Friday, November 30, 2007

Homily for Friday November 30, 2007

Today we celebrate the feast of a very well known brother and apostle - Andrew of Bethsaida - who was a brother of Simon and a disciple of John the Baptist who became a disciple of Jesus Christ. It was Andrew who brought his brother Simon (Peter) to Jesus. Andrew also, with Philip presented Gentiles to Jesus; and it was Andrew who pointed out to Jesus that there was a boy with some loaves and fishes when Jesus wanted to feed his hearers in the desert!

Andrew, like Peter, James and John were fishermen. They were quite settled in their careers. They knew where their bread and butter was coming from. But Jesus simply walked by and told them to drop everything and follow him! He told them to give up what they knew! Give up financial security! Give up family and friends who might want to dissuade them! And they did - immediately follow him! There was something irresistible about Jesus!

And Jesus sent them out on a new mission - giving them a new career! After having them witness the incomparable dramatic story of God’s rescuing fallen human nature by his own teaching and then death and resurrection - he made it very clear that this was the greatest news of all time - and that the message had to go forth! And as the Psalm says: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!

The good news has to be heard so that it can be responded to! Andrew, Peter, James, John and the rest of the twelve were eager - after the day of Pentecost- to go forth into all the world to proclaim that Jesus is Lord - and that baptism for the forgiveness of sins is now available for all!

After preaching the gospel in many lands Andrew was put to death by being crucified upside down (at his request - because he did not feel worthy to be crucified exactly the way Jesus was). It occured at at Achaia around the year 70.

Because of our baptism we are called to be prophetic people - to tell others about the Good News of Jesus - and the eternal life that hangs in the balance! May we, each in our duly appointed ways, do as much, this day! - and so give glory and praise to God!

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Homily for Thursday November 29, 2007

We are in the last few days of the liturgical year - and the Church’s thoughts turn to the Last Day of the world - as it is anticipated. We have said before and we say again: for those who have been faithful and have tried as best they can to live the life of faith, hope and charity - as revealed and empowered by God - and demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ - they will have nothing to fear on that day!

What will make it so terrible is that there are so many who - for whatever reason - refuse to accept the fullness of God’s gift as it is manifested in Jesus - and for them the time will have run out for conversion! The time for conversion is now, it is in this life: once this life ends there is no more chance of conversion: there is only accountability and judgment!

The most important thing we can do, then, is to pray that we remain faithful to Jesus - and that others may turn to him - and truly repent of their errant, sinful, disordered and rebellious lives. It is a matter of life and death - eternal life and death!

In our first reading today we see how Daniel was saved from being devoured by the lion because of his immovable trust in God! Trust in God - trust that he will fulfill all his promises - trust that he will rescue us from all that we need rescuing from: will bring us great joy and happiness on that great and terrible Day!

May we this day - give glory and eternal praise to God - in whom we place our trust!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Homily for Wednesday November 28, 2007

No doubt this is where the saying about “reading the handwriting on the wall” comes from. Sometimes God needs to spell it out in very clear words - what is taking place that involves us and him!

In the case of King Belshazzar it was a warning of disaster - because he would not realize his mistakes and change his ways. His kingdom would be ended - and he himself would be judged guilty of very many crimes - and his lands would be divided among neighboring territories.

When we see “handwriting on the wall” - what is our response? Do we take it seriously? Do we think it must be our imagination? Do we take it for what it is worth: a true sign from God about the condition of our lives and our relationship with him? Can we afford not to take it seriously?

The gospel passage today tells us that it is not easy to put our convictions into practice: to take the messages from God that we get in many and varied ways throughout the day - including the readings and homilies at the masses we attend - our own private scripture and spiritual reading during the day - our general thoughts and prayers that are addressed to God awaiting his response and reply - and then put them on the line when it is called for!

The true follower of Jesus will find himself standing in contradiction to a great many persons and ideologies - both outside of, and even inside of the Church - but Jesus tells that follower to be faithful and courageous. By perseverance we shall secure our lives in the coming Kingdom - where it counts the most!

Come what may, we must remain faithful until death, and we will be given the crown of life!

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Homily for Tuesday November 27, 2007

The story of Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar is a familiar one. Daniel is the great prophet and interpreter of dreams! The King represents all kings of the earth - who will be defeated one day by the One King who is to be above all kings!

The King of Kings is Jesus Christ - whom we acknowledged as our King and Lord this past Sunday!

It is his kingdom that will supersede all kingdoms! It shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people - rather it shall break in pieces all other kingdoms and put them to an end - and it shall stand forever!

