Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

When Pius XI instituted the feast of Christ the King in 1925, he did so in response to a world that was becoming more and more secular, and less and less God-centered. It’s easy for us to claim that we’ve come very far in the past 90 years, but I ask, have we really come that far? Simply looking at the United States alone, we’ve seen major decay in the moral fabric of our society. We pledge to be One nation, under God, our currency declares that In God we trust, but frankly anymore it appears as though those platitudes are more farce than faith. 

The recent election has rocked our country. During the campaign season, I could not get over the self-centered, overwhelming “savior complexes” of both major candidates. This was echoed by supporters on social media, newspapers and television making comments such as (you can fill in any candidate’s name!):

“_____________ is going to fix everything!”

“_____________ is going to really move America forward!” 

And, my personal favorite...

“_____________ is going to save America!”

Now, don’t get me wrong, we should be strong citizens. We live in a great country and we should be loyal to our homeland. However, that being said, we must guard against putting our faith in human powers. No civil authority is going to save us, only Jesus Christ saves us.

Since we have by and large abandoned our predominantly Christian heritage, we have placed ourselves on a trajectory toward the tyrannies of materialism, immorality, and obsession with power and control. If we stay on this path, our society will indeed crumble and be brought to her knees. In order for our country to survive and flourish, and this is a non-negotiable item, we must bring back Christian morality and ethics. We must have the courage to live out what we profess, to raise our children in the way of holiness and faithfulness, to boldly stand up for what is right and true. That is the only way we will truly make America great again (whatever that’s intended to mean).

So, we are presented with a choice. We can chose to align ourselves with earthly powers, focusing on the kingdoms of this world, or we can focus ourselves on the true Kingdom of God, which is not of this world. That is the choice we see played out between the two thieves crucified with Our Lord. The one, completely wrapped up in man-made systems of crime and punishment, mocks Jesus and his Kingship. The other, recognizes the Kingship of Jesus as something mystical, however, true, and beautiful. He sees not a crazy and pathetic man who spoke of glory only to lose it all in the end, but rather sees a King who loves those in his kingdom so much that he is willing to die for them, that they may live eternally with Him. That is the king we celebrate today. That is the kingdom of which we are called to be a part.

No human “kingdom” can ever demand our loyalty as can the Kingdom of God. Only to Him can we truly pledge our undivided fidelity. It is in seeking that fidelity, in living that loyalty to Christ, that we find our true freedom. Freedom is not something defined by governments, or given to us by civil authority. Our freedom comes from the fact that we are all created in the image and likeness of God. The dignity we acquire through Christian Baptism, safeguards that freedom. Only one thing can hindered that freedom, and that is our sinfulness. Yet, we are given great hope, for Jesus shows us that even at the last moments of our lives he is still there, waiting for us to turn to Him, just as the good thief. His Kingdom is one of mercy, forgiveness and charity.

Our true King, Jesus Christ, does not rule with a scepter and a crown of gold, but with a cross and crown of thorns. The key players in His kingdom are not those who appear to have power on earth, but are rather the most lowly and humble who completely surrender their lives over to Him. If we can strive to do that, turn our lives over to Christ, witness to the Truth in our society, we are given the sure and certain hope that we too will hear those words spoken to Dismas, the good thief: Today you will be with me in paradise.

Homily: 4th Sunday of Advent (C)

The Advent and Christmas seasons are always especially social seasons. Most of us are making an effort to connect with friends and family with whom we haven’t been in regular contact. We do so through Christmas Cards and phone calls but especially through parties and home visits. Whether we are attending a gathering or hosting one at our own home, the stress of the holiday rush can easily drive us off the rails as it were. We can get so caught up in the details of planning, cleaning, decorating, cooking, shopping, wrapping, etc. that we easily forget why we are going through all of this trouble in the first place. Our holiday visiting thus becomes a meaningless whirlwind of eggnog and ugly sweaters.  

We just heard from the Gospel of Luke about another visit that similarly took place in haste, but this was no mere frenzied family get-together. 

Mary travelled almost 100 miles to see her elderly cousin Elizabeth, and in those days, such a journey was by no means a day trip. Our Lady would have found a caravan and travelled with it to the South, past Jerusalem and to the rural home where Elizabeth and Zachariah had secluded themselves during Elizabeth’s pregnancy. No doubt, Mary was motivated by more than simple curiosity, or a desire to test out whether or not the words of the Angel were true. Rather, we hear that Mary travelled in haste to see Elizabeth. To care for her aged cousin who was with child. Mary is focused not on her own well-being, but on that of Elizabeth. Our Lady travelled without the full knowledge of who the babe in Elizabeth’s womb would grow to be, however she trusted in the Lord who’s humble instrument she had become. 

Similarly, the Prophet Micah had no knowledge of the deeper meaning of his words. He was writing in concern to the events of his own time: a corrupt kingdom and the need for a ruler to come from a simple and humble place like Bethlehem, in order to instill (for lack of a better term) “small-town” values into the People of Israel again. 

Both the Prophet and the Virgin Mother are filled with hope, and embrace their dependency on God. 

When Mary visited Elizabeth she not only brought herself to their home, but she filled the house with grace, honor, and glory. She brought with herself the Lord Incarnate in her womb, an encounter with whom cleansed John the Baptist from Original Sin and caused him to leap for joy. John was the first person to recognize the presence of our Lord in the world. So let’s take a cue from him. 

I challenge you: This year, along with your casseroles and Christmas cookies, bring Christ to your visits. I understand that each one of us has certain family members that we don’t exactly look forward to spending time with. However, we must like Mary and Micah, trust in God and know that there is indeed a reason for us being together, even if it is only once a year. So, allow the joy and the love of Our Lord shine through you. And if you are the host: treat those who come to you as you would Our Savior Himself.

We don’t often think of Christmas as planting season. However, we are provided with amazing opportunities for evangelization, opportunities to plant the seeds of faith. We all have family and friends that have not been here with us for a while and when we see them again we will have a choice to make. 

