22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2026 - "Get behind me, Satan"

 

Well, St. Peter certainly went from hero to zero pretty quickly, didn’t he? Last week, our Gospel reading from the beginning of Matthew chapter 16 described the Lord extolling and praising Peter’s faith: “Blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah”. The Lord then promoted Peter, we might say, as prince of the apostles. “You are Peter, the rock, and upon this rock I build my Church, and I will give to you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.” Here, Peter and his successors, the Popes, were given by the Lord himself, the highest authority in the Church—the power, authority, and responsibility to loose and bind.

This fact is expressed in canon law, which says “The bishop of the Roman Church, in whom continues the office given by the Lord uniquely to Peter, the first of the Apostles, and to be transmitted to his successors, is the head of the college of bishops, the Vicar of Christ, and the pastor of the universal Church on earth. By virtue of his office he possesses supreme, full, immediate, and universal ordinary power in the Church, which he is always able to exercise freely.”

So, a pretty big promotion there, for St. Peter, on their way to Caesarea Philipi.

But then, this week, just seven verses later in Matthew chapter 16, the Lord refers to Peter as Satan: “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” One can hardly imagine a more serious rebuke.  Peter you have become a stumbling block—an obstacle to the will of God, an obstacle to the sacred mission of Jesus. Peter, you are obstructing God as Satan does.

How so? When the Lord foretold how he must go to the cross, suffer and die and then be raised, Peter sets his will at odds with Jesus. “May God forbid you to do this,” he says.

Peter here insinuates that Jesus turn away from the cross, that the He turn away from the mission to save humanity, that he turn away from his commitment to love his people to the end because it might hurt.

The Lord says, “Get behind me Satan” because Peter was siding not with God, but with God’s enemy, the one who desires not our salvation but our damnation, the one who works to keep man in his fallen state, who would see us deprived of God’s presence for all eternity, just like him.

“Peter, You are thinking as human beings do”, not as God does, what is "good, and pleasing, and perfect" as Paul writes in our second reading. What’s that say about human ways of thinking? That we don’t always think with the mind of God, in fact, sometimes our thoughts are downright Satanic.

Our thoughts are sometimes quite disordered, aren’t they? Perverted thoughts. Violent thoughts. Selfish thoughts. And when we act on these thoughts, we side not with God, but with Satan.

This tendency, this vulnerability is in all of us. It’s the part of us that gives-in to pressure all too easily, a part of us that caves when obedience to God requires effort. We see this all the way back in the garden of Eden. At the foot of the Tree of Knowledge—Eve begins listening to that voice—that Satanic voice that doesn’t force, but merely whispers that her own will, her own strength, her own plan, could bring her happiness—that setting her will in opposition to God’s could bring her fulfilment.

So, too with Adam. And with Adam, we see even less of a struggle. When presented with the forbidden fruit from the hands of his wife, we don’t even see an argument. We don’t see Adam calling to mind the command of God given to him directly: “Do not eat of the tree,” God says, “or else you will die”. Adam caves without any recorded resistance. How pitiful! And yet, are we any better? St. Dominic Savio would say that “he would rather die than commit sin.” How often we fail to exercise the slightest resistance!

Most of us are a lot like Peter. We have moments where we profess our faith, our minds and hearts and lips are open to God’s truth. And then we have moments of “thinking as human beings do” and fall to the temptations whispered by the Enemy.

But we shouldn’t despair because of this. It’s the Christian condition. We’re believers who also sin, sinners who also believe. We’re imperfect. We’re all learning. That’s what it means to be a disciple. And God loves us for it. Jesus died not for the perfect, but for the imperfect. But he also expects that when we sin, we humbly admit it. We confess it. We seek to amend our life—to change our thinking and behavior, just like Peter.

Following Peter’s story through the New Testament. He stumbles and falls. He literally sinks into the sea when he takes his eyes off Jesus. He runs away from the cross. He denies the Lord, thricely. Even after the resurrection, scripture records Peter’s imperfections. He goes back to fishing. He locks himself behind the doors of the upper room. Even after Pentecost, Peter makes mistakes. Paul writes to the Galatians how when Peter came to Antioch, Paul had to tell Peter face to face that he was wrong for refusing to eat with the Gentile converts.

There’s even a Christian legend how when Peter finally arrives in Rome, he flees out of fear of martyrdom, and it’s not until the Lord appears to him personally, that Peter finally has the courage to carry his cross.

“Get behind me” it was a strong rebuke. But in a sense, it was also an invitation, wasn’t it? “Get behind me” is the proper place of the disciple. Peter, a sinner, had stepped in front of Jesus, trying to direct him away from the Cross. Jesus invites him back to his proper place, and he does.

Peter had placed himself in front of Christ, as if he knew the path better than the Lord. Jesus tells him: get behind me. Take your proper place again. You are not the master. You are the disciple. And that is where all of us belong: not telling God what He should do, but behind Jesus, following him wherever he leads. Following Jesus requires obedience, but brings freedom. Following Jesus, requires humble admittance of sin, but brings mercy. Following Jesus involves the cross, but leads to resurrection and eternal life.

We’re not to despair because we stumble, nor are we to pretend that our sins and compromises are irrelevant—their disordered, wicked, and at odds with God’s will. And through the teaching of the Church, the Lord rebukes us. But rebuke is part of the solution. Peter’s story does not end with the rebuke. It ends with sanctity—with the ultimate act of love for Jesus—the witness of his life and the winning of the martyr’s crown.

Through that series of stumbling and repentance, continuing to follow the Lord, Peter finally learned to think and act with the mind and heart of Christ. May the Lord give us that same grace: to recognize where we are thinking merely as human beings do, to repent with humility, and to follow Christ faithfully, unto the cross and resurrection, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

April 25 2023 - St. Mark, evangelist & martyr - The Lion

 Atop each of the columns here inside St. Ignatius of Antioch, are symbols for the four evangelists: the eagle for St. John, the Ox for St. Luke, the human face for St. Matthew, and the Lion, for the saint and evangelist we honor today, St. Mark. 

Revelation 4:7 describes four living creatures surrounding the throne of the Lamb, and these four creatures, from antiquity, have been used to depict the evangelists. Revelation says, “The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.”

The Lion is listed first, and Mark’s gospel, was likely the first of the Gospels to be written, before the year 60. 

Sometimes it is claimed that the lion is fitting for Mark, as his Gospel begins with John the Baptist roaring in the wilderness, like a lion "...The voice of the one who cries in the wilderness: Prepare Ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths"

St. Mark was a Jew converted by the Apostles after the death and resurrection of Christ. He was a spiritual son of St. Peter, in fact. And many of the details Mark includes in his Gospel, likely derive from St. Peter. Mark originally wrote his Gospel for the Romans, to whom Peter ministered. Mark’s Gospel has characteristics attractive to Romans. It’s concise, to the point, and emphasizes Jesus, like a lion, filled with courage and strength—dominating the powers of evil with a word. While so many fail to grasp who Jesus is, it is the Roman centurion on Calvary who proclaims what even the apostles failed to acknowledge, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Before his own martyrdom, St. Peter sent Mark to be the Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt. Alexandria was known for its superstition, old Egyptian gods, sorcery and magic. So Mark goes to Egypt, and like the Apostles in the Gospel today, Mark preached and miracles and signs accompanied his preaching—signs which confirmed that his word was true and from God. He made many converts, but also many enemies from the old established religion. And he was martyred. 

