September 26 2023 - Sts. Cosmas and Damian - Making our day an offering to God

Cosmas and Damian were twin brothers born at the end of the third century in Syria, not far at all from Antioch, the home of our patron, Ignatius.  They were physicians known as “the moneyless ones”, because they didn’t charge their patients.  They were actually the first surgeons in history to successfully perform a limb transplant—transplanting the leg of a recently deceased Ethiopian onto one of their patients. 

Here are highly skilled, likely highly intelligent men, who could have lived a comfortable life profiting from their medical abilities. But they put their gifts at the service of the poor in the name of Christ. Because of their faith, they were rounded up in the empire-wide Christian persecution of the emperor Diocletian, and beheaded for their faith.

The saints are model Christians for us, show us that our lives are meant to be about sacrificing ourselves for others, living generously for others, pouring ourselves out in service, witnessing to the love of God, and the truth of the Holy Gospel, even with our lives.

The first reading for Cosmas and Damian is a reading we often find at Catholic funerals: “The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.” What does it mean to be just? The just give to God what belongs to God and gives to neighbor what belongs to neighbor: worship, obedience, praise, prayer, repentance to God, and kindness, generosity, respect, charity, forgiveness, mercy to the neighbor.

None of us, of course are “just” on our own, but we are made just by Christ, and are perfected in justice as we allow the life of Christ to animate us—our decisions, attitudes, work and rest. 

Whether we are spending 8 or 10 hours in the office, or able to spend warm autumn days in the garden, or sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, Christians can make their time an offering to God by being mindful of our Christian identity, lifting up souls to God, considering how we might serve them with our own meager gifts.

When our day is continually offered to God, the events of our day, even the hardships, can become opportunities for spreading the kingdom. When we meet God in our labors, then others can meet Him, through us. 

May all of our time, talent, and treasure be given to God today and all days, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Through the intercession of Saints Cosmas and Damien, we pray that all doctors, nurses, medical professionals and health care workers may use their training for God’s glory, always respecting the dignity of every human life.

For an end to all medical techniques which violate human dignity, for an end to abortion, euthanasia, and the destruction of human life for medical research.

That the dignity of works may be respected by their employers and by the state, and for the unemployed and underemployed.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September: “That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.” We pray to the Lord.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster and inclement weather, especially the people of Houston Texas, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, 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. We pray.

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.

8th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Offering ones life to God

God's Word commands us not to come before the Lord empty-handed (Sir 35:4). This means we must come to the Lord with our offerings — with the fruit of our service, finances, parenting, work, and life.

One of the prayers you may have learned in Catholic Grade School is The Morning Offering: O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all my relatives and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father.

It is good to begin the day calling to mind the need to offer everything to God, to not appear before the Lord empty-handed.

One of the great mysteries of our faith which we contemplate during the upcoming season of Lent, is the Lord’s willingness to give everything to His Father. He was “obedient unto death, death on a Cross” writes Paul to the Philippians. And Our Lord himself said, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many”.

Following the commandments to love God and love neighbor, imitating Jesus, all require this willingness to give of ones-self, to hold nothing back in service to God. This of course does not mean we need to spend 16 hours a day in Church. We give of our selves at the altar, in order that, we might give of ourselves OUT THERE.

When Peter says today in the Gospel, 'We have given up everything and followed you.” Jesus detects that Peter was just giving lip-service. He hadn’t given up everything, for he did not possess the willingness to give his life.

The OTHER St. Ignatius—Ignatius of Loyola—also has a wonderful prayer of offering, called the suscipe prayer, that we do well to pray often: “Take Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. Thou hast given all to me. To Thee, O lord, I return it. All is Thine, dispose of it wholly according to Thy will. Give me Thy love and thy grace, for this is sufficient for me.”

By offering everything to God in union with Jesus we becoming receptive to an abundance of graces which can truly transform the world for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the upcoming season of Lent may be a source of renewal and spiritual growth for the entire Christian Church.

For the freedom and willingness to make of ourselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.

For the Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of March: for respect for the rights of persecuted Christian communities and their closeness to Christ.

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 clergy 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.

2nd Week in OT 2019 - Wednesday - Melchizedek and the Priesthood of the Baptized

“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 7:17)

Who is this Melchizedek fellow? 

