5th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Wednesday - Achieving inner integrity

 There appears to be a bit of a contradiction in our readings today. In the first reading, for eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, God say, the consequence is death: “the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die”.

On the other hand, the Lord Jesus, speaking to a crowd says that “nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person”. Nothing you eat can corrupt your soul.

How do we reconcile what God says in the first reading and what he says in the Gospel? Well, in the first reading, it was not the fruit itself that was somehow spiritually poisonous. It was not as if this was some mystical fruit that had the power to corrupt man’s nature. What was spiritually deadly, wasn’t the fruit, rather, what was spiritually deadly was the decision to disobey God. And that decision is made in the soul, from within.

As the Lord explains in the Gospel, “from within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”

Our decisions--—our deliberate actions—matter. Our use of our free will has spiritual consequences. When we use our free will to act in accordance with the divine will of God, we grow in virtue—we habituate ourselves to what is good—to goodness itself.  The Catechism says, “The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions. The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God…The virtuous man is he who freely practices the good. The moral virtues are acquired by human effort. They are the fruit and seed of morally good acts; they dispose all the powers of the human being for communion with divine love.(CCC 1803-1804)”

On the other hand, when we misuse our freewill to act in discord with the divine will, contrary to the purpose for which we were made, our souls are corrupted—we are habituated toward what is harmful to our minds, bodies, heart and soul. Choosing evil allows the powers of death to continue to pervert our natures meant for divine life. 

Even with the help of grace, the example of the saints, the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, our life is a constant battle. One of the great lines out of Vatican II reminds us, “Finding himself in the midst of the battlefield man has to struggle to do what is right, and it is at great cost to himself, and aided by God’s grace, that he succeeds in achieving his own inner integrity.”

But inner integrity and sanctity can be achieved through effort, through faithfulness, through love. May we allow the victory of Christ to achieve victory in us today, in our decisions, our deliberate actions, in our struggle to do what is right, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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With confidence in God’s grace and a desire to grow in virtue, we bring our prayers before the Lord.

For the Church: That she may faithfully teach and inspire all people to choose good over evil, and to live in accord with God’s divine will.

For those in positions of leadership—civil, religious, and community leaders:

That they may govern and guide with integrity, promoting what is just and right, and resisting the corruption of selfish or sinful motives.

For all who struggle with temptation or with persistent sins: That they may be strengthened by God’s grace and the support of the Christian community, and find the courage to choose the path of virtue.

For those who have been hurt by their own or others’ misuse of free will: That God’s healing mercy will restore them, renew their hope, and guide them toward forgiveness and reconciliation.

For those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit: That the Lord will bring them comfort, and that our loving actions may be a sign of God’s care and compassion in their lives.

For our beloved dead: That they may be granted eternal rest and behold the face of God in the heavenly kingdom.

Merciful Father, you have given us the freedom to choose good and the grace to follow your will. Hear the prayers we offer you this day and help us to grow in holiness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

September 17 2024 - St. Robert Bellarmine - Learning and Virtue

 The Opening Prayer for the Mass referred to the Bishop Robert Bellarmine’s wonderful learning and virtue.

Regarding his learning: even as a youth in Tuscany, young St. Robert was devoted to studying Church History, the Fathers of the Church, and Scripture, He was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1570, a time when the Church needed to address her teaching in light of rapidly spreading Protestant heresies.

St. Robert became a professor at what is now the Jesuit-run Gregorian University in Rome and his lectures there became the basis of his most famous work, his three-volume Disputationes de Controversiis Christianae Fidei adversus hujus temporis Haereticos—“Disputations Concerning the Controversies of the Christian Faith Against the Heretics of This Time” containing the lucid and uncompromising explanation of Catholic doctrine in light of errors of his day. He served as a theologian to the pope and published two important catechisms

Regarding his virtue: when he was made a Cardinal by Pope Clement VIII, St. Robert insisted on living a simple life rather than embracing the privileges he could have enjoyed.  He abstained from luxurious meals, and gave away many of his possession to clothe the poor.   

Bellarmine understood that if he were to combat the overwhelming heresies during the time of the Reformation, he would need to be guided by the powers above. It was for this reason that Bellarmine had an undying devotion to the Virgin Mary.  Each Saturday the saint would fast in her honor, and devoted every morning to the recitation of the Office of the Blessed Virgin.

Pope Pius XI said that  “Saint Robert Bellarmine is to be numbered among the greatest men in the history of the Church, whom God in His providence has endowed with exceptional learning and sanctity to teach the truths of the Catholic Faith and defend its integrity against the attacks of the heretics.”

