Suffering and Serving

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Today’s first reading comes from the fourth of four passages in the Book of Isaiah that speak of a “suffering servant.” People see suffering as something terrible and to be avoided. However, in the first reading, regarding the suffering servant, we hear how “The LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity.”

It is the Lord’s will for the suffering servant to suffer. Why? We find the answer in Jesus’ fulfillment of this passage. Jesus suffered on the Cross. He was “crushed” in his suffering but there was a purpose to his suffering. His suffering, his sacrifice, becomes “an offering for sin” so that we may have “a long life.” It is through his suffering that Jesus “shall justify many.“

Jesus died for us. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

Seeing Jesus’ love, we cry out, “Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.” We can trust Jesus.

Why? Because, as we read in Hebrews today, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.“

Jesus knows what it is like to suffer. Three times He told his disciples about his coming Passion but they didn’t understand. Jesus prayed in the garden, “Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will” (Mark 14:36). Jesus did not want to suffer but He accepted it as the Father’s Will. Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we pray, “thy will be done.” Do we mean it? Do we surrender ourselves to God’s Will? This is not easy. We need grace to be able to do this. So, in today’s opening prayer at Mass, we pray “grant that we may always conform our will to yours.”

Today’s Gospel comes right after Jesus told his disciples for the third time about his coming passion. Did they get it? Apparently not because James and John come to Jesus looking for places of honor.

Jesus responds to them, “You do not know what you are asking.” They do not yet fully understand what is required to be Jesus’ disciple. Jesus continues, “Can you drink the cup that I drink?” The cup of which Jesus speaks is his blood that is poured for us on the Cross. It is the suffering that He endures in his Passion for us. Are you willing to suffer in the name of Jesus?

What about the other ten? What did they think of the request James and John make to Jesus? “They become indignant at James and John.” Is this because they know better or because they want the places of honor for themselves? How do you feel when you see someone get something you don’t have but want? Do you seek a place of honor?

Jesus goes on to speak of leadership. He speaks of Gentile rulers who take their authority over the people and “lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt.” Jesus is our king but He does not use his authority against us for his own benefit. Jesus takes a different approach to leadership, one of service, as He says, “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.“

Jesus literally gives his life as a ransom for our sins. We can place our trust in him.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Generations

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In today’s gospel Jesus speaks of “generations.” We use the word “generation” to signify the changing of stages. Most often we use it in the sense of biological generations. When parents have children, the children began a new generation. Grandchildren would be yet another generation. Used in this sense, generations have been seen as about twenty years.

Of course, people are waiting longer to have children today. One might think generations would be getting longer, say thirty years. However, we can also look at “generations” in the sense of how the world is changing. In the last 50-60 years, the world has changed greatly because of advancements in technology, most especially high-speed communications. These changes seem to make for a greater difference in how the different generations view the world. Some of the oldest people alive today in our country have never owned a computer and don’t want to. The youngest can’t imagine life without it. This affects the way the different generations communicate.

In the church we can use the word “generations” to describe long eras in the church. The change in eras come from distinct changes in the way the people believe. The first generation is from the time of Adam and Eve to Abraham. Abraham trusted in the Lord and the people began to practice faith according to a covenant signified by circumcision.

Then came a generation that began with Moses and lasted until the first coming of Jesus. This was the time of the Law. The Law was given to Moses on Mount Sinai. The people didn’t always follow the law but it is what defined them as a people.

Then came Jesus. Jesus did not come to abolish the Law. He came to fulfill, to help us know what the Law really means (see Matthew 5:17). Jesus came as the Messiah but not just as a political messiah, an earthly king. Jesus came as the Messiah who saves us from our sins. Jesus willingly laid down his life for us because He loves us (see John 15:13). After the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus, the Father and the Son send us the Holy Spirit. Knowing what Jesus teaches, knowing that He died for us, and our receiving the Holy Spirit, changes our relationship with God.

Of course, there have been other times when the Church has faced change. Most recently one might think of the Second Vatican Council. If you grew up before the Second Vatican Council, the church you experience now may be very different than the church you grew up with. The most visible differences are Mass being said in the vernacular (local language) and the priest facing the people.

Today we celebrate the optional memorial of St. John XXIII. When he was elected pope at the age of 78, no one expected him to do much. He surprised everyone by calling the Second Vatican Council. The Second Vatican Council is understood with varying views today. Some think it changed too much. There are some who want to go back to the old ways. Others think it hasn’t gone far enough.