This, of course, will all take place on the great and terrible day! The Last Day! There will be signs of its coming! But the exact time is known only to God the Father! The gospel passage tells us not to be overly concerned! If we live as Jesus taught us, then we shall have nothing to fear on that day! Especially, because he has told us a great and marvelous secret - “The Kingdom is here already! It is in your midst! It is me! And it is you who are in communion with me!”

Where there is love there I am, and there is my Father also - and there is our Kingdom! The Kingdom of God then can be, and is in, our very hearts - if we remain believing and loving people!

Let us give glory and eternal praise to God! Let us do so by coming to know him better, and by loving all others as he loves and loved us! Let us remain faithful until death, and we will be given the crown of life!

Monday, November 26, 2007

Homily for Monday November 26, 2007

The story of the widow and the two small coins is a story of true faith and works. Her belief in God was so strong that she could trust him absolutely and give to him,, in a work a love, the financial resources she had to live on.

She knew that he would provide for her needs. And he no doubt did!

In this last week of the liturgical year we look at our lives to see motivation - to see what ultimately causes us to do what we do. If the end were to come today - what would we have to show? Prayerfully and hopefully, we are like the woman with the coins. “This is all I am God, this is all I have! I offer it to you to transform! I offer it to you as a sign of my love for you! Do with me as you will!"

This is what we do when we place ourselves on the paten with the bread at Mass. We say: “Here I am, Lord! Take me as I am, and change me into yourself - so that you can make a difference in the world today, through me!”

The first reading today was the beginning of the story of what can happen on a grand scale when we give ourselves to God - especially with a little help from our friends. The four youth were placed in the service of King Nebuchadnezzar in order to bring about a change in his life. Sometimes God uses us, and places us exactly where he wants us, so he can do exactly what he wants with us! The same absolute trust and confidence in God - saw the four men through a very difficult time! As it can do for us - if our faith goes hand in hand with doing the truly loving thing!

Let us give glory and praise to God for ever! He is so deserving and we are so blessed!

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Homily for the Solemnity of Jesus Christ the King

It should be the absolute goal of each and every person on earth to hear the words we have just heard spoken to the good thief! “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise!” We should long to hear them!

The thief, Dismas, asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Dismas knew that Jesus truly was the King of the Jews - as the sign posted above his head read. It was his faith that told him so! And, in the last moments of his life, Dismas was able to be a recipient of the promised grace and mercy; the reconciliation and redemption that would become effective momentarily, when Jesus breathed his last!

Jesus’ Kingdom is not only in Paradise! Jesus’ kingdom is wherever he is! Jesus’ kingdom fills the earth and all things in it! All things come from him, are in him, and will return to him! Jesus Christ IS King of the Universe!

The Church uses this particular feast to wrap up the entire Liturgical Calendar - to underline the fact that everything we have experienced in the past year - in celebrating Advent/Christmas; Lent/Easter; Pentecost -is all about THE ONE PERSON IN HUMAN HISTORY WHO MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE FOR ALL OF US! Jesus Christ!

Descended from David’s royal line (as we read in the first reading) - Jesus was destined not only to become a succeeding King of Israel - but also King of the Gentiles as well - King and ruler of all hearts of peoples of all lands.

St. Paul in his letter to the Colossian Gentiles reminds them that Jesus IS all in all - the firstborn of all creation - that the primacy is his - and that he is head of the body, the Church! And most importantly, that reconciliation and peace for all comes from the blood that he shed on the cross!

“Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord,” we sang as our psalm response today! Our lives are meant to be an adventurous, exciting, sometimes fearful, sometimes joyful; sometimes sad, sometimes happy journey to the Paradise where Dismas now lives!

May we faithfully keep our friendship with Jesus-the-person central in our lives! Let us hail him as our King today! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! And may we do all we can to demonstrate to others that the way to peace in the worldly kingdoms in which we live - is to find an example in the greatest Kingdom and in the unparalleled King of Kings and Lord of Lords! His kingdom is one of justice, peace and holliness! It is one of true freedom and respect for each and every member! His kingdom is LOVE!

Jesus, one day, when it counts the most, may we hear: “This day, you shall be with me in Paradise!”

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Homily for Saturday November 24, 2007

As we come to the last Masses before the end of the Church’s Liturgical year we will hear more - point blank - about the great necessities of life. And the greatest of these is where we are going to spend the life after this one!

There are certain conditions that have been set in place by God - who has a right to place them, and insist that they are met. The greatest condition is simply: LOVE. Did you love?

