Sunday Homilies for Sunday Homily Seekers
Fr. Edmond Kline
Sunday Homilies for Sunday Homily Seekers
Fr. Edmond Kline Sunday Homilies
3600 E. Harry
Wichita, KS 67218
United States
Fr. Edmond Kline Homilies
Sunday Homilies for Sunday Homily Seekers
Fr. Edmond Kline Homilies
3600 E. Harry
Wichita, KS 67218
LATEST MESSAGES OF OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE IN MEDJUGORJE
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Jesus stood up and preached His first Homily on the Sabaath at Nazareth. He read from the prophet Isaiah and told those present the passage was fulfilled in their hearing. (Lk 4:14-30)
![[block][block][block][block][block][block][block][block]Fr. Edmond Kline](/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/Fr_Edmond_Kline.62144541_std.jpg)
Some priests are gifted in preaching from an outline or preaching without notes. Unfortunately, I'm not. So every homily I give must be read when proclaimed. I would suspect it's boring to watch a priest read a homily. However, Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict as well as some bishops read their homilies. People ask for copies of the homilies and I am happy to give them out if it will help them spiritually or to give to others whom they would think would benefit as well.
Fr. Edmond Kline
Popular Homilies
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26th Sunday Ordinary Time, The Humility of God Sept. 27th, 2020
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AUG. 7TH APPROVED APPARITIONS MOST CHASTE HEART OF JOSEPH
FIRST WED. ST. JOSEPH GRACES St. Joseph: “On every first Wednesday of the month, my Chaste Heart pours numerous graces on all who rely on my intercession. On these Wednesdays, men will not receive a shower of simple graces, but very strong torrents of extraordinary graces!
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14th Wednesday St. Joseph Approved Apparations of His Most Chaste Heart
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Wednesday 12th Week June 26th (Wolves in Sheep's Clothing"
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In the Gospel today, Jesus said, “I am the Vine, you are the branches.” “Whomever remains in me and I him will bear much fruit.”
Today, we will look at the fruits of receiving Holy Communion by abiding in Jesus, then we will look at how if we do not abide in Jesus in the Eucharist, through mortal sin, we will not bear any fruit and finally, we will see how each particle of the Sacred Host should be treated with great love and respect to foster our abiding in Him.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1391 to 1400) speaks about the fruits of Holy Communion.
It states, the first and principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an intimate union with Christ Jesus. Indeed, the Lord said: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him."
The second fruit of Communion is: What material food produces in our bodily life, Holy Communion wonderfully achieves in our spiritual life. Communion with the flesh of the risen Christ, a flesh "given life and giving life through the Holy Spirit,"preserves, increases, and renews the life of grace received at Baptism.
The third fruit of Communion is: For the growth in Christian life, we need the nourishment of Eucharistic Communion, the bread for our pilgrimage until the moment of death, when it will be given to us as viaticum. The Eucharist therefore helps us to get to heaven as Jesus said, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood will live forever”.
The fourth fruit of Communion is the Eucharist cannot unite us to Christ without at the same time cleansing us from past sins and preserving us from future sins. So when we receive Holy Communion our venial sins are forgiven, but not our mortal sins.
The fifth fruit of Holy Communion is just as bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens our charity. By giving himself to us Christ revives our love and enables us to break our disordered attachments to creatures and root ourselves in him.
The sixth fruit of Holy Communion is by the same charity that it enkindles in us, the Eucharist preserves us from future mortal sins. The more we share the life of Christ and progress in his friendship, the more difficult it is to break away from him by mortal sin.
The seventh fruit is that those who receive the Eucharist are united more closely to Christ. Through it Christ unites them to all the faithful in one body - the Church. Communion renews, strengthens, and deepens this incorporation into the Church.
The eighth fruit, the Eucharist commits us to the poor. To receive in truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up for us, we must recognize Christ in the poorest, because He who is poor comes to dwell in our heart.
The ninth fruit, before the greatness of this mystery St. Augustine exclaims, "O sacrament of devotion! O sign of unity! O bond of charity!" The more painful the experience of the divisions in the Church which break the common participation in the table of the Lord, the more urgent are our prayers to the Lord that the time of complete unity among all who believe in him may return. However, the Catechism says, ecclesial communities derived from the Reformation and separated from the Catholic Church, "have not preserved the proper reality of the Eucharistic mystery in its fullness, especially because of the absence of the sacrament of Holy Orders." It is for this reason that, for the Catholic Church, Eucharistic intercommunion with these communities is not possible.
Sadly, Jesus also said, “those who do not abide in Him will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.” If we commit a mortal sin, Jesus does not abide in us nor will be with Him in heaven. Mortal sin causes the death of the soul, because it mortally wounds our soul. We are deprived of God’s graces and we lose all merit and cannot gain any merit by any deed, until we repent of the mortal sin. Mortal sin causes us to become like the withered branches ready to be thrown into the fire, because we purposely and willfully separate our self from Jesus.
St. Alphonus Ligouri said, “…when a Christian consents to mortal sin, he says to God: Depart from me; make room for the Devil, whom I wish to serve.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, "eternal fire.”
Pope St. John Paul said, the Church is the vine and we the people are the branches. Therefore we are to obey Church teachings. For example, the Church teaches, we are to go to confession if we commit a mortal sin before we receive Holy Communion, otherwise we commit a sacrilegious communion and commit an additional mortal sin.
To miss Mass on Sunday without a serious reason, or to purposely view pornography or commit adultery or have pre-marital relations, or if we purposely fail to tell the priest in confession, a mortal sin, such as using birth control, we are continuously making sacrilegious communions until that sin is finally confessed. Jesus does not abide in us, when we commit a mortal sin. We receive absolutely no graces when we receive Communion in the state of mortal sin and in fact grievously offend Jesus committing a sacrilegious communion. We force Him to leave our soul.
One day a wealthy woman wearing fine clothes came to see St. Catherine of Sienna and when she came into her presence, St. Catherine turned her back on her and spoke to her without facing her. When the woman left, someone asked her why she would not face her and she said, “I could not stand the puertrified smell of a soul in the state of mortal sin.” And yet when we receive Communion sacrilegiously we force Jesus into a soul with that filth.
We cannot bear any fruit whatsoever, when our soul is in the state of mortal sin. Jesus said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”, but only if we do so in the state of grace.
And so one can be like a withered branch separated from Jesus, the vine. But our soul can be restored to grace, by going to confession. In confession Jesus gives us His infinite mercy and opens our soul to become fruitful when we begin to receive Communion in the state of grace.
There is also another way we will bear little or no fruit from receiving Holy Communion. And that is if we were to ignore His presence after we receive Holy Communion. The almighty God, out of His infinite love and goodness comes to dwell in our heart in Holy Communion to give us special graces, and yet some people will walk out of church immediately after receiving Holy Communion and ignore His true presence. It’s like inviting someone to your house, letting them in and then the owner goes out the back door without paying any attention to who just came in their home. This hurts Jesus because He comes inside the heart in Holy Communion and He is ignored in the heart. How can we bear any fruit, if we are indifferent to Jesus abiding in us.
Another way, we can hurt Jesus in the Eucharist is how we receive Him in Holy Communion. You have probably not been told this before, yet what I am going to say is true. The ordinary way the Church intends for us to receive Holy Communion is on the tongue. I repeat, the ordinary way the Church intends for us to receive Holy Communion is on the tongue.
In 1969 Pope Paul VI gave an indult, which is a permission to receive Communion in the hand, due to an abuse in Holland and the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship gave warnings about receiving on the hand: it said, it could be an occasion of regarding the Eucharist as ordinary bread.. or treating it as though it was just another religious article. It warned about particles of the Eucharistic bread that can fall or be scattered. It warned about people receiving Communion with dirty hands. It warned there could be a lessening of faith in the Eucharistic presence. It warned there is a danger of profaning the Eucharist. It warned it could be a cause for some to be shocked at how others receive the Host. And it warned there is a danger of irreverence.
Some countries like Sri Lanka did not use the indult, and maintained the long held tradition of receiving only on the tongue. Dioceses around the world no longer permit Communion in the hand such as San Luis, Argentina; Lima, Peru, and Mostar in Bosnia Herzegovina. The bishop of the diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, last year asked the people to receive on the tongue. This is an option fully supported by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. When Pope Benedict was pope, he had those who receive Communion from him to do it only kneeling and on the tongue.
I have seen many ways Jesus is hurt by the way people receive Communion. Some will take the Host and treat it as though it was a religious object by kissing it before receiving Communion. I have seen people receive Communion with dirty hands. I have seen some take the Host all the way back to their pew before they receive Communion. Some treat the Host as ordinary bread.
At St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in Wichita, we found over 20 Hosts in hymnals. One was found under a pew and another was found in the parking lot. At Blessed Sacrament in Wichita, people stole Hosts. At Sacred Heart in Halstead, Kansas, I saw a person step aside to put the Host in her mouth and when she did, I saw ¼ of the Host break off in her hand and fall to the ground and she then stepped on it.
Jesus said, “Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks by Blood has eternal life, and I will raise Him on the last day.” Many patients here at St. Francis believe these words. Dying patients and very sick patients greatly desire to receive Holy Communion to help them in the midst of their great suffering. When a patient is dying or is no longer able to swallow food, as long as they are able to dissolve the tiny particle in their mouth, and when approved by the nurse, the priest can give the patient a very tiny particle of the Host. The Council of Trent states,”…Christ, whole and entire, is contained not only under either species (bread or wine), but also in each particle of either species.”
The Church teaches each particle, no matter how small is the whole and entire person of Jesus. When a person receives Communion in the hand, particles of the Sacred Host are often times on the person’s hand and they don’t know it. I will give you an example. If I were to put my hand in a plastic box of unconsecrated hosts and then wipe my hand on a black cloth and you would see white the particles on the cloth. Once consecrated, these particles can end up on your hands and then on the floor.
Suppose a mother with her infant returns home from shopping with her many plastic bags of groceries. She takes the baby out of the car seat and holds the baby in her right arm. In her left arm she grabs 4 bags of groceries and when she gets to the door of the house, she tries to take the key out of her purse and suddenly drops the baby. She takes the crying child to the emergency room to discover the child has a broken leg. Did she intend to hurt the baby? No. But she did-- because she was careless.
How many times have we dropped Jesus on the floor and did not know it? We can either receive on the hand or on the tongue.
What is the safest way to receive Jesus in Holy Communion on the tongue or in the hand? What best helps one’s Eucharistic faith? The little things we do because we love Jesus means a lot to Him.
Finally, recall the words of Jesus, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”
My dear friends, if we truly love Jesus and want to abide in Him and He in you-- and bear fruit-- receive Our Lord in Holy Communion only while in the state of grace, receive Communion often and with the humility, love, respect and devotion the Virgin Mary received Jesus in Holy Communion.
If St. Basil the Great was alive today?
Upcoming Homilies
33rd Sunday "the Woman of Proverbs" Nov. 15th, 2020
Nov. 24th St. Andrew Dung Luc & Companions
Nov. 25th St. Catherine of Alexandria
Nov. 28th St. Catherine Laboure
Solemnity of Christ the King - Giving Jesus Nutrtian & Hyrdration in Dying and Terminally Ill Patients, Nov. 22nd
The Gospel today is the last judgement. Our Lord’s coming on the clouds of heaven will be when all His enemies will be put under His feet. When everything will be subject to Him, as King of heaven and earth.
When Jesus comes the second time, He will hand over the kingdom to God His Father. The sheep, who are the righteous will be placed on the right and the goats, who are the wicked will be placed on the left. Jesus goes on to say what each person will be judged on, which is love in the form of acts of mercy. Much of the corporal works of mercy are practiced daily by hospital staff. This is what Jesus will say to those at the last judgment who practiced works of mercy. “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepare for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I as thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.”
By these words, Jesus explains when we care for the ill, we care for Him. When we feed the hungry, we nourish Him. When we give drink to the thirsty, we give Jesus hydration. Due to doctor’s orders, nursing staff give medicine and take vitals (blood pressure, temperature, pulse). They make sure each patient eats food and drinks water. We have a moral responsibility to care for them when they come to us when they are sick and suffering.
At times when a patient is unable to eat or drink orally, the patient will have an IV and if unable to eat for a number days, can get a feeding tube.
As you know patients can be treated with ordinary care or extra ordinary care, which is their choice. Ordinary care includes food, water, medicine & oxygen. Extraordinary care can involve a ventilator, being in ICU, significant surgical operations or CPR, etc...
There is a new document by the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, called “Good Samaritan, on the care of persons in the critical and terminal phases of life”. The document was originally created to help prevent euthanasia, but it also speaks about the dignity of life and ethical considerations for the terminally ill and dying.
In section 3, on Basic Care Requirement for Nutrition and Hydration, the document says, “A fundamental and inescapable principle of the assistance of the critically or terminally ill person is the continuity of care for the essential physiological functions. In particular, required basic care for each person includes the administration of the nourishment and fluids needed to maintain bodily homeostasis, insofar as and until this demonstrably attains the purpose of providing hydration and nutrition for the patient. When the provision of nutrition and hydration no longer benefits the patient, because the patient’s organism either cannot absorb them or cannot metabolize them, their administration should be suspended. In this way, one does not unlawfully hasten death through the deprivation of the hydration and nutrition vital for bodily function, but nonetheless respects the natural course of the critical or terminal illness.
The withdrawal of this sustenance is an unjust action that can cause great suffering to the one who has to endure it. Nutrition and hydration do not constitute medical therapy in a proper sense, which is intended to counteract the pathology that afflicts the patient. They are instead forms of obligatory care of the patient, representing both a primary clinical and an unavoidable human response to the sick person. Obligatory nutrition and hydration can at times be administered artificially,provided that it does not cause harm or intolerable suffering to the patient.”
In the hospital we are used to seeing IVs and feeding tubes removed when a patient is placed on “Comfort Care”. But this should only be done if death will be imminent (within a few days). If the patient’s dying process is such the patient can continue to live for days or weeks, and if they can benefit from an IV and feeding tube, it is obligatory unless it would cause harm or suffering to the patient.
The document is saying, when a feeding tube or an IV no longer benefits the patient due to the inability to absorb them or metabolize them, then it respects the natural course of the terminal illness. However, when the patient can benefit from an IV and a feeding tube, then they are obligatory, because they are not medical therapy, rather ordinary care which can benefit the human person. In another words, we all need food and water even when we are dying and can benefit from them.
What we are really doing is providing food and water to Jesus in the patient, as Jesus said, “What you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me.” For when I was hungry, you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, when I was ill you cared for me….”
On this solemnity of Christ the King, we pray every terminally ill or dying patient who can benefit from artificial nutrition and hydration, will be able to receive them. And for those who cared for them will hear the words of Jesus at the Last Judgement, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepare for you from the foundation of the world.” May the Queen of Heaven, help us to be sheep and not goats by works of mercy.
33rd Sunday, Woman of Proverbs
“A man…. called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.” Valued at nearly twenty years’ wages, even one talent was an astonishing amount of money. So the master was not giving his servants a small gift or an insignificant coin. While we often think these talents represent our own gifts or abilities, a number of commentators suggest that we look at them as the extremely valuable gifts of mercy and love that God lavishes on us. And as we learn from the servant who hid his talent, those gifts multiply, not when we try to guard and keep them, but when we use them.
That’s where our first reading comes in. The “worthy wife” of Proverbs is not just a quaint lesson, or worse, the product of a patriarchal society. Her story is much closer to the servant in today’s Gospel doubled his five talents by using them---by multiplying mercy and love by sharing it.
Look at how she is described: She works busily within her household and does it “with loving hands”. But she doesn’t stop there: “She reaches her hands out to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy.” She does not hoard the self-giving love and compassion she has received from God. She generously gives it away, both to her family and to anyone she sees in need.
You see, it’s not her charm or beauty that gives her value. It’s her fear of the Lord, her reverence for God. It’s the way she recognizes the wideness of his mercy and love and imitates him by sharing them. That is what brings her and her whole family, such joy.
Each one of us has received God’s precious gifts of mercy and love. Each of us has the opportunity to open our hands and our hearts to give them away to the people around us. The wife from Proverbs did it. Let’s go out and do the same. May we turn to the Virgin Mary, and ask Her to open our hearts to give mercy and love, as She opened Her heart to give mercy and love to all Her spiritual children. (taken from Word Among Us)
32nd Sunday, Are You Ready for Your Death
Doesn’t it make you wonder what is going on with the ten virgins (the bridesmaids) and why did they have lamps? In Jewish tradition, when the groom went to the bride’s house to pick her up for the wedding he would have to negotiate with her relatives the gifts he would give for the privilege of being able to marry her. The negotiating went on so long that the bridesmaids back at the groom’s house grew so tired of waiting that they fell asleep. When the bride and groom arrived in the groom’s house the parents pronounced a blessing over the happy couple and the singing and dancing lasted for a week.
The bridesmaids in the parable were given an opportunity to be ready for the wedding in the groom’s house later that evening. But five of them did not bring enough oil. They had an opportunity during the day to get a supply of oil but they didn’t bother. Then when the couple arrived for the wedding it was too late and those who had oil had only enough for themselves and were unable to share it.
It reminds us we have to make choices going through life and we live afterwards with the consequences of those choices. There is no getting away from making choices, we have to make decisions. The option we have is to choose well or choose badly. Whatever way we choose, we will live with the consequences. Some of the bridesmaids in the parable squandered the opportunity during the day to get some oil. Like them we have choices and decisions. We want to choose well because we pass this way only once.
The parable reminds us to choose well because at the end of life we will meet our Savior and we do not know when he will call us; that’s why Jesus said in the Gospel, “So stay awake because you do not know either the day or the hour.” Each decision or choice we make going through life is a decision or choice for Jesus or against Jesus. There will be consequences to all of our decisions for Jesus or against Jesus. When Jesus calls us from this life whenever that will be, we will face the consequences of all our decisions for or against Jesus. “So stay awake because you do not know either the day or the hour.”
The book The Imitation of Christ, says, “Every action of yours, every thought, should be those of one who expects to die before the day is out. Death would have no great terrors for you if you had a quiet conscience.. Then why not keep clear of sin instead of running away from death? If you aren’t fit to face death today, it’s very unlikely you will be tomorrow.”
The Church encourages us to prepare for the hour of our death. In the ancient Litany of the Saints, we pray: “From a sudden and foreseen death, deliver us, O Lord.”
When we pray the Hail Mary we ask the Mother of God to intercede for us now and at the hour of our death and we entrust ourselves to St. Joseph, the patron of a happy death. He is the patron of a happy death, because it is believed Jesus and Mary were at his bedside when he died.
When St. Francis of Assisi knew his death was approaching he said, “Praise are you, Lord, for our sister bodily Death, from whom no living man can escape. Woe on those who will die in mortal sin! Blessed are they who will be found in Your most holy will, for the second death will not harm them.”
How ready are you to face your death? Today, let us choose to live every day as though it was our last day, so that we are ready for Jesus, the bridegroom to take us to our soul to our judgement and are prepared for the wedding feast of heaven. May our lamps be ready for His coming!
All Saints Day, Known & Unknown Saints, Nov. 1st, 2020
Today is the Solemnity of All Saints, a feast to honor all saints, known and unknown.
When we think of saints, we often times think of those who were martyred. All of the apostles except for St. John were martyred. The first 33 popes died as martyrs. The reason why bishops wear a red skull cap, is to remind them, they are to be willing to die for Christ and for the teachings of His Church. For the first three hundred years of Christianity, thousands of Christians died as martyrs. They were thrown to the lions, or crucified, or beheaded and many other ways. For being a Christian, St. Agnes a 13 yr. old, was going to have her head cut off, and when the executioner attempted to fasten a chain around her neck and hands, she willingly did it herself. The executioner was shocked at her willingness to die for Our Blessed Lord. She told the executioner, “Executioner, why do you delay?” It was the executioner who was shaking out of fear and not the girl.
Over the centuries hundreds of religious brothers and sisters who took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, who became saints such as St. Francis of Assisi, St. Padre Pio, St. Teresa of Avila and St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Bernadette and so many others.
We think of Saints who are doctors of the Church, such as St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Jerome and St. Ambrose.
We think of those who became a saint at a young age such as St. Maria Goretti, stabbed death by a boy who tried to have his way with her. She died at the age of 11. Or St. Dominic Savio who died at the age of 14 from a lung disease. The children of Fatima who saw the Virgin Mary, Saint Francisco was 11 and Jacinta was 10 when both died from influenza.
Perhaps you have known ordinary people, who did the best they could to get to heaven. Someone who never complained when they were sick; or a person who lived a life of charity and thought nothing of themselves. Or someone who never said an unkind word about anyone.
It never ceases to amaze me--the variety of patients we get here at the hospital. I have seen grown men cry when they discover they have cancer and I have seen frail old ladies have surgery after surgery after surgery and never complain.
There is a patient right now at St. Francis, who even though she has cancer and has been in and out of ICU with a terrible reaction to a medicine, and has the inability to swallow regular bites of food. Always without fail she has a smile on her face when I enter to her room. She greatly looks forward to receiving Holy Communion.
Once, I entered a patient’s room and the woman began to cry. I noticed she was getting blood intravenously. I asked her why she was crying and she said, “I was looking at the bag of blood slowly dripping and I thought how much Jesus loves me, to shed His blood for me. And just as I thought that, you came in the room to give me Jesus in Holy Communion.” She said, “I am crying because of how much God loves me. That He came to me when I needed Him the most.”
Nurses at times have to put up with patients who wet their bed or crap their pants, and some who vomit all over their newly placed bedding. While nurses and techs respond to a patient, who repeatedly pushes the call button, at the same time have to go another room where a patient is on the verge of dying. The psychiatric staff deal with patients, who are confused and angry and deeply hurting. It’s emotionally difficult for hospital staff to see patients die, especially if they have come to known them or if they see little babies in the NICU die in the arms of their mothers and fathers. I have seen nurses talk to and pray with patients who have no family, as they are slowly dying with no one to be there for them. I have seen nurses and doctors and techs who work with covid patients for 12 hours a day, 3 days a week, wearing gloves, gown, two facemasks and hair net. It’s hard to breathe and hard to understand each other because of the masks. They risk getting the dreadful disease, and fear they will give it to their family and yet they come to work day by day to comfort and help patients in distress.
All of these are true heroes and have the opportunity of being saints. Though they may never be canonized, they will have a crown of glory waiting them when they go to their judgment.
What motivates ordinary people who do extra ordinary things? It’s their love of Jesus and love of neighbor. We are all called to be saints. We are to strive for holiness every day. We become holy by our deep and personal relationship with Jesus. Through prayer, through the regular receiving the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion, we receive the strength to live out our faith, so that one day too, we will make that journey home, where ALL the SAINTS with Mary and Joseph are standing around the throne of God praising and worshipping the Most Blessed Trinity.
Today, let us choose to imitate the saints and pray to them for help, for they are friends of God, with God and stand before God on our behalf.
30th Sunday, Homosexual Unions Love God with All One's Heart and Love Neighbor as One Self
A scribe came to Jesus, and asked Him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Our Blessed Lord replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. And the second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
To love God with all our heart, all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength is to put God first in everything. What does it mean to fear the Lord? Does it mean we are afraid God will cast us into hell when we commit sin, who will punish us? It’s like saying, “Don’t sin, or God will cast you into hell.” That’s not what Fear of the Lord means. Rather it means we choose not to sin because we fear we will offend God (hurt the good God) who loves us. It’s like a child saying, “I won’t tell a lie because I don’t want Mommy or Daddy to cry because I lied to them.”
This is what it means to love God with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul. You do not want to hurt God or offend Him because you love Him and don’t want to make Him unhappy.
So what does “loving our neighbor as oneself”-- mean? Jesus gives us the example of loving one’s neighbor with the parable of the man who was beaten up by robbers and left on the side of the road. A Levite and a priest walked past him refusing to help, but a Samaritan, who is a Gentile, felt sorry for the wounded victim. He placed him on his mule and took him into the nearest town and had his wounds bandaged and promised to pay for anything else upon his return. The Samaritan treated the victim as he would want to be treated.
Hospital staff are keenly aware they are loving their neighbor as themselves by caring for patients. They treat each patient as though they would want to be treated. However, there is something more important than food, clothing, shelter and medical care. Life and the means of sustaining life is not our greatest value. In a document on caring for persons who are terminally ill called “Good Samaritan” by the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, it said, “The Christian….. knows that earthly life is not the supreme value. (Our) Ultimate happiness is in heaven.”
Since our earthly life is not the supreme value and the ultimate happiness is heaven, then the greatest way to love our neighbor as our self –is to help them to get to heaven. We help others to get to heaven by our good example, by physically caring for them, by encouraging others to practice their faith and sometimes it means calling them to repentance.
Over the years, some have come to me for help with regard to having a friend or a family member engaging in an active homosexual relationship and planning a civil homosexual wedding. Their hearts are broken to see a loved one going down the wrong path and they don’t know what to do. They are afraid to say something for fear of losing a relationship. They wonder if they can attend a homosexual wedding or if they can allow their child’s active homosexual partner to enter their home. All of this can be so distressing. But this is where we help them to understand --to love God with all one’s heart means to not hurt God by sinful actions. If we keep in mind our greatest good-- is not our life on earth, but rather our life in heaven, then we will tell the truth, which sets them free and helps them to obtain heaven. This is also loving our neighbor as our self comes in.
First, we tell them, we will always love them. But, we remind them God speaks to us through scripture and the teachings of the Church and all of us should do what God wants because we love Him and don’t want to offend Him. The Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly proclaims marriage is between one man and one woman. It also states, “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.” CCC 2357 As Christians we cannot approve of homosexual acts or homosexual civil unions. Rather, “Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.” CCC 2359
There is an organization called Courage, which helps persons who have same sex attraction to live holy lives. They also have Encourage, which helps families and friends of those who suffer from same-sex attraction. These organizations can of great help in dealing with these crosses.
In short, we help them to Fear the Lord, by not wanting to hurt or offend God because we love God with all our heart and so place our faith in God first. And we want the person with homosexual tendencies to live a good Christian life. We can't attend a sinful wedding, which is really no wedding at all, because only a man and woman can be married. We cannot approve of their sinful relationship. For by engaging in sinful acts together, they seriously wound each other’s soul and risk losing their salvation if they die unrepentant, which means they will choose to go to hell because they rejected God in their life. Rather, we help them to truly love their neighbor as themselves and will help them to get to heaven. The true meaning of love is to seek their greatest good which is ultimately to obtain salvation and not participate in sin which hurts God and neighbor.
Yesterday was the memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret, who said, “Because (a person) is concerned also for his neighbor, the man of zeal works to fulfill his desire that all men be content on this earth and happy and blessed in their heavenly homeland, that all may be saved, and that no one may perish forever, or offend God, or remain even for a moment in sin. Such are the concerns we observe in the holy apostles and in all who are driven by the apostolic spirit.”
Today, let us ask the Virgin Mary to help us put God first and so never want to hurt or offend Him because we love Him, and because we want everyone to be with God in heaven, even if it means it will cause a strain in our relationships with family or friends. And if we love our neighbor as our self, we will not only care for their physical needs, we will care especially for their soul.
29th Sunday, Get Involved in Politics
Today Jesus reaffirms the duty of all of us to obey civil authority. The Pharisees and the Herodians attempted to lay a trap with their question: Should they pay taxes to Caesar or not? If Jesus would say yes, they would accuse Him of collaborating with the oppressive Romans. But if He would oppose the tax, the Herodians would have grounds to denounce the Romans. And so Our Lord said, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Cesar, and to God what belongs to God.” In another words, Jesus told them to give to Cesar what rightfully belongs to him: tribute, and obedience to just laws, but nothing more.
However, if a human law contradicts divine law or natural law, it is no law at all. If we don’t fight against laws that harm the innocent, we can actually participate in the sin.
Some say Christians and the Church should not get involved in politics. But this is false. Actually Christians have a duty and an obligation to be involved in politics. When Jesus said “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God”, He was not advocating to stay out of politics. Christians should help mold society to respect life, to encourage the common good, to protect religious freedom and to not allow government to abuse their authority. Nor permit the government to create laws that harm the vulnerable and innocent.
Christians can morally disagree with each other and still be in good standing in the Church on political matters of prudential judgment such as the economy, immigration, borders, taxes, global warming, etc.. However, Christians must agree with Church teachings on matters of intrinsically evil actions: abortion, cloning, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem-cell research, euthanasia are never under any circumstance acceptable. These actions not only harm individuals, they harm society. A Christian may never vote for a candidate who is in favor of these intrinsically evil actions, while the other candidate is pro-life, otherwise one can commit a grievous sin requiring confession before receiving Holy Communion. Abortion is by far the greatest and most important issue, because life is the foundation everything else-- as nearly 1 million children die in the USA every year by surgical abortion.
Here are 6 ways a person can participate in the sin of others.
1. The first way is by Command. During World War II, Nazis commanded soldiers to follow orders. When the war was over, Nazi soldiers said they had no choice and were commanded to kill. But at the Nuremburg trials, these soldiers were condemned to death, because they participated in the sins of their superiors. A nurse cannot say, I was commanded by the doctor to help perform an abortion. She cannot in conscience assist in one.
2. The second way we can participate in the sin of others is Counsel. If a Catholic social worker counsels a young girl to get an abortion or if a Catholic priest counsels a couple saying they can use contraception. They participate in the sin of others.
3. Consent. Some Catholic politicians say they personally oppose abortion, but vote in favor of it and therefore give their consent. We think of people like Kathleen Sibelius, Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Laura Kelly all of whom are Catholic, but promote abortion. And those who vote for pro-abortion candidates, while the other candidate is pro-life, consent in allowing abortion.
4. Another way to participate in sin is provocation—by praise and flattery. Some Catholic Universities such as Georgetown and Notre Dame invited pro-abortion commencement speakers and gave them awards.
5. Silence. Cardinals, bishops and priests by silence, participate in the sin of others by not raising their voices in the pulpits to help people to know how to vote against intrinsic evils. When Catholics do not let their voices by heard by failing to contact legislators and failing to vote against intrinsically evil actions, they participate in the sin of another.
6. Concealment. When bishops cover up or hide the fact clergy abused children and moved priests from parish to parish, they participate in sin. We think about Cardinal McCarrick and how his actions were concealed and hidden by Church leaders.
We cannot participate in sin by command, counsel, consent, provocation, conceal, nor be silent in the political or non-political world, otherwise we participate in the sins of others. We need to be involved in society, so as to help others. We are to love our neighbor as our self. We are obliged to vote and be involved in politics.
God pays attention to our every action and wants to be part of every action, including voting for those who represent us in government. God wants to bring about a culture of life. God wants human beings to love each other and live in harmony with each other in solidarity united around principles that protect and encourage the common good.
If you have had an abortion or know of someone who has had an abortion, remember, God is a God of mercy and forgiveness. All of us can make mistakes, but by God’s grace, we are bigger than our mistakes and our sins. God forgives and wants to heal our broken and wounded hearts. He loves us with an everlasting love. On our part, we do the best we can to help others not make the same mistakes. We can get involved in helping promote the beauty of life and by this way, we find healing.
May we vote for life because innocent lives depend upon it. The mother’s womb should be the safest place on earth, but for 12 million* children in the USA who die from surgical and chemical abortions, it’s a tomb. May the Virgin Mary, whose womb was a safe home for the unborn Jesus, pray for our nation, that we may truly live as disciples of Her Son and not be afraid to stand up for the smallest of humans-- the unborn.
*(11 million chemical and 862,000 surgical) American Life League https://www.all.org/learn/abortion/abortion-statistics/
28th Sunday, Wedding Garment
The parable of the invitation of the King to come to the banquet was an exhortation of Jesus to the Jews to join His new Church and symbolic of the banquet of the Mass and the eternal banquet of Heaven.
The king sent his servants to invite people to the wedding, but they would not come. This refers to the Father, who sent His servants, the prophets-- to His Chosen People. He did so because the Chosen people were not living faithfully according to the Covenant and so refused to join the Church. Although God sent prophets (the apostles), the Jewish leaders would not listen to them and mistreated and killed them. As a result, the king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. This may be a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies in 70 AD.
Then the king said, “The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.” This was an invitation to the Gentiles to join the early Church, because many Jews refused. The early Church became less and less Jewish and more and more Gentile. Huge numbers of non-Jews (Gentiles) flocked into the Church. As Jesus said in the parable, all those found on the streets and byways would be invited.
There is a warning at the end of the parable. The king noticed someone at the wedding banquet not wearing the wedding garment and ordered him to be thrown out. We can understand this to mean--the man was not living a good life, his soul was not in the state of grace.
Years ago, there was a woman who attended Mass every day at the Cathedral in Wichita, Kansas. No matter how hot it was or how much snow was on the ground, she was there at daily Mass. Back when the Cathedral had a school, the children attended daily Mass. The children noticed an elderly woman, who sat in the same place, and always without fail wore the same dress. The children would snicker and make fun of her because she wore the same old dress every day. For years and years, she came to daily Mass and for years and years she wore the same dress. Finally, one day, the elderly woman was not at Mass and people began to wonder where she was. Someone went to her home and found her in bed wearing one of her dresses. She had died in her dress. And when they cleaned out her apartment, in her dresser was another dress exactly as the one she was wearing. Both were exactly alike. There were no other dresses, no pants, no shirts. That’s all she owned. Yet, she wore her best clothes to come to Mass. As she was dressed for the banquet of the Mass, she was dressed for the banquet of heaven. When they cleaned out her apartment, everything she owned fit in one box. Although few people knew her, the Cathedral was completely full of many who wanted to pay tribute to the poor woman, who was faithful to coming to Mass every day and faithful in wearing her best clothes. Her dress became a symbol of her faithfulness to daily Mass. When the children learned she was poor and had only two dresses exactly alike, they were sorry for making fun of her and wanted to attend her funeral.
Everyone is invited to the banquet of the Eucharist, but not everyone comes. We should ask our self, “Are we properly spiritually clothed to receive the King of Heaven in the Eucharist into the banquet of our heart?” Is our soul is not in the state of grace to receive Holy Communion?”
The Mass is an image of eternal wedding banquet in heaven. The Mass is truly a wedding feast. Many are invited, but few come! Most importantly, our soul is to have the garment of being in the state of grace. All are invited to the banquet of Mass, but must adhere to the bride of Christ’s necessary requirements, just as the king in the gospel required all who come to wear the proper garment.
In order for Catholics to receive Communion, their soul must be in the state of grace, which is the garment for the wedding feast. Once a person commits a mortal sin, they are not permitted to receive Holy Communion, because they have thrown aside their wedding garment. If one receives Communion, not in the state of grace, he receives absolutely no grace, but rather commits a sacrilegious communion abhorrent to God.
We are unable to go to heaven, if we don’t have the wedding garment of our soul being in the state of grace. And we can’t receive Jesus in Holy Communion if our soul is not in the state of grace. We don’t want to be thrown out of the heavenly feast and cast into the fiery furnace because we chose to not wear the garment of salvation.
The poor woman’s dress is a symbol of her faithfulness to attending the banquet of the King at Mass by her receiving Jesus in Holy Communion and now she most likely enjoys the richest of foods and most glorious delights of the banquet of heaven.
The Mass and Heaven are like the mountain spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines.” On His Mountain, He will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all the nations; He will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face; the reproach of His people He will remove. And we will see Him face to face for “Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us.”
Let us be faithful in coming to His banquet of the Mass, and worshiping Him and someday we will sit at the banquet of the feast of the King in heaven. And may we ask the Queen of Heaven to help us always wear the Wedding Garment and be ready for the Eternal Feast of heaven.
27th Sunday, Blessed Carlo, Fr. Kapaun & the Good Tenants
In the first reading God speaks of his love for his vineyard which is Israel. Through Isaiah God described his chosen people, Israel, as a vineyard and declared how disappointed He was that instead of yielding grapes they produce sour grapes. The sour grapes were the result of not attending to the vineyard as they ought. Since through the prophet Isaiah God had already described His chosen people as a vineyard, we can easily understand why Jesus told a parable in the Gospel today where he describes the Church as a vineyard. In the parable in the Gospel the landowner sent servants many times to collect the produce of the vineyard. But each time the servants were killed. The servants represent the prophets of the Old Testament who suffered for preaching the Word of God by being killed violently. Then the landowner sent his son, Jesus, who was also killed. The landowner took the vineyard from those tenants and gave it to other tenants. The vineyard in the parable is the Church, and so when the vineyard is taken from those tenants (Jewish leaders) and given to others (the apostles, disciples and the Church) it is a symbolic way of saying that the Church would consist not only of the chosen people, the Jews, but all.
From time to time God continues to send us good tenants (saints, martyrs and holy men and women) to encourage us to be good tenants of the Lord’s vineyard (the Church) and to bear fruit. Who are some of the very good tenants of the Lord’s vineyard today?
Pope St. John Paul II gave the world hope and courage and clear Church teachings. St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta showed us the importance of the corporal works of mercy by helping the world to see Jesus in the poorest of the poor. Mother Angelica, who someday may become a saint, gave us the spiritual works of mercy by way of the Eternal Word Television Network, providing the Mass, the Rosary and Spiritual programing throughout world day and night. St. Faustina revealed the Divine Mercy of Jesus in order to prepare the world for the Second Coming of Jesus.
Fr. Emil Kapaun was an ordinary farm boy from Pilsen, Kansas, who died in the Korean War for his fellow soldiers. As a priest chaplain, he anointed dying soldiers on the battlefield and allowed himself to be captured by the enemy to give soldiers spiritual help and encouragement.
This past Thursday, Oct. 1st a 15 yr. old boy, Carlo Acutis, was declared “blessed” in Milan, Italy. In 2018, he was declared “venerable” meaning he practiced heroic virtue. The miracle approved for his beatification was approved by the pope in Feb. of this year. It involved the healing of a young Brazilian boy afflicted with a rare congenital disease of the pancreas. For three days, the child’s family prayed a novena with a priest who was devoted to Carlo. On the third day, the child said he wanted to eat after days of not being able to eat solid foods, she said. The doctors later discovered he was completely healed.
Blessed Carlo received his First Communion at the age of 7. Since his First Communion, he received the Eucharist every day by devoutly attending daily Mass and would pause for hours in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. He placed the Sacrament of the Eucharist at the center of his life and he called it “my highway to Heaven”.
Our Lady was his great confidant and he never failed to honor Her by reciting the Holy Rosary every day.
Carlo was very gifted with everything related to the world of computers so that both his friends and adults with computer engineering degrees considered him a genius. Everyone was amazed at his ability to understand the secrets of computers normally only accessible to those with specialized university degrees. Carlo’s interests involved computer programming, film editing, website creation, editing and laying out small publications, to helping those most in need especially children and the elderly.
His modern and up-to-date ways combined perfectly with his profound Eucharistic life and Marian devotion, which helped to make him that very special boy everyone admired and loved.
He offered his suffering up for the Pope and the Church.
“To be always united with Jesus, this is my plan of life”. These few words Carlo Acutis, said outline the distinctive feature of his short life: living with Jesus, for Jesus, in Jesus. (…) “I am happy to die because I lived my life without wasting even a minute of it on anything unpleasing to God”.
He died of galloping leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15 and when his coffin was opened this year, he was found totally incorrupt. He looks as though he is sleeping.
That my friends, is how we can become good tenants in the Lord’s vineyard. To always be united to Jesus, never doing anything to displease the Lord and to do the best we can to be holy by living life of virtue.
As Jesus said, “I chose you from the world to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last.”
Let us strive to love and honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray Her Rosary daily and grow in love with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, which, as Carlo said, “is the highway to heaven”.
26th Sunday, Humility of God
Today’s second reading speaks about the humility of Jesus. St. Paul said, “…He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found in human appearance, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the Cross.”
Imagine for a moment, what if God the Father said this to Jesus, His only begotten Son, “I want you to become a man and to live with human beings. You will have two natures, both human and divine. For many years they won’t recognize your divinity and will treat you as one of them.
To become human, you must descend from heaven by the power of the Holy Spirit and become an unborn fetus. You will be so small, you won’t have eyes to see, ears to hear, nor a mouth to speak. For nine months, you will be in the womb of a Virgin, who will take you place to place as you grow inside Her. You will eventually have a heart, which will beat, but that heart will someday be pierced after your death. You will be born in poor conditions and placed in an animal trough. The breath of animals will keep you warm. Your Mother and step-father will teach you talk, to walk, to write and you will grow in wisdom and strength. You will be Jewish and speak their language. As you grow, you will work beside your stepfather. The trees you created, you will cut down and make into furniture and later a tree you created will be used to hang your hands and feet by nails. The humans will mistreat you, they will ignore you. They will not know you are my eternal Son, who is God. Eventually many will come to know who you are, as their Messiah, their Savior and God. You will come to know hunger and thirst and will sweat. You will need to sleep, eat and pray. You will continue to have power to change stones into bread, but will not do so. I want you to establish a Church and through its sacraments, every generation will have the opportunity of becoming one with us through baptism so that we may dwell within their hearts. They will be able to confess their sins to a representative who will share in your priesthood. The sacrifice you make on Calvary will become present in every age on the altar-- in what will be called the Holy Mass. But your greatest act of humility will be that you will take the form of bread and the humans will eat your flesh and drink your blood, so that we can be one with them and bring them to eternal life.
Many of them will be your followers, who will die out of love of you as martyrs. Others will betray you and hand you over. They will accuse you falsely, spit upon you, slap you, and hit you with their fists. They will place a crown of thorns on your head and scourge your back until you are nearly dead. They will have you carry the wooden beams they will hang you. One of your greatest sufferings, will be to see your Mother stand beneath your Cross and with tears flowing from Her cheeks, Her Heart will be pierced. They will place your dead body in Her lap, and then in a tomb. But three days later, by your own power, you will rise from the dead, receive a glorified body and greet them.
Saints will write about your humility and your example and inspire others to come to know you and love you and the Holy Spirit and accept me as their heavenly Father. For what they do to you, they do to me, and you will tell them, “The Father and I are One.” The Holy Spirit will be sent to give birth to the Church on Pentecost and will guide them to all truth. When you ascend back to me on a cloud with your physical body marked by your wounds, the angels will bow down in awe of you and your humility. So that at your name, Jesus, every knee shall bend, of those in heaven and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to my glory.
And Jesus said spoke the words His Mother would someday say, “Be it done unto me according to thy word.” When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of woman subject to the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we may receive out adoption as sons and daughters.
I would like to close with these words of St. Francis of Assisi about the humility of God in the Eucharist. St. Francis of Assisi told his friars: “Kissing your feet, therefore, and with all the love of which I am capable, I implore all of you brothers to show all possible reverence and honor to the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in Whom that which is in heaven and on earth has been brought to peace and reconciled to almighty God . . . How holy, just and fitting must be he (the priest) who touches with his hands, receives in his heart and mouth, and offers to others to be received the One Who is not about to die but Who is to conquer and be glorified, upon Whom the angels longed to gaze . . . Let everyone be struck with fear, let the whole world tremble, and let the heavens exult when Christ, the Son of the living God, is present on the altar in the hands of a priest! O wonderful loftiness and stupendous dignity! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! The Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself that for our salvation He hides Himself under an ordinary piece of bread! Brothers, look at the humility of God, and pour out your hearts before Him! Humble yourselves that you may be exalted by Him! Hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves, that He Who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally!”
25th Sunday, Seek the Lord in the Eucharist
“Seek the Lord while He may be found, call Him while He is near.”
Today’s parable Jesus addressed the Jewish people, whom were called to be near the Lord, as His chosen people, thousands of years, before the Gentiles, who were not Jewish. Therefore, the Jews were the first to receive the call, to be near the Lord, as His chosen people, have no grounds to complain. God called the “last”, (the Gentiles), to be near Him, as His chosen people as well, and so gives them, the same reward—which is membership of His people, into the Church, and entry into His kingdom.
At first sight, laborers of the first hour, seem to have a genuine grievance—because they do not realize, that to have a job, in the Lord’s vineyard is a divine gift, and privilege given by the giver. All without exception are called to be near the Lord on earth and in heaven.
The prophet Isaiah states, Seek the Lord while He may be found, call Him while He is near.” These words echo in our heart, as we seek the Lord in our daily lives and call upon Him, to be near us. There are various ways to find the Lord. For example: The Lord can be found in prayer. He can be found in the Word of God (the bible). He can be found in the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless. He can be found when two or more are gathered in His name. He can be found within each of us through baptism. And most especially, He is found very near us, in the Eucharist in Holy Communion, in His body, blood, soul and divinity. He is really and truly there in the Eucharist in a substantial way, unlike any other way.
Can Our Lord be physically nearer to us, than when we receive Jesus in Holy Communion? There is no way, here on earth, we can be physically nearer to the Lord, than when we receive Holy Communion, as He comes to dwell within us. His body, blood, soul and divinity is united to our body and soul in Holy Communion.
According to St. Alphonsus Ligouri this absolutely magnificent wonder of our intense and intimate communion with the Lord in the Eucharist lasts for about 15 minutes. Some saint say the union lasts longer up to 30 min. St. Thomas Aquinas stated that the union lasts until the Eucharist is absorbed into our body. During this special time with Lord, like no other, our hearts are filled with graces, gifts, and blessings, as we contemplate with tender love, the great wonder of God coming to dwell within us, as we speak to Him, heart to heart.
Within us, Jesus gives us every grace and more to overcome sin and temptations. He gives us graces to endure our daily struggles, sufferings and hardships of life. Our Lord pours within our heart, His unfathomable love, truly beyond telling. In Holy Communion, Jesus comforts us in our sorrows, inspires us to forgive, strengthens us in our will, and if we listen, He may speak to us, from within our heart.
Besides these precious 15 minutes of communion with Our God, where else can we “Seek the Lord, while He can be found, call upon Him, while He is near?” He can be found in every Catholic church in the tabernacle.
It is believed the reason why we have so many seminarians is because many in our diocese attend Mass regularly and who come to adore Jesus in Eucharistic adoration.
Before the pandemic in Europe, the Sunday Mass attendance was as low as 3 to 5%. Our diocese has regular Sunday Mass attendance about 60%, while other dioceses in the United States struggle with 10 to 20% Mass attendance.
Our diocese is also a model for stewardship, while other dioceses including the Archdiocese of Chicago, come to ours to see what we do. And what do they discover when they come here? But, that the source of our stewardship is the result of the people’s devotion to Jesus truly present in the Eucharist.
As a diocese, we are very near and dear to the Lord, because we have been given the graces to “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call Him while He is near.” All of us, out of love for Him, who has drawn us to be near Him, have a duty to give thanks to the Lord, for His goodness to us.
Is there someone you know, that you can help come back to the church, so that they too can experience the great love of Jesus in Holy Communion at Mass, but also you can tell about how Jesus is waiting for them-- to come and spend time with Him in the church?
Therefore, in honor of our Lord’s goodness to us, come to our good God in the Eucharist, He, who is Our Eucharistic King, and with Mary our Mother, offer Him thanks and praise, for calling us, to be so near to Him. And in return, He will give us, even more gifts, and even more graces, for He can never be outdone in generosity. May each and every one of us, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call Him, while He is near”.
24th Sunday Revenge, Riots, Racism & Forgivness
“Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight.” Today, in many US cities, there have been protests and rioting due to wrath and anger from what is believed to be racial injustice. It began with a white police officer kneeling on the neck of a black man, George Floyd. The horrifying event was videotaped. His autopsy revealed he had fentanyl and methamphetamine, and cannabinoids (marijuana) in his system. He also had covid, high blood pressure and heart disease. The examiner hired by the Floyd family said, there was “traumatic asphyxia due to the compression of his neck and back during restraint by police.” while another medical examiner "revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation." He also said that Mr. Floyd had a fatal level of fentanyl in his blood system.
His cry, “I can’t breathe” in is very disturbing. Despite his horrible death, we can’t presume it was due to racism because we don’t know what the officer was thinking. He was being arrested for using a counterfeit bill. The officer kneeling on his neck, could have did it out of anger, or fear, or because he didn’t like the man for an unknown reason, or maybe it truly was due to racism. The truth is, we don’t know if it was racism or not. But the result of the appearance of racism and police brutality caused protesting and rioting all over the country.
Anger is justified over an injustice (killing by using excessive force). But how are we react to an injustice? How are to express the anger? We are to forgive. We are to pray. We are to love. We are to use anger that comes with an injustice-- to move us to make changes so the injustice does not happen again. We can peacefully protest by marching, by writing letters, by meetings, etc… against police brutality and racism (if that was the case). But, if we don’t control our anger and don’t forgive, we can end up being revengeful and hurt others. We can become a prisoner of our un-forgiveness.
To be prejudice, means to pre-judge. To make judgements about a person or a group of people without knowing them. They can are treated with suspicion (racial profiling) by some police officers and so an officer might be more apt to pull over a vehicle with black people than one with whites. People can look upon all blacks with fear or treat them as though they are inferior.
Deep behind prejudicial thinking is the sin of pride, where one thinks they are better than others and puts them down to make oneself look better.