I don’t want to debate the changes today. What I do want to speak of is why the changes were made. The world was a changing place. St. John XXIII called the council to aid the church in facing the changes. In my article, “What Sort of Church Should We Be?”, I spoke about how the gospel message does not change but we do need to find new ways to communicate it.” The Second Vatican did not change the teachings of the Church. It was about how we live and celebrate our faith.

The changes of the Second Vatican Council were rushed in without adequate explanation to the people. The council did not bring radical new ways to our church. Before St. John XXIII called for the council, scholars were finding old documents of the way the early church practiced the faith. At the time of the Second Vatican Council people were used to receiving Communion on the tongue. The ancient documents showed that in the early church Communion was received in the hand. Likewise, RCIA, which seemed new to people actually follows the “old” practice of the way new people became Catholic.

What we need is better understanding of why we do what we do. To move forward in faith, we need to understand and believe. Today, let us pray for the intercession of St. John XXIII, that we may be the church that God calls us to be.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily

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28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Wisdom 7:7-11
Psalm 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17 (14)
Hebrews 4:12-13
Mark 10:17-30
October 10, 2021

A man asked Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

This is a question we all probably want to know the answer for, at least I assume since you come for Mass that you want to get into Heaven.  I find it much more appealing than the alternative myself.

Jesus responds by speaking of the commandments.  We know the commandments, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, honor your father and your mother.  We know the commandments but do we keep them?

Do we surrender ourselves to our Father’s Will?  This is the type of spiritual poverty we should seek.  The is a negative spiritual poverty when we are led astray by evil.  Good spiritual poverty involves surrendering ourselves to the Lord, admitting we need the Holy Spirit to lead us.  The commandments are one way the Lord leads us.

There are those who feel God’s Word, including some of the commandments is outdated.  It is only outdated to those who think they know better. 

The truth is that “the word of God is living and effective.”  We ask God’s help in keeping his Word.  In doing so, we show our good spiritual poverty.

The man responds to Jesus by saying, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”  If he has observed all these, one might wonder why he asks Jesus what he needs to do to “inherit eternal life.”

Could it be because he realizes something is still missing?

Jesus provides the answer to that, “You are lacking in one thing.  Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.”

What the man is lacking is material poverty.  Just I described a good and bad spiritual poverty, the same is true of material poverty.  The “bad” material poverty are those who lack the resources they need.  Good material poverty is when we set aside greed and coveting, realizing we don’t need so much. 

Embracing this simplicity of life can actually help us to be free to help those who have material poverty “forced” upon them.  In helping them, we show our respect for their needs.  We help them to live with the dignity they deserve.

The question is do we embrace simplicity of life; do we accept good material poverty?

The man struggled with this. 

When Jesus told him to go sell what he had, “his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”

Does that mean the man did not “inherit eternal life?”  Biblical scholars tend to say that the man would not sell what he had.  Whether he did or not, I do not know.  However, I offer the possibility that he did.  Perhaps he went away sad that he had to give up his possessions but willing to do it.

Why must he sell what he has? 

It’s not that these things are necessarily bad.  Many things are neither good nor bad.  It is our attachment to them that becomes the problem.  If they become too important to us, they dictate our choices.  We make choices based on our love of the things rather than our love for God.  As Paul writes it is “the love of money that is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).

We need to let go of our attachments.  This is what Jesus is telling us when He says, “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

A camel is a big animal.  The “eye of a needle” has an obvious sewing reference.  It was also used to describe a small entryway into the cities when they were walled up.  This entrance was designed for a single person to enter without baggage.

What “baggage” (i.e. attachments, things) do you try to bring with you as you journey through life?  Do you desire only what you need or do you desire more?

The writer of the Book of Wisdom speaks of their prayers and their pleading, “I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.”

What do you pray and plead for?  A nice car?  Lots of money?  What is your treasure?  For this writer, it was not earthly riches.  It was the “spirit of wisdom.”  They saw earthly riches as nothing in comparison to the wisdom of God.  Gold is nothing more than sand compared to what God offers.

We ask God to fill us with his love.  God wants to fill us with his love.

The question is do we make room for God’s love or have we filled our hearts with love for our attachments.  What do we need to let go of to make room for God? 

It might be riches.  It might be pride.  It might be anger towards others.  It might be some form of addiction.  It might seem impossible for us to overcome our attachments or addictions.  The reality is we can’t do it on our own.

Here, we need to pay attention to Jesus’ words, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.”

Have you given up everything?  Are you ready to?  Ask and God will help you.