King Antiochus, in the first reading today, as the end of his life was drawing near looked at his life and saw plainly that though he had done some good things, that he also had done some really undesirable ones as well - especially in desecrating the temple of the Israelites, and ordering the inhabitants of Judah to be destroyed. He said: “I know that this is why these evils have overtaken me; and now I am dying, in bitter grief, in a foreign land.”

Perhaps, because he had made this kind of “confession,” he was granted mercy by God - and would one day be a recipient of the forgiveness wrought by the death of Jesus on the Cross.

In the gospel passage we have another story about what happens at death. Is there indeed any life after death at all? is the question posed by the Sadducees! Jesus assures them that there is life, there is resurrection to new life and that it is a different kind of life that earthly life. Earthly structures, earthly standards no longer apply. For God is very much the God of the living - he is God of all who have ever lived, and will continue to live with him after the resurrection at the Last Day!

Today we rejoice in the salvation which Jesus brought us - so that we can be counted among those who live forever in light, happiness and peace - in the Kingdom prepared for us from all eternity!

Friday, November 23, 2007

Homily for Friday November 23, 2007

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Clement, the third pope! He is said to have held the office of St. Peter after Linus. Most likely the dates of his reign take the Church up to the end of the first century. He was a good and faithful Shepherd, He knew Sts Peter and Paul personally. He was, therefore, instrumental in laying the foundation, with them, of the Christian faith from its very beginnings.

St. Peter, in the first reading today, tells the priests of his day - which certainly included the bishops - to witness of the sufferings of Christ - to tend the flock of God in your midst, overseeing not by constraint, but willingly, eagerly. They were not to lord it over those assigned to them, but were to be examples to the flock - so that one day they might receive the unfading crown of glory.

St. Clement was such a priest, he was such a bishop!

He very judiciously and lovingly tended the flock assigned him! He is noted for his letter to the Corinthians in which he encouraged unity and peace - the unity and peace which Christ himself prayed for. He told them: “how blessed and wonderful are God’s gifts! There is life everlasting, joy in righteousness, truth in freedom, faith, confidence, and self-control in holiness…. and there are other, greater gifts which are to come for those who wait!”

The authority of Pope St. Clement came, of course, from the confession of St. Peter. Peter declares Jesus to be the Son of the Living God (inspired by the Holy Spirit to do so); and Jesus in turn makes him the rock-like foundation of the Church. All who succeed Peter as Pope would have the authority to keep the Church alive and intact until Jesus comes again! Clement fulfilled the duty Jesus gave him as second in line after Peter.

After many years of faithful service to the Church - especially converting many pagans - Clement was given the crown of martyrdom when the Roman prefect ordered him drowned in the sea with an anchor (a symbol of Christ) tied around his neck!

Today we honor and thank Clement for fulfilling his duty quietly, diligently and courageously!

With him may we for ever sing the goodness of the Lord!

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Homily for Thanksgiving Day 2007

On this Thanksgiving Day we pause to bless God, who blesses us - as it is related in the Book of Sirach in our first reading today! Yes, because we are his holy and special people, we can bless him and bless others with our own goodness and desire to be grateful for all that God gives us, provides for us, and blesses us with!

God wants to give us what will bring joy to our hearts and peace in our midst. We pray that his goodness will endure among us to deliver us from all that we need delivering from.

And so we cry out: Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever!

In the second reading today, St. Paul is relating how grateful he is to God for bestowing such blessings on his people (the Christian community of Corinth) - especially the spiritual gifts (graces) that are needed to make them steadfast and holy - irreproachable - right up to the Day of the Coming of the Lord. God is faithful - and he will reward those who use his gifts, follow his ways, and place all their trust in him and his promises.

The gospel passage is the obvious story of thanksgiving. The one leper - who realized that he was cured, returned to give thanks to Jesus. It is so important for us to be that one. So many in our day in age believe that they can live their lives completely on their own: they do not need God. The only resource they need for anything obtained in life, is themselves and their limited, personal view of reality. In actuality, everything comes from God. Everything! Everything is a GIFT from God - every day! Everyday needs to be “thanksgiving day” - when it comes right down to it! But maybe, just for this one day - all Americans across the land can be thankful to the True Source of all that we have so unmeritedly received. God owes us nothing! Yet, he freely and o so lovingly gives us everything! THANK YOU GOD!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Homily for Wednesday November 21, 2007

Today we have a feast that does not have any historical proof for its existence, yet it is still considered worthy of celebration. It is the idea that Joachim and Ann - being devout Jews, in all likelihood presented their daughter, Mary, to the Lord in the Temple at some time in her early childhood - because they knew she was something special to the Lord. After all, she was born after Ann was deemed incapable of bearing children.

