Category Archives: Homilies

February 19, 2022 · 9:01 am

20220220 Ordinary 7C

Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, L-love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

Think about that for a moment. 

Let me repeat it. 

Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” 

Let it sink in. 

Following Jesus in the time that Jesus lived was difficult and hard.  Think about the radical ideas that Jesus taught during his ministry on earth.  Those ideas are still difficult to follow two thousand years later. 

The concepts that Jesus taught were as unique in his time as they are today.  Jesus always criticized the leaders who forced everyone to follow letter of the law yet found ways to circumvent the law and do what they wanted.  Jesus was always looking at the intent of a person’s heart, the reason the person was acting. 

This is radical thinking and the Disciples, the Church Fathers and Mothers tried to live this concept.  It was not easy for them, and it is not easy for us.  The Pharisees and church leaders in Jesus’ time hated Jesus and his ideas so much that they plotted to kill Jesus for his teachings.  Is it any wonder that the Church has had martyrs through the centuries? 

But let’s think about today, right now in our times.  We are often confronted with what Jesus was talking about.  Practically everyone has someone who hates them, someone who curses them or someone who mistreats them, for whatever reason.  And Jesus commanded us to love them, to do good to them, to bless them and to pray for them. 

All of us have had enemies during our lives.  Usually, the enemy is someone we have been close to through work, social groups, or families. 

Families are small close-knit groups of people all related to each other in some way; either by birth or marriage.  It is easy for family members to squabble and have disagreements.  It is sad, but often these squabbles turn into fights and family members become enemies. 

There were two sisters who didn’t talk to each other for nine years.  If the two sisters were not talking, none of their children could talk to each other either. 

The sisters made up and the families socialized again.  Before long, the sisters had another disagreement and didn’t talk to each other again.  Sadly, one of the sisters died, and they had not talked for eleven years this time.  Twenty years of their lives they had not talked to each other, and their children had not talked or visited.  This may seem extreme but most of our families have some disagreements that divide us. 

It is especially sad when families become enemies.  It happens so quickly and so easy.  The harsh words are taken to heart even when the person saying them didn’t mean to be hateful.  The hurt lasts and eats at us until we hate the person. 

Jesus concluded today’s Gospel with “Stop judging and you will not be judged.  Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.  Forgive and you will be forgiven.” 

We usually think we have good reasons to for our positions, for the reason the other person is an enemy, for the reason the other person is wrong, and I am right.  In many cases our reason may be justified by the world’s standards.  But Jesus didn’t care about the reasons.  He commanded that we love, do good, bless, and pray for those who hate and mistreat us.  He commanded that we do not judge, do not condemn and that we forgive those who have wronged us. 

That’s HARD! 

Jesus said that I must love the person who lied about me and ruined my reputation, maybe even cost me my job.  He also said that I must not condemn or judge that person; but must forgive and pray for the person who hurt me so deeply. 

The hurt is still there.  The pain won’t go away. 

We usually know who we consider to be our enemies.  Sometimes a person considers us an enemy and we don’t even know it.  But when find out that someone considers us an enemy, we must take the steps to make it right. 

In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus said “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”  In line with today’s Gospel, Jesus is putting the action on us to do good even when the other person is at fault.  Jesus told us to “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” 

How do I have mercy for someone who has hurt me so much?  Why should I even be kind that person let alone bless them, pray for them, and love them? 

We start by spending time in prayer asking God to guide us, to help us to stop judging and condemning and then to help us to forgive.  Only then can we begin to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who mistreat us.  It may help to talk with a priest or a spiritual director if you have one.  Spending time in prayer asking God to help us overcome our resentment and the hurt in our hearts for evil that person did to us is the first step toward healing. 

It takes a lot of prayer and introspection on our part to reach the point that we can tolerate that person let alone love them.  But that is a first step. 

How will we respond to Jesus’ command to love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you, to stop judging and stop condemning others?  Will we forgive so we will be forgiven? 

Will we turn the TV off and pray that God will help us tolerate our enemies?  Or is our TV show more important?  Will we stop checking social media to read our Bible searching for scriptures that will teach us to love God and our enemy as ourselves?  Or is it more important to know the latest gossip on Facebook? 

Lord Jesus, help me to learn to forgive and then teach me to love. 

