The Immaculate Conception of Mary – Homily

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The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Genesis 3:9-15, 20
Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 (1a)
Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12
Luke 1:26-38
December 8, 2020

God is the creator of the world, the “maker of heaven and earth.”

What God created is good.  God created in six days, resting on the seventh. 

As God created, each day He looked at what He had created and “saw that it was good.”  That is, until He created humankind.  Then, “God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good” (Genesis 1:31). 

Human beings are fundamentally good, created in the image (see Genesis 1:27).

Then what happened?

Sin entered the world.

The serpent came and tricked Adam and Eve.  Instead of listening to God, they listened to Satan.  They sinned.  This is Original Sin.  For their sin, Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden. Eve became “the mother of all the living.” 

Sin continued in the world.  Unfortunately, we too are sinners.  We have all been created fundamentally good but Satan continues to trick us into sin.

God created the world good.  He created us good.  God created us “to be holy and without blemish.” 

Yet God knew humans would sin.  He created us anyway.  Amazing!  Yet, is this not what parents do?  Parents have children to love them, hoping the best for them.  Yet, they know their children will not always do as they wish.  They choose to have children despite knowing this.  Parents do so out of love.

God knew we would sin.  Yet, He chose to create us anyway because He loves us.

God always had a plan on how to do with sin.  He would send his Son Jesus to redeem us.  Jesus comes to die for us on the Cross.

At his first coming, Jesus did not come in glory and power.  He came as a little child.  He conceived in his mother’s womb.  He grew in his mother’s womb, and born like us.  He experienced life as we do.  He experienced temptation but He did not sin.  He remained the unblemished lamb, sacrificed for our sins.

God knew what He would do all along.  In today’s gospel we hear of the beginning of a new stage in God’s plan for our salvation. 

The angel Gabriel comes to Mary, greeting her, “Hail, full of grace!  The Lord is with you.”  Gabriel tells Mary she will conceive Jesus in her womb.  Mary wonders, “How can this be,” but ultimately she says, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word.” 

Mary says yes to God.

The story we hear in this gospel involves Jesus’ conception.  He was conceived without sin but it is not his conception that we celebrate today.

Today is the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Today is about Mary’s conception.

God always knew Mary would say yes.  To be worthy to carry Jesus in her womb, she needed to be without sin.  So, when Mary was conceived in the womb of her mother, Anne, God saw that she was conceived without sin.  This is the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

God does this with “prevenient grace.”  We call it “prevenient” because God gives this grace of being conceived without sin before Mary says yes.  He does it in anticipation of her “yes.”

Good things happen when we say yes to God.

Mary’s “yes” marks a new beginning.  Eve had “become the mother of all the living” from the days of the Original Sin, when she, in effect, said no to God.

Mary becomes mother of us all when she said yes to God.

We thank Mary for her “yes.”  We ask God for the grace that we too may say yes to God. 

We give thanks to God for the grace He gives us to make it possible for us to say yes.

What About Accountability?

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My recent blog articles on forgiveness as well as my article, “Remembering the Past and Building a Better Future,” have led to discussions with people on the subject of accountability. The question at hand is “does forgiving someone mean they are not accountable for their actions?”.

The question of accountability comes up in discussion of sexual abuse of children by clergy (the same can be true of any organization working with children). Such abuse was not handled well to say the least. Before continuing, `please allow me to take a moment to say such abuse should never happen and, to anyone who has been a victim or knows a victim of clergy abuse, I am sorry. I pray for you. Saying I’m sorry is not much but please know that I mean it sincerely.

The perpetuators were “sent away” for treatment and then given new assignments without any public acknowledgment of the terrible act done. Thus, accountability was severely lacking at best.

We are to be a people of forgiveness. However, forgiving someone does not mean people are not to be held accountable for their actions. It begins with making amends. For example, if one steals, one is to make amends for the value of what was stolen if possible. Forgiveness does not release from making amends when possible.

Some feel that the Church’s position against the death penalty fails to hold the killer accountable for the murder. In arguing against the death penalty, the Church is not releasing the killer from all punishment. When a murder has been committed, the killer should face an appropriate punishment. However, that does not require a death sentence. It is true that we read in Leviticus 24:20 an “eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The same injury that one gives another shall be inflicted in return.” Jesus responds to that in Matthew 5:38-42. We should not seek revenge.

Amish people have a reputation for forgiveness. Kraybill, Nolt, and Weaver-Zercher wrote, Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy” (Published by Jossey-Bass in 2007). In Amish Grace, they discuss the Amish perspective on forgiveness reflecting on the Amish response to the shootings at an Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania.  It is a very good book. In the introduction the authors state, “Whereas in forgiveness the victim forgoes the right to vengeance, pardon releases an offender from punishment altogether” (xiv). Forgiveness and pardon are related but are not the same.

How do we view God’s abundant forgiveness? Do we take it for granted and knowingly commit sin? Do we think that God’s forgiveness means that we are not accountable for our actions?

The Amish do believe than crime comes with consequences (75). The author goes on to say:

“Nonetheless, because they believe that the state is ordained by God to maintain order in the larger world, they expect that the state will organize a police force, imprison lawbreakers, and conduct war. “We fully expect a killer to go to jail,” said an Amish elder. “We’re not naïve. We would never want a killer turned loose,” added a deacon. “It’s the government’s job to punish evildoers.” As the tragedy unfolded in Nickel Mines, the Amish readily accepted the intervention of the police and thanked them profusely for their help” (170).

Our journey to eternal life begins in Baptism. In Baptism, salvation is given to us. Can we lose that salvation? There are those who say, “once saved, always saved.” The reality is that we continue to sin after Baptism. To sin is to reject God. Let us be thankful that Jesus died and that God makes reconciliation possible as we confess our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

God’s forgiveness does not give us free reign  to do whatever we want. For instance, we are expected to keep our word. We should not say we will do something when we never really intended to do it. The Eighth Commandment to not bear false witness is still in effect. Jesus himself says, “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37). If we lie, we might be forgiven. However, even if we are forgiven, there are still consequences to our lie, trust is lost.

Jesus says “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘yes’.” We are to keep to our word. For example, when we accept a job, we accept the obligations that go with that job. If we marry, we don’t get to choose the terms of marriage. Marriage means commitment and fidelity. When we fall short, woe ask for the grace to do better.

Yes, Jesus dies so that our sins might be forgiven. To be forgiven, we need to be repentant, we need to be sorry for our sins. That means we pray that we sin no more. In fact, when we make our Act of Contrition in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we say to God, “I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.” We may sin again. When we do, we rejoice that Jesus calls to forgive not just seven times but seventy-seven times (see Matthew 18:22). In fact, God will forgive us countless times as long as we are repentant and firmly intend to sin no more.

That does not mean we are no longer accountable for our actions. As I said before, we must make amends where possible. We can also work for change. For instance, while it is sad that it took a public scandal to get things to change, the Catholic Church has made drastic improvements in policies regarding abuse, both in the handling allegations from the past and prevention for the future (there is still work to be done). Other organizations like the Boy Scouts have also made big changes towards prevention of abuse going forward.

If you have acted with anger, greed, or lust towards another, you cannot undo what has been done. You can work to change your behavior in the future.

If you have not honored your parents in the past, you cannot change the past but you can work to do better in the future.

If you have had an abortion in the past, you cannot change that but is there a way you can help stop abortion in the future?

Do you find it difficult to change? You don’t have to do it alone. Jesus says, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God” (Mark 10:27 – see Mark 10:17-31).

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Advent Holy Hour Homily 2020

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Advent Holy Hour 2020 with Vespers (Evening Prayer II)
2nd Sunday of Advent
Romans 8:18-27
December 6, 2020

Our reading from Romans begins with Paul speaking of “the sufferings of this present time.”  How has your year been?  In what ways have you suffered?

Of course, there is the Coronavirus pandemic that has affected everyone in some way.  However, there are other difficulties people face with or without the pandemic.  Maybe you or someone know has been dealing with job issues.  Maybe someone is facing a serious illness unrelated to the pandemic. 

Dealing with suffering often requires patience.  However, I am not a patient person. 

Many people are familiar with the first four lines of the Serenity Prayer, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”  This can be a great prayer when we face suffering. 

There are several more lines to the Serenity Prayer that are less known.  The very next line is “living one day at a time.”  Sometimes that is the most important thing we can do.

I remember 11 years ago when my mother was dying of emphysema and cancer.  It was difficult time for me.  I got through it. 

How?  The Serenity Prayer goes on to say to the Lord, “trusting that you will make all things right.”  Our trust in God is essential.  We find hope in knowing that the Lord is our help and our shield.

God will make things right.  In a few minutes we will pray the Canticle of Mary.  It is Mary’s response when she visits Elizabeth after learning they both are pregnant.    She knows that the Lord “has looked with favor on his lowly servant” and has gone great things for her.  She knows that the Lord will “cast down the mighty” and lift up “the lowly.”

There are better things to come.  Going back to what Paul wrote to the Romans about suffering, the full sentence is, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.” 

God promises us the joy of Heaven.

This is our hope.  It is what we wait for “with eager expectation.” 

Today we celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent.  Advent means “coming.”  The season of Advent is all about the coming of the Lord, the first coming at Christmas and the Second Coming at the end of the ages. 

Paul says, “We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains.”  It takes time to form a child.  A child is not conceived one day and born the next.  We have to wait but we need not wait in despair.  We wait with hope, hope that comes from God (see “Reflecting on the Prayer of St. Francis”).

Think of the beginning of our processional hymn, “Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming, from tender stem hath Sprung!  Of Jesse’s lineage coming.”

A rose begins as a seed.  It takes time to grow into a rose bush and blossom.  Jesus is the one who from comes from Jesse’s lineage (Jesse was David’s father).  The Israelites waited a long time for Jesus to come.  Yet, the Lord never abandoned them.

The Lord never abandons us.  The Lord is always with us.  The Lord is at our side in our sufferings.  The Lord holds us in his arms as “we wait for adoption” into Heaven.  We become adopted children of God at Baptism.  Baptism begins our journey to eternal life.

Paul speaks of what is seen and unseen.  Our sufferings are what we see in this world.  What is unseen is what we will experience in Heaven.  It is what gives us hope.

It is hope that comes from God.

It is with this hope that “we wait with endurance.”

On the back cover of your program, you will find two more passages from Romans that speak of hope.  Romans 15:13 tells us that hope comes from the Holy Spirit.  Romans 5:3-5 tells us that “hope does not disappoint.”

The stories of the Bible show us hope.  How many times did God rescue his people from suffering?  God rescues his people over and over.  Ultimately, God rescues us from our sins as Jesus gives his life for us on the Cross.  Jesus loves us so much that He willingly dies for us.  The love He shows us gives us hope.

Hope is not something we earn.  It is a gift to us.  It is part of how the Lord comes to us even now. 

I wish I could offer definitive answers as to how we deal with suffering.  Sometimes we don’t even know “how to pray as we ought.” 

I remember when my mother was dying.  I did not say long prayers or ask God to do something spectacular.  My prayer was literally, “God, please take care of her as you know best.”  God did not cure her but He did take care of her and He took care of me too.

We are not meant to have all the answers.  We are meant to have hope.

If you are familiar with the poem, “Footprints,” then you know how it describes the Lord always walking with us, even carrying us at times when we find it hard to know He is with us.

In a moment, we will continue Evening Prayer (Vespers).  Then, we will sit in silence with Jesus present in the most Blessed Sacrament on the altar.  You can pray however you like during the silence.  If you are not sure what to do, you will find some suggestions in the program.

You might start with the first one, “Just be.  Ask God for the grace to sit with him in the silence.”  There is hope.

2nd Sunday of Advent, Year B – Homily

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2nd Sunday of Advent, Year B
Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
Psalm 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14 (8)
2 Peter 3:8-14
Mark 1:1-8
December 6, 2020

Scholars divide the Book of the Prophet Isaiah into three sections.  Today’s reading from chapter 40 begins the second section.  God “speaks tenderly” to the people that their time of Exile is over.  This brings comfort to the people to know that their service, meaning punishment for their guilt is over.

They can return to Israel.  As they prepare to set out on their way, they are called to “prepare the way of the LORD!” and to “make straight.”  Literally, this speaks of their physical journey back to Jerusalem.  Spiritually it calls the (and us) to prepare a place in our hearts for the Lord.  Then the Lord will grant us his salvation.

Christmas is coming.  People will spend much time preparing food, decorating, and shopping for Christmas.  How much time will you spend on these things? 

How much time will you send preparing your hearts for the Lord?

The earthly things of Christmas are important but, as we prayed in our opening prayer, “may no earthly things hinder those who set out tin haste to meet your Son.”

Our gospel today describes a time just before Jesus begins his public ministry.  Just as Isaiah prepared the Jews for their return to Jerusalem, so is John the Baptist sent to “Prepare the way of the Lord.  Make straight his paths.”

John the Baptist calls the people to “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”  To make way for the Lord, we need to be cleaned of our sins.

John the Baptist baptized people in the Jordan River.  This river had special symbolism because it was the river that the people crossed to enter the promised land after spending forty years in the desert.

John was a simple man, living in the desert, feeding on locusts and wild honey, and “clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist.”  The dress was that of a prophet, totally centered on the Lord.

John was a humble man, acknowledging, “One mightier than I is coming after me.”  He even tells the people that the Baptism of Jesus will be something greater.  John’s baptism was only for the forgiveness of sins.  Jesus’ Baptism brings forgiveness.  It also brings the Holy Spirit to help us follow the Lord.  It makes us adopted children of God.

Soon we will celebrate Christmas.  Are you ready for the celebration of Jesus’ first coming?

Are you ready for Jesus’ Second Coming, “conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God”?

We might feel too busy right now to give time to the Lord.  We might feel that since 2,000 years have gone by and Jesus hasn’t come yet so we have plenty of time.

How do you feel when you think somebody puts you at the bottom of their list?

The people Peter wrote to in the second reading expected the Second Coming to happen at any moment.  So much so, that they feel that the Lord has been delayed in fulfilling his promise.

The Lord never gave a specific time of when He would come again.  As to the question if the Lord is delayed, Peter speaks of how the Lord is patient with us, “not wishing that any should perish.”

The Lord wants to save us.  He patiently gives us time.  We should be grateful for this but we should not take advantage of his patience but delaying ourselves in preparing the way of the Lord.

After all, how do you feel when someone takes advantage of your generosity? 

Jesus is not generous with his patience so that we can go out and have a good time.  Jesus is generous with his patience and forgiveness because he loves us. 

Lord, show us your kindness and “teach us to judge wisely the things of earth and hold firm to things of Heaven” (Prayer after Communion).

What Do You Seek in Prayer?

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We are called to pray. Jesus spent time in prayer. If Jesus prayed, then all the more we need to.

When you read the word “prayer”, what comes to mind? Is the Rosary the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe the Divine Mercy Chaplet or some other devotional prayer that is your favorite? For me, my “prayer schedule” centers around the Liturgy of the Hours.

Perhaps when you see the word “prayer”, your thoughts center on prayers you were taught to memorize as a child such as the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be. How about the Apostles’ Creed? Do you say the Serenity Prayer or the Prayer of St. Francis? If you struggle with temptation by Satan, how about saying the Prayer to St. Michael to ask for his help?

All the prayers I have mentioned so far involve prayers of set words. How about prayer where we use our own words? This would include intercessory prayer where you pray for something you or someone you know needs. God wants us to tell him what it is we seek.

What is your goal in prayer? Are you fulfilling an obligation such as Mass? Or are you choosing to pray to come to know God more fully? When you offer intercessory prayer for yourself or others, are you seeking to get what you want or are you seeking what God’s Will is?

Are you talking to God or are you talking with God? The former is a monologue, the latter would be dialogue that seeks a deeper relationship with God.

Do you ever just sit in silence as a way of praying?

Are you willing to allow yourself to be transformed by prayer? I’ll end with this quote from Mother (now Saint) Teresa of Calcutta, “Prayer makes your heart bigger until it is capable of containing the gift of God himself.”

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

The Prayer of St. Michael

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In October I wrote two separate blog articles reflecting on The Serenity Prayer and the Prayer of St. Francis. Two years ago, I shared a homily from a holy hour reflecting on the Lord’s Prayer. Today I would like to reflect on the Prayer to St. Michael but I would like to take a little different approach than in my previous reflections on the prayers already mentioned.

I would like to begin by reflecting on the origin of the Prayer to St. Michael and why the prayer is becoming more popular today.

The origin of the prayer goes back to 1884. After Pope Leo XIII finished saying Mass, he experienced a vision of spiritual warfare between Jesus and Satan. From the vision, Pope Leo XIII was led to compose the Prayer to St. Michael. He ordered that it be said after the conclusion of every Mass. This practice continued until the 1950’s.

I specifically mention that it is after Mass that the prayer is said. The Mass is the greatest prayer we can offer. We do not need to add to the Mass. Thus, the Prayer to St. Michael is said after Mass, not to add to the Mass but to remind us as we go out into the world that we need help in the battle against Satan. We can say the prayer anytime on our own. We say it together after we conclude Mass to remind us that we are united together in the battle against sin. We rely on St. Michael who helps us through the “power of God.”

So, why is it making a comeback? For myself, I had seen the prayer in the past but, honestly, I didn’t pay much attention to it until I was assigned as pastor to St. Michael’s Church in Newark, NY. Upon my arrival I read some short books to learn more about St. Michael (that reading is incorporated into homilies I gave on St. Michael in 2016 and 2017 on the Feast of the Archangels, September 29th). The material that I read included the origin of the Prayer to St. Michael I already mentioned above.

I was led to consider resuming the custom of saying the Prayer to St. Michael Prayer at the conclusion of Mass. As I was praying over this, other parishes and even whole dioceses were resuming this practice. Why? Because of a growing sense that we are indeed in a “battle” against Satan. We need help. Ultimately, of course the help comes from God.

God works through others. In the battle against evil, St. Michael plays a vital role. In chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation, we learn of the battle against Satan in Heaven. In verse 7 we are told it is St. Michael the Archangel who leads this battle. So, we seek his help as we fight against evil.

St. Michael the Archangel, 
defend us in battle. 
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. 
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, 
and do thou, 
O Prince of the heavenly hosts, 
by the power of God, 
thrust into hell Satan, 
and all the evil spirits, 
who prowl about the world 
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Satan is real. Satan, named as the serpent, led Adam and Eve to commit the first sin (cf. “Original Sin and the Question of Limbo”) in the Garden of Eden in chapter 3 of the Book of Genesis. It is Satan who tries to get Job to reject God in the Book of Job. It is Satan who tempts Jesus in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13). It is Satan who “entered into Judas,” leading him to betray Jesus (Luke 22:3).

Yes, Satan is real. So, we ask St. Michael to “defend us in battle,” to “be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil.” Of course, we know God is the one brings victory over sin. Thus, we pray, “may God rebuke him.”

Even as we pray that St. Michael, as the “Prince of the heavenly hosts…thrust into hell Satan, all the evil spirits” we know it is “by the power of God” that he does this.

Satan and the evil spirits “prowl around the world seeking the ruin of souls.” Why? One common answer is that Satan is looking to increase the numbers under him. He builds his pride by ruining our souls. Another is that Satan is envious of us. If he can’t get into Heaven, he does not want us to be get into Heaven either.

Satan is cunning as he seeks the ruin of souls. We struggle against temptation. The good news is that we do not need to fight the battle alone. God is with us and He gives us St. Michael to help us.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

1st Sunday of Advent, Year B – Homily

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1st Sunday of Advent, Year B
Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7
Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19 (4)
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Mark 13:33-37
November 29, 2020

Our passage from Isaiah today comes from a time when the Babylonian Exile was ending and the Jews were returning to Jerusalem.  They found the Temple in ruins and their lands pillaged.  It was difficult to see.

Thus, they lament.  Yet, as they lament, they realize that Israel fell because they had ceased to follow the Lord’s ways.  They cry out, “Why do you let us wander, O LORD, from your ways, and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?  Return for the sake of your servants.” 

Why did God let them wander?  Why does He let us wander?  Can’t God stop us from wandering from his ways into sin?

Yes, He could stop us.  To do so God would have to take away our free will.  When we see evil in the world, it might seem like a good thing for God to take away our free will.  However, while taking away our free will could take away our ability to sin, it also takes away our ability to love.  To love requires free will so we are able to choose to love.

What are we to do? 

We can choose to surrender our free will to God, “Lord, make us turn to you, let us see your face and we shall be saved.”  We cannot save ourselves but God can save us.

When might we do this?  When might we change our ways and surrender our lives to God?

When some people decide to make changes in their lives, they choose to do it on January 1st as a new year’s resolution.  Many do not succeed because they lack commitment or the strength to carry out their resolutions.

Today we begin a new year in the church with our celebration of the First Sunday of Advent.  How about making a “new year’s resolution” now and asking God to be part of it?  God will help us as we seek to follow him.

What we want is to have God come more fully into our lives.  We call this season “advent.”  The word Advent means “coming.”  This season of Advent calls us to think about both the first coming of Jesus that we celebrate at Christmas and the Second Coming at the end of the ages. 

Our readings this week point us to the Second Coming.  Are we ready?  If the Lord was to come today, would He “meet us doing right”?   Would the Lord find us mindful of his ways?

Or would He find us a sinful and unclean people, withering away in sin?

How are you doing in waiting for the Lord?  Are you keeping “firm to the end”?  Or are you dozing off? 

Jesus himself tells us to “Be watchful!  Be alert!”  Why?  Because, “You do not know when the time will come.”  In fact, while today’s gospel is just five verses, Jesus tells us twice to keep watch and that we do not know when the Second Coming will happen.

Jesus says, “May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.”  “Sleeping” here is not a matter of physical sleep.  He is speaking of spiritual sleepiness, meaning we have grown lax in following the Lord’s way.  We have sinned.

How are we to change?

I go back to our psalm response, “Lord, make us turn to you:  let us see your face and we shall be saved.”  We need Jesus to save us.

Our passage today from Isaiah ends with the people saying to the Lord, “we are the clay and you the potter:  we are all the work of your hands.”

How much time do we spend trying to make ourselves be who we want to be?  We think we can and/or should do it on our own.  We cannot nor do we need to.  We are the clay.  We need to let God shape us into what we are meant to be.

Picture the clay.  It starts as a lump on the potter’s wheel.  If we try to shape ourselves, we work the clay but struggle to become something good.  When we sin, we lose the goodness that God has made us with.

How do we start over? 

We throw ourselves onto the true potter’s wheel and let God reshape us.  We confess our sins.  We turn our lives over to him so that He might save us.

The Lord is coming.  Let us turn to him and be saved.

Thanksgiving Day Homily

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Thanksgiving Day
Sirach 50:22-24
Psalm 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Luke 17:11-19
November 26, 2020

Today is our national day of Thanksgiving.  The custom of this holiday dates back to the first pilgrims in Massachusetts.  They were thankful that God had blessed them with the harvest.  The trip across the ocean and the first year were not easy.  They knew God helped them through it.  So, it was only fitting for them to give thanks to God.

In the gospel ten lepers came to Jesus.  Leprosy was physically difficult but it was also emotionally difficult because it meant they were isolated from the community.  They came to Jesus asking, “Have pity on us!” 

Jesus tells them to go show themselves to the priests.  This was something lepers would do after they were cured, not before.  They were not yet healed but they did as Jesus said.  They trusted Jesus.  On their way, they were healed.  However, only one returned to Jesus to give thanks.  We ask God for help when we are in trouble.  Do we thank God when our prayers are answered?

2020 has been a difficult year.  Of course, there is the Coronavirus.  As I think about the isolation of the ten lepers, I think about shutdown, quarantines, and social distancing.  All this can be stressful.  We find hope knowing that God is with us.  Let us give thanks, let us bless the Lord for his grace.

The Coronavirus isn’t the only struggle people have faced this year.  Records were shattered for number of acres burned in wildfires.  There were a record number of tropical storms/hurricanes. 

It would be easy to get discouraged.  Actually, I have been discouraged.  Where do I find hope?  In Jesus Christ.  Jesus willingly died for us.  He isn’t going to abandon us now.

We can renew our hope in thinking about how God has helped in the past.

We can renew our hope in the way we look at things.  Is the cup half-full or half-empty?  It’s a matter of perspective.  Do we live with an “attitude of gratitude?”

For instance, during this Coronavirus, at times we have gone to the grocery store to find some shelves empty.  We may have been discouraged by this, maybe even worrying about having enough food, but did you ever go without?  Maybe you couldn’t get your favorite food but did you go hungry?  Let us give thanks to God for the food we do have and pray for those who do go hungry.

When we were in complete shutdown, did you lament being stuck at home?  Be thankful that you have a home and pray for those who don’t have a home.

Are there people you find it difficult to be with?  Be thankful for the people you have in your life that you do enjoy being with and pray for those who are alone or difficult to be with.

When we see and appreciate what God has already done for us, we cultivate an attitude of gratitude within us.  This in turn strengthens us for the future.  Know that, as Paul says, God “will keep your firm to the end.”

We come to Mass this morning as we celebrate thanksgiving.  We thank God for the words He gives us in the scriptures.  We come to celebrate the Eucharist.  It is the sacrifice of Jesus that we celebrate.  We thank Jesus for giving his life for us. 

The Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus that we receive and are strengthened by it.  Our thanksgiving to the Lord is expressed in the preface that begins the Eucharistic Prayer.

The word “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving.”  Let us be thankful for all that God has given us.  Let us praise the name of the Lord forever.

Pray, Pay, and Obey

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In the past, the understanding by many was that Catholics were supposed to “pray, pay, and obey” to be good Catholics. (A search on the Internet shows the order of the first two, pray and pay, are sometimes switched). The saying articulated that Catholics are supposed to pray (centering on coming to Mass and devotions like the Rosary), pay (meaning to give financially to your parish), and obey (meaning to follow church teaching because the church said so).

Today I would like to reflect how I see this phrase applying today.

Pray
Prayer is important. Prayer has its own category on my blog. Likewise, my website has pages dedicated to the topic of prayer. Our communal prayer centers on coming together to celebrate Mass. The Eucharist is source and summit of who we are as Catholics (Lumen Gentium, 11). Our prayer at Mass is not limited to just the Prayers of the Faithful (General Intercessions) and the Eucharistic Prayer. The entire Mass is a prayer. It is a dialogue with God.

Prayer also includes devotions like the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. It includes the Liturgy of the Hours. It also includes the prayers we offer for other people and ourselves.

The prayers I have described so far all follow a set form. There is a specific way Mass is celebrated. There are specific prayers said in the Rosary. There are prescribed psalms and readings for the Liturgy of the Hours. While the form and/or words are repetitious, they all involved dialogue with God. Remember “dialogue” flows both ways. We say prayers and readings to converse with God. That means listening. Prayer involves talking with God (See my video presentation, Talking to God: A Conversation About Prayer). We tell God what is going in our lives, seeking his help. We need to listen to what He has to say in response.

We need to pray. We need to be in relationship with God.

Pay
All were expected to pay. It was seen as an obligation. All who were able put their contribution in the weekly collection. Even today, the church counts on the contributions of parishioners. The church has bills to pay. That has not changed. What I hope has changed is an understanding of why parishioners are expected to “pay.”

It is not simply a “tax.” It is a call to contribute the mission of our church from the depths of our heart. Luke 21:1-4 tells the story of the poor widow’s contribution. Jesus sees both the rich and the poor widow “putting their offerings into the treasury.” The rich put in more money but it is the widow who Jesus praises for she “has offered her whole livelihood.” It required no effort for the rich to contribute for they had plenty of money. The poor widow gave from her heart.

We should not see our financial contributions as just helping to pay the parish bills. Yes, the church has bills to pay, but we ask parishioners to contribute not just to pay bills. Rather, we ask parishioners to contribute to help fulfill our call to proclaim the gospel. Your financial giving is part of how you can contribute to the ministry of the church. We call the contributions of parishioners “stewardship.” However, stewardship is not only financial giving (treasure). Parishioners can also give of their time and talents to help minister.

To “pay” is not your admission fee to Heaven. It is part of your contribution to fulfill what we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “thy kingdom come.”

Obey
“Obey” signified that parishioners are expected to do what the church says just because it says so. Many people did (and still do) because they trust the church. However, today many people have lost their trust in institutions. This is not just the church. People’s trust in government has also decreased. Politicians contradict one another so they can’t all be right. Within the church, some people (among other reasons) have lost trust because of the coverup of abuse by the clergy.

Humans are imperfect. However, our trust in the Church is not rooted in humanity. Our trust in the Church is rooted in our trust in God who leads the church through the Holy Spirit. (You may notice I am switching back and forth between a capital “C” and a lower case “c”. I do this trying to signify “church” merely as a human institution compared to “Church” as something that transcends humanity because it is God’s Church. We pray that the “church” always be what God intends as “Church.” What It Means to be a Church).

Obedience is something good. Jesus was “obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). His obedience brings us salvation. God gives us commandments that are good for us. In the Lord’s Prayer we pray “thy will be done.” We trust God. We seek to do his will. We pray that God leads his Church through the Holy Spirit. We pray for our church leaders to listen to the Holy Spirit. We pray for the grace we need to obey what God teaches.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Year A – Homily

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Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Year A
Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17
Psalm 23:1-2, 2-3, 5-6 (1)
1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28
Matthew 25:31-46
November 22, 2020

Ezekiel opens today with the Lord assuring his people, “I myself will look after and tend my sheep.”  We find comfort in these words.  We find hope in knowing that the Lord is watching over us.

Yet, we might ask why God is saying He will tend his sheep in this particular passage.  Ezekiel became a prophet of the Lord as the Babylonian Exile began.  The people in Israel find themselves in stressful times. 

The Lord had appointed people to shepherd his people.  This would include both religious leaders and government leaders, including the king.  The Lord appointed them to look after and tend his sheep.  They failed to do so.

Thus, the Israelites are defeated by the Babylonians.  It is in this time that the Lord says to them, “I myself will look after and tend my sheep.”

He goes on to assure them that He “will rescue them…I myself will pasture my sheep.”  He will seek out the lost, strayed, injured, and sick.  Why?  Because He loves them. 

The 23rd Psalm is the most well-known psalm.  I think this is because it assures us of the Lord’s help.  This hope is summed up in the first line, “The Lord is my shepherd.”

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.  Jesus is indeed our king and not just our king, but the king of all, the king of the universe.

David was the king of Israel.  As king, he held great power.  Yet, he realized that his rule was not absolute.  He knew that his authority as king came from God who is the true shepherd.  David put faith before politics.  Remembering that we pray for religious freedom.

King David is seen as the author of the 23rd Psalm.  Remember that David was literally tending sheep when God sent Samuel to anoint David king (1 Samuel 16:11).  David knew what it meant to be a shepherd.

In the beginning of the 23rd Psalm, David said, “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.”  There are people who think that the latter part means that if they follow Jesus, they will have everything they want. 

I offer a different possibility.  When we follow the Lord as our shepherd, we do not want as much.  When we let the Lord lead and guide us to right paths, we realize some of the things we wanted aren’t important.  So, we stop wanting them.

Returning to our passage from Ezekiel, the Lord also says, “I will judge between one sheep and another.”  There will be a judgment.  Have we followed the Lord?

Today, Jesus gives us more information about the judgment that will occur “when the Son of Man comes in his glory” and sits “upon his glorious throne.”  Jesus speaks of the criteria for how “he will separate them one from another.”

How will we be judged?  By what we have done for others.  Have we fed the hungry, given drink to the thirsty, welcomed the stranger, clothed the naked, cared for the ill, and visited the imprisoned? 

These are the Corporal Works of Mercy.  I have a video presentation on my website (The Journey to Jesus: Acts of Mercy) where I talk about the Corporal Works of Mercy as well as the Spiritual Works of Mercy.  That video is 1 ½ hours so I won’t repeat it all here.

Suffice it to say here that the greatest commandment is to love God and the second is love our neighbor.  We do both when we care for those in need because, as Jesus said, “whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.”

We care for those in need as individuals and as a church.  An example of this is our Giving Trees.  With the Coronavirus around, we are having to modify how we do the Giving Tree, but we are still doing it to care for our neighbors. 

Our church has a long history of helping others.  Catholics established many hospitals.  Catholic Charities helps feed the poor in many places.  Catholics started the university system to help educate people to have better lives.  Religious freedom issues today can make it difficult for our Catholic institutions to continue but we do what we can to care for our brothers and sisters.  We do this to follow Jesus as our king.

We do so seeking eternal life for ourselves and our brothers and sisters.  We love God and we love our neighbor.