And so, the apocryphal story from the Gospel of St. James has Mary presented in the temple at age three. This is significant for three reasons: the first: Mary’s entire life from conception to Assumption was singularly blessed by God - and unlike that of any other woman in history: for she was to be the Mother of his Son. Secondly, she was a “greater temple” - being presented in a temple made of stone - her womb was to be the temple where dwelt the Mighty God and Prince of Peace. Thirdly, as her children, we too would become temples of the Holy Spirit - God would come and dwell within us - in a different way - but really and truly. She therefore is our model in being a fitting dwelling-place of God.

The first reading today encourages the people of God to sing and rejoice because “I am coming to dwell among you.” (says the Lord). And he did come in many ways - but most wonderfully, when he came to a simple virgin of Nazareth, named Mary. And the visit was fruitful because she chose to cooperate with his plan - a plan of salvation for his people!

In the gospel passage - Jesus extends his family circle from just his parents, Mary, and close relatives - he says that anyone who does God’s will is a relative to me! For doing God’s will is the most important thing there is! And God comes to dwell in those who seek his ways, and desire to follow them! The almighty has done great things for us, and in us! Hail Mary, our Model and our Mother! May we rely on your help to do God’s will fully!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Homily for Tuesday November 20, 2007

We have two very different but important readings today at Mass. The gospel passage is one of “jumping for joy” and exaltation: on both the part of Zacchaeus and Jesus. Zacchaeus was chief tax collector - which meant that he was chief “traitor” as far as his own people were concerned. Tax collectors were mostly Hebrew people who worked for the occupying Roman government - collecting taxes - but allowed to add a certain “surcharge” for their own pockets! No wonder they were disliked and hated so much by their own people!

But in this case, Zacchaeus - in the presence of Jesus - after coming to know who he was and what his message was about - made a complete turnabout. He was so happy that now he would be able to make right all the wrongs he had done, and to live an upright and just life - BECAUSE HE HAD MET JESUS IN PERSON and he knew things had to change - and Jesus would be dining at his house! And Jesus was so very happy because someone had finally gotten the message he was trying to deliver!

Eleazar, in our first reading from the Old Testament, was certainly one who knew the God of Jesus - many years before Jesus arrived on the scene. And he knew that - at the time - following the Law of Moses was the best and only way to demonstrate true fidelity to the Covenant - until Jesus came and told us that fidelity to himself would supersede and replace the Mosaic Law. And so Eleazar was ready to die rather than to disobey the Law. And even though, because he was a very old and well like man, he was given a way out, he chose to stay the course - to be an example to the young - to be an example to the nation. What a heroic and brave thing Eleazar did! A true martyr of the Old Testament!

The reason Eleazar could do what he did was because “God came to visit and dine in the recesses of his heart and life! There seemed to be an unquenchable joy in his heart! He would do anything for God who lived so close to him and in him!

Like Eleazar and Zacchaeus we ought to invite God, we ought to invite Jesus to visit our house! We need welcome him! And want to get to know him better! We want to be able to live a noble and heroic life - never stepping down from what duty to God involves - even if it costs us our lives!

Both Eleazar and Zacchaeus could say - each in their own way: The Lord upholds me! May we say it and mean it - as well - today! “The Lord upholds me!”

Monday, November 19, 2007

Homily for Monday November 19, 2007

One of the most pitiable conditions in the human condition is unresolved spiritual blindness. Most spiritual blindness is obtained either by ignorance of spiritual helps available to avoid the blindness in the first place, or by conscious denial and refusal to believe spiritual truths which are revealed because of a stubbornness or hard-heartedness that will not allow the Truth to shine forth!

The Israelites, in the first reading, found themselves in company with a great crowd of Gentiles who were far from their God and his ways. It is interesting that these were similar to Gentiles who would later be invited and included by Jesus himself as a part of his new Church; but at this point - the Gentiles were on the opposing team! They were not yet ready to be converted. And Israel had all it could do to coexist with this pagan, sacrilegious and adulterous people!

The blind man in the gospel passage - when Jesus was passing by - shouted out: Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” And Jesus cured him of his blindness there on the spot. Hopefully it was more than physical blindness. Hopefully it was also blindness which prevented the man from seeing the things of God as they really are. The Israelites too shouted out to God to save them from their irreligious and spiritually blind neighbors! It took some time - but God did save them by sending Jesus - to restore their sight - to be the Light of their lives!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.

May we this day follow the Light which is Christ! May we see by his radiance! May our minds be enlightened by his Spirit!

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Homily for 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

We are quickly coming to the end of the Church’s liturgical year. Next Sunday will be the 34th and last Sunday in Ordinary Time. It is designated as a special feast, that of Jesus Christ the King.