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January 30, 2022 · 9:02 am

20220130 Ordinary 4 C

Today’s readings have very opposing concepts.  One reading talks about love – the greatest attribute a person could have, and two of the readings talk about violence – trying to kill the prophets who tell the people about God’s absolute love.  Paul wrote so eloquently about God’s love in the second reading. 

Prophets are sent to challenge us to evaluate what we believe and how we live our lives in accordance with the Scriptures.  The message of the prophets is that God loves all people unconditionally.  We, on the other hand, only seem to love when it’s convenient or when we get something in return.  We especially don’t want to love someone who is outside our group or circle of friends. 

The verses at the start of today’s Gospel tells us that after reading from the scroll of Isaiah, Jesus said “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”  And Jesus began teaching in the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth.  “And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.”

John Kavanaugh, SJ wrote “It would not be easy. Jesus himself, after he announced the good news to the poor, first amazed, then angered his audience. He was too ordinary and too close to give such prophetic utterance. It cannot be real. He cannot be real. Eventually they were filled with rage and wanted to cast him out.”  They asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” 

The people began to doubt because Jesus was too close to them.  Jesus was expected to follow in his father’s trade just as all young men did in ancient times.  Here was Jesus, teaching in the synagogue.  But his father was not a Rabbi or a Pharisee or a Sadducee, his father was an artesian who worked with wood and stone. 

What raised the anger of the people to the point that they wanted to kill Jesus?  The hard truth was that God loves all people.  Jesus reminded them that God provided help and healing to Gentiles in the past when there was suffering in Israel.  These were foreigners, Gentiles, who were considered unclean and enemies.  Foreigners do not deserve our love or God’s love. 

Peter Kreeft, a contemporary theologian, wrote “In today’s Gospel, God’s warning to Jeremiah comes true in the life of the greatest of all prophets when the congregation that had heard Jesus’ messianic sermon in the Nazareth synagogue and had admired his speaking then turned against him viciously and even tried to kill him when he dared to challenge them for their self-righteousness, as all the prophets did.  There’s not much profit (or not much to gain) in being a prophet.  Most of them get martyred.” 

Paul, like the prophets before him, was called to become God’s prophet, this time to the Gentiles.  Paul was able to write this beautiful chapter on Love because Paul experienced God’s love on the road to Damascus. 

He said “Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.  But I shall show you a still more excellent way.” 

Think about that; a way that is more excellent than the greatest spiritual gifts.  Paul continues:

If I speak in human and angelic tongues,

but do not have love,

I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.

And if I have the gift of prophecy,

and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;

if I have all faith so as to move mountains,

but do not have love, I am nothing,

If I give away everything I own,

and if I hand my body over so that I may boast,

but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Paul goes on to list the many attributes of love.  I encourage you to take a few moments to read these again when you get home as a family.  Then talk about how we can express our love for our neighbor as Jesus taught us.  Paul, like the prophets of old, is challenging us to love as God loves. 

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus taught that we must love God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves.  There were no exceptions.  Paul reinforces Jesus’ teaching writing that Love exceeds everything else. 

Gerald Darring wrote “The message of Jesus and the prophets before him was to love all people as God loves them. The reason why they ran into problems is that so many people do not want to hear about “love for one another even as God has loved us.”  The love that Jesus preached “is not snobbish,” so it includes the filthy poor and the stinking homeless. 

God’s love is not exclusionary.  God’s love is for everyone, the filthy poor and the stinking homeless person, the politician that has an agenda in opposition to everything we believe and the extremely wealthy person who looks down on us.  God’s love is for you and for me.  And God commands us to love others with the same love that he has for us! 

This coming week when we see a homeless person on the street corner holding a sign asking for money, will we turn our head the other way, so we don’t have to look at them?  Or will we look them in the eye and smile, showing them the dignity that everyone deserves, even if we do not give them money? 

When the envelope comes in the mail asking for a donation to help someone in another part of the world, will we throw it away because they are in another country, and we don’t want to be bothered?  Or will we thank God for the many blessings we have received and send a donation to provide food to a person we don’t even know? 

When the relative we can’t stand calls and wants to talk about the problems in their life again, will we brush them off with a quick excuse?  Or will we ask God for his help to listen patiently to share God’s love with them? 

St Paul said “Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.  But I shall show you a still more excellent way.”  He continued:

if I do marvelous deeds:

but do not have love, I am nothing.

And again if I give everything away:

but do not have love, I gain nothing.

So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 

Let us spend some time this coming week asking God to fill us so full of his love that that we can love even the person we despise.  “Am I willing to spend the time in God’s presence necessary to let God’s love fill me so much that I can share it with everyone I meet?”  Especially the beggar, the homeless person, and the person I despise? 

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January 11, 2021 · 4:45 pm

20210108 Friday After Epiphany

In Luke 5:15 – 16 we read:

The report about him spread all the more, and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments, 16 but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray. [1]

All through the Gospels we read about Jesus withdrawing to a deserted place to pray. 

We too need to slip away from the world with all the chaos, turmoil, television, music, and social media along with whatever else distracts us.  We need to read the scriptures, spend some quiet time reflecting on those verses and praying for God’s help, for his mercy and guidance to live lives of humility and service for others. 

We must follow Jesus’ example to survive in this world. 

[1] New American Bible. (2011). (Revised Edition, Lk 5:15–16). Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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February 25, 2020 · 3:22 pm

20200226 Ash WednesdayA

Lent is a time of choices.  We usually think about what we are going to give up for Lent.  We usually give up chocolate, sweets, alcohol or some other pleasure.  We ask others “What are you giving up for Lent?”  It is a time for preparation to remind us of the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus’ death.  He loved so much that he died for our sins; each and everyone of us. 

God made us in his image, so we have the ability to make choices.  We can decide to let Jesus into our hearts or to reject him and shut him out of our lives. 

There is a painting of Jesus standing at the door, knocking to be let into our hearts.  The is no doorknob so we are the ones that need to open the door so Jesus can enter.  The message is that we must open the door to Jesus, he will not force his way into our lives. 

I believe that even though the door is locked from the inside due to bitterness of hurtful actions by others or the depths of despair in our lives, Jesus can still provide a ray of Hope in our hearts.  Hope that there is something better in the future.  Hope that this is not the end.  When we hit rock bottom and think it can’t get worse, God’s grace can provide a glimmer of hope in our darkest night. 

I came upon this song by chance and have played it many times since then. 

Eric Clapton wrote the song Holy Mother in the depths of despair.  He explained on Facebook the inspiration to write this song.  “In the ’80s, I was out on the road in a massive downward spiral with drink and drugs.  I saw Purple Rain in a cinema in Canada. I had no idea who he was.  It was like a bolt of lightning!  In the middle of my depression, and the dreadful state of the music culture at that time it gave me hope.  He was like a light in the darkness.  I went back to my hotel and, surrounded by empty beer cans, wrote Holy Mother.” 

In his book “Clapton” he says “It was like a moment of clarity when I saw the absolute squalidness of my life at that moment.  I began to write a song called “Holy Mother,” in which I asked for help from a divine source, a female that I couldn’t even begin to identify. I still love that song, because I recognize that it came from deep in my heart as a sincere cry for help.” 

Eric was raised in the Church of England so he would have known about our Blessed Mother even if he couldn’t put a name or face with the female divine source he referred to in the song. 

In moments of despair, our hearts still yearn for God.  That desperate need for something to hope in lets Jesus enter. 

So many people are hurting.  Maybe from the death of a loved one, from the hurt of harsh words or bullying, from our own self doubt or feeling inferior to others.  Yes, Lent is a time of self-sacrifice to remind us of the suffering of our Lord for us.  It is a time to ponder the hurt within those around us and within our own lives. 

Lent is also be a time to choose good, to help others.  In addition to our normal ‘giving up’ for Lent, let us also take action to share God’s love with others. 

One way we could take action is to pray a Rosary for those who are lost in despair.  Someone who is contemplating suicide or so lost within that they have nowhere to turn.  Let us ask our Blessed Mother to intercede for us with her son for them and for us that we will be a beacon of hope to others in their darkest night. 

Let us also pray that we will never contribute to someone’s despair because of the way we live, because our actions are mean and hateful, because we were too busy doing good works for outward show and praise like the Pharisees that we failed to notice a person silently suffering in the pain of depression and despair. 

Jesus not only suffered for us, but he rose from the dead to give us new life.  His resurrection gives us hope that we can rejoice with him in heaven for all eternity.  Through his death and resurrection, we begin to live a different life; one that serves God sincerely from our hearts and brings God’s love and hope to others. 

As we pray a rosary during Lent for those who are suffering from depression and despair, we should include our own pain and hurt. 

Let’s pray to our Blessed Mother together for her intercession especially during this Lenten Season:
Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. 
Amen.

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February 16, 2020 · 8:46 am

20200216 Ordinary 6 A

Jesus was brilliant.  We don’t normally think about Jesus in that manner, but he brought more explanation and depth to the Law.  He studied with a Rabbi as a child.  He was in the Temple learning from the Doctors when his parents finally found him after three very stressful days.  And his Heavenly Father gave him Wisdom and understanding of the Scriptures and people’s tendencies. 

Today’s readings take us deeper into relationships, relationships with God and relationships with others and the purpose behind our actions. 

The opening words in the First Reading address our relationship with God.  “If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you; if you trust in God, you too shall live; …”  It continues “Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses shall be given him.  The eyes of God are on those who fear him; he understands man’s every deed.”  We have the option to choose life or death. 

Jesus continues this theme in the Gospel.  He said that he did not come to abolish the law.  The rules are there for a reason; to help us follow God.  Then, Jesus takes it further: it is what is in our hearts.  Our intent is more important than just keeping the law for public acceptance or appearance. 

Jesus continues to give examples of how we sin based on the intent in our thoughts even without committing the act.  This seems harsh!  It is not what we think of when we think of sin.  Jesus was pointing out that our intent is good or evil as the First Reading tells us.  That intent is only known to us, within our hearts and minds, and to God. 

Jesus drives the point home when he said “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Everyone knew that the scribes and Pharisees strictly followed the Law to the nth letter of it.  But everyone also knew that they did it for a public display seeking approval of how good they were because of how they observed the Law.  Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for their pious observance of the law without a contrite heart. 

Once again, Jesus takes it one step further when he said “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” 

This may seem a little strange to us today but in Jesus’ time, a person brought a gift to the railing in the Temple, to hand to the priest to offer on the altar as an offering to God.  We too bring a gift to the altar when we come to receive him in the Eucharist.  We bring the gift of our contrite heart seeking forgiveness and grace through his Body and Blood. 

John Pilch writes “Jesus forbids anger and insults that could escalate to murder.  For Jesus, squelching the feud even takes precedence over Temple worship!”  Maybe our anger doesn’t escalate to physical murder, but have we murdered a person’s reputation? 

Notice that in this case, Jesus didn’t say if You have anything against your neighbor but if your neighbor has anything against you.  Is our neighbor’s hard feelings because of something we did to them?  

Or is it because they don’t like the color of our hair, our skin, our culture, our religion or some other reason.  Jesus didn’t make any distinction about why, he said that if we know that someone has something against us, we should make it right.  We should not let hard feelings fester and boil over into an argument or a fight. 

Family members and one-time close friends don’t talk to each other over issues and arguments that have caused hurt and pain that will not be easy to heal.  Political positions have dissolved friendships and split families.  I am appalled by what some Catholics post on social media.  It is harsh and unchristian.  What we post and re-post on Facebook and other social media reveals what is in our heart.  I have a friend who has never posted an unkind word on social media – so it can be done. 

We do have a choice: The First Reading tells us that we have Life and Death; Good and Evil before us.  Jesus said that it is not just our actions that result in Life or Death for us but the intent of our heart.  Which will we choose?  It is a crucial question because we will receive what we choose. 

To help us choose Life and Good, we must spend time in prayer.  This is what will help us change the intent of our hearts.  An additional five minutes of prayer a day will draw us closer to God.  Only God can change our hearts and make us more loving and kind with others. 

When a coworker says or does something that really irritates us this week, will we be angry and hateful towards them?  Will that anger only be in our thoughts or will it be reflected in our actions?  Jesus said that it is the same; the intent of the heart (hatred) causes the act or the thought. 

When the person passes us on the road to cut us off to make a turn, how will we react?  Will we be angry?  Will we curse at them?  Or will we pray a prayer that God will keep them safe and prevent them for hurting others? 

When we think something on social media is wrong or bad or just disagrees with how we believe, will we write a hateful post or pray a prayer for ourselves and the other person? 

We have Life and Death, Good and Evil before us.  Which will be given to us? 

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December 24, 2019 · 9:33 pm

20191225 Christmas Day A

There are two sides of Christmas for us; a time to attend mass for the spiritual celebration and the festive celebration of gifts and food with family and friends.  