I am sure you have heard of the organization “Black Lives Matter” But did you know it’s actually a Marxist organization. “It promotes a left-wing ideology that is anti-God, anti-family, and anti-life.” (Dr. Paul Kengor of Relevant Radio) The Black Lives Matter organization’s website — under the “What We Believe” tab — includes a handful of statements that Catholic critics often point out, including working toward; disrupting “the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure”; and fostering “a queer-affirming network … with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking.” Bp. Thomas Daily of Spokane, Washington, on July 5th said, “BLM is in conflict with Church teaching regarding marriage, family and the sanctity of life,” “Moreover, it is disturbing that BLM has not vocally condemned the recent violence that has torn apart so many cities. Its silence has not gone unheard. One need not stand with BLM to stand for Black lives.”
In many US cities, revenge, anger and hatred caused looting, burning down businesses, the taking over a police station and part of a city. And there is a movement to defund the police. But this is unreasonable. Rioting is not protesting. It’s racist to think all blacks cause crimes and violence. It is equally unjust to view all police officers as being racist and as though all use excessive force. This way of thinking comes from the devil, who wants to cause disunity, hatred, violence, and un-forgiveness.
By far, the majority of police are heroes, get little pay, and deal with difficult and violent situations in order to keep us safe through law and order. There are bad people in every profession.
When there is an injustice, we are to forgive and to work in peaceful and productive way to make change. Forgiveness does not mean, we forget the injustice or have to have a relationship with the person who hurt us. Forgiveness is an act of the will. When we forgive, we are saying to God and to our self, “I forgive. I want the person who hurt me to repent and change their life. I want the person to go to heaven.” Many people confuse feelings with forgiveness. We can’t perfectly control our emotions, because God did not create us that way. Rather, we are to use our reason and our will to control our emotions. You can’t tell someone laughing hysterically to stop laughing and then suddenly, they stop laughing. We don’t go by feelings, we go by an act of the will. Even after we forgive, when we think about the event that hurt us, it can still cause the bad feelings to arise. But that doesn’t mean he haven’t forgiven. It means our emotions are wounded and in need of healing. When our emotions are wounded, in prayer--we need to allow our self to feel those emotions in the presence of Jesus and He will heal them. Sirach said, “Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the Lord?” Rather, he said, we are to “Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.” In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus warns, if we do not forgive others, God won’t forgive us, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
12 yr. old St. Maria Goretti was stabbed 14 times by Alessondro Seranali, an 18 yr. old boy, who wanted to have his way with her. Before she died, she forgave him. While in prison for many years he would not repent, until one day, he had a dream of her. He then repented and went to confession. Many years later, when released from prison, as an act of forgiveness, Maria’s mother invited him to attend Midnight Mass with her.
For our nation to heal, we all need to forgive all who have hurt us (whether it’s our spouse, or co-worker, or boss, or friend or even our self). When there is an injustice, we need to work for change in a peaceful way. We need to root out any form of prejudice from our heart and pray for those who are prejudice will see Jesus in everyone, as Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”
And let us turn to the Virgin Mary and daily pray Her Rosary, asking our heavenly Mother to intercede on behalf of our country, that every life will matter, that all will forgive each other and be treated with respect and human dignity.
23d Sunday Watchman Warn of Danger to a Nation - Abortion
The prophet Ezekiel was commissioned by God to be a watchman for the house of Israel. He was warned by God not to shy away from preaching the truth, “If I tell the wicked man that he shall surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked man from his way, he (the wicked man) shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death” (Ezek 33:8). He is to warn the people of an impending danger, an attack by the enemy of God. If he does not warn them when he sees evil, he is participating in the evil. But he is not at fault if they refuse to listen.
There is a great evil threatening our nation. It is an evil worse than racial injustice, worse than rioting, worse than Marxism, worse than socialism, antifa and anarchists, and worse than the covid virus.
So what is the greatest evil threatening our nation? Bishop Kemme once said the greatest evil in our time is abortion. Over 1,200 unborn children died in Wichita last year at the abortion clinic. Yet, there has been 55 covid deaths in Sedgwick County this year. In Kansas, there were 6,916 abortions in 2019 vs 463 total Kansas covid deaths so far this year. How great is the danger of abortion, compared to covid!
Pope John Paul II in "Evangelium Vitae" states "I declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. ... No circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can ever make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit, since it is contrary to the law of God which is written in every human heart, knowable by reason itself and proclaimed by the Church" (EV 62C). In 1974, Cardinal Seper of the CDF said, “it is inadmissible that doctors or nurses should find themselves obligated to cooperate closely in abortions and have to choose between the law of God and their professional situation." (Morality and Law 22)
Archbishop Chaput when he was the bishop of Denver said, “Some have claimed to equate abortion with other issues affecting life such as poverty and environmental concerns. Many have sidelined the abortion issue, making it one among others. And, we can’t do that.” “Voting for a known pro-abortion candidate while the other candidate is pro-life, is a sin requiring confession, because one would be cooperating in evil.” He said.
Some issues in the upcoming election are immigration, racial justice, global warming, healthcare, the economy & abortion. But the United States Conference of Catholic bishops, said “abortion is pre-eminent issue in any election”.
Fr. Matthew Habiger, a moral theologian, said, “It is a scandal that Catholic politicians vote for bills which fund or otherwise advance abortion.” It is also scandalous to see Catholic votes for those in favor of abortion. Every Catholic should know that abortion is a gravely serious evil, and as such is never to be supported. …in the way we vote, that to be catholic is to be unconditionally pro-life."
Joe Biden says he is Catholic and used to be pro-life, but has changed his mind and is now in favor of killing a child up to the moment of birth. He is for open borders. He wants the Little Sisters of the Poor to pay for abortion and contraception, violating their religious freedom. He is in favor of defunding the police. The Democratic Party’s platform includes supporting abortion and at their convention removed the words “one nation under God” from the pledge of allegiance.
The Republican Party has a pro-life stance for their party platform and they want to keep the words “one nation under God” in the pledge of allegiance. President Trump is Presbyterian. Years ago, he was in favor of abortion, but later became pro-life after he met a pregnant woman going to have an abortion. She later changed her mind and gave birth to her child. Then later, when Donald Trump met her and the baby, he became pro-life.
President Trump is the most pro-life president we have ever had. He is in favor of putting up a wall requiring immigrants to enter the country legally. He is in favor of religious freedom – not requiring the Little Sisters of the Poor to violate their conscience. He will not defund the police.
A Catholic cannot vote for any candidate in favor of abortion, while the other candidate is pro-life. We have an obligation to influence our culture for the good, to prevent evil in our community and in our country. If there is no right to life, what good is an immigration policy or global warming policy or healthcare. What about racial justice for all unborn races!
Every Christian is a watchmen, not just priests. A watchmen will try to protect everyone from the devil who is trying to destroy life. Should not watchmen protect the most vulnerable, the most innocent of human life and to help bring about a culture of life and love?
According to Ezekiel, if a watchman doesn’t warn his people, he will be guilty of the sin. But if he warns them, and they refuse to listen, he will not be guilty. Jesus is speaking to us through His watchmen. He is warning us through them-- of a grave evil threatening our nation. Before the election let us ask the Virgin Mary to help us be watchmen to help others vote for life and listen to Her Son, who is the way, the truth and the Life.
22nd Sunday Accept Suffering 2020
“Whoever wishes to come after me, must deny Himself, take up his cross and follow me.”
In the Gospel today, Our Lord first told His disciples, that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly and then be killed and on the third day be raised. And Peter said to Jesus, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” We see in Peter’s words his attempt to prevent Our Lord from going to Jerusalem, because he did not want Jesus to suffer and to die. At first, this sounds like a very noble thing to do. Nobody would want someone they love to suffer and die.
Surprisingly, Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get behind me Satan. You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God, but as human beings do.” He wanted Peter to know suffering has infinite value and would be the means of showing the depths of His love. He also wanted Peter to know to run away from suffering, is the way of the world, not the way of God. All of the apostles, except John would be martyred. They were willing to take up their cross and follow Jesus. They were willing to suffer for Jesus and for the faith, which they proclaimed.
Many of us run from suffering. We don’t want to endure pain, and so we complain to others about what we endure. While it is true we should try to alleviate some suffering, it is also true it is a means of revealing love and we will have peace if we accept suffering and embrace it.
As soon as we get a headache, many of us immediately take Tylenol. When there is suffering involved in helping others, some people will rather not help someone in need. Some of us don’t want to wait 10 minutes to get a hamburger at a drive through restaurant, because we don’t want to suffer the wait. Some don’t keep their house clean because we don’t want to suffer doing work. Children don’t want to do their homework because it is easier and fun to play video games. Spouses don’t want to give up their own selfish preferences because they don’t want to suffer the consequence of allowing their spouse to do what they prefer, rather than what we prefer. (she wants to watch a drama on television while he wants to watch a football game).
However, there are some willing to suffer for Jesus and to suffer for others. For example, there is a woman in Africa, by the name of Olivia, who crawls 2 1/2 miles every Sunday to go to Mass, because she doesn’t have legs. She is not afraid to suffer for Jesus. Our ancestors walked miles or rode on horses in the hot summer, and prayed in a non-air-conditioned church, wearing suits and dresses, they were not afraid to suffer. There are parents who work two jobs in order to send their children to college. They are not afraid to suffer. There are people who mow their neighbor’s lawn as an act of charity, even in the heat. They are not afraid to suffer.
US soldiers and police risk their lives to protect others. Hospital staff risk getting diseases such as covid. Saints risked their lives during times of diseases and ended up dying by the disease such as St. Aloysius Gonzaga who helped victims of a plague in a hospital and St. Louis IX King of France died when taking care of and burying plague victims, St. Damien of Malakai, Hawaii died of leprosy, minister to lepers in in a leper colony.
In the second reading, St. Paul said, “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.” This is what Jesus was going to do when He was headed to Jerusalem to be killed and rise from the dead. J He would offer His body as a living and acceptable sacrifice for our salvation.
Today, let us choose to deny our self and take up our crosses, rather than run from them, so that we may be true followers of Jesus. If we offer up our suffering and unite to the suffering of Jesus on the Cross, it can be used for the salvation of souls and for the purirfication of our own.
For by doing so, it will be a pleasing act of spiritual worship offered to God, our loving Father. And may, Mary, our Mother stand with us at the foot of our Cross and pray for us that we may accept our suffering and embrace it.
21st Sunday (Peter & Successors) Gift of Infallibility
Today’s readings give us an insight into Peter the first pope and papal infallibility. The first reading from the prophet Isaiah reflects the special authority given by Jesus to St. Peter, as head of the Church. Eliakim is given authority over the inhabitants of Jerusalem, while Peter is given authority of Our Lord’s new Church. Eliakim shall be a father to the people of Jerusalem; the word pope means “father”, and he will be a father to all Christians.
Isaiah mysteriously seems to even foreshadow the clothing of the future popes. It states, “I will clothe him with your robe and gird him with your sash and give over to him authority.” How interesting that popes would eventually wear robes and a sash (which today we know as a cassock and cincture). But most importantly it refers to the authority passed down from pope to pope.
In Isaiah, the Lord places the key of David upon Eliakim’s shoulder. Peter receives the keys by the Son of David, who is the Son of God Himself. As Jesus said, “I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.” The handing over of the keys is symbolic for the passing on of authority. Eliakim speaks more clearly about the authority as he states, “he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.” Jesus gave to Peter, the first pope, the authority to bind and loosen. He told Peter, "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven". Here Peter was singled out for the authority that provides for the forgiveness of sins and the making of disciplinary rules.
Peter alone was promised something else also. Jesus said, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven". In ancient times, keys were the hallmark of authority. A walled city might have one large gate; and that gate had one large lock, worked by one large key. To be given the key to the city is—an honor that exists even today. It meant whoever has the key has free access to and authority over the city. The city to which Peter was given the keys was the heavenly city itself. This is why today we hear people say, Peter is standing at the pearly gates of heaven to keep out those who do not belong and allow those to whom God permits to enter.
When Peter declared who Jesus is: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” he made an infallible statement. Our Lord makes it clear, that no one revealed this to Peter, except the heavenly Father.
Popes have made infallible statements throughout history. There are two most commonly noted. It was in 1854 when the Pope definitively defined and required the faithful to believe in Mary’s Immaculate Conception and in 1950, when the Pope declared Mary’s Assumption as a dogma binding all Catholics to believe it, and both were commonly believed to be true from the beginning of Christianity.
The meaning of infallibility is meant in a very strict sense of the word. The Catholic Church’s teaching on papal infallibility is generally misunderstood by those outside the Church. Some falsely think Catholics believe it means the pope cannot sin nor make a mistake. But we don’t believe this. We don’t believe the pope can’t make mistakes and that he is not a sinner like all of us.
In 1870, the Church Council, Vatican, I formally declared the meaning of Papal Infallibility. It said, “Therefore, faithfully adhering to the tradition received from the beginning of the Christian faith, to the glory of God our savior, for the exaltation of the Catholic religion and for the salvation of the Christian people, with the approval of the Sacred Council, we teach and define as a divinely revealed dogma that when the Roman Pontiff speaks EX CATHEDRA, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Church, he possesses, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his Church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals.”
For a papal infallible statement to be made, the pope, as the universal shepherd in exercising his authority, he must: 1. Declare the teaching he is proposing as a constant and universal teaching of the Church; 2. the judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful; 3. and it must concern faith and morals. All of these must be present, and if one is not, then it’s not an infallible statement.
That being said, the pope can speak infallibly without speaking ex-cathedra, but only within very limited ways. For example, Pope St. John Paul II made an infallible statement without speaking ex-Cathedra which occurred when we wrote Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, in 1994, which formally forbade women from becoming priests and required the faithful to believe only men can become priests.
Nowhere in the document Amoris Latetia by Pope Francis does the pope say the contents are a constant and universal teaching. Nor does it say that it is to be held definitively by the universal Church. When Pope Francis wrote the document and when he speaks about it without the requirements of papal infallibility, then there is no papal infallibility associated with it.
The fact is when a pope writes homilies or conducts interviews or makes comments about a particular doctrine or even writes apostolic exhortations, if he does not specifically have all requirements of papal infallibility in a document, than its not infallible teaching. The words used in an infallible proclamation must only deal with faith and morals and must be said to bind the faithful in a definitive manner for all to believe and must be a constant and universal teaching of the Church.
Today, many are confused about various statements of Pope Francis. Cardinal Burke said, “Regarding the frequent statements of Pope Francis, there has developed a popular understanding that every statement of the Holy Father must be accepted as papal teaching or magisterium. The mass media has certainly wanted to pick and choose among the declarations of Pope Francis, in order to demonstrate the Catholic Church is undergoing a revolution and is changing radically its teaching on certain key questions of faith and especially of morals.” But this certainly untrue. The Catholic Church can never depart from the teachings of Jesus given to His apostles and passed down to us from Divine Revelation.
Cardinal Burke said Catholics seeking to remain true to Christ and the Church (Jesus) founded must learn to discern between the “words of the man who is Pope and the words of the Pope as Vicar of Christ on earth.” He said, “Pope Francis has chosen to speak often in his first body, the body of the man who is Pope. In fact, even in documents which, in the past, have represented more solemn teaching, he states clearly that he is not offering magisterial teaching but his own thinking.” “But those who are accustomed to a different manner of Papal speaking want to make his every statement somehow part of the Magisterium. To do so is contrary to reason and to what the Church has always understood. It is simply wrong and harmful to the Church to receive every declaration of the Holy Father as an expression of papal teaching or magisterium.”
Today, let us pray for our pope, the successor of St. Peter, whom Jesus founded His Church. And may Mary, the Mother of the Church help us to faithfully follow the Church’s teachings, handed down to us from Peter and the apostles.
19th Sunday, Fear & Faith (Covid)
Today’s Gospel is about fear and faith. Due to the storm, the disciples boat was tossed about by the wind, which caused the waves to nearly tip it over. Spending hours on the boat, unable to reach the other side, they battled the wind and waves, and must have become exhausted. They feared the boat would capsize in the dark night. This fear was increased by terror, when they saw what appeared to be a ghost walking on the water. The Gospel states, “they cried out in fear”. It’s not often we hear about full-grown men crying out in fear. They must have been afraid they would die, as they most certainly were afraid of the ghostly figure, which came to them in the darkness of the night. With regard to seeing Jesus during the night, how could they have seen Him in the darkness? As the wind was blowing and the waves were high, was Jesus illuminated? Or perhaps the moon was shining and so reflected His clothing. Whatever the case, they were relieved to hear, “Courage it is I; do not be afraid”.
Amazingly, Peter reveals his great faith, when he said, “Lord if it is You, command me to come to You.” And Our Lord said, “Come”. Peter had the faith to believe Jesus would help him walk on water and because of his faith, he actually gets out of the boat and begins to walk on the water. No other apostle walked on water. But, Peter became frightened due to the strong wind and took his eyes off of Jesus and that’s when he began to sink. Yet, he believed Jesus could save him and so he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately, Jesus stretched out His hand saved Peter. And Jesus responded saying, “Oh, you of little faith, why did you doubt.”
The event caused the apostles in the boat to do homage to Jesus saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God.”
Aren’t we like the apostles? Our faith comes and goes with our emotions. It shrinks when we are afraid, but yet, we muster up the courage to cry out like Peter.
When a staff member enters the room of a covid patient, fear can come upon us. We wonder, are we going to get it? And not know we have it and then give to our family members.
The other day I saw a maintenance man who needed to enter the covid unit at St. Francis Hosp. He was about 30 years old and as a tall strong man. As the tech was tying up his gown, she said, “You are shaking. Are you afraid?” And he responded honestly, “Yes, I am afraid.” His honest answer actually seemed to calm him down. Once he got his emotions out, he seemed less afraid.
It is human to have fear at times. God gave us fear as an emotion to protect our self and others. Yet, we can’t let fear control us.
If we are afraid, we can do like Peter and say a prayer, “Lord save me.” I think all staff members should say a prayer to Jesus before entering a covid patient’s room. We can say something like this, “Lord Jesus, come be with me and protect me. And Lord please help this patient to have peace.”
Today, let us pray we will have a steadfast faith whether things are going well or if fear comes upon us. We are all so human and Jesus understands our faith at times falters, but He is always there to reach out and save us.
O Mary, Woman of faith, pray for us!
18th Sunday, Multiplication of the Loaves, Beating Heart of Jesus in the Eucharist
In the Gospel, the multiplication of the loaves is a foreshadowing of the Eucharist. As the crowds followed Jesus into a deserted place, Our Lord’s Heart was moved with pity. And so after a long day, without food in a deserted place, the disciples wanted to dismiss the crowds, so they could get something to eat. But Jesus said, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” It may seem odd to carrying fish, in a deserted place, but at that time, dried or baked fish was carried for traveling.
Jesus ordered the crowds to sit on the grass. He took five loaves and two fish, and “looked up to heaven, said the Blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples who in turn gave it to the crowds”.
Our Lord performed this same action at the Last Supper. He blessed, broke and gave His body to them at the Last Supper. We hear these words at Mass because Jesus told His disciples to “Do this in memory of me.” Jesus wanted His apostles and ordained priests to be the ones who give the Eucharist to the people, because it is through their consecrated hands, Jesus transforms bread and wine into His Body and Blood.
How could 5,000 men, not counting women and children, eat from 5 loaves and 2 fish, and be satisfied? It was a true miracle. It foreshadows what happens at Mass. How is it, all who attend Mass can receive Jesus in Holy Communion? There is only one Jesus. At Mass each person is able to receive the whole and entire person of Jesus. At Mass, it’s a multiplication of His presence, a true miracle.
Some modern Catholic theologians, say when Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish the people shared their own bread and fish with those who didn’t had any. But this is absolutely false. This idea contradicts scripture, which says Jesus “looked up to heaven, said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples who in turn gave it to the crowds”.
There is not a single Church Father, nor Pope, nor document of the Church referring to the multiplication of the loaves, as one big time of sharing. This false idea clouds the fact, Jesus worked this miracle for the purpose to foreshadowing and preparing hearts for the marvelous gift of the Eucharist. Today, Our Lord’s presence in the Eucharist feeds millions of souls by multiplying His own Body, through the hands of His priests.
The collection of the fragments is a reminder each particle contains the whole person of Jesus Christ and that is why many churches use patens when Communion is distributed. Each particle no matter how small is the whole and entire person of Jesus, His body, blood, soul, divinity, His breathing lungs, and His beating Sacred Heart.
For centuries Christians received Communion only on the tongue because by doing so, it prevented particles from the Sacred Host from falling to the ground. It is an act of humility and reverence to receive Communion on the tongue.
During the pandemic, Bishop Kemme encourages Communion on the hand. However, bishop said Communion could be received on the tongue. He said this because Communion on the tongue is universal law, meaning Communion on the tongue is the normal way the Church desires we receive and no bishop has the authority to force people to receive on the hand.
What we need to remember is we are not receiving bread during Communion. We are not receiving Jesus in the bread. Rather, on the altar when the priest utters the words of Jesus at the Last Supper, bread and wine are totally transformed into the divine person of Jesus. We are receiving the whole and entire person of Jesus including His beating Heart. St. Peter Julian Eymard, “The Divine Heart is living and palpitating in the Eucharist, …but… risen and consummated in blessedness. The Heart of Jesus therefore lives in the Eucharist, since His body is alive there. We do not see the Eucharistic Heart but we possess it. It is ours! This Heart watches over us; while Our Savior, enclosed in the frail Host, seems wrapped in sleep, His Heart remains awake…May the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, be our salvation.”
17th Sunday, Wisdom
If God would appear to you in a dream and say you could have whatever you asked, what would you ask for? Would you ask to win the lottery to become a millionaire? Would you ask for good health all the days of your life? Would you ask for a pearl necklace or the corvette you always wanted? Would you ask to find a hidden treasure of gold? Or would you ask for something spiritual? Or to never commit a mortal sin. Or to have a chaste heart. Or to go straight to heaven when we die.
Today’s first reading and the Gospel are about the importance of seeking wisdom. In the first reading, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and told him to ask something of God and that God would give it to him. Solomon doesn’t ask for riches or for a long life nor to conquer his enemies, but for wisdom, so he may have “an understating heart to judge the people and to distinguish right from wrong”. And God replied, “I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one equal to you.”
The Catholic Encyclopedia describes the gift of wisdom as "detaching us from the world, makes us relish and love only the things of heaven." In another words the things of this world are important only as they can lead us to heaven. Money, possessions and the successes of this life are good only if they help us and others to get to heaven. But something even more important than money and possessions is love. St. John of the Cross said, “In the twilight of life God will not judge us on earthly possessions and human success, but rather how much we have loved.”
St. John Vianney points us to love. He said, “I love You, O my God, and my only desire is to love You until the last breath of my life. I love You, Lord and the only grace I ask is to love You eternally…”
St. Alohonsus Ligouri said, “If you embrace all things in this life as coming from the hands of God, and even embrace death to fulfill His holy will, assuredly you will die a saint." He is wise because he recognizes everything in this life can draw us to love God including suffering.
Saint Pope John Paul II points us to Jesus in the Eucharist. He said, “The Eucharist is the secret of my day. It gives strength and meaning to all my activities of service to the Church and to the world.” His words help us to understand the Eucharist is the hidden treasure, not buried in a field, but hidden in a tabernacle. The Eucharist is Jesus and to desire only Him and to love Him with all our heart and receive Him in our heart, will be our source of happiness in this life. Jesus Himself is the pearl of great price and we should do all we can to possess Him in Holy Communion, even to risk death by a virus or by the hands of a mob.
Today, let us ask the Virgin Mary, the Seat of Wisdom, to help us seek the things of heaven and not the things of this world. She will point us to Her Son, on earth in the Eucharist, so that we can be with Him in heaven for all eternity. And through Mary’s intercession we will have an understanding heart and make right decisions that lead us to God and possess Him alone.
15th Sunday, Natural Family Planning
Do you feel like you can’t talk to your spouse about things, which weigh heavily upon your heart? Does your spouse seem selfish, as you always sacrifice, your desire for the sake of your spouse? Do you feel your spouse uses you? If so, these are symptoms of contraception. It causes us fail to communicate, about the most intimate action in our life, and fail to respect each other, as we ought. Contraception has a frightening 80% divorce rate.
Natural Family Planning is the solution. NFP is not the old-fashioned calendar method. Rather, it is a new natural technological method, based upon self-observation to achieve or postpone pregnancy. This new natural technology includes recent breakthroughs in understanding fertility, and is morally acceptable.
There are two primary purposes for Natural Family Planning. The first is to enable the couple to understand fertility, so that they may knowingly and freely cooperate with God in pro-creating. The second purpose is to develop a deeper reverence for fertility, which results in the Gift of fertility being cherished more.
