible repeatedly stresses the need to trust in God’s wisdom, not in our own understanding. As Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." Polonius’ advice assumes that we are already morally complete. But the truth is, we are in constant need of growth and transformation. Our lives need to be centered not on ourselves, but on God.

In fact, Jesus tells us, what?  "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself. He doesn't tell us "be true to yourself and your feelings", no, he says, if you want to go to heaven, you must deny yourself. On this side of eternity, our minds, emotions, and desires aren’t fully in conformity with the wisdom of God. That’s why we need to root ourselves in faith, trust, and the teachings of Christ. We must question our impulses and measure them against the wisdom of God and the teachings of the Church.

In our second reading, St. James reminds us that jealousy, ambition, and other sinful behaviors are disordered. He points out that our conflicts and struggles often come from failing to live by God’s wisdom. When our passions go unchecked, we lose sight of what truly matters.

Finally, in today’s Gospel, the disciples are caught in a foolish argument. They’re debating about which one of them is the greatest. Jesus calls them out for their foolishness and tells them that true greatness isn’t about status or power. Greatness is found in becoming the greatest servant, in being like a child—humble, teachable, and open to learning.

So, how do we grow in wisdom, the kind of wisdom that helps us order our lives and get our priorities straight?

First, seek wisdom in prayer. Wisdom comes from God, and as James says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5). Make it a daily habit to ask for wisdom, especially when faced with difficult decisions. If you’re struggling with family drama, bad habits, or life decisions, ask God for the wisdom to navigate those challenges.

Second, immerse yourself in Scripture. The Bible is God’s wisdom revealed to us. Regularly reading and reflecting on Scripture helps align our thoughts and desires with God’s will. Let the Word shape your mind and guide you in discerning truth from error.

Finally, seek wise counsel. Surround yourself with holy Christians who have their priorities straight. Why was shakespeare's Hamlet, so confused and filled with existential dread? He surrounded himself with fools, like Polonius, who told him simply to follow his feelings.  Rather, Christians are to associate with fellow Christians who are filled with wisdom. There are members of our parish who possess the gift of discernment. Get to know one another, and help each other stay on the path of wisdom.

Wisdom helps us order our lives according to God’s priorities. It guides us toward what is truly good, and when we seek it through prayer, Scripture, and wise counsel, we grow in our faith and in our ability to live righteous lives. May we seek wisdom daily and trust in God’s guidance.

7th Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Wednesday - Humility in decision making

 St. Augustine said that his three favorite virtues were “humility, humility, and humility”. And that is a fitting quip for a saint, as it appears that our Lord felt the same way. The very first beatitude preached by Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount is about humility. We heard it echoed in our reponsory this morning: “Blessed are the poor in spirit”. To be poor in spirit isn’t to rub dirt on our faces and deprive ourselves of sustenance in order to imitate the homeless.

To be poor in spirit means to be humble before God. Jesus’ followers must recognize on a fundamental level that we are dependent upon God for everything: for our biological life, for the time on earth that we’ve been given, and for the gift of eternal life. You cannot begin ascending the mountain of beatitude until you recognize that you cannot climb it on your own. You can’t even see the mountain, let alone climb it. 

In the short passage from the Letter of James this morning, St. James too emphasizes humility.

 St. James addresses those who are making plans about their future activities, such as going to a town, doing business, and making a profit. 

He reminds them that they do not know what their life will be like tomorrow. Life is uncertain and fragile, likened to a "puff of smoke" that appears briefly and then vanishes. There but for the grace of God go you and I. 

James condemns the arrogance of living without reference to God. These planners hadn’t even considered what God’s will was for their life. 

Often times, our young people talk about what they want to be when they grow up without any consideration of what God wants for them. This is why so many don’t even consider for a moment a priestly or religious vocation. They want to be an athlete or internet influencer because they want the fame and the money. Not considering that the selfish pursuit leads to unhappiness. 

Our secular society breads this sort of practical atheism that even many Christians fall into, making decisions, planning for the future, without reference to God, without seeking God’s will. And it’s a habit that really takes a miracle to break. 