Christmas is a holy time when we pause to reflect on that night when, as John describes it “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.”  This was the night when Jesus, Emmanuel, the Savior of the World was born. 

Christmas is also big celebration.  Gifts are exchanged with family and friends.  A big feast with turkey or prime rib or the celebration meal that is our tradition is prepared.  The air is filled with excitement and we look forward to seeing everyone.  The radio and tv have Christmas music and movies about Christmas.  It is the most joyous time of year and even people who are usually grumpy brighten up at Christmas. 

These two radically different views are apparent in today’s Gospel.  John said that Jesus came to his own people and they rejected him.  Some accepted Jesus and to those he gave the power to become children of God. 

Let’s go back approximately two thousand thirty years ago to the night Jesus was born.  What was that celebration like?  Well, there really wasn’t one.  Joseph took Mary, like everyone else form the House of David, to Bethlehem to be enrolled.  Enrolled was the term used for a census.  In the United States there is a census every ten years when people are counted where they live.  The difference is that Joseph had to go to his ancestral family city to be counted as a descendant of David.  Joseph searched for a place to stay.  He tried all his family and acquaintances, but there was no place where they could stay for a few days to be enrolled.  Everyone was too busy or already had too many people staying.  This is the familiar story we know of how there was no room in the inn. 

But Bishop Mueggenborg wrote “The Greek word kataluma actually doesn’t mean “inn,” but rather “place of hospitality.”  Our Lord was born in the cold darkness of a stable, not because there were no available rooms, but because the people did not welcome the Holy Family with compassion and hospitality.  This passage is more about rejection, disconnection and disinterest in the plight of others than it is about a lack of vacancy.” 

Finally, Joseph is able to find someone who will let them get out of the weather by staying in a shelter with the animals.  During the night, Mary gives birth to her firstborn son and they name him Jesus as instructed by the angel.  

No one in Bethlehem other than Mary and Joseph knew or even cared that Jesus was born.  And even if they would have known that a baby was born, they would not have known the significance of who Jesus was – the Son of God, the Messiah, Emmanuel – the Savior of the world. 

The shepherds living in the fields keeping the night watch to protect their sheep on the hillsides outside of town knew.  During the night, an angel appeared to them and told them “today, in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” 

Then a multitude of heavenly hosts joined the angel saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”  The shepherds went and found the baby Jesus like the angels told them.  Then the shepherds returned to their fields glorifying God for all they heard and saw. 

The Magi saw an extremely bright star in the sky and wondered what it meant.  They are positive that the star has a very special meaning, something of universal importance but they know they must find the answer for the bright star.  They begin packing to follow that bright star, to discover the star’s meaning.  It will take them a while to get there but they know that the star has a special significance. 

But on the night that Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem, and no one knew that the Savior of the World was born.  In the Gospel we heard how “He (the Savior of the world) came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him.” 

But not everyone is uncaring nor uncompassionate.  The shepherds and Magi went in search of the Christ Child.  John tells us how some accept Jesus as the Son of God, Emmanuel, the Savior of the World.  “But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.”  Jesus brought hope to the world darkened by sin.  We are able to become children of God. 

The people of Bethlehem didn’t realize that the Savior of the World was born during the night.  Thirty years later, the people would still not realize that the Savior of the World was with them when Jesus started his ministry.  In fact, three years later, they would reject him and have him crucified. 

The story of Jesus’ life is one of rejection and lack of compassion from the time he is born to his death on the cross.  Today, we celebrate the birth of Mary’s firstborn son, Jesus, Emmanuel, the Savior of the World.  But how do we celebrate it? 

Are we like the people of Bethlehem who didn’t care about a man with his pregnant spouse looking for a place to stay?  It’s easy for us to criticize the people of Bethlehem for their disconnection from the plight of Joseph and Mary.  But do we do the same thing when we turn our head the other way when we see a homeless person on the corner? 

Are we so full of bubbly cheer that we don’t care or notice anything going on around us?  Or will we reach out to the person in the corner who is crying from the loss of their spouse or child to cancer last Christmas? 

Do we shrug our shoulders when we hear how immigrants are treated because we don’t know them?  Or do we contact our legislative representative to demand better treatment for the stranger we don’t even know. 

Will be live our lives like the people of Bethlehem; uncaring and rejecting those we don’t know?  Or will we be like the shepherds and Magi seeking the one who brings salvation for troubled sinful world? 