But no doubt due to Mark’s preaching, teaching, and the testimony of his martyrdom, Alexandria went on to become one of the great centers of early Christianity. 

It is around Alexandria that Christian monasticism begins with Anthony of the Desert and Paul the Hermit. And some of the most important theologians of the early Church came out of Alexandria, including St. Cyril of Alexandria, and the great St. Athanasius, whose feast is a week from today.

St. Mark changed the world and changed history through his faithfulness to the preaching mission. 

And, what a wonderful saint to celebrate during the Easter season, when we are being reminded of the importance of faithfully preaching the Gospel, giving witness to the truth that Jesus is risen, and by backing up our words with accompanying works.

May Saint Mark’s example and prayers help us to cry out the Gospel of Christ throughout the world, proclaiming it to all creation, for the Glory of God and Salvation of souls.

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Let us pray:

The Father raised Christ his Son, Our Good Shepherd from the dead, may we be his faithful witnesses to the ends of the earth.

The Father sent his Son into the world to bring good news to the poor, may we have courage to bring that good news to all peoples.

The Father sent his Son to sow the word of life, may God help us to sow his word and to reap its harvest with joy.

The Father send his Son to make the world one through his blood, may we all work together for this unity.

The Father set his Son at his right hand in the heavens, may the gates of God’s kingdom be opened to all those who have died...

June 29 2022 - Sts. Peter and Paul - Teachings, Examples, Mission, Martyrdom

Before the reform of calendar, Saints Peter and Paul were celebrated over the course of three days here at the end of June with the Vigil of Peter and Paul on June 28, the Feast of Peter and Paul on June 29, and the Commemoration of St. Paul on June 30. A fitting tribute, as Peter and Paul are two of the greatest men to have ever lived.

The prayers and readings of those three days are now consolidated into one feast, today’s, in which we celebrate their teachings, their examples, their mission, their martyrdom, and their heavenly intercession.

The Collect asked God to help us follow their teachings, may the Church, in all things follow the teachings of those through whom she received the beginnings of right religion. The Christian Church is forever shaped by the teachings of these two saints. 

In the first reading, we heard of Peter, having willingly suffered imprisonment for the Gospel, being set free by God’s angel. From there we know, the prince of the Apostles would travel to Rome to proclaim the Gospel and minister to the Roman Christians. I remember visiting the church of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome, the Church of St. Peter in Chains, and seeing the chains that bound Peter and were broken by the angel.

In the second reading, we heard of Paul writing to Timothy from his prison cell in Rome. Paul, no doubt having heard of Peter’s rescue from prison, speaks of how the Lord will rescue him too, only not by breaking his physical chains, but by raising him from the dead and delivering him to the eternal kingdom of heaven in the resurrection. Paul’s hope in resurrection is fill our hearts daily.

In the powerful Eucharistic Preface for this day, we proclaim God’s providence which fills us with joy at the celebration of Peter and Paul: “Peter, foremost in confessing the faith, Paul its outstanding preaching, Peter, who established the early Church from the remnant of Israel, Paul, master and teacher of the Gentiles…and so, each in a different way gathered together the one family of Christ; and revered together throughout the world, they share one Martyr’s crown.”

These two saints are examplars of missionary zeal. Their lives became centered on gathering souls to Christ. Not storing up treasures on earth, not gaining earthly fame, not living the comfortable life, not simply allowing life to pass them by as they awaited death. They went out to gather souls out of love for Christ. And that love was confirmed by their willingness to suffer a martyrs death for Christ.

May the love and zeal of Peter and Paul always animate us; may we know their heavenly assistance in being faithful to our share of the Church’s mission, in gathering souls to Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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The Lord Jesus built his Church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. In faith let us pray.

The Lord prayed that the faith of Peter would not fail, may the Lord strengthen the faith of His Church and protect her from all dangers.

The Lord appeared to Peter after his resurrection and appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus, may he make us steadfast proclaimers of his resurrection.

The Lord called Peter, a fisherman, to be a fisher of men, may he raise up new vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life. 

The Lord mercifully forgave Peter’s denials, may he have mercy upon all sinners, and all those who suffer illness or any other need.

The Lord gave Peter the keys of the kingdom, may the gates of that kingdom be open to all who trusted in Christ’s mercy while still on earth, especially…

Heavenly Father, graciously hear the prayers of your pilgrim Church on this great Solemnity and grant our prayers of petition through Christ, Our Lord. 

8th Week in Ordinary Time 2022 - Tuesday - "We have left everything to follow you"

 In yesterday’s Gospel passage from St. Mark, we heard of the rich man who goes away sad after his encounter with Jesus. He had asked the Lord what it takes to inherit eternal life, and the Lord instructed the rich man to go and sell his possessions and follow him.

Due to his unwillingness to detach from his possessions, the rich man departs from Jesus, not with the joy of discipleship, but with sadness. There is always sadness when we are unwilling to follow where Jesus beckons. 

In reaction to the rich man woefully departing from the presence of Jesus, Peter chimes in: “well, we have left everything to follow you.”

Have you Peter? Have you really? The more I read the Gospel of Mark, the more I’m convinced that we should be a little suspicious whenever Peter speaks. For with that question, it seems Peter is all too enthused to attempt to draw a contrast between him and the rich man, a little like the Pharisee, who says, thank goodness I’m not like that tax collector of there, “I’m holy, I’m enlightened.” Meanwhile, it was the tax collector who was not far from the kingdom because he acknowledged his sinfulness.

Peter, don’t you know that you can’t fool Jesus? The Lord can see into your heart and right through your antics?

Knowing that Peter could use a bit of humility and self-reflection, the Lord responds to Peter by explaining what it means to really follow him: his disciples are to give up “house and brother and sister, mother and father, children and lands for his sake and the sake of the Gospel.” Our possessions, our inheritances, our most intimate familial relations, even our own lives, are to be subordinate to doing the will of God and our Gospel mission. 

We know that conversion hadn’t really taken root, that Peter was not fully abandoned to the will of God, as in just a few chapter we’ll find Peter denying his Lord. 

Now we shouldn’t give Peter too hard a time, for the Gospel narrative is an unfolding drama, an unfolding of the revelation of who Jesus is, fully revealed in his death and resurrection. 

For we know that Peter, after resurrection embraces true discipleship wholeheartedly. He suffers for the Lord, and dies for his Lord, but not before writing the powerful words from our first reading: “Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly, and set your hopes completely grace”…above all “seek holiness”, not compliance with your former way of life, your former attachments, but above all holiness.

During the holy season of Lent beginning tomorrow, may our Lenten penances aid us in acknowledging this parts of our lives where we have failed to follow the Lord. May we be assisted in living soberly, abandoned to grace, seeking above all holiness 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.”

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

For the conversion of those who reject the Gospel, for grace to break through to hearts hardened toward God, for the protection of young people from the errors and perversions of our culture.

For those who struggle because of addiction, mental illness, chronic sickness, unemployment, inclement weather, or ongoing trials of any kind.

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

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

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2021 - Take up your cross

 The author of today’s Gospel passage, St. Mark, was not a member of the Twelve Apostles. There’s a little dispute over when he encountered the Gospel One tradition states that he was among the 70 disciples sent out by Jesus during his Galilean ministry, another tradition, held by the third century church historian and bishop St. Eusebius, states the Mark became Christian through the post-resurrection preaching of St. Peter. Peter, after all called him “my son Mark” in his first epistle. So, likely, St. Mark got his information about Jesus from Peter; some ancient writers even called Mark’s Gospel “Peter’s Gospel” for that reason.  