Respect Life October 2021

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Each year during the month of October the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life month. Life is always precious from the moment of conception till natural death. We need to respect life and promote the dignity of all life throughout the year. October is a time when we focus and concentrate those efforts.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 begins, “There is an appointed time for everything.” Ecclesiastes 3:2 goes on to say, “A time to give birth, and a time to die.” While God has given us dominion over the whole earth (Genesis 1:26), it is not for us to make the final decision of when a person is born or dies. That is for God.

I have written a number of pro-life articles here on my blog. One that I feel is particularly important in our increasing secular world is “Biology Makes Me Pro-Life.” In this article I provide a scientific explanation for why life begins at conception.

On my website, you can find a series of four webinar videos I did last spring in a series called, Treating Life with Dignity and Love. In this series, I presented various aspects of Catholic Pro-Life teaching not just on abortion and euthanasia but throughout all stages of life.

In discussing Catholic Pro-Life teaching, we are called to be people of compassion. The reality is that some people have committed sins against life. Our words to them must include mercy. Why? Because Jesus tells us, “Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). (See my website articles on mercy at http://www.renewaloffaith.org/be-merciful.html.)

If we truly want to be “pro-life”, our acts of mercy must begin by helping people in their needs before they commit sins against life. We help them choose life by helping them in their needs (This is discussed throughout my series, Treating Life with Dignity and Love).

If we truly want to be “pro-life”, we also need to pray. Today I would like to specifically discuss praying for courage and perseverance.

First and foremost, we should pray for those who might be considering having an abortion or to end their life out of fear. For those considering euthanasia, it might be fear of suffering, especially if they feel alone. For those considering abortion, it might be fear of shame at being pregnant or fear that they will not be able to take care of the child.

Who else might we pray for? We should pray for our clergy to have the courage needed to speak in favor of life as they preach and teach. Our New York State bishops just showed courage in writing to our U.S. senators against proposed federal legislation that would codify Roe v. Wade. (You can read about this in an article, “NY bishops oppose federal bill to codify ‘Roe v. Wade’” from the Catholic Courier. You can read the letter itself at https://www.nyscatholic.org/bishops_letter_on_federal_abortion_bill/). We pray for their perseverance in doing so as it would be easy to feel their efforts are not effective and give up. Remember, nothing is impossible for God.

We also need to pray for pro-life politicians to have the courage and perseverance they need to continue to argue for legislation that promotes life. We also pray for each and every person who values the dignity of all life to have the courage and perseverance to continue to promote life. It is easy to get discouraged, at least I know I get discouraged. When we feel like giving up, we ask God to rekindle the fire within us.

One might wonder what one person can possibly do to help. I offer two possibilities. The first is to commit to doing acts of mercy. It can be as simple as making a donation to a crisis pregnancy center. These centers help people provide for the needs of their children in the womb and with items like diapers after both. The second is to promote government action in favor of life. If you live in New York State, you can do this on a state level by going to https://www.nyscatholic.org/action-center/ and responding to the action alerts. This is a website run by the New York State Catholic Conference. You can also do this on a federal level through the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at https://votervoice.net/USCCB/home.

Please pray, pray that all life is respected with the dignity is given by God. Pray that we all do what God asks of us to promote life.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Marriage and Divorce

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In the gospel for today (27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B), the Pharisees asked Jesus a question. They asked this question to test him. They were looking for a way to prove He was not the Messiah. While their motives are bad, the question can be a good question, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?“

Jesus responds with a question back to them, “What did Moses command you?” Moses was a faithful servant of the Lord. The teachings that Moses offered were central to the identity of the Israelites. The Pharisees respond back, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” It is important to note that they did not say that Moses taught that it was ok. They said Moses permitted it.

Why did Moses permit it? Jesus answers this question by saying, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment.” However, divorce is not what God intends. We are not perfect but we must always strive for the ideal, the “ideal” being what God intends. “From the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” The joining of marriage is not meant to be temporary. As Jesus said, and is said at Catholic weddings after the couple exchange their vows, “Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.“

To understand the marriage covenant we need to look at the first reading. Before this passage, God had created Adam. Today “Adam” is a name. However, like many names, before it was a name, it was a word. The word “adam” means “human being”. Adam represents the human race. As this passage begins, Adam is singular, but God did not create “adam” to be alone. God himself says so, “It is not good for the man to be alone.“

God knows what He created “adam” for. Adam is created for love. Thus, God sets about making “a suitable partner” for Adam. God created “various wild animals and various birds of the air.” Adam named each one of them. In ancient culture, to name something was to have power over it. This was important. The animals and birds are part of God’s creation. Thus, they are good, but they are not the suitable partner as God knows is needed.

To be complete, to find fulfillment, the man needed not a subordinate. The man needed an equal, one of the same substance. This is why God took the rib from the man and made the woman. Male and female He created them. God created male and female to be equal and for their bodies to compliment one another. While they are equal, male and female are different. In marriage, the two become one flesh, coming together in a way two people of the same gender cannot.

The two becoming one flesh is not merely a matter of physical sex. It is more than physical intimacy (for more on this see my article, “Chastity and Sexuality”). It is emotional intimacy, the two comes together in love, being there for one another. This emotional and spiritual bond of love is what we are created for. Authentic sexual union is an outward expression of something much deeper, the love of the wife and husband for each other.

The love of a husband and wife is life-giving. It is life-giving as they give themselves to each other in love. It can also be life-giving in having children. Having one’s own biological children is certainly important but having children is much more than passing on one’s biological genes. It is caring and nurturing them. (For more on this see my recent article, “Praying the Litany of St. Joseph,” where I discuss how St. Joseph fulfilled his role as a husband and a father.)

Seemingly shifting the topic a little bit, if “It is not good for the man to be alone,” then how come priests and religious do not marry? It is true that priests and religious give up marriage, accepting celibacy, but this does not mean they give up on intimacy and having a role in raising children.

Priests and religious do not live in marital intimacy but this does not mean they are alone without love. What titles do we call them? Do we not call them sister, brother, and father? These are terms of relationship. It is not the same relationship as marriage. It is not supposed to be. In accepting celibacy, religious and priests, share in a different intimacy with God. It is not a better intimacy with God but it is different. As to religious and priests not having children, I point to what I discussed in my recent article, “Praying the Litany of St. Joseph,” regarding what St. Joseph passed onto Jesus. Priests and religious pass on faith and what it means to be a child of God to many. In that article I also talked about role of St. Joseph as husband to Mary. Their relationship did not include sexual acts but it was a spousal love. Religious and priests take the Church as their spouse.

May the Lord bless you in your vocation, whether it be as a married person, single, religious, priest, or deacon.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Praying the Litany of St. Joseph

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In my last blog article, “In Struggles We Find Hope,” I reflected on my recent reading of St. Joseph and His World by Mike Aquilina (New York: Scepter Publishers. 2020). Continuing on the theme of the Year of St. Joseph called for by Pope Francis (Dec. 2020-December 2021), today I would like to reflect on the “Litany of Saint Joseph” and some of the titles ascribed to him. To do so I will use Leonard J. DeLorenzo’s new book, Model of Faith: Reflecting on the Litany of Saint Joseph (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor. 2021).

The Litany of St. Joseph was first promulgated by the Holy See in 1909. On May 1, 2021, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments published an updated version with seven new invocations (see https://www.usccb.org/prayers/litany-saint-joseph). DeLorenzo’s book went to publication prior to this. Therefore, it does not directly include the seven new invocations which are Guardian of the Redeemer, Servant of Christ, Minister of salvation, Support in difficulties, Patron of exiles, Patron of the afflicted, and Patron of the poor. The complete updated version of the litany can be found at https://www.usccb.org/prayers/litany-saint-joseph.

To reflect on this litany we should first begin by reflecting on the purpose of a litany. DeLorenzo writes, “The Litany of Saint Joseph takes us down a path of contemplation. We are led to contemplate the titles and honors of Joseph, husband of Mary and the custodian of the Incarnate Word. To contemplate Joseph requires that we contemplate the mysteries of God” (14). We study and reflect on St. Joseph not simply to know Joseph. St. Joseph points us to God. For St. Joseph, God is what we seek. Knowing St. Joseph so that we can follow his example helps us to be better disciples.

To help us understand the St. Joseph of the Gospels, who is the adoptive father of Jesus, DeLorenzo compares him to the Joseph of the Old Testament who was the son of Jacob, from whom comes the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Both Joseph’s father was named Jacob.

Both were guided by God through dreams. In Genesis 37:5, we hear of the dream of the Old Testament Joseph. In chapters 40 & 41 of Genesis, we hear how he interpreted the dreams of others. In Matthew 1:20-25, 2:13-15, and 2:19-23, we hear of St. Joseph, the father of Jesus, being guided by dreams.

The Joseph of the Old Testament was able to rescue God’s people during a famine. As DeLorenzo writes, “Joseph, son of Jacob of Mary and foster father of Jesus, fulfills the role of his namesake under whose custodianship all of Israel, and indeed the whole world was saved from ruin” (18).