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December 16, 2019 · 10:07 am

20191215 Advent 3 A

So far in Advent we have been preparing for the coming of the Messiah.  Advent is more than half over so it’s time to pause and rejoice that Christ’s coming is near.  The third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday.  We use a rose-colored candle and vestments for Gaudete Sunday to show that it is different from the other Sundays in Advent.  The name comes from the first word of today’s antiphon.  In Latin that word is gaudete which translates as Rejoice! 

Today’s antiphon reads “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.  Indeed, the Lord is near.” 

Last week, Father Jim told us how Advent is at the darkest time of the year.  We are waiting, looking forward to Christmas with Hope.  Hope that things will be better. Hope that light will shine through the darkness.  Hope that spring will come with longer days of warmth and sunshine. 

For us, the winter nights are cold outside, but we are blessed to be warm inside our houses.  It was quite different in the past.  The long winter nights meant hours of cold unbearable shivering.  It truly was a time of darkness and looking forward to warmer nights and more sunshine during the days.  A time to encourage each other that the worst would soon be over and warmer times were coming. 

Our lives are much like this.  We live through the winters of pain and suffering; the times when cancer hits us or a family member, the times when we lose our job just before Christmas and we don’t know what to do to provide food and shelter let alone gifts for the children, the times when our marriage is breaking apart and we don’t know where to go for help, and the trouble just seems to on and on.  How can we rejoice and look forward to better time ahead? 

It’s interesting that the Gospel starts with John the Baptist, who is in prison, questioning who Jesus really is.  This it the same John who said “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.  I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit.”  John then baptized Jesus. 

The next day (after he had baptized Jesus) John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.  John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him.  I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.’  Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

John stated emphatically that Jesus is the Son of God; and yet here he is in prison wondering if he really is the Son of God.  How could this happen?  John the Baptist questioning what he said so emphatically three years ago?  Times were a lot different now.  John is in prison and doesn’t know what will happen to him.  He is discouraged and begins to doubt. 

Does this story sound familiar?  It is easier for us to begin to question God’s existence when everything is going wrong in our lives.  We think that we are all alone in our despair and desolation, when we doubt that God cares for us or maybe that he even exists. 

John sent several of his disciples to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” 

While Jesus did not say that he was the Messiah, he told John’s disciples to report back what was happening.  “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.”  In other words, tell John that there is hope; the sick and poor, the widow and orphan, the immigrant and stranger, the marginalized of society are being helped by Jesus. 

When the disciples of John were leaving, Jesus to the crowds and said “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” 

Jesus knew that John sent his disciples to ask because of his doubts.  Here Jesus is telling us that if the greatest person born into the world could doubt, then we should rejoice because there is hope for us too. 

This is a time of celebrating and parties.  But for those who are suffering the loss of a loved one, for those struggling with cancer or other illnesses, for those who are lonely or depressed it is a difficult time instead of a time of celebrating.  They may begin to doubt like John.  We must help those around us in their time of sadness and despair. 

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.  Indeed, the Lord is near.”  There is hope!  We are not alone.  The Lord is near! 

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July 21, 2019 · 11:11 am

20190721 Ordinary 16 C

Jesus was always pushing the boundaries.  He ate with sinners; he condemned the righteousness of the Pharisees and he forgave the sins of those he healed.  This is what ultimately got Jesus in trouble with the religious authorities of his day. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is once again pushing the boundaries for his time.  Generally, men were students.  Women were to manage the house and serve; not study at the feet of a teacher.  And yet, here was Mary listening intently to Jesus to learn from him in the presence of the men who were there too. 

Martha invited Jesus into her home and immediately began to scurry around preparing something for Jesus and the others who normally travelled with him.  Martha is frustrated that she is the only one working to feed the guests.  Martha resented that Mary was too busy listening to Jesus to help prepare the meal for Jesus and those with him.  She asks Jesus to make Mary help her prepare the meal. 

Jesus responded “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.”  That statement defines us today.  We are so busy and torn in many directions with the busyness of living.  There are baseball practice and games, gymnastic lessons and competitions, vacations to plan, pack and travel, there are even meals to prepare for the family. 

It’s hard to keep up with it all.  We get anxious and up tight.  Like Martha, we are always doing something.  It seems that we don’t have any down time to refresh our spirits. 

It’s not that the tasks that Martha was doing were wrong.  Someone must do all these things.  We must take care of our families, we must work to provide for housing and food for them, to spend time teaching and playing with them.  Even within the church, it’s possible to be so busy helping others that we lose sight of the real purpose that we serve.  The spirit of Christ must show in our lives when serving others.  And that is difficult to do when everything is out of control around us. 

Mary, on the other hand, is contemplative.  She is sitting at the feet of Jesus and spending time learning from him.  We have such little quiet time in our world today.  And Social Media doesn’t help any.  We are checking to see what someone said about us on Facebook, responding to texts from family and friends, reading the latest Breaking News and weather reports.  We watch our favorite shows on tv and listen to the radio when we are in our car. 

We seldom have time to be quiet and listen for God to speak to us, for God to guide us and show us his will.  What can we do? 

We must be doers like Martha, or nothing will get accomplished.  But we must act like Abraham who served out of a desire to serve, not because it had to be done.  And we must be contemplative like Mary so God can truly work through us and our spirit can be refreshed. 

We are unable to serve others as Jesus serves without spending some quiet time with him.  Without the quiet time, we become so consumed with the busyness of serving that it comes across as a chore without the love of Christ in it. 

How do we find the quiet time with Jesus so we can serve with love?  We can start by setting aside five minutes a day to read the Daily Mass Readings which can be sent to your phone from the USCCB.  Then we can spend a couple of minutes in prayer, asking God to help us share the true spirit of the Gospels when we serve others.  It will be difficult to set aside five minutes a day, but it is necessary for our spiritual growth.  The tasks still need to be done and we need to spend time with Jesus. 

What will this coming week be like for us?  Will we be like Martha working hard just to get the tasks completed?  Will we be like Mary spending time with Jesus to learn his will for our lives?  We must somehow meld both into our lives so that the love of Christ is visible to those we serve. 

How will we respond to Jesus’ comment about the better part?  Will we continue our busy way just completing the tasks to get them done?  Or will we commit to set aside five more minutes a day to let Jesus fill us with his love and share that love with others?  Will we break the boundaries that society has established today and help those in the margins; the orphan, the widow, the stranger, the poor, the incarcerated, the unborn and the immigrant? 

Will people see God’s love in us when we serve others? 

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May 19, 2019 · 2:59 pm

20190419 Good Friday

Jim Caviezel, the actor from Mt Vernon who portrayed Jesus Christ in The Passion, made the following statements in a speech at a FOCUS conference.  He talked about the sacrifices he made during his time playing Jesus in The Passion of the Christ.  

“When I was up there on the Cross, I learned that in His suffering was our redemption.  Remember the servant is no greater than the master.  Each of us must carry our own cross.  There is a price for our faith, for our freedoms.  I have been literally scourged, hit by the whips, crucified, struck by lightning, yes, open heart surgery — that’s what happens after five and a half months of hypothermia.” 

He recounted a moment during the filming of The Passion, when he was wedged under the cross and someone else pulled it the wrong way, causing his shoulder to become dislocated.  He said this footage remains in the final cut of the film and commented that had the production taken place in a studio, we might never have seen such an authentic performance.  “The suffering made my performance, just as it makes our lives.” 

“There was a lot of pain and suffering before the resurrection and your path will be no different.  So embrace your cross and race towards your goal.  I want you to go out into this pagan world and shamelessly profess your faith in public.  The world needs proud warriors, animated by their faith.  Warriors like St. Paul and St. Luke who risk their names and reputations to take their faith, their love for Jesus into the world.” 

What a challenge!  Christ suffered a lot of pain during his trial and while carrying his cross to Calvary.  He suffered even more by his crucifixion.  Yet he willingly accepted his Father’s will in the cup of suffering and death to provide salvation for us. 

Jim Caviezel said that “Each of us must carry our own cross.  There is a price for our faith, for our freedoms”.  What crosses will we endure for our faith?  Many of us have pain and suffering in our lives, many of us ask “Why?”, “Why me?”, “Why my spouse?”, “Why our child?” or “Why our parent?” 

Jim said, “The suffering made my performance, just as it makes our lives.”  Jim emphasized that the suffering makes our faith strong.  That’s difficult to understand and accept when we are suffering.  Jesus endured his Passion and cross to bring us salvation.  We too must endure the suffering and pain of this world to gain the eternal life that Jesus died to obtain for us. 