So even if St. Mark was not an eye-witness to Jesus, his Gospel, which we’ll be reading through for the duration of the church year, is based on an eye-witness account, that of the prince of the apostles, St. Peter. 

Like St. Peter, St. Mark eventually traveled to Rome, and wrote his Gospel there around the year 60 A.D.  St. Mark’s Gospel is the shortest of the four Gospels: it is clear, precise, orderly, and direct—certainly pleasing to the Roman ear. 

The ancient Romans, to whom Mark wrote, were in many ways like modern Americans.  They were a practical, pragmatic people who emphasized deeds more than words, action more than theory.  The Romans got things done.  They conquered the known world.  And since his audience, the Romans, admired people who got things done, St. Mark emphasized these aspects of Jesus’s life. Throughout Mark’s Gospel, the Lord is confronting and expelling demons, curing contagious diseases, undergoing the terrible sufferings of his Passion, only to rise again victorious over sin and death. 

In the Gospel today, Jesus affirms, explicitly and uncompromisingly—very clearly, so even Romans could understand—that he and all of his followers must "take up the cross"—talk about action. For following Jesus is about more than calling oneself a Christian, to quote same James, “faith without works is dead.” And, the Lord goes so far to say that those who refuse to take up the cross “will lose their lives”—they will lose the promise of eternal life in heaven. Again, you can’t call yourself a Christian without the works that back-up that claim. 

The Lord gives this stark teaching in response to Peter really sticking his foot in his mouth. The Passage begins with Peter seemingly understanding that Jesus is the Messiah—the promised one—the one anointed by God to save us from our sins and restore unity to the fallen human race and restore humanity to right relationship with God. 

But then the conversation takes a turn: when Jesus tells the group that the Christ must suffer greatly, be mocked, and killed, Peter, the disciple, attempts to correct Jesus, the teacher. Big mistake. But who could blame him. Peter doesn’t want Jesus to go to the cross, because Peter doesn’t want to go to the cross. In fact, throughout the Gospel, Peter is often running away from the cross. In the Passion story, Peter denied Jesus three times, so he wouldn’t be arrested and crucified with the Lord.  On the Mount of Transfiguration, when Jesus is talking to Moses and Elijah about going to Jerusalem where he would suffer and die like the prophets before Him, Peter says, no, Lord, let’s just stay here. Peter doesn’t want the Lord to be subject to suffering, because Peter doesn’t want to have to suffer. And again,…who can blame him. Most of us spend a lot of time and energy avoiding or at least minimizing suffering.

“Get behind me Satan”, the Lord says to Peter. You can imagine Mark’s surprise when Peter recalled the events in today’s Gospel: “He called you what?” Why does the Lord offer this sharpest of rebuke? This passage gets to the heart of who Jesus is and what he’s all about. The Lord Jesus wasn’t just a teacher, he wasn’t a community organizer, he wasn’t political leader, he didn’t come to simply encourage humanity to work for social justice. Of course, it’s good to feed the hungry, it’s good to stand up for someone being bullied, it’s good to speak up for the vulnerable. But the Son of God took flesh in order to accomplish something we couldn’t do on our own, the greatest good imaginable: he embraced unimaginable suffering, the greatest suffering, to obtain, to purchase our salvation. 

So when Peter said, you mustn’t allow yourself to suffer, it was akin to Satan opposing the holy will of God to save us from hell. Of course Satan doesn’t want Jesus to suffer and die. The Lord’s Passion freed us from hell’s grasp. And so the Lord rebukes Peter, he rebukes Satan for opposing the salvific plan of God. 

And then the Lord teaches his disciples, that we must, like him, bear our crosses. Fulfilling the will of God is not easy. There is a weight to it, a cost to it. And we know this: it’s good to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. But, we often draw a line, don’t we? We willingly engage in these good works…to a point: and that point usually is, when it costs me something, when I will have to sacrifice something I enjoy or can utilize—cash, leisure time, my favorite television show, my reputation among less religiously fervent peers or family members. When I have to sacrifice these things to build up the Church and to do good works, well, most of us like to leave the hard work to someone else. 

This is a difficult Gospel. Perhaps the most difficult. It was certainly difficult for Peter, so we are, at least, in good company. Peter continues to run away from suffering throughout the Gospel—we run away often. We allow Satan to whisper in our ears, “the cross is too heavy, leave it to someone else, God can’t possibly be asking you to carry this cross, you can carry the next one”. 

But, the Christian life is about learning to carry crosses for the sake of the Kingdom. And just as our Lord brought ineffable goodness from his cross, so to with us. Lives our touched, souls are saved, miracles are wrought, saints are made through the cross. 

There’s the story, which you have likely heard, when Peter finally gets it. After the Lord’s Ascension, of course, Peter labors with the rest of the Apostles to spread the Gospel, in Jerusalem, then to Judea, then throughout the empire. And around the year 64, Peter having been bishop in Antioch for some time, comes to preach and minister to the Christians in the Imperial City of Rome. And for a while Peter knowing that he was likely to be arrested and killed for his ministry, showed great courage preaching the Gospel and ministering to the small community of Christians there. 

When he began to agitate the local Roman authorities, the threat of the cross again loomed too close for comfort. So Peter began to flee Rome. But as he began to flee through the city gate, something happened. He had a vision. Before him he saw the Lord Jesus walking through the gate, into Rome carrying the cross.  Peter, falling to his knees asked him, “Domine, quo vadis?  Lord, where are you going?”  And the Lord replied, “I have come to Rome to be crucified, since you will not.”  Peter recognized that he had been fleeing the cross, yet again., and the Lord’s words struck Peter and gave him the resolve to do what he must do. 

Peter returned to his ministry, preaching the Truth of the Gospel, and for this he was arrested, and like our Lord, Peter was crucified; only he asked that he be crucified upside-down because he felt he was unworthy to die in the same way as his Lord. His sacrifice no doubt bolstered the faith of the Roman Christians who would undergo terrible persecution, and has bolstered the faith of the Church for 2000 years because he finally took up his cross.

What will it mean to take up your cross this week? To pray, to fast, to visit the lonely widow next door? Will it be to bear wrongs patiently, without complaint, without seeking to get the last word in when arguing with a spouse, or refrain from talking back to your parents? Will it mean finally forgiving someone who hurt you, or going out of your way to find a intentional act of charity each day, to invite a coworker to pray? Daily upon waking, ask God for the strength and courage to carry that cross, the willingness to pay what is costly for the spread of the kingdom for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

18th Week in Ordinary Time 2021 - Tuesday - Walking on Water

 

St. Peter is certainly given a unique role among the apostles. As prince of the apostles, he’s given the great task of being the rock upon which the Lord builds his Church. And yet, St. Peter is also quite a relatable character in the Gospels. We can relate to his fear during the Lord’s Passion. We can relate to his confusion on the mount of transfiguration, when he even appears to stick his foot in his mouth a bit. And we can relate to Peter in the Gospel today. Having been called upon by the Lord to walk upon the waters, having been invited to trust the Lord, Peter sinks.

Each of us can imagine ourselves in the boat with the apostles in the Gospel today. Being tossed about by storms, Jesus is nowhere to be found. And then the Lord appears. Notice, how in this Gospel, Jesus does not calm the storms, like he does in other passages. Sometimes, the storms continue to rage around us when we detect the Lord calling to us. He’s able to walk on water in the midst of the storm, of course, because, he’s God. But then he calls out to us, amidst our fears and anxieties to trust him and walk out onto the water with him.