Now I turn to the invocations found in the Litany of St. Joseph. I will not be reflecting on all of them. Here I offer some thoughts on the invocations that struck me during this reading. One of the beauties of litanies with several invocations is that different invocations can strike us in different readings. This keeps our prayer alive in subsequent readings.

I begin with the invocation/title, “son of David.” God had promised that the Messiah would come from the house of David. In my previous article, “In Struggles We Find Hope” I shared Aquilina’s description on the importance of the genealogy). In that article, I also included Aquilina’s words on the importance of identity and memory.

St. Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus. So, he did not pass to Jesus his biological genes. DeLorenzo describes what St. Joseph did give to Jesus as he writes, “Joseph gave his household but not his genes or his blood” (21). DeLorenzo continues, “Joseph gives to Jesus as his inheritance the nobility that Joseph possesses by his own birth” (21). He goes on to say of Jesus, “But from Joseph he also received the customs of his people, this particular place in the history of Israel, and a share in the kinghood of David, whose kinghood he himself would redeem” (22). Speaking of Mary, DeLorezno writes, “She knows that Joseph did not play a part in the conception of her son, and yet she names him “father”” (37). To be a father is not simply a matter of biology. A father gives his son more than biological genes.

Another invocation in the litany is “Spouse of the Mother of God.” By his example, St. Joseph demonstrates what it means to be a husband. As DeLorenzo writes, “To Joseph alone was the responsibility give to hold her who held God…to wed himself to who wed herself in faith and flesh to the Word of God, Joseph accepted a vocation that required nothing less than every bit of who he was” (30). To St. Joseph being the spouse of Mary was not one minor part of his life. It defined his life along with being the father of Jesus.

Joseph is also known as the “Guardian of the Virgin.” As guardian, “Joseph not only respected and revered his wife’s virginity; he also respected and revered his his own” (DeLorenzo, 33). In doing so he was, yet another invocation of the Litany, “most chaste.” To be chaste is not a matter of having sex or not. To be chaste is to respect the other’s as well as one’s own body. (For more on being chaste, see my article, “Chastity and Sexuality”.)

As head of the household, Spouse of Mary and Guardian of the Redeemer, “Joseph was meek enough to serve and yet bold enough to command the first earthly kingdom of the everlasting King” (DeLorenzo, 34). He led the household not as its dictator (see Ephesians 5:21-33) but, rooted in love, as its servant. There lies yet another invocation from the litany, “Servant of Christ.”

Joseph was willing to do anything for Mary and Jesus. Thus, as the Guardian of the Redeemer, he took his family and fled to Egypt (see Matthew 2:13-15). Thus, St. Joseph is a role model for all husbands and fathers. “Like his Creator, Joseph would not seek to dominate and control, but to nurture, and shelter and love” (DeLorenzo, 51).

This points us to two more invocations/titles. Joseph was “most obedient” to God and “most loyal” to God and to his family. Here DeLorenzo writes, “Commanding his influences means that Joseph exercised the discipline and the wisdom to decide what would influence him and what would not” (57). Which are you most influenced by? God or the world?

St. Joseph was patient in doing the Lord’s will. “Patience is discipline and creativity: the disciple to refrain from acting too quickly and the creativity to create the time and space for something new” (DeLorenzo, 62). Are you patient in waiting for the Lord?

Ultimately, what was the fruit of St. Joseph’s hands? DeLorenzo writes, “The fruit of Joseph’s hands was not exhausted in the woodwork he produced; indeed, the formation of the Son of the Most High was the ultimate work of Joseph’s life” (70). If you are a parent, what do you were as your ultimate work?

These are my thoughts in my current reading of the Litany of St. Joseph. I encourage to you read it and pray over it. You can find it online at https://www.usccb.org/prayers/litany-saint-joseph.

St. Joseph, pray for us, that we follow your example in dedicating ourselves to doing the Lord’s will. We especially ask that all fathers and husbands be inspired by your example.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

In Struggles We Find Hope

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I recently read St. Joseph and His World by Mike Aquilina (New York: Scepter Publishers. 2020). I purchased this to read with the Year of St. Joseph called for by Pope Francis (Dec. 2020-December 2021) in mind. As indicated by the title, in this book Aquilina provides perspective on the world that Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and adoptive father of Jesus, was born into it. Thus, the world that Jesus was born into.

I expected the book to help me understand St. Joseph. It does do that. However, what I read also helped me find hope in the midst of the challenging world we live in today. That is what I am inspired to write about today.

The Bible does not tell us much about St. Joseph. One of the things we do find is known in the Bible as the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17, Luke 3:23-38). It is the genealogy of Jesus because it is the genealogy of Joseph. Why is this genealogy important? Aquilina writes, “They lived not with nostalgia, but with hope. Hope was the reason they kept the genealogies, so that the legitimate line of David could be restored at the moment of God’s intervention” (9).

“Identity” is something important. We need to know who we are. Our past is part of this. Speaking of the Israelites, Aquilina writes, “Above all, they remembered. Memory was the key to their identity, and it was the most valuable heirloom they could give to their children – the memory of the Lord’s actions and interventions, the memory of the Lord’s providence, the memory of the Lord’s presence” (10). As I read this, I could not help but see how true it is. Sadly, it is this “memory” that we are not passing on today.

Those who have wandered from the faith has lost the sense of why faith is important. They do not see it as relevant. Some say they do not teach their children about the faith because they want them to choose for themselves. One cannot choose what one does not know about.

We need to remember. Aquilina writes, “Remembering was the exiles’ duty. Forgetting, they knew, would be their downfall as a people, their annihilation by assimilation” (10, my emphasis). I ask is this where we are at today? Have we forgotten our past? Have we forgotten what God has done for us? The general worldview used to be Christian. That is no longer true (see my article “We Need to See as God Sees”). The secular worldview has taken over. Instead of our faith shaping the world, the secular worldview is leading people to believe in morals and values contrary to what our faith teaches.

We need to invite those who have left the faith (as well as those who were never taught the faith) back into the Lord’s fold. This is not an easy task. When God declared an end to the Babylonian exile and called the Israelites to their homeland, many did not. As Aquilina writes, “Many were comfortable in Babylon, which was by now the only home they had known. They were making a decent living. They had never seen Jerusalem. And the resettlement of the old territory – now dilapidated and overgrown – seemed like a lot of hard work, with little promise of a return on the investment” (12). This is true for many today. If they happen to find some interest in our Catholic faith, it might seem a difficult life. It is not easy. It is not the way of the secular world but we must remember, “The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart” (Psalm response for the 26th Sunday in Oridary Time, Year B).

Many people today speak of tolerance, saying people must be free to believe what they want. However, they criticize us for speaking up for what we believe in (see my article, “Tolerance, Hate Speech, and Dialogue”). They may speak of tolerance but they expect us to change what our faith teaches. Unfortunately, this is not something new. Aquilina writes, “Not satisfied with wholesale slaughter, Antiochus entered the temple and plundered its treasury. On its main altar, he sacrificed a pig – the animal considered most unclean and unholy by the Jews” (13). May we be inspired the example of the Maccabean revolt in persevering in our faith (see 1 & 2 Maccabees in the Old Testament).

When this revolt was over, “The Hasmoneans put out word that Jews in the dispersion should return home to the traditional lands of Israel” (Aquilina, 15). We need to put the word out to invite everyone to faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer. Jesus tells us, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Reading from Aquilina’s book led me to think of the phrase the “remnant of Israel.” It is a concept found several times in the Old Testament and Paul’s letter to the Romans. The remnant is a small portion of Israel that always kept the faith alive. They kept the memory of the Lord’s actions. The faith was never completely extinguished. It can’t be because it is rooted in God. We see it in Genesis 45:7, “God, therefore, sent me on ahead of you to ensure for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives in an extraordinary deliverance.” In 2 King 19:31, we read, “For out of Jerusalem shall come a remnant, and from Mount Zion, survivors.” In Jeremiah 23:3, the Lord assures us, “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands to which I have banished them and bring them back to their folds; there they shall be fruitful and multiply.” These are just a few of the passages that speak of the “remnant”. My point is that we must work to keep our Catholic faith alive. The Lord will help us. As long as there remains a remnant, there is hope. God can use us to restore faith.

Again, it is not easy. There are those who wish to silence us. This is nothing new. Our existence can seem like a provocation to them (see Aquilina, 23). We need courage. God knows that. Courage is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Lord, please give us the courage we need to persevere in faith.

Lord, help us to live not just appearing to have faith but to truly live it (see Aquilina on King Herod, 36). In doing so, we can be living witnesses to the truth you offer us.

In describing Joseph, Aquilina writes, “Joseph feared the possibility of failing God far more than he feared the wrath of Herod” (81). Who is more important to you? God or human beings?

St. Joseph was a quiet man but he was a faithful man, a righteous man. St. Joseph, pray for us, that we may follow your example, always doing what the Lord asks of us.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily

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26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Numbers 11:25-29
Psalm 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14 (9a)
James 5:1-6
Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48


Jesus’ words today may seem shocking.  “If you hand causes you to sin, cut it off…And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off…And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.”

Really, does Jesus really want us to cutoff our appendages?

We are to be determined in dealing with our sins.  However, we need to pay careful attention to Jesus’ specific words.  He tells us to cutoff our hands and feet, to pluck out our eye if they cause us to sin.

Does your hand cause you to sin?  Does your foot?  Does your eye cause you to sin?

We may use our hand in committing a sin like stealing.  We may use our feet in committing a sin but neither the hand nor the foot cause us to sin.  Neither does our eye cause us to sin.  We may see something with our eyes that leads us to sin but the eye itself does not.

What we do need to remove is the sin that is in our hearts.  If we want to move forward in faith, we need to have our sins removed.  Thankfully, God gives us the means to do this in giving us the Sacrament of Reconciliation to confess our sins and receive his forgiveness.

God stands eager to forgive us of our past sins.  God is also eager to help us avoid sin in the future.  In praying an Act of Contrition, we say, “I firmly intend, with your help…to sin no more.”  Sin is a powerful foe.  We cannot defeat it on our own.  We don’t have to.  The Lord is eager to help us with his grace as we seek to move forward in faith.

One of the sins we might struggle with is “greed.”  We want more things but what good are these things beyond our basic needs.  James says, “Your wealth has rooted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded.”  As we look forward, we need to focus on what is truly important, the things of Heaven.

We seek to follow the precepts of the Lord that give joy to our heart.  Our lives are better when we follow Jesus as “the way and the truth and the life.”

To do so, we need to learn more about the Lord and what it means to follow him.  I pray the homilies the deacons and I offer help you.  I hope you do some spiritual reading on your own.  We offer faith formation for our children and youth.  We also offer it for our adults.

In updating you last week about our COVID precautions, I spoke of how we seek to move forward in faith as the Coronavirus continues to be a challenge.

It’s that time of year when our diocese begins its annual Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA).  The contributions received in the appeal make up over half of the diocesan budget.  Yet, one might wonder what our diocese does with the money.

10% goes to support the ministries of the bishops of the United States and the Vatican, starting right here in New York State.  We must remember we are not just St. Benedict’s and St. Mary’s of the Lake.  We are part of a diocese and a church beyond our diocese.

In our first reading we hear how the Lord took “some of the spirit that was on Moses” and bestowed it on the “seventy elders.”  Moses did not have to do all the work himself.  In the way our Catholic Church is structure, the diocese is the “local church.”  The bishop stands at the center as our shepherd.  To fulfill all that is asked of the bishop, priests (and deacons) are appointed to help him.  The priests then lead the parishes.  However, we are not to minister just as isolated parishes.  We do so as part of our diocese.  The CMA is one way of supporting our diocese.  (Another way is that we should always pray for the work of our diocese).

Another 10% of the funds support Catholic Charities throughout our diocese.  7% supports the education of our seminarians, deacons, and pastoral leaders.  People used to have to pay for annulments.  There are no more fees (the cost being covered by the CMA).

One of the ways the diocese helps us in our operations is through IT support.  We pay for any equipment we need but the diocese does the work of setting it up and maintaining it.  When we have problems, we call them for help.  We never pay for their help.  The CMA funds their salaries.

During COVID, the IT provided extra support in finding new ways to ministry to people via the Internet.  One of the ways our parishes benefited (and continue to) is the diocese pays for the Zoom account we use to minister and have meetings.  This includes the webinars I will be offering this fall.

We have dealt with much in the past year.  Now, as we look to the future, the theme for this year’s CMA is “Forward in Faith.”  Just as we look forward in how we offer our faith formation activities and look for ways to bring people back to church, so too does the diocese.

I hope what I have said helps you understand the importance of the CMA in the life of our diocese. 

Still, you might wonder about the amount of the goal.  First, let me say our diocese has not changed the diocesan wide goal since 2018.  From the diocesan goal, the goals for individual parishes are determined using a formula considering attendance, annual collections, and government data on local median incomes.

This year, St. Benedict’s goal is up just a few hundred dollars, still far less than what was raised last year.

St. Mary’s goal is actually down from $39,599 to $36,848 ($2,750).  However, before you rush to give less money, I need to let you know that our biggest donor moved away.  So, if everyone else gives the same as last year, we would be short about $2,000.  So, if you are able, please consider increasing your contributions.