Here was a man totally dedicated to Christ and His Church.  He is an example of the wise man in the Gospel who built his life on the solid rock of the Gospel because of his desire for heaven and to help others get there, too.

St. Bellarmine wrote: “if you are wise, then know that you have been created for the glory of God and for your eternal salvation.  This is your goal; this is the center of your life; this is the treasure of your heart.  If you reach this goal, you will find happiness.  If you fail to reach it, you will find misery.”

Through his intercession and that of Our Lady to whom he was so devoted, may we develop the learning and virtue God desires for us for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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For the Church, that like St. Robert Bellarmine, we may be steadfast in defending and explaining our faith with clarity and conviction, and that theologians and teachers of the faith, may be blessed with wisdom and virtue as they guide others in understanding Catholic doctrine. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those in positions of authority, that they may follow St. Robert's example of humility and simplicity, using their roles to serve others rather than seeking privilege. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those struggling with doubts or questions about their faith, that they may find clarity and renewed commitment to Christ and His Church, and that all of us may build our lives on the solid rock of the Gospel. Let us pray to the Lord.

That the sick and the poor may know the compassion and charity of the Church and the closeness of God in their afflictions.

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

Heavenly Father, we bring these petitions before You on this memorial of St. Robert Bellarmine. Through his intercessions grant us what we truly need to keep our hearts fixed on the glory of Your kingdom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

November 30 2022 - St. Andrew, Apostle & Martyr - Advent Courage

 On this first weekday of Advent, we honor the first called Apostle of Jesus. The Byzantine Church honors the Apostle Saint Andrew with the title: Protokletos, which means, “the first called” because he was the first of the Apostles to be called and to follow Jesus.

Though he was Jewish, his name Andrew, comes not from a Hebrew word, but a Greek word: andreios, meaning “brave” or the virtue of a warrior.  The Apostle Andrew like a Warrior bravely followed Christ, bravely spread Christ’s Gospel, and bravely witnessed to Christ in martyrdom.  

Tradition says that he preached the gospel in Greece and in the year 60 was crucified on an X shaped cross.  He hung on the cross for two days before he died, and it is said that he continued to preach the Gospel while hanging from the cross.  

What lessons particularly for Advent, can we learn from this courageous martyred apostle? Courage. Courage is not typically associated with Advent. We usually think of Advent hope, Advent peace, Advent joy, and Advent Love. But Courage is needed if we hope to grow in these virtues—to do what is needed in order to grow in virtue. As C. S. Lewis wisely noted, “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.”

Courage is needed to turn away from worldly distraction in order to practice the prayer, penance, poverty, quiet, charity, contemplation, and meditation characteristic of the season of Advent. Without those things we will never grow in the supernatural virtues of hope, peace, joy, and love. It takes courage, doesn’t it, to say no to our addictions, our attachments, and our habits. It takes courage to not return to those familiar things, even though they aren’t good for us.

St. Andrew required Courage to turn away from good things, in order to turn toward something better. He required Courage to turn away from fishing, from his profession, which provided him and his family certain worldly security, in order to follow Christ in his special vocation as apostle. 

And he was the first. The protokletos. It takes a lot of Courage in order to be the first to do something. The second person has the benefit of the example and witness of the first. But the first requires a tremendous leap of faith.

There are likely even good things in our life, that we need the courage to turn away from, in order to follow Jesus more deeply. It’s not just addictions that we need the courage to break. But fasting from luxurious foods and restaurants perhaps, some of our creature comforts that aren’t necessarily bad. Perhaps, just ordering our days in a more structured manner, so we can be more attentive to prayer and study and good works. Again, it takes an Andrew amount of Courage to begin some new charitable endeavor that no one else is doing.

This brave martyr embraced Christ, embraced living for Him over everything else, and lived to bring others to Jesus, witnessing to Christ unto death. We do well to consider, how our lives should change in order to follow Andrew’s example this Advent, of going out to meet the Lord and embracing him when he arrives for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That through the courageous witness of the Christian Church, Our Lord will bring hope to the hopeless and joy to the joyless.

That world leaders may look upon the Son of God, believe in him, and seek the peace and justice that only he can bring.

That Christ may heal every disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and bring peace to the suffering.

For the deceased of our parish, family and friends, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Keep us alert, we pray, O Lord our God, as we await the advent of Christ your son, so that, when he comes and knocks, he may find us watchful in prayer and exultant in  his praise. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2022 - The virtue of Humility and the purification from Pride

 This month, many of my bulletin columns and homilies have been about the virtue of humility. If you remember, we began the month of August with the feast of doctor of the Church, St. Alphonsus Liguori. And that great teacher of the faith recommends that each month we intentionally focus on developing and practicing a particular virtue. If we are going to grow in holiness and grow in virtue, we need to be intentional about it. And the virtue for the month of August, St. Alphonsus recommends practicing is the virtue of humility.

One of the most important laws in Christ's Kingdom is the law of humility. This law says that "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted".

In other words, greatness in his Kingdom comes not from trying to prove that you are more important than other people, lording power over others, or garnering or amassing more worldly attention than other people. 

Greatness in God's eyes comes from serving others, elevating others, helping others advance in holiness.

In his great sermon on the Mount, the Lord reiterates the law of humility: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." We are before God like beggars—poor in spirit, recognizing our need of God for life—for everything. To be poor in spirit is the first step in obtaining beatitude—blessedness. There can be no growth in holiness, no progress toward the kingdom without humility; for if our actions are not motivated by humility, we are motivated by its enemy, pride.

The law of humility is stated directly in (in the book of Sirach): "conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved... Humble yourself... and you will find favor with God."

The first sin of Adam and Eve was a sin against humility, refusing to submit to the instruction of God, not trusting that God would provide for them. Because sinful pride is so ingrained in us, the Lord Jesus taught us to practice humility not simply by his words, but by his example, living out humility to the extreme: through his passion and death.

Jesus, the Lord of heaven, was born in a stable. He lived in obscurity—as the son of a manual laborer. Even during his public ministry, He allowed his reputation to be dragged through the mud by the lies and corruption of his enemies. He allowed himself to be stripped of every honor, to be condemned as a criminal, and freely took on the most humiliating form of death - crucifixion. But humbled so thoroughly, he is now glorified so magnificently.

We are to imitate the humility of Christ in all of our relationships and endeavors. The Christian must first of all be humble. No remember, humility does not mean that we think less of ourselves than we should. TO be humble is to live in the truth that we are children of God, and that is something to celebrate. We are children of God, dependent on God, dependent on the Father’s providence for all we truly need. We are also sinners in need of conversion. And called to be servants—to serve God, and God alone, in the master’s vineyard. 

St. Augustine, whose feast is August 28 said, “If you should ask me what are the three most important virtues, I would tell you they are humility, humility, and humility…if humility does not precede all that we do, our efforts are meaningless.”

Such humility is the foundation for the life of holiness and for all the virtues. St. John Vianney said: “humility is to the various virtues what the chain is to a rosary. Take away the chain and the beads are scattered; remove humility, and all the virtues vanish.”

As I’ve also mentioned in the past, this summer I’m reading Dante’s Divine Comedy as part of my daily spiritual reading. In the second book of the Divine Comedy, Dante begins to climb the mountain of purgatory. There he meets those souls who have repented of their sins, but who still require purification. In life, if are attached to sin, even if we repent, we will still require some purification after death. The saints teach that it is far easier to work on the virtues in this earthly life, than in purgatory. So we do well, as St. Alphonsus says, to be very intentional in growing in the virtues.

But for those requiring purification, the mountain of purgatory, in Dante, is divided into seven terraces, seven levels, in which souls are purified of their attachments to the seven deadly sins: pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust. 

Many people think lust or wrath are the worst sins we can commit on earth. But for Dante, it’s pride. Because, again, pride keeps us from obtaining all the other virtues: it keeps us from faith, hope, and love. 

So the very first terrace of purgatory is for the purification of pride. And the souls for their purification from pride are carrying this great weight on their backs and shoulders, the weight of their pride. The greater your pride the more purification you need. And for many of those souls, their going to be carrying that weight around for a while, as in purgatory, the purification at attainment from virtue is a slow process.

Interestingly, at the beginning of each terrace of purgatory, Dante finds these marble sculptures—these marble depictions of the virtue the souls will need to require. Much like how are stained glass windows depict so many of the saints and biblical figures exhibiting faith and charity, those marble sculptures were a visual aid for the poor souls. 

Also interestingly, on each terrace, Dante encounters a marble statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for she is the model of all virtues, the perfect disciple of Christ, the example for all Christians to contemplate. At the base of that first terrace, Dante sees this marble depiction of the annunciation: in which the Archangel Gabriel announces God’s will to Mary, and she humbly declares herself to be the Ancilla Domini, the handmaiden of the Lord. She then offers the prayer of humble surrender: fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. Let it be done to be according to thy word.

That is certainly a prayer we do well to begin each day with: Lord help me to be your servant today. Help me to serve you at every moment, in every encounter and interaction, in all of my words and deeds. Help me to hold back, restrain, and discipline my pride. Help me to keep the image of the Blessed Mother first and foremost in my mind and heart, that I may imitate her humility. Our Lady of Humility, pray for me, that I may become worthy of the promises of Christ.