Sometimes, we hear the Lord calling, but we are too afraid to get out of the boat. Too afraid to take up a new work for the Lord, a new ministry. We make excuses. My life is too chaotic. My storms are too great. We focus on what we lack, instead of trusting in God who makes the invitation.

Perhaps, we even have moments, where we, like St. Peter, begin to walk on water for a time. We make that initial leap of faith, but then, also like Peter, we allow the fears and anxieties and opinions of our culture replace that trust, and we begin to sink.

How often have we made a commitment to pray daily, or read scripture daily. It starts up with such fervor, we know it’s the right thing to do, and then the distractions take us away from that holy conviction, and we begin to sink. 

But the Lord lovingly walks over to us, pulls us up, and invites us to try again. 

What are the stormy water across which the Lord is inviting us to walk? He has work for each of us. And that work appears as a stormy sea, to difficult for us to cross on our own. And it is. But he invites us to walk, to trust, to love him enough to trust him calling us to do what is beyond our natural abilities, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

That Church leaders and all the members of the faithful may deepen their trust in the Lord who calls them to labor for the building up of the Church.

For deliverance from corruption in government and for the protection of civil liberty and religious freedom. 

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering. 

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.

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 2021 - Friday - "Do you love me?"

 On these last two weekdays of Easter, our Gospel passage comes from the epilogue and the very last chapter of John’s Gospel.  As I mentioned recently, Saint John’s Gospel has often been called, “the Gospel of Love.”  It should be no surprise that the final story of the final chapter of his Gospel is a conversation about love.

“Do you love me?” Jesus asks. For Peter and the Popes that would succeed him the last two thousand years, loving Jesus would require a very specific, unique ministry within the Church. Peter and the Popes are tasked with feeding the flock: leading, shepherding, governing, teaching the flock of Christ, the Church. Peter’s exercise of love for the Church would be modeled after Jesus’ own love for the Church—the love of the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. 

“Do you love me” required specific activity for Peter. In fact, the Lord even prophesied that when Peter grows old, he too will stretch out his hands. Peter’s love for the flock would lead him stretching out his hands as he was martyred by crucifixion in AD 65.

“Do you love me, Peter?” Peter answered that question in his pouring out his life in service, willingly embracing the cross. And just as the Lord asked Peter that question, he asks it to each of us. “Do you love me?”

That question isn’t answered with a simple yes or no. That question is answered in the decisions we make today. It is answered in our faithfulness to our respective vocations as priest, spouses and parents, religious, single. It is answered in how we treat people, the time we offer them, the works of charity in which we engage in our community—feeding the hungry and instructing the ignorant—. It’s answered in our fervor in prayer, our willingness to do penance, our embrace of suffering for the good of others.

For we like Peter are called to lay down our lives in imitation of the love of the Good Shepherd for the good of the Church, 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.

Holy Week 2021 - Tuesday - 3 Responses to the Cross

 Each of the Gospels relate scenes from the night before Jesus died.  On this Tuesday of Holy Week, we are taken to the table of the Last Supper, where Jesus predicts his death and his betrayal.

Three characters have three different responses to Jesus. John, the beloved disciples lays his head on Jesus’ chest.  Peter, confesses his desire to follow Jesus even unto death, but at the sight of the cross flees in fear.  And Judas, with betrayal in his heart goes into the night.  

Sometimes we are like John: we have moments of great intimacy with Jesus, of deep prayer and unshakable love for the Lord.  Of all the apostles, it is John who stands at the cross with the Blessed Mother.  

Sometimes, we are like Peter: we can be so pious and enthusiastic one moment, saying, “Master, I will lay down my life for you”, and then the next moment, when discipleship becomes difficult and costly, we are running away in fear. 

And then sometimes we are like the silent Judas, rejecting the light and slinking off into the darkness—to sin. 

We’ve have all been like Judas, from time to time. Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, we betray him often for so much less, a moment of passing pleasure, a juicy morsel of gossip shared on social media, a greed for money and material things that keep us from charity towards the poor.

How will we ever overcome our fear of the cross like Peter? How will we finally overcome those moments, when we, like Judas prefer darkness and sin to faithfulness and trust?

First, we must ask the Lord to increase our faith. Faithfulness to Jesus must become more important than anything else—any earthly pleasure, relationship, or activity. Pray to the Holy Spirit for faith. For Peter’s faith does not truly become rock-like, until the descent of the Spirit on Pentecost.

Secondly, practicing fasting,  abstinence, mortification, acts of humility, and acts of mercy, not just through Lent but throughout the whole year, increases our hope. Our hope is not in the passing things of earth, but in the promises of Christ. As hope increases our fear of the cross decreases. So, small sufferings and humiliations prepare us for willingness for sacrifice in larger things, and increase our hope for life eternal. 

Thirdly, we must like John, lay our heads on the chest of Jesus in daily prayer.  In prayer, our love for Jesus in increases. If you are not putting your ear next to Jesus heart, how can you learn to love him and love others as he loves? Getting serious about prayer, especially fervent devotion to the Mother of Jesus, like St. John, will help increase our love.

Faith, hope, and love. The three theological virtues unite us with the life of God.

As we enter into the most sacred three days of the Church year—the sacred triduum—may our faith, hope, and love increase, that we may have the courage to journey with Jesus to the cross, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That God may be pleased to grant all necessary graces to the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity. 

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

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

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

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

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

November 18 2020 - Dedication of the Basilicas of Sts. Peter and Paul

On June 29 every year we celebrate the feast of the martyrdoms of Saints Peter and Paul. Today’s feast commemorates the dedication of the Roman Basilicas built in their honor: the basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican in the year 350 and the dedication of the basilica of St. Paul in 390.  

Both of these edifices now stand very near the places where it is traditionally believed Saints Peter and Paul were martyred. Peter, we know, was said to have been crucified upside-down in the Circus of Nero, located on the mons Vaticanus, the Vatican Hill. Paul, was martyred outside the walls of the ancient city, at a place now called the abbazia delle tre fontane, the abbey of the three fountains, called such, because it is said, that when Paul was decapitated, his head bounced three times, from which, springs of water began to flow.

Each were buried near the place of their martyrdom. Again, Peter in a roman cemetery on Vatican Hill. And Paul, in a Roman Necropolis outside the ancient walls, in the tomb of a devout roman Noblewoman named Lucilla. 

When Christianity was eventually legalized in the Roman Empire, basilicas were built over the burial places of these two foundation stones for the Church. Though pilgrimage to their tombs was already occurring before the edict of Milan. Christians in fact risked imprisonment in order to make pilgrimage to pray at the tombs of Peter and Paul. 

Neither of the original basilicas still stand, in fact St. Paul’s has been subject to numerous fires. The new basilica of St. Paul’s was consecrated by Pius IX in 1854 and St. Peter’s Basillica was consecrated on this day, November 18 in 1626 by Pope Urban VIII—the altar of St. Peter’s basilica standing directly over the burial place of the apostle.

We can certainly see homages to these two great basilicas in the architecture of St. Ignatius, and yet, we aren’t really celebrated architectural achievement today, are we? Rather, the entire Catholic world today celebrates these two buildings in Rome,  in order to show our honor to the Apostles, and to remember that we belong to a Church that spans the entire globe, several millennia, which is built on the apostolic foundation. 