(1) Do we simply greet them as we always do, politely yet neutrally, 

(2) or do we exude charity and love, welcoming them home and witnessing through our own actions, the importance of our faith and open up the possibility of their own faith to grow in them. 

This is how we plant those seeds of faith. It is God who will water and fertilize them, and bring them to maturity. 

Always keep in mind, while we may look at our upcoming holiday visits with a certain degree of dread: often times, those whom we desire to spend time with the least, are in need of our love and the love of God, the most. 

Homily: 3rd Sunday of Advent (C)

As a child I was always really excited when I saw the priest wearing rose. It meant that either Christmas was close, or Lent was almost over and I could eat candy again. While that sort of reasoning may seem juvenile, it is actually pretty much what this Sunday is about. In the celebration of Mass prior to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, an opening antiphon was recited by the priest and sometimes sung by the choir as the celebrant processed up the aisle. The antiphon for this Sunday comes from our second reading from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In the Latin it is: Gaudete in Domino semper. Iterum dico: gaudete! which means: Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! That’s why we call this Third Sunday of Advent Gaudete Sunday. 

It may seem strange to us though, that in a penitential season such as Advent, when we are to be turning from sin, converting our hearts and minds to Christ, and seeking forgiveness from God for our failings, it seems strange that the Church wants us to rejoice and be joyful. After all, isn't conversion and penance something that in a sense take the joy out of everything? Unfortunately, that’s what most of us think, whereas in reality, conversion/the turning away from our disordered sinful behavior actually does the complete opposite. Conversion allows us to be more human, to function more as God created us. 

When we consider being happy, or having a good time, it often results in us indulging in things that in themselves are not bad, however, we tend to indulge to excess, which is bad. Such an understanding of happiness and joy-filled behaviors denies our human dignity. It leads us to behave about the same as animals. 

When we make the effort to purify ourselves and our behaviors from the disorder of sin, we become more and more human, what we truly desire to be. By becoming such, we are filled with true joy and true happiness. 

I’ve used this analogy before, but I want to use it again. A table is made by a builder to be used as a table. While we can try to use it as a chair, it will not work very well. We can get by, but after awhile we will grow uncomfortable and in a sense, unhappy. Similarly, when we live a life attached to sin, we can survive, however we lack the true happiness and peace that a life focused on living the will of God can bring. 

That is why we rejoice today. Not only because our Lord is coming soon, but we should be rejoicing for the joy that fills our souls through our efforts to turn to the Lord during this Advent season. If we are a little behind in those efforts, there is no time like the present to move forward. It’s never too late to turn to Jesus, to be made new, to rejoice in His Salvation!

Homily: 2nd Sunday of Advent (C)

In today’s gospel we’re introduced to a familiar Advent character, known to us as John the Baptist, the earthly cousin of Jesus. Yet, John played a much greater role than simply being the next of kin to Our Lord. The last line of our Gospel passage is unique to the Gospel of Luke, “…and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” This one line brings up an important theme throughout Luke’s account of the life of Christ, essentially that the Salvation offered by the coming of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, is open and available to all. John was stressing the fact that the Messiah would not come simply for the Jews but for all humanity. This includes us of course, however, we cannot merely accept the Salvation of Christ in a passive way. 

Let’s consider for a moment St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Unlike the community in Corinth to whom he wrote, Paul was always pleased with the Philippians and their spiritual progress. They were sort of the “Golden Children” of Paul’s missions. He speaks of the joy which he feels when even thinking about them. Nevertheless, Paul does not simply praise the community in Philippi, but encourages them to continue to grow in their love for God. 

Paul says: “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” So we must remember that our life of faith, just as that of the Philippians, is a complete and total gift from God. God creates us with an innate desire to know and love Him. He plants the seed. Any inkling that we have to turn toward God is a gift originating in Him. Its is God who has begun a good work in you.

Similarly, as St. Paul says, it is God who will bring it to completion. Any progress we make in our lives of holiness is due to the grace of God, nevertheless, there is one caveat. We must be both open to and willing to cooperate with the grace we receive from God. St. Augustine tells us: “God who created you without your cooperation will not save you without your cooperation.” 

As we enter more deeply into the season of Advent, anxiously awaiting the celebration of the Incarnation at Christmas, there is no better time to open ourselves to cooperate with the grace of God. Our primary focus must be prayer. St. John of the Cross says “He who avoids prayer is avoiding all that is good.” Without prayer, there is no growth in the life of holiness. 

So, what ought our prayer during Advent look like? Well, the answer to that will be different for each and every one of us. We are all on different parts of the journey. We all have different stumbling blocks. We all have different fears and burdens that we carry. Yet, there is certainly things that are universal about our prayer. 

First of all personal prayer need not be difficult or complicated. Simply reading a verse or two from Sacred Scripture and spending some time considering that verse’s meaning for your day our you life in general can bring about rich spiritual fruit. 

Second of all, all prayer should consist in meaningful conversation with our Creator. Sometimes the best prayer is when we come before our Lord informally and simply talk to Him. We talk about our day, our lives, our relationships, our struggles our joys. Similarly this type of prayer can be incredibly beneficial for us, as it helps us get to know God as it were, and become comfortable in His presence. 

Carlo Carretto, a spiritual writer of the 20th century, once likened prayer to the relationship we have with someone we love. I leave you with his words:

I said earlier that prayer is like love. Words pour at first. Then we are more silent and can communicate in monosyllables. In difficulties a gesture is enough, a word, or nothing at all—love is enough. Thus the time comes when words are superfluous and meditation is difficult, almost impossible. That is the time for the prayer of simplicity. The soul converses with God with a single loving glance…the soul finds itself at ease, almost cradled in God’s arms. 

Homily: Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Today’s feast is about more than a simple festive close to the liturgical year. Pius XI instituted this feast day to remind believers of the need to trust in Christ as the true King of the World and Universe in a time when such belief among the peoples of the world, including Catholics was waning. The year was 1925. Hitler had just published his book, Mein Kampf. Mussolini declared Italy a dictatorship. Mount Rushmore was dedicated. Europe was continually tense and the roaring 20s were in full swing. Morality was going out the window and respect for any kind of authority or leader was at an all time low. 

So, the Church, in her wisdom does what any good leader does, She looks around, sees trouble, and says “Let’s party!” What a better way to remind folks of the truths of our faith than to celebrate them. So that’s exactly what we do today. The troubles of the 1920s may have resolved themselves in a sense, but we are plagued with the same difficulties today. While it seemed like Europe was falling apart in 1925, Europe once again seems to be under attack today. While here in the United States we were exulting former great leaders in monuments of stone, so too today our government leaders are often branded with a savior-like title. 

Thus, this feast where we are reminded of the universal reign of Jesus Christ, our true and only king, could not have arrived at a better time this year in particular. The recent terrorist attacks we witnessed in France are sobering reminder that there is a lot of evil and danger in our world. but what we recall today is that Christ has conquered the world. 

While the idea of a king may be disdainful to our ears because of the evils we have seen carried out by earthly kings, we must recall that Our Heavenly King, Jesus Christ, is the first and finest example of a king who rules through humility, meekness, and self-sacrificial love. That is why we ought to rejoice in his reign. It is not a reign of terror like those we have witnessed for centuries throughout the world, but rather a reign of love, a reign of justice, a reign of peace, a reign of security. 

Considering the dangerous waters we have entered in recent years concerning our own religious liberty in our country, we all the more ought to celebrate with joy and openness this feast. Declaring to the world that it is Christ who is in charge, God who rules all, not man. The ease with which we forget that truth is greatly alarming. Therefore, such a reminder as this great solemnity provides is crucial to our living of the Christian life. 

Albeit, in our Gospel today, we hear Pilate questioning Jesus, and being left utterly confused. Our Lord professes that his Kingdom is not of this world. However, this does not mean that he has nothing to do with this world or that the kingdoms of earth ought not be subject to him. Rather the contrary! His kingdom contains all that is in the heavens and on earth. All peoples, nations and lands are under his sovereignty. Therefore, we must remember that even in our great nation with our decrees of separation of Church and State, we must never understand this as a license for our rulers and legislators to see themselves as operating completely disconnected from, and not answerable to, the truth and the rule of Almighty God. 

Our marching orders should be taken from the encyclical of Pius XI, written on the institution of this feast. The Holy Father tells us: “While nations insult the beloved name of our Redeemer by suppressing all mention of it in their conferences and parliaments, we must all the more loudly proclaim his kingly dignity and power, all the more universally affirm his rights.” 

As the King of the Universe, EVERYTHING is under his care and under his dominion. this should bring us not only great joy and encouragement in the face of struggles, but this truth should serve to strengthen our resolve to live our lives as faithful followers of our true leader, Jesus Christ. 

Homily: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

  As the Church prepares for the end of the liturgical year, which is next week, the passages from scripture that we hear are more apocalyptic in nature than what we are used to. They focus primarily on what will happen at the end of the world as we know it. 

It’s really quite fitting however, because if we look around we can see all sorts of things coming to an end. With the arrival of cold weather we see a different scene outside. Trees have lost their leaves, plants are dying into the ground, the vibrant colors of pumpkins and fall mums are fading all around us. The sun doesn’t last as long in the day, and we are surrounded more and more in darkness and cold. The sunny joy of summer is ended. Instead we are about to enter into a different season, a season of preparation and anticipation of the coming of the Lord. 

Now, while we can all circle December 25 on the calendar and prepare as much as possible for the celebration of Christmas, the day when our Lord comes in glory for the final judgement of the earth cannot be determined. In the gospel that we heard, Jesus seems to understand that it will be rather soon. He says “this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.” That would mean He had about 40 or so years to come back, so it would appear that Jesus’ math was a wee bit off. However, if we take his words more figuratively, we can understand that he is making a reference to the Temple and it’s destruction, which did in fact take place about 40 years later. 

However, the Lord urges us to watch for the signs of His coming. While we will not know the exact time or place of His return, much like the change of the seasons, we will be able to observe signs of his arrival. Now, we are not all supposed to go and build up and “end of the world survival kit” and become paranoid. However, we ought to remain vigilant. We must avoid becoming so engrossed in our daily lives and the medial and mundane tasks we must complete that we forget about the need to nurture our life in Christ and our relationship with the Almighty. 

While its easy to feel like Jesus is never going to come again, we must remember that sense of urgency contained in the Gospel passage today. To be a follower of Jesus and to be fully and truly prepared for His arrival requires deep and ongoing conversion. There is no place for the half-hearted disciple in the kingdom. Every journey begins with one step, so we all must take that step now. We must not wait or procrastinate when it comes to our life of faith and setting the proper course for our final destination. 

Faith, Hope, and Charity (or Love) are the virtues we must seek in this process of lifelong conversion. We can’t form those virtues ourselves, they require the grace of God in order to grow in us, but we must ask for that grace. “Ask and you shall receive” the Lord tells us, so ask for these things. 

(1) Lord, give me the gift of faith. 

(2) Lord, fill my heart with Hope. 

(3) Lord, help me to Love you more and love those to whom you send me.

God will always answer our requests. While it may be in His time, and in the manner He chooses, he does not forsake us, his beloved children. So remember that as we wrap up this year. Truly enter into Advent this year, preparing your hearts and souls for the coming of the Lord, but don’t that preparation end at Christmas. 

Allow what begins this Advent to continue for the rest of your life. Never stop preparing, never stop traveling toward Jesus. While we do not know the time nor the place of His return, we know with the most profound certainty that He has saved us, and He loves us. 

Now it’s our turn to accept that salvation and love, so that when he comes we may be with the wise to shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament and join Him in Heaven to shine like the stars forever.

Homily: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

     In our readings this week, we have two very good teachers presented to us, and they are not Elijah the Prophet and Jesus of Nazareth (though both are excellent teachers) but rather we can look to the two widows that they encountered from which to learn a valuable lesson.

     In our first reading, we hear of the Prophet Elijah arriving at Zarephath. This city was in the far northern region of the Northern Kingdom, where the peoples had turned to paganism, worshipping primarily the god Baal. Therefore, Elijah, a prophet of the God of Israel would not have been overly welcomed into that region. This was especially so since Elijah was the reason that whole area was suffering from a great draught. Nevertheless, this widow, who would have understood Elijah as her enemy, provides him with the water and food that he requests, even though she and her son are planning to die of starvation and dehydration. In response to her humility and trust in God, she, Elijah and her son were able to eat and drink for whole year!

     Our second widow appears in the gospel passage we read from Mark. During the Temple renovation project, there were set up six large trumpet shaped collection containers, each earmarked for a different part of the project. The great amounts of money deposited by the wealthiest of the Jews would have certainly made quite a bit of noise as it was poured into the metal pots and therefore would have drawn a great bit of attention. On the other hand, the widow’s two small coins would have been fairly unhelpful in the grand scheme of the project due to their miniscule value. However, it is her contribution that Jesus praises. What was it about this woman that pleased him so?

     Well, first of all, one must consider the plight of a widow in ancient Israel. Women did not work, they were supported by their male relatives, primarily their husband and sons. So, if a woman’s husband died, she had no property that she owned, no source of income, no status in society at all. Unless a son or close male relative took her under his roof, she was destined to die in poverty.

     This widow is indeed poor, however, she still gives TWO coins, she certainly could have kept one for herself, but she gives it all to God, trusting that the Lord would provide for her needs, as we heard in Psalm 146: The fatherless and the widow he sustains… This woman truly trusted in the care of God for his beloved children and therefore truly sacrificed by her gift.

     The point that these two poor women teach us, is that it is not the size of the gift we offer to God that matters, but rather the interior motivation for the giving of the gift. Do we make donations and so others may see our name on a plaque, or do we give out of love for others and out of love and gratitude to God?

     Throughout the course of our campaign we have received some large gifts, which is important because without large donations we cannot reach our goal, however, we have received many other smaller, though no less valuable gifts. Our motivation as good stewards is to offer not equal gifts but rather equal sacrifice in regard to those gifts. When I was in the seminary, during the seasons of Advent and Lent we would collect money for our sister seminary in the Philippines. Our rector always told us: don’t worry if you can only give a small amount, as long as it hurts a little, then you know it is truly a sacrifice.

     When the widows we heard about today gave, it certainly hurt. However, they trusted in the care and protection of God. We too must trust in the care of God. We read in Scripture that “he who loses his life will save it.” Therefore, we can’t let the worries and struggles of this life keep us from the fulfillment and joy of the next life. I leave you with these words of St. Gregory of Nazianzen:

     Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could [out of love].

Homily: Solemnity of All Saints

     Today’s feast, that of All Saints, may seem somewhat redundant to us. After all, we celebrate the feast days of saints almost every day during the week, is it really necessary that we celebrate them now all together? Well, I remind you of the definition of a “saint,” A “Saint” is an individual who is currently spending eternity praising God in the Heavenly Kingdom, having lived a life of faith and virtue while here on earth. This is not simply those found on the roster of saints canonized by the Church, but includes all those blessed souls who are now in Heaven with God. For instance, our family and friends who have gone before us and witnessed to us a life of faith and are now united to God fully in Heaven. These are the saints we celebrate today. The unknown vast population that fills the halls of heaven. These were real people who lived real lives and faced real temptations, yet persevered and have been given their eternal reward.

     We celebrate these unnamed Saints and look to them as examples because we can so easily identify with them, and especially because God does not call us to live the faith in a vacuum. We are called into a community of faith, to not only have a relationship with God, but also with each other. This relationship does not end with the earthly death, but when one enters the kingdom of heaven, we are forevermore bound even closer to him/her because of our mutual sharing in the divine life of God through our Baptism. This Communion of Saints is our connection with the “great multitude” that John speaks of in our first reading from the Book of Revelation. Those who have been faithful to God and are now surrounding His throne.

     Our belief in the power of intercessory prayer, especially that of the saints in heaven, is often questioned by our Protestant brothers and sisters. Why would we pray to someone other than God, especially those who are dead? Doesn’t Scripture teach against this? Well, I offer you this: if I am in a difficult situation and I am in need of Divine assistance, would I not ask my friends to pray for me in regards to this particular need?…Of course I would, therefore why would I not ask those friends of mine now in heaven to also prayer for me? Furthermore, the saints are the farthest thing from dead. In the Old Testament we are warned against trying to communicate and conjure spirits of the dead, something that unfortunately many dabble in at this time of the year. While these activities are meant to be done simply in fun (for example through a  Parker Bros. “Ouija Board”) such things can be incredibly dangerous and ought to be avoided. However, communication with the Saints is communication with those who are more alive now than they ever were on earth, because they are now sharing in the eternal life of God.

     So the question for us is: How do we get to be saints? After all, that is our ultimate goal, to make it to heaven, right? Well, Our Lord lies out the way in the Gospel passage we just heard. This list of blessed character types is often simply referred to as “The Beatitudes.” Both the first and last on the list, “The poor in spirit,” and “Those persecuted for the sake of righteousness” have the reward of the Kingdom of Heaven, however, the verb is in the present tense “theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven,”, meaning they have a share of the Kingdom here and now. Every other characteristic on the list is almost like a benchmark or subset to these two, and the rewards for them will be fulfilled later, in the future, in the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus, we ought to seek to embody these characteristics: be meek, seek righteousness, be merciful, be pure of heart, seek to instill peace in the lives of others, mourn the existence of wickedness in the world. These are the characteristics of a Christian, of a Saint. These are the characteristics embodied by those whom we celebrate today. Those whom we call on for support and assistance, for they have traveled the road we are traveling and persevered. In answer to the prayers of All the Saints, may we too persevere in our life of faith and one day inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.

Homily: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

     This story of the blind beggar Bartimaeus is packed with much deeper meaning than what we can glean from first reading. First of all, it serves as a bookend to an earlier healing of a blind man recorded at the beginning of this journey to Jerusalem. However, that man was healed gradually while Bartimaeus is healed instantaneously. This is sort of a reflection on the manner in which the disciples spiritual blindness has been slowly healed along the journey, however, by the events that would take place in Jerusalem, they would soon see clearly who and what Jesus truly was and is. 

     Bartimaeus has parked himself on a busy thoroughfare which many many pilgrims would have traveled while on their way to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. While these crowds would have most likely been joyful and festive, such a stark contrast can be seen between them and the socially isolated blind man left on the side of the road. However, while he may be physically blind, his spiritual sight is 20/20. Upon hearing that Jesus of Nazareth is approaching, he begins to call out, referring to Jesus as “Son of David.” While the literal meaning of this title is simply “descendant of David,” to a Jew, this meant so much more. The “Son of David” was the one who would come to free them from their oppression, the Messiah. Bartimaeus is the first one in the Gospel of Mark to use this title. When Jesus calls him, the crowds tell him to take courage, as if he needed any encouragement. His shedding of his cloak infers the shedding of the old man, now ready to live remade in the likeness of Christ, through his personal encounter and healing by the Lord. Furthermore, Bartimaeus is the only one healed by Jesus in the Gospel of Mark, whose name is specifically recorded. This infers that Bartimaeus did in fact follow after Jesus and was an active and know disciple in the early Church. So much that his name was remembered by the evangelists when relaying their Gospel message. 

     The questions we must ask ourselves after hearing this miraculous healing are:

Where are my blind spots?

Where do I not see the Lord active in my life and when are the times and situations I close myself off from Him rather than looking to Him for strength and guidance?

     I was at the Youth Ministry Retreat last night (until almost 11:00 o’clock!) and the topic that was being discussed was seeking he Face of Jesus. When we imagine and think about Our Lord, what does his face look like to us? What do we see in the face of Jesus? 

Is he stern?    Is he judging?    Is he loving?   Is he kind? 

     We must seek the face of Jesus in our lives. We must open the eyes of our hearts and souls to see Him at work around us. Not only in mystical and spiritual experiences, but in our interactions with others in our daily lives. We ought to be able to recognize the face of Jesus in those we encounter who bring his peace, his love, even his correction at times, into our lives and changes us, heals us, for the better. 

     Once we can recognize Jesus in our lives we can better live out our baptismal call to be Christ to others. This requires us to allow Jesus to enter our hearts and heal our blindspots. The first reading that we heard from the Prophet Jeremiah sums up this process of conversion and healing we must open ourselves to:

They shall return as an immense throng.

They departed in tears,

but I will console them and guide them;

I will lead them to brooks of water,

on a level road, so that none shall stumble.

     

     Allow the Lord to console you and guide you. Search you heart and soul to find those blind spots and turn them over to Him. Be assured, he will heal our blindness and fill us with His Spirit, so we may go forth and serve as convicted witnesses in the world, living testaments to His grace, truth and His love. 

Homily: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

     The Apostles of Jesus never cease to amaze us with their terrible timing. The few verses before this passage contain Jesus’ third prediction of His Passion. After receiving this somber news, James and John (“The Sons of Thunder”) are seeking places of power and authority in Jesus’ government. remember that Jews were expecting a Messiah who would be a great and powerful military ruler who would save them of their temporal struggles and rule the nation, free from the oppression of foreign governments. However, it is interesting that instead of reprimanding them, Jesus simply grants them their request, to an extent. He lays before them this caveat of “drinking the cup” that he will drink. Now, in the Old Testament, this image of “drinking the cup” referred to humbly and fully accepting whatever God had in store for you, be it abundant blessing or vengeful wrath. James and John, without even thinking, agree to this, most likely focused on the idea of a “cup of blessing” rather than a portion in the suffering Jesus would endure on Calvary. 

     Jesus’ reference to Baptism is along a similar line. For to the Jewish Old Testament understanding, the sea and large bodies of water were considered as places of death. Being plunged into water, immersed in its depths, was symbolic of immersion in actual death and separation from the blessing of God. Thus we understand Baptism as a dying of the old person and rising again of a new person who has been reborn in the image of Christ. 

     However, it would not be until those dark hours on Calvary, that the realization of what it means to share in the “cup of Christ” and share in “his Baptism” would become clear to His disciples. Imagine what they were thinking when they saw their Master and teacher, hanging on a cross, and on his right and on his left were the two thieves, also crucified for their crimes. Certainly this episode and the words of Our Lord would have come racing back into their minds. 

     The anger of the other disciples is understandable, for they were most likely annoyed that they had not thought to ask for these positions of power first. But Jesus points out that such power seeking and ladder climbing was not to be the way of life among his followers. Certainly there would be leadership in the Church he established, however, each was to be the servant of the other. The plague of “Careerism” in the Church is most damaging and ought to be avoided at all cost. 

     While this is a sobering lesson for clergy and those employed by the Church, it can serve as a reminder to all of us of our true purpose and mission. We must seek humility and lowliness, not strive for the highest place. Even in secular employment this is a the case. Now granted, when opportunities for advancement present themselves and such a move up would be beneficial for our families and such, consider them a gift and work hard and do your best to secure such a promotion. But, avoid the danger of being consumed with the idea of the constant need to advance. With power and influence come two things: Prestige with Perks and Suffering. 

     Good leaders are able to humbly accept the prestige associated with their office and look at the benefits thereof in a healthy and controlled way, not living in a perpetual state of entitlement. However, good leaders are also open to and accepting of the sufferings that come with leadership. For when we love others and desire to lead them to greatness, there is always suffering. Parents suffer for their children, bosses suffer (or should) for their employees, teachers suffer for their students. That is truly sharing in the “cup of Christ.” Accepting suffering with grace and trust in God, understanding that there is great value in such suffering. Certainly this teaching of Jesus could not have been more counter-cultural in His day, so too in ours. However, we must not fear or avoid suffering. We must not constantly seek comfort and pleasure, but instead seek to follow the will of God, even when it is uncomfortable and unpleasant. 

     I leave with a quotation from the great work The Imitation of Christ:

     “Vain is the life of that man who putteth his trust in men or in any created Thing.  Be not ashamed to be the servant of others for the love of Jesus Christ, and to be reckoned poor in this life.  Rest not upon thyself, but build thy hope in God. Do what lieth in thy power, and God will help thy good intent. Trust not in thy learning, nor in the cleverness of any that lives, but rather trust in the favour of God, who resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.”

Homily: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

     As is their usual mode of operation, the Pharisees in today’s Gospel passage are once again trying to trick Jesus. They are not actually asking Him if divorce is lawful, for they know the Law and they are aware that Jesus knows the Law and the Scriptures. Rather, they want to hear His interpretation of the Law, so that they may accuse Him of being too rigid or too loose in regards to the Mosaic allowance for divorce. However, instead of giving them the satisfaction of such, he simply quotes a different passage Scripture to them, which comes from the first reading we heard from Genesis.

     The beginning of Genesis speaks of the creation of the world and the garden paradise of Eden. In the Garden of Eden, all was perfect, sin had not entered the world and everything was as God originally intended and created it to be. This includes marriage. We learn from Genesis the perfect model for marriage. The indissoluble bond between a husband and wife that allows them to become more that simply a stable pairing of persons, but in fact one flesh, so devoted to each other that the distinction between the two seems to disappear. 

     Sadly, we live in a fallen world, a sin-ridden world in which human relationships are difficult and troublesome at times. Nevertheless, despite our struggles, we continually look to Christ as the model for how we ought to live in this troubled world. The Church looks to Christ as the source of her teaching on the nature of marriage, and the reality that a valid and true marriage bond is only ended in death. This is indeed a difficult teaching at times. Because of the brokenness of our world, there is no such thing as a perfect marriage. Just ask anyone who is married. My own parents have been married for almost forty years and they would be the first to say its not easy.  However, they have kept in mind the very real vows they made on their wedding day which united them as husband and wife. 

     Much like the way the Pharisees were attempting to trick Jesus into taking sides, many have tried to trick Pope Francis in the same way, especially in his visit to the United States. However, our Holy Father has continued to uphold the teaching of the Church on the dignity and the sacredness of marriage. However, Pope Francis is different from recent popes in that he comes to us not as a scholar or a high-ranking churchman, but as a pastor. Therefore, Pope Francis is helping us to not only uphold the value of marriage, but to remember the difficulties of marriage today, and the reality that at times, some marriages cannot withstand these difficulties. 

     When the sad reality a couple who cannot reconcile differences occurs, the Church approaches it very seriously, not because she is rigid and desires to create more trauma for these couples, but because she loves them and concerns herself greatly with each individual’s spiritual welfare and peace of soul. That is why in our own diocese, Bishop Rhoades has removed any monetary fees associated with the annulment process. Fr. Mark Gurtner, our Judicial Vicar and head of the Diocesan Tribunal is working to make our offices more efficient. Pope Francis has also adjusted certain requirements in order to streamline the process of obtaining a declaration of nullity, the decision of the diocesan court that a valid and sacramental marriage was in fact never in existence from the beginning. 

     Granted, the decision that a relationship of marriage is not going to work is never an easy one to make and should not be taken lightly. That is why we often encourage and urge couples who are struggling to not be afraid to seek professional help. Often times an outside view can be a huge help to a relationship, it brings fresh outlooks, new solutions, and most of all, hope for reconciliation. 

     In the letter to the Hebrews that we heard today, we read that Jesus was “for a time made lower than the angels” and knew the human condition of pain and suffering. It is through that reality that we can draw courage and strength in our own struggles. Our Lord knows the pain we encounter in this life. He encountered it Himself. He too felt alone, abandoned, broken and betrayed. If we turn to Him and place our burdens at His feet, He will certainly assist us in carrying them on the journey to healing. “By His stripes we were healed,” and it is His love and compassion that are the healing balm for our earthly wounds and pains. Allow Him to guide you. Allow Him to heal you. Allow Him to simply love you. 

Homily: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

     Upon first reading of today’d Gospel we can easily look at the close disciples of Jesus and frankly consider them to be simply foolish. What part of “they will kill him” and “he will rise” is so difficult to understand? However, if we place this passage in context, we can cut the disciples a little slack. First of all this journey follows very shortly after the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. Peter, James, and John are still reeling from the events they witnessed  there. Furthermore, the idea of a suffering Messiah could not have been any more counterintuitive to the Jewish mindset. At that time, not so different from our own, servanthood and suffering was a sign of weakness, not strength. Therefore, the Jewish people expected their great Messiah to come as a strong warrior king, not a man who would hand himself over to death.           

     However, now 2000 years later, we, at least intellectually understand Jesus’ words. The theme of “being handed over” is central to Jesus’ Passion and Death. It reveals to us Our Savior’s complete willingness to abandon himself to the will of the Father out of love for each and every human person on the earth, both then and now.

  In response to this teaching Jesus’ disciples argue about who will be the greatest, probably the most inappropriate response possible to this revelation that Jesus had just shared with them. However, Jesus presents a child to them as the one to emulate. Children at Jesus’ time had no rights or status in society whatsoever. Yet Our Lord stresses to His followers the need to receive, to accept, to serve others as though they were children. To receive, accept, and serve those most vulnerable and lowly in society.

  So we have some questions we must ask ourselves:

Do I hand myself over completely to the loving will of God, and offer myself as a servant not only to Him, but to my neighbor?

Do I receive, love, and serve not just those who I feel are deserving of my love and service, but especially those who are most needy and vulnerable in society?

  Something that can help us to live out our life of faith to the fullest is to become as children in relation to God. Now, being childlike in one’s faith is not the same as being immature in one’s faith. If I have an immature faith life, I only turn to God when it’s convenient for me, when he is showering blessings upon me, when the way is easy, when I am getting what I want. In other times, as a person immature in my faith, I turn from God because I am not getting what I want. To be childlike in faith means to trust completely in the loving care of God. When a child has a problem, he/she turns to those adults whom he/she trusts and knows will care for him/her. So too must we turn to God, not just in the good times but in the difficult times as well. 

  If there was any childlike Saint who understood surrender to the will of God and the blessings gained by such a disposition it was St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower. So I leave you with her words

     “Oh, my Jesus! To all my foolishness, what are you going to reply?…Is there a soul that is smaller and more powerless than mine!…However, even because of my weakness, You were pleased, Lord, to fulfill my little childlike desires, and now want to fulfill other desires that are bigger than the universe…”

Homily: 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

     Before I entered the seminary I was a bank teller for about 2 years. I had a co-worker named Nancy who was one of the sweetest persons I have ever met. One day we were talking and she asked me “Do you go to church?” I answered “Of course I go to Church, Nancy.” Then I thought to myself, how could she not know that? Do I not act in a way that she could tell I was a church-going person? 

     This is what James is talking about in our second reading today: Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. If we do not live our lives as Christian people, our faith and our worship here is practically meaningless. Are we just going through the motions, or are we here to be fed and empowered by the grace of God and the Sacrament of the Eucharist so that we may go into the world and live a life as Christian people? 

     One of my seminary professors who was teaching us Ancient philosophy made a comment to our class when we asked what the point of learning Aristotle was. We of course thought it was useless and a waste of time. But he said to us: Use your philosophy always, just don’t mention it. It wasn’t until several years later that I fully understood what he meant. However, that statement (with a slight modification) can be made about our faith life as well. Use your faith always, just don’t mention it every time. We must allow our relationship with God, our life of faith, to inform every aspect of our lives. We should be living in a way, filled with Holy Joy and the Peace of God, that others we encounter are intrigued and think “there’s something different about him/her.” 

     Now that of course isn’t for our own vain glory, but rather, so that we may become Christ’s witnesses to a broken and hurting world that is so desiring of Joy and Peace. 

     This requires within us a conversion of heart. Conversion is a lifelong process and we can never stop growing closer to God until we are completely united with Him in heaven. Now conversion can be difficult, it can be scary, it can be painful. We can encounter a lot of roadblocks along the way. This can come from our own personal struggles with change, but it can also stem from others around us who discourage us at times. When my sister and I were in high school, my mom went through a period of deeper conversion and really started to live her life of faith in a more open and dynamic way. My sister and I were both sort of embarrassed by her and we would constantly mock her and her new found devotion. We were like Peter in today’s Gospel. Jesus is living out the mission He was sent for and Peter, motivated by fear was trying to discourage Him. Jesus’ response is really quite strong: Get behind me Satan! 

     While I don’t advise you use those same words with folks who may discourage you, I do encourage you to consider them in your heart. Don’t allow fear of embarrassment to stop you from serving as a witness to your faith. Live your faith in a visible way. Preach always, sometimes use words. We must let the Joy and the Peace that we gain from our life of faith, radiate into all aspects of our lives, this is the ‘works’ that James speaks of. 

     If we use/live our faith always, we shouldn’t have to mention it. Let your actions proclaim to the world that you are a friend and follower of Christ. 

Homily: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

     In todays Gospel passage there are several things that Mark is revealing to his readers. I would like to focus on two of them.

(1) JESUS HAS COME NOT JUST FOR THE JEWS BUT FOR THE GENTILES (all of Humanity) AS WELL. 

     

     If we look at a map we can see something strange about Jesus’ route described in the first verse we read. “Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee into the district of the Decapolis.” Now this would be like saying “He left Washington by way of New York to get to Atlanta.” Several commentators on this passage claim that Mark was simply confused. I personally think Mark knew exactly what he was writing and was using the geography to infer that Jesus was traveling completely through Gentile territory. He had turned His focus from the Jews, who had by and large rejected Him, to turn to the Gentiles. 

     When Jesus arrived, we can see that the Gentiles in this territory receive Jesus much more hospitably than the Jews had previously. Rather than asking Him to leave their territory, they bring Him those who are in need of healing because they have probably heard of his great works and recognize Him, not as a heretic or a blasphemer, but as a great worker of miracles. 

     Mark is emphasizing that the Gentiles are also to be heirs to the great blessings of God. The Greek term Mark chose to describe the “speech impediment” with which this man is afflicted is only ever used one other time in Sacred Scripture. It appears in the Greek translation of the Old Testament in the Book of Isaiah. “Then the eyes of the blind shall see, and the ears of the deaf be opened; Then the lame shall leap like a stag, and the mute tongue sing for joy.” This was in reference to the joy of the chosen people upon returning from the Babylonian Exhile. Now Mark is referring to the fact that the Gentiles will be called to join in this joy in the promised land of salvation. 

(2) JESUS WISHES TO HEAL EACH OF US AS INDIVIDUALS THROUGH A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP.

    

 Rather than heal the man in front of the crowd, we see Jesus pull him aside. The description of this healing miracle is probably one of the most physically specific in all the Gospels. Jesus physically touches the mans ears and spits on His finger and touches it to the man’s tongue. While we of course think that’s frankly gross, in Jesus’ day, saliva was believed to have great healing effects. The more important thing to recognize is that Jesus heals the man instantaneously and completely through His touch and His word. We hear that Jesus looked to heaven and groaned. He looked to His Father above and was groaning at the sadness of the broken human condition resulting from the plague of sin in the world. 

     After all this has taken place we hear the reaction of the crowd. Rather than urging Jesus to leave their territory driven by fear and and anger they simply proclaim: “He as done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” These people simply proclaimed the truth of what they had seen. In that lies a lesson for us. Do we have a personal relationship with our Lord? Do we allow him to heal our deafness and our silence? Our Lord Jesus desires to meet us, to know us, to journey with us, to love us. Simply put by St. John of the Cross:

     “In the first place it should be known that if anyone is seeking God, the Beloved is seeking that person much more.”

Homily: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

     All this week at daily Mass we’ve been hearing the encounters of Jesus with the Scribes and the Pharisees in the Gospel of Matthew. We see similar interactions here in the Gospel of Mark as well. These instances bring up several questions for us. 

     First of all, who were the Pharisees? Well, the Pharisees were a sect of Judaism which focused on a very strict adherence to the Mosaic Law. They were very well versed in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, and knew the over 600 Laws of Judaism like the backs of their hands. However, Jesus points out to them time and time again, that sadly that was the extent of their faith in the Living God. They looked at their relationship with the Almighty as a contract of sorts: Here are the rules, follow the rules, nothing else matters. It was very black and white for them. But Jesus notes that despite their displays of outward piety, they are filled with a whole list of sinful things: 

     “…evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance,  [and] folly.”

     Jesus stresses the fact that these sins originate in our hearts, wounded by original sin and for lack of a better term, “broken.” So our first focus must be to honestly answer these questions:

Do I love God with my whole heart, my whole soul, and my whole mind? 

Do I truly live out my Baptismal call and my share in the priestly office of Jesus by entering into the world and consecrating my time, my work, my actions, to the Lord?

Do I let the reality of what we celebrate and do here at Mass truly resound within me and fill me with the Grace of God to live as a true disciple of Jesus Christ?

     These can be tough questions to ask ourselves. We can easily get caught up and distracted in our daily lives, living in our modern, fast-paced world. But a great way to begin to answer these questions is to look at one thing: our calendar or datebook. What things do we find important enough that we write them down so as to ensure we don’t forget them? Is there ever and appointment for God in our plan for the day? Is our relationship with Him important enough to us that we schedule time for Him everyday? Or is it simply work related tasks and meetings, shopping lists, and social engagements? On what things do we focus our energy? 

     St. Paul calls us to be “…doers of the word and not hearers only.” Be “…doers of the word…” This is a call to be actively aware and engaged in our faith and in our place in God’s plan of Salvation. Our time spent in conversation with God is only wasted if we fulfill it as though it simply done out of some kind of duty. We must pray out of love for God, out of love for ourselves, out of love for our neighbor. If our prayer is not spurring us on to further conversion of heart and action on our part, we’re frankly and simply doing it wrong. Granted every time we pray we won’t float around the room and see blinding light radiating from the ceiling. However, we will be encountering God and sanctifying and consecrating that time to Him. 

     St. Theresa of Avila, who was a rather formidable woman who wasn't afraid to even tell the Pope himself what to do, sums it up best I feel:

     “The most potent and acceptable prayer is the prayer that leaves the best effects. I don't mean it must immediately fill the soul with desire…The best effects (are) those that are followed up by actions;  when the soul not only desires the honor of God, but really strives for it.”

Homily: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

     I once heard staggering statistic that only 45% of Catholics who attend Mass truly believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. That means that 55% either do not believe or do not understand fully the reality of the Blessed Sacrament. This Sunday we get the meat and potatoes as it were of Jesus’ discourse on the Eucharist. In past weeks we have been building up to this teaching. Jesus has been stressing the importance of deep and lasting faith. That is because this teaching requires such faith in order to accept it. 

     Often times, we will hear arguments against the True Presence in the Eucharist by individuals who claim that Jesus was merely speaking figuratively. However, this is frankly incorrect once we examine the context of John’s 6th chapter in the life of Jesus and his manner of teaching. 

     First of all, we must consider the vocabulary used. Jesus not only uses the term “flesh” several times but the Greek word used for “eat” is very specific. Like English, the ancient Greek language had several ways of referencing eating. In English we may say, “eat,” “dine,” “chow down,” and the like. Jesus uses the term which literally means to eat as a wild animal would, to gnaw on something. Thus, His words are even more specific and graphic that we can understand on the surface. 

     Secondly, we can look to Jesus’ pattern of speech. How does He usually teach? When does He ask questions? When does he repeat Himself? When examining these things in the Gospel of John, we can recognize several patterns in Jesus’ other teachings. For instance, when Jesus speaks figuratively and his listeners misunderstand Him, he corrects them. An exampled occurs when Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus in JOHN 3:3-5:

     "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?” Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

     In other cases, Jesus speaks literally and his listeners understand. Jesus’ reaction to this is to repeat and confirm what He said as a sign that they have correctly understood what he has said. For example  in JOHN 8:56-59:

     Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad. So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

     So if we look at the pattern of Jesus’ teaching in today’s Gospel, we see the crowds taking him literally and becoming angered at such a teaching. However, Jesus repeats Himself 6 times in 8 verses! This is because he was not speaking figuratively, but was being completely forthright in His presentation. 

     Furthermore, the expression of “eating flesh and drinking blood” in the Hebrew Scriptures had a specific usage as referring to persecution and assault. Clearly, Jesus was not teaching that in order to have eternal life one must persecute Him, this would make no sense. However, in the Jewish mindset at the time, that is exactly what would be understood if these were were meant to be figurative. 

     An even simpler yet no less convincing form of evidence for the truth of Jesus’ words is the reaction of His listeners. Even disciples who would have been following Him for several years, could not accept this teaching and walked away. Furthermore, Jesus doesn’t stop them and correct their misunderstanding because they did not misunderstand. They understood, and yet rejected Him. 

     Ultimately before us is placed a challenge. A challenged to grow in faith to better believe and interiorize the belief and understanding of the Eucharist that we have been taught. This is not always easy, but with God all things are possible. We must pray for the Grace of faith, so that we may never grow lax in or belief in the Eucharist, that we may never take for granted this great mystery that we celebrate and receive here from this Holy Altar. our prayer must take the form of the man with the possessed son in the 9th chapter of the Gospel of Mark: “…the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”