In addition to starting the day off on the right foot, with some good humble prayer, ensure that at some point in the day you are picking up that Bible. Reading and taking to heart the Word of God is one way God wants to help us grow in holiness. If you say, “I don’t need to read the Bible. I don’t need to take to heart God’s word. I know everything I need to know. I have more important things to do.” Is that Christian humility? 

I’ve said it before as well, but if you are able, try to attend mass throughout the week. For at Mass, we encounter the humility of Jesus Himself, who gives himself to us in the humble appearance of bread and wine. 

In the words of St. Augustine, at Mass we become what we receive—through the humble reception of the Eucharist, we receive the one who was obedient to the Father’s will unto death. At Mass, we humbly recognize that before God we are beggars, we are the blind and the lame, the crippled and poor, mentioned in the Gospel, whom the Lord has welcomed into his banquet, because he desires our company, and desires to nourish us and strengthen us for the humble work of the Gospel. May we seek to practice humility in all of our duties, responsibilities, relationships and endeavors; humble in our earthly life, that we may be exalted in eternal life, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

August 1, 2022 - St. Alphonsus Ligouri - Strengthening Virtue

 

Yesterday, at Sunday Mass I preached on the virtue of prudence, which the Catechism defines as “is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it”.

Today’s Saint, St. Alphonsus Ligouri wrote extensively on the virtues. He writes: “All holiness and perfection of soul lies in our love for Jesus Christ, who is our Redeemer and our supreme good. It is part of the love of God to acquire and to nurture all the virtues which make a man perfect.”

If we say we love God with all our heart, we owe it to him to acquire and nurture virtue. For he made us to be virtuous. So to neglect becoming as virtuous as we can, is to fail to love God with all our heart.

St. Alphonsus even recommended practicing a particular virtue each month: January: faith; February: Hope; March: Love of God; April: Love of Neighbor; May: Poverty; June: Purity of Heart; July: Obedience; August: Meekness and Humility of Heart; September: Mortification; October: Reconciliation and Silence; November: Prayer; and December: Self-Abnegation and Love of the Cross.”

You can’t acquire and nurture the virtues if all you have is a general, vague, unintentional desire to become more virtuous. A virtue is like a particular muscle, say your biceps. Your biceps won’t grow stronger if you just go through your normal routine. You have to intentionally train and strengthen your bicep. Same with the virtues. If you want to grow in humility, you have to be intentional about growing in humility. A virtue, like a muscle, is likely to decrease in strength, if you don’t exercise it.

Now you might not have the physical constitution to do a lot of physical training, but all of us are spiritual creatures, who are called to the spiritual training of the virtues.

St. Alphonsus even recommended keeping a notebook or journal—an account of your failures and successes in practicing those virtues. For example, we begin the month of August. Every day we should be conscious and intentional about making acts of meekness and humility.

May St. Alphonsus help us to practice the virtues, to put on Christ, to seek the goodness and perfection for which we are made, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

 

For an increase in virtue for the clergy and all members of the Church.

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

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Redemptorist Order, founded by St. Alphonsus, and for the sanctification of all marriages.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster, war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, 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.

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.

 

 

 

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2022 - Prudence in Times of Turmoil

 On the news and social media this week, there has been some talk and debate over whether our country is in an economic recession—whether two quarters of negative economic growth constitute a recession. Whatever a recession is, and whether we are in one, rising prices at the supermarket, at the gas pump, utility bills, are concerning to a lot of people.

I’m not an economist of course or a financial advisor, but our faith does offer guidance for how we are to act in a times of turmoil; our faith helps us to know how to act at all times—including times of turmoil.

Our faith helps us to be prudent—to be prudent. What is prudence?

Prudence, the catechism says, “is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it;” What does that mean? Prudence is a virtue, a disposition of mind, intellect, and will, to know and choose what is good in order to reach our highest end, in our case, holiness on earth that leads to the beatitude of heaven.  

The Book of Proverbs says, “the prudent man looks where he is going”. If you don’t look where you are going, you are likely to steer off course, get lost, perhaps crash, and you’ll fail to reach your destination. So, we are to look where we are going, paying attention to the signs of the times, and act in accord with our faith and right reason.   

St. Thomas Aquinas echoes the Greek philosopher Aristotle when he defines prudence as "right reason in action.” Our reasonings need to be rightly directed. Many people are very good at rationalizing sin and evil actions, that’s not prudence. Prudence is when we’ve done everything we can to conform our intellects with the Truth that comes from God and act in accord with that Truth.

At all times Christians are to be a prudent people, making prudent decisions regarding our time, talent and treasure, and that is especially true in times of turmoil. 

So what does prudence dictate in a time of economic recession? Firstly, it is prudent to avoid foolishness with money. Think before you spend. Examine your spending habits. Limit your purchases of non-essentials. No matter how little you make, try to save a little bit more than normal. Stretch your dollars.

It is also prudent to remain productive. Try to work more diligently. Show yourself to be a valuable employee. Diversify your skill set. If you are retired from work, or in your spare time, you might want to take up some of those old practical life skills again—sewing, gardening, canning, preserving salted meats and fish, or my favorite, fermenting and distilling. 

One of my favorite passages from the book of Proverbs says, look to the example of the ant, you slothful one, observe her ways and be wise, Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest.” God’s word gives us practical guidance in prudence: follow the example of the humble ant: industrious, self-motivated, thrifty, preparing for times when food is scarce.

Then proverbs says, “How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? The sluggard says “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest”— Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.” In other words, we shouldn’t be like the sluggard, the afternoon farmer who instead of working when we should be, folds our hands on our chest for a nap. Proverbs warns that imprudence, laziness, leads to our provisions disappearing like a thief in the night, like an armed man you won’t be able to resist. 

Now our Gospel today also talks about storing up our treasures. But the motivation of the rich man in the gospel parable is very different from the wise, prudent, and industrious ant of proverbs. 

The rich man in the Gospel, has more than enough, more than he needs, but builds towers to store up his excesses, he hoards more than he needs, disregarding the needs of the hungry and poor. This too is foolishness, for instead of living for God, the rich man in the parable lives for his stuff. And so God calls him a fool, for he has placed his spiritual welfare at risk due to his greed. This too is imprudence, because his life—his actions, his decisions are not aimed at his highest spiritual good, only maintaining a life of luxury.

Catholics rather use the things of the world to help us achieve our highest end, and we of course are called to be generous with our provisions. We are to avoid the extreme on one side of fear and foolishness about spending, but also the extreme on the other side of greed and excessive love of material stuff.

St. Augustine said, you are what you love; and if what you love is stuff, profit, the things of the world, then you are guaranteed only one thing: that you will lose them. You will die with them. They will turn to dust and so will you. If your hope and joy are bound to the material, you will not possess the joy and peace that comes from holiness. 

Christians place our trust in God at all times, in good times and in bad, and set our hearts on God who is the source of peace and joy and hope. So even in times of turmoil, Christians are like the calm center of the whirlwind. We aren’t frantic and hysterical because we’ve failed to prepare for the chaos; we aren’t overly disturbed when we don’t have the same access to non-essential luxuries; we have our hearts set on what matters most. 

Prudence: practice it, love it, live it. For prudence is liberating, it’s freeing, it’s the key to lightheartedness because by it, our lives are ordered, our priorities are straight; we make practical, judicious, shrewd, and pragmatic use of our resources, which frees us to become instruments of God’s generous love and hope for the hopeless.

Finally, prudence dictates that we take Paul seriously in our second reading today when he says seek what is above and put to death the earthly, the worldly. And that comes through prayer. My bulletin column this week speaks of what we mean by prayer. By prayer our minds and hearts reach out to God who sustains us in all things, who liberates us from fear and sin, and causes his life to flourish in us for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

August 2 2021 (EF) - St. Alphonus Ligouri - Cultivation of Virtue

What does it mean to live a good life?  What does it mean to live a moral life?  What does it mean to use human freedom responsibly?  What is sin?  What does it mean to make a prudent decision?  What does it mean to have a formed conscience?  What makes a law or a government or a ruler moral?

Such are the questions of moral theology.  And the Saint whom we honor today, Saint Alphonus Ligouri is the patron saint of moral theologians and confessors. He was a very gifted thinker, a holy priest, and one of the 35 doctors of the Church.

Alphonus said, “All holiness and perfection of soul lies in our love for Jesus Christ, who is our Redeemer and our supreme good. It is part of the love of God to acquire and to nurture all the virtues which make a man perfect.”

For Alphonsus seeking our supreme good, means making intentional effort to cultivate and nurture the virtues. And he even recommended practicing a particular virtue each month: January: faith; February: Hope; March: Love of God; April: Love of Neighbor; May: Poverty; June: Purity of Heart; July: Obedience; August: Meekness and Humility of Heart; September: Mortification; October: Reconciliation and Silence; November: Prayer; and December: Self-Abnegation and Love of the Cross.”

This intentional practicing of a particular virtue is more effective than a general, vague desire to become more virtuous. St. Alphonsus even recommended keeping a notebook or journal—an account of your failures and successes in practicing those virtues. For example, as we begin the month of August, every day we should be conscious and intentional about making acts of meekness and humility 

The Lord himself is the model of meekness and humility: he bears wrongs patiently and readily forgives sinners. So, we, like Him, must forgive readily, avoid quarrels and harsh or hurtful words and actions, refrain from speaking while in an angry mood, be pleasant toward all who approach us, even if it causes us fatigue or boredom.

In the end, our supreme Good is found in loving, imitating, and becoming one with Jesus Christ, who is not just a model of the virtues, not just a teacher of morality, but the source of all goodness, the fountain of all holiness, our salvation from what is worst in the human soul.

May St. Alphonsus help us to practice the virtues, to put on Christ, to seek the goodness and perfection for which we are made, for the glory of God and salvation of souls

November 17 2020 - St. Elizabeth of Hungary - Patron Saint of Third Order Franciscans

 

Elizabeth was born in the year 1207, right about the time St. Francis of Assisi founded the Franciscans.

She was the daughter of Andrew II, King of Hungary, and was very devout from a young age.  She would often give away her possessions to the poor and sick, and had a special love for lepers. 

She was placed in an arranged marriage, and, as providence would have it, she was married to another devout soul: Louis, the Landgrave of Thuringia. Her husband encouraged her in the works of charity and they were said to have had an “unusually happy marriage”.  

St. Elizabeth, as part of her charitable works, built a hospital next to their castle, and, would personally tend to the sick and the poor, feeding over 900 people daily.  

Sadly, her husband died on his way to fight in the crusades, and Louis’ brothers, rose up against her, and drove her out of the castle.  She was forced to flee with her 4 children, one of those children being only 2 months old.  She was cast out, like the Holy Family, she could find no place to enter, for people were afraid to take her in out of fear of her husband’s brothers.  Like the Holy family she was granted asylum in a stable.  

The amazing thing, she didn’t complain, she didn’t curse God, she saw this as a sign of God’s favor, and she gave thanks to God for permitting her a share in the savior’s cross and be conformed to the Holy Family.  She continued to work odd jobs, spinning garments and selling them.  She was allowed to come back to the castle under the new emperor, and even built a second hospital.

She died at the age of 24.  Yet, because of the great number of miracles at her grave, Pope Gregory canonized her, only four years after her death. She is invoked as patron saint of third order Franciscans. 

Here was a holy woman, more concerned about the nobility of her soul, than her noble status in the world—more concerned with clothing her soul with virtue, than with the fine garments of a queen—a holy, virtuous woman, industrious in doing good works.  

Because her eyes were set on heaven, when she met the cross, she did not despair; rather, she saw the sufferings of her life as an opportunity to conform herself to Our Lord.  So let us follow in Elizabeth’s footsteps, in performing many good works and accepting all of the trials that God deigns to send us, and learn to accept the cross with gratitude that we may partake in the cross of His son, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For our consecrated religious, particularly those under the patronage of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, may they be strengthened and supported in their witness to Christ’s saving Gospel.

That families experiencing division may know the peace and reconciliation that comes from Christ.

For all those struggling with addiction, mental illness, chronic sickness, unemployment, or ongoing trials of any kind, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, or for those who will die today: that they will be fortified and blessed with God’s special favor and consolation.  

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased clergy 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.

17th Sunday in OT 2020 - King Solomon and the Virtue of Prudence

Here at St. Ignatius, we have what is probably the most unique ceiling in the diocese, depicting the tree of Jesse. “A shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. So, at the edge of the sanctuary, you see Jesse, on his side, with a shoot coming forth from his side. And we can trace that shoot, through the generations of Jesse’s descendants, all the way to Our Lord, who blesses us as we come into and exit out of the Church. From Jesse to Jesus was about 1000 years, so we don’t have all of the direct descendants of Jesse, in fact someone pretty important is missing right near the beginning.

Well, immediately after Jesse, we see depicted his son, King David, holding the harp, a reference to the psalms which he composed, the songs of praise and lament and joy and petition to Almighty God, that we still sing, 3000 years later. But, after David, our ceiling skips a generation for some reason, skipping one of the most intriguing characters from the scriptures, who we hear about in our first reading today, the son of David and Bathsheba, King Solomon.

It was under Solomon's rule that ancient Israel reached its pinnacle of prosperity, influence, and geographical size; the great Temple of Jerusalem was constructed by Solomon. And Solomon became quite renowned for his wisdom. In the Gospels, the Lord himself extols Solomon’s wisdom, speaking about how the Queen of the South traveled from the edges of the known world just to hear the wisdom of Solomon.

Most of us know the story of Solomon and the two prostitutes, that story is depicted in one of our magnificent stained glass windows, see if you can find it after Mass. From the first book of Kings we read of the two prostitutes who had each given birth to a baby, and during the night, one of the infants was smothered and died. The woman whose baby had died switched her dead baby with the baby of the other woman as she slept. She then claimed the living child to be her own.

The women came to Solomon to make a judgment about this case. And Solomon devised a very clever method of determining the truth. “Bring me a sword”, he said, “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.” In response, the first woman cried out, “Please, my lord,” she said, “give her the living baby. Do not kill him!” While the other woman said, But the other woman said, “He will be neither mine nor yours. Cut him in two!”

Solomon then gave his wise judgment: give the baby to the first; for the true mother would never consent to the killing of her child.”

I was always impressed by Solomon’s cleverness, and I always wondered how many other wise solutions did Solomon came up with.

Well, in our first reading today, we hear that not only was Solomon wise according to human standards, but considered wise by God. Early on, after taking the throne of Israel, God promised Solomon that he would give him anything he prayed for. So Solomon prayed to God for what he needed in order to govern Israel effectively. And he did not pray for a long life, or riches, or the heads of his enemies, or any of the other material thing that people often value.

Rather, Solomon believed that the most important thing he could possibly ask from God, was wisdom—prudence—to know what is right and how to pursue it. Solomon, in the words of his Father David, as we heard in the Psalm today, counted the law of God as more precious than silver or gold.

Of all the virtues, prudence, the ability to make right and sound judgments, according to the ancient Greek philosophers, like Plato and Aristotle, and later by Christian theologians like St. Thomas Aquinas, was considered to be the most important of all the virtues. Prudence enables us to identify what is best, what is right, what is good, what is true and to order our lives accordingly.

Prudence says seek what is most essential before pursuing the non-essential. Should we blow all of our savings on a luxurious vacation, or should we make sure we can pay our bills, living within our means. Should I stay up all night playing video games the night before a big test, or should I study and get a good nights sleep? Should I spend all day watching television and social media, or should I go for walk, get some exercise, say my prayers? Should I gorge myself on junk food all day, or save my appetite for a good healthy dinner?

Prudence helps us to judge rightly. Who is the real mother? Who is lying and who is telling the truth?
The Lord extols prudence in the Gospel today, saying, do you wish to inherit the kingdom of heaven, become like the merchant who finds the pearl of great price, and does everything he can to obtain it. The merchant prudently identifies that this pearl is worth more than everything he owns, and he does what it takes to obtain it.

Prudence means using our intellect the best we can to discover the best thing to do with the time available. It enables us to discern among many possibilities which is best.

Again, in the Gospel, the man who found the treasure in the field had a lot of options: He could have told all his friends about the treasure before digging it up. He could have dug up the treasure at once, brought it home, told his wife and kids and neighbors. But he discerned among the many possibilities the best thing to do was to sell everything he had and buy the field. So, no one could accuse him of stealing it from someone else.

Prudence isn’t just about knowing what is right, but using our free will to do it. Having used his intellect, considering his many possibilities, the man in the Gospel made a choice, he took action. Prudence requires action. The man sold his worldly possessions, he bought the field, so, he got the treasure. He took action.

The virtue of prudence is important for Christians. It helps us to avoid sin and pursue what is good. It enables us to know what to do when faced with a moral decision: should I live with my fiancé before marriage, should I cheat on my taxes, should I spend all day in front of the television?

For every day we have a great many choices before us: but so many of them boil down to the choice Solomon made in the first reading today—do I pursue what is passing and superficial—riches, revenge—entertainment and pleasure—or do I pursue the one things that really lasts—friendship with God. Do I seek first the empty promises of the world—or do I seek first the kingdom of God?
Why is prudence so important? Every sin, essentially is failure to exercise prudence, to think before we act, to consider what is God’s will, to act according to what is true and good. And often we keep falling in to the same sins over and over because we fail to prudently avoid the near occasion of sin.
So much of the disorder, violence, division, and suffering in the world is the result of being cut off from prudence.  How much suffering in our families could be avoided if we thought before we spoke!

Without prudence we will never be truly free. Because prudence grants liberation from being ruled by our emotions or passions, not to mention by popular opinion, which is often at great odds with the wisdom of God.

Prudence, it’s a matter of freedom and a matter of salvation. For prudence enables us to identify the those non-essentials which keep us from pursuing the pearl of great price, the life God wants for us. What are the non-essentials the Lord is inviting me to leave behind, in order to pursue the holiness is wants for me?

May the Lord grant us prudence, that we may build our houses, not on the shifting sands of worldly opinion, but on the solid foundation of what truly lasts. Lord grants us prudence, that our children may live. Grant us prudence to become truly wise in your sight, dealing judiciously with the things of the world, and pursuing above all the kingdom of God, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

November 15 2018 - St. Albert the Great - Deeper Knowledge and Love of God

Saint Albert the Great  was considered the most learned man of his time, the 13th century, and, he was the teacher of the greatest theologian of all time, Saint Thomas Aquinas.