In an age where so many are tempted to sever themselves from the past and from authentic Church teaching, this feast is an important dimension of our Catholic faith. We unite ourselves to the great efforts of the apostles, to the millions of Catholics who have suffered persecution for our faith, for the efforts of missionaries and evangelists and teachers who have spent their lives passing on our faith, without whom we would not be here today. 

May our lives continue to be built upon the apostolic faith, courage and strength of Peter and Paul. May the love for the Lord which animated their lives animate ours, that we may serve him generously, if not heroically, like them, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the purification of Holy Church, that the Pope and Bishops and clergy may be filled with Apostolic Zeal, and that all the Christian faithful may discover and nurture their spiritual gifts for the building up of the Church.

For those who have left the Church, for those who have grown lukewarm, for those in mortal sin, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

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 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.

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

 

19th Week in OT 2019 - Monday - Sons of the King

Prior to ascending the Mount of Transfiguration, Our Lord announced to the apostles his forthcoming Passion. We know how the apostles reacted; Peter, especially was aghast, and tried to talk the Lord out of it. To which the Lord responded, “get behind me Satan, You aren’t thinking like God but like men.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus has come down from the mount of transfiguration, and returning to Galilee, he makes his second Passion prediction. And again, his disciples are overwhelmed with grief. The truth has sunk in, a little deeper. He’s going to the cross. Peter doesn’t try to talk Jesus out of it this time; after all, he’s witnessed the Lord speaking about his Passion with Moses and Elijah while in Transfigured Glory.

Our Lord and the twelve then travel back to the base of operations, Capernaum, where the Lord’s public ministry began, and we hear this strange tale about fish and taxes. And perhaps, this incident is meant to lift the apostles spirits a bit. Because in the course of this story, the Lord once again equates himself with a King, and his disciples with his subjects. And really, our translation of the Greek isn’t great here. The Greek word really doesn’t mean subjects, but sons. Disciples of Jesus are not just members of the kingdom who live outside the king’s own house, they are sons of the king, members of the royal family, who eat at the king’s table, who receive the special blessings and special intimacy with the king. We have the king’s ear, always. We participate in the life of the King and the work of the King.

This important for the Christian to remember when we face our own crosses, when we are overwhelmed with grief and exhaustion. Just as a king showers blessings on his children, Jesus blesses us as members of his family.

St. Leo the Great said, “Christian, remember your dignity, and now that you share in God’s own nature, do not return by sin to your former base condition. Bear in mind who is your head and of whose body you are a member. Do not forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of God’s kingdom.”

It is important for us to recollect many times a day, our Christian identity and our Christian mission. That amidst the trials and crosses, we are Christians, we members of the royal family, and we have mission for which we are blessed with abundant graces, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all members of the Body of Christ may preserve and live-up to their Christian identity always and everywhere.

For the Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of August that that families, through their life of prayer and love, become ever more clearly "schools of true human growth."

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, 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 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 the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

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.

Octave of Easter 2019 - Tuesday - Easter Conviction

Throughout the Easter season we hear the unfolding saga of the Acts of the Apostles. The Acts of the Apostles is Part Two of St. Luke’s Two Volume work on the Mission of the Messiah. In Part I, his Gospel, Luke details Jesus’ mission to establish the Kingdom of God and bring salvation to the mankind. Luke’s Gospel culminates in Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

The Book of Acts is Part II of the mission, God works through the Apostles to spread the Gospel, to make disciples, to make salvation known.

50 Days after Easter Sunday, on Pentecost, we read how Saint Peter emerges from the upper room with the other Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, and begins to preach.  His sermon was the first public proclamation of Jesus’ Resurrection: his audience, the citizens of Jerusalem.

He stands up, in front of these people, some of whom, may have been the very same who called “crucify him, crucify him” at Jesus’ trial before Pilate, they very same people who watched as Jesus carried the cross through the streets of Jerusalem, some may have heard the nails being pounded into Jesus’ hands and feet.  And now Peter, stands before all of these people, and says, “This man, Jesus the Nazarean, whose mighty deeds and wonders and signs pointed to the fact that he was sent by God…you killed, you crucified him.  But God raised him up…So now, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.””
So powerful was this speech, that Luke tells us today “it cut the audience to the heart”, and they turned to Peter and the Apostles and asked, “what they should do”?  Peter answered, “repent and be baptized”.  And about 3000 were baptized!

This is the same Peter, who denied Jesus out of fear.  He is now filled with courage and conviction.  Peter is a model for us. For we have received that same spirit and that same mission.

On the first page of the Catechism we read: “Those who with God's help have welcomed Christ's call and freely responded to it are urged on by love of Christ to proclaim the Good News everywhere in the world. This treasure, received from the apostles, has been faithfully guarded by their successors. All Christ's faithful are called to hand it on from generation to generation, by professing the faith, by living it in fraternal sharing, and by celebrating it in liturgy and prayer.”

We do well to pay great attention to these marvelous passages from the book of Acts, that we can be filled with that same conviction and courage as the Apostles, the same love of the Lord and concern for human salvation. May the Holy Apostles help us to be faithful to the mission of Christ here in our own town, in our own day, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.
For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

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

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

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

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.
O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

2nd Week of Lent 2019 - Wednesday - Satanic Resistance to the Cross

There are several instances in the Gospels of the Apostles confusion over Jesus’ teaching, or their slowness to grasp his identity and his mission. And sometimes their understanding of Jesus is downright flawed. Peter is usually the spokesman for the Apostles’ confusions, errors, and fears.

The first time Jesus predicts his Passion, in the Gospel of Matthew, Peter, makes an assertion that is bold, even for him. He brazenly rebukes Jesus, the unformed student pridefully rebukes the teacher. And Jesus says, “Get behind me Satan.” And to be honest, Peter’s assertion was Satanic. Jesus came to save us from our sins through the Cross, and Peter was tempting the Lord to turn away from the cross—to forsake his mission of human redemption.

Today’s Gospel contains Jesus’ third prediction of his Passion. He announces that he will be soon handing himself over to be mocked, scourged, and crucified. This time, it is not
Peter who criticizes the Lord. This time it is James, John, and their mother who approach Jesus.

Matthew includes a detail that shows they are off to a bad start right from the beginning: “the do him homage, wishing to asking him for something.” Do you worship God only so that he can grant you requests? Do you treat God like Santa Claus? What should have been a moment of conversion and deeper identification with Jesus and his ultimate mission, James, John, and Mom approach Jesus, with…false worship?

And then, their request reveals something similar to that Satanic resistance displayed by Peter. Their request is not, help us Jesus to bear the cross with you, but is as removed from the cross as anything possibly could. They request an earthly throne. In the desert, it is Satan who is the one who offers earthly thrones, promises of earthly glory, in exchange for false worship.

Jesus’ disciples are not to be known for their pursuit of earthly thrones and earthly glory. “Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.” Rather than pursuing wealth, power, fame, and pleasure, Jesus’ disciples are to be known for their pursuit of service, their embrace of suffering for the good of others.