Melchizedek was encountered by Abraham back in the book of Genesis.  He was a strange figure: a king and a priest. He was no idol-worshiping pagan priest, but a priest of God Most High, the one true God of Israel, the creator of heaven and earth.

Melchizedek appears kind of mysteriously after a battle in which Abraham, with a band of only 318 men, defeated a coalition of four pagan kings and rescued his nephew Lot from captivity. Melchizedek leads Abraham in offering a thanksgiving sacrifice to God—a sacrifice of bread and wine.

“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” certainly refers to Jesus. Melchizedek is certainly a foreshadowing of our blessed Lord who is priest and king—who by his own sacrifice on the cross has defeated the powers of man’s captivity—through whom we offer God the Eucharistic sacrifice for our salvation.

“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” certainly refers to the ordained priesthood, who share in Christ’s priesthood to offer the Eucharistic sacrifice.

“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” also refers to all of the baptized. By our Baptism, every Christian shares in the priesthood of Christ.

These words were deeply consoling to the original audience of the letter to the Hebrews. These Christians were being persecuted and martyred by the Roman government. They "endured mockery, scourging, chains and imprisonment” and death, like Christ. And this letter encouraged them, and encourages us, that what we suffer for Christ has meaning, has power, for the salvation of souls. And so we are to offer ourselves, our sufferings, our time, talent, and treasure, our lives in union with Him.

St. Paul emphasizes this very teaching in his letter to the Romans, when he writes: “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.  Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.

May we truly be pleasing and perfect sacrifices to the Father, not conformed to this age, but with minds and hearts renewed by Word and Sacrament, offer our lives in union with the One saving sacrifice of Christ Our Lord for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For an end to the divisions among Christians: that we may be united in proclaiming the Gospel and announcing the freedom, healing, reconciliation and peace that comes through Christ.

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 temporal and spiritual needs of our parish, for the conversion of non-believers in our neighborhood and families, for protection from all evil.

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 the grace to unite our suffering with our Savior’s cross.

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

Sept 26 2017 - Saints Cosmas and Damian - Offering the hours of the day to God

Saints Cosmas and Damien were twin brothers, born in the middle of the 3rd century. They both studied medicine in what is now modern-day Syria. They practiced their medical profession with not only great skill but great charity, offering their services for free to those who could not pay. They are the patron saints of physicians.

Since they were so prominent in the community, when the persecution of Diocletian swept through around the year 303, they were put to death, refusing to apostatize the faith.

As holy Christians and holy doctors, they remind us how important it is to offer the whole of our lives to the service of the Church. If we are doctors, to use our medical training for Christ, if we our lawyers, do use our legal expertise for Christ, if we are retirees, to use our time for Christ.

Many make use of their professional training and their time to make a name for themselves instead of service for Christ. The time we’ve been given is meant for our sanctification: whether we are a day- laborer or an expert in our field. As St. Paul says, “In whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

How we use our time matters for eternity. Christians are to be diligent, they should seek excellence in their work and true refreshment in their leisure, they should pursue virtue and the perfection of their character, subjecting every hour of the day to the Lord’s glory.

Whether we are spending 8 or 10 hours in the office, or able to spend warm autumn days in the garden, or sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, it’s not a bad idea to call to mind every hour our Christian identity, to dedicate that hour to God’s will over our own, to ask God to bless that hour for his purposes.

When our day is continually offered to God, the events of our day, even the hardships, can become opportunities for meeting Christ. We meet him in our labors, others can meet him, through us, because we have offered our hearts and minds and our diligence to Him.

As the Jews, in our first reading, returned from exile, rebuild the Temple to be a house for God to dwell, may the saints help us to build our lives, our bodies, minds, hearts and sufferings into a Temple where God is worshipped, adored, and served, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Through the intercession of Saints Cosmas and Damien, we pray that all doctors, nurses, medical professionals and health care workers may use their training for God’s glory, always respecting the dignity of every human life.
For an end to all medical techniques which violate human dignity, for an end to abortion, euthanasia, IVF, and the destruction of human embryos.
That the dignity of works may be respected by their employers and by the state, and for the unemployed and underemployed.
For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September: “That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.” We pray to the Lord.
For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster and inclement weather, especially the people of Houston Texas, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, 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. We pray.
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.