Whenever we are at a crossroads, we need to seek God’s will. We need to take the time to kneel down and ask God for guidance, and have the patience to wait for an answer, and to discern, to ensure that we aren’t just following our own willfulness, or own earthly attractions, to weigh our desires against the teachings of Christ and the call to holiness, and to pray with the words of Christ in the garden, “not my will, but thy will be done”

Humility is to mark our every decision, humility which subjects the entirety of our lives to the will of God and the truth and goodness revealed in Christ for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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That Christians may respond generously to the perpetual call to prayer, fasting, and works of charity. 

For our young people beginning summer vacation, that they may be kept safe from the errors of our culture and kept in close friendship with Jesus through prayer and acts of mercy.

That during this month of May, all people may turn their hearts to the Blessed Virgin Mary, seeking her aid and imploring her intercession with increased and fervent devotion, imitating her example of Faith, Hope, and Love.

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

6th Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Tuesday - Persevering in temptation

 Temptation is one of the universal human experiences. Children, the elderly, married people, single people, priests, popes, nuns. Young, old, rich, poor, learned, unschooled, everybody experiences temptation. Our first parents Adam and Eve experienced temptation. Our Blessed Lord, as we will hear in the Gospel for the first Sunday of Lent in a few days experienced temptation.

The terrible attraction to act contrary to right reason and God’s commandments besets us all. Temptation is when we know something is wrong, but there is a part of us that wants to do it anyway. I know it’s wrong to talk back to my parents, but there’s a part of me that is tempted to talk back.

Sometimes we even begin to talk ourselves into following that temptation. It’s alright to treat people inconsiderately, after all, they’ve treated me without kindness, I might as well do it back to them. It’s alright if I indulge in this sin, after all, I can just ask for forgiveness from God later on. 

The Lord Jesus however, teaches us to pray to God asking to be delivered from evil in times of temptation. St. James echoes this teaching in the first reading today: “Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation.” 

You grow in holiness, you grow in likeness to Jesus, you allow the life of Jesus to flow in your heart and mind when you resist temptations to do wrong. We become the people God made us to be when we resist evil and persevere in goodness.

James goes on to explain that when you give into temptation, when we sin, something in us dies, something good dies. And if you choose sin enough, if you just give in to every temptation, something inside of you might die forever. And that is a great travesty—for God didn’t create us for sin, he created us for grace, for life, for holiness and joy.

Now again, every one of us has been tempted, and every one of us, at some point, has given in to temptation. But part of the goodness of being followers of Jesus is just because we’ve chosen sin in the past, doesn’t mean we have to continue to make bad choices. God forgives us when we humbly repent. 

Tomorrow begins the great season of repentance. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we show our gratitude to God for the forgiveness offered us through Jesus Christ. And those Lenten penances have a double effect of strengthening us against future temptations. For when we persevere in obedience to God when we are tempted, that produces endurance--endurance for doing the good and resisting evil. 

May our Lenten observances of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving be fitting penances for those times we have succumbed to temptation and help habituate us to imitate our Lord’s own faithfulness in the face of temptation, that we may come to experience that blessedness God desires for each one of us, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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

That the Holy Spirit may embolden us in the mission of the Church and help us to put our physical, intellectual, and spiritual gifts more fully in the Lord’s service. 

That legislators and government leaders may be guided by the Word of God to promote just laws and compassionate policies especially for the unborn, the elderly, and the most vulnerable.

That the upcoming season of Lent may be a time of profound renewal for our parish and the Church as we engage in the penitential practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. 

For those preparing for the Easter Sacraments: may God’s Word help them to experience the grace of daily conversion and the joy of the followers of Christ.

For those who struggle because of addiction, mental illness, chronic sickness, unemployment, or ongoing trials of any kind:  that God’s Spirit will rest upon them, relieve their suffering and lead them to wholeness and holiness. 

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

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

6th Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Monday - Enduring Trials with Joy

 Just two days before the great season of Lent, we have the powerful words of St. James encouraging Christians to endure their trials with joy.

Now St. James was writing just 20-30 years after the death and resurrection of Christ, so to that first generation of Christians. Most of that first generation of Christians were Jewish converts to Christ who were being kicked out of their synagogues and facing the social, economic, and various other consequences for their choice to convert.  And so St. James, writing as an apostle who himself would go to his death for Christ, encouraged these new Christians to keep the faith amidst these trials, and even to endure them with joy.