Sometimes like Peter, James and John, we put up an almost Satanic resistance to the cross, embracing pride right when we should be embracing humility, embracing greed and lust for power right when we should be embracing generosity and self-abandon. Right when we should be embracing prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we turn to earthly distractions, gluttony, and spending money on ourselves.
May our Lenten observances help to deliver us from all that keeps us from embracing the cross, and from Christian service for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Christians will experience the graces of profound renewal during this season of Lent.  We pray to the Lord.
That God will rescue all those who live at a distance from him because of self-absorption or sin, that this evening’s diocesan wide celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation will bring about a return of many hearts to communion with God.
That all families will recommit themselves to fervent prayer this Lent so as to grow in greater love and holiness.  We pray to the Lord.
That this Lent we will be faithful to fasting and to all the ways that the Lord sanctifies us.  We pray to the Lord.
For generous giving for the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, unemployed, victims of natural disaster, terrorism, war, and violence, the grieving and those most in need.  We pray to the Lord.
For all those who have died, for all the poor souls in purgatory, for those who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, and for [intention below], for whom this Mass is offered.  We pray to the Lord.
Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.

February 22 2019 - Chair of St. Peter - More than a piece of furniture

Reading through the parish histories, I came to discover that for its beauty and grand architecture St. Ignatius of Antioch is sometimes called the “Cathedral of West Blvd.”, I even had that printed on my business cards. And yet, there is only one cathedral in the diocese, in any diocese. For the cathedral is the church in which can be found the “cathedra” the seat of the bishop, symbolizing his authority as chief shepherd of the diocese. Bishop Perez has authority to teach, govern, and sanctify in this diocese because he is a successor of the Twelve Apostles, and has been appointed to sit in the cathedra of Cleveland by the one who sits in the Cathedra of Rome—the Chair of Peter.

Today’s feast celebrates that the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ has a chair in which Christ’s Vicar will sit until Our Lord returns. The Bishop who sits on the “cathedra” of Rome has a very important mission, not only to the Christians of the city of Rome, but to the entire People of God. He is the successor of the Apostle Peter to whom the Lord entrusted the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

He has the power to bind and loose, to enact laws for the good of the People of God to which they will be held accountable on judgment day.

A lot of people think that they can have Jesus without His Church. But the earliest Christians attest to Our Lord’s desire for his disciples look to the authority of the Pope. Peter the Rock is to be a source of unity for the Church--a remedy for the division toward which we always tend.

So, this feast day, is less about furniture, and more about the grace of God that helps us to remain united to Christ and to love each other, so that we can know the healing that comes from Christ, the strength to withstand temptation, the grace of repentance, and the courage to work always for the spread of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the Successor of St. Peter, our Holy Father Pope Francis, that he be strong in his mission and strengthen the whole Church in faith, we pray to the Lord...

For all bishops, that they grow in union with Peter, share the zeal of Paul, and lead us by the grace of the Holy Spirit, we pray to the Lord...

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that they may continue to conform themselves to Christ through Faith taught by St. Peter and his successors.

For the conversion of all people to Christ, for those who reject the Faith, for those who have fallen away from the Church, for those who mock and persecute Christians, for hardened and unrepentant sinners, we pray to the Lord.

For the sick and the dying, the poor and the oppressed, and all victims of war, violence, and the selfishness of their fellow man, that they may experience the peace and presence of Christ, we pray to the Lord.

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

Father, We rejoice in the call to belong to the Church, to believe in the Gospel, and to be united with the successors of your Apostles. Answer our prayers and increase our fidelity to the Gospel. Through Christ our Lord.

3rd Sunday of Easter 2018 - Instruments of Hope

In today’s First Reading from the Book of Acts, St. Peter courageously preaches the Gospel to the same Jewish leaders and residents of Jerusalem—the very same group of people who had conspired to condemn Jesus to death by crucifixion. Peter doesn’t sugar-coat his message; bluntly he says, “You have put to death, the author of life.”

But he doesn’t dwell on this fact for long, he moves on from their sin and weakness and ignorance to the more important truth. He tells them that God has brought forth something inestimably good from Christ’s suffering and death.  God has turned the death of the Messiah into the definitive victory over death, evil, and suffering. “God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses” Peter says.  “We are witnesses”.  Certainly he was thinking about those times, as we heard in today’s Gospel, where the disciples witness the Risen Christ, appearing to them, eating with them, letting them see and touch his wounds, proving the he was not a ghost or illusion.

Christ has risen, and this changes everything. It is a new beginning for the human race. Whether you were one of the people who were calling for his crucifixion, or like Peter, you denied him. A new beginning has come.

And the same goes for us: if there were times in our life when we disregarded certain commandments or in our weakness found them too difficult to follow, if there were times when we didn’t stand up for the faith as we should have, if there were times, perhaps, when we struggled with atheism, or perhaps we committed a really shameful sin, like abortion or helping someone procure an abortion, Easter is a new beginning. The Resurrection means a new beginning in which we can truly leave behind the chains of sin and selfishness in all their forms. The Resurrection puts all good things within reach: wisdom, patience, joy, fortitude, self-control—in short, it makes holiness and lasting happiness possible for each of us.

That is what Peter is telling the crowds, and that is what the Church is telling us: let Easter be a new beginning, do not despair, hope in Christ, leave everything aside to follow him, and he will work wonders in your life.

Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, tells a story about his visit to a prison to celebrate Mass for the prisoners there. While he was being escorted by the prison warden into the room where they were going to gather for the celebration of Mass, the Archbishop thanked the warden for allowing him the opportunity.

And the warden said, “No, Archbishop, thank you.  We are glad when chaplains come.  The most dangerous man in the prison is a desperate man.”  And that word ‘desperate’ was carefully chosen.  The word desperate comes from the Latin – de, spes –without hope.

“The most dangerous person in jail is a desperate man—a man without hope—that man will do anything.  But if a prisoner has hope, and it might just be a natural hope to get out, or to have certain privileges restored, or it might be a noble hope, to discover his inner dignity—to discover the image of God deep down and to make his peace with the Lord.  Once a prisoner has hope, that prisoner comes alive, that prisoner can be reformed, that prisoner becomes a blessing to our community.  We can do a lot of things in jail, but we cannot give hope.  It is good that you men of faith come, because our men need hope.”

It is our Easter Task to proclaim that no matter your past, no matter your sins, there is hope! The task isn’t just for prison chaplains, it’s the task of every Christian!

How can we better embody the hope that comes from the Resurrection of Christ? I’d like to focus on three points.

First, as St Peter stressed in the First Reading, we must "repent, and be converted."

If we are constantly fighting with our siblings, or engaging in physical relations outside of marriage, or if we are a constant source of negativity, gossip, sarcasm, or resentment. We have some repenting to do, some conversion is needed, to open ourselves to be people of mercy.

A nightly examination of conscience before bed can help us identify attitudes, habits, and behaviors that need to be converted. Repentance is where transformation begins. Failing to repent is like trying to inflate a tire with a hole in it, or putting water in a broken cup.

So, if there are any serious sins that we have not repented of, we need to bring them to the sacrament of confession. For only those who have encountered mercy can be instruments of mercy.

Secondly, as today’s Psalm reminds us, we must turn to God in prayer: "Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one; the LORD will hear me when I call upon him." Daily "calling upon the Lord" is not just for Lent. Lent was to help us put into practice disciplines we should practice all year round.

Developing a deep prayer life means learning to spend quality time with the Lord in silence, encountering him in the daily reading of scripture, the writings of the saints.

This week, Pope Francis issued a wonderful new apostolic exhortation called: “Gaudete et Exsultate: “Rejoice and Be Glad: On the Call to Holiness in the Contemporary World.” Our own Bishop, Bishop Perez has recommended that we all read and reflect upon this new exhortation.