You should be receiving a letter from Bishop Matano starting this year’s campaign.  Please prayerfully consider what you can contribute this year.  Give in accord in your means and know that I pray for you.  Please pray for me and for our diocese.

New Series on Prayer

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Finally, I have the details for my next series of presentations! It will be a series on prayer called, Giving our Hearts to God: What It Means to Pray.

Now, I don’t profess to be an expert on prayer. In fact, I admit I struggle to pray “well” at times. Prayer can become routine. We pray because that’s why we do. For instance, I pray the Liturgy of the Hours throughout the day. Sometimes something in the psalms or readings really hits home. Other times, it seems very routine. When it is routine or dry, it is important to keep prayer because, in doing so, we leave the door open for God.

I can struggle with distractions in prayer. We want to pray but there is something else on our mind. Sometimes it is something that can wait, like wondering what we are going to make for dinner. Other times it might something we need to make part of our prayer. For example, if we are struggling with job issues, we should take it to God in prayer.

Sometimes we might feel like nothing changes when we pray. We wonder if God is listening. Know that God is always listening. We might ask ourselves if we are trying to get God to change (his mind) or if we should let God change us.

We can pray in different ways. I already mentioned the Liturgy of the Hours. Do you pray the rosary?  What about the Divine Mercy Chaplet? 

In my new series, Giving Our Hearts to God: What It Means to Pray, we will be discussing these topics and questions like what do you ask God for in prayer?  How much time do you spend in prayer?  Do you feel your prayers go unanswered?

Perhaps one question we should be asking ourselves is, “what are we trying to accomplish in prayer?”.

There will be three presentations in the series, each offered in two formats.  Parishioners of St. Mary’s of the Lake and St. Benedict’s can attend in person at St. Benedict’s at 1:30 pm (We will meet in the basement where there is limited handicap accessibility). If you will be attending in-person, I do ask that you let me know you are coming so that I know how many to expect.

Anyone can attend via the Internet/Zoom webinar from your own home at 6:30 pm in the evening (It is the same presentation in-person or via Zoom webinar).  Both will be offered the same date (all Thursdays – October 28th, November 18th, and December 2nd).

You can register for the first webinar now by clicking this link, https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_J6HyF0s7TtKZzLevac_8TQ, and filling in the information requested. You will then receive an email confirming your registration. That email will have the link you need to join in the webinar.

I hope you can join in.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

It is Not Easy to be Faithful

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In today’s first reading we hear, “Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training.” This is not the only time in the Old Testament that we hear of the “just one” being persecuted for preaching an unpopular message. The just one speaks as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord wants to lead his people back to following his ways. That’s why He sends prophets.

Unfortunately, the people often did not listen to the prophets. (Many do not listen to God now.) Instead, they plotted against the prophets, even killing some of them. Why didn’t they listen? Because if they did, they knew they would have to change their ways. I always find it interesting that while they speak against the prophets, they did not deny what the prophets said about their behavior. Their lack of denial of wrongdoing almost seems like an admission of guilt.

To justify their persecution of the just one, the wicked go on to say, “For if the just one be the son of God, God will defend him.” They were right that God will defend the just one but not in the way they were thinking. They thought that if the prophets really speak for the Lord, then the Lord will not let anything bad happen to the prophets. That would seem reasonable but God looks at it another way.

When one is killed for their faith, we call them “martyrs.” The word “martyr” means “witness.” In accepting martyrdom over renouncing their faith, the martyrs serve as a great witness to what their faith means to them. When we stand up for our faith in this world we may face suffering in this world but we will receive glory in Heaven. Remember what Jesus says in Matthew 10:32-33, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

It is the Lord who upholds our lives. It is the Lord who saves us and defends us in our causes. The ruthless may seek our lives but the Lord will always sustain us (see today’s psalm). Knowing this, we can face suffering not in despair but with an “attitude of gratitude,” thankful for what the Lord has done for us.

We cannot let bad passions rule our lives. As James writes, “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.” Wars come from our passions. Peace comes from seeking God’s righteous. We do our best not when we seek our own will. We do our best when we live what we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “thy will be done.”

We may not always understand. The disciples did not understand Jesus when He told them about his coming passion. “They were afraid to question him.” When we don’t understand, God wants us to seek answers. God wants to help us know him better. However, we are not always going to understand. We are limited in our understanding by our humanity. God is not. We can always trust in God.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff