January 31 2023 - St. John Bosco - Work, work, work for the salvation of souls

 So many miraculous occurrences happened to and around John Bosco that Pope Pius XI said of his life, “The supernatural almost became natural, and the extraordinary, ordinary”.  Through Don Bosco’s blessing, many people were cured of dread diseases.  He had the gift of prophecy, and could read hearts.  He had a vision of Our Lord and Our Lady at the age of nine, and from then on was determined to become a priest to fulfill the vocation they had shown him.  Although he started his studies late, John was so diligent that he completed the necessary work and was ordained in 1841, at the age of 26.  

As a young parish priest, Don Bosco became deeply concerned with the youth of his parish; many were being arrested for juvenile delinquency and petty crime. In prison, they would learn more about crime, and would fall further into the clutches of the enemy. So, Don Bosco worked tirelessly with young boys in his neighborhood, providing them with a solid education and formation in the faith.  “There are three things to stay on the path to Heaven, he would tell them, “Go to confession regularly, receive Communion often, and choose a regular confessor to whom you can unburden your heart.”  

Through his love and care, many of these young boys, not only were saved from a life of crime, many of them entered seminary and become good and holy priests.  His goal to make saints out of them, and at least one of his boys became a saint, St. Dominic Savio.

The lives of the saints – like the life of Don Bosco – are certainly a challenge to us: a challenge to the easy compromises we make to the demands of Christian living, a challenge to the spiritual myopia that prevents us from seeing the needs of the materially and spiritually impoverished in our midst.

Don Bosco would say, “work, work, work for the salvation of souls.”  

May Don Bosco’s heavenly intercession assist us in laboring for the salvation of our young people from our culture of death, and that we may be diligent in working always for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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During this Catholic Schools week, for all young people, for their teachers and catechists and parents who are the first teachers of the faith, and that the truth of the faith may be learned, cherished, and practiced in every Catholic school and Christian home.

For all young people who have fallen into delinquency, through their patron’s intercession, may they turn away from sin and crime, and develop a deep love for the ways of Christ.

For all those in prison, for those who struggle with addiction and mental distress, that the healing of Christ may bring them wholeness and the promises of Christ may bring them hope.

That the fire of charity may impel all Christians to work for the salvation of souls, for a spread of the Gospel, and the building of God’s kingdom of peace.

For the sick and suffering among us, for those who care for them, and for all of our beloved dead, especially X, for whom this mass is offered.

4th Week of Ordinary Time 2023 - Monday - Catholic Schools Week - Faith, Excellence, Service

Today in the diocese of Cleveland is the first weekday of Catholic Schools Week. Whether your child attends a Catholic School or is homeschooled, Catholic Schools Week is a good opportunity to reflect on the importance of Catholic Education. And the theme this year for Catholic Schools Week is a pretty good one: “Faith, Excellence, Service”.

Catholic Education, again whether in a formal school or in the home, takes place in an atmosphere of faith—faith which helps young souls stay awake to welcome the bridegroom, to know him, love him and serve Him in this life, so to be happy with Him in the next; faith, which is founded on the pillars of Catholicism, right doctrine, participation in the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church, moral formation grounded in the Lord’s teachings, and a vibrant life of personal prayer.

Catholic education, whether in a formal school or in the home, also strives for excellence; excellence of course not merely academically, but to become excellent in all aspects of life—intellectually, morally, spiritually, emotionally, physically. Excellence does not just happen, it requires effort. And Catholic Education is an effort of the Church of Jesus Christ to transform mediocrity, selfishness, laziness, rudeness, and immaturity into excellence, selflessness, virtue, industriousness, resourcefulness, and kindness. 

And that leads to the third part of our theme for Catholic Schools Week: service. Catholic Education helps us to become people of Christian service. Serving others is profoundly more excellent than being self-centered, selfish, or greedy. Catholic Education—in the truest sense of the word education—which from the latin means—to lead us out of something. Catholic Education leads us out of the darkness of selfishness to become people of the light, who strive to serve God—to love God with our whole heart, mind, souls and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves, which is the greatest commandment of Christ.

For in the end, Catholic Education ultimately revolves around Christ—Catholic Schools are aimed at forming genuine disciples of Education — well-educated people who know him, love him and serve him.

So, please pray this week, for all those involved in Catholic Education, at this parish and throughout the diocese. Through the intercession of St. Martina whose feast is today, and all the saints, we pray for all parents, first teachers of their children; we pray for all students, that they may be granted wisdom, knowledge, and diligence in their studies, for all teachers, that they may help impart faith with patience and competency, and for the Church as a whole, that through education we may grow in virtue, and excellence, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

4th Sunday after Epiphany 2023 (EF) - Christ asleep in the boat

On February 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI gathered at St. Peter’s square with thousands of pilgrims for his final public audience after announcing his resignation.

And at that final public audience, Pope Benedict reflected a bit on his pontificate as a whole. He shared how over those 8 years there were ups and downs, successes and challenges. He said overall he often had a clear sense of the Lord’s closeness, that he felt the Lord with Him in his work, and how there were many moments of light and joy.

He said, "The Lord gave us days of sun and of light breeze—days in which the fishing was abundant.” Hopefully, you can relate. That experiencing the Lord’s presence in your life, there are days of warmth and light and consolation, of successes in the vineyard of the Lord, days when family life just sort of clicks, meaningful, fulfilling days filled with grace.

But then, Pope Benedict said, “There were also moments when there were stormy waters and headwinds...” Likely, we can relate to that too. Life is stormy. There are difficult days where our plans are thrown off course before we leave the house in the morning, days of chaos, days where the world seems bent on breaking us, where there is friction with coworkers and even with loved ones, days of disappointment, days perhaps when it seems the powers of hell have their sights set on us.

We can only imagine what those difficult days were like for the Pope. When members of the clergy, members of his staff, really let him down, where foreign governments resisted the efforts of the Church in spreading the Gospel and working for justice. Who knows the resistance he faced, the headwinds, from the enemies of the Church both internal and external, human and demonic.

But then, Pope Benedict said something, and I remember being surprised when he said it. He said there were days when it just felt like the Lord was asleep.

The holy father was of course drawing this image from today’s Gospel, for this 4^th Sunday after epiphany, in which the apostles become overwhelmed as the Lord slept during the crossing of the stormy sea.

Perhaps you can relate to this as well. You offer up prayers and supplications, you ask God for help, and, there is silence. God doesn’t act in the way we think he should. Stirring a family member to return to Church, or for the conversion of some wayward soul. When it doesn’t happen, in our time frame, it feels perhaps, as if the Lord is asleep.

Based on the Lord’s response to the apostles plea, it always seems like there was test here that the apostles pretty much failed. Of course we need to cry out to God for help. Amidst the raging storms of life, we need God’s help. We need his guidance, we need his grace to grant us courage. Scripture even instructs us to call out to God in times of trouble: Psalm 50, says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you.”

I think the failure of the apostles, though, is their doubt in the Lord’s care for them. “Teacher do you not care that we are perishing?” they ask. Of course he cared. How could he not? How could they doubt that?

And so the Lord says, “O you of little faith.” As if to say, guys, you can do better, you need to trust more deeply, you need greater faith if you are going to be able to survive the great mission I have in store for you.

After admitting that there were days when it felt like the Lord was sleeping, Pope Benedict said, "But I always knew that the Lord was in that boat and I always knew that the boat of the Church is not mine, is not ours, but is his and he will not let it sink…I never felt alone.”

Here you can sense that Benedict was not a man of little faith, but of great faith. Yes he experienced storms. Yes, he experienced perhaps silence from the Lord, but he trusted, trusted that God is in charge.

Does it sometimes seem that the Lord is sleeping? Fine. But don’t draw the conclusion, the foolish conclusion that he doesn’t care, or that he doesn’t exist. This passage is proof that in the life of the disciple there will be times when the Lord isn’t doing what we want Him to do. Our job is to trust, and to surrender, to have faith that his care for us is without limit, that he gives us what we need, for the success of the mission, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

A reading from the epistle of St. Paul to the Romans

Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, [namely] “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

A continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew

At that time, Jesus got into a boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

 

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2022 - Blessedness comes from following Jesus

 In the Lord’s great sermon on the mount, he teaches his disciples how to pursue blessedness. What is blessedness?

Blessedness was a topic that even the ancient Greek philosophers used to debate about. To seek blessedness, is to seek our highest human good—to seek the best way to live—to become our best selves. Many in our modern culture say there is no such thing, that we can’t make such judgments: “my way is just as good as your way.” But, the ancient greeks would say that is foolish, because it’s quite evident to anyone paying attention that some decisions help us to pursue human flourishment and some do not. Sitting around doing drugs and playing video games 18 hours a day is not human flourishment. Letting your intellectual gifts go to waste, becoming addicted to food or drink or pursuing wealth at the expense of other people, using your body in ways that bring you shame—these things are far from human flourishing; certain human choices are filthy, obscene, perverted and corrupt, morally unbefitting. 

And so the the philosophers were really serious about pursing wisdom they loved wisdom, that’s what philosophy means, philo-sophia, the love of wisdom. Because it is wisdom enables you to pursue blessedness—our highest good.

The ancient Greek Philosopher Aristotle loved to make distinctions, and Aristotle differentiated between two different types of blessedness. The first type of blessedness was the Greek word eudaimonia: an earthly well-being that comes through living a virtuous life, a life where the passions are brought under control, where happiness is the fruit of putting your life in order. But there is something missing here. Eudaimonia seems like it is obtained through human effort. Well, what about grace, what about God? What about the blessedness that belongs to God?

Well, Aristotle used another word for that— “makarios”—the blessedness of the God, the blessedness of the gods enjoying divine life up on Mt. Olympus.  Because of their divinity, the gods don’t experience hunger, suffering, or depression, they enjoy a fullness of existence because of their divinity…a blessedness beyond human experience.

But at the very end of Aristotle’s writings on the virtuous life—his Nicomachean Ethics, he also hints at the possibility of humans seeking “makarios”, the blessedness of the gods.

Well guess what word St. Matthew uses in his original Greek Gospel? Makarios, when Jesus promises beatitude—blessedness to his followers, it’s not simply that first kind of blessedness—contentment from having your life in order. The Greek of Matthew’s Gospel has that second type-- “markarios”—on the lips of our Lord. The blessedness of heaven—the blessedness of God can be yours, Jesus promises, if you are poor in spirit, pure of heart, if you hunger and thirst for righteousness, if you suffer for his name.

Eudaimonia and Makarios become linked in the Christian life. We do grow in happiness, contentment, a joy, when our life becomes ordered in pursuing the highest pursuits. But the highest pursuits are not pleasure, wealth, and power, or even perfect athleticism, oratorical skill, or strategic ability. The highest pursuit is the pursuit of God—to seek first the kingdom of God, to seek first the life that God wants for each of us.  

And unlike Aristotle and Plato and every human philosopher, Jesus isn’t a mere preacher of the blessed life. He doesn’t just tell us about blessedness, he says follow me, imitate me, do as I do, and you will be blessed.

The greatest homily Jesus ever preached was not the Sermon on the Mount overlooking the Sea of Galilee. His greatest Sermon was his whole sinless life in obedience to the Father, which culminated in his mounting the pulpit of the Cross.

So, let's consider all the ways Our Lord Himself fulfills each of the beatitudes and teaches us to follow Him in practicing the beatitudes in each of our lives.

First, Jesus was poor in spirit, so poor he didn’t even have a place to lay his head (Lk 9:58). He treasured God the Father and his kingdom as his greatest gift. We become blessed when we value and pursue the things of heaven over the things of earth.

Secondly, Jesus mourned. He wept over Jerusalem for its near wholesale failure of recognizing that He is the Way which leads to true peace. He likewise wept over the death of Lazarus, when the powers of death overcame his dear friend. We become blessed when we repent, when we mourn those times when we turned away from the path of Christ and mourn when sin and death have sway in us and others.

Thirdly, Jesus was meek. To be meek is to have strength and power, but keep it appropriately bridled. He set his face with determination toward Jerusalem, he accepted the chalice of God’s will, knowing the suffering it would entail, he carried the cross through the streets of Jerusalem, laying down his life willingly for others. As sovereign of heaven, he could have called down the might of legions of angels to slay his enemies, but rather he freely lays down his life. We become blessed when we exert our strength, our energy, our time, talent, and treasure for the sake of the Kingdom--to use our strength not to oppress, but to lift up.

Fourthly, Jesus hungered and thirsted for righteousness, saying that his very hunger, his very “food [was] to do the will” of his heavenly Father, which was to make us righteous. We become blessed when we labor to help others achieve the righteousness for which they were made.

Fifthly, Jesus was merciful. He is the very face of mercy: extending mercy to the outcast, the adulterous, the untouchable leper, the grieving parent, the paralyzed friend. We become blessed when we extend mercy—engaging in the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

Next, Jesus was pure in heart. Sin had no place in his mind our heart. We are blessed when we make no place for evil, perversion, corruption, greed, wrath, lust, pride, envy or sloth, to dwell in our minds and hearts

Next, Jesus was a peacemaker. He established the definitive peace treaty between God and man and signed it in his own blood. We become blessed when we accept the mission to announce God’s peace to the world.

Lastly, Jesus was persecuted for the sake of righteousness. From the scribes and Pharisees, to the scoffing passersby, to the false witnesses at his trial, to the Roman soldiers, to Herod, to Pilate, to the thief on his left, so many reviled him, persecuted him and uttered all kinds of evil against him falsely. We become blessed when we, like him, speak the truth in charity and stand up for what is right even when that means suffering for it.

How are you being called by God to pursue blessedness? What does it mean for you to allow the blessedness of Christ to grow in you and animate you, to become the driving force in your life, in your family’s life? I encourage everyone here to spend time with the Beatitudes this week. Mathew’s Gospel, chapter 5. Go Line by line, word for word. What does it mean in the concrete details of your life, to be poor in spirit, pure of heart, merciful. How might God be calling you to willingly embrace persecution for the sake of righteousness? 

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand this teaching, and learn from Jesus’ example, so that you may follow him more closely and inherit the promise of blessedness God wants for you, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

January 27 2023 - St. Angela Merici - A woman of holy initiative

 Ever since hearing her story, I’ve been inspired by the story of St. Angela, especially her initiative. She was a woman of tremendous initiative, holy initiative. 

At the tender age of 10, she consecrated herself to the Lord as a third order Franciscan and vowed never to marry, but to live a life of consecrated virginity, prayer and service. Seeing how poorly catechized the young people of her neighborhood were, she took the initiative and took it upon herself to offer religious instruction to the young neighborhood girls—evangelizing them, catechizing them, opening them up to the life of grace. 

Heaven took the initiative in Angela’s life too. She was given a vision from the Lord, that she was to found an institution with other consecrated virgins to further devote their lives toward the religious training of young girls. These women had little money, but were bound together by their dedication to educating youth in service of the Lord and His Church. 

Around the age of 61, Angela took another initiative. With 12 other young women who vowed consecrated virginity, she formed the Order of Ursulines, the first religious order in the history of the Church dedicated primarily to teaching.

Angela's goal was to elevate family life through Christian education for women—the future wives and mothers. One of her favorite sayings was, "Disorder in society is the result of disorder in the family." 

The Company of St. Ursula spread throughout Italy and France and eventually through all of Europe.  They were the very first Catholic religious sisters to land in the new world.  

St. Angela’s holy initiative changed the world, and yet, it was her deep Christian faith and love that animated her, gave her courage, and enabled her to take bold steps to meet real human demands. 

Yet, listen to her humble words recognizing how we imperfect, limited humans are called to serve God. She says, “Do not lose heart, even if you should discover that you lack qualities necessary for the work to which you are called. He who called you will not desert you, but the moment you are in need he will stretch out his saving hand.”

Inspired by her holy example, may we take the initiative to grow in holiness through service, recognizing the needs that we are being called to address, recognizing our own limitations and our own need to trust in the Lord at all times for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, next week, we pray for all students in Catholic schools, that the Spirit of God may grant them the gifts of wisdom and understanding, and that teachers may share their knowledge with gentleness, patience, and competence. 

For parents, the first teachers of their children, that by their faith and love, they may be blessings to their families, and for a strengthening of all families in faith. 

In Thanksgiving for the Ursuline Order, for their efforts to instill faith in our Diocese over the decades.

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

January 25 2023 - Conversion of St. Paul - "A reversal of perspective"

This morning I came across a Catechesis on St. Paul given by Pope Benedict XVI back in 2008, in which he called Paul’s conversion, “a reversal of perspective”. What an interesting way to think of a conversion: “a reversal of perspective.”

Initially, remember, Paul persecuted Christians; he denounced the belief that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, who had risen from dead, to be a myth, a lie so heinous that it should be punishable by death. He didn’t just shake his head at the foolish Christians for believing some silly idea; he rounded them up and ordered stones to be pelted at their bodies until they died.

He had a deeply rooted passion, that not only he made public, but his identity became driven by the idea Christianity needed to be eradicated, they very idea of Christ’s divinity needed to be erased, by all means. He was invested, with fanatical fervor. And humans do not give up our passions easily.

I doubt any of us here have experienced any “reversal of perspective” so dramatic. But it happened. By God’s grace, God’s goodness, Paul’s perspective was reversed. 

By the merits of Christ’s suffering, and the suffering graciously endured by Christ’s Body the Church, likely through the merits of Paul’s victims, like St. Stephen, who prayed that Paul might be forgiven, Paul’s perspective was changed so dramatically that he came to consider all as loss, all as refuse “compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Knowing how we humans become so invested in our perspectives, this was truly a miracle.

Moreso, the energy that Paul had poured into persecuting Christ became redirected, so much so, that he wished himself damned if he did not spend his life preaching Christ’s Gospel. 

Today’s feast offers such tremendous hope, that if Paul, whose heart was set against Christ like none other could experience conversion, than those to whom we are to share the Gospel cannot be beyond the reach of God. Our witness, our sufferings, like those of St. Stephen can contribute to the conversion of the most hardened soul.

And, yet, perhaps we too, have energies that need to be redirected, endeavors and perspectives that need to be reversed, so that Christ may be known more deeply, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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

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

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

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

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

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

January 23 2023 - St. Francis de Sales - "The measure of love is to love without measure"

 “Love one another as I love you,” the Lord said to his disciples the night before he died. And St. Francis de Sales—remembered and honored by the Church today—took seriously those words. 

St. Francis believed this and spent his life seeking to conform himself with that love, and as a good priest, bishop, and spiritual director, helped others do the same. Due to his writings and his labors, he was granted the title, doctor of the Church. In fact, he is even known as the Doctor of Charity, for his great insights into helping Christians love as Christ loves.

Echoing the sentiments of the Master, St. Francis de Sales wrote, “the measure of love is to love without measure”.  

Christ’s love was love without measure. He died for the greatest of sinners. He bore the weight of my sin and yours. Forgiveness is available to everyone who seeks it because Christ’s love is without measure. As the Father loves me, so I love you. I love you. 

And that indeed is part of our mission, isn’t it? To make known the love of God. The love of God that impelled Christ to lay down his life for us. The love of God that is to become the foundation of our lives. The gentle charity and mercy of the Father that is available to every sinner. If this does not motivate you, what does? 

To advance in holiness is to advance in love—to love without measure. Give without counting the cost, the Lord teaches in the Gospel, and he doesn’t offer this teaching, without backing it up by his own example. 

St. Francis de Sales wrote, “It is not those who commit the least faults who are the most holy, but those who have the greatest courage, the greatest generosity, the greatest love, who make the boldest efforts to overcome themselves, and are not immediately apprehensive about tripping.”

Sometimes Christians get in this mindset, if I just go throughout life without committing faults, then I’ll go to heaven. But the Lord teaches that the way to heaven
is not just avoiding sin, but also involves growing in charity—seeking to become more generous—courageously generous—day by day--being transformed into love. 

Through the example and prayers of St. Frances de Sales may we learn to love without measure those God brings into our lives for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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To God the Father Almighty we direct the prayers of our heart for the needs and salvation of humanity and the good of His faithful ones.

For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her, care for her, and aid her in her mission.

For the peoples of the world, that the Lord may establish and preserve harmony among us.

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may grant them relief and move Christians to come to the aid of the suffering.

For our beloved dead, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Mass is offered.

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