To knowingly and freely cooperate with God, called procreation, makes us more human, less like animals, not giving in to every urge. Through the mystery of fertility, we enter into the divine life of God. Human fertility is an extension of the Holy Spirit, who acts through our bodies to create. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and so we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, by creating new life. NFP therefore causes a deeper respect for fertility, a deeper respect for children, a deeper respect for our bodies, and a deeper respect for our spouses. We come to understand fertility as a gift, given by God, to be used in creating people, who will share His divine life in heaven. The simple technological new way of Natural Family Planning is 99% effective & brings the couple into a deeper union with God & His plan. The couple do not mindlessly bring about children, with no concern for the family’s wellbeing. Rather they take on the responsibility of spacing children, cooperating with God, to bring about new life, causing us, to enter into the mystery of life, itself.
Natural Family Planning can be likened to the parable of the seed. The sower, who is God, desires to give life by sewing seed on fertile soil. Contraception prevents the seed from bearing fruit, on fertile soil, using un-natural and immoral obstacles. Throwing the seed haphazardly blocks life & love. God does not sew seed haphazardly to be scattered, wasted, or given to us, at times, not good for us.
The parable of the Sower, can help us understand how contraception & Natural Family Planning affect marriage. The seed that lands on the path, is the newlywed couple, who begins to use contraception. They take the hard path of selfishness, and fail to give one’s self, to the other, stealing the seeds of happiness, joy, and love in their heart. Self-control and self-discipline are lost. Each seeks one’s own pleasure, rather than to give pleasure to the other. Selfishness causes the marriage to be stolen by the evil one, and so, it ends in divorce.
The seed sown on rocky ground is the couple, who understands the importance of spousal self-gift, heard about Natural Family Planning, and wants to die to one’s own desires, for the sake of their beloved spouse. However, they begin to contracept when tribulations come within the marriage, or society persecutes them, with false ideas: Such as contraception is safe, effective, and morally acceptable. They abandon loyalty to the Church, and selectively, do away with Church teachings. Contraception is therefore, not mentioned in confession.
Contraception causes a failure to communicate, about the most intimate thing in the couple’s life, which causes a failure to speak about other things, which weigh heavily on the heart. They feel trapped, as their spouse will not listen. They feel used, for the pleasure of the other. They feel trampled upon, as each disregards the other’s feelings. They end up not acting fully human, not freely cooperating with God, and so can act on urges, rather than love. They become disrespectful of one’s own body, the body of the spouse, not respecting the other’s feelings, failing to look upon children, as a gift from God. The result is selfishness, failing to give their love, to their beloved spouse. The marriage ends in divorce.
The seed which is sown among thorns, is the newly married couple, who hears about the importance of total self-gift and Natural Family Planning, but due to worldly anxiety and the lure of riches, choke off total self-giving in their marriage, resorting to contraception, and so, do not bear the fruit of children, or the fruit of sacrificial love. Rather they bear the rotten fruit of greed, envy, and covetousness. Finances cause division resulting in arguments over money and objects, which causes the marriage to end in divorce.
However, the seed sown on rich soil, is the married couple, who is open to planting the human seed in fertile soil, by using Natural Family Planning. They responsibly space their children, and so cooperate with God in conjugal love. They understand the importance of total self-gift, follow the teachings of the Church, ignore societal persecution, of the false ideas of contraception, and so use Natural Family Planning. They don’t worry about the anxiety of the worlds, or the lure of riches, and so live a life respecting the body, mind, and heart of each other, growing in mutual tenderness. And so, blossoms the fruit of true love, based upon total sacrificial love, in imitation of the love of Jesus on the Cross. Their love deepens with each passing day. Due to abstinence, during fertile periods, they find deeper, more meaningful ways to give themselves, to each other, rather than physical union. They enter into a deeper more profound love. A love based upon the love of God. A love based upon sacrifice. A love based upon mutual respect. A love based upon real open communication. A love based upon the profound mystery of fertility and creation, whereby the total gift of self, through total self-donation, blossoms the fruit of priceless children. Do not married couples long for this love?
Children are no longer viewed as “something” to avoid, but “someone” (who is a real lovable person). The Child is no longer a burden, causing us pain and misery, but someone, with a heart, a personality, a mind, and a soul. They are no longer viewed as mistakes, or accidents, but planned by God. We discover our true role, as co-creators with God, the Creator of life, and love, and so view children, as a loving gift from God.
Deep inside the heart, we long for a happier and more joyful marriage, based upon love that is totally self-giving. We desire happiness, joy, marital stability & deep inner respect.
And how is it obtained? Natural Family Planning is way, in which we come to sanctify our self, our marriage, trusting God and His Church. Do not be afraid, but trust, which will bring about a flourishing marriage based upon seed of the Word of God. It takes communication, self-discipline, and patience,--values not encouraged in our society.
Natural family planning is the pearl of great price, which brings about the Kingdom of Heaven. God’s kingdom comes within us, as His will is done, and married couples live out their conjugal love responsibly, in a joyful total self-giving love, a love that each and every married couple longs for, deep within their heart!
May spouses choose to love each other wholeheartedly with an enduring love, based upon the pearl of great price! Today, give your total heart to your spouse, and you will give your total heart to God, and so sign up for Natural Family Planning!
14th Sunday, Pray for Humility
The first reading and the Gospel both speak of humility. The first reading prophesied a king who will come riding in humility on a donkey, not on a camel nor a horse used by the wealthy, but a donkey used by the poor. The prophet Zechariah speaks about the humility of a king, who has power and authority and yet rides on the humble animal of a donkey. Jesus fulfilled this prophesy when He rode a donkey into Jerusalem as the people laid palm branches before Him saying, “Blessed is the King, who comes in the name of the Lord.”
In the Gospel, Our Lord said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” Jesus wants His disciples, including us-- to learn to have a meek and humble heart.
Humility is truth. But pride reveals the hidden desires of the heart that cause a distortion of that which is true about our self and others. It’s an exaggerated view of our self and our needs. The truth is Jesus is God and He humbled Himself by taking upon our human nature. He appeared only to be human, but His personhood was God.
St. Paul said to the Philippians, “Though Jesus was in the form of God,He did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness;and found human in appearance He humbled himself,becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the namethat is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
The Litany of Humility manifests the wrong ways of thinking that can lead to pride and by praying to be delivered of these ways, the Lord will give us the gift of that which is true—humility of heart.
And so let us pray for the gift of humility.
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
Your response is “Deliver me, Jesus”
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...
Now your response is, Jesus grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease..
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…
Today, let us choose to pray every day for the gift of humility and trust God will give us a heart meek and humble, in imitation of the Heart of Jesus, so we may echo the words of Mary, who said, “He will cast down the mighty and lift up the lowly.” And recognize all good things come from God, and not attribute them to our self, as Mary said, “He who is mighty has done great things for me.”
13th Sunday, If You Love Father & Mother More Than Me, You are Not Worthy of Me
“Whoever loves father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter, more than me is not worthy of me.”
Our Lord today, reminds us of the stark reality that sometimes, we may put into positions, we must choose Him, over our family.
Here are some common ways, we can be placed in a difficult circumstance of choosing Jesus over our family.
For example: One of our relatives wants us to enter into a business agreement, which is dishonest. What are we to do?
What if a Catholic relative wants to get married outside of the Church, at the court house, or Las Vegas, or in non-Catholic Church, should we attend the non-valid ceremony?
What if our spouse wants to use contraception, and we know it’s seriously sinful? What are we to do?
What about the spouse who wants to lie on the joint income taxes? What are we to do?
What if we are invited to dinner at the home of a family member who is a non-practicing Catholic on a Friday during Lent, and they want to serve meat? Will we ask them to change the day or go ahead and eat the meat, knowing we would offend God and in order to not offend a family member?
Recall the words of Jesus: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter, more than me is not worthy of me.”
Jesus said, He did not come to bring peace, but rather division. Here He is speaking of earthly peace—peace between family members. Some say, it’s better to attend a non-valid marriage for the sake of keeping peace in the family. But what about peace in one’s heart and peace with God. And what about the word of Jesus, “Whoever does not take up His cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me.”
What is more important in our life, peace among family members, or peace with God and with oneself? And if we should choose God over our family member, we know at times, we may feel persecuted and division may occur. But, Our Divine Lord gave us these comforting words, “blessed are the persecuted the reign of God is theirs.” Most of us have experienced times in our life when we need to be a witness to our faith, a witness to the teachings of the Church, and therefore witness to our family. To be found not worthy of Jesus, would be terrifying at the moment of death. At our judgment, if we deny, Him, He will deny us. Our Lord said, “If you deny Me, you will deny the One whom sent me.” As St. Peter said, “It is better to choose God than man.”
As we prepare to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, let us pray for the gift of courage, that we may stand up for Jesus, stand up for the Church, and stand up for what we believe.
If we have a deep personal relationship with Jesus, we would rather not offend Him, then not offend a family member.
And with God’s grace, we will be like Our Lady, and St. John, the beloved apostle, who faithfully stood, with Our Blessed Lord, when He was crucified, so that we may have life, and have it abundantly, with Him, in the life to come.
12th Sunday Do Not Not Be Afraid of the Virus, That Can Kill the Body
In the Gospel today, Jesus tells His disciples multiple times to not be afraid. If we remember when the pandemic started many were frightened. We did not know how bad it would be. I remember seeing nurses crying on the units for fear they would catch the virus and then give it to their family. On March 17th, churches throughout the United States discontinued offering public Masses out of fear of the unknown. We have to give our bishops the benefit of the doubt. At that time, there was not much information on the virus and reports from China and Italy indicated thousands were dying. There wasn’t enough respirators. It was uncertain as to how the virus was spread. I recall being told to not wear a mask while in the hospital and then a week later was told it was mandatory. People in charge of making decisions for us including our president, our governor, our bishop, the mayor and hospital officials all wanted to protect us from the virus.
In the Gospel today, Jesus said, “Do not be afraid.”. How those words were needed at the beginning of the pandemic and even today. Jesus also said in the Gospel, “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” He was referring to future persecutions. The early Christians would be captured and martyred.
We can say, “Those who kill the body” can refer to the invisible virus. But we should not be afraid of something that kills the body. Rather we should be afraid of something or someone who can kill the soul. Death of the soul is far more serious then death of the body. Because if we lose are soul, we are lost for all eternity. So we should fear more committing a mortal sin, then fear the mortality of the body.
As the pandemic continued it became clear which businesses and organizations were deemed essential and those that were non-essential. We were told it was safe to go to grocery stores, to banks and gas stations, but churches were forbidden to be open and if a church was opened, in some places the pastor and the people could get arrested.
The head of the CDC said it was unsafe for people to receive Communion, yet at the same grocery stores were open. Some could not attend church because there wasn’t enough room due to social distancing and were turned away. So some couldn’t receive the Eucharist (the Body of Christ) in the Host at church, but could go to the supermarket and get a box of crackers. Food is essential. If you don’t have physical food we will die, yet sacramental food (the Bread of Life), the Body and Blood of Christ was considered non-essential. We were told to watch Mass on YouTube, make spiritual communions, and that saints had gone months without the Eucharist, which is all true.
But, its only part of our Catholic tradition. The truth is for 2000 years our Catholic ancestors and saints sacrificed their lives to go to Mass and receive the Eucharist. In the early Church it was illegal to have public Mass and so Masses were held in the homes of Christians. One group was found out and brought trial and they asked the leader of the group, “Why did you do this?” The leader replied, “We cannot live without the Eucharist.” Wouldn’t they have been safer to stay in their homes and make spiritual communions? But just as the physical bread is needed for the body, so the spiritual bread (the Bread of Life) Jesus’s body is needed for the soul. Jesus said, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, you cannot have eternal life.”
Live stream and zoom was used for us to meet. We were told social distancing saves lives and it does. But during the time of the protests people abandoned social distancing (they stood together in the streets) because they believe social justice is more important than social distancing.
To give justice to someone, is to give respect and honor due to them. When we were not attending church, we were failing to give justice to God by not worshiping Him at Mass. It is more important to give God justice, than social justice.
Each person is created in the image and likeness of God and deserves respect, no matter their color, their race, their beliefs. There is only one race, the human race-- because all of us are descendants of Adam and Eve. Today, “Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body”, but let us be afraid of our sins, which can kill our soul. Let us be afraid of not giving our soul the spiritual food that gives us eternal life, rather than not giving our body life. And as this pandemic continues, may we grow in our faith in the Eucharist, so we would be willing to risk the death of our body, that our soul may live forever. May, the Virgin Mary, our Mother, pray for us and help us on our journey to our heavenly home where there will never be social distancing, nor social injustice, but the joy of being together with God and with each other forever.
Some ideas were taken from Fr. Cameron Faller, Corpus Christi Sunday Homily https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuI19Zre2p8
Solemnity of the Body of Christ-Corpus Christi
Today is the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. There is a remarkable incident that occurred that brought about today’s special feast day. In 1263, a priest from Prague was in route to Rome making a pilgrimage asking God for help to strengthen him in his faith, because he doubted his vocation. He stopped in a village called Bolsena, 70 miles north of Rome. While celebrating Mass there, as he raised the Host during the consecration, the bread turned into visible flesh and began to bleed. The drops of blood fell onto the small white cloth. The following year in 1264 Pope Urban IV instituted the feast of the body and blood of Jesus, today’s solemnity of Corpus Christi. The miracle of the host turning to flesh and bleeding--- pointed to the fact that in the Eucharist is a real and entire person. The Eucharist is not just a hunk of flesh or just some blood. The Eucharist is a person! The Eucharist is the whole Jesus! We can’t have a relationship with a hunk of flesh, but we can have a relationship with a person, who will listen to us. The same Jesus who came down from heaven in the womb of Mary, walked the face of the earth, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffered, died, was buried, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, is the same Jesus in the Eucharist today, but resurrected. We should give Jesus in the Eucharist, the greatest possible reverence.
When so many were unable to attend Mass for almost two months, people began to go one of two ways. One way was that some people hungered ever more to come to Mass and to receive Holy Communion. The other way was not so good. Others saw that when the obligation to attend Mass was “dispensed” by the bishop, even when public Masses began, they rather went to restaurants and other activities, rather than attending Mass.
One of the good spiritual effects of the virus has been such that some now have an ever greater longing to be at Mass and receive Jesus in Holy Communion. While one of the negative spiritual effects is that some are using it as an excuse to do other things.
The obligation to attend Mass is a divine law. God wills us to worship Him and the Mass is the manner in which He chose for mankind to worship Him. We can sit at home and read our bible and sing praise and worship songs, and this is a good thing to do. But there is a much more powerful and beautiful way God wants us to worship Him, which involves sacrifice.
Before Jesus, the Jews worshipped God by sacrificing an animal on an altar. It was precious to them because they worked hard to feed and raise the animal and so to give the animal to God was a sacrifice for them.
But we have an infinitely greater sacrifice, the Mass. The Mass is the re-presentation of Calvary. It’s the sacrifice Jesus offered on the altar of the Cross and which now becomes present on the altar here at Mass. We don’t offer an animal as a sacrifice. Rather, the priest offers the bread and wine with our gifts and sacrifices, and especially the total gift of our self in union with the sacrifice of Jesus on the altar. The bread and wine is totally changed into the real and true body of Christ.
Out of love, God gives Himself to us in Holy Communion and we out of love give our self to Him. How we treat the Eucharist, is how we treat the divine person of Jesus. The Church’s ordinary manner we are to receive Communion is on the tongue. We have an indult (a permission to receive on the hand). During the virus crisis, we were encouraged to receive on the hand. But because it is the universal Church practice to receive on the tongue, bishop Kemme said we can receive on the tongue. Some medical experts are now saying, the risk is the same, on the hand or on the tongue.
St. Thomas Aquinas, said this about receiving Communion. He said, [Out of reverence towards this sacrament, nothing touches it but what is consecrated; hence the corporal and the chalice are consecrated, and likewise the priest's hands, for touching this sacrament. Hence, it is not lawful for anyone else to touch it except from necessity, for instance, if it were to fall upon the ground, or else in some other case of urgency.”
I ask that you consider receiving Communion on the tongue. It is more reverent, it is a greater act of humility, particles of the Sacred Host do not fall on the ground as when one receives in the hand and it’s the ordinary manner in which the Church intends us to receive the real and true body of Christ.
Today, let us reflect upon the real and true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and may we show every possible manner of reverence to Him, who sacrificed Himself for us, that we may eat His body and drink His blood, and so have eternal life with Him in heaven.
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. The Trinity is the central truth of our faith. It is the source of all other mysteries, and the light which enlightens them. This most grand mystery wound never had been known, unless God Himself revealed it. God did leave traces of the mystery of the Trinity, in the Old Testament, but if the Father, had not sent the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit, mankind would never had come to understand, One God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And this Most Holy mystery is revealed today in the Mass, within the Eucharist.
In the Old Testament, God seemed distant, unapproachable, mysterious and hidden. People were afraid God would smite them, for what they have done and so often trembled. For example, in the Book of Exodus, Moses went up to Mount Sinai, and was afraid to come before Him. God told Moses, He will show him His glory, but Moses cannot see God face to face. He passes by, but Moses is allowed to look after, God has passed! Even then, Moses is almost overcome by seeing the back of God's glory. At the beginning of the vision, God mysteriously came down in a cloud. However, at the appointed time, God revealed Himself with human nature in the person of Jesus.
The first hint of the revelation of the Trinity, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, and told Her, She will conceive and bear the Son of the Most High. In Nazareth, the angel revealed that God has a Son, and Mary is to be His Mother. After Mary questioned how this could be, the angel said, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you.” Indicating her pregnancy will be brought about by the Third person of the Trinity. The angel continued and said, “the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” This revealed the Father’s gaze and love towards Mary, as His beloved daughter. The Father protects Her by His shadow, which is the Holy Spirit, Her spouse. The Trinity is revealed to the humble handmaid, and then to Her spouse, St. Joseph. The angel said to Joseph, “Have no fear about taking Mary as your wife. It is by the Holy Spirit, that She has conceived the Child. He is to name the Child, Jesus, who is the Savior and Emmanuel, God with us”. Joseph came to understand the mystery of the Trinity. Mary’s Son, is the Son of the Father, to be conceived, by the Holy Spirit, and is “God with us!”
In a humble manger, finally, the face of God was seen, as a little Child in the arms of His Mother. Throughout the life of Jesus, He revealed to man, about God and who He is. Taking upon human nature, we learn from His humility, obedience, and patience, as He lived a hidden life as a carpenter. At beginning of His ministry, God revealed Himself at the baptism of Jesus, when the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and Father spoke, saying, “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him.” We see the power of God, by His miracles. The miracle of changing water into wine; walking on the sea; raising the dead to life; healing the sick; expelling demons; multiplying loaves; and He did these things out of love for sinful humanity.
We come to know God’s mercy, through Jesus, as He forgave Mary Magdalene, and the many sinners, who came to Him. His infinite mercy is revealed on the Cross, as He asked His Father to forgive them for they know not what they do. His immeasurable love is made manifest, as He laid down His life for us, that we may have life, with Him in heaven. His love, was poured out on Calvary, as His Heart was pierced. Throughout the life of Jesus, He revealed Himself, as a God, who is a brother, a friend, who is approachable, who understands us, cares for us, and deeply loves us. God is no longer hidden, but waits for us to come to Him, as a little child waits to be picked up. Jesus revealed God in a way, we had not known before. We can now see God, face to face in the person of Jesus. We understand His tender compassion, that He is approachable, and no longer hidden. We are not afraid of God, who forgives from the depths of His Heart, and loves us, unto death.
The Father is our creator, provider, and loves His children, so much, that He sent His Son to die for us, so that we could become His children, and cry, “Abba Father”, “Daddy”. He provides the needs of His children and looks upon us, as His sons and daughters, such that He watches over us tenderly, and desires what is best for us. As a daughter loves her Father and the Father loves His daughter, and they cherish their moments together, so the Father loves us. The Father likewise, welcomes home and embraces His sons, especially His prodigal sons, who at times become lost, and are found, and so He wants to celebrate.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Love, of Truth, the Advocate, the Comforter, who Consoles us, and gives us His many gifts. He helps us to discover the truth, when we seek it. To find love, which we long for, to be comforted when under trial, consoles us when we are downtrodden. The Holy Spirit enlightens us to make good choices, to come to know God, and the mysteries of salvation. The Spirit gives us courage and strength to help us in life. He gives life, at the moment of conception, and eternal life, by the life giving water of baptism.
The reason, Jesus was crucified, was because He declared Himself, to be the Son of God, which the Jews thought was blasphemy. They could not understand the revelation of three persons, one God. St. John in today’s Gospel said, “God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him, may not perish but might have eternal life”. The Father did not send the Son to condemn the world, but that the world may be saved through Him. But, after Jesus rose from the dead, He sent His apostles to preach to all nations baptizing them, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Where is the place in which we come in contact with the Trinity to worship God? Where can we see the face of God, where can we approach Him, who loves us?
At the beginning of the Mass, the words of St. Paul, to the Corinthians are used. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.” These words call to mind the mystery of the Trinity in the mystery of the Mass, whereby we come in contact with three fold persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
During the Mass, the Father sends His Son. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus, Our Lord, becomes upon the altar. It is here on the altar, we come in contact with the Trinity.
The Mass is the place in which heaven is opened, and we join in the heavenly liturgy of the angels and saints, worshipping the Trinity. Because the Trinity dwells here in the Church, and becomes present here on the altar, there is no greater place in the world. The Church is grander and more glorious than the highest skyscrapers, the largest coliseum, or gymnasium. The Church contains almighty God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and so deserves the best. The Mass is not a carnival, to receive worldly pleasure. The Mass is not concert, whereby people come to be entertained. The Mass is beautiful and glorious. At the Mass, we join the heavenly liturgy of the angels and saints, worshiping the Trinity, as we sing, Holy Holy Holy, Lord God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. The Mass is God’s grandeur in the feeble eyes of man. The Mass is the action of the Holy Spirit, whereby the Father sends the Son, to come in contact with us, and the mysteries of salvation. We worship the Blessed Trinity, and kneel, in adoration at the Sacred Host, as it is elevated. The Sacred Host is God, and within the Host is the Blessed Trinity. The angel at Fatima, and the 3 children prostrated themselves, before the Sacred Host saying, “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I adore thee profoundly.” And the children said, “Most Holy Trinity, I adore thee, my God, my God, I love thee in the most Blessed Sacrament.”
At the words of consecration, with the eyes of faith, let us gaze upon the face of God, in the Eucharist. Our God is now approachable, and lovable. As we prepare to receive Holy Communion, let us ask the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, to come to understand that we truly come in contact with the adorable Trinity in the Eucharist. And as in the days of Moses, the cloud descended upon the mountain containing the presence of God. So the cloud of the Eucharist, which is Jesus, will soon descend from heaven, by the power of the Holy Spirit, upon the mountain of the altar, and within our hearts in Holy Communion. And so let us with faith, cry out, “Most Holy Trinity, I adore thee, my God, my God, I love thee in the most Blessed Sacrament.”
Solemnity of Pentecost
Today, Holy Mother Church celebrates Pentecost, which occurred fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection. The apostles and the Virgin Mary were praying in the upper room for the coming of the Holy Spirit for 9 days after the ascension of Jesus into heaven, when suddenly, a sound came from heaven, like a rush of mighty wind, and it filled the house they were sitting. And there appeared to them, in the form of tongues—fire. The Holy Spirit came down, and rested upon the Apostles, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all were filled with the Holy Spirit. They spoke in tongues such that each person heard the apostles speak in their own language. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostles were no longer afraid. From this day forward, they would become witnesses of the Gospel, even to the shedding of their blood as martyrs. The descent of the Holy Spirit is the birth of the Church as it begins its mission to gather all people of all nations together by the proclamation of the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
What I would like to do is give some examples of how the Holy Spirit is part of our lives. First, we receive the Holy Spirit at baptism and the Holy Spirit works through us and in us through the sacraments.
But, the Holy Spirit also helps us in our ordinary daily life. Just after taking a bottle of pills in order to commit suicide, the Holy Spirit moves the person to call 911 to get help. The Holy Spirit changes the life of a prostitute to become a religious sister. The Holy Spirit moves the heart of woman to make masks for patients in the hospital. The Holy Spirit encourages the lonely patient through the gentle and kind words of a nurse. When a patient suffers for months and none of the doctors seems to discover the cause of the illness, until one doctor prays asking God to enlighten him, it is then the Holy Spirit helps the doctor to run the test discovering what’s wrong and so the doctor prescribes the medicine that cures the patient. By a stranger helping a homeless man to come to the hospital, it was the Holy Spirit who helped save the man’s life. When a man gazes upon a sunset and is dazzled by the beauty of the clouds, he suddenly is aware of God as creator, it was the Holy Spirit. A mother notices her child crying while looking at a crucifix and the mother wonders why? When the child says “See how God loves me!” it is the Holy Spirit who touched the heart of the child to come to know God’s love.
These are not accidents nor coincidences, these are actions of the Holy Spirit. Today, let us ask the Virgin Mary to help us to be aware of the Holy Spirit in our life, to pray to Him often and rejoice in His actions in our life.
Solmenity of Ascension
Today we celebrate the solemnity of the ascension of Jesus into heaven. In most of the world, the ascension was celebrated on Thursday because Jesus in fact ascended into heaven 40 days after He rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. But in many dioceses in the United States and some other countries, the Ascension of the Lord is transferred to Sunday.
During the forty days between His resurrection and ascension into heaven He appeared to His apostles many times instructing them and teaching them. He trained His apostles for their high calling. Comforted them because they had been scandalized by His death on the Cross. He taught them about the kingdom of God which they were to establish on earth. He inflamed their hearts for a longing for His heavenly kingdom and excited them to love God ever more fervently. Perhaps He instructed them on the sacraments and how to pasture the people. Maybe He told them to ask for the advice and prayers of His Mother, while She is on earth and later pray to Her after She would go to heaven. She would help them, console them and guide them to form the early Church.
The apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary gathered on top of the Mount of Olives. It was at the base of the mountain where Jesus had His agony in the garden. Now, from the top of the mountain Our Divine Lord appeared to them. Curiously, though they gazed upon Him, they doubted out of human weakness. Some still mistakenly wondered when He was going to restore the kingdom of Israel thinking he was going to somehow conquer the enemies of Israel by force.
To receive the Advocate, He told them to stay in Jerusalem so they would receive power from the Holy Spirit to be witnesses unto the ends of the earth. They were to be a witness by proclaiming all that He taught them, and most importantly they would witness by their life, as martyrs, except John, whose enemies attempted to kill by boiling him in oil, though he miraculously survived. In Jerusalem, the Apostles with the Virgin Mary would pray for 9 days for the coming of the Holy Spirit in the upper room (the same place Jesus ordained them as priests, the same place they made their first Holy Communion and attended the first Mass at the Last Supper, and the same place Jesus appeared to them, breathing on them giving them power to forgive sins).
St. Luke tells us Jesus gave the apostles His blessing before ascending into heaven. We can picture the loving reverence in which they received His blessing by kneeling, thanking and praying before Him as they gave Him homage.
Their hearts must have been filled with joy when suddenly a cloud appeared at His feet and He was lifted up into the sky towards heaven. By His own almighty power, He rises up to heaven and disappears. In the Old Testament, God was accustomed to appear and speak to His people from a cloud. The cloud which received the Savior at His ascension is the final testimony to His divinity. Catholic tradition is that Jesus miraculously left His footprints on the stone in which He was standing. The footprint on the stone can be seen in the chapel of the Ascension located on the exact place it’s believed Jesus ascended into heaven on the Mount of Olives.
His ascension into heaven completes His earthly work. What a heartbreaking farewell, though at the same time accompanied by a great joy to see their Master glorified. How deep must have been their sorrow at parting from Him, how keen their longing to follow Him. Who can enter into the Heart of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who having once lost Her divine Son at the foot of the Cross and then find Him at His glorious Resurrection when He appeared to Her and now She had to suffer once again to be taken from Her once more!
Though His earthly life was completed by His ascension, the life of His mystical body, the Church would begin.
Let us picture to ourselves as well as we can, what took place in heaven when our Savior entered it. Let us try to obtain a glimpse of this glorious scene. Thousands of blessed souls were in His train, but thousands upon thousands of angels, yes all the Hosts of the heavenly choirs came out to meet Him, the Savior of the world, the conqueror of evil, the King of Heaven, singing with one voice, “Lift up your gates and the King of Glory shall enter in. Who is this? The King of Glory. The Lord of Hosts, the King of Glory” And Jesus, mounting higher and higher, above all the principalities, powers, virtues and dominions, take His place beside the Heavenly Father: He sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty. He sits at the right hand making all His enemies His footstool. The whole court of heaven gives forth that glorious song of praise in the book of Revelation, “The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power and divinity and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing forever and ever.”
When He enters heaven with His resurrected body, He elevates the dignity of our human nature. His ascension foreshadows that someday our body and soul, separated at death, will be re-united and we too will have a resurrected body at the end of the world. The two angels who appeared after Jesus ascended into heaven reminded them that just as they saw Jesus taken up to heaven on a cloud, so He will return in the same way on a cloud. This gave them hope that someday, He will return in all His glory to judge the living and the dead.
He ascended into heaven to be our mediator with His Father. It is the great and eternal God, Jesus our Savior, who stands close to God, He who is God, but also man and now intercedes for all time and pleads our cause, pointing to His wounds which He received as a result of our sins, and yet willingly suffered and died for us that we may be reconciled with His Father. He forever atones for us our sins, that we may have life and have it abundantly with Him in heaven.
Before He ascended into heaven, He had told His apostles, “I go to prepare a place for you.” “That where I go, you also may be.” He promised us heaven and then He went to prepare it for us. How our thoughts should be for our future home. The desires and hopes of our hearts should tend ever upward to our heavenly home. St. Paul said, “Seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God; mind the things that are above, not the things of earth.” The things of earth will have little value for us, if we really have a full of desire and longing for the eternal life to come where our Savior awaits us.
Poverty or riches, sickness or health, sorrow of happiness, what does it matter? All that matters is to possess you O God and be with you in heaven. As you told us, “Eye has not seen or ear heard, nor has it entered the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love Him.”
O Lord, our God, and Savior, you who are now glorious in heaven, yet lived a life of poverty, pain, rejection and suffering on earth, we beg you by thy wonderful ascension to fill our hearts with the hope of heaven that we may be consoled in our sufferings, encouraged in good works, and comforted at the hour of death. Amen.
6th Sunday of Easter Sacrament of Confirmation Witnesses
In a couple of weeks, we will be celebrating Pentecost Sunday and the first reading for this weekend, is one of the biblical sources for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The reading said, “Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.”
This reading speaks about how the early Christians hand not yet received the Holy Spirit after baptism and so they laid hands on them and then they received the Holy Spirit. This is what happens with the Sacrament of Confirmation. After we are baptized, the bishop lays hands on us and we receive the Holy Spirit.
When we are baptized, we receive gifts from the Holy Spirit, such as the gifts of faith, hope and love. But when we receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, Baptismal graces are strengthened and made firm. That is why it’s called Confirmation, to “make firm” baptismal graces. Because the baptismal graces are strengthened, we are able to be witnesses to the faith. Confirmation makes us soldiers for Christ. A soldier is one who defends.
At Confirmation we also have the option of choosing a saint name. We receive the name of saint, as one who we want to emulate in the practice of virtues and one who we want to help us by the saint’s intercession for us.
Did you know the word, “martyr”, means to witness. For the first 300 years, the early Christians suffered greatly due to many persecutions. Many of them were martyred. In fact, the first 33 popes were all martyred. The reason why Cardinals wear a red skull cap is to remind them they are to be witnesses for the faith and expect martyrdom (to spill their blood for the sake of Christ) by standing up for Jesus and His Church’s teachings.
Jesus said, “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.” He also said, “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” We have to remember earth is not our home. Heaven is our home. We should expect to have trouble in the world, because the world is at odds with Jesus.
Today, let us pray we may be ready to suffer persecution for the sake of Jesus and let us pray for cardinals, bishops and priests, that they may they be willing to spill their blood if necessary. Knowing the graces we receive at Baptism and strengthened at Confirmation make us witnesses.
May Mary, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us and help us to endure all suffering for Jesus.
Mother's Day 2020
A couple of weeks ago, I was walking around the side of the hospital and noticed a mother duck with her 8 little ducklings. The ducklings were on the pavement and she was trying to lead them to the grass, but they had an obstacle, the curb. They could not get up the curb, they were too young. I decided to walk up and push each one up the curb and thought the mother duck would leave or perhaps attack me, as I was only about 5 feet from her, but she did not move, she would not abandon her ducklings. Nor did she attack me. Somehow I think she knew I wanted to help. She began to chatter as though she was upset, but she did not back away. After each duck got up on the grass and ran to their mother, I walked away and admired how she would not abandon her ducklings.
When we were children, we too clung to our mother and followed her wherever she went. At times, our mother taught us to do things for our self, which took some ingenuity and perhaps the help of others.
Since it is Mother’s day, the first weekend we have the return of public Masses, it wouldn’t surprise me if this occurred through the intercession of our heavenly Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is our spiritual mother. Mary must have certainly been concerned that Her children, were not able to come to Mass and receive Her Son in Holy Communion. We can thank Mary for feeding us the body and blood of Her Son, because She gave Him His body and blood in Her womb, the moment He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. She is the Mother of the Eucharist.
The Virgin Mary is our spiritual mother and She never abandons us. She protects us from all that can harm us. She encourages us to follow Her more closely. She draws us to Her Son. We received Her as our Mother, at the Cross, when Jesus said to John, “Behold thy Mother!” At this moment, She embraced us all and took all of us into Her Heart, as our Mother. When Jesus was an unborn Infant, He heard Mary’s heart beat for love of Him. After His birth, He felt Her tender love for Him, as She pressed Him to Her cheeks. And He would have experienced Her love day by day during the 30 yrs. of His hidden life. She was there when He worked His first miracle at the wedding feast of Cana and it occurred through Her intercession to help the young married couple, who ran out of wine.
Mary was there for Her Son as He carried His Cross and She stood and watched Him die on Calvary. She held Her dead Son in Her arms, and helped place Him in His tomb. Because of Jesus’ love for His Mother, many believe She was the first to whom Our Lord appeared after His resurrection.
Our Blessed Mother stands between us and the Father and therefore protects us from the punishment we deserve. She takes the few little good things we do and makes them appear to God as they we have done something great and wonderful. She gently corrects us, when we err in our ways. She comforts and consoles us, when we are sad or lonely. She teaches us to love Jesus as She did. She protects us from our enemies the devil and the evil spirits. And She helps us to practice virtue.
The Blessed Virgin is often portrayed in art tenderly caring for Jesus. For example, in the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Jesus jumps into the arms of His Mother, so quickly, that one of His shoes is dangling.
Mary reinforces the words of Her Son, in today’s Gospel, who said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled, have faith in God and in me.” Because in Guadalupe Mexico, Mary told Juan Diego, “Let not your heart be disturbed. Am I not here, who am your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Are you not within my fold?”
Today, let us turn to Mary, seeking Her Motherly protection and intercession knowing we have a Mother who loves us, will never abandon us and keeps us close to Her Immaculate, Heart, because we are Her children. So that nothing will ever disturb us, because of our spiritual mother. And let us pray for our natural mothers, living and deceased, in thanksgiving for their motherly care for us from the moment of our conception and through our whole life.
5th Sunday of Easter
In the Gospel today, we heard Jesus preparing His disciples for the time when He would no longer be with them and He didn’t want them to be troubled or to worry. He said to His Disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.”
Over these past weeks our hearts have certainly been troubled. There even seems to have been a sort of panic due to the government requiring isolation and social distancing. We hear about thousands of people dying and especially the elderly in nursing homes. Meat packing plants are getting closed, food shortages are occurring due to people panic buying. The bishops have good intentions and are wanting to protect the people stopped all public Masses and closed adoration chapels. Our hearts were troubled because we could not be with Jesus, especially at a time we needed Him the most. We felt abandoned by our pastors and abandoned by God.
We went through Lent and even Easter not being able to be with Our Lord. And finally, we are able to once again come to Mass and receive Jesus in Holy Communion.
Hopefully, what we have learned that despite not being able to come to Mass or receive Holy Communion, Jesus has been with us because He is inside us, through baptism. It is true His physical presence in the Eucharist is different, for in His physical presence it is His resurrected body.
Suppose Jesus were to speak to us today. What would He say? “I have been with you all this time throughout your life, from the moment of your conception, I gave you a soul. Even before you were created I knew you. From the moment of your birth, I gave you parents to reveal my love for you. I educated you. I fed you. I clothed you. I walked by your side, especially during your difficult times. Remember the time, I saved your life and protected you from danger. I gave you catechists to teach you about me. Look back over your life, and discover my intimate friendship with you, even when you turned away from me and failed to even think of me. See how I drew you back to me, and I sought you out as a lost sheep and how I now hold you close to my heart? Why then-- are you afraid? Why then-- do you worry? Why then are you anxious? Do not expect to feel my presence. For feelings come and go, but my love always remains.”
My child, pray, hope and do not worry. I hold you in the palm of my hand. Do not let your heart be troubled. Have faith in God. Trust me! While it is true, I may not remove your trials and difficulties, I will never leave you orphan. I will always be at your side. All things are possible with God. My grace is sufficient for you and I will never give you anything, you and I cannot handle together. I will always be with you, even to the end of the age.
For if you come to know me and come to know my sweet Mother, I will come to take you to the Father’s house, so that where I am, you also may be. And on that day—the day of your judgment, you will have no more fear, no more worries and no anxiety, because you will look at me face to face and say “Lord, I knew you.” And we will walk together as friends, because we will know each other in my heavenly kingdom forever and ever.
And where I am, so also is my Mother. Call upon Her and ask Her motherly intercession. Some of your prayers, I will not answer, unless you first come to Her, because I want to honor my Mother and you honor Her as well. Amen.
Divine Mercy 2020
Today is the wonderful and blessed day of the Feast of Divine Mercy instituted by Pope St. John Paul during the Jubilee Year, 2000. The feast originated with apparitions of Jesus to St. Faustina, a nun from Poland. Our Lord asked this feast be established to prepare for His Second Coming.
In the Gospel, Jesus appeared to the disciples on Easter Sunday. So why did He come a week later to the exact place in the upper room, the same place where He instituted the Holy Mass and the priesthood? Perhaps, it was because this time Thomas was there, and Jesus wanted to convince this doubt-ridden disciple that He had truly risen from the dead. Jesus could have stayed away, but He didn’t want to leave Thomas in the state of doubting. So He invited Thomas to touch His wounds and see it was really Him. And that act of compassion and patience—was an act of mercy, which led Thomas to travel far and wide proclaiming the Gospel and, in the end, give his life for His Lord.
Thomas’s story shows us that God’s mercy involves more than just forgiveness of our sins, great as that is. It also involves His compassion for our weakness (to see the misery of an individual) and to relieve that misery by an act of love, which is mercy. It’s a wide mercy that frees us from our doubts, fears and guilt as well as our sin. Like Thomas it allows us experience Jesus’ divine life more fully so that we can follow Him wherever He leads us.
Jesus told St. Faustina, “I am love and mercy itself. There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy… The soul that trusts in my mercy is most fortunate, because I Myself take care of it.”
Today, Jesus promises, that those who will have gone to confession sometime during Lent up to today and receive Holy Communion, will have all their sins and the punishment due to their sins washed away in the ocean of His mercy.
Today, let us ask Our Lord to look with compassion on the misery of our soul, that He may give us His unfathomable gift of His Divine Mercy. And may Mary, the Mother of Mercy, show Jesus Her Son, the misery of the world in its current state, the many people who have died and are dying from a virus, the inability to attend Mass and receive the other sacraments, that Our Lord by His compassion relieve that misery, with an outpouring of His Divine Mercy, on us and the whole world.
Easter Sunday
The empty tomb discovered by Mary Magdalene give us hope. Peter and John seeing the cloth rolled up in a separate place inspires our faith to believe Jesus is risen. Mary Magdalene and all the Apostles would eventually see the Risen Lord.
Happy and a Blessed Easter to You!
Yes, we are happy and we are blessed because we believe Jesus rose from the dead. Our faith tells us He is alive and He is with us. We are happy and blessed despite the fact we cannot go to church, despite the fact, we are locked down and can’t go to visit our relatives and friends nor have our Easter meal with them.
We are happy and blessed despite the fact, people are dying from a virus. Friends, now we know how the early Christians felt. For 300 years, they had no churches to attend Holy Mass. They worshipped the Lord in the catacombs and in the homes of ordinary Catholics. They were often times careful about going to visit family and friends, less they would be caught and discovered as Christians and then killed by the Romans. The government back then would not allow Christians to worship at Mass.
Today, our own governor of Kansas wants to fine Christians for gathering even if they would be following the CDC guidelines of 6 feet to protect oneself from the virus. In the state of Mississippi, a Baptist Church had people gather in their cars with their windows rolled up and the cars were 6 feet from each other and still the police came and fined every person $500. The pastor said, “It’s okay for a liquor store to be open but not church. We are treated as though church is not essential.”
It is very disheartening people cannot go to Mass and receive Jesus in Holy Communion on Easter. Yet, we are happy and blessed because Jesus is alive and is risen and with us. We long to be with Jesus, to be with Him in His physical presence, to gaze upon Him with eyes of faith in the Eucharist in Adoration.
The Church should not allow the government to take away our right to worship God. We need to defend our rights or they will be taken away. While we need to follow the safety guidelines set out by the government, we should still be able to practice our faith even in a creative way such as Masses out doors or in a field or in a parking lot, respecting the means of protecting our self and others from the virus.
What are some lessons we have learned from the virus?
As we see so many un-necessary businesses closed, shouldn’t those un-necessary businesses be closed on Sunday to respect the Lord’s Day?
We are learning how we need to take time and be with the family and discontinue all the extra things that draws us away from family.
We are learning the importance of praying at home and especially praying with the family.
We are learning that to save life is more important than the economy. And if our life is more important than money and things, so are the lives of unborn children, whom we should be protecting. Life is more important than having things or having a career. It’s better to live a simple life without luxuries, knowing God takes care of us by His divine providence. God is showing us, He gives us everything we have and we are not independent from Him, rather we rely on Him and we thank Him. We are learning to not attribute His gifts to our self, but rather to Him, who is the giver of all good gifts.
We are learning to trust in God and to seek Him. We are learning He is in our heart through baptism, not just in a physical church.
We are learning how important the Mass is. While we can watch it on TV, we miss being there. We miss being present at the Sacrifice of Calvary. We miss watching the bread and wine change into His body and blood in our presence. We miss Holy Communion (being one with Jesus in our heart). We miss being in His physical presence in the Eucharist. We miss gazing upon His face in Eucharistic Adoration.
We are learning how we have taken for granted the Mass and Holy Communion. We are learning that we have failed to respect the Mass, failed to respect Jesus in Holy Communion. How terrible it is when people receive Communion on the hand and then particles of the Sacred Host fall to the ground, which does not happen when people receive on the tongue.
And how many people were receiving Holy Communion sacrilegiously by committing a grave sin and then not confessing it before receiving Holy Communion, such as missing Mass on Sunday, or doing impure action or viewing pornography or committing adultery, or having sex before marriage, cohabitating or using birth control, etc…
We are learning how we need to make reparation, not only for our sins, but the sins of the world. We wonder is this virus a punishment by God because of our sins? To offer up our suffering for the sake of others, so that if we die to our self, we shall also live.
God is hitting the reset button with regard to the Mass. He wants us to stop committing so many sacrilegious communions. He wants us to treat the Mass and the church with great respect, because it is His house. Stop with answering the phone in church or texting in church. Stop talking in church. Stop wearing immodest clothing to church. Rather, love and respect the risen Lord in the Eucharist. Treat Him with the greatest honor and respect He deserves. Remember to keep His day, the Sabbath, to honor our part in the new and everlasting covenant, by coming to Mass regularly, not just twice a year or to skip Masses for the sake of baseball games, or football games or because we are lazy.
The virus has also helped us to be concerned for the sick and the elderly and how we should be coming to their aid by praying for them and visiting them. We have learned to appreciate the love and dedication of healthcare workers, risking their lives to save the lives of others.
God is also showing us the weaknesses of our ecclesiastical authorities, who go beyond what the government intends and some bishops not permitting baptisms or confessions or anointing of the sick for the dying. God wants us to pray for our cardinals, bishops and priests, so they may be loving shepherds and provide for the needs of the people spiritually.
God is showing us how it’s wrong to rank the body, higher than the soul. When our body is sick, we go to a doctor to get better. When our soul is sick we go to a priest to spiritually get better, through confession and Holy Communion and Anointing of the sick. The soul is more important than the body. St. Maria Goretti and St. Alexandrina would not let young men have their way with them and so were willing to allow their bodies to suffer greatly and even die for the sake of protecting their souls.
Church authorities should be more diligent in protecting and nourishing the souls of the people, than helping to protect the body from a virus. We should do both, but the soul is more important. How many people feel as though their shepherds have abandoned them spiritually?
On this Easter, we are being called to grow in our faith. To believe Jesus is with us, that He is doing something for us in our time of distress. Jesus stands before us and says, “Peace be with You.” “It is I, do not be afraid.” My friends, the tomb is empty, God is with us. Jesus is alive. And He will take care of us. And even if we die from the virus or from something else, it matters not, because if we die with Jesus, we will rise with Him and be with Him forever in heaven. Let us keep our eyes on Our risen Lord.
We are happy and we are blessed, such that nothing will ever separate us from the love of Christ, neither death, nor persecution, nor plagues and so as an Easter people we sing, Alleluia, He is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Palm Sunday
Were you there? Have you ever been to Calvary? Have you ever been to Jerusalem, to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher? Inside of the Church is the site where Jesus was crucified. I was there! During the Jubilee year, 2000 I went with some pilgrims. Our group climbed some steps and there was a chapel with an altar. Beneath the altar is believed to be the hole that the Cross of Jesus was planted when Our Lord was crucified. I reached down and put my hand in the hole. I was there. I was at the place where Jesus was crucified. It was a moving and emotional event. And about 30 feet from there is another altar, I was very blessed to offer Mass, within feet of the place Jesus died on the Cross.
What about you, were you there? Did you know The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches every time we come to Mass, we are present at Calvary? Here on the altar, when the bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus, the re-presentation of the Crucifixion takes place. Not representation, but a re-presentation. God in is infinite love for each of us wanted all of us to be with Him at the foot of the Cross, and through the Mass, we are there with Mary and John, who stood beneath the Cross. Jesus is not re-crucified, rather, that one eternal event becomes present to us here on the altar. Isn’t that amazing! How incredible it is we are there. We are there because we are here. If anyone ever asks you, if you ever been to Calvary, you can say, “Yes, I was there and I am able to be there every time I come to Mass.”
We come to church with palm branches in our hands and later with the Jews, we crucify Our Lord by our sins. Today, is a day of giving honor and praise to Jesus our King, but today is also a day when we are confronted with our sins, and how our sins crucified Jesus.
Let us stand beside Mary and John and ask Jesus to forgive our sins. And so we pray, “Oh Jesus have mercy on me. Forgive me for wounding you by my sins. I am heartily sorry for having offending you my God. Give me the grace to come to you in the sacrament of Confession. Grant that as you died for love of me, I may die for love of you, so that I may be with you forever in heaven. Amen.”
5th Sunday of Lent
Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life, Whoever believes in me, even if he dies will live, And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” Does Jesus mean if we believe in Him, we will never physically die? No.
Our Lord is not saying if we believe in Him, we will never physically die. Our Lord is referring to the life of the soul. Lazarus ends up physically dying twice. After Jesus raised him up after he died, he would later die again. Yet, even now his soul is living forever.
At times some people come to the hospital and are confronted with the possibility of death. St. Joseph Hospital is here to help save lives, to prevent death. But this is not our only mission. We care about the body and especially the soul. We care about the whole person and especially want to help each person to get to heaven. Heaven is our final goal, it’s our home, where we all belong. We are here also to help Jesus save souls.
The priests go from room to room, to allow Jesus to heal souls, through the sacraments of confession, anointing of the sick and Holy Communion, so people can be renewed and live a new life with Christ. We also want to help patients to prepare for their journey home to heaven.
When people come the hospital, they want to experience the healing hand of Jesus. Our Lord uses doctors and nurses, medicine and machines to heal people. Patients want to be restored to health. But when faced with death, many see the importance of being restored spiritually. Our soul is infinitely more important than our body. Everyone’s body will someday die. But our souls will live on forever. When a patient is unconscious, Jesus will use a priest to forgive sins through the Sacrament of the Sick. Through anointing of the sick patients receive spiritual gifts and graces to endure their pain and suffering. He comes to them to give them peace and consolation in the midst of their anxiety and fears. And sometimes if it’s good for the soul, Jesus can physically heal the person through anointing.
In this very difficult time, the Lord is showing us the importance of the sacraments and they can be taken away from us. Jesus is showing that we need to trust Him in time of difficulty. That we were created to be a community of believers and not individuals only isolated from others. Our Lord is showing the world, the heroism of doctors and nurses, who care about the patients, risking their lives for the sake of others.
Though it may be natural to be afraid, to be frightened, all we have to do is turn to Jesus and He gives us peace. Jesus is with us. He is at our side. And even if we die, because we believe in Him, we will live forever.
4th Sunday, Confession and St. Faustina
In the Gospel today, the man born blind who is healed by Jesus reminds we when our sins are forgiven, we can see Jesus more clearly. The man born blind could not see Jesus, until Our Lord healed him. So it is, when our sins are forgiven we are able to clearly see Jesus. Our sins prevent us from seeing Jesus as well as we ought. In fact, when we sin, we turn away from the face of Jesus. As the man born blind came to Jesus to be healed and to be able to see, if we come to Jesus in the sacrament of mercy (confession), to be healed of our sins we will see and know Jesus more clearly.
I am firmly convinced that we have no idea of the enormous graces God gives us when we receive the sacrament. One way I like to think about it is that as we confess our sins the blood of Jesus flows over us from Calvary and cleanses us. In the sacrament we receive not only forgiveness, but strength for living the Christian life.
Jesus told St. Faustina, “There (in Confession) the greatest miracles take place and are incessantly repeated. It suffices to come with faith to the feet of my representative and to reveal to him one’s misery and the miracle of Divine Mercy will be fully demonstrated. When you go to confession, know this, I myself am waiting for you in the confessional; I am only hidden by the priest, but myself act in the soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of Mercy. Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great there is no limit to my generosity.” “I desire the confidence of my people. Let not even the weak and very sinful fear to approach me, even if their sins be as numerous as all the sand of the earth all will be forgiven in the fathomless pit of my mercy.”
I would suspect most people have not thought about confession in the way Jesus spoke to St. Faustina.
During this season of Lent may I suggest we go to the Pool of Siloam (the confessional) to wash our spiritual eyes so we can see Jesus clearly. Most every parish continues to offer confession even when there is currently no public Masses.
I would like to close with the words from St. Paul, “Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Live as children of the light, for light produces every goodness and righteousness and truth.” When we go to Confession we will see the light, we will see Jesus who is light.
3rd Sunday of Lent - The Samaritan Woman
In the Gospel today Jesus has a personal conversation with the Samaritan woman. It was unusual for a Jew to speak to a Samaritan woman, especially a woman who was a stranger. She was considered to be a great sinner because she had five husbands.
But the woman's faith and love was destined to grow: Jesus spoke of a "living water" able to quench thirst completely and become "a spring of water welling up to eternal life" in her; furthermore, He showed her He knew about her personal life; He revealed that the hour had come to worship the one true God in spirit and in truth; and in the end He confided to her -- something incredibly rare -- He is the Messiah. In all of these ways Jesus quenches her thirst for knowledge, her thirst for faith and ultimately her thirst for Jesus. And yet Jesus was thirsting for her faith in Him and thirsting to be loved with a pure love based upon respect, reverence and adoration.
In this subtle conversation, He helps her to understand that her thirst for love, was in all the wrong places and His personal encounter with her helps her to discover a love she had never known before.
Through His divine knowledge, Jesus reveals He knew the woman had been married 5 times and was now with her 6th man. But Our Lord helps her find a love not based upon physical intimacy but unconditional love, (divine intimacy) only Jesus, as God, can give. She had been thirsting for true love, but didn’t know where or how to find it, but Jesus reveals it to her. Jesus Himself will quench her thirst. And by her willingness to love Jesus in return, she quenches the thirst of Jesus.
Years ago, when I was an associate priest in a parish, I met a non-baptized woman, who had been married 5 times and who was now with her sixth man, similar to the woman at the well in today’s Gospel. The sixth man was different than her past husbands. He was Catholic, who was married once before and had custody of his children. It took a toll on this woman who had 5 previous husbands. She suffered greatly from the stress and pain of all those broken relationships. She was fearful of marrying again, but was thirsting to be loved in a way she had never known. She told me, she finally found the man, who loved her in a way she wanted to be loved. What set him apart from the other men, was he was Catholic who lived by his faith. He had told her he didn’t want to have sexual relations with her until they would first get married in the Catholic Church. She was inspired by his faith, a faith, she had never known. He was a man who worshipped God in spirit and in truth.
She realized she was not only thirsting to be loved and respected by a man, she was thirsting for something even greater than a man could give. She was thirsting for God. She was thirsting for faith. Her parents never took her to church and she didn’t know much about God. She was so inspired by his desire to live out his faith, she wanted to become Catholic. She wanted to receive the gift of the waters of baptism, so her sins would be washed away and the Blessed Trinity could dwell within her. When she attended Mass with Him, she began to hunger for Jesus in Holy Communion. She went through RCIA and was able to get all 5 annulments. At the Easter Vigil she was baptized receiving the life giving water, which made her a child of God. She made her first Holy Communion and was Confirmed. Later that summer, they were married in the Catholic Church.
She received all she wanted and even more. Her thirst was quenched by Jesus, through the life giving grace of the sacraments. She came to understand the true meaning of love. And Jesus’ thirst for union with her, was quenched when she was baptized and began to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion. The two lonely hearts found each other and quenched each other’s thirst.
Some search from bar to bar for someone who will truly love them, but as the country song goes, “I was searching for love in all the wrong places. Searching for love in too many faces. Hoping to find a friend and a lover. God will bless the day I discover another heart, looking for love.”
Just as wayward hearts are searching to be loved, so there is a divine Heart beating and searching for love. This divine Heart of Jesus beating in the Eucharist is searching for lovers to be united to His Heart in Holy Communion.
Today, let us pray for wayward hearts, searching for love in the desert of this world. May they discover the deepest longing of their hearts, Jesus, as their friend and lover, so that God will bless the day they discover a Divine Heart searching for love.
2nd Sunday of Lent - Year A- Transfiguration
In today’s Gospel, Jesus took Peter, James and John up a very high mountain and it was there He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun and His clothes became dazzling white.
The extra ordinary incredible event would be something the three apostles would never forget. But, why would Jesus reveal the magnificence of His glory to them? He told them they were not to tell anyone until after He had been raised from the dead. These words of Our Lord indicate He will die, but that He would be raised from the dead. By seeing the glory of His transfiguration before His death, it would help them to endure the upcoming tragedy of the Cross, because they would look forward to Him being raised from the dead and they would behold His glorified body.
Perhaps God is calling us to contemplate the transfiguration-- and the glory and joy of heaven, because of the great suffering every one of us will experience in the future, ---our own suffering and death. Yet no one knows the day nor the hour when it will come. Intuitively, all of us will have heartaches in the future. Most likely one of our loved ones will die, (whether it’s a parent, brother or sister, or even a child) and we will have to go through that time of trial and suffering. And at those times, we need to remember the glories of the past and glories to come.
With what’s going on the world, its possible greater suffering than we are experiencing can come in the future. A future Christian persecution is truly imminent. The abortion issue in the US could end up causing violence against the pro-life movement and especially Catholics, who are the leaders of the pro-life movement--- because the pro-death movement is losing. The coronavirus and other diseases can cause panic and deaths.
There is chaos in the Catholic Church due to confusion caused by a lack of clarity from the papacy, as well as bishops and priests who should be proclaiming the truth but afraid to do so.
Today, there is so much suffering, so much fear and anxiety because of the events of the world. Yet, the transfiguration of Jesus gives us courage in the midst of suffering and tragedy. Jesus shows us that if we contemplate the glory of heaven now, when trials and tribulations come, we will have peace. We will trust. We will have hope. No matter what goes on around us, if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and fixed on heaven, we will not be afraid and we will not lose our peace.
Recall the words of St. Paul with regard to heaven, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man those things that God has prepared for those who love Him.” Imagine what heaven will be like. No more fears, no suffering, no pain, no temptations, no sin. Think of the love that awaits you. Think of the calm, the peace, the joy, the splendor and the light. In heaven there is no night, no heat, no cold, no sickness. There is neither death nor no old age. Above all think about the everlasting presence of God and possessing Christ Himself.
Think about being with and talking with those who have gone before us. Think of the angels and the saints. And will see the most glorious things and learn about the most wonderful things. We will experience eternal happiness and rest because we will have kept our eyes on Jesus, and our heart fixed on the glory that is to come. Such that no matter what suffering comes our way, we will hope, we will trust, and we will have peace.
Praying the Rosary, while meditating on the Mysteries of Light (the luminous mysteries), we will contemplate the fourth mystery- the Transfiguration. When we pray the Rosary, our Blessed Mother gives us peace. When we contemplate the mysteries of the Rosary, Mary helps us to keep our eyes on Her Son, so that we gaze upon the glory of His face when pondering His life, death and resurrection. And it will prepare us for the glory of heaven, where we will see Him as He is-- in all His beauty—in all His glory and in all His majesty.
1st Sunday of Lent Year A "The Great American Temptation to Greed"
In today’s Gospel, Jesus goes out into the desert to fast and pray for 40 days and there he is tempted by the devil. The first reading from Genesis and also the Gospel reveal Adam and Jesus were tempted in the three same ways. First--Adam was tempted to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree. Second--He was tempted to vain glory “your eyes will be opened”. His third temptation was to the height of pride “you will be like gods”.
Jesus was tempted with food—to change a rock into bread to satisfy is hunger from fasting. He was to tempted to vain glory ---to show off His power—by jumping off a cliff. His third temptation was the desire worldly riches and fame to have all the kingdoms of the world, so as to hold God in contempt.
What I would like to do is focus on the third temptation. For Adam it was the desire to be like gods and for Jesus it was the temptation for worldly riches and honor by holding God in contempt.
The great American temptation is greed. It has been with our country since the beginning. Why did the many pioneers go west? They were told there was rivers of gold. That was the great American gold rush. Most were sadly disappointed and ended up living a life of poverty off the great frontier with harsh winters and blistering summers.
Then came Hollywood with all the glamor. Americans began to desire the wealth of the rich and famous. The movies with luxurious homes and the rich made millions of Americans envious. Commercials highlighting fancy cars and vacation spots made it seem like being wealthy was so fun.
The oil rush became popular especially when oil barons began to drill wells due to the need for gasoline for cars. Poor men, who invested in oil wells were suddenly rich. Do you remember the sitcom called the Beverly Hill Billie’s with Jed, Jethro, Grannie and Ellie Mae? They showed us how they cared less for the luxury of things despite their wealth obtained by striking it rich with oil. One day Jed was shooting at some food and out from the ground came buffalo crude, oil that is, Texas tea. They loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly Hills. And continued to live their poor life in the midst of wealth.
In the US, first came casinos in Nevada and then later casinos on Indian reservations and now in they’re in many states. Millions buy lottery tickets every day with the hope of striking it rich. They think money will solve life’s problems, but the truth is actually opposite. It actually causes more problems more stresses and ruined marriages. Most who won the lottery regret ever winning it. In 2004, Sharon Tirabassi, a single mother who had been on welfare, cashed a check from the Lottery and Gaming Corp. for more than $10 million dollars. She spent her winnings on a "big house, fancy cars, designer clothes, lavish parties, exotic trips, handouts to family, loans to friends," and in less than a decade she was back "riding the bus, working part-time, and living in a rented house."
The average American is sunk deep in debt, so deep, they can’t get out of it. Why is that the case? For the most part, it’s because people have given into the temptation to greed and live beyond their means. They take out loans for expensive new cars, charge their credit cards to the max and pay outrageous interest rates. They purchase large homes with high monthly payments and at the end of the day can hardly pay for food on their table. And it’s all because of some false notion of wanting to live a luxurious life—a temptation from the devil.
By contrast, my grandmother was so poor, she raised her family of 5 children in a two bedroom house and after her husband died and her children moved out, she closed off door ways of the living room and a bedroom with blankets to prevent a loss of heat in the winter and to keep the other rooms cool in summer to save money on her gas and electric bill.
My father lived the same way. He never owned a new car. He always said it was a waste of money. When a new car is purchased, the following year, you can lose $2000 due to depreciation alone. The following years it can lose a $1000 a year. So in the first 5 years, you can literally throw away $6000 due to depreciation. A different way of purchasing a car is to take a used car to a mechanic and have him look it over and you can end up saving thousands of dollars and pay much less on car insurance.
Think about this for a minute with regard to wasting money. Suppose someone drinks pop or beer every day and you smoke one pack of cigarettes a day. It could cost you $10 a day and if you gave up cigarettes and pop or beer-- you would save $3650 a year. I know some very poor people who could use that money to pay their gas and electric bills.
Today, let us examine the hidden sin we ignore (greed) and how the devil tempts us to riches and fame just as he tempted Adam and Jesus. Let us not forget every good thing we have comes from God and may we be thankful to Him for all we have. And may turn to Jesus to help us to overcome this temptation, by humbly accepting the limitations of our life trusting the Lord will take care of all our needs, just as the Holy Family, who lived a life of poverty and yet were blessed with peace and happiness.
Ash Wednesday 2020
At the beginning of Lent, on Ash Wednesday, ashes are blessed during Mass, after the homily. The blessed ashes are then "imposed" on the faithful as a sign of conversion, penance, fasting and human mortality. We remember that we are dust and to dust we shall return.
The 40 days of Lent commemorates the 40 days of Jesus in the desert, when He battled against the devil and fasted without eating or drinking anything. In honor of our Lord’s fasting, the Church wants us to Fast, Pray and give Alms.
Many people will ask, “What are giving up for Lent?” Yet, Jesus tells us to keep our fasting, almsgiving and prayer secret. Many will fast from pop, candy, chocolate and desert or maybe they won’t snack between meals. Some may be even more courageous and give up watching television. Some may fast from excessive use of smart phones, not allowing them to control one’s life. One of the most pleasing things we can do for God is to be faithful to our daily duties. Or if we work, we can do the best we can at our jobs, to be joyful and to bring a smile to the work place.
On Fridays of Lent, and on Ash Wednesday, we don’t eat meat. Today and Good Friday, we are to Fast--eating only one meal and two small meals that don’t equal one meal. Fasting purifies our body and our soul and is a powerful way to overcome temptations by the devil.
Fasting from sin, and going to confession often during Lent, we will turn away from sin, and have a conversion of heart. I encourage you to work on one particular sin during Lent and try to conquer it.
In addition to fasting, the Church calls us to pray more. Anyone can stop by a Eucharistic Adoration Chapel and spend time with Jesus in prayer. If you bring your family to the adoration chapel once a week for 30 minutes and pray the rosary together as a family at home.
We are to give alms, which means to give money to the poor,-- or to the needy or-- to the church. By helping the poor, we are helping Jesus, who said, “When I was hungry, you gave me food. When naked you clothed me.”
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, help you and inspire you to make this Lent a sacrificial time, of penance and self-denial and may the ashes you receive, remind you that one day, your life will end--- and your body will turn to dust, and when you go to your judgment, you will be able to look back at your life and rejoice-- because you revealed your love for God and neighbor during the Lent we are now entering.
7th Sun. OrdinaryTime Our Body is a Temple of the Lord
St. Paul said, “Do you not know you are temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are is holy.”
Through baptism original sin is washed away and we become temple of the Lord. God dwells in us through baptism. That is why our body is holy—God makes it holy because He dwells within us. When we pray, have can close your eyes and imagined what is true, God is within our heart.
Every Catholic Church has God dwelling in the tabernacle. There is a difference between God dwelling in our heart through baptism and God dwelling in the Eucharist. The difference is the Eucharist is the physical presence of Jesus. The Eucharist is the resurrected body of Jesus. Whereas God dwelling in our heart through baptism is only spiritual. And God can and will depart our body when we commit a mortal sin. God does not dwell in the heart of a person, who commits mortal sin. We force Him to leave. So it is very important to keep the temple of our body in the state of grace, so God can continue to dwell in us and act through us and give us His love and consolation. When we receive Communion, the Lord’s physical body comes to dwell within us until it is assimilated into our body.
We can harm the temple of our body. Here are just a few of the many ways we can harm out body: taking a pen or pencil and writing on the palm of our hand and treating our hand as though it was paper. Our hand is not paper, it’s a living thing, created by God; over eating food can cause diabetes and high blood pressure; by smoking we can get COPD, emphysema & heart problems; we live a shorter life and can get cancer (my father, my uncle and a brother in law all died from lung cancer due to smoking; excessive alcohol can diminish the ability to reason. To purposely get intoxicated is a mortal sin. Getting drunk can cause severe liver damage. Tattoos inject ink into our bodies, excessive piercing of ears, piercing of the tongue and nose can cause infections; vasectomies or tubal ligations mutilate the body and tell God no-- to children.
Birth control pills increase risk of breast cancer by over 40% if it is taken before a woman delivers her first baby. The risk increases by 70% if the Pill is used 4 or more years before the first child is born. Other side effects include high blood pressure, blood clots, stroke, heart attack, depression, weight gain. It’s also mortally sinful.
Marijuana is becoming legal but it is sinful because it causes poor judgements. Cocaine and meth and other drugs can cause addiction, brain damage and mental problems.
Murder, abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research destroys life. Even pornography and lustful thoughts is an abuse against the body, because it views the body as an object of pleasure, rather than having reverence and respect for the body. Steroids used for body building and excessive exercise can harm the body.
The worst we can do to our body is suicide by killing our self. Due to mental illness or addiction culpability can be diminished. So, we should not judge people who committed suicide. Judgement belongs to God alone.
Yet, the best way to use our body is to use it self-lessly. To lay down our life for another person. Husbands and wives make the total gift of their body to their spouse. It is a mutual total self-gift that gives life and by God’s power they participate in creating life, rather than destroying it. Soldiers who died or were wounded for the sake of their country, and martyrs who died for Jesus and for their faith, reveal the depths of love, which is an imitation of the love of Jesus on the Cross. Our Lord gave His life, that we may have life and have it abundantly with Him in heaven.
Sins can hurt our body even if it’s not a physical assault on the body. Here is an example. I know a marriage counselor and his wife who had serious marital problems, but by turning to the Lord for help, their marriage became strong and were able to help couples with difficult marriages. He said one day a woman came to him and said, “I need a pill to help me with my anxiety and depression. I can’t sleep at night.” He said, “How do you and your husband get a long?” She said, “We fight all the time and he is thinking of divorcing me. I am having an affair with another man.” He said, “Lady, stop committing adultery, go to confession and then come back in a month.” She came back a month later and said, “I am no longer depressed. I no longer have anxiety. I sleep good. I went to confession and my husband and I are talking again.” This true story reveal sin cause us mental and physical difficulties.
The Lord waits in confession to heal our brokenness and our sins. There is no such thing as a lost cause. Anyone can receive God’s infinite mercy and start anew. We entrust those who have made wrong decisions to the mercy of God. We pray for them and we love them despite their human condition. If we live a good moral life, and treat our body as a temple of the Lord, we will live a longer and happier life. Our body does not belong to us, it belongs to God because God created it. We are stewards of our bodies.
Jesus used His body as an instrument of salvation for us. His body on the Cross and His body in the Eucharist saves us. By His suffering and death on the Cross, we are set free from sin and the gates of heaven are opened. The pain we suffer in our body can be a source of grace for us and for others, if we unite our suffering to the sufferings of Jesus on the Cross. Our Lord promises those who eat His Body and drink His Blood will live forever. If we give reverence, honor and worship to the Lord’s resurrected body in the Eucharist, how blessed we will be to receive His body into our hearts, that He may give us His infinite love and prepare us for our the heavenly temple, where God dwells and the angels and saints bow down and worship the Most Holy Trinity. On the last day, the day of the Resurrection, all those in heaven and on earth will receive new resurrected immortal bodies. And those who are in hell, they too will receive a resurrected body, but their bodies will be tortured for all eternity. Let us respect our body and see it as God’s temple, that we may use our body to do good deeds, to self-lessly give our self away.
6th Sunday Ordinary TIme "You are Mine"
There is a battle going on in the lives of each of us. A battle between good and evil. At the end of that battle in the next life we will Jesus say, “You are mine” or will Satan say, “You are mine.” There are temptations of evil all around us, but we can take the side of Jesus in the battle for our lives.
In the Gospel today, Jesus warns us to have nothing to do with evil. He said, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better to for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut if off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members, than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.”
Obviously, Our Lord did not want us to literally tear out our eye or to cut off our hand. Jesus was using a hyperbole, which is a way to exaggerate something in order to make a strong point. In another words, Jesus wants us to do everything possible—to avoid the occasion of sin, so as not to be eternally separated from His everlasting love.
Today, there are many ways which our eyes and hands, can come in contact with occasions of sin, such as the television, the Internet, and movies. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said this-- about the television, she said, “we have a tabernacle to Jesus in the Church and we have a tabernacle to Satan in the home.”
It’ so easy to just sit down, turn on the television, take the remote control and there we stare and gaze at whatever comes out of that box. And the same is true with the Internet. We sit down, turn on the computer and as we surf the internet, we can never expect what we will happen to see. Isn’t it the same with movies? With a rented video or at a movie theater, we know not what we are going to hear and to see.
From the TV, the Internet, movies, the devil wants us to hear people taking the Lord’s name in vain, to see immodest and sexual images, murders and violence and all sorts of things that the devil wants us to use to tempt us.
Some today, watch soap operas, but what are they really watching. They see men and women having affairs, tantalizing images to seduce the mind. Young men and women, who have relations before marriage.
Does God want us to see these things? Jesus said, “It is better to tear out your eye, and cut off your hand, than to be thrown into Gehenna”. My dear people, Gehenna is hell.
Jesus wants us to be faithful to Him! To love Him! To turn away from sin, to avoid the occasions of sin, by taking drastic measures.
If we cannot discipline our self to avoid all television shows, which offend God, and which can separate us from His love, then we need to tear out the cable. If we cannot discipline our self to get a filter for our computer, which will block out all sinful images, then we need to cut off what we see-- by disconnecting the Internet.
At the end of our life, who will say to us, “Be Mine”, Jesus, or Satan?
This is a good question to ponder Valentine’s Day, which was this past Friday. Who will we give our love, to Satan, or to Jesus? Who will we give our heart, to Satan or to Jesus?
Deep within the human heart people want to be loved and to give love. Unfortunately, some turn to false love and false pleasures, by what Mother Teresa calls, Satan’s tabernacle (TV and the Internet). We can’t give our love to a glass screen and a box with wires! We can’t receive love from a movie, or a television program, or an image. We receive love from people, we give our love to people, especially to the person of Jesus.
Today, here in this church there is a lonely heart, seeking your love. Today, here in this church, is a lonely heart longing for you to come to be with Him. Today, here in this church and in every Catholic Church in the world, there is a Heart, crying out, “I thirst for your love”.
Where can your heart meet, the Heart of the one, who loves you? In the Eucharist, there love is waiting and longing to come into your heart. There in the Holy Communion, the two hearts will become one, each beating wildly out of love for the other. Your heart one with the Heart of Jesus, in the Sacrament of Love.
And when you are lonely, and long to be loved, come here to the church, come to Jesus in our Adoration Chapel. When you come to be with Jesus, your lonely heart will be united to His lonely Heart and just perhaps, from the silence of your heart, you will hear His voice whisper, “I love you with an everlasting love, I love you, because you are mine!”
Homily partially taken from Msgr. Joe Pelligrino
5th Sunday Salt & Light
In the Gospel today, Jesus said “You are the salt of the earth, But if salt goes flat it is good for nothing…” Our Lord also said, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” Jesus uses metaphors of light and salt to explain the importance of living our life as a Christian. Salt seasons (adds flavor), it preserves, it heals, and it burns. Lights reveals good works.
Salt Seasons – Christians are called to add spice to life, to bring beauty, joy and hope to the world. Joy is the surest sign of a Christian. Even our keeping of the Commandments is a source of joy as we experience God’s power to put sin to death in us and bring forth order, self-discipline and holiness. Hope too ought to distinguish us from a world that is often cynical and wallows in sin. To this world, we are not only to declare that the Commandments are possible to live and bring joy, but to demonstrate it in our very lives. We are to be zesty, passionate, alive and free from sin in Christ. Yet sadly, too many Christians are not spicy, do not really add flavor, but are more like bored believers, depressed disciples, or fearful faithful.
Look at what spicy things our Catholic faith has contributed in the world: Art, music, churches, hospitals, universities, the scholastic and scientific methods. Note how our tradition and Scriptural teaching of justice mercy, love, and the dignity of the human person has blessed the world.
Salt Preserves – Before refrigeration, people often used salt to cure or persevere meat. The salt killed the bacteria and other microorganisms that caused rot and decay. We as Christians are called to prevent further decay in this sinful world. The truth we proclaim is meant to preserve people from the decay of sin. Chastity, justice, generosity, the proclamation of the truth, and so forth, are like a salt that preserves this world from decay. As Christians we proclaim the dignity of life from the moment of conception until natural death. In a world immersed in promiscuity, we proclaim, purity, chastity and abstinence. In a world which thinks life is worth as to how much a person is useful, as Catholics we believe life is worthy living for the handicapped, elderly, unborn and poor. As the world promotes homosexuality, Catholics proclaim the beauty of marriage is only between a man and woman. The world promotes infidelity, but we proclaim the indissolubility of marriage. The world thinks the government is the source of stability, but we proclaim the family is the center and foundation of society. The world disregards conscience and religious beliefs, but we proclaim religious freedom is a gift from God, not from man. In a world life is not protected, we proclaim abortion, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research are serious offenses against God and that every life is sacred. We proclaim God’s mercy is for every sinner. By proclaiming what we believe, we reveal God’s compassion for the weakest and most vulnerable. His love of the poor, the elderly and marginalized. In short our Catholic faith preserves all that is good, all that is beautiful and all that is holy.
Salt Heals – In the ancient world salt was used on wounds. It helped stop bleeding, it killed bacteria and prevented further infection. So too the Christian faith. Through our doctrinal and moral teaching, and our living of it, we are called to bring healing to this world wounded by sin, strife, war, jealousy, anger, bitterness, retribution, promiscuity, unfaithfulness, greed, and countless errors. The Word of God and His plan is a healing medicine for what ails this world. We proclaim God’s infinite mercy which heals the soul through forgiveness.
Salt Burns – Yes, salt stings when applied to wounds. We Christians aren’t just sugar and spice and everything nice. When salt is applied to wounds it burns and often causes pain. The truth stings, and the truth of the Gospel can be irritating to a world that is wounded by sin. But, despite the protests of our world, the sting is a healing sting. It is driving out the bacteria and disease of the world and preventing further infection. Just because people protest the Church and howl in complaint at the truth of the Gospel, does not mean we have done anything wrong. The protests often mean we are doing exactly what we must.
For salt to be effective, we have to get out of the shaker! Too many Christians are bold in the pew, but cowards in the world. They will speak of the faith in the security of the Church and among certain friends. But don’t ask them to proclaim what we believe to their spouse, co-worker, or children or to speak freely about our faith at the local shopping center or stand in front of an abortion clinic.
But salt in the shaker is useless. It has to come out of the shaker to make any difference. We have to shake the salt shaker. Witnessing to fellow Christians may have a limited benefit, but it is not really the true destination of salt. The salt has to go forth and scatter it everywhere. We are to bring Jesus to others and help others to know and love Jesus.
Christians are called to transform the world bringing the light of Christ to the world by their witness and proclamation of the Gospel. And those who are homebound and suffering in the hospital are beacons of light. They witness to the beauty of suffering. That pain is powerful when united to the sufferings of Jesus on the Cross. Their gift to the world is to reveal the suffering Jesus to others and that suffering is redemptive. Suffering purifies their soul and can be offered to Jesus for the conversion of souls. Many walls of St. Francis are painted white which reflect the light in the halls and rooms. But how much brighter are the souls of those who suffer with Jesus and transform the world by their willingness to embrace their cross. And those who care for the patients are witnessing to the love of God the Father and so from the hospital is a spiritual light emanating as a beacon in a world of darkness.
When the priest says “the Mass is ended go in peace”, he might as well be holding up a salt shaker and shaking it. What the priest is really saying is “Please pass the salt” “And spread it all over the place”. Add flavor to the world in which you live. If each of us shook the salt shaker and began to spread the salt of the Gospel, how beautiful it would be in the places we live, work and in our homes and in our family.
Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
By being salt and light, what all of us are doing is revealing the love and compassion of the Father and this is how we give glory to Him.
Today, let us choose to be good Christians, by “turning on the light” and “passing the salt”. Because if we don’t, we will be good for nothing and stumble in the dark, when we could be adding spice to the lives of others, and shining the light to heaven, helping all to come to know and love Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life, so as to help them obtain eternal life.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, give us the grace to be faithful Christians by “passing the salt” and “turning on the light”, so as to give glory to God the Father.
Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. The Mosaic Law prescribed 40 days after the birth of their first-born child-- parents should go to the Temple of Jerusalem to offer the infant to the Lord and for the ritual purification of the mother.
After giving birth, women were considered impure and in need of purification, as though it was sinful to give birth. They were to make a sin offering, such as two turtle doves to atone for the impurity and restore women to purity.
No way would the Blessed Virgin Mary need purification because She because She was conceived without sin and because She never once sinned in Her life--- and because the manner in which She gave birth was miraculous, not the ordinary way. Yet, out of obedience to the law, Mary did what was prescribed by the law. She humbly submitted to the Law out of obedience. Mary and Joseph also fulfilled this rite, offering to comply with the law a couple of turtle doves or pigeons.
In the temple, Simeon offers the Child to God, as a sacrifice. It is the first born son, which means the Child is dedicated to the service of the Lord. The Child is being offered by the priest to God the Father.
This is symbolic because Jesus the High Priest, will offer Himself to the Father on the Cross for our salvation. Simeon, in fact, proclaimed Jesus as the "salvation" of humanity, a "light" for all the nations.
Simeon and Anna met Jesus in the Temple and recognized Him as the long awaited Messiah, which represents humanity that encounters its Lord in the Church.
Today’s feast is a symbol of light and the procession with candles which gave rise to the term "Candlemas" developed. This visible sign is intended to mean that the Church encounters in faith the One who is "the light of men" and in order to bring this "light" into the world.
With His glorious entry into the Temple, the sword of sorrow predicted for Mary announces Christ’s perfect oblation on the Cross, which will impart the salvation God has “prepared in the presence of all peoples”. And so, as the Light came in the world, and departed the world, the tears of His Mother fell upon the ground in sorrow.
If we recall, that in the Temple was the Holy of Holies and within the Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant. Only the High priest on special occasions, could enter the Holy of Holies. Near the Holy of Holies was the cloud of glory, which guided the people of Israel to the Promised Land. However, God was unhappy with the Jewish people and so had taken away the cloud of glory and so at the time of Jesus, there was no cloud of glory in the temple.
When the Infant Jesus is presented in the temple, something greater than the Ark of Covenant is now in the temple. Something greater than the cloud is now in the temple, it is physical presence of God Himself. God has come to His temple in form of a baby. God has revealed Himself as a little Child, to be worshipped, adored and loved.
Who could be afraid of a child? The people feared entering the presence of God, especially because the cloud revealed the glory of God. But now, God can be held in the arms of man. The cloud is now the flesh of child. The flesh of a baby, hides the glory of God, so that man would no longer be afraid to come to God. Now everyone could see God in the face of Jesus.
Yet, later when the Child is an adult, He will declare His own body the temple. And in three days, after it is destroyed on the Cross, He will rebuild it, at His Resurrection.
The new temple is therefore the body of Christ, the Church. From the Church, Jesus the Light of all the nations, saves humanity, through the sacraments. Through baptism, the darkness of sin is washed away. Through confession, the light of Christ conquers personal sin. Through Holy Communion, Jesus comes into the temple of our hearts and then we become the light to the nations. Our good deeds, our holy life, our love for God and neighbor shines through us.
The presentation of Jesus in the temple is a reminder, He who we receive in Holy Communion, is the light, reveals Himself to the nations and glory of the people of Israel through us. May His light shine in the temple of our hearts and so reveal Himself to the world through us.
Today, the cloud of glory is the Eucharist. Through faith, we see the face of Jesus in the Eucharist. We need not be afraid to offer ourselves to the Father at Mass in union with the sacrifice of Jesus on the altar. We need not be afraid to come Jesus in the adoration chapel, and behold the glory of God hidden in the Eucharist. May the Virgin Mary help us to receive Her Son worthily in Holy Communion, Adore Him in Adoration and allow His light to shine through us into a world of darkness.
4th Sunday Beatitudes
This weekend, the Gospel is the Sermon on the Mount. A large crowd of people gathered on the top of mountain to hear Jesus speak in a way they had never heard before. Our Lord preached the Eight Beatitudes. In this sermon He taught something new in the world. Where people had always striven for riches, honors, and pleasures, Christ praised the poor, the humble, the suffering.
If we practice faithfully the doctrine of the eight beatitudes, we shall find the true path of perfection and be happy on earth. The Beatitudes contain in substance the law of God and all evangelical perfection.
“Blessed are the poor in Spirit”— To be poor in spirit means that we come to understand and accept-- we truly own nothing because all we have is a gift from God. This beatitude reminds us to follow the stewardship way of life. As a steward of God’s gifts, we should use our time, talent and treasure as God desires. Am I giving my time, talent and treasure as well as I ought to help others who could benefit from the gifts God has given me? When I become aware of my intelligence, wealth, success, gifts and talents-- do I give God the credit. If I have a financial hardship do I trust God to take care of all my needs and abandon myself to His care?
“Blessed are those who mourn”— As Christians we are to comfort those who suffer, especially the loss of a loved one. We should attend funerals and comfort those who mourn. We should pray for those who have died and offer Masses for the repose of their soul. We should also comfort those who go through difficult situations, such as illness, tragedies, divorce or family hardship. We should listen to teens and support them during their difficult time as they mature into adulthood.
“Blessed are the meek”--- If we have a problem with anger or impatience, we should work on the virtue of meekness. To be meek means we control our anger and impatience. Most of the time, we become angry or impatient because we do not want to accept suffering associated with the anger or impatience. To be meek one needs to be willing to embrace one’s cross and to be willing to suffer with love.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” ---How many of us wake up in the morning and pray to Jesus, “I want to become a saint!” “I desire to be holy and virtuous!” We can grow in holiness by coming to daily Mass, going to confession weekly or monthly, praying the Rosary everyday, daily reading a paragraph from one of the Gospels and meditating on the life of Jesus and spending an hour with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. If you want to hunger and thirst for righteousness, wake up every morning and pray, “Jesus, help me to become a saint!”
“Blessed are the merciful”— First, we should show mercy toward others, especially our own family and friends, who may have hurt us. It’s not easy to forgive someone who has deeply hurt us, especially spouses and ex-spouses. We are to forgive those who trespass against us. In addition to showing mercy by forgiving, we can practice the 7 corporal works of mercy: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, cloth the naked, visit the sick, visit prisoners, shelter the homeless and bury the dead. Or the 7 spiritual works of mercy: pray for the living and the dead, counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowing, convert sinners, instruct the ignorant, patiently bear adversity, and forgive others. You can choose to become an Apostle of Mercy, not only praying for mercy when you pray the Chaplet of Mercy, but also by giving mercy to others.
“Blessed are the clean of heart”—This beatitude calls us to have a pure heart, by looking at others as persons. This beatitude will us attempt to overlook the faults of others and see Jesus in everyone. We will attempt to be pure in mind and body, avoiding all persons, places and things that can cause us to have impure thoughts and actions-- such as television, movies and inappropriate websites. We give up watching television, install an Internet Filter, and to go to confession frequently, especially if one suffers from frequent impure temptations.
“Blessed are the peacemakers”---This beatitude can help us work on family divisions and divisions in the work place, so that unity will prevail. Misunderstandings or disagreements may have caused strained relationships with family, friends and co-workers. To set down and calmly work things out—would not be easy, but if we ask God to help us become a peacemaker, He will help us.
“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness” Catholics suffer persecution when we stand up for our faith. We can defend our faith among family members and co-workers, and talk about topics such as abortion, contraception, the Blessed Virgin Mary or the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
If we have a plan of life, based upon the Beatitudes, we can have a true conversion of heart, by turning away from sin, turning toward God and opening our heart to our neighbor.
And don’t forget to ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to help. She is a good mother and will always watch over us and help us to keep our eyes on Jesus, who will help us to live the beatitudes, so that at the end of our life, we will enjoy the beatific vision of gazing upon God and living with God forever in heaven.
3rd Sunday- Abortion March for Life President Trump 2020
This past Friday was the March for Life. The Diocese of Wichita was very well represented with 14 bus loads mostly teens. President Trump was the first American president to attend the March for Life. Here are selected portions of his speech: “We are here for a very simple reason: to defend the right of every child, born and unborn, to fulfill their God-given potential. For 47 years, Americans of all backgrounds have traveled from across the country to stand for life. Young people are the heart of the March for Life. And it’s your generation that is making America the pro-family, pro-life nation. All of us here understand an eternal truth: Every child is a precious and sacred gift from God. Together, we must protect, cherish, and defend the dignity and the sanctity of every human life. When we see the image of a baby in the womb, we glimpse the majesty of God's creation. When we hold a newborn in our arms, we know the endless love that each child brings to a family. When we watch a child grow, we see the splendor that radiates from each human soul. One life changes the world…. As the Bible tells us, each person is wonderfully made. Sadly, the far left is working to erase our God-given rights, shut down faith-based charities, ban religious leaders from the public square, and silence Americans who believe in the sanctity of life. Together, we are the voice for the voiceless. When it comes to abortion – and you know this, you’ve seen what’s happened – Democrats have embraced the most radical and extreme positions taken and seen in this country for years and decades, and you can even say, for centuries. Nearly every top Democrat in congress now supports taxpayer-funded abortion all the way up until the moment of birth. Last year, lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother's womb right up until delivery. Then, we had the case of the Democrat governor in the state of Virginia, the commonwealth of Virginia. The governor stated that he would execute a baby after birth. You remember that. Senate Democrats even blocked legislation that would give medical care to babies who survive attempted abortions. To all the women here today, your devotion and your leadership uplifts our entire nation and we thank you for that. The tens of thousands of Americans gathered today not only stand for life – it’s really here that they stand for it so proudly together. And I want to thank everybody for that. You stand for life each and every day. You provide housing, education, jobs, and medical care to the women that you serve. You find loving families for children in need of a forever home. You host baby showers for expecting moms. You make – you just make it your life's mission to help spread God's grace. And to all the moms here today, we celebrate you and we declare that mothers are heroes. Your strength, devotion, and drive is what powers our nation. Because of you, our country has been blessed with amazing souls who have changed the course of human history. We cannot know what our citizens yet unborn will achieve. The dreams they will imagine. The masterpieces they will create. The discoveries they will make. But we know this: every life brings love into this world. Every child brings joy to a family. Every person is worth protecting. And above all, we know that every human soul is divine and every human life, born and unborn, is made in the holy image of Almighty God.”
The president said more about the defense of the unborn, than some bishops and priests in their homilies. The upcoming election is probably the most important election in our life. The election may determine the fate of Roe vs Wade. Sadly the Democratic party has embraced a pro-abortion agenda and the Republicans respect for the unborn.
How similar, when the Democratic Party in the past embraced slavery, while the Republican Party embraced human rights for blacks. On March 6, 1857, the Supreme ruled 7 to 2 in the Dred Scott case, that African Americans living in the United States — slaves as well as free persons — could never become citizens. The Democratic party and the Supreme Court believed blacks were sub-human and therefore had no rights.
The Civil War started because of uncompromising differences between the free and slave states over the power of the national government to prohibit slavery in the territories that had not yet become states and the result was the death of 620,000 Americans.
While there has not been a visible war in the past 47 years, there has been a war in womb, with the destruction of millions of children. Parents have hired people to kill their unborn children. Over 56 million children have died in the war in the womb, we need to stand up for them by praying, by fasting, by making our voices heard in our homes, offices, workplaces and in the voting booth bearing witness to everyone the beauty of life.
The Lord is infinitely merciful and understands the circumstances in our life, when we make terribly wrong decisions. God forgives and wants to heal the wounds caused by abortion. His love is everlasting. And He desires to give us His peace.
May the Virgin Mary, who carried the Son of God in Her womb for 9 months, gave birth to Him, held Him in Her arms and lived with Him for 30 years, help us to be a witness for life.
3rd Sunday - Abortion 2019
In the first reading, we hear Isaiah’s prophecy that the “people who walked in darkness have seen a great light and upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown”.
Immediately after St. Matthew speaks about our Lord being the light in these regions of darkness and death, the next sentence Jesus is calls the people to “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Earth is covered with the darkness of sin and death due to the choice of many people; yet Heaven is about life, truth and love. And repentance clears away the darkness of sin, so that light of love can shine.
In our country we are in the midst of a war between the armies of good and evil, of light and darkness. We had the Civil War, then the battle to end slavery, battle for civil rights, the battle for freedom to vote, the battle for women’s rights, the battle for religious freedom and the battle for the respect for human dignity, especially the elderly and right to life for the unborn. In the battle for the unborn over 56 million children have died. Bishop Kemme said abortion is the greatest evil of our time and so it is the greatest cause for death and gloom.
Our hearts go out to the mothers and fathers who have been hurt by their tragic choices. Often times, they find themselves in a difficult situation in which there seems no way out. But there is hope and healing found in Jesus and His Church. There are many people who are willing to help girls who find themselves in a difficult situation. By helping young pregnant mothers, they are allowing the light of Jesus to shine through them. God is infinitely merciful and full of compassion and He uses people to reveal His mercy and compassion.
When some doctors discover an unborn child has Down syndrome or if the child has some sort of birth defect, they will encourage mothers to have an abortion. However, I am happy to say here at St. Joseph, we value the dignity of human life. Some children are born early or with medical problems and so cling to life by machines, medicine and especially by the love, care and prayers of the hospital workers.
Once I saw a Down Syndrome child walking with his grandfather. The child had the biggest smile, a smile of love. Many Down syndrome children know only love. When they smile, they light up the room. Each child is a light to the world. Every life comes from God and so God loves each person infinitely. God is the giver of life and only He has the right to take a life.
This election year, is probably one of the most important ones in our life time. The Democrats, as a party, have taken abortion as one of their platform issues. Republicans have taken the platform of pro-life. And since abortion is the pre-eminent issue, as Catholics we have a duty to vote for candidates who are pro-life. There is no more important issue than the right to life. We need to vote for life to save the lives millions unborn Americans.
To vote for a pro-abortion candidate, while the other candidate is pro-life is a serious sin requiring confession. Failing to help innocent children, when we are able, is a serious failure to love.
Jesus is the light of the world. He is light of the nations. In Him our future is bright. Jesus gave His life, to show His way of love. Our Lord told His disciples, “You are the light of the world”. As disciples of Jesus, we are called to help make disciples to spread the light of Christ. Jesus calls His disciples, to come to Him, who is the light and then to be a carrier of light. A carrier of His love. All Christians are sons and daughter of light. We are children of the light. Together with Jesus we are called to spread light in this world of darkness. As Christians we are called to share God’s love for every single person, to share God’s love for the elderly, the sick, the weakest and most vulnerable, especially children, and most especially unborn children.
Someday abortion in our country and in the world will end. Someday the dignity of every person from the unborn to the elderly will be respected. And when it does we will be able to repeat the words of Isiah and St. Matthew saying the “people who walked in darkness have seen a great light and upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.”
2nd Sunday Ordinary Time (Lamb of God)
In the Gospel today, when John the Baptist saw Jesus coming he said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!”
What does John the Baptist mean by Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world?
In the Old Testament, there was a time when priests would lay hands on a lamb or a goat in order to transfer the sins of the people to the lamb. Lambs were also offered as a sacrifice in order to atone for sins. Before the Hebrew people were freed from the slavery of the Egyptians, they were to kill a first born unblemished lamb and put its blood on the door posts. That night they were to eat the lamb and the angel of death would pass over the houses with the blood on the door posts, while the Egyptian first born sons and animals would die. This allowed the Hebrews to go to the Promised Land. Later, after the temple was built, the priests offered the sacrifice of the lambs to God on the altar. In the temple was the Holy of Holies containing the Ark of the Covenant containing the 10 Commandments, the rod of Aaron and manna from the desert.
Jesus is the sacrificial lamb, who takes away the sins of the world. The sins of all people in every generation are placed upon Jesus, the lamb, as He carries the Cross to Calvary. Rather, than blood on doorposts, Jesus, the sacrificial lamb, offers His blood on the wood posts of the Cross. He is the firstborn, unblemished lamb (who never sinned), who passes over from death to life, that all may pass from death to life in heaven.
The Holy Mass is the fulfillment of these prefigurements. Every Catholic Church is a temple, has an altar and the Holy of Holies, which is the tabernacle. In every Catholic Church we are in the presence of the new and everlasting covenant, the Eucharist. Jesus in the Eucharist is not manna, but the true bread from heaven. He is the shepherd who leads His flock with a rod to feed His flock. He brings about the new law and helps us to keep the 10 Commandments.
In every Catholic Church, at Mass, the priest offers the Sacrifice of Jesus, the sacrificial lamb-- to the Father-- in atonement for our sins. At Mass, we don’t eat the roasted flesh of a lamb. Rather, we eat the flesh of Jesus, the Lamb of God. The Holy Mass is the Passover meal, as we recall the words of Jesus who said, “If you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you will live forever.” If we eat the Eucharist, we will pass over death and life forever in the promised land of heaven.
This is why at Mass, we repeat the words of John the Baptist, three times, “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.” This is why the priest elevates the Sacred Host saying, “Behold the Lamb of God, Behold Him, who takes away the sins of the world.” And then adding, “Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb”.
Every Catholic is offer their pain, their suffering, their works, their daily duties and their life on the altar. When we give our self as a sacrifice and all our pain and suffering on the altar with the bread and wine, Jesus accepts these gifts and offers them with His sacrifice and the gift of Himself to God the Father in atonement for our sins.
Today for those who are at Mass, give yourself to God with the bread and wine. Give yourself to Jesus for a particular intention, for someone whom you know needs special graces and gifts. You will become a fountain of grace for someone who needs Jesus in their life. How powerful and precious is your pain and suffering!
And so we pray: O Blessed Virgin, you who offered everything to your Son at the foot of the Cross, help us O Mother to give and to love. Help us to point to Jesus in the Eucharist, like John the Baptist pointed to Him and cry out, “Behold the Lamb of God, Behold Him, who takes away the sins of the world.”
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Year A, 2020
Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Since Jesus is God and never had original sin, nor did He ever sin, why did He want John to baptize Him?
He wanted to give approval of John’s baptism. He did it as an example for us so that we would be baptized. He wanted to reveal the Blessed Trinity: the Father spoke about His beloved Son and the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove. When He was baptized, He made holy all water due to His sacred body being immersed. He did it as an example of humility for us and to show us, He was like us in all things, but sin.
Due to original sin, Adam and Eve, our first parents were driven out of paradise. They lost sanctifying grace, heaven was closed and they would suffer and sickness and death would enter into the world. But God promised a redeemer, who would crush the head of Satan restore mankind’s relationship. Thanks to Our Lord’s suffering, death and resurrection, when one is baptized, original sin and personal sin is washed away, our relationship with God is restored and we enter into the divine life of the Blessed Trinity. We become a child of God and member of the Church. God comes to dwell within our heart. We receive sanctifying grace.
Through baptism, we become a disciple of Jesus. He mandated the disciples baptize, “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Today, some Catholics have fallen into the Protestant notion, a child should make up his or her own mind about baptism. However, because we want what’s best for our child’s soul and the best way to obtain salvation, we want to raise our child Catholic and be sure the child is baptized soon after baptism. Jesus gave His Church all that is necessary for salvation. So those who are members of the Church find it easier to obtain heaven.
The Church in the Catechism encourages parents to baptize infants: “All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of Holy Baptism.” The Catechism also tells us baptism of infants is an immemorial tradition, and there is explicit testimony from the 2nd century. St. Augustine about the year 400 indicates infant baptism came from the apostles. He said, "The custom of Mother Church in baptizing infants is certainly not to be scorned . . . nor is it to be believed that its tradition is anything except apostolic.”
What if someone says, “It’s up to my child whether or not to be baptized? He can make up his own mind”? Suppose 8 year old Johnny fell off his bike and broke his arm. Would we say to him, “You can decide for yourself if you want to go to the emergency room.” Or would we say to 15 year old Susie, “You can decide for yourself if you want to stay out all night with your boyfriend.” Would we tell our child, “You can decide for yourself if you want to be Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Catholic any other religion”? A child does not have the intellectual capacity to make these kinds of choices. If we make medical and moral decisions for children, shouldn’t we make the decision for them to be Christian, to come to know and believe in Jesus? We should want to share the beauty of our faith because we want what’s best for the child’s soul. We believe not all religions are the same and believe Jesus is the only Lord and Savior and not Buddha or Muhammad.
In an emergency situation when a priest or chaplain is not available, anyone (as long as they have the intention of doing what the Church desires) can baptize by pouring water three times on the head and using the words of Jesus. Say the name of the baby and “I baptize you, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me. Do not hinder them.” Matthew 19:14. St. Peter said: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to Him" (Acts 2:38-39). A document called The Apostolic Tradition written about the year 215AD states, “Baptize first the children, and if they can speak for themselves let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them."
Today, if a child is in danger of death, we should explain to the parents the beauty baptism: God will come to dwell within the heart of the baby, original sin will be washed away, the child will become a child of God, etc…
God the Father wants to say every person, no matter how small: “This is my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” Let us ask the Virgin Mary, to help us to live out our promises of baptism and make disciples of all nations.
And since baptism is the door to the other sacraments and the gateway to heaven, we should not be afraid to help others to receive it, so that they too can have a deep and personal relationship with Jesus, who longs to dwell within their heart and help them to go to heaven.
EPIPHANY- Worship and Adore Each Particle of the Sacred Host
Today is the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. The three wise men, Melchior, Balthazar and Gasper come from pagan countries following the star that leads them to the newborn King of the Jews. The Gospel states, “They prostrated themselves and did Him homage.” To prostrate means they laid flat on the ground in adoration, worship and reverence. They were Gentiles, yet God inspired them to worship the newborn king in adoration.
If Jesus would stand before us right now in front of the altar, in all His glory, we would most likely be compelled to show our deepest respect and we may even prostrate ourselves face down in adoration on the ground.
Today, the real physical Jesus, who walked the earth, who rose from the dead will come to us. First, He will come down upon the altar when the bread and wine are changed into His body and blood, then through the hands of the priest, we are able to receive Jesus in Holy Communion.
When we come into the church or leave the church, we are to show reverence to Jesus by genuflecting or bowing if we are unable to genuflect toward His true presence in the tabernacle. We kneel in adoration during the Consecration and when the Host is elevated above the altar. To genuflect or to kneel is a sign of adoration, which gives homage due to Jesus, who is God and King.
The Church requires we make a sign of reverence before receiving Holy Communion. Most bow, but we can genuflect if we want and some kneel before receiving Holy Communion. Churches used to have altar rails and people would kneel and then receive Communion on the tongue.
For many centuries Communion was never permitted on the hand. And even today, the ordinary way the Church intends for us to receive Communion is on the tongue. Each bishop can decide if permission is granted on the hand. In our diocese, we have the permission. But some diocese in the world do not allow it on the hand.
More and more churches are re-installing altar rails and more and more dioceses no longer give the permission. This is because when the Eucharist, is treated like ordinary food, by receiving on the hand, it negatively affects the faith of the people. Today, there is a severe lack of faith in the Eucharist. Many people no longer believe in the true presence.
Some think we are required to receive Communion on the hand, but this is false. The opposite is true, we are asked by the Church to receive on the tongue, but we have permission to receive on the hand. And if we receive on the hand, we should look for particles and consume them.
I strongly suggest you receive Jesus on the tongue. Because when Hosts are distributed at Mass, there are tiny particles that fall to the ground. This bag contains unconsecrated hosts, but when I put my hand in it, there are like particles, that remain on the hand. The Council of Trent taught each particle, no matter how small is the whole and entire person of Jesus. We are to give full adoration, worship, respect and homage to every particle, as God, no matter how small.
After the priest is finished distributing Communion, he pours water on his fingers over the chalice to remove particles. After an extra ordinary minister of Holy Communion gives out Communion, they wash the particles off their fingers in the little bowl called an ablution bowl. Do you wash the particles off of your fingers when you receive on the hand and touch the Host with your fingers? Why not?
When our judgement comes, the Lord will show each of us how many times we dropped Him on the ground because we received Communion in the hand. On this special day the three wise men prostrated themselves in adoration before the Divine Infant, ask your guardian angel, how to receive Holy Communion. Maybe your guardian angel will inspire you to love and worship every particle no matter how small, for truly each particle is our Savior, who is Christ the Lord. O Come Let us Adore Him. O Come Let us Adore Him- in the Sacred Host.
SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY-
The journey the wise men made to Bethlehem was not the only journey they made. They also made a journey from paganism to worshipping the Savior. Even after their death, their bodies made a journey to a new place. And today, our journey is from within our heart to allow our Savior and God to rule our lives as king and we worship Him in the Eucharist at every Holy Mass.
Although Matthew does not tell us the names of the wise men, in the West they have traditionally been given the names Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar.
Balthasar was from Ethiopia in Africa. He brought myrrh. A bitter perfume used in burial practices of Jews. It symbolizes the death of Jesus, and His body being anointed with myrrh for burial. Melchior, was from Persia, which is modern day, Iran. He brought Frankincense, which comes from aromatic oil, used by Jews to offer sacrifice. It is a symbol of prayer and sacrifice. Casper was from Tarsus. He was European, whose gift was gold. Gold is for a king, and symbolizes the Divinity of the Child Jesus, the newborn King. It is believed all three, although from different countries, providentially met on their journey to Bethlehem.
The wise men were not Jews, they were Gentiles, just as we are Gentiles. It is interesting God revealed the birth of the “newborn king of the Jews” to men who were not Jews. We might have expected God to reveal the birth of Jesus to his own Jewish people, but no, it was to people of a different religion and race God revealed the birth of Jesus. As our opening prayer today states, “Father, you revealed your Son to the nations by the guidance of a star.” Because Jesus came to save the whole world and not just his own Jewish Chosen People, God in his mercy chose to reveal the birth of Jesus “to the nations.”
The journey the wise made to Bethlehem was not the only journey they made. They also made a journey in their hearts from paganism to worshipping Jesus. They were not Jews; scholars tell us they were priests of an Eastern religion who consulted the stars (Zoroastrian priests).
Therefore we could say they were followers of some kind of pagan religion. Before they set out on their journey to Bethlehem to worship Jesus they were star-readers but they went on an interior journey from reading stars to worshipping Jesus as Savior. Their old way of life as astrologers when they consulted the stars before they came to belief in Jesus reminds us of those who look to horoscopes for guidance.
Horoscope readers need to ask themselves who is in charge of their life, the stars OR God? Believing the stars control our lives contradicts believing God is in charge of our lives. Remember the first commandment asks us not to have any strange gods. The fact God sometimes revealed the future to prophets or saints (Catechism of the Catholic Church §2115) shows that it is God and not the stars that control our destiny.
It is sinful to believe the stars control our destiny. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate power. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.” (§2116)
The wise men journeyed from that kind of life to worshiping Jesus as the Savior. The wise men’s journey of a thousand miles or more could have taken three months is really a symbol of the inward journey they made in their hearts, a journey from paganism to belief in Jesus as the Savior of the world. Not just the wise men but all of us are on a journey to get closer to Jesus our Savior. Our journey may not be from reading stars and consulting horoscopes but we each are called to allow Jesus be Lord of each part of our lives, not just when it suits us. We each have a journey to make to Jesus because none of us is yet fully converted and each of us has corners in our hearts and lives in need of Jesus’ healing and redemption. Like the wise men we too are relying on the grace of God to lead us to the light of Jesus our Savior.
If you ever visit Cologne Cathedral in Germany you can walk around the sanctuary and behind the main altar there is a large reliquary said to contain the bones or at least the skulls of the three wise men. “How did they get to Cologne?” The wise men’s bones are said to have been located in Persia and then brought to Constantinople by St. Helena. St. Helena was the mother of the emperor Constantine who was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity. The bones were transferred from Constantinople to Milan in the fifth century and to Cologne in 1163. So not only did the wise men journey during the lives but even after deaths their relics went on a journey.
Jesus came to save all people, Gentiles as well as the Jews. We pray all nations may come to know Jesus is the one Savior, that all nations may fall prostrate before Jesus.
Our Psalm today, which we may see as a prophecy of Jesus, describes the whole world adoring God, “Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.” It refers to kings all over the world offering gifts and the Lord’s kingdom stretching from sea to sea, covering the whole world.
Today people of every nation on earth have the opportunity of adoring Jesus during the Holy Mass. When the gifts of bread and wine are brought up in procession during the offertory, we have something more precious than gold, frankincense and myrrh to offer as gifts to the Lord. We can give our prayers, our sacrifices and the total gift of our self at Mass.
Something to consider is that the Magi and also the shepherds prostrated themselves before the Divine Infant. The Child Jesus, would have looked like any other child, but the shepherds came to know through the angels, Jesus is the Messiah and Savior. Likewise, the magi also came to know Jesus is King and is God, which is why they bowed down and worshipped Him.
At every Mass we bow down and worship God. It would have taken faith on the part of the shepherds and the magi, to give homage to Jesus, the newborn King. And it takes faith to believe Jesus, who is God, is really and truly present in the Eucharist. Though He appears to be bread, we believe the Sacred Host is really Jesus. That is why we adore the Eucharist. At Mass we kneel before the altar because we believe God Himself becomes present on the altar. When the Host is elevated above the altar, we gaze in adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist. This is also why we genuflect when we come inside the church and when we leave church, because almighty God is truly present in the tabernacle. This is also why we bow our heads or make the sign of the Cross before we receive Jesus in Holy Communion. This why incense is sometimes used at Mass to remind us we are worshipping God. These are external signs of adoration and worship of God that comes from within our heart.
Today, let us give our gifts to the Lord on the altar and bow down and worship Him in the Eucharist and may we ask Our Heavenly Mother to help us on our journey to the greatest and most beautiful star, the star of our heavenly homeland.
FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY 2019
Today is the Feast of the Holy Family. When I was an associate pastor at St. Francis of Assisi parish, there was a cute family with 5 children ages 5 to 13. The family was very involved in the parish. The children, who were old enough, were altar servers. The brothers and sisters always seemed to get along. They were respectful to their parents and obeyed whatever they said. The spouses always deferred to other out love and there was no observable selfishness. The children were always happy and courteous towards others. They attended Catholic school and received good grades. They were involved in sports and school activities. The altar servers enjoyed helping the priests. The family regularly prayed the Rosary together, at meals together, seldom watched television and enjoyed playing games together. Even the smallest child paid attention at Mass. In my opinion they were a holy family.
Now 13 years later, just a few weeks ago, when I visited babies in NICU, I recognized the father of one the babies, as one of the altar servers. He was now married and he and his wife had their first baby. Their child was in NICU because the baby would occasionally stop breathing. The young man and his wife, were now in their 30’s. The couple was glad to see me and to get reacquainted after 13 years. They both expressed a desire to receive Holy Communion, because they could not attend Mass while their baby was in ICU.
During this same time, while visiting patients at St. Teresa’s hospital, I met the young man’s mother, who told me her dad was in ICU and not doing well. I went to his room and anointed him. She said her father was most likely not going to live much longer. She also said her brother was on hospice at his home. And so, the mother of the family had a grandchild in ICU, her father was about to die and her brother was in the dying process all at the same time. She shared with me the anxiety and fears she was facing. Yet, she said she trusted God was in control.
In the midst of all of this suffering the family was holding steady as a rock. They were still the holy family I knew 13 years ago. They trusted Jesus was in their midst and helping them in their trials. They believed Our Lord was preparing the grandfather and her brother for eternity and helping the Infant to get better. The family was held together by their Catholic faith. The young couple believed Jesus was in their midst.
The grandmother of the infant, said she still attended daily Mass and daily prayed the Rosary, which she said was her strength. When the young parents found out the child stopped breathing due to seizures, they said they trusted all would be fine, because his younger brother 13 years ago also had seizures. It was what helped the family to grow closer together.
What made this family so likeable and so loveable was they shared everything together: suffering, prayer, faith and love. They were a true image of the Holy Family.
The Holy Family suffered greatly. Recall when Mary conceived Jesus, Joseph thought about divorcing Her quietly. They had no place to stay in Bethlehem and endured poverty and cold when Jesus was born in a cave. They had to flee to Egypt to escape Herod, who wanted to kill the Infant, and slaughter children in Bethlehem. When the Child Jesus was 12 years old, He stayed in the Jerusalem causing Mary and Joseph anxiety not knowing where Jesus was, because to them, He was lost. The Holy Family suffered the death of St. Joseph. Mary heard people reject Jesus-- accusing Him of being the devil and out of His mind. She met Her Son while He carried His Cross and for three hours stood with Him until He died.
Every family has troubles, but if they live out their Catholic faith, and look to the example of the Holy Family, then their suffering, sacrifice, prayer, faith and love, will help give them to have peace in the midst of their trials. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, help every family to be a holy family.
MARY, MOTHER OF GOD, JAN 1ST, 2019
Mary, Mother of God, Did You Know? Not Born a Saint to become a Saint, but Concieved a Saint and grew as the Greatest of All Saints!
Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. There is a popular Protestant Christmas Song called “Mary Did You Know?” It has a beautiful rhythm and words to the song. It ponders if Mary knew what Jesus would later do. It is written by Mark Lowry and the music is by Buddy Greene. Here are the lyrics:
Mary did you know that your baby boy will someday walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.
Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when your kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.
Oh Mary did you know
The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again.
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb
Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am.
This popular song, calls into question whether or not Mary knew She was the Mother of God, the Mother of the Messiah, the Mother of our Savior, the Mother of all creation. How much did Mary really know?
Because Mary was Immaculately Conceived (at the first moment of Her Conception, preserved from original sin). And never once sinned Her entire life, She was far superior in intelligence and obtained knowledge in a manner greater than any human being. As a good Jewish woman, She knew Sacred Scripture and because Her intellect was untainted by sin, She could comprehend mysteries in a way no other human could. Her intimate relationship with the Blessed Trinity would have caused Her to penetrate the deep mysteries of God. She is the daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, and the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel for today’s Mass speaks about how Mary kept the things of Jesus’ life reflecting on them in Her Heart. So what could have Mary known?
Mary was the first to come to know there is a Blessed Trinity, (three persons in one God) because the angel Gabriel revealed it to Her. Saying, Jesus was “the Son of God, the Holy Spirit would come upon Her and the power of the Most High would overshadow Her”. (Lk 1:35) She knew Jesus was the Savior. The angel said, He was to have the “name Jesus, because He would save His people from their sins”, (Lk 1:31) and Mary knew Jesus, Her Son, would save Her from sinning as well.
Mary knew Her baby boy was the Lord of all creation and would someday rule the nations, as the angel told Mary, “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Lk 1:32)
Did Mary know Jesus would work miracles? She certainly knew God worked miracles in the Old Testament, the miracles in Egypt, the manna in the desert and how God divided the Red Sea. The Jewish people of Jesus’ day looked forward to the coming of the kingdom of God, when all would be set right. The oppressed would be liberated, the blind would see, (Isaiah 35:5) the dead would live again, and the Lord would rule over all the nations (Ezekiel 37:24), which would turn from their idols to serve the God of Israel (Isaiah 2:18). Since She knew Jesus was God and She was His Mother, She believed Jesus could work miracles and so She asked Her Son to work His first miracle changing water into wine at Cana (John 2).
Did She know what kind of death, Jesus would die? Mary heard the prophecy of Simeon that Her Heart would be pierced (Lk 2:35) and so She undoubtedly pondered the words of Isaiah, “He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, Like a lamb led to the slaughter.” (Isaiah 53:3-5) And Psalm 22, “They have pierced my hands and feet and I can count all of my bones”. She would have known Ezekiel, the prophet, predicted the resurrection of the dead (Ezekiel 37:10) and would have been familiar with Elisha, who raised a dead child to life (2 Kings 4:32-37). If Elisha by God’s grace could raise the dead, She knew Her Son, who is God could do the same. She was the first to come to know and believe Jesus would rise from the dead and as tradition tells us, Jesus appeared to Her first, when He rose from the dead.
Mary knew She kissed the face of God, because She knew Jesus was God and came from God, where the angels tread especially since the angel Gabriel was sent from God to tell Her, “Child to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Lk 1:35) And because He is God, He is the great “I AM”. As the Mother of God, Mary is greater than all the angels and saints combined in holiness, in knowledge of God and especially in Her love of God, Her Son. She knew She was our spiritual Mother because Jesus gave Her to us at the foot of the Cross, when He said, “Behold thy Mother.”
It’s a doctrinal error to say, “Mary was not born a saint and had to become one, like everyone else”. This is an error because Mary was conceived a saint, as She was full of grace (Lk 1:26) and never lost any grace, but only increased in grace-- Her entire life because She never sinned and like Jesus “grew in wisdom and grace with God and men.”. (Lk 2:52) She was human just like us, but She was a saint the moment She was conceived and continued to become a greater and greater saint until She would be assumed into heaven. She grew in virtue and holiness every moment of Her life, because She always perfectly did the will of God. Saints are sinners, who have offended God, but overcame their sins by turning to God for forgiveness and mercy. But Mary was not a sinner. She was free of original sin and never sinned and so never needed to ask for forgiveness. She was therefore the greatest of all saints because She always chose to not offend God when tempted to sin. Mary was a sinless saint from the moment of Her conception until assumed into heaven. Because She was sinless and because She knew She was without sin, Her sinlessness was a source of Her unfathomable humility. She did not become proud because of it, because She knew God had done great things for Her.
There is nothing wrong with asking rhetorical questions which persuade the listener to ponder what the answer to the questions would be. But to not give the answer to these questions about what Mary knew casts doubt on the beauty of who Mary really is and what She really knew. If we want to make the popular song something truly worthy of pondering, we would answer the questions with truth. And we would say this:
O Mary you knew your baby boy would someday work miracles like walking on water and calming the storm. Mary you knew your baby boy will save our sons and daughters. Mary you knew your baby boy would come to make all things new. The child you've delivered, will deliver you.
You knew, Your baby boy, who came down from heaven in your womb had trod with the angels who worshipped Him night and day before His throne. Mary you knew when you kissed your little baby, you kissed the face of God, Oh Mary you knew, the blind would see, the deaf would hear, the dead would live again. The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb. Mary you knew that your baby boy is Lord of all creation. You knew your baby boy would one day rule the nations, you’re your baby is the perfect Lamb, and that this sleeping child you're holding is the great I am. Mary, you knew, because You are the Mother of God, and our Mother. O Mary, pray for us and help us to turn to you in all our needs, protect us from sin, so someday we too will kiss the face of God, where angels tread and we will worship with them, the great I AM.
FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY HOMILY
Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. “And when they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The Child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon Him.”
When Jesus came into the world as our Savior, He wanted to start His redemptive task in an ordinary simple family. The first thing Jesus sanctified by His presence was the family. Nothing extra ordinary happened from His Childhood until He was 30 years old. He lived a silent life, unknown to the world, in the midst of a family. Yet, His active ministry was for only 3 years. What does that tell us, that God spent 90% of His life on earth in a family?
Joseph was the head of the family according to the law and he provided for the needs of the family by his carpentry work. Jesus too learned how to do carpentry from Joseph. Joseph, as head of the family was the protector & guardian of the family. The angel appeared to him to tell him to take his family to Egypt and later to return to Nazareth.
Mary taught Jesus to walk, to put on His clothes, to read and write and to pray. She spent every day of Her life, like millions of other women who look after their families, sewing, cleaning and cooking. Some wrongly think ordinary tasks of the home are unimportant and insignificant. Yet, when ordinary simple life is done out of love for God, it sanctifies the family.
The Holy Family prayed together, went to synagogue together and to the temple feasts together. They followed the Jewish rituals and customs and were obedient to all the laws.
Between Jesus, Mary and Joseph there existed a holy affection, a spirit of service, and a mutual desire for the happiness of each other forgetting about their own needs. The Holy Family is a model for families, in virtues and in doing God’s will.
Every Christian family is to imitate the house of Nazareth, a place where God is first, so that God can be at the center of love that members of the family have for each other. God must be first in every family, by making attending Sunday Mass the most important family event of the week. God must also be first at home, especially by praying together every night. Parents can decide the kind of prayer and manner of prayer. For example, each person can mention something they are thankful and pray one petition, followed by the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be or pray the Rosary together. Or read a short passage from one of the Gospels. The father of the family as the spiritual leader of the family should lead his family at night in prayer and prayer before meals and bring the children to confession monthly. Remember, “The family that prays together stays together.” Children should be encouraged to practice virtue and sacrificial love in the family.
Today, school activities and sports are being placed above God. Some games and tournaments are on Sunday, and children are not able to attend church or church activities. Once a little boy came up to me and apologized. He said, “Father I wanted to come to the Christmas play practice, but I couldn’t, I had basketball practice. I would rather have been at Christmas play practice”. On a different occasion, a boy told me he went to watch a K-state football game. I told him, how wonderful, that he was able to go, but with a sad look on his face, he said, “I was scheduled to be an altar server, and I would rather have been here serving at Mass.” His response certainly surprised me, and also his parents who overheard our conversation. I had no idea he was scheduled that weekend to serve.
Sometimes, children have different desires then their parents. And the parents’ motivation as to why they do what they do, may be even unknown to themselves and how it effects their children.
Have you ever wondered why so many parents place a great emphasis on sports and school activities? I would suspect they want to be proud of their children and to watch them succeed. Some will use it as an opportunity, to brag about their children. When a child is successful, he or she begins to think their life is important and he or she has value & dignity. School activities can teach children self-discipline, team work and respect.
However, public schools, can’t mention Jesus. Children can’t pray together. Schools are unable to openly bring Jesus into the life of the youth. As a result, the true reason for their dignity is either lost or not discovered. Our dignity comes from the fact, that we are children of God and created in His image and likeness. Our dignity is independent of our accomplishments. And so children can think their dignity is the result of usefulness. A down syndrome child or child with a disability has equal dignity before God as other children. Their value is not measured in what they can or cannot do.
There is another kind of success that is most important, which is to succeed in virtue. The success of becoming a saint.
I know of several high school graduates who turned down scholarships. One had a baseball scholarship and the other had a football scholarship. I asked each of them if they are going to play their particular sport in college and both told me the same thing. Independent of each other they said, “There is more to life than sports.” Each one wanted to attend a school in their own particular field they wanted to enter.
Something I admire about Catholic schools, is that children are taught not only to excel in academics, sports and the arts, they are taught to excel in virtue. They are taught to be disciples of Jesus. They learn what it takes to become a saint. The mission statement for Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School is "to educate and form the total person in the image of Jesus Christ.” The mission statement for Bishop Carroll High School is: “To assist parents in forming disciples of Christ who enrich the culture as stewards of God's gifts.” In Catholic schools, they can openly pray together. They can do Christian activities and wear Christian symbols. They learn at a very young age the importance of discovering their talents and using their time talent as stewardship. In fact families who attend Catholic schools are required to practice stewardship in their parish.
When I was an associate at St. Francis of Assisi in Wichita, a young boy came up to me and told me that Wilbur elementary would not let him bring his skate board to school because on the bottom of the skateboard he had inscribed a cross. In many public schools children are no longer able to sing Christmas Carols. They can’t sing Silent Night, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Joy to the World, or even sing I wish you a Merry Christmas.
Catholic school children are able to attend weekday Masses, but the frequency varies. They have daily religion classes and learn about the history of the church, morality, the sacraments, scripture, vocations, etc…
Catholic schools are not exempt from problems and difficulties, because every school is like a person, each has its weaknesses. Yet there is a tremendous difference in sending a child to Catholic school verses public school, especially because a child who attends Catholic school is more apt to practice their faith better, to come to the sacraments more often, and to incorporate their faith into everything they do, because they are taught that a disciple of Jesus is most important, allowing one to greatly impact society.
I myself never attended Catholic school. I didn’t have the opportunity because the Catholic school I would have attended closed. For some families it’s practically not possible to send their children to Catholic school, perhaps due to work schedules or travel requirements. Sacrifices are magnified for families who send their children to Catholic schools, because we don’t have our own parish school, perhaps someday we will.
Some families are opting to homeschool their children. Homeschooling allows parents to follow a particular approved home-school curriculum and they can personally teach their children about the faith. They create their own schedule. Parents are able to teach their children behavior and morals, not leaving it to teachers who may have different morals & values. They are able to attend daily Mass with their children, so the children receive the most precious gift of Jesus in Holy Communion often. Jesus was home-schooled. During His life, there wasn’t public schools or private schools.
I would like to encourage parents to pray about sending your children to Catholic school. There is no tuition. Families who practice stewardship are able to send their children to Catholic school.
No matter if children attend public school or Catholic school or are homeschooled, the words of Pope John Paul II call parents to take their parenting role most seriously. JPII said, "Parents are the first and the most important educators of their own children…“By virtue of their ministry of educating, parents are through the witness of their lives the first heralds of the Gospel for their children. Furthermore, by praying with their children, by reading the word of God with them and “introducing them to the Eucharistic life of the church” --they become fully parents, in that they are begetters not only of bodily life but also of the life that through the Spirit's renewal flows from the cross and resurrection of Christ.”
Today, let us pray all families will become counter cultural, and return to the basics by imitating the Holy Family, in simplicity, in love, in prayer, and in service.
O Holy Family of Nazareth, pray for us, that our families may be like your family!
NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING HOMILIES
Dec. 20th of Advent, Annunciation, Contraception Should be Illegal
Contraception & Natural Family Planning -15th Sunday Year A
Contraception Dancing with the Devil -18th Sunday Year C
Pill, IUD, Norplant Cause Death of Baby - Palm Sunday*
Natural Family Planning - Sheep & Shepherds -16th Sunday Year B
Natural Family Planning - Pearl of Great Price - 17th Sunday Year A
Contraception - 27th Sunday Year B*
Natural Family Planning Week- 17th Sunday Year C
*Confession was offered after Masses with homilies with an *. There was an overwhelming large number of confessions.
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Helpful Homily Websites
Association of Catholic Priests - Sunday Homily Resources
Scott Hahn - Sunday Bible Reflections
Pope Saint John Paul II Homilies
General Intercessions - Priests for Life
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