May 2 2025 - St. Athanasius - Light of Truth or Darkness of Error

 

For the past two weeks of the easter season, we have been reading from the acts of the apostles. We’ve heard Peter preaching in the streets of Jerusalem, and Peter and John being arrested for preaching about Jesus Christ, and how the Church began to grow as thousands and thousands of people began to believe that Jesus Christ truly rose from the dead and by believing in Him we might have eternal life.

As the Church began to grow in those early centuries, the successors of the apostles, the bishops of the Church continued to preach and teach and lead the Church in Jesus’ name. Sadly, there arose preachers and teachers who did not hold fast to the teachings of the apostles. 

Writing just a few decades after the death and resurrection of Jesus, St. Paul wrote about divisions in the Church in places like Corinth and warned the Church about deviating from the teaching of the Apostles. To depart from apostolic teaching about Jesus meant preaching a different Christ—worshipping a false notion of Christ.

Fast forward three hundred years. The Christian faith spread from Jerusalem, through Asia Minor and Greece, into Europe and Africa. With Church growth also came division. Christians, even bishops did not heed the warnings of Paul.

Things got so bad that the Roman emperor, Constantine I, who wasn’t even baptized, merely a catechumen on the road to baptism, called all the bishops of the world together in a place called Nicaea, to deal with a particularly pernicious error called Arianism, which claimed that Jesus was not God, merely a creature like us. 

And at this Council, the Council of Nicaea, one of the most important figures was today’s saint, St. Athanasius. St. Athanasius reminded the bishops, many of whom had become Arian, to hold fast to the teaching of the apostles—that Jesus Christ is truly God in the flesh, who became man, so that we can be rejoined to God. 

Athanasius, only a deacon at the time, stood up to those in error and defended the truth about Jesus Christ. Now, he made a lot of enemies because of this. After the council, Athanasius was made the Bishop of Alexandria, and his enemies would see to it that he was exiled 5 times. But even from exile, he continued to teach the fullness of the truth about Jesus Christ.

What you believe about Jesus Christ matters. Will you believe the truth about him or error? Will you allow the light of truth to fill your minds rather than the darkness of error?

May St. Athanasius help us to believe rightly, that we might walk rightly in the light of the truth, the light of Christ, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Inspired by the courage and fidelity of St. Athanasius, we present our prayers to our Heavenly Father.

For the Church and her leaders, for teachers of the faith, theologians and catechists, that they may steadfastly proclaim the fullness of truth about Jesus Christ, faithfully teaching the Gospel received through the apostles.

For the Holy Spirit’s guidance for the college of Cardinals as they prepare for the conclave and the papal election that they may elect a Pope with courage and conviction to defend and teach the Catholic faith.

For unity within the Church, that divisions and errors may be healed through the power of the Holy Spirit and the faithful witness of believers.

For those who struggle with doubt or confusion about their faith, that the Holy Spirit may lead them into the fullness of truth revealed in Christ Jesus.

For those who suffer persecution for their commitment to Christ, and for all of the sick and suffering.

For God’s departed servant Pope Francis, and for the faithful departed, that having embraced the truth about Christ in this life, they may enter into the eternal light and peace of God's kingdom.

That during this month of May dedicated to devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, all people may come turn to her example of faith and know her heavenly intercession.

Heavenly Father, hear our prayers. Strengthen our faith and deepen our love for your Son. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

August 2 2024 - St. Eusebius of Vercelli - The truth shall set you free

 In the year 355, a council was called by Pope Liberius in Milan to address the continuing problem of Arianism. As his personal representative, the Pope sent a bishop, to defend the apostolic faith, the bishop of a place called Vercelli, bishop Eusebius, a native Sardinian.  

During the Council, the Arians were vicious in arguing that the Son of God did not always exist—that he was inferior in divinity to God the Father. Additionally, they called for the condemnation of the writings and teachings of St. Athanasius who defended the true faith at the First Council of Nicaea. On top of it all, the Roman Emperor was an Arian Heretic and placed greater pressure on Eusebius and the other loyal bishops to relent to his side. 

But Eusebius did not relent, in fact he confronted the emperor for attempting to use secular force to influence Church decisions. Eusebius laid the Nicene Creed on the table and insisted that all sign it before taking up any other matter.  

And you’d like to think Eusebius’ courage and constancy changed the emperor’s mind and converted the Arians…well, no. The emperor had Eusebius, like Athanasius before him, exiled. And in exile, the Arians continued to harass the faithful bishop, even dragging him through the streets and imprisoning him. 

Many of the saints experience tremendous suffering for the truth and integrity of the Christian faith. They experience suffering like so many of the Old Testament prophets, like our Lord himself, who in the Gospel today was rejected in his hometown. 

Wherever the truth is spoken, the devil is often right around the corner seeking to twist and pervert and incite hostility to the truth because the devil hates the truth, he is the father of lies.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The devil hates the truth because he wants us enslaved to error and sin. 

Thanks be to God for prophets and saints and martyrs who defend the truth from the devil’s lies, who help us to have courage when the world pressures us to compromise our relationship with God. 

There the Arians dragged Eusebius through the streets, imprisoned him, and continue to harass him.

We do well to pray for our bishops, that they may defend the Church’s teaching against those who seek to destroy her.  Many people would not necessarily deny the divinity of Christ formally, by becoming card-carrying Arian heretics.  But, the danger in our modern day is more subtle.  The danger is that we affirm the divinity of Christ in one breath, but ignore his divine teaching in our actions.  Our conduct, our choices, our attitudes need to all point to our faith that Christ is God.  Christ is the only way to salvation, he is the only road to the freedom and peace that the human race longs for.  

And we pray this day, through the intercession of St. Eusebius and all the saints, that the truth of Christ will permeate every dimension of our society and every human heart, that his joy and truth might be in us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For our Holy Father, bishops, and clergy: That they may have the courage and wisdom to confront falsehoods and lead the faithful in accordance with the teachings of Christ and His Church. 

For those who struggle with doubt or are led astray by false teachings: That they may encounter the truth of Christ and find their way back to the fullness of faith. And for all Christians: That our actions may consistently reflect our belief in Christ's divinity, and that we may live out our faith in every aspect of our lives. 

For our society: That it may be permeated by the truth of Christ, leading to greater justice, peace, and respect for human dignity, and that those in positions of secular authority may respect religious freedom and refrain from interfering in matters of faith and conscience. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of human trafficking, natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for the unborn, 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.

Priest: Heavenly Father, graciously hear the prayers we bring before you. Through the intercession of St. Eusebius, grant us courage and integrity of faith in order to serve you more faithfully on earth so win a greater share of glory in heaven. Through Christ our Lord.

May 2 2023 - St. Athanasius - God is accessible through Christ

 Pope Benedict XVI summarized the life of St. Athanasius, whose feast we celebrate today, by saying, “The fundamental idea of Athanasius’ [life] was precisely that God is accessible. … It is through our communion with Christ that we can truly be united to God. He has really become ‘God-with-us.'” 

We might take this fundamental truth of our faith for granted today, but during the times in which St. Athanasius lived, it was not universally acknowledged—that Jesus Christ is truly and fully God.

The first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325 was convoked to deal with the teachings of the Egyptian priest named Arius who was claiming that Jesus, as Pope Benedict summarized the position, “was not a true God but a created God, a creature ‘halfway’ between God and man who hence remained forever inaccessible to us.” 

The brilliant Athanasius, still a deacon at the time, helped lead the charge against Arius’ teaching, which he persuaded the Council to condemn. But even with the heresy of Arianism condemned, their false theological ideas were not entirely extinguished. And after Nicaea, the arians gained the upper hand in civil and Church politics—including arian bishops, priests, and emperors. 

The Arians maneuvered to have St. Athanasius, now a bishop, exiled from his diocese—5 times in fact. 17 of his 45 years as Patriarch of Alexandria he spent in exile. 

But Bishop Athanasius continued to teach the fullness of truth about Christ’s Incarnation. As the Lord himself taught in today’s Gospel, “The Father and I are one”. 

Each week, we profess the dogma rightly taught and suffered for by St. Athanasius: that the Son is consubstantial with the Father.

Through Christ, God has truly made himself accessible to us. God didn’t come just symbolically in Jesus, he really came.  God really came in search of the straying sheep.  Man can really find his way to God by coming to Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life. In fact, no one comes to the Father, except through Him. 

Jesus is divine.  If he were not really God, we are not really saved by his death and resurrection.

Even though Arianism was condemned by Nicaea and many times afterwards, still many of our contemporaries struggle with this heresy.  It is nearly impossible to prove that Jesus didn’t exist. Even the atheist has to acknowledge the historicity of the Jesus of Nazareth. And yet, many, even some claiming to be Christian, will claim that Jesus was not God, that he was just a holy man, a preacher, a revolutionary, or an enlightened individual with some ideas worth incorporating into one’s life. 

So may St. Athanasius lend us prudence, wisdom, knowledge, patience, and courage in teaching the fullness of faith, that unbelievers and believers as well, may draw near to God who has made himself accessible in Christ, and come to enjoy eternal life through Him, for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

 

Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, the pope, bishops, and clergy, that grounded firmly in the Truth of the Gospel, they will assist the faithful in proclaiming the Truth with humility and conviction.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ.

That our parish may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received. 

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

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

November 11 2022 - St. Martin of Tours - "Wherever Christ is known, Martin is honored"

 

Most of us are familiar with the famous scene of the St. Martin, the roman soldier, cutting his cloak in two in order to give half his cloak to the cold beggar. Not often depicted is what happened shortly after. That evening, Martin is said to have been visited by the Christ Child, dressed in the cloak Martin had given to the beggar. The Christ Child said, “Martin, still a catechumen, has covered me with his garment.”

This recalls the passage from the Gospels in which the Lord teaches, that which we do for the least we do for him. In clothing the beggar, Martin clothed Christ.

After being released from military service, the soldier, Martin traveled to a city called Caesarodunum, now called Tours, in western France, and there, Martin became the student of a saintly bishop named St. Hilary of Poitiers, whose feast is celebrated on January 20. 

Martin learned from St. Hilary the bishops duty of defending and spreading the Catholic faith. Martin witnessed St. Hilary’s apostolic courage in this matter. For the two men lived at a time when the Arian heresy was spreading rapidly through Europe. Many bishops fell to Arianism, and St. Hilary was exiled from France to Turkey by the emperor for preaching the truth.  Yet, even from exile, Bishop Hilary worked strenuously to bring the heretics back to the truth.  

During Hilary’s exile, Martin returned home to Italy, where he sought to convert his family. He was successful in bringing his mother to Christ, but not his father. After being kicked out of Milan by the Arian Archbishop for seeking to convert the heretics, Martin became a hermit on the Isola d’Albegna, a small island off the coast of northern Italy, where he lived on a diet of herbs and wild roots. 

In 361, St. Hilary returned to France and so did St. Martin, where he established a hermitage, which soon attracted converts and followers to the hermitical way of life. 

After the death of Hilary, in 371, Martin was made bishop of tours. As bishop, Martin set to enthusiastically ordering the destruction of pagan temples, altars and sculptures. He died in 397. A small chapel was built over his grave, and within a hundred years, the chapel of insufficient to house the vast number of pilgrims coming to pray at the grave of St. Martin, and so a basilica was built. By the sixth century, Martin was so venerated by the Church, that the latin poet Venantius Fortunatus wrote, "Wherever Christ is known, Martin is honored."

St. Martin has been honored ever since. And how fitting, that on the feast of St. Martin, the soldier who laid down his arms to devote himself entirely to Christ, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 major hostilities of the Great War, World War I, came to an end. And that today in our nation, our veterans are remembered and honored.

May St. Martin, the veteran turned monk and then bishop, assist all veterans, and all of us to seek after Christ, to serve Christ by serving the poor, to proclaim Christ as did this faithful and beloved bishop, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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

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

That even in armed conflict, we may keep clearly before us the defense of all human rights, especially the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

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

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

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

August 2 2022 - St. Eusebius of Vercelli - Constancy to affirm the Lord's divinity

 The time was the third century, the challenge facing the Church was the heresy of Arianism which denied the Divinity of Christ.

A synod was called by Pope Liberius in 355 to help settle the growing split between loyal Catholics and the Arians, and the Pope’s delegate was the first bishop of Vercelli, Bishop Eusebius.

During the Council, the Arians were vicious in arguing that the Son of God did not always exist, that he was inferior in divinity to God the Father.  The Arians wanted their opponents to condemn the writings and teachings of St. Athanasius who defended the true faith at the First Council of Nicaea.

Eusebius and other bishops loyal to Rome refused to go along with the condemnation of Athanasius.  Instead, Eusebius laid the Nicene Creed on the table and insisted that all sign it before taking up any other matter.  The Roman Emperor, himself an Arian Heretic, began to put pressure on Eusebius and the loyal bishops.  But Eusebius did not relent, in fact he confronted the Emperor for attempting to use secular force to influence Church decisions.

And you’d like to think Eusebius’ courage and constancy changed the Emperor’s mind and converted the Arians…well, no. Eusebius, like Athanasius before him, was condemned to exile for not supporting the Emperor’s will and heretical beliefs. And In exile, the Arians continued to harass the faithful bishop, even dragging him through the streets and imprisoning him. 

This reminds me of a line of Mother Theresa: “God doesn’t call us to be successful, only to be faithful.” We might not always be successful in converting the heretical emperor or fallen away family member. But we are called to be faithful to trying.  We are to uphold Catholic teaching, when faced with pressure from the secular world; maybe some will be converted…God willing…when they witness our constancy and fortitude and patience and willingness to suffer for the truth. 

As you know, I like to use the proper readings for the saints on their memorials. I like to preach on the virtues of the saints, and those proper readings are chosen by the Church because there is some confluence between God’s word and the life of the saint, the saint in some way exemplifies and illustrates God’s word by their life. And I find it pretty noteworthy that the Gospel reading for St. Eusebius is the beatitudes. 

It's almost as if the Church is saying, take note of this saint, he exemplifies the beatitudes of Jesus Christ. He was meek as Jesus was meek, he was pure of heart as Jesus was pure of heart, he was insulted and persecuted and had every evil uttered against him because he was faithful to God, and for this, for his faithfulness, he is counting among the blessed and his honored by the Church, but also held up as an example, of what it means to be a holy bishop, and faithful Catholic.

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That the pope, bishops, and clergy may be filled with constancy in teaching and living out the Gospel, and that our parish may bear witness with great confidence to our life-giving faith in word and deed.

For Bishop-elect Michael Woost who will be consecrated bishop this week, for blessings upon his ministry as auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Cleveland.

That politicians and government officials may protect religious freedom, promote virtue, and look to the law of Christ to guide their work for the good of nations and the human race

For all those who experience persecution for the sake of the Gospel, that they may be sustained in their faith, and bear fruit for the salvation of souls.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection, especially N. 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 desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

May 18 2022 - Pope John the First - Kings and Emperors, Mercy and Martyrdom

 

Of all the Popes, the most popes with same name have been named John. There have been twenty-one legitimate popes named John, the numbering has reached John XXIII because of two errors that were introduced in the Middle Ages. 

First, antipope John XVI was kept in the numbering sequence instead of being removed. Then, the number XX was skipped because pope John XXI counted John XIV twice.

But today we celebrate the man who started it all, Pope John, the first of his name. He was the first Pope to take the name of one of the Apostles. In fact, John is the only one of the Twelve who has lent his name to the Popes.

Pope John the first was elected to the Papacy in the year 523 and died just three years later on this date, May 17 526. John was very frail when he was elected to the papacy. Despite his poor health, he was asked by the Ostrogoth King Theodoric the Great to travel from Rome to Constantinople to negotiate with the Emperor to restore the repentant arian heretics back to their positions in the church’s hierarchy. 

Consider that for a moment. The frail Pope went on a diplomatic mission to the middle east to plead to the emperor on behalf of sinners, heretics, schismatics who had repented and sought to take-up again the mission of the one, true, church. Talk about a Pope of mercy. 

So the frail Pope gets to Constantinople. The emperor receives the pontiff honorably, but refuses to grant the Pope’s request to restore the former Arian Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.

So the Pope returned to Rome. The Ostrogoth King, suspicious that the Pope had conspired with the Emperor, arrested the Pope, had his imprisoned in Ravenna, where he soon died from ill treatment and neglect. Pope John, first of his name, is honored as a martyr

I like that little story. The frail yet courageous Pope, embarking on a mission of mercy, suffers and dies for doing what was right, which at the time was controversial. Should heretic clergy be welcomed back into the fold if they repent? Can they be trusted? Many disagreed. 

In the acts of the Apostles, we see Paul, Barnabas, and the Apostles gathering in Jerusalem—for the first Church Council—the Council of Jerusalem—to deal with one of the first controversies in Church history—do gentiles need to be circumcised in order to be counted among God’s faithful ones? They debate, they discern, they pray, they seek to understand the Word of God—the teachings of Jesus— under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The Church exists in a complex world—amidst Kings and Emperors vying for power with people’s lives, with complex moral and theological issues. Our job is to remain true to what we have received—the one true faith—to not just be hearers of the word, but doers of the word, like the frail Pope John traveling thousands of miles to plead for mercy.

“Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit” may we show by our actions, attitudes, how we treat people, and our conviction for the Gospel, that we remain in Christ and Christ remains in us, by bearing good fruit for the kingdom today and all days, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

God the Father was glorified in the death and resurrection of his Son. Let us pray to him with confidence.

God the Father bathed the world in splendor when Christ rose again in glory, may our minds be filled with the light of faith.

Through the resurrection of His Son, the Father opened for us the way to eternal life, may we be sustained today in our work with the hope of glory.

Through His risen Son, the Father sent the Holy Spirit into the world, may our hearts be set on fire with spiritual love.

May Jesus Christ, who was crucified to set us free, be the salvation of all those who suffer, particularly those who suffer from physical or mental illness, addiction, and grief.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

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

July 30 2021 - St. Peter Chrysologus - A good tree bears good fruit

 

A week and a half ago, on July 20, we celebrated the feast of St. Apollonaris, who was bishop of the Italian diocese of Ravenna when he was martyred in AD 79. Today, we celebrate the feast of another bishop of Ravenna, living about 400 years later, Peter Chyrsologus, whose name means “golden words”. Bishop Peter of the golden words was known for his elegant homilies, over 150 of which have survived and continue to speak to us today. His golden words attest to the Church's ancient and perpetual beliefs about Mary's perpetual virginity, the powerful value of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, Christ's Eucharistic presence, and the role and primacy of the Pope.

Emerging from the persecutions, the church of the 5th century had its own challenges. As the church flourished throughout the empire, heresies like Arianism and Monophysitism also sprung up. These errors taught that Jesus,  lacked a full human nature. God did not fully incarnate. Bishops like St. Peter Chyrsologus addressed these errors in their own dioceses, but that the entire church might be united in the faith, the Great Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon was called 451 AD. A still-existing text from the council written by Peter Chyrsologus corrects the error of the Monophysites, affirming that Jesus is fully God and fully man, and calls for obedience to the Pope in teaching this truth of the faith. 

In addition to his contributions to the council, as shepherd of Ravenna, Bishop Peter encouraged his flock to daily reception of Eucharist, helped them to apply the moral teachings of Christ to their daily lives, and urged a special care of the poor.

"A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit” says the Gospel for his feast today. Peter Chrysologus was certainly a good tree, that bore much fruit, because he was rooted in Christ, his mind and heart were made good soil to receive the seed of the Word of God. His golden words were the fruit of allowing the word of God to be nurtured through prayer, good works, study, holy meditation, careful speech, frequent reception of the Eucharist, love of and devotion to the Blessed Mother.

We need bishops like Peter Chrysologus; we need clear teachers of the faith like him, and we need uncompromising faithful sons and daughters of the Church like him. May his golden words continue to teach the church and encourage us to the unity of faith and enflame us for the mission of the Gospel, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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May the Church constantly be enriched through her study of God’s incarnate word and learning of God’s statutes and commands.

That all Bishops may preach and teach eloquently and faithfully the truth of Christ’s Gospel.

For the protection of young people from the corrupting influences of the world, for Christians families, and for the conversion of the faithless.

That the sick and suffering may find comfort in the promises of Christ and the consolation of the Spirit.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, the souls in purgatory, deceased bishops, priests, and religious, those who fought and died for our freedom, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered.

Hear Our Prayers, O Lord, and through the intercession of St. Peter Chrysologus, free us from all that keeps us from the truth of Christ. Through the same Christ Our Lord.

June 9 2021 - St. Ephrem the Syrian - "Blessed are the Pure of Heart"

 

In popular devotion, the deacon St. Ephrem is not as well-known as St. Francis or St. Anthony or St. Patrick, yet Ephrem is a wonderful saint for us.  He was so steeped in God’s word, so in love with God.  Earlier this week, we heard the beatitudes from the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. Well, St. Ephrem embodied that beatitude “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God”. He was enraptured with God. He composed poetry and hymns to God and to the Blessed Mother. 

His poetry and hymns also served another purpose. He used them to catechize and defend the faith against the false doctrines and heresies rampant in his time, particularly the Arian heresy which denied the full divinity of Jesus.

Love of God impelled him to defend the faith, and lead others sweetly to the faith. When your love for God is great, you want others to know that love.  It is said that St. Ephrem had such an acute vision of the goodness of God and man’s need for God, that he was often “dissolved in tears.”  He is was in this constant state of weeping because of his insight into God’s love for us.  

He is known as St. Ephrem the Deacon because he was ordained a deacon by St. Basil the Great, but never a priest.  In fact, the people wanted him to be a bishop, but he is said to have avoided episcopal consecration by pretending to be insane. Smart man! He died in 373 while caring for those infected by the plague.  

There are many people today who do not know that Jesus is God. They do not know God’s love for them, nor will they acknowledge their need for God. Saints like Ephrem point us to the one true God by the goodness of their life, by their labors, by their concern for souls. They remind us to be wary of the glamours and errors of the world, and call us to that purity of heart in which we contemplate the truth, goodness, and beauty of the one, true, God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

May St. Ephrem help us in remaining free from all that keeps us from contemplating God’s goodness, truth, and beauty this day for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the whole Christian people, that the beatitudes of Christ may animate our lives. Let us pray to the Lord. 

For our President and all elected government representatives, may the Holy Spirit grant them wisdom and guide them to promote authentic and lasting peace in the world, an end to terrorism, respect for religious freedom, and a greater reverence for the sanctity of Human Life. Let us pray to the Lord.

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

For all of the sick and suffering, for the grace to unite their sufferings with Christ and to know His consolation and peace.

For our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. We pray to the Lord.

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

January 13 2020 - St. Hilary - Fishers of Men

On this first weekday of the new season of Ordinary Time, we honor one of the great Fathers of the Church, St. Hilary, a bishop of the fourth century. 

As the Arian heresy spread rapidly through Europe, St. Hilary was devoted to defending and spreading the Catholic faith, which upheld the divinity of Christ, which the Arians denied. Bishop Hilary was ostracized by his brother bishops who accepted Arianism; he was even exiled from France to Turkey by the emperor for preaching the truth.  Yet, even from exile, he worked strenuously to bring the heretics back to the truth.  When he returned from exile, his people welcomed him back enthusiastically. 

Today in the Gospel, we heard Jesus tell Peter and Andrew, “I will make you fishers of men.”  St. Hilary and the great saints show us what the Lord meant.  We, like the Saints, are to work to bring others to the truth about Jesus Christ—the fullness of truth revealed to and handed down from the apostles.

St. John Paul II would often challenge young people: “ask yourselves if you truly believe that Jesus is Lord.”  Because if you truly believe this, that Jesus is God, and that he teaches with the authority of God, then you must change your life, your life must give witness to this truth.  We must have the courage to witness in some way to those we meet today that Jesus is Lord, that he is God, that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

I can’t think of a better saint with whom to begin Ordinary Time: for like St. Hilary, we are to be fishers of men. Our witness that Jesus is God, that Jesus is Lord is to permeate our ordinary lives, our ordinary day-to-day activity. 

In the opening prayer, we asked, “O God, grant that we may rightly understand and truthfully profess the divinity of your Son, which the Bishop Saint Hilary taught with such constancy”.  Likely, so many of our fellow Catholics who are not coming to Church have not allowed the implications of the divinity of Jesus to penetrate their lives. So let us seek right understanding that we might truthfully profess with St. Hilary and all the saints, that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.
That the Holy Father and the bishops may be always faithful in defending the Church from heresy and working for the spread of the true faith.
For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of January: that Christians, followers of other religions, and all people of goodwill may promote peace and justice in the world.
For all Catholics who have fallen away from the faith, into heresy, schism or indifference, for all unbelievers, and the conversion of all.
That young people may seek Christ amidst all the chaos and distraction of modern culture.
For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, for those undergoing surgery this week,  that they may find relief in both mind and body.
For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

4th Week of Lent 2019 - Wednesday - Why should I believe Jesus?

The past two days we have heard in our Gospel readings, two of the seven signs that testify to Jesus’ identity: monday we heard of the healing of the royal officials son, and yesterday, the healing of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda.

Often following the miracles in John’s Gospel, Jesus gives a lengthy teaching.  He gets people’s attention through the miracle, and then he teaches them—clarifying his identity and his mission: He is the Son of God, He is here to do His Father’s work.  These teachings often deepen the antagonism between Jesus and his persecutors, as we heard today: “For this reason they tried all the more to kill him” The clearer He makes his Divine identity and mission, the more his opponents seemed to hate him for it.

Every week in the Creed, believers renew our belief that Jesus is truly God. At Easter, Catholics will renew their baptismal promises, we will state that Jesus is God.

One of my favorite Catholic apologists, Dr. Peter Kreeft, writes: “The doctrine of Christ's divinity is the central Christian doctrine, for it is like a skeleton key that opens all the others. Christians have not independently reasoned out and tested each of the teachings of Christ received via Bible and Church, but believe them all on his authority. For if Christ is divine, He can be trusted to be infallible in everything He said, even hard things like exalting suffering and poverty, forbidding divorce, giving his Church the authority to teach and forgive sins in his name, warning about hell (very often and very seriously), instituting the scandalous sacrament of eating his flesh—we often forget how many "hard sayings" he taught!”

The doctrine of Christ’s divinity is important for us to reflect upon during Lent. Because Lent is the call to follow Jesus to the Cross. Christ’s divinity is the answer to the question: “Why should I?” Why should I suffer? Why should I repent? Why should I go to the cross with him? Why should I fast? Why should I go through all the effort of changing my ways and striving for virtue? Because Jesus is God. And his promises are infallible.

This is why the early Church fathers fought so assiduously against heresies like Arianism, Adoptionism, Manicheism. They were essentially a rejection of Christ’s central truth: for to paraphrase St. Athanasius, if he wasn’t God, his death on the cross was meaningless, he had no power to save us from our sins.

But he is God, as Our Lord teaches, “The Father and I are one.” And so we follow Him, we believe Him, we abandon our lives to Him, we willingly suffer with Him, that we may be raised with Him as he promised, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For an increase in faith for the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity.

That the Church might be delivered and protected from all spirits of error, heresy, schism, and unbelief.

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.

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 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.

January 2 2018 - Sts Basil and Gregory - "Who is Jesus?"

“Who are you?” was a question posited to John the Baptist in the Gospel today. Many of the Jews of Jesus’ time were eagerly awaiting the Messiah, and when they heard John preaching with such gravitas and in the prophetic style, they asked him “Who are you?”

“Who are you?” was certainly a question in the forefront of everyone’s mind when they met Jesus, when they saw him performing miracles, teaching in the synagogue with authority, driving money changers out of the Temple, confounding the scribes and Pharisees.

Jesus even asked his own disciples the question: “Who do you say that I am?”

During the Christmas season, I think every man, woman, and child is challenged to answer the question: who is Jesus? Who is this child born of the Virgin? “What Child is this, who laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?”

How we answer that question determines the course of our life. Was Jesus really God in the flesh? Was he just another baby born into poverty? I think many people today question if Jesus was real at all, believing that he is just another character from myth like Zeus, Apollo, or Hercules.

Division in the Church arose in the 4th century over Jesus’ identity. When, the Arian Christians denied that Jesus was consubstantial with the Father, denying the fullness of Jesus’ divinity, saints, like St. Basil and St. Gregory, whom we honor today defended the Apostolic teaching and that of the early Church councils, using the philosophical language of the day.

For us, the faithful, to engage our own culture with similar clarity, is extremely important. We are to assist the confused, those who have been deceived by the errors of the world, those who mock the faith, those who do not take Jesus’ identity seriously, the family members who don’t think skipping mass is that big of a deal.

We are to engage the spirit of the anti-christ, as St. John called it in our first reading, by proclaiming the truth of Jesus clearly, passionately, patiently, consistent with the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic faith.

Saints Basil and Gregory came to such clear conviction through a life of prayer and study. They studied the scriptures, they studied the Church fathers, and they prayerful sought the Lord in silence and contemplation.

Through prayer, study, the intercession of the saints, and the help of God’s grace may we, as St. John says, “remain in Christ, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not be put to shame by him at his coming,” for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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

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

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

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

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

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

June 9 2017 - St. Ephrem the Syrian- Exulted in singing God's mysteries

My first parish assignment as a priest was St. Columbkille Parish in Parma. Today, June 9 on the old calendar was the feast of St. Columbkille; he isn’t celebrated universally, rather, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Ephrem, a poet, teacher, orator, and defender of the faith born early in the 4th century in Syria.

When St. Paul was converted on the road to Damascus, Jesus was already known in Syria; and it was there, in Antioch, in Syria, that Jesus’ disciples were first called “Christians”. We celebrate every year the feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch, who in a sense inaugurated an era of martyrs in the early Church.

Yet, even under threat of continuous persecution, a school of theology developed in Antioch, one of whose most prestigious disciples was John Chrysostom. Monasticism flourished as well: St. Simeon the Stylite and St. Maron lived not far from Aleppo.

So when we hear about Christians being driven out from Syria, we are talking about an attack on the deepest roots of Christianity.

St. Ephrem defended the faith against the Arian Heresy in his day. In the 4th century, the denial of the divinity of Christ was spreading throughout the world. One of the reasons Arianism was adopted by so many people, nobility and common folk alike, was propaganda: really catchy hymns containing heresy carried this error. The theology was false, but the tunes were memorable.

To combat error, Ephrem wrote beautiful hymns containing faithful doctrine, in order to catechize the people.  For this he was called “the harp of the Holy Spirit.” In icons and religious art, he is often depicted holding a harp and the opening prayer referred to St. Ephrem as “exulted in singing God’s mysteries.”

The Church certainly faces physical threats of violence in places like Syria, Christians are being driven out wholesale. In 2011, Christians in Syria numbered 1.25 Million; in 2016, we were less than 500,000. But, we also face theological threats, there and everywhere: cultural propaganda which denies the existence of God, the divinity of Christ, the natural moral law—cultural propaganda which normalizes serious sin, perversion, adultery, and violence.

In many places, Christians, even Bishops, accommodate these errors, rather than holding firm. Heretical hymns, like those in Ephrem’s time, crept into our Masses. Many of the hymns that came after the Second Vatican Council were theologically lacking at best, downright heretical at worst, some of them are simply ugly music, unbefitting the sacred mysteries. These heretical hymns and poor catechesis in many places has, at least partially, contributed to the erosion of the practice of the true Faith.

So we certainly seek the help of God and the help of the Saints in refortifying the Church from error, re-evangelizing those who have drifted away, convicting the hearts and minds of our young people. May St. Ephrem help us to sing the true praises of Christ, free from error, free from sin, for the building up of the Church, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her, preserving her from error, helping her to rejoice in the Truth of the Gospel.

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

That the Christians of Syria and our brothers and sisters persecuted throughout the world may be delivered by the hand of God from all danger.

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

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

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