What a perfect truth of our faith for us to ponder as we prepare for the season of lent, a season associated with trial, challenge, penance, endurance. It was a trial for Jesus to fast for 40 days. It was a trial for Jesus to take up his cross. And Lent helps us associate with Our Lord’s own trials, by taking up penances for the good of our own souls and that of others.

But James says do just endure trials. Rather, endure them with joy. How is that possible?

It is impossible to endure trials with joy if we are not rooted in our faith. 

Trusting in God's sovereignty and making acts of faith that God is in control--that God is working all things for the good of those who love Him is foundational. There can be no joy without faith.

Prayer is foundational in times of trial. Seeking God in prayer allows us not only to express our struggles, fears, and concerns to God, but to seek God’s will in our trials—to seek God Himself—God’s very presence with us in our trials. 

Viewing our trials as opportunities for spiritual growth in a key to joy. For as St. Paul writes to the Romans, our trials produce endurance, character, and hope and even joy.

The fact that we are not alone in our trials, but that we are part of the community of believers can make our trials not just more manageable but opens us to the joy of being inspired by fellow believers and the knowledge that we are inspiring to others. 

Expressing gratitude in the midst of trials produces joy. When we focus on the good we have, the strength that is given, the knowledge that our sufferings are opportunities for conformity with Christ, joy is produced. 

And finally, keeping an eternal perspective helps Christians see beyond the temporary sufferings to the eternal joy that awaits—we recognize that the Lord promised us eternal reward for those who take up their cross and follow him—that our earthly sufferings are inevitable and part of the royal road to heaven. 

Enduring trials with joy does not mean denying or suppressing emotions, or being pollyannish about our sufferings, but growing in our experience of God through our trials. May the Lord sustain us in our trials, help us endure them with faith, hope, and love, and to come to know the joy of the eternal kingdom for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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

That the Holy Spirit may embolden us in the mission of the Church and help us to put our physical, intellectual, and spiritual gifts more fully in the Lord’s service. 

That legislators and government leaders may be guided by the Word of God to promote just laws and compassionate policies especially for the unborn, the elderly, and the most vulnerable.

That the upcoming season of Lent may be a time of profound renewal for our parish and the Church as we engage in the penitential practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. 

For those preparing for the Easter Sacraments: may God’s Word help them to experience the grace of daily conversion and the joy of the followers of Christ.

For those who struggle because of addiction, mental illness, chronic sickness, unemployment, or ongoing trials of any kind:  that God’s Spirit will rest upon them, relieve their suffering and lead them to wholeness and holiness. 

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

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

 

7th Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Friday - "Do not complain about one another"

 Our spiritual director in seminary, Fr. John Loya, always used to say that we must avoid the ABCs: arguing, blaming, and complaining. ABC. Whether it’s with family, strangers, fellow seminarians, or parishioners, avoid the ABCs, arguing, blaming, and complaining.

St. James, in our first reading, gives a similar teaching: “Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another.”

It is acceptable to grieve over the difficulties of life, and to cry to God over the injustices we suffer. There is an entire book of the Old Testament, the book of Lamentations, which consists of anguished cries over the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. Many of Psalms consist of lamentation. To bring ones miseries, ones trials and tribulations to God, can be a holy thing. We should bring to God our concerns, for the people of Ukraine, for example, our concerns for innocent life, and peace, and the salvation of fallen away Catholics.

But there is a form of complaining which is sinful. In the book of Numbers, the complaining of the Israelites in the desert displeased the Lord. Numbers 11 says, “And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled”.

There is a difference between bringing ones anguish and concern to the Lord and the sort of distrustful complaining the Israelites were manifesting. The Israelites murmured against God himself, his plans, claiming some defect in God’s providence. They hardened their hearts toward God and complained, not because his care was defective, but because his care was not exactly what they wanted. God often gives us what we need, not necessarily what we want. This form of sinful complaining is a sin against faith and trust in God’s providence.

St. James, this morning, condemns, complaining, not so much about God’s plans and God’s ways, but about our neighbors.

St. James is realistic about the problems Christians face. Due to our many faults, we often get under each other’s skins. We irritate each other. We fail each other. We don’t live up to each other’s expectations. And so we are tempted to sinful complaining. 

And St. James, this morning, is saying, “stop it.” “Do not complain,” rather, endure the faults of others with persevering patience. “Do everything without complaining or arguing” says St. Paul to the Philippians. 

Both James and Paul are in agreement, that sinful complaining is a form of unholy discord. Complaining introduces bitterness into otherwise sweet conversations. It the sign of an impatient, even a narcissistic heart. Complaining can easily become such a vice that some people’s entire personalities become warped by their constant complaining. “Complaining damages the heart,” Pope Francis said, a few years ago.   

Complaining is not a fruit of the Spirit. In fact, it is detrimental to the peace, joy, and patience that come from the Spirit. It is a poison, an acid, that erodes the bonds of unity and charity. It undermines the work of the Church.

As Christians, we must bridle our tongues, guard our tongues from such evils, and use our tongues, to speak the good things men need to hear, the call to holiness through Christian discipleship, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That Christians may have the grace to love one another with patience, kindness, gentleness, and mercy.

In the recent words of Bishop Malesic, for “an immediate end to the hostilities, for a restoration of peace and for the safety of all Ukrainian citizens…[and] for the Ukrainian community in Northeast Ohio, that their friends and family members in their beloved homeland be kept out of harm’s way.”

For healing for all those suffering disease, especially diseases without known cures, and all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief.

For the dead, for all of the souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Holy mass is offered. 

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

6th Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Tuesday - Persevering in temptation

 
One of my favorite parts of the whole Bible is the book from which our first reading was taken today: the New Testament Letter of St. James, one of the twelve apostles. There are two apostles named James, actually. James, son of a man named Zebedee, who was a fisherman with his brother, the apostle John, and the other James, the son of a man named Alphaeus. And it’s this second James who wrote today’s first reading.

Whereas many of St. Paul’s letters are written to particular groups of Christians in particular towns or regions, like the Corinthians, the Thessalonians, and the Galatians and Ephesians. St. James writes his letter to all the Church. To all of us.

His letter contains a lot of wonderful, practical advice, so many helpful truth for us to keep in mind as we seek to be faithful to Jesus.

Today’s passage comes from the very beginning of his letter. And St. James again gives advice that is helpful for all of us. James today speaks about temptation and trial.

Everyone experiences temptation. Temptation is when we know something is wrong, but there is a part of us that wants to do it anyway. I know it’s wrong to talk back to my parents, but there’s a part of me that is tempted to talk back. There’s a part of me that is tempted to fight someone who insults me. 

Everyone experiences temptation. Teachers, principals, parents, children, the elderly. And that’s why James wants to address this issue. He knows that we are all tempted, from time to time.

Sometimes we even begin to talk ourselves into following that temptation. We tell ourselves: it’s alright if I steal from my friend, he won’t miss it. It’s alright if I ignore my guardian when they tell me to clean my room or put away the video games, I’m having fun after all. It’s alright to treat people inconsiderately, after all, they’ve treated me without kindness, I might as well do it back to them.

But what was the opening line of St. James today: “Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation.” In other words, you grow in holiness, you grow in likeness to Jesus, you allow the life of Jesus to flow in your heart and mind when you resist temptation to do wrong. We become the people God made us to be.

James goes on to explain that when you give into temptation, that’s called sin, and when you sin, when you give in to the temptation to sin, something very sad happens, something in us dies, something good dies. And if you choose sin enough, if you just give in to every temptation, something inside of you might die forever. And that is very sad, because God didn’t create us for sin, he created us for grace, for life, for holiness, for joy.

Now again, every one of us has been tempted, and everyone of us, at some point, has given in to temptation. But it didn’t have to be like, and it doesn’t have to be like that in the future. And that’s part of the goodness of being followers of Jesus: just because we’ve chosen sin and evil in the past, doesn’t mean we have to continue to make bad choices. God forgives us when we ask for forgiveness, he gives us another chance.

With God’s help, may we all come to persevere in temptation, so that we may come to receive the crown of life, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

7th Week of OT 2020 - Tuesday - Lover of the World or Lover of God

On this final weekday before the great season of Lent we are asked by St. James: do you want to be a lover of the world or a lover of God?

Loving things, loving earthly pleasure, loving the world more than we love Christ harms our relationship with God and threatens our eternal welfare. St. James certainly echoes the teachings of the Lord in the Gospels who says, “No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon”

Our spirits, James says, tend toward jealousy and envy and covetousness. Part of us, our concupiscible appetites, tends toward wanting and desiring too little of what it does need and too much of what it doesn’t. Too little prayer, too much power, pleasure, and wealth. Too little time kneeling in Church, too much time at the sports arena, the fast food shack, or as a couch potato.
James provokes us to repentance, to help us examine our lives to discover any incompatibility with the Divine Will, any inordinate love of the world, and to repent, to do penance to restrain our concupiscible appetites, and to redirect them to love and serve God.

Between delicious Pączki today, we do well consider and to ask the Holy Spirit to help us identify what parts of us need to be reined in during lent, what appetites need to be suppressed and redirected. One way to identify these areas might be to simply ask, at the end of the day, what kept me from the prayer and service to which I know God is calling me? What earthly attachments keep me from the gentleness and generosity of Christ?

And once identified, to ask the Holy Spirit to help us fast from these things during Lent.

We won’t regret our fasting, in fact, St. James promises that our regrets from indulging our appetites will be turned into joy, our pride and self-centeredness will be transformed into exaltation in the living God.

May we generously turn toward the Holy Spirit’s guidance today, and prepare well for the season of penance, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Holy Spirit may direct the appointment of a new Bishop for the Church of Cleveland, that he may be a man of true wisdom and understanding and fidelity to the Gospel

That young people may seek Christ amidst all the filth and evils of the world, and for the protection of innocent human life from evil.

For the grace to cooperate with the Divine Will today in all things and in the upcoming Lenten season.

For healing for all those suffering disease, for those afflicted with the Coronavirus, and all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, and For the Holy Father’s prayer intentions for this month: that the needs of migrants and victims of human trafficking may be heard and acted upon.

For the dead, for all of the souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Holy mass is offered.
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you are the source of all goodness, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith, we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

7th Week of OT 2020 - Monday - Jealousy and Selfish Ambition

Last week, my morning homilies focused primarily on our readings from the letter of St. James.

James taught us to undergo our trials joyfully, to persevere amidst every temptation, to be doers of the word, not just hearers of the word, and that faith without works is dead. His instruction is certainly applicable for every Christian, for temptation and trial are inevitable for all of us, we must all be concerned that we don’t allow the Gospel to go in one ear and out the other, but to put the Gospel into practice in concrete works of charity.

Today’s reading may or may not be universally applicable. James seems to be addressing Christians with the unique role of teaching the faith. “Not everyone should become teachers of the faith” he says in the preceding passage, “for teachers will be judged more severely.” James is concerned that those who are teaching the faith aren’t living the faith, they are just giving the Gospel lip-service. They are falling into hypocrisy—saying one thing and doing another. And James is worried about the scandal this sort of hypocrisy causes. For if a teacher, a priest, a bishop can’t live the faith, how can anyone else be expected to do so.

In today’s passage, James seems to be still speaking to teachers and Christians with official roles in the community, and he gives a warning against jealousy and selfish ambition, and he says these motives are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic—and they cause disorder in a community and allow foul practices to occur.

In recent years, we certainly have been scandalized by many teachers, many clergy and religious, who have caused public scandal by failing to live up to the Gospel they have been charged to teach and preach. Jealousy and ambition continue to allow disorder and foul practices to fester in many areas of the Church.

So, James calls forth those with true wisdom and understanding to take up these public roles, but with great caution. They must ensure that their motives remain pure, that their actions are not for their own self-interest, but for the good of souls, that they cultivate not division but peace, but putting into practice, not the corrupt values of the world, but the authentic wisdom of the Gospel.

While James addresses those involved in official public roles in the church, every Christian in a sense is a public figure, and has a responsibility to set good example, to be full of mercy and good works.
May we be faithful to our calling, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Holy Spirit may direct the appointment of a new Bishop for the Church of Cleveland, that he may be a man of true wisdom and understanding and fidelity to the Gospel

That young people may seek Christ amidst all the filth and evils of the world, and for the protection of innocent human life from evil.

For healing for all those suffering disease, for those afflicted with the Coronavirus, and all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, and For the Holy Father’s prayer intentions for this month: that the needs of migrants and victims of human trafficking may be heard and acted upon.

For the dead, for all of the souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Holy mass is offered.

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

6th Week of OT 2020 - Friday - Faith without works is dead

One of the great encyclicals of Pope St. John Paul II is his encyclical on the fundamentals of morality called Veritatis Splendor, The Splendor of Truth. Every Catholic theology student studying moral theology will no doubt spend a lot of time with this powerful document. As one Catholic writer wrote, “there are encyclicals and then there are encyclicals” and the encyclical Veritatis Splendor is certainly one of the most important papal texts of modern history, in which the Holy Father gives a clear and systematic treatment of Catholic Moral Teaching.

Our choices in this life matter, our moral choices matter. And for Christians our moral choices flow from that fundamental choice to believe in Jesus Christ. Yes, that one choice, to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God matters. But for Christians, every choice matters, every action matters. Every free choice either promotes human flourishing or hinders. Every choice builds up the kingdom or dismantles it. Faith must be lived out in our actions.

The Holy Father writes in Veritatis Splendor, “It is urgent to rediscover and to set forth once more the authentic reality of the Christian faith, which is not simply a set of propositions to be accepted with intellectual assent. Rather, faith is a lived knowledge of Christ, a living remembrance of his commandments, and a truth to be lived out. A word, in any event, is not truly received until it passes into action, until it is put into practice. Faith is a decision involving one's whole existence. It is an encounter, a dialogue, a communion of love and of life between the believer and Jesus Christ, the Way, and the Truth, and the Life . It entails an act of trusting abandonment to Christ, which enables us to live as he lived, in profound love of God and of our brothers and sisters.”

The Holy Father certainly helps us to appreciate the teaching of St. James this morning on the nature of faith. Faith without works is dead. Without works, without the works of charity, without concrete acts of goodness, without obedience to the commandments of God and repentance from sin, without actions which flow from that communion with God, without actions reflecting the splendor of his truth, we are just play-acting. Faith must be evident in our choices or it’s not really faith.

It is by this faith that we are justified, we are made just, we are made righteous and holy. May faith lead us to the profound concrete acts of love of God and of our brothers and sisters for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the spread of the Christian faith throughout the world and in our neighborhood, that faith may be evidenced in the holy works of the members of our parish.

That the Holy Spirit may direct the appointment of a new Bishop for the Church of Cleveland.
That young people may seek Christ amidst all the filth and evils of the world, and for the protection of innocent human life from evil.
For healing for all those suffering disease, especially diseases without known cures, for the people of China and all people afflicted by the Coronavirus, and all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, and For the Holy Father’s prayer intentions for this month: that the needs of migrants and victims of human trafficking may be heard and acted upon.
For the dead, for all of the souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Holy mass is offered.
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you are the source of all goodness, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith, we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

6th Week in OT 2020 - Wednesday - Hearers and Doers of the Word

Summing up the entire spiritual life, St. Francis de Sales said: “Simply Obey. God does not ask anything else of you.”

Obedience is the fundamental disposition of the Christian disciple. The word obedience comes from the latin – oboedire which means to listen to, to give ear to, to heed, to pay attention.

The Old Testament prophets constantly remind the Jewish people to listen to the Word of God. Standing at the steps of the Jerusalem Temple, the Prophet Jeremiah instructed: “Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the Lord.” Certainly we enter in through the doors of the Church, to hear the word of God, to incline our ear to God’s word. One of Israel’s most beloved Scripture passages, known as the Shema, is a command to listen: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is God. Love God with your whole heart.” We find the same command on the lips of Jesus in the Gospels.

St. James is clear in our reading today, that Christians must not allowing God’s Word to go in one ear and out the other. Christian discipleship requires an obedience that hears and heeds, listens and acts.  “Be doers of the word and not hearers only”. What we hear in Church, what we read in the Scriptures must be put into practice.

One of my favorite parts of the Ordination Rites, is when the deacon kneels in front of the Bishop who hands him the Book of the Gospels and says, “receive the word of God whose herald you have become: believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.” All of us are to put into practice what we read in the Scriptures.

James explains too that in order for the Word of God to really take root in us, we must put away filth—the filth and the evil excesses of the world. A degenerate lifestyle, a love of sin, blocks our ability to hear the word, it hinders the transforming power of the word.

Rather, we must cultivate our souls to be rich soil, as the Lord teaches, that the word may take deep root in our souls so that it can bear fruit.

May we be not just hearers of the word but doers of the word, acting upon God’s word by striving for virtue and living in fraternal charity for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Word of God may take ever deeper root in our hearts, minds, and souls.

That the Holy Spirit may direct the appointment of a new Bishop for the Church of Cleveland.

That young people may seek Christ amidst all the filth and evils of the world, and for the protection of innocent human life from evil.

For healing for all those suffering disease, especially diseases without known cures, for the people of China and all people afflicted by the Coronavirus, and all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, and For the Holy Father’s prayer intentions for this month: that the needs of migrants and victims of human trafficking may be heard and acted upon.

For the dead, for all of the souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Holy mass is offered.

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

6th Week of OT 2020 - Tuesday - The remedy for every temptation

Yesterday, we heard from St. James that Christians must keep their faith throughout the inevitable trials of life. When we keep the faith when faced with hostility for the Gospel both from outside and within the Church, when we keep the faith in times of poverty, grief, and illness, God perfects us, James says.

Today James addresses a particular trial universal to all people of all places and times, a trial even faced by our Lord: the trial of temptation. Every trial tests our constancy, but temptation is a particular enticement to sin and to turn away from God, to choose evil rather than good.
“Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.”

James declares that the reward for persevering temptation is blessedness—holiness in this life and the experience of beatitude in eternity. And he also gives us the key to perseverance. Love of God. We resist temptation by loving God more than the object of temptation to the point of suffering for what is good in order to resist the evil.

In the moment of temptation, we must be quick to make an act of love: “God help me to remain faithful to you, whom I love and should love above all things. God, you are more to me than the pleasures of my body, more important than my reputation among men, more important than my bank account, more important than obtaining the position of authority, more important than offering that cutting remark about someone who hurt me.”

Failure to love God was at the heart of original sin. Adam and Eve failed to love God, they failed to heed his command and to trust that God could provide all that they needed to be perfectly happy. So, they grasped at happiness for themselves, allowing their love and trust in God to die in their hearts.

So too, failure to love God is at the heart of every sin. This is why Jesus’ greatest commandment is to love God with your whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. Love, in this sense, is the remedy for every temptation.

“Whoever loves me will keep my word,”  saith the Lord, “and my Father will love him and we will come to him. ” Again, in the moment of Temptation, when we make that act of love and trust and surrender, the Lord comes to us with the strength we need to resist the strongest of temptations.

St. Alphonsus says “it is not necessary to acquire riches, nor to obtain dignities, nor to gain a great name. The only thing necessary is to love God.”

In every trial and temptation, may our minds, hearts, and wills turn to God in love, that we may obtain the crown of life, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That in every temptation we may love God with our whole hearts, minds, souls, and strength..

For Bishop Perez, as he is installed as Archbishop of Philadelphia tomorrow, for blessings upon his ministry, and for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to direct the appointment of a new Bishop for the Church of Cleveland.

That young people may seek Christ amidst all the perversions and distractions of the world, and for the protection of innocent human life from evil.

For healing for all those suffering disease, especially diseases without known cures, for the people of China and all people afflicted by the Coronavirus, and all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, and For the Holy Father’s prayer intentions for this month: that the needs of migrants and victims of human trafficking may be heard and acted upon.

For the dead, for all of the souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Holy mass is offered.
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you are the source of all goodness, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith, we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

6th week of OT 2020 - Monday - Undergoing trials joyfully

Up until Ash Wednesday, our weekday readings will be taken from the Letter of St. James. As indicated by its opening verses, which we heard today, James is writing to a group of Christians undergoing trials in the faith—various trials. Some of those trials for James’ original audience included persecution from outsiders—from non-Christians, but James also addresses some strong tensions within the Christian community—gossip, favoritism, and factions were creating internal strife.

“Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James’ words here are universally applicable to every Christian. For trial—suffering—is an inevitable part of life. Sickness, poverty, abandonment, grief, temptation, pressure from family or neighbor to hide our faith, just to name a few.

“Consider it joy” James says, when you face these things. Take the view that these things can strengthen you. View these things in light of God’s plan for your soul. That’s not always easy. We aren’t always thinking about God when we are suffering, but we should, says James. We need to adopt the perspective of viewing all things in light of God’s plan, and see the good that God can bring out of the evils we suffer.

For James, faith means more than belief in God; faith means a life lived in fidelity, commitment, and truth; an interior commitment to God expressed in concrete behaviors. We are to consider it joy when we face trials because here is an opportunity to commit to God, and that commitment brings perfection, wisdom, the ability to withstand greater trials in the future.

We do well to identify, in what areas of our life do we need greater faith? What sufferings, what trials, do we need to undergo with greater faith—greater trust? Where have failed to see the hand of God working in my life? How can I undergo my sufferings more joyfully—for the glory of God and salvation of souls?
 
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That Christians undergoing any sort of trial, may joyfully unite their sufferings to Christ and persevere in faith.

For Bishop Perez, as he is installed as Archbishop of Philadelphia tomorrow, for blessings upon his ministry, and for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to direct the appointment of a new Bishop for the Church of Cleveland.

That young people may seek Christ amidst all the perversions and distractions of the world, and for the protection of innocent human life from evil.

For healing for all those suffering disease, especially diseases without known cures, for the people of China and all people afflicted by the Coronavirus, and all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, and For the Holy Father’s prayer intentions for this month: that the needs of migrants and victims of human trafficking may be heard and acted upon.

For the dead, for all of the souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Holy mass is offered.
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you are the source of all goodness, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith, we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

6th Week in OT 2018 - Monday - Facing trials joyfully

While still a young abbot, St. Bernard of Clairvaux said, “There are more people converted from mortal sin to grace than there are religious converted from good to better.” What St. Bernard noted among the monks of his community, could be noted of nearly every Catholic parish in the world. Many people in our pews have turned away from the great mortal sins of our world, many attend Mass regularly, yet deep spiritual maturity is never gained. Jesus’ call to radical holiness is brushed off by so many as too lofty or unrealistic, so it is never attempted.

St. James in his New Testament epistle insists that the Lord desires great sanctity for all of his followers, and so the epistle writer explains that deep conversion flows from repentance and humility. His is certainly a message we do well to reflect upon as we prepare for the beginning of Great Lent beginning this week.

James invites us to make an honest interior examination to see where we have not submitted our minds and hearts to Lord, where we are seeking our happiness in earthly things instead of heavenly ones.

Before an athletic event, athletes will psych themselves up for the game, they’ll push aside their worldly cares; in their minds, they’ll review the plays of the game, they’ll muster the energy they’ll need to persevere through the game’s most difficult moments; they’ll contemplate how they will outsmart their opponent, and recount the games’ basic maneuvers.

Well, we may not be physical athletes, but we are certainly called to be spiritual athletes. And reading through and reflecting upon the Letter of St. James is a wonderful way to do our “pre-gaming”, pre-Lenten preparations.

We hear James say today, “consider it all joy when encountering trials.” We are certainly about the encounter the great trial of the Church year, the Lenten season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, and we are to consider it a joy. That word “consider” means to adopt a certain frame of mind, an attitude.

Adopting the correct attitude toward our Lenten trials will help us to confront the major trials of life with the right Christian attitude. From St. James, we learn that the Christian faith means more than simply believing in God, but living out the duties and trials of life, faithful to all Jesus’ teaches and commands; faith demands an interior commitment to God that is expressed in concrete behavior.

May St. James assist us to seek the deep conversion and radical holiness to which we are all called for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of February, that those who have material, political or spiritual power may resist any lure of corruption.

For those preparing for baptism and entrance into full communion with the Catholic Church this Easter, for their continual conversion to Christ and that of the whole Church.

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