Coming This Fall – “Uncovering the Treasures of the Mass”

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In the bulletin for this weekend, July 26th, I wrote a column about my passion for faith formation beyond children. I include some of my plans for this Fall. Here is the column:

The three things where I most find life in my ministry are celebrating Mass, hearing confessions, and teaching about our faith. The first two are at the heart of what every priest does. The third, teaching, is at the heart of my personal calling from God.

The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith (Lumen Gentium, 11). As I preside at Mass, I have distinct moments of awareness of how God is working through me to feed you with the Body and Blood of Jesus.

I enjoy hearing confessions because I enjoy being an instrument of forgiveness and mercy.

Offering the presentations I do does not require me to be a priest but as a priest I am called to lead people to a deeper faith. I do this in homilies at Mass. It also happens through my website (www.renewaloffaith.org) and blog (https://blog.renewaloffaith.org/blog/). I also do most of the Facebook posts on our parish Facebook page. To me, helping people grow in their knowledge and understanding of our faith is at the heart of what Jesus calls me to do.

Early in my priesthood, I did a couple of in person presentations and found grace in them. In 2013, I started doing four to six in person presentations a year and recording them to put on my website.

Like so many other things, the Coronavirus stopped us from having in person presentations but it does not stop us from sharing our faith with others. I’m writing more on my blog as well as more posts on the parish Facebook page. To keep the presentations going, I learned how to do the presentations online as webinars. My series on the Sacraments was completed as webinars. Then I led a presentation on the Trinity (www.renewaloffaith.org/trinity).

Now, I am working on new presentations for the Fall. We don’t know what Coronavirus precautions will be in place. So, we don’t know if these presentations will be in person or done as webinars online. That decision will probably come in late August. Whether in person or online webinars, I have scheduled the dates as September 23rd, October 14th, and November 18th at 6:30 p.m.

The topic of this series will be the Mass. We will look at why we do what we do at Mass to uncover the treasures of the Mass. The Mass is rich in symbolism and it is even richer in grace. Understanding the meaning of what we do at Mass can help us experience the fullness of the grace that we are offered in the Mass. We celebrate Mass to give praise to God. In return, God gives us his Word and the Eucharist. Mark your calendars now to open yourselves to the treasures of the Mass.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

P.S. If you know someone who says they don’t come to Mass because they don’t get much out of it, this might be something to invite them to.

What Should We Pray For?

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When we celebrate Mass we are praying together. What do you pray for on your own? How often do you pray?

Today, I would like to talk about two of my daily prayer intentions. If you have come to daily Mass when I am presiding, you have likely also heard me include them in the Prayers of the Faithful. (I may also have referred to them in previous blog articles.)

Here are the intentions:
– For all who hold public office, that they respect the dignity of all life from womb to tomb.
– For all who hold government office, that they set aside personal ideologies, partisan politics, and popular opinion, to do what is right and just in God’s eyes.

Now, please let me explain why I include these particular intentions, starting with respecting the dignity of all life from womb to tomb. My prayers for “life in the womb” certainly have an end to abortion in mind (You may have read my article, “Biology Makes Me Pro-Life,” in January). However, it is not just about abortion. It is not enough to tell women to not have an abortion. We need to help them receive proper medical care during their pregnancy as well as food, clothing, and a place to live.

“Tomb” in my intention centers on the issue of assisted suicide (see my homily from February 8, 2020) but it is not just about telling people not to end their lives. It includes palliative care (comfort care) to help them be comfortable with proper pain management and to be present to them in their final days.

We must also realize that we are not the authors of life and thus should not use the death penalty. There is an appointed time for everything. It is for God alone to know the time for one’s death (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-2ff).

Now, I want to talk about the word “to” in “from to tomb.” If we are to truly respect the dignity of all life in the womb and near the tomb (near death), we need to respect it in all stages in between. This is known as the “Consistent Life Ethic,” consistent referring to throughout all stages of life. We need to perform corporal and spiritual works of mercy to help people in their everyday needs and to have a good life (For more on the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, see my presentations, Mercy in the Sacraments and Acts of Mercy, and The Journey to Jesus: Acts of Mercy). Everyone, regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity are children of God and are to be treated with dignity. Even those in prison, who forfeit some freedom because of their crimes, maintain their rights owed to all human beings. Thus, they have a right to safe housing, food, clothing, and proper medical care.

I offered this intention in the form of for our public officials. Actually, it is something we need to pray for everyone, not just public officials.

Now, I turn to the second intention, “For all who hold government office, that they set aside personal ideologies, partisan politics, and popular opinion, to do what is right and just in God’s eyes.”

“Personal ideologies” – we all have our own opinions but we should not think any one of us alone has all the answers. I am not all-knowing and neither is any other ordinary human being. God is. I don’t teach or write to offer my opinion. I do this to help lead us all to know God’s Will and to do it. (Please pray that I always do this and not my own will). We can have our own opinions but in the Lord’s Prayer, we pray for God’s Will to be done, not your will or my will, and not any government official’s will. It is God’s Will we seek.

Some may be surprised that I pray for them (and us) to set aside popular opinion. Aren’t we a democratic society? Yes, but that doesn’t mean the majority opinion is right just because it is a majority (if everyone jumped off a bridge, would you?). Again, God is the one who is all-knowing. We need to allow God to form our consciences (see my article, “Do We Listen to Our Conscience?”). Only when we all do God’ Will does popular opinion become right and just. (See Deuteronomy 4:1-8.)

Lastly, what about partisan politics? First, let me say I speak here about any political party. I do not want to be political in any way. That being said, there are times when someone says that if you belong to a particular political party, you need to always vote with that party. How is this any different in the days of anti-Catholicism where people feared that if a Catholic were elected to public office, that they wouldn’t vote like an American? Instead, it was feared that they would simply do whatever the Pope said. One’s membership in a political party may give us insight to where they stand on an issue but it should not determine their beliefs or the way they vote. God is the one who determines what is right and just.

So, let us pray for all, including ourselves, but especially our government officials, to respect the dignity of all life from womb to tomb and set aside personal ideologies, partisan politics, and popular opinion, to do what is right and just in God’s eyes.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

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16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16 (5a)
Romans 8:26-27
Matthew 13:24-43
July 19, 2020

Jesus continues to speak in parables.  The first one we heard today is about the weed that is sown among the good seed.  An enemy has come and done this.

The master’s servants are surprised when the weed comes out.  They ask where it has come from.  The master tells them it was sown by “an enemy.” 

Jesus explains the one “who sows good seed is the Son of Man,” while the enemy who sows the weed “is the devil.”  Which seed sprouts within us?

The servants ask the master if they should pull the weeds.  It would only seem natural.  We get rid of weeds.    But the master says to leave the weeds so as not to uproot the good seed.

Of course, this parable is not about literally pulling weeds.  God has planted the seed of faith within us.  The devil plants seeds of evil within us.  Which do we allow to grow?

We need to avoid sin but we are not to cast out sinners.  How do we expect them to repent if we don’t offer them God’s grace? 

In the early church, there was a heresy known as Donatism.  They tried to expel all sinners from the church.  Who would be left?  We are all in need of redemption. 

Jesus says don’t pull the weeds out now.  However, that doesn’t mean our sins don’t matter.  It doesn’t mean that everyone gets into Heaven. 

No, Jesus tells us there will be a judgment at the harvest.  The weeds will be separated and burned in Hell while the good wheat is taken into his barn in Heaven. 

There are consequences to our sins.

Lest we fear too much, let us recall the words in today’s psalm about the Lord.  The Lord is “good and forgiving.”  He is “slow to anger” and “merciful.”  To receive his mercy and forgiveness we need to repent. 

God, as the one who is all-knowing and all-powerful, doesn’t have to forgive us.  As we read in Wisdom, his “might is the source of justice.”  His “mastery over all” makes the Lord “lenient to all.”  The Lord judges with clemency.  Thus, the Lord gives us “good ground for hope” because He permits repentance. 

Actually, the Lord doesn’t just “permit” repentance.  He desires it.  The Lord wants to welcome us back.  He doesn’t have to.  He wants to.  So, Jesus comes to give his life for us so that our sins can be forgiven if we repent with a contrite heart.

Heaven is a big place.  It is like the large bush in the Parable of the Mustard Seed where “the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.”  There is room for everyone in Heaven.  However, that doesn’t mean that everyone gets in for Jesus says, “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.”

Today the temperature is going into the 90’s.  I remember when I was starting in seminary, I worked at a Boy Scout summer camp as a chaplain.  One day it was 104 degrees.  I told some of the scouts I thought of it as a warning.  One asked what I meant.  I told him it was a warning about how hot it will be in Hell.  One of the scouts responded, “oh, you mean like practice.”  I said if he wanted to think of the 104 degrees as practice that was up to him.  I preferred to think of it as a warning to do good, lest I spend eternity in Hell.

Where do you want to spend eternity?

Your Attention Please

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A standard feature of many churches is the bell tower. One might wonder why churches have bells.

Church bells can be used to signify different things. One of the oldest purposes is to signify (“Your attention Please”) that it is time to come to church to worship. This practice dates back to at least the sixth century. In centuries long past many people did not have watches or clocks. So, the ringing of the church bells was very important. Even today, we have watches but I know of some people who live near the church who wait for the ringing of the bells to walk the one block to church.

Thus, the bells brought to the people’s attention that it was time to come to church. Church bells often also ring on the hour (with the number of rings signifying the hour of the day). Again, this had its origin in the days when many people did not have watches. So, the hourly bells brought to their “attention” the time of day.

The bells are also sometimes rung at funerals, bringing to attention the death of the person.

Another common time for the ringing of church bells in Catholic Churches is for the Angelus. Traditionally, this is done at 6 am, noon, and 6 pm. (Many churches move the 6 am bell to a little later in the morning, respecting overnight noise ordinances, respecting people’s sleep.)

So far, I have focused on the large bells in the bell tower. In Catholic Churches, small hand bells are often rung by an altar server during the Consecration. Again, this serves the purpose of bringing everyone’s attention that something very important is happening as the Body and Blood are lifted up at the Consecration. This started in the days when Mass was in Latin. Many people did not understand Latin. So, the ringing of the bells was important to signify the time of the elevation. Mass today is normally in the local language but many churches have brought back the ringing of the bells to draw our attention to what is going on at that very special moment.

Bells are also rung during the Gloria on Holy Thursday and at the Easter Vigil. The Gloria is not said or sung during Lent. The ringing of the bells on Holy Thursday brings our attention to our renewed glory as we celebrate the death and Resurrection of Jesus.

So, the bells bring our “attention” to important moments.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

How Do You Describe Yourself?

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Last week I wrote a blog article called, “We Need Heroes.” In that article I wrote about our need for role models. As Christians, Jesus is the ultimate role model. We also have the saints as role models.

Today I ask you if you think you are a good role model to others. To do so, begin by asking how you would describe yourself to others.

Centering on the word “describe”, I suspect many people might begin by describing their physical attributes. Are you short or tall? What is your hair and eye color? Are you slender or “weight-challenged”? Are you young or old? What is your nationality? What is your ethnic background? All of these do indeed describe us but are they want God looks at (see 1 Samuel 16:1-13, especially verse 7)?

Now, think of the request to describe yourself in terms of a resume. Imagine you are applying for a new job. What would you put on your resume?

The exact content of your resume might depend on what job you are applying for. A resume generally includes education, work experience, and volunteering experience and hobbies if they are relevant to the job. A resume should answer the question why the company should consider you for the job. Do you meet the qualifications?

Now let’s re-envision your resume. You no longer need a resume for a new job. Now, you need a resume to get into Heaven. You are standing at the pearly gates where you are asked for your resume.

Does your education still matter? Thinking of secular education, college degrees, or even high school diplomas, aren’t required to get into Heaven, but God might be very interested to know if you used your education to help other people. How about your religious education? Most people won’t have college degrees in religion but what have your learned about your faith? How have you made it part of who you are? Matthew 7:21-23 reminds us that it is not enough to call Jesus “Lord”. We need to make our Catholic faith part of who we are.

Looking at your work experience, the Lord is not interested if you gained great notoriety. The Lord is concerned with who you helped or who you stepped on along the way. Here God is interested in something you might not put on a resume for a secular job. Are you a compassionate person? Are you a loving person? Have you kept the two greatest commandments, first to love God and then to love your neighbor?

Another quality to put on your resume is forgiveness. Are you a forgiving person? We pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” If we want to be forgiven our sins, we need to be willing to forgive others.

Forgiveness…what about our own sins? Do we need to list our sins on our resume for Heaven? How does that possibility strike you?

In wondering if you need to put your sins on your resume, I think the question is have you confessed them in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, receiving God’s forgiveness? If you have, you don’t need to put them on your resume because your sins have been wiped away by the Blood of Christ. If you haven’t confessed your sins…..I suggest you do.

One last thought on your resume for Heaven. When we prepare a resume for a secular job, we might embellish the good things and omit the bad things (don’t forget the 7th Commandment about telling the truth).

When preparing your resume from Heaven, remember embellishing gets you no where. God already knows the truth. God knows us better than we know ourselves. The only reason God would ask us for a resume is to get us to look at ourselves.

So, how would you describe yourself?

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

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15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Isaiah 55:10-11
Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14 (Luke 8:8)
Romans 8:18-23
Matthew 13:1-23
July 12, 2020

Word of what Jesus is doing and saying had spread such that large crowds were coming to him.  So, He got into a boat and spoke to the people on shore.

Jesus was practicing good social distancing from the crowd.

As He preached to them, He spoke in parables.  Why?  Because “They look but do not see, and hear but do not listen.”  The parables were an instructional tool to draw people to listen. 

God’s word is not to return to him void, instead “achieving the end for which” He sent it.  God wants us to listen.

Today, it is the Parable of the Sower that Jesus tells to his disciples.  He then explains the parable to his disciples.

The seed is sown on four types of soil.

The first is the “path,” meaning a path where the ground is packed from so many people walking on it that the surface has become hard and impervious so nothing can grow on it.

In terms of faith, here I might consider the example of a person who is against the faith but comes for a funeral.  They come because they cared about the person the funeral is for but they refuse to be open to what they hear at the funeral.  So, the seed of faith offered to them cannot grow. 

Why offer them the seed of faith?  Because we don’t know if they are open or not.  We welcome them, offer them hope of new life, and leave it to them.

The second type of soil is the rocky ground.  Again, I use the example of someone who comes to church for a funeral.  However, this type, the person is at least open to the possibility of faith.  Their openness might be based on their trust in the person who the funeral is for as a good person.  They know faith was important to the person, so they are at least willing to listen.  Yet, they don’t take what they hear to heart.

The third type of soil is that among thorns.  Again, think of the visitor at a funeral.  In this case, they are not just open.  They are “curious”.  They want to hear more.  Maybe they start coming to church regularly but then earthly things pull them away.  Faith means something to them but they are not ready to make a real commitment to put God first. 

Here I think of the line from Paul today, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed to us.”  The person where the seed is sown among thorns might be more concerned with avoiding suffering in this world and finding pleasure than they are in knowing God.  Paul reminds us that the sufferings we endure from this world are nothing to the glory we will know in Heaven.

That brings us to the fourth type of soil.  The seed flourishes and bears fruit “a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”  They have embraced the faith and have been transformed by it.

You have come here today for Mass.  I hope most of you have come willingly, even if “encouraged” by a spouse or a parent.  Are you open to being transformed by what is offered to you today? 

You see, you can come but not be transformed.

Are you open to being transformed by the Word of God that is offered to us in the readings and broken open now in the homily?

Are you open to being transformed in receiving the Body and Blood of Christ to become the Body of Christ ourselves?

Where are you in your faith journey?  I offer five categories that Sherry Weddell offers in her book, Forming Intentional Disciples (Our Sunday Visitor Publishing, Huntington, IN, 2012.

  1.  Initial Trust – someone you trust has pointed you to Jesus
  2. Spiritual Curiosity – you might have questions but aren’t looking to change
  3. Spiritual Openness – you are considering what faith really offers
  4. Spiritual Seeking – you are open to being transformed by faith
  5. Intentional Discipleship – you are committed to being transformed and living as Jesus teaches.

We Need Heroes

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We need heroes. Where we do we find them?

The first question really is what is a hero? A hero as I see it is someone who does good deeds that we can look to as a role model.

When I think of heroes, I can’t help but think of superheroes with superpowers. When I was a kid in the 1970’s and 1980’s, superheroes were someone we could look up to. Yes, they had superpowers and that seemed awesome. They were also good people. Superman stood for truth, justice, and the American way. They were motivated by justice. They sought to do good. They were role models that we needed.

Yes, we couldn’t be exactly like them. We don’t have superpowers and we aren’t perfect but superheroes when I was a kid were an ideal to shoot for. Now, when I look at superheroes today, they still have superpowers but they aren’t role models. There may have been good intent to make they more like us but they no longer provide us with an ideal to shoot for.

Stepping away from the idea of heroes for a moment, I think some family shows on television have changed in similar ways. I don’t think families on television were ever perfect but they were good examples. The Brady kids and Beaver (Leave It to Beaver) got into trouble but they gave us a good example to shoot for. They were there for each other. Now, it seems some shows focus on negative families. This might seem more real to many people, but it doesn’t give us something to shoot for.

I think there are even people who see only the human side of Jesus and forget his divinity. Even his humanity as portrayed in the Bible gives us a great role model but people deny his good works and his teaching to be able to live the way they want. Remember the first reading on June 21, 2020 where Jeremiah’s former friends denounce him. I spoke in my homily that Sunday of how they tried to denounce him because he told them they were not living well in God’s eyes.

Jesus is the Son of God. He is both human and divine. In my Christmas homily in 2018, I spoke of his “superpower” to turn bread and wine into his Body and Blood to feed our souls. I spoke of how “super” it is that He died on the Cross so that our sins can be forgiven. I spoke of his love for us as “super” and said He is my hero. Jesus is my hero.

Jesus is awesome but where might we go for human heroes? Superheroes, even the ones who were good role models were fictional. The Brady family and Beaver on “Leave It to Beaver” were fictional characters. Where do we find real heroes for our faith?

The saints.

The saints didn’t always live perfect lives but they turned to Jesus.

St. Augustine of Hippo was a sinner until his conversion in the late fourth century that came after his mother, St. Monica, had prayed for years for him to become Christian. After his conversion, he became a bishop and doctor of the church.

St. Francis of Assisi, perhaps one of the most popular saints, sought pride and prestige in earthly endeavors before his conversion. St. Ignatius of Loyola sought prestige in the military before his conversion after which he became the founder of the Jesuits.

What about married saints? There is Sts. Isidore (patron saint of farmers) and Maria Torribia. There are Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin, parents of St. Therese.

Looking for twentieth century saints we can learn about St. Oscar Romero who was martyred in 1980 in San Salvador, St. “Mother Teresa” who leaved her own country and served the poor, founding the Missionaries of Charity, and St. John Paul II, who lived through World War II and communist times. These are our role models of what it means to follow Jesus.

Who is your hero as you strive to follow Jesus?

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Seeking Success

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We look for success but how do we know when we have succeeded? What is our measure of success? What does it even mean to succeed?

Success is to achieve a goal. What is our goal? What is it that we are really trying to achieve?

Ultimately, I think we are looking for fulfillment. The way one might think they have found fulfillment is to be happy.

What fulfills us? What makes us happy?

Some think it comes with money. Then, how much money is enough? Is a salary of $50,000/year enough to be happy? How about $100,000/year? When we get to the salary we thought would make us happy, are we? If not, do we think we just need more money or do we look to something other than money for fulfillment and happiness?

How about having a good home? Is 1,500 square feet enough? 2,000 square feet? Having a good home can be important for happiness but a good home isn’t so much about the building as who lives with us in the house. The building is a house. It’s our family that makes it a home.

We might also seek happiness in jobs, sports, vacations, among other things. However, while these things can bring short-term happiness, they are not what we are created for. Thus, they will not truly fulfill us.

We are created to know God. It is in God that we find fulfillment.

Thus, our first goal should be to know God. As we come to know God, another goal should be to lead others to God. How do we know when we have done this?

One measure of bringing someone to God, is to see them to come to church each Sunday. Another is to see them change their lives to live keeping God’s ways, living chaste lives, loving God and loving their neighbors.

Seeing the change in their lives is a good way for us to see success in trying to bring them to Christ. This is fine for someone we see often. What about someone we don’t see much? We may never know if we have led them to Christ but that shouldn’t stop us from trying.

For instance, I see people at funerals that are not from the parish I serve. Does that mean I can’t help them know Jesus? Of course not. I can tell them that Jesus died for their loved one whose funeral we are celebrated. I can tell them about the Resurrection. I can tell them that Jesus died not just for their loved one but also for them. I may never know how it impacted them. I don’t need to. I might like to but it is not for me to know. I place it in God’s hands.

You may never know the real impact of a kind deed, a work of mercy you do in Jesus’ name. Don’t let that stop you from doing acts of mercy.

You see it isn’t for us to save the person ourselves. In fact, just as we cannot save ourselves on our own, we cannot save the other person. It is Jesus who saves us. We just need to show people the way to Jesus. Jesus will then take over and lead them home.

The person may come to know Jesus immediately. It may not happen for years. All we can do is plant seeds.

Not only may we never know if our acts of mercy lead someone to Jesus, we may never know who is lead to Jesus by our example. I may never meet most of the people who read this. That shouldn’t stop me from writing. Likewise, your act of mercy may lead someone to Christ that you will never meet in this world. Do good!

You might wonder how I got from “success” to our impact on strangers (I’m kind of wondering that myself), but it is related. In our individual lives, success is not about money. It is not about the size of our home, or how high up the corporate ladder we climb.

Then, what is success? Here I think about the words of the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father, who art in Heaven – Have we come to know God as our Father? Have we led others to know God as their father? (The latter we may never know)

Hallowed be thy name – Do we make God’s name “hallow” by speaking of the great things He has done for us?

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven – Do we work for the building of God’s kingdom? Do we strive to do God’s Will?

Give us this day, our daily bread – Do we turn to God each day for what we need to be good Christians?

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those trespass against us – Do we even realize our sins? When we do sin, do we confess them to God, seeking his forgiveness? Do we forgive others?

And let us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil – Do we realize we cannot beat temptation on our own? Do we surrender ourselves to God who can?

Success? Success is giving our lives to Christ.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

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14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Zechariah 9:9-10
Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14 (1)
Romans 8:9, 11-13
Matthew 11:25-30
July 5, 2020

Jesus gives praise to the Father. 

The psalmist speaks of praising, extoling, and blessing our God and King.

Jesus praises God for, while He had “hidden these things from the wise and the learned,” He “revealed them to little ones.”

The psalmist praises and gives thanks to God because “The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness.”  “The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.”

We do well to thank God for what He has done for us and we speak of his might, sharing with others the blessings God has bestowed on us.

I’d like to talk about six words in today’s gospel.  They are spread throughout the passage.  The words are reveal, knows, yoke, easy and light, and rest.

Reveal – Jesus speaks of what the Father has hidden from the “wise and the learned” yet revealed to the “little ones.”  The wise and learned may think they know God.  They think they know all they need to.  They are not open to God teaching them.  The little ones are open.  So, God “reveals” these things to help the little ones know him.

Know – That brings us to the second word, “know”.  We can “know” facts and figures.  We can “know” rules in the sense that we memorize them but this is not the sense of the word “know” that Jesus uses the word in today’s readings.  Jesus speaks of how He “knows” the Father and the Father “knows” him.  Here, knowing goes far beyond human knowledge of facts, figures, and rules.  It is to know each other of a far deeper level.  When we know God in this way, we know how much He loves us and we praise him.

Yoke – a yoke is used by farmers who use animals to pull the plow.  We might then associate it with work.  It might seem like a burden.  However, the yoke is not designed to add burden (work) to the farm animal.  It actually makes their job easier.  In fact, that is the very purpose of a “yoke”, to help do the work.

The Pharisees (aka “the wise and the learned”) had made the Law a burden and never lifted a finger to help the people in their burden.  They found great difficulty in living out the Lord.  What the Father reveals to the little ones is how the yoke of his commandments actually help us through life.  Taking God’s yoke upon us helps us endure the suffering of this world.

Rest, easy, & light – I think people tend to look at these words and think it means they will have no burden but it doesn’t say that.  Yes, Jesus tells us to come to him and He give us rest.  However, “easy” and “light” do not equate to no burden.  What they do indicate is that life is far easier with Jesus in it than without.  Jesus helps us carry our burdens, He lightens our load.

What do you need “rest” from?  Where do you need Jesus to help carry your load?

How are you doing with the Coronavirus?  We pray for an end to the pandemic and for God’s guidance for our secular and religious leaders in dealing with it.  We pray for all the front-line and essential workers.

What else?  Are you struggling with work?  Finding your present job too difficult?  Do you have a job?  Do you have enough to provide for your family?

Are you burdened by racist discrimination?  Or maybe you want to help fight against racism but don’t know how and feel burdened?  Ask God to help.

Are you burdened by illness? 

Are you burdened by earthly attachment?  Have the very things that you thought should make things easier become a burden in themselves?

Are you burdened by war and violence in the world?

Are you burdened by sin? (Bring it to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.)

God wants to help.  God is eager to help.  Jesus extends us his invitation, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” 

We need to let go of the flesh to live in the spirit.  God gives us the Law and the Spirit as yokes to help us.  Do we open our whole lives to him, or do we hinder God’s aid by only allowing him into the parts of our life that we want changed?  Let go of things to live in the Spirit.

God blesses us and we praise his name for ever.  We praise him as our king and our God. 

I am Not My Own Potter

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Today we celebrate our United States holiday celebrating our independence on the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. As we celebrate our independence, “freedom” is very important to us.

People take freedom to mean we can do anything we want (most people do acknowledge one limit to our freedom, that we cannot harm another person through our actions). God does give us freedom to do whatever we want. However, that does not mean we should do whatever we want. The best way we can exercise our freedom is to choose to do good. (For more on freedom, see Gaudium et Spes, a document from the Second Vatican Council that discusses authentic freedom in several places.)

When someone is successful in earthly endeavors, sometimes they describe themselves as “self-made”, taking all the credit for what they have become for themselves. We must strive to do our best but to think we have done it all ourselves is to fail to realize the gifts that God has given us. There lies the sin of “pride“.

There are people today who say you can become whatever you want. Our hard work is important. God wants to work hard. However, we cannot become something we are not meant to be. In terms of career choices, I am not been to be a rocket scientist or a banker. This doesn’t mean one can’t change careers. Remember, I was an engineer before I was ordained a priest. I no longer work as an engineer but it is still part of who I am as a person.

I am white American male. I can’t change this. Maybe there is something I could do to color my skin but inside my heritage would still be white (that doesn’t make any better or less than a person of a different color, all are children of God).

I am an American. My family has been in America for multiple generations. I can choose to move to another country and change my citizenship but being American would still be part of my heritage.

I am a male. This is the way I was conceived by God. It is part of the identity that God gave me when He breathed life into me (Genesis 2:7).

I titled this article, “I am Not My Own Potter.” In biological terms, life begins when we are conceived in our mother’s womb from the joining of her egg cell with a sperm cell from our father. In Jeremiah 1:5, God says to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”

God is the potter, we are the clay. We find this in scripture:

Isaiah 64:7 – “Yet, Lord, you are our father; we are the clay and you our potter: we are all the work of your hand.“

Sirach 33:13 – “Like clay in the hands of a potter, to be molded according to his pleasure, So are people in the hands of their Maker, to be dealt with as he decides.“

(cf. Jeremiah 18:1-12)

We are free to choose to try to do whatever we want but we find true joy and lasting happiness when we discern who God has called us to be and choose to be that.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff