June 24 2026 - Nativity of St. John the Baptist - God raises up heralds

St. John the Baptist has always held a place of very high esteem in the Church—this feast of his birth dates all the way back to the 4^th century. We praise John because the Lord himself praised John when he said, “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John”. 

John is rightly honored for the great role he played in salvation history. In faithfulness to his calling by God, John took the role of the precursor, the herald. His was the lone voice in the wilderness pointing others to Christ at the Lord’s first coming.

John is also honored because of his personal holiness. In a sense, he was a saint already in the womb of his mother. Still in the womb of his mother Elizabeth, John was able to detect in some mysterious way the presence of Jesus in the womb of the Blessed Mother. John leaped for joy in the presence of God made flesh, dancing like David before the ark.

John’s holiness was evident in his wisdom. The Gospels record an utterance of John giving us the very key to holiness itself: “I must decrease so that Christ may increase”. To become holy is to decrease our egos, our selfishness, and allow Christ to grow in us, in our choices, actions, behaviors, attitudes, words and thoughts.

John’s holiness of course is also evident in his martyrdom, in his willingness to die for the Truth when he spoke out about the adulterous affair of King Herod and his brother’s wife. Blessed are those persecuted for the sake of righteousness.

Today, as we celebrate John’s birth, we do well to recall that as God chose and formed John to herald Christ and witness to Truth, he calls and forms us for this purpose as well. The Collect prayer today said, God raised up Saint John the Baptist to make ready a nation fit for Christ.” We, too, are called to help souls become ready for Christ—through our words, our example, our prayers.

If there is a soul of a family member or neighbor who seems particularly resistant to Christ, we should certainly be praying and fasting for them. But their resistance is also a reminder to us, that we must decrease, so that Christ may increase, in the hope that they may meet Christ in us—in our words, in our acts of charity, in our Christian disposition.

May our celebration of St. John’s birth help us to become the heralds of Christ God made use to be, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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That Pope Leo and all the clergy may witness to the truth of the Gospel faithfully, courageously, and compassionately.

For the protection of the unborn, and that people of goodwill will work together to enshrine the protection of the unborn in law and in the hearts of all.

For the conversion of those who do not believe in God, for Catholics who have left the Church, those guilty of heresy or schism, and for a return to the sacraments of those who have fallen into serious sin.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster,  those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, all victims of abuse, especially children, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for those who struggle to live the call of Christian chastity, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom, for the repose of the soul of St. Joseph Father Larry Tosco, and for N. for whom this mass is offered.

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

 

4th Sunday of Lent 2026 - To see with the eyes of Christ

 

The story of the man born blind comes just a few chapters after last Sunday’s Gospel, the story of the woman at the well. Last week, we heard of the woman estranged from her community, going from one assumably failed marriage to the next, estranged from her God. Yet, Jesus comes into the messiness of her life, and offers her a drink of the life-giving waters that well up to eternal life. Her story is our story. Jesus doesn’t wait for our lives to be perfect, he enters into the messiness of our lives, and offers us water to drink—and sends us out to offer that life-giving water to others.

In the Gospel today, we heard of the man born blind.  His story, also, is our story. Each of us struggles with some amount of spiritual blindness. We don’t see as we should.  We don’t see our neighbor as we should, we don’t see our God as we should, we don’t see ourselves as we should, we don’t see the changes we need to make in our lives, in the patterns of our speech and behavior, as we should.  As Jesus offered sight to the blind man at the pool of siloam, so too, He offers sight to us, as well.

Jesus Christ came to restore sight to the spiritually blind, and so by the light of Christ, we are now able live in the light of the truth, not only avoiding those behaviors and attitudes that are harmful to our souls, but seeing how good it is to live virtuously. Spiritual sight helps us to be ever-more attentive to the needs of the suffering, so that we may come to their aid. Spiritual sight even enables us to see ourselves as God sees us, as sons and daughters worth dying for.

The ancient theologian Origen said, “to be holy is to see with the eyes of Christ.”  “To be holy is to see with the eyes of Christ.” 

Here’s an illustration from my own life. During the semester I studied in Rome, I attended several masses at St. Peter’s basilica. Pope St. John Paul II was Pope, and the basilica would often be packed with those hoping to get close to the saintly Holy Father. During Holy Week that year, I went to St. Peter’s for the Chrism mass at which the Pope blesses the holy oils for the upcoming year. I got there very early so that I could get a good seat, and I found myself right on the aisle, where the Pope would be processing up to the altar.

This was in 2004, and the Pope’s health was not great, but he walked up the aisle that day, and I tell you, for a moment, the saint and I locked eyes. And it was if I was looking right into the eyes of Jesus. This spiritual light emanated from the eyes of the Pope. And I felt seen by God, and loved, and confirmed in my vocation. It was so beautiful. I saw the love of Jesus in the Pope’s eyes—a love that was for me and for all. He was truly a saint, for he “saw with the eyes of Christ”, as Origen said, which are eyes of love.

And that’s the goal for all of us: to be so filled with the light of God, the peace of God, the wisdom of God, the compassion of God, that we see with the eyes of Christ. But that only happens when we allow ourselves to be washed, and cleansed, healed and anointed.

When people look into your eyes, what do they see? Harshness, criticism, rash judgment, annoyance? Or do they see patience? Do they see welcome and understanding? Do they see someone who will calmly lead them to the God? If not, why not?

What has yet to be healed in you, so that the light of God can be seen in your eyes? What spiritual blindness is causing you to see not with the eyes of Christ, but with the eyes of the world—the cold, calculating, critical, self-interested eyes of the world? Do you see others as inconveniences or people God has put into your life for you to love?

When we seek to see Christ in others, they will see Christ in us. That was certainly true for the other saintliest group people I have ever met, the missionary sisters of charity, the order of consecrated religious sisters founded by St. Mother Theresa.

I told this story during my first weekend as pastor, how each Friday, when I lived in Rome I would volunteer at the missionary sisters of charity men’s homeless shelter. 

Each week, a group of us seminarians and college students were blessed to work along the sisters in their care for the homeless. And it was always so powerful to be serving alongside these holy woman. Each one of the sisters had this beautiful Christ-like light in their eyes. For their charism was to see Christ in others, and to serve the poorest of the poor as they would serve Christ himself.

We would assist with serving breakfast to the homeless men, and helping the sisters do the laundry. Since Mother Theresa didn’t believe in modern conveniences like electric washing machines, this meant washing the homeless men’s clothing, soiled sheets and towels on old fashioned scrub boards.

One Friday, during Lent, one of the seminarians asked one of the sisters, “Sister, are you ready for Easter?” And in all seriousness she replied, “No, I still have much dying to do.” And she was probably one of the most joyful people I had ever met. “No, I still have much dying to do”. Here was a woman who lived every day in what appeared to be total- selflessness—no possessions, no comforts, spending her days washing soiled sheets and washing the grime off of the homeless. Yet she said, “I still have much dying to do.”

I think about her words quite a bit. For, I know that her words contain one of the most important lessons: that without dying to self, without learning to see with eyes purified by the salve of Christ, we will never have real joy.

On the fourth Sunday of Lent—Laetare Sunday—the priest vests in rose-colored vestments, the color of dawn's first light before sunrise. The liturgical color, rose, symbolizes joyful anticipation for easter—signaling that easter joy is on the horizon. And, yet at the half way point of Lent, it is a reminder that if we want to see that joy, we still have much dying to do.

Our Lenten prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, our Lenten repenting, our Lenten penances, our Lenten confessions are aimed at helping us to die to self that we may see rightly. “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God”.

From what do I still need to be purified? What impurity is still rooted in me so deeply that I don’t even detect it? Or what impurity am I afraid to acknowledge because of the change that will be demanded of me if it is healed?

To remain in spiritual darkness is to be deprived of joy. There are none so blind than those who choose not to see, and they are quite joyless as well.

 But, the Lord wishes that joy may be in us and joy may be in abundance. So may we not be afraid to expose the darkest parts of our lives to the light of the Lord, to allow him to heal us, to fill us with light, to help us to see with His eyes and joyfully love with his heart, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025 - Servant, Sacrifice and Savior

 

The readings on this 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time invite us to reflect on who Jesus is and, inseparably, who we are called to become in him.

In the First Reading from Isaiah, we hear one of the great “Servant Songs” in which Isaiah prophecies that God will raise up a servant, who from the womb will be a light to the nations that God’s salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” 

Christians have always recognized that this passage finds its definitive fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Recall that Gospel story of the angel appearing to Joseph—while still in the Virgin’s womb it is revealed that the child was to be named Jesus—which means God saves. Jesus’ very identity is God who saves. He has come to gather what is scattered, to bring salvation to the whole world.

Jesus’ identity as Savior is made unmistakably clear in today’s Gospel. John the Baptist sees Jesus approaching and declares, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” “Lamb of God” is not simply a poetic title. In Jewish worship, the sacrificial Lamb was offered as a way of pleading to God for the forgiveness of sins.  

But John doesn’t just call Jesus a sacrificial lamb, but the Lamb of God. The sacrificial Lamb that God makes of Himself for the forgiveness of the sins of all people. 

I saw an internet video this last week where a Muslim man was arguing with a Christian, claiming that the most high God would never take on something as lowly and corrupt as human flesh and die such an ignoble death as crucifixion. “Why, why would the Most High God do such a thing” the Muslim argued. To which the Christian responded, “because God loves us, and wished to save us from our sins.”

As Lamb of God, Jesus reveals the glory of God’s love for us.  He willingly embraces suffering and death out of love. So our readings, reveal that Jesus is Servant, He is Savior, He is the Lamb, He is Love incarnate. But our readings don’t just reveal who Jesus is. They also teach us about ourselves, what it means to belong to Him and follow Him.

St. Paul, addressed the Corinthian Christians with a striking description: “you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, [are] called to be holy.” 

Paul explains here that Christians who have been sanctified by Christ, reborn in the waters of baptism, washed clean by the blood of the Lamb, are called to be holy. Christians are to be about the business of growing in holiness—of becoming as holy as we possibly can.

Holiness is not an optional spiritual upgrade for a few particularly devout people. It is a universal calling—a calling for every member of the baptized. To follow Jesus means to willingly walk the path of holiness.

Vatican II articulated this universal call to holiness. Prior to Vatican II, there was confusion, at least at the level of common Catholic culture, about whether holiness was even possible for people who did not enter religious life. The common understanding was that if you married and raised a family, you could never reach true sanctity. But Scripture is clear, the testimony of the saints is clear: all those who have been sanctified through baptism are called to be as holy as you possibly can. All are called to strive to become canonizable saints, whether you are married, single, a member of the clergy, or a member of a religious congregation. 

And we have seen laity—married and single in this past century canonized. Think of the married parents of St. Therese and Lisieaux—Saints Louis and Zelie Martin, and the recently canonized teenage St. Carlos Acutis. It is not hubris to make canonization our goal: nothing less befits our baptismal calling and Christian identity. 

The Psalm today gives us a particular insight into our call to holiness. “Sacrifice or offering you wished not…Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not”…but “ears open to obedience”.

There was a school of thought in the old Jewish practice that as long as we simply offered the right animal sacrifices, followed all of the ritual purity laws, that’s what was pleasing to God. But the Psalm is clear, that God doesn’t want or need mere external adherence to ritual laws, he wants the trust and hope and surrender and love of our hearts, he wants hearts that delight in obedience out of Love for Him. 

In this, Jesus is the model for us. He is the Humble Servant who offers himself to the Father out of burning love. Yes, of course, we are called to be faithful to the formalities of liturgical law and the moral precepts of the Church—whether we like them or not. But God doesn’t just want surface level adherence—he wants hearts open to being transformed from the deepest depths of ourselves—pious hearts which desire what is good because God is good and wish to be completely pleasing—hearts which are conformed to the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord which enthusiastically present themselves to God every day, again in the words of our psalm today “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.” In your law and in your purposes are my delight.

To seek holiness doesn’t mean that God expects us to be flawless right now. If you are struggling with sin, which is all of us, to be holy is to seek God’s mercy and help in overcoming sin because you wish to have a life that is in union with the Father. If you have been given gifts, holiness means seeking God’s help in putting those gifts into His service, for His purposes, not our own selfish whims. Holiness means doing what we can with the time, talent, and treasure we have been given to serve God with hearts that delight in Him.  

Each time we come to the altar, each time we present ourselves to receive Holy Communion, we aren’t just fulfilling our religious obligations—our hearts are truly meant to echo and resound with the words of the Psalm, which Christ made his own: “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.” May those words be not just a hallow refrain; may they become the pattern of our lives—lives of holiness, obedience, and loving service, united to Christ the Servant, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

October 22 2025 - Pope St. John Paul II (school mass) - Lives of holiness

 Last week, we gathered for Mass on the feast day of a saint who lived about 450 years ago, St. Teresa of Avila. Today we celebrate a saint who lived and died not 450 years, but just 25 years ago, Pope St. John Paul II. 

Not all Popes are saints and not all saints are Popes, but Pope John Paul II was one of the holiest men who lived in the last 100 years, and one of the great Popes of history.

He was Pope for 26 years, 5 months, and 17 days, the third longest papacy in history.  He traveled the world more than any Pope before or after, visiting 129 countries. He was the first pope to visit the White House, in Washington D.C.  He spoke latin fluently, but could also converse in Slovak, Russian, Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Ukrainian, English, and of course, his native Polish.  

He wrote more than any other Pope, he canonized more saints than any other Pope in history.  He played a decisive role in the downfall of communism in eastern Europe. The list of accomplishments goes on and on.  

And yet, his personal holiness could be felt by those around him. I was in Rome back in 2004, and attended a Mass with Pope John Paul. And, I remember locking eyes with the Pope as he came up the aisle in the procession for Mass, and he looked at me, and smiled at me, and it was like I could see the light of Jesus in him and his deep love of God and for the people of the world. His love for God, his devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary, his love for the Church infused his life and radiated from Him.

Holiness is real, saints are real. And becoming holy, becoming a saint, is the most important thing you could do in life. It’s more important than wealth, riches, fame, popularity. You can be poor as dirt, you can be sick as a dog, but if you are holy, you have everything.

Again, the fact that John Paul was Pope was nothing compared to his holiness. You can be a brilliant scientist or the best athlete or most famous moviestar in the world, but it is all nothing, if you do not have the life of Jesus in you.

As holy Pope John Paul, did as the Lord commanded Peter in the Gospel today: he fed the flock of Jesus, the Church—he was an excellent holy leader, and his example reminds us that we too need to seek to be as holy as we possibly can through lives of prayer, service, study, worship, virtue, and good works in wherever we find ourselves—as a teacher, a student, a priest.

John Paul remained deeply united to God amid the many demands of his ministry, of his life, and in his sufferings. May Pope St. John Paul II, through his heavenly intercession help us to seek the deep union with God through a life of holiness that will make our lives complete for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.

21st Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Tuesday - Seeking Holiness - (Opening School Mass)

 

Welcome, everyone to our first school mass of the new school year. 

One of the most important things that we can do together as a Catholic school is to gather for Mass.

At Mass, we listen to the sacred scripture—readings from the bible—the Word of God—in which God speaks to us. And we celebrate the Eucharist—the sacrament of the altar—in which bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus. 

In the first Scripture reading today, St. Paul talks about the great effort he has undergone to bring the Gospel to a place called Thessalonica. St. Paul had undergone a journey of thousands of miles to travel to Thessalonica. Remember, St. Paul began his journey in Jerusalem, where Jesus died and rose again. And he desired with all his heart to bring the good news of Jesus’ saving death and resurrection to people all over the world. So he journeyed on foot and by sea, through mountains, through country filled with bandits and murders, areas plagued with disease, to places that he had never been before, to share the Christian faith with the world. He nearly died, many times on this journey. He was arrested. He was beaten. He angered people who did not want to believe in Jesus. But he did so because he believed the spreading the Gospel was the most important thing he could do with his life.

And why did he believe that? Because he had met Jesus. And he understood that believing in Jesus, and following Jesus, and learning from Jesus, and changing our lives to become like Jesus by becoming holy like Jesus, was the most important thing any of us can do. 

This is why we have a Catholic school. This is why we have a beautiful catholic church. Because believing in Jesus and following Jesus and changing our lives to become like Jesus by becoming holy like Jesus is the most important thing any of us can do. 

In the Gospel passage today, Jesus himself talks about becoming holy. Jesus was talking to a group of Pharisees—a group of people who thought they knew all about becoming holy. They thought that you become holy if you dress like a holy person dresses. And Jesus says, no, being holy isn’t just a game of dress-up. Holiness is not play acting. You don’t becoming holy by what you wear on the outside, but by what you change on the inside.

Jesus said, if you only wash the outside of the cup, but ignore the inside, you still have a dirty cup. It’s the same thing with people. Catholics believe that we must allow Jesus every day to clean our minds, and clean our hearts, and clean our choices—to change our selfishness into generosity, our pride into humility, our fear into courage, our hate into love.

Throughout the school year you will be coming to mass every week, you will be learning about the message of Jesus during your school days. Really listen to Jesus’ message and consider each day how that message is meant to change your minds and your hearts and your attitudes and the way that you treat people. And as you take Jesus’ message to heart, you will find him dwelling there---for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Please respond to each of these petitions, “Lord hear our prayer”

As we begin a new school year, we pray that God may bestow gifts of wisdom and understanding upon our students, and that teachers may share their knowledge with gentleness, diligence, and patience.

May the message of Jesus be taken to heart, may it transform us, and guide us in the ways of true peace.

We pray for our families, that the peace of God may dwell in them—for parents who struggle with many challenges—that God may give them strength.

We pray for our nation—that God’s word may guide our government leaders—and help them to work for true and lasting justice and peace.

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or disease: may they know God’s strength and peace and the assistance of the Christian people. 

For the deceased members of our family, friends, and parish, and all of the souls in purgatory: may they share in the joy of life-everlasting with the Risen 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.

November 15 2024 - St. Albert the Great - Effectively using the time we've been given

As we near the end of Ordinary Time, our daily scripture readings are taken from those portions of the Gospels where Jesus is nearing the end of his earthly ministry. His preaching, teaching, and miracle working had taken him throughout Galilee, but now he nears Jerusalem, that city where he would accomplish what he was born to do, to die on the cross for our salvation.

As the Lord neared Jerusalem, his teachings and preachings got very serious. As we read in today’s Gospel, Jesus explains what is at stake: at the end of the age God’s angels will separate the wicked from the righteous. The righteous—those who turn away from sin and seek God’s help—will be gathered into the eternal kingdom of God. The wicked—those who remain in sin, who refuse God’s help, who refuse heed Jesus’ message—will be cast into eternal fire. 

This is why there is such an urgency to Jesus’ message. There are consequences for what we believe and how we act—how we use our time. 

The Saint we honor today, St. Albert the Great, believed in using every moment he had to pursue knowledge and goodness. 

He was born at the beginning of the 13th century and became an expert student and author on many academic topics including rhetoric, mathematics, astronomy, ethics, economics, politics, metaphysics, and so many of the natural sciences from physics to chemistry, minerology, botany and zoology.  And of course, he studied, what he would have called the highest science, or the queen of the sciences, the study of God, theology.

St. Albert shows us that when our lives are properly ordered—when we turn away from wickedness and selfishness—we are free to pursue what is good and holy. St. Albert didn’t like to waste his time on selfish things. He cultivated his mind—he learned all that he could about the world and about God for the sake of others. 

Now each of us have our own gifts—not all of us are in the end called to pursue a rigorous academic career—but that doesn’t excuse any of us from seeking heaven and serving our neighbor in charity with all of our hearts. 

Each of us are wonderfully made, and God gives to each of us all the opportunities to turn away from wickedness and selfishness, and to use the time we’ve been given we need to fulfill the mission he has for each of us. May St. Albertus Magnus help us put our own ingenuity, creativity, energy, and interests in service of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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As we celebrate the feast of St. Albert the Great, let us turn to God, the source of all wisdom and goodness, and offer our prayers for the Church and the world.

For the Church: That, inspired by the saints, we may be dedicated to the pursuit of holiness, wisdom, truth, and charity. Let us pray to the Lord.

For scholars, scientists, and theologians: That they may use their gifts to deepen our understanding of God’s creation and contribute to the common good with humility and love.Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who struggle with sin and selfishness: That they may turn to God’s mercy, find the courage to change, and seek what is good and holy in their lives. Let us pray to the Lord.

For students and educators: That they may be inspired by the example of St. Albert to pursue knowledge with diligence and use their learning to serve others and glorify God. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who are sick, suffering, or in need: That they may experience the compassion of Christ through the care and charity of Christians. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our community: That we may use our gifts, ingenuity, and energy to fulfill God’s mission in our lives and serve our neighbors with love and dedication. Let us pray to the Lord.

During this month of November, we pray in a special way for all of the faithful departed, that they may be gathered among the righteous into the eternal kingdom of God, especially N. 

Almighty God, you gave St. Albert the Great the wisdom to study your creation and the grace to live a life of holiness. Hear the prayers of your people and guide us to use our gifts for your glory and the salvation of souls. Through Christ our Lord.

1st Week of Lent 2024 - Monday - Be Holy as God is Holy

 On weekdays throughout ordinary time, I typically use for the celebration of Mass the second Eucharistic prayer, inspired by the anaphora of St. Hippolytus from around the year 215. But during the season of lent, I use one of the newer prayers, what is called the First Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation. It is a very fitting eucharistic prayer for the season of Lent, as the prayer contains many Lenten themes—acknowledgement of human sinfulness and our desperate need for God, Christ’s hands being stretched forth on the food of the cross for us, which we call to mind particularly on Good Friday; the prayer speaks of the compassion of God for sinful humanity, and ends on a great eschatological note speaking of our hope of standing as Saints among the saints in the halls of heaven once our earthly pilgrimage has come to an end and the new heaven and new earth which will be free from the corruption of sin and death.

I bring this up today because the beginning of that first Eucharistic prayer for reconciliation is directly inspired by the beginning of our first reading this morning from the book of Leviticus. In the Leviticus reading God is speaking to Moses, God says “Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them: Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.” 

God desires that we become holy, as he is holy. The command "Be holy, as I am holy”, echoed in that first eucharistic prayer for reconciliation, is given by God numerous times in scripture. 

God is inherently holy—there is no evil, selfishness, impurity, sin or error within him. He is pure, selfless, completely self-giving love. And God is constantly at work throughout history for the reconciliation of sinful humanity and our sanctification—work that culminates in the self-sacrifice of Christ. 

When God calls His people to be holy, He is calling us moral purity and righteousness. This involves avoiding sinful behaviors and actively pursuing a life in accordance with God's moral standards.

The call to holiness, as God is holy, means that our lives are to reflect God’s life. God is loving, just, merciful, and compassionate. Therefore, to be holy means to exhibit these qualities in our relationships, actions, and attitudes. It involves cultivating the divine virtues and striving to align our lives with God's nature. As we heard in the Gospel, our eternal souls will be judged by how we treat people in this life. 

During Lent we are to seek the moral purity, righteousness, and holiness that God is clear about that He wants for us. That means abiding by those divine guideposts that illuminate our journey—the commandments. It means seeking reconciliation with God when we have sinned. It means cultivating the virtue, generosity, and selfless self-giving that we see in the life of Our Blessed Lord and reflected in the saints. 

God desires holiness for his people, and the season of Lent calls us to seek that holiness wholeheartedly. May we respond with the utmost generosity to this call, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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

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

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

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

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

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ Our Lord.

July 5 2023 - St. Elizabeth of Portugal & St. Anthony Zaccaria - Pursuing Holiness

 

The General Calendar of the Roman Catholic Church honors the memory of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal on July 4. However, because July 4 is celebrated as Independence Day in the United States, her commemoration has been transferred to July 5 in the United States.

Elizabeth was a 12th-century Spanish princess who was given in marriage to the king of Portugal. She was very beautiful and very lovable. She was also very devout, and went to Mass every day. Her faith, no doubt enabled her to patiently endure her husband’s cruelty and infidelity, Elizabeth patiently endured her husband’s infidelities, even going so far as to contribute to the education of his illegitimate children.

Throughout her marriage she also engaged in charitable works: building a hospital and orphanage and a monastery for the Poor Clares. She entered the Poor Clares as a Third Order Franciscan after the death of her husband. She died at the age of 65, after a life pursuing holiness as the most important goal.

July 5 is also the feast of Saint Anthony Zaccaria, who lived about 300 years after Elizabeth. Anthony was a pious young man who supported his widowed mother as a medical doctor. While working among the poor he became attracted to the religious life. During the Protestant Reformation, he worked to “regenerate and revive the love of divine worship and a properly Christian way of life” through simple-solid preaching and faithful ministering of the sacraments

By the age of 36, when he died, he had founded three religious communities, one for men, one for women, and an association for married couples. 

Two saints from two very different walks of life, who, heard Jesus calling them to follow him in radically

Pope Benedict, preaching on the feast of All Saints, said, “Holiness demands a constant effort, but it is possible for everyone because, rather than a human effort, it is first and foremost a gift of God.” 

On an occasion when Pope St. John Paul II was speaking to the Barnabites, one of the religious orders founded by St. Anthony Mary, he said “do not be afraid to combat mediocrity, compromise, and every kind of apathy which your holy founder described as a plague and the greatest enemy of the crucified Christ which is so wide-spread in modern times.”

Holiness, radical holiness, holiness that doesn’t settle for mediocrity, compromise, and apathy, this is the remedy for the Godlessness of our time—your holiness, my holiness. God can do amazing things, transform nations, touch hardened hearts when His Christians give them selves to Him in the pursuit of radical holiness. 

God, how are you calling me to pursue holiness today? How are you calling me to die to sin and to live for you. St Anthony Zeccaria gave up a career as a medical doctor, st elizabeth of porttugal gave up the comforts of nobility, what am i called to give up today Lord, to follow Christ more closely  for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. 

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That all Christians may be deeply committed to the spread of Christ’s Gospel, and respond generously to the Lord’s call to holiness amidst the distractions of the world.

For our nation, that we may be always grateful for our freedom, and that with God’s help we will work to preserve that freedom and to use that freedom to build up the city of God.

That our young people on summer vacation, for their protection from physical and spiritual evils, that faith may be practiced in their homes, that their parents may raise them rightly in the faith, teaching them to value the things of heaven over the things of earth.

For all those who suffer from violence, war, famine, extreme poverty, addiction, discouragement, loneliness, and those who are alienated from their families.  

For all those who suffer illness, and those in hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care, that they may be comforted by the healing light of Christ.  

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, the deceased members of our families friends and parishes, for those who fought and died for our freedom, and for N. for whom this mass is offered.

Graciously grant our petitions, we beseech thee, O Lord; may your grace sustain us always in your service, through Christ Our Lord.

1st Week of Lent 2023 - Friday - The opposite of sin

The Gospel reading for today should sound familiar, we heard it just two weeks ago on the 6th Sunday of ordinary time. For a few weeks leading up to Lent, in fact, our Gospels were being taken from the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, his instructions to his followers on how to live a life of blessedness—of holiness. Growth in holiness is certainly one of the purposes of Lent.

“Unless your holiness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

The scribes and Pharisees were admired for their zeal, concern for purity, their conformity to the law of Moses.  The very word Pharisee came comes from the word meaning “to separate”. For the Pharisees sought to separate themselves from everything that was sinful. They would even avoid eating with sinners, hence, their consternation when Jesus would dine with tax collectors and prostitutes.  

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

Well, what is the Lord doing in the Gospel today. He’s takes one of the 10 commandments. He mentions how most people of his time understand faithfulness to that commandment to be, and then says, no, my followers need to do better than that. Don’t just avoid murder, avoid hateful thoughts that could lead to hostility and also seek to make peace. Don’t just avoid adultery, avoid lustful thoughts that could lead to sins of the flesh, and seek to purify your heart from all perversion. Don’t just avoid theft, avoid thoughts of greed and envy that lead to stealing, and avoid emotional attachment to possessions by giving them to the needy. 

Not only do we need to turn away from sin, we need to turn towards goodness, selflessness. For Jesus isn’t holy simply because He is without sin, but because his charity overflows. Similarly with the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary isn’t holy simply because she never sinned, but because her soul became an ocean of grace. And with all the saints whom we honor throughout the year. They are holy not simply because the avoid sin, but they sought to root out all attitudes that could lead to sin and engaged with real intentional effort.

The opposite of sin isn’t simply not sinning; the opposite of the selfishness of sin is the active engagement in patterns of goodness, charity, and mercy. The opposite of sin is the Love of the Sacred Heart, enflamed with charity, embracing the crown of thorns and all suffering, for the supreme good of others.

It is this transformation we seek during Lent, not simply avoid sin, but engagement in charity, which is the very life of God, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the season of Lent may bring the most hardened hearts to repentance and bring to all people surpassing holiness seen in works of goodness, justice, and charity.

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

That we may generously respond to all those in need: the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence. And for all victims of the coronavirus and their families.

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

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.

1st Week of Lent 2022 - Monday - Be Holy as the Lord is Holy

 For the celebration of Mass during the season of Lent, I like to make use of the first Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation due to its inclusion of many themes and petitions relevant to Lent.

Just the very name, “Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation” calls to mind our need to “return to God with your whole heart” which echoes throughout this season. 

The prayer speaks of Christ stretching out his arms and being nailed to the cross, being for us the sacrificial victim who reconciles the human race to God, and offers petitions for the healing the wounds of sin and division within the human race. 

I bring up this Eucharist Prayer because it begins with the call to holiness: “You are indeed Holy, O Lord, and from the world’s beginning are ceaselessly at work, so that the human race may become holy, just as you yourself are holy.” These words echo the sentiment found in the first reading today from the book of Leviticus, God speaking through Moses to the whole house of Israel, telling them, “Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.”

Here is another important principal for the season of Lent: through the practices of Lent, God is seeking to make us holy, as He is holy. 

And our scriptures today highlight two dimensions of the call to holiness—two sides of the same coin. On one hand, in the first reading, we have a number of what are sometimes called the “negative commandments”—the “thou-shalt-nots”—thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not profane the name of God, thou shalt not act dishonestly or bare hatred toward your neighbor. The call to holiness involves eliminating those behaviors and attitudes which God prohibits—those attitudes which are selfish, impure, prideful—those which constitute a lack of love.

Our Gospel today highlights the other side of the coin, some “positive commandments”. Our Blessed Lord tells us that we must not only avoid impurity, selfishness, and pride, but holiness consists of engaging in active charity: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, visiting the imprisoned.

Holiness, the holiness to which God calls us to cultivate during this season of Lent, involves both: purification from the selfish & prideful AND engagement in charity.

And we ought to take this call to holiness quite seriously, for the Lord explains what’s at stake in the Gospel as well: eternal punishment and eternal life. We are to be ridding ourselves of all that might lead us to punishment and practice all that contributes to the pursuit of eternal life, that we might be reconciled ever more deeply to God in this life, that we may enjoy his beatitudes forever in heaven, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

For “an immediate end to the hostilities in Ukraine, 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 mercy for the most vulnerable of our human family, the unborn; that their mothers may choose life and be supported by a culture of life. 

For the young people of our Church. May they be strengthened to be witnesses to the Gospel of mercy and work for a future that embodies a genuine culture of mercy.

For those preparing to enter the Church at Easter: that they will be profoundly blessed in their preparation for full initiation into the Body of Christ.  .

For the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, unemployed, or suffering from addiction, mental, or physical illness, imprisoned, and those most in need: that the Lord in his goodness will be close to them in their trials.  

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all the poor souls in purgatory, and N. for whom this Mass is offered.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ Our Lord.

October 22 2021 - Pope St John Paul II (school mass) - Lives of holiness

 The last time the school was gathered over in Church we were celebrating the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis lived and died over 800 years ago, yet we celebrate him to this day because of his holiness, his example of love for God, his willingness to bear the sufferings of Jesus in his body and in his life.

Today we celebrate a saint, who lived and died not 800 years ago, but just 16 years ago. He was the Pope at the turning of the 21st century, the Pope for the majority of my life and many of your teachers and parents: Pope John Paul II.

Not every Pope is a saint or will be canonized as a saint. But Pope John Paul II was one of the holiest men who lived in the last 100 years. 

He was Pope for 26 years, 5 months, and 17 days, the third longest papacy in history.  He traveled the world more than any Pope before or after, visiting 129 countries: he was the first pope to visit the White house.  He spoke latin fluently, but could also converse in Slovak, Russian, Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Ukrainian, English, and of course, his native Polish.  

He had one of the most prolific pontificates in history: publishing, 14 encyclicals, 15 apostolic exhortations, 11 apostolic constitutions, 45 apostolic letters and 28 motu proprios.  And he canonized more saints than any other Pope in history.  He played a decisive role in the downfall of communism in eastern Europe. The list of accomplishments goes on and on.  

And yet, his personal holiness could be felt by those around him. I was in Rome back in 2004, and attended a Mass with John Paul. And, I remember locking eyes with the Pope as he came up the aisle in the procession for Mass, and he looked at me, and smiled at me, and it was like I could see the light of Jesus in him and his deep love of God and for the people of the world. His love for God, his devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary, his love for the Church infused his life and radiated from Him.

Holiness is real, saints are real. And becoming holy, becoming a saint, is the most important thing you could do in life. It’s more important than wealth, riches, fame, popularity. You can be poor as dirt, you can be sick as a dog, but if you are holy, you have everything.

Again, the fact that John Paul was Pope was nothing compared to his holiness. He can be a brilliant scientist or the best athlete or most famous moviestar in the world, but it is all nothing, if you do not have the life of Jesus in you.

This is what Jesus was talking about in the Gospel today. In the Gospel, Jesus says, there are people who are brilliant at predicting the weather, they can look at the sky, and know what kind of weather we are going to have. But it is all a waste of time if you have this great ability, but do not learn the difference between right and wrong, evil and righteousness, and strive to live a life of grace. You can learn to speak all the languages of the world, but if you do not have God’s love in you, you are just going through life making a bunch of noise.

John Paul remained deeply united to God amid the many demands of his ministry, of his life, and in his sufferings. May Pope St. John Paul II, through his heavenly intercession help us to seek the deep union with God through a life of holiness that will make our lives complete for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.

July 14 2021 - St. Kateri Tekakwitha - The blossoming of real holiness

 Kateri Tekakwitha was born at Auriesville, New York in 1656, near the place where the Jesuits St. Isaac Jogues and John de Brebeuf had been martyred—tomahawked by Iroquois warriors just nine years before. 

Kateri’s mother was an Algonquin who had been baptized, but she was taken captive by the Iroquois and given as a wife to the chief of the Mohawk tribe.   Two children were born of this marriage, but only Kateri survived; her parents and her brother died in a smallpox epidemic when Kateri was 4 years old.  Kateri’s own face was permanently disfigured and her eyesight was impaired because of the disease.  

New Jesuit missionaries were granted permission by the new chief of the Mohawks to minister to the Christians, most of them Iroquois captives like Kateri’s mother. And Since her mother was Catholic, Kateri was allowed to study the catechism with the Jesuits.  She was baptized on Easter Sunday at the age of 19.

At 23, she took a vow of virginity, consecrating herself to the Lord. But the celibate life was not held in high regard among the Mohawks, and Kateri was subject to constant abuse and insults.  She was ridiculed for keeping Holy the Sabbath and for praying the Rosary. 

On the advice of a priest, she fled the abuse and walked two hundred miles to an Indian Mission village near Montreal.  There she devoted herself to prayer and works of charity and penance and her sanctity blossomed.  She is known as the Lily of the Mohawks.  

Kateri herself said: “I am not my own; I have given myself to Jesus.  He must be my only love.”  She was beatified by Pope St John Paul II in 1980 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.

At her canonization, Pope Benedict said, “Her greatest wish was to know and to do what pleased God. She lived a life radiant with faith and purity.  Kateri impresses us by the action of grace in her life in spite of the absence of external help…”

Kateri repeats the example of so many saints before her: Holiness thrives on the cross, it blossoms on the cross. Faith grows when its tested. Charity grows when it costs something. Holiness is like a muscle that grows through resistance training: it only gets stronger as it’s strained. 

St. Kateri had to face quite difficult circumstances, hostility, open hostility by those closest to her for loving Jesus. She is a model for all those who are rejected by their own because of their fidelity to Christ. 

May Kateri, Lily of the Mohawks, help us all to endure our crosses faithfully and to blossom in holiness for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That every nation, tribe, and tongue may be gathered into the Church of Christ and magnify Him through works of praise.

That all those persecuted for their faith may know the strengthening grace of the Lord and come to receive the reward of the saints for their perseverance.

For the consecrated virgins of the Church, that as Christ as their spouse, they may inspire us to seek Him above all things. 

For the healing of all those afflicted with physical, mental, emotional illness, for those in hospitals, nursing homes, hospice care, those struggling with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today.

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

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2021 - God has chosen me

 I always feel bad for our lectors when they have to proclaim this weekend’s second reading. In the Greek, those 12 long, complicated, overflowing, and theologically dense verses from the introductory chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians form one, single, sentence. And even with the periods and breaks in our English translation, his thought is still somewhat difficult to follow. 

Did he want to confuse the Ephesians? You can imagine the first recipient of the letter maybe rubbing his temples, certainly reading over those verses more than a time or two.

But what was Paul thinking? What’s he doing here? It appears his purpose for this dense chunk of text, wasn’t to provide a systematic explanation of Christian doctrine like he does later in his letter. Rather, these 12 verses appear more to be a profound expression of Paul’s wonder and awe. He’s trying to put into words, something ineffable, something beyond words.

The medium, in a sense, is the message. He’s writing his heart out. He’s composing a hymn of praise to the God of the universe who he’s come to realize has done something, Paul could not fathom prior to his conversion to Christ. The Father of Jesus has chosen Him, personally, and has chosen each member of the Church for a wonderous vocation—to the life of holiness and grace.  

“God has chosen me. God has chosen me” the little ones sing in their religion classes. And they do so with smiles on their faces. I’ve seen them. Now, Paul wrote these words from prison. And yet, this knowledge, of being chosen by God brought him a light and joy that prison could not contain. He’s compelled to compose these words to the Church, that we might share his joy. 

Here Paul gives us an insight into what it means to be a Christian. It’s to recognize this calling, our election to be holy, and to allow the knowledge of being chosen by God to reach all the way down to the depths of our being, so that not even prison could cause us to lose our faith. 

This experience of being chosen by God fueled Paul’s missionary work. It impelled him to carry the Gospel through rapid rivers, steep mountains, malaria-plagued lowlands, and bandit-ridden passages, enabled him to endure robbers, attempted assassinations, imprisonment, torture, and martyrdom all for the sake of the Gospel, all out of love for Jesus Christ. He risked his life to share the Gospel, trusting that this is the most important message ever. We’re chosen by God to be holy. 

“He chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.”

To be holy…if you are sitting in this church and listening to these words, you have been chosen by God for this—to grow in virtue, to restrain vice, to practice deep, soul-stiring prayer, to share the Gospel, to attend to the needy. You aren’t here by accident. You are part of God’s plan. Your sanctification is part of God’s plan. Paul wants Christians to know this because God wants Christians to know this. 

The pursuit of holiness is to animate our lives not just for an hour a week, but always. Don’t run away from your election. 

Paul later writes, everything is rubbish, compared to being taken possession of by Christ Jesus. Everything is loss, that keeps me from the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus. So, if holiness isn’t your greatest pursuit. Start Now. If you aren’t examining your life daily, and working on moderating, and getting rid of anything that keeps you from living this vocation to your fullest potential. Start Now.

Last night, in our second Friday of the month faith formation, we studied the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola…the other Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuits. In his youth, he thought the most important thing in life was seeking after earthly fortune and glory, so he entered military service in the hopes of becoming this soldier of great renown. But a cannonball to the leg, changed his life. Talk about a wake up call from God. God wants us to know we are chosen, sometimes he needs to use a cannonball to the leg to help us figure that out.

Anyways, while convalescing, Ignatius had nothing to do but consider his life and read. And there was only one book he had access to, a book on the lives of the saints. And he began to read, not of glorious knights in shining armor, but of saints clothed in holiness. He read of Dominic solid in his faith preaching to and converting the Albigensian heretics. He read of Francis practicing Christ-like poverty, so closely united to Christ he bored the holy stigmata. He read of Benedict pursuing radical holiness in monastic simplicity, in simple work and prayer. In his solitude, in his reflection on the saints, Ignatius came to recognize that he too was chosen, not just to be another Francis, another Benedict, another Dominic, but called to be himself totally conformed to Christ. He had been chosen, and he changed the world forever. And we too have been chosen. 

If you are having difficulty believing this or recognizing this, ask for help today to recognize your calling. Holy Communion, especially, is an opportunity to express our great gratitude for the blessings of the Lord, but also to hear the Lord calling us by name, pouring his royal treasure of grace into our hearts, and giving us the strength we need to become saints, to be his faithful followers and instruments in the world in the coming week.

Let holy Mass be a new beginning today, of living ever more faithfully and God’s chosen sons and daughters, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7th Week of Easter - Wednesday - Consecrated in the Truth

Yesterday, our Gospel contained the opening verses of chapter 17 of St. John’s Gospel. Having already washed the feet of his disciples and sharing the last supper with his disciples, teaching them by word and example how they are to practice love and self-sacrifice in carrying out the mission of the Gospel, the Lord turns to his father and prays.

As we heard yesterday, he prays that he may glorify his Father, that the glory of God might be made known through Him, through his suffering, his passion, and death. Consider that for another moment. Jesus prayed, that in the obedient embrace of the cross, His Father’s goodness, and power, and love for the world might be known. 

The Lord then offered a second petition: he offered a simple prayer for his disciples. He prayed for the ones that look to Him as the Way, the truth, and the life. That they might be faithful.

Today’s gospel contains the third petition of that High Priestly Prayer of Jesus at the Last Supper. The Lord prays for the consecration of his disciples. The Lord uses a wonderful word in the Greek: “hagiazo”, to sanctify, to consecrate, to make holy, to set aside as being holy.

The Lord is clear that he will no longer be in the world, but we will, and he will have to face its hatred in the form of persecutions, hostility, and temptation. And while we are in the world, the Lord prays that we do not become like the world, filled with error, perversion, hatred of truth, and selfishness. Rather he prays that while we are in the world we may be filled with holiness, we may be set apart as holy, by being filled with the Truth and Life of God.

In the world, he says, will face the hostility of the evil one, the son of destruction, the antichrist. But we mustn’t fear, as divine protection comes to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit, by remaining in the Truth of Jesus Christ. 

The language of consecration is also characteristic of liturgy and priesthood. Just as the Levitical priests, the sacred vessels and furnishings were consecrated, literally, taken out of ordinary use and put into the service of divine worship, so to are we. Christian disciples are taken out of the ordinary—the worldly--, and placed into the supernatural—the divine. 

Being a Christian is anything but ordinary—it is the consecrated life. May we be faithful to this great dignity. For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Let us pray to our Heavenly Father, confident that He is generous to those who call upon Him with faith.

For our young people preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation this weekend—that they may open their hearts to the gifts God has in store for them. 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 domestic tranquility, national unity, respect for religious freedom, and a greater reverence for the sanctity of Human Life. Let us pray to the Lord.

Like the apostles gathered with Our Lady in the Cenacle, may the Church grow in Marian devotion this month, especially in devotion to the Holy Rosary. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or disease: that they may know the peace and consolation of the Good Shepherd. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our family, friends, and parish, for those who have fought and died for our freedom, and for …for whom this mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord.

Gracious Father, hear the prayers of your pilgrim Church, grant us your grace and lead us to the glory of your kingdom, through Christ Our Lord.

1st Week of Lent 2021 - Friday - The paradox of God's impossible standards

Unless your holiness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter the kingdom of God.

The scribes and Pharisees were renowned for their zeal, concern for purity, and their conformity to the law of Moses.  The very word Pharisee comes from the word meaning “to separate”. The Pharisees sought to separate themselves from everything that was sinful. They would even avoid eating with sinners, hence, their consternation when Jesus would dine with tax collectors and prostitutes.  

How could our holiness possibly "surpass" that of the people of Jesus' day who obeyed every letter of the law?  It sounds as if Jesus has just set humanely impossible standards for entrance into the kingdom of God. Well…he has.

No amount of fasting will gain you entrance to heaven. No amount of almsgiving will gain you entrance into heaven. No amount of feeding the poor and clothing the naked, on their own, will gain us entrance into the kingdom of heaven.

For there is nothing we can do humanly to gain entrance to heaven. If there was, we wouldn’t have needed a savior. Even the first reading contains the same impossible standard: “If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed, if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just, he shall surely live, he shall not die.” Again, the same impossible standard. Who of us has kept all God’s statutes? Not a one. If we had, we wouldn’t have begun Lent marking ourselves as sinners with ashes on our foreheads.

Since my holiness and acts of charity and penances are not enough, what can I do? If there is nothing we can do, what can we do?

St. Paul understood man’s inability to gain entrance to heaven on his own. Which is why he sought for Jesus Christ to take over his life. So much so, that he goes on to say that, “It IS no longer me who lives, but Christ who lives in me.” How can the holiness of my life surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees—when it’s not my holiness—when it is not my will directing my life—but His.

A week into the season of Lent, and we are probably still doing pretty well with our Lenten penances—maybe even taking some pride that we haven’t slipped and snacked when we shouldn’t or given into gossip when we shouldn’t. Today’s readings are a remedy to human pride that can set in when we become focused on good works.  A reminder that our good works are not a replacement for our need for a savior, rather, they are the means by which we repent for not allowing God to direct our lives, and a solemn plea for Him to do what we cannot do, to purify, to cleans, to guide, and direct our lives, to help us decrease that he may increase in us, and to deepen our gratitude for the surpassing righteousness of Christ, who alone has saved us from our sins, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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

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

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

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

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.

January 25 2021 - Conversion of St. Paul - The Humility to Change

 Often we think of conversion as going from a wicked life to a good life, a sinful life to a righteous life.  Many saints did experience that type of conversion: St. Augustine converted from a life of debauchery, theft, violence, and vandalism, to a life of holiness.  Before their conversion to Christ St. Matthew the Apostle was an extortionist, St. Camillus de Lellis was a Con Man, St. Columba started a war, St. Christopher was said to have worshipped the devil, and even St. Francis of Assisi speaks of a youth wasted in sinful behavior.

St. Paul’s conversion initially looks this way.  He did after all go from a life of persecuting and killing Christians to a life of promoting Christianity and making new Christians. Yet, from his youth St. Paul sought after holiness through rigorous adhesion to the Mosaic law. And so, he devoted himself to persecuting and killing Christians because this is what he believed the law demanded.  After all, the early Christians were a Jewish sect who claimed that Jesus was the long awaited for Divine Messiah. To Paul, like to the scribes and Pharisees who condemned the Lord to death for his claim of Divinity, the Christian claim was blasphemous and deserving of death.

But on the road to Damascus, in the middle of his fury, all that changed.  The Risen Christ appeared to Paul, and shone a ray of his divine light into the darkness of Paul’s mind.  “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting”. 

The Lord revealed to Paul that He wasn’t simply a dead criminal who started some heretical sect.  He was risen. He was alive.  What the Church actually said about Jesus was true. And to persecute the would mean to deny and persecute Him.

At that moment, though, Paul still had a choice—to kneel before the Lord would mean to turn from his former way of life, he would have to call brother and those whom he persecuted and risk the same hostility of the jewish authorities that had impelled him. 

Paul had to admit that he was wrong about who Jesus really is and what holiness actually consists of. Paul exhibited the humility that is required of every Christian, the willingness to turn away from all that is not of Christ in order to pursue Him more faithfully.  To leave behind even house, family, lands, and possessions, if it means coming to possess the truth, the pearl of great price, the gift of salvation through Christ.

May the example and heavenly intercession of St. Paul, help us to practice the humility, courage, and fortitude necessary to experience the conversion and holiness the Lord desires for each one of us, that we may be every more faithful to the Lord’s great commission  to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature,” for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That our bishops may be graced with Saint Paul’s zeal in preaching and teaching the Word of God. Let us pray to the Lord.

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

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

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

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

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

 

27th Sunday in OT 2020 - Opportunities from God

 You may have heard this story before, but please indulge me: A severe storm was approaching, and local officials sent out an emergency warning that riverbanks would soon overflow and flood nearby homes. 

A man living in the clear path of the storm heard the warning and began to pray that God would save him from the flood.

Not long after the rains began, the man’s neighbor came to his house, and the neighbor pleaded: “Let’s get out of here. Come with my family!  There’s room in our car for you” But the man declined, saying “I have faith that God will save me.”

As the storm grew more severe and began to flood the neighborhood, the man stood on his porch and watched the water rise up the steps of his front porch. Another neighbor, this time in a canoe paddled up to the house and called to the man, “Hurry and get into my canoe, the waters are rising quickly!” But the man again said, “No, I have faith that God will save me.”

The floodwaters rose higher pouring water into his living room and the man had to retreat to the second floor. A police motorboat rode up to the house. “We will rescue you!” they shouted. But the man refused, waving them off saying, “Use your time to save someone else! I have faith that God will save me!”

The flood waters rose higher and higher and the man had to climb up to his rooftop.

A helicopter spotted him and dropped a rope ladder. The rescue squad pleaded with the man, "Grab the roap and we will pull you up!" But the man STILL refused, folding his arms tightly to his body. “No thank you! God will save me!”

The ferocious waters destroyed the house and swept the man away and he drowned.

The man appeared before the Holy Trinity, and he said “I put all of my faith in You. Why didn’t You come and save me?”

And God said, “I sent you a warning. I sent you a car. I sent you a canoe. I sent you a motorboat. I sent you a helicopter. You rejected my help at every turn.  What more could you want?”

A good story. God answers prayers, but sometimes we don’t recognize the way he is answering prayers. We might even foolishly reject those answers because they don’t fit into our narrow way of thinking.  And isn’t that what happens in the Gospel?  The vineyard owner sends his servants, and the tenants reject and kill them. The vineyard owner sends another group of servants. The tenants reject and kill them. The vineyard owner sends his son, and the tenants reject and kill him. 

Jesus tells this parable, in Jerusalem, shortly before his own passion, when he is rejected and killed. He tells this parable as a warning, that those who were rejecting Him were rejecting God. They were rejecting God’s answer to their prayers for salvation.  They rejected Jesus because he did not fit in to their narrow view of God. They could not accept that God would come in the form of an itinerant preacher who ate with tax collectors and sinners.

Another reason for their rejection is that, like the tenants in the Gospel, they didn’t want to give up their power, their authority. They were supposed to be the religious leaders, they were supposed to be the religious authorities, not this carpenter from Nazareth. 

In the Gospel parable, there are consequences too for rejecting the vineyard owner. "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death”. The Lord here hints at the eternal consequences for rejecting God. 

There is a modern misconception that there are many roads to salvation, that all we have to do is be good people in order to go to heaven. You don’t have to go to church or ascribe to any particular religion. As long as you’re not Hitler or something, God will go easy on you. But that’s not really the Christian Gospel. Salvation comes by accepting it in the form God has chosen to offer it to humanity, and that is through Jesus Christ. 

So, the parable certainly speaks about the ultimate importance of accepting Jesus Christ, but there is also a lesson for our personal spiritual lives. We come to church, and we pray to be holy, and pray to be joyful, we pray for peace in the world. But the Lord just doesn’t wave a magic wand, he gives us opportunities to practice this stuff, so that we can grow in it. He doesn’t just make us patient, he gives us opportunities to practice patience. He doesn’t just magically make us pure of heart, he gives us opportunities to practice purity. He doesn’t just magically create peace in the world, he gives us opportunities to work for peace. 

And we need to be very careful that when the Lord gives us the opportunities we don’t miss out of them and make excuses…I know I prayed for joy, but I just have to get my three hours of television in every day. I know I prayed for patience, but I just have to get my way, now.

Tomorrow/Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Here is a saint who reached a certain point in life where he stopped making excuses for not serving God. St. Francis is so beloved, even now, 800 years after his death, because he shows us what we could all become if we trusted God as we should, if we gave to God as we could. He shows us what happens when you stop being afraid to give everything away in order to pursue God. 

Francis embraced radical poverty and became one of the holiest, most joyful souls in human history—showing us that material stuff does not lead to ultimate fulfilment. He radically embraced Jesus Christ and became a true instrument of peace. He embraced those opportunities to practice Gospel Charity even when it meant embracing a leper or giving up his family business. 

Most of us do not embrace holiness because we are like that man in the story rejecting opportunity after opportunity for life because holiness doesn’t come in the form we think it should.

For most of us, most of the time, holiness is offered through ordinary means: daily prayer, daily service, the sacraments, faithfulness to the duties of our vocation, turning away from the empty promises of the world, following the commandments and teachings of the Church, repenting of sin, using the talents and gifts God has given us to help others.

As Paul says, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, pure, lovely and gracious…do these things. Every day. Stop giving in to so many distractions and making excuses. Look to the saints and follow their example. Say yes to those opportunities to grow in holiness, to serve others, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

15th Week in OT 2020 - Friday - Cleveland's New Bishop and Effectively Communicating the Gospel

Yesterday, as you may have seen on the internet or on television, the Holy Father named a new bishop for the Diocese of Cleveland. Thanks be to God! Bishop Edward Malesic. If you haven’t had the chance, you can watch the Bishop’s press conference on the diocesan website or on youtube. I also put a link on my personal facebook page.

After introducing himself, and speaking about receiving the call from the Papal Nuncio, he was asked a few questions by the attending press. And in the first question he was asked about his vision for the Church. And he gave a great answer, he said “I don’t have a vision, Jesus has a vision…The only vision I have” he said, “is to communicate the Gospel…. but then the big question is”, the Bishop asked  “how is that done?”

And that, indeed, is a very important question. We know we must communicate the Gospel, but How do we communicate the Gospel. When we are confronted by a non-believer, or an angry family member at Thanksgiving dinner, or a confused parishioner…HOW we communicate the Gospel is of great importance. Do we do so with patience, gentleness, clarity, with a tone of accusation, with embarrassment over Church teaching, wishing to water it down in order not to offend political correctness? It’s not always easy to know HOW to communicate the Gospel.

And I thought about this part of the bishop’s press conference in light of the Gospel this morning. The Lord Jesus is approached by Pharisees who condemn him for supposedly violating the sabbath. Now, the Lord could have responded to the Pharisees in a lot of ways. He could have argued with them, he could have condemned them for trying to trap him in some sort of technicality, he could have displayed his divine glory to them and had them cowering in fear. We do well to take note HOW the Lord engaged his opponents throughout the Gospels, for he certainly gives us some very valid options...which may or may not include making a whip out of cords and flipping over tables if the opportunity presents itself.
But at least in this instance, the Lord responds to his critics, his opponents, by drawing their attention to the Scriptures. He knows the Scriptures well, and so should we. He redirects the conversation, and the condemnation, to speak about the deeper meaning of the Scriptures.

HOW we communicate the Gospel is more art than science, really, in fact. The HOW comes through practice, reflection on our successes and failures, conviction in the truth of the Church’s teaching, it comes through study of the Scriptures, certainly.

But most importantly, the HOW comes from deep union with God, from authentic holiness. Remember, just two chapters earlier in Matthew’s Gospel, the Lord says, when you are brought before kings and governors because of me, do not worry what you are to say, the holy spirit will give you the words.” Our effectiveness at communicating the Gospel comes from deep union with God.

When we have cultivated that attentiveness to the voice and guidance of the Holy Spirit in the ordinary circumstances of our life, we will be able to hear him speaking to us in those extraordinary circumstances, when we are called to witness to the faith. This is what made Mother Theresa and Saint Francis, St. Ignatius our patron, such effective communicators of the Gospel: their holiness gave them authority, their love for God and love for neighbor, the virtues that they cultivated.
May we cultivate that deep union with God this day through Word and Sacrament, penance and works of mercy, that we may be effective communicators of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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In thanksgiving for the Holy Father’s appointment of Bishop Malesic, that he may be blessed with all the spiritual gifts he needs for this tremendous responsibility in leading the Church of Cleveland in the effective preaching of the Gospel.

For the conversion of hearts hardened to the Gospel, for those who have fallen away from the Church, for non-believers and unrepentant sinners, and that we may bring the healing of the Gospel to their troubled hearts.

For the purification of our minds and hearts from the errors of the culture and from the lure of worldly attachments.

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