Jim Caviezel experienced some of the pain that Jesus experienced in his Passion and Crucifixion.  It was not close to the actual pain Jesus felt but it left an impact on Jim that changed his life.  Many of us experience severe physical pain in our lives.  Others experience emotional and mental anguish which is just as difficult.  It’s hard to understand that the pain makes our faith strong when we are living that pain.  But we do not walk life’s journey alone.  Jesus walks with us, to comforts and encourage us, in our pain. 

Jim told the college students at the FOCUS convention: “So embrace your cross and race towards your goal.  I want you to go out into this pagan world and shamelessly profess your faith in public.  The world needs proud warriors, animated by their faith.  Warriors like St. Paul and St. Luke who risk their names and reputations to take their faith, their love for Jesus into the world.” 

I sometimes wonder what the world would be like if I had the zeal for Christ that the early disciples lived.  What would happen in the world if each of us lived our lives with the same fervor of St Paul, St Luke, St John or St Peter?  Each of them endured suffering in their lifetimes.  Peter denied Our Lord three times.  Was he weak?  Yes, he failed.  Are we weak in our suffering?  Yes, we fail.  Will Jesus forgive us like he forgave Peter?  Yes, he will.  His love is grater than any force in the universe. 

As we pray the Stations of the Cross and venerate the Cross where Jesus died, let us meditate on the suffering that Jesus endured to provide salvation for us.  What great love it took to accept his Father’s will and endure such suffering to provide salvation for us.  May we commit to forgive others and help someone else in their suffering as Christ forgives us. 

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· 2:57 pm

20190418 Holy Thursday

It seems that we forget that Jesus was not a Christian; he was a Jew.  The book of Acts tells us that it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.  It was a very derogatory name used by unbelievers to identify the group who believed in Christ. 

As a Jew, Jesus was raised by his parents to observe his Jewish faith.  Joseph and Mary taught Jesus and he learned from the Rabbi and leaders.  As a boy Jesus attended classes and practiced his faith just as our youth do today.  He was twelve when Joseph and Mary and Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover as was their custom. 

Here it is thirty years later, and Jesus is going to Jerusalem to observe the Passover as he has done since he was child.  But it is different this time.  Jesus is going to Jerusalem not as a child being obedient to his parents but as a man completely responsible for his actions.  During the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah discussed with Jesus how he would suffer and die.  He is going to Jerusalem knowing his Passion and Death.  Yet, he still goes to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover.  John states “Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father.” 

In those days, practically everybody walked to get where they were going.  People wore sandals and a person’s feet would get dirty from the dusty roads.  It was custom for a servant to wash visitor’s feet when they arrived.  The servant had to kneel down and wash the visitor’s feet.  This task was relegated to the newest or worst of the servants. 

Today’s Gospel starts when Jesus and the disciples arrived in the Upper Room.  Jesus takes off his outer garments to assume the role of the servant to wash the disciple’s feet.  When Jesus comes to Peter, Peter asks Jesus if he is going to wash his feet.  Peter is trying to preserve the Master – Disciple relationship.  But Jesus is teaching a different way, a life of service to others.  And Jesus starts by being an example of what he is teaching. 

After Jesus washed the disciple’s feet, he asks them “Do you realize what I have done for you?”  Jesus gives his disciples a mandate when he said, “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”  Jesus was telling them more than literally washing each other’s feet.  He was telling them to serve and help each other, to love others more that themselves. 

Tonight, we will literally follow Jesus’ mandate and symbolically wash one another’s foot.  While this is a great symbol of showing how we humble ourselves to serve others, it is more important that we follow the real mission that Jesus mandated.  We must serve others who are in need. 

Holy Cross Parish truly serves the community around us.  The Out Reach Program is unlike any other around the area.  Being known as the Potato Parish is gratitude for what you bring to the Food Banks for miles around. 

While we are an example of service to others as a community, which is important, we also need to serve others in our daily lives.  It’s easy to dislike the neighbor whose children play loud music, play ball in our yard or whose dog comes into our lawn and digs or makes a mess.  Sometimes we even tell our neighbor about the things they do that irritate us.  Will others view us as Christians when we act that way? 

Jesus asks us to accept our neighbors without harsh feelings just the way they are, just the way that Jesus accepts us as we are – with all our faults and sinfulness. 

As we wash each other’s foot this evening, let us remember to take this love that Jesus has for us into our lives and share his love through service to others – even those we may dislike. 

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