In addition to the second lesson, the need to pray, the Holy Father says, “we shouldn’t “think that holiness is only for those who can withdraw from ordinary affairs to spend much time in prayer... We are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves. Are you called to the consecrated life? Be holy by living out your commitment with joy. Are you married? Be holy by loving and caring for your husband or wife, as Christ does for the Church. Do you work for a living? Be holy by labouring with integrity and skill in the service of your brothers and sisters. Are you a parent or grandparent? Be holy by patiently teaching the little ones how to follow Jesus. Are you in a position of authority? Be holy by working for the common good and renouncing personal gain”

So the third Lesson, is to strive to witness in our day to day activities by practicing Gospel values always. And that becomes all the more possible when we’ve rightly repented of sins, and encountered the Risen Lord in prayer, in word and sacrament.

Repent, pray, bring Christ into your day-to-day activities. By this may we continue to open ourselves, this easter season, to the transforming hope that comes from the Resurrection, that we may be transformed into instruments of hope for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

February 22 2018 - Chair of Peter - Unity and Peace and Enkindling the Fire of Charity

Just over a week into the Lenten of season, white vestments are donned, the Gloria is sung, as we celebrate the Feast of the Chair of Peter. Since its earliest days, the Roman Church has especially commemorated the authority of the Petrine office—that the successor of St. Peter continues a ministry of the utmost importance to the Church of Christ.

The Opening Prayer spoke of how God protects us from the tempests, the storms of the world, by founding the Church on the rock of Peter’s confession of faith. The successors of Peter, the Popes, throughout the century have helped the Church maintain faithfulness to the authentic Gospel, through heresies, schisms, the rise of false religions, atheistic ideologies. The faithfulness of the Pope to the Word of God will enable the Church to outlast every earthly enemy—individual, nation, or rival religion. In fact, he leads to the Church in driving back the darkness, driving back the errors, beating back and knocking down the gates and ramparts of hell.

This feast falling during the season of Lent is significant. Much of our attention throughout Lent is interior: am I fasting enough, am I praying enough, am I giving enough. Yet a universal feast, such as this, causes us to look for help outside ourselves. We have had some of the holiest Popes in Church history just this last century.

We do well to reflect on the words and example of St. Pius X, Venerable Pius XII, St. John XXIII, Blessed Paul VI, St. John Paul II. Personally, this Lent I am reading through a series of meditation from the writings of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who always offers such a clear and penetrating insight for me.

The current Holy Father, Pope Francis, offered a beautiful reflection for the beginning of Lent. He reflected upon the great Poet Dante’s depiction of the lowest ring of hell, with Satan and Judas Iscariot encased in the coldest ice, in frozen and loveless isolation. Pope Francis invites the Church to consider how, this Lent, we might rekindle the fire of charity that has perhaps grown cold in us, how we may become more aware of the signs that love for God, love for the Church, love for the poor, love for family, has perhaps begun to cool.

The teaching of Peter, the structure and doctrine of the Church, the sacraments, exist that we may know unity and peace with God and with one another.

May our Lenten observances and our celebration of this great feast help us to experience the unity and peace, the freedom from sin, the fire of charity that our good and gracious God desires for each one of us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the Successor of St. Peter, our Holy Father, that he be strong in his mission and strengthen the whole Church in faith.

For all bishops, that they grow in union with Peter, share the zeal of Paul, and lead us by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that they may continue to conform themselves to Christ through Faith taught by St. Peter and his successors.

For the conversion of all people to Christ, for those who reject the Faith, for those who have fallen away from the Church, for those who mock and persecute Christians, for hardened and unrepentant sinners, we pray to the Lord.

For the sick and the dying, the poor and the oppressed, and all victims of war, violence, and the selfishness of their fellow man, that they may experience the peace and presence of Christ, we pray to the Lord.

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

Father, We rejoice in the call to belong to the Church, to believe in the Gospel, and to be united with the successors of your Apostles. Answer our prayers and increase our fidelity to the Gospel. Through Christ our Lord.

22nd Sunday in OT 2017 - "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."

Our Gospel today is a continuation of our reading from last week--from the 16th chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel. Last week we heard Peter’s Confession. Jesus had done a sort of public opinion survey: “Who do people say that I am?” And he received a range of opinions. Peter, however, was given a great grace from the Father, an insight into Jesus’ true identity, and responded, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus then declared Peter, “the Rock”, the foundation stone of the Church. Peter’s confession, and the ministry of the successors of St. Peter, the Popes, have been a source of stability and power for the Church throughout the ages.

Then this week, we have an interesting twist. Just a few moments later, Jesus lays out what it means to be the Son of God, what that entails. It means he has come to suffer and die. As Son of God, Jesus is the one sent into the midst of fallen humanity to suffer and die to save us from eternal damnation.
Peter goes from hero to zero pretty quickly, when he denies that Jesus should submit himself to suffering and death. No sooner does Peter finish putting his foot in his mouth than Jesus thunders back the words: “Get behind me, Satan.” One can hardly imagine a more stern and bone-chilling rebuke…not a very good first day on the job for the first Pope. Peter you have become a stumbling block, an obstacle to the will of God, to the mission of God’s son.

Why did Peter fail here? “For thinking has human beings do,” the Lord says. Now, what does that mean? Don’t we all think as human beings do? Well, not entirely. Peter’s Confession of Jesus as Son of God moments before was a result of careful and attentive listening to the Lord’s words, being open to the Wisdom of God. But Peter’s misunderstanding here, his impulsive claim that Jesus shouldn’t have to suffer, wasn’t the result of spiritual discernment. Peter’s mind and thoughts aren’t on the will of God, but on the fear of human suffering. This wasn’t the first time Peter acted on fear rather than faith, nor was it his last.

Remember, a few weeks ago, that wonderful story of Jesus walking on the water? The Lord beckons to Peter, “come to me”, and for a few steps, Peter was able to walk on the water toward the Lord. But what happened? Peter let his fear take over. He takes his mind and heart off the Lord, and begins to sink. Same thing here in this story. Peter allows the fear of suffering to replace the power of faith.
In this way, Peter is symbolic of all of us. The early Church, had such great esteem for Peter, not only because he was the first Pope and a martyr, but because he is so fallible, he reminds us of us. I encourage you to read through the Gospel stories of Peter. He’ll remind you of someone, yourself.

For all of us, so often, allow the fear of suffering to replace the power of faith. The fear of suffering keeps us from prayer. The fear of suffering keeps us from penance. The fear of suffering keeps us from the Confessional, and keeps us from charitable service.

There’s a little suffering, isn’t there, in turning off the television, or prying yourself away from the computer screen, in order to sit down with the Word of God, the rosary, to drive up to the adoration chapel? It’s not always delightful to read from the Scriptures, is it? After all, the Scriptures prick our consciences, they remind us, they show us, how far we are from the being the people God made us to be.

Going to confession involves a bit of suffering, the humbling of pride. It is uncomfortable at times to kneel before the priest and acknowledging all those embarrassing sins.. And so we begin make excuses: the priest is just a man, I can tell my sins to God directly, my sins aren’t that bad anyway, I don’t have time to go confession. But all those excuses are far from the truth. And we tell the excuses because of fear, we are afraid to admit we were wrong, we are afraid to change ingrained bad habits.
St. Therese of Lisieux said, “it is more through suffering than through eloquent preaching, that God wills to establish his kingdom in souls.” Coming to Church once a week, to hear a more-or-less thoughtful inspiring sermon, is just part of the spiritual life, an indispensable part, yes, but still, just a part of it. Turning away from earthly pursuits and earthly goods in order to pursue heavenly ones throughout the week is also a major part of the Christian life.

After rebuking Peter, the Lord explains the necessity of his suffering and explains the cost of discipleship. This led St. Paul, writing to the Romans, to exhort them, as we heard in our second reading:  I urge you, brothers and sisters, 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.”

You can bet St. Paul is urging the Romans not to shy away from the spiritual practices that involve some suffering. Prayer, fasting, almsgiving, are not just for Lent. For Christians, in a sense, “Semper Quadragesima” it is always Lent, because prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are sure means of growing in sanctity, and disciplining our bodies for the Lord.

St. Paul urges the Romans not to conform themselves to their age, their culture. As Christians, we don’t look to the example of Hollywood celebrities or professional athletes on how we are to live our lives. We are to be suspicious when advertisements tell us we need the next, new device to be happy. We are to be guarded against the new psychological models that come out of liberal academia, that explain away or contradict the Catholic faith.

Rather, we renew our minds by turning to the Word of God, the wisdom of the Saints, the doctors of the Church. I think every Catholic should have some sort of spiritual reading, for the renewal of our minds, at all times. That’s one nice thing about the internet, we have access to a treasure trove of theological and spiritual writing. If you aren’t currently reading anything about our faith, pick up a book by Pope Benedict, Cardinal Sarah, or Scott Hahn, or one of the great Catholic classics like The Imitation of Christ. Don’t like reading? Listen to something from the Lighthouse Media display on your way to work. This fall, starting Tuesday, September 12th, consider attending our adult-education opportunity where we will watch and discuss wonderful videos on Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Siena, G.K. Chesterton, and others.

Renew your minds, Paul says, “so that you may discern what is the will of God” for your lives. Jesus rebuked Peter for thinking with the mind of his fallen humanity, fearful of suffering, conformed to the Spirit of the World. Mayh the Sacraments and spiritual practices of our faith help us to offer our bodies, our minds, our very lives as sacrifices to the Father, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

April 25 2017 - St. Mark the Evangelist - Bishop of Alexandria and Martyr

St. Mark was a Jew converted by the Apostles after the death and resurrection of Christ. As we heard in the first reading, he was a spiritual son of St. Peter—Peter, who refers to himself as “the chosen one at Babylon”, referring to Rome.

So St. Mark was with Peter in Rome, and it is here that St. Mark is asked to put into writing what they were being taught orally by St. Peter. And that is exactly what this evangelist did.

Around the year 49 AD St. Peter sends Mark to be the Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt. Alexandria was known for its superstition, old Egyptian gods and pagan practices looming large. Mark preached the Gospel there in Alexandria and worked many miracles: faithful to what we heard in his Gospel today: that the apostles preached and signs accompanied their preaching—the Lord confirmed their words through signs.

For this reason, many people converted to the faith, but his preaching also brought about his martyrdom. But the fruits of his preaching and the testimony of his martyrdom caused Alexandria to become one of the great centers of early Christianity. It is around Alexandria that Christian monasticism begins with Anthony of the Desert and Paul the Hermit. St. Mark changed the world and changed history through his faithfulness to the preaching mission.

And, what a wonderful saint to celebrate during the Easter season, when we are being reminded of the importance of faithfully preaching the Gospel, giving witness to the truth that Jesus is risen, and by backing up our words with accompanying works.

St. Mark continues to have an effect in the life of every Christian in the world. We unite ourselves to St. Mark’s efforts, that through his prayer, the Lord may continue to bring about many conversions in this hostile land where a new paganism, an atheistic paganism is taking root. Just as the Lord transformed Alexandria, he can transform this place through our faithfulness.

We certainly remember the people of Alexandria and their families. It was here at the Coptic Cathedral of St. Mark in Alexandria that a bomb exploded on Palm Sunday just three weeks ago: 45 Christians attending Palm Sunday Mass were killed by Islamic terrorists. May the martyrdom of St. Mark, and these new martyrs bring about a flourishing of Christian faith and Christian peace in that land.

May St. Mark’s preaching and witness give us courage to be faithful to Christ in this age and in this place for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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(Petitions adapted from Evening Prayer)
Let us pray:

The Father raised Christ his Son, Our Good Shepherd from the dead, may we be his faithful witnesses to the ends of the earth.

The Father sent his Son into the world to bring good news to the poor, may we have courage to bring that good news to all peoples.

The Father sent his Son to sow the word of life, may God help us to sow his word and to reap its harvest with joy.

The Father send his Son to make the world one through his blood, may we all work together for this unity.

The Father set his Son at his right hand in the heavens, may the gates of God’s kingdom be opened to all those who have died...

Homily: Nov 18 2016 - The Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul

On June 29 every year we celebrate the feast of the martyrdoms of Saints Peter and Paul. Today’s feast commemorates the dedication of the Roman Basilicas built in their honor.

Peter, the unrefined fisherman whom Jesus named the rock on whom the Church is built, and the educated Paul, reformed persecutor of Christians, Roman citizen and missionary to the Gentiles.  Peter, that Pillar of Unity for the Church—the rock of the Church; and Paul, who underwent untold sufferings for the love of Jesus Christ and the spread of His Gospel. Different in many ways, and yet, united by their faith and love for Jesus Christ.

A major similarity in their faith journey was their journey’s end: both, according to tradition, died a martyr’s death in Rome—Peter on a cross and Paul beneath the sword. Their witness and their courage shaped the early Church, and believers have prayed at their tombs from the earliest days.  Today, the tomb of St. Peter lies about 100 meters directly below the main altar in St. Peter’s basilica, and the remains of Saint Paul are also underneath the main altar of the basilica of St. Paul.

Making a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Rome began at an early time in the Church.  Pilgrims came to Rome when it was still illegal to practice Christianity to adorn the tombs of the martyrs. The two great pilgrimage sites were exactly as today—the tombs of St. Peter upon the Vatican Hill and the tomb of St. Paul off the Ostian Way, at the southern extremity of the city.

The Basilica of Saint Peter stands on the hill of Rome called Mons Vaticanus in Latin, across the Tiber river from the traditional seven hills of Rome. It was at the order the Emperor Constantine that the first basilica was built around the year 350 which stood for a 1000 years before the Popes began making plans for a new basilica in the 15th century. Bernini’s colonnade stretches out like a mother’s arms to gather the 7 million people who make pilgrimage to St. Peter’s every year.  The basilica’s main altar stands directly over the tomb of St. Peter. It is the largest church in the world and probably the most easily recognized due to its magnificent dome, also directly over the Apostle’s tomb.

The Basilica of Saint Paul, also built at the order of Constantine, outside the city walls, is located where St. Paul’s body was buried after he had been beheaded by Nero.

The entire Catholic world celebrates these two buildings in Rome, to show our honor to the Apostles, but also to remember that we do belong to a Church that spans the entire globe, several millennia, which is built on the apostolic foundation.

In an age where so many are tempted to sever themselves from the past, and from authentic Church teaching, this feast is an important dimension of our Catholic faith. We unite ourselves to the great efforts of the apostles, to the millions of Catholics around the world, to the countless souls who have gone before us and to those who will come after, that we may be faithful to all the Lord commands, that we may serve him generously and courageously, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.