Recall the words of this morning’s opening prayer, “O God, who made the Bishop Saint Albert great by his joining of human wisdom to divine faith.”  God makes all the Saints great in holiness, by raising their human virtues to heroic levels. In the saint, the human intellect, human compassion, virtues like prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance which the wise of every age have sought to develop, are made raised to a whole new level through grace, through faith.

This is one reason why all the saints are our teachers. They show us by their example what is possible when a life is united to God. St. Albert, in particular, is one of only 33 people in human history known as a doctor of the Catholic Church—doctor, coming from the Latin word meaning “Learned One”.  He is “learned” not simply intellectually, but in the ways of Christ.

The proper reading from the book of Sirach spoke of how those who fear the Lord, that should be all of us, shall be nourished with the bread of understanding and given the water of learning to drink. Our minds should crave understanding and learning like our bodies crave food and water. Catholics should always be engaged in some kind of intellectual formation.  Now, you don’t have to sit by the fireside every day with Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica, though you can get it for free on your Kindle!  Though it certainly couldn’t hurt, no one will sharpen the mind like St. Thomas. Nor is learning supposed to replace our daily prayer, but daily learning is our way of life...that's what it means to be a disciple--a learner of the way of Christ.

But understanding and learning about our faith, about the scriptures, about the lives of the saints, musn’t end when our grade school catechesis ends. Minds that don’t crave learning like the body craves bread and water, have perhaps been dulled by too much tv, video games, or nonsense.
Albert was called “the Great” even during his lifetime by his contemporaries because of his immense scholarship and knowledge of philosophy.  Yet, he could only truly be called great by history, by us, because of the greatness of his holiness and love—a holiness that put his life—his gifts, his talents, and struggles, at the service of Christ and his Holy Church.

May the prayers and example of the learned Saint Albert the Great help us to deepen our knowledge and love of God, for the building up of the Church for His Glory and the salvation of souls.

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That Pope Francis and all bishops and clergy will help defend the Church against error, and lead her members always in the pathways of truth, righteousness, and charity.

For the conversion of all those who perpetuate error or set bad Christian example for young people and those of weak faith.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, for whom we pray in a special way during the month of November, 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

9th Week of OT 2018 - Monday - Sharers in Divine Nature

The second letter of Peter contains one of the highest, sublime and mysterious promises found in the whole New Testament. Peter says, fidelity to the Gospel leads to us sharing in the divine nature (II Pet 1:4). We find similar promises throughout the New Testament. Hebrews says that we are called to “share” in God’s own holiness (Heb 12:10); and that we are made “partakers” of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul writes that we have “communion” with the Spirit (2 Cor 13:13; Phil 2:1); and “communion” with Christ in the Eucharist (1 Cor 10:16).

Peter’s promise here is quite lofty. Yes, through Christ we have friendship with God, restored communion with God, and new openness to the gifts of the Spirit. But Peter alludes to something else, doesn’t her? That through Christ we become “sharers in the divine nature.”

I don’t think I’m making a big deal about an obscure line of scripture here, either. II Peter 1:4 is cited at least eight times in the catechism. Very early on, in CCC 51, we read that God’s overall purpose for us, all his activity through history, including his incarnation, is that we can become “sharers of the divine nature.”

And Christians do not have to wait until our earthly journey has come to an end. Though, in a sense, it does begin when we begin to die to ourselves at baptism. CCC 1265 says “Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the neophyte "a new creature," an adopted son of God, who has become a "partaker of the divine nature," member of Christ and coheir with him, and a temple of the Holy Spirit.”

This language has even made its way into the rituals of the Mass. As the priest prepares the chalice, he pours wine into the chalice, and then adds a few drops of water, saying: “Through the mystery of this water and wine, may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.”

Our “Sharing in the Divine nature” deepens as we receive the sacraments with well-disposed hearts, as we listen attentively to God’s word and become doers of the word, as we practice the virtues, as Peter says today, when you live the “faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.”

What a great vocation we have, what a great new identity. May we make “every effort” as Peter says, to cooperate with God’s work within us, that his power, his grace, his life, may be manifest in us and through us, drawing all men to Himself, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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Let us pray, imploring the mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus..

For a deeper openness to the sanctifying grace of the Sacraments, for the return of all who have fallen away from the Church, and all those who lack faith. We pray to the Lord.

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

That the protection for the unborn child may be enshrined in the laws of every nation and in every human heart.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

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

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