This week, the Church would have us focus on the “end times!” There will most assuredly be a Day of the Lord! And it will be an awesome day – to the enth degree of that overly used colloquial term - unlike any other day in the history of the world. The Lord will come to rule the earth with justice!

He is the LORD! It will be a powerful, a majestic, a mighty event! And we will all be there!

On that day, the good and the evil will be sorted out – once and for all! There will be fire and there will be brimstone for those who choose it! There will be endless beatitude and blessing for those who believe in Jesus, his Father, and the Holy Spirit – and who have eaten the Bread of Life while on earth! Jesus has made this whole process very clear - and very available!

As to when this is going to happen – not even Jesus knows – only the Father! It was his plan to create us, and to redeem us when we thwarted his original design for human life. He sent his Son to do the job! And the Spirit to guide the Church the Father and the Son left in place when the Son returned to heaven!

Only he has the entire picture of the plan that he has in mind – and so he alone knows when this particular phase – the human-beings-journeying-to- eternal-life-through-the-valley-of-tears phase - on earth - is complete! It could be any time – it could be any moment! It would seem reasonable that we should be ready all the time - at every moment!

St. Paul in the second reading today tells us that we should be busy about our own business as we prepare for eternal life! We really have enough to do responding to God’s never-ending call to holiness and perfection to worry about what other people are doing – or comparing ourselves to them. We should be busy preparing for the Lord’s coming each and every day – in each and every way! And we prepare the best by helping other people - especially the poor! This is the absolute best and most noble work there is! And it leads straight to eternal life!

It would do us well to think more about the eternal ramifications about our plans, and projects and desires. Believing that we are primarily citizens of heaven could make a big difference in the way we approach things! Believe it! It is true!

If we are living as Jesus recommended – with his power – with his help – with his strength – we will have nothing to fear on that Day - whenever it comes! We may be called upon to give testimony as it says in the gospel passage - before the day actually comes, as a last test of our faithfulness – but we are not to fear! We will know what to say and what to do at that hour - because it will be Jesus himself who will be doing the speaking through us – to secure our place in heaven and to lead others to life with GOD!

The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who swell in it;
let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy!

The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice!

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Homily for Saturday November 17, 2007

In our first reading today we see a wonderful prophecy of a “new creation” that would come from the people who traversed the Red Sea unharmed - sheltered by the hand of God - established on the grassy lands where they ranged about like horses, bounded about like sheep.

This of course refers to the Exodus of the Israelites from the scourge of the Egyptian taskmasters. But it also refers to the formation of the new heaven and the new earth at the time of the coming of the Lord!


The end times are about the restoration of all creation - not just human beings. The good will rise to everlasting life - and where that everlasting life will take place is the new heaven that will be prepared for them. Tomorrow we will hear about what happens to the evildoers.


The gospel passage today tells us that we must constantly pray for our daily bread - for all we need to live good, holy, productive, useful and loving lives. For in this way, when the Day of Judgment comes we will be ready - and should have nothing to hide or fear. Just as the widow pestered the judge, so too we must “pester” God to give us - through the Holy Spirit - exactly what we need. The “pestering” is for our benefit - not God’s. He hears us the first time we ask - it is for us to keep wanting what he has to give. And so he arranged it so that we would hunger and thirst always for more of the good things that will take us right into eternal life.


The point of the passage is that we are not to “grasp and grab” for what we think we need; but to perseveringly ask for what God knows we need and to “receive it, thankfully, and humbly!”


“Give us this day our daily bread!” The bread of Life! The bread of Angels!

Friday, November 16, 2007

Homily for Friday November 16, 2007

We begin now to focus in earnest on the Day of the Coming of the Lord. In the gospel passage, Jesus tells us that some people are quite unconcerned about this certain event - even though they had been warned - as in the days of Noah; as in the day of Sodom.

On the day that the Son of Man does come - it will not be the time to go anywhere - or to do anything - or to make any kind of preparation. The time for all of that will have past. We have our entire lives to prepare for that promised day! We have our whole lives to get ready! We have our whole lives to be prepared each and every moment!

When the day comes - it will appear that two people, each doing similar things - will be separated. One will go off to the judgment, and one will be left behind - at that particular moment.

The ones who go off are those who found God behind his creation; who sought the God who made the stars, rather than worshiping the stars themselves; who found the power of God behind the energy and dynamism of all that is; who found God behind the beauty of all his creations, rather than deifying the creations themselves.

The rest will have lost their chance. A lifetime is a long time to misuse. If in a whole lifetime some people found they were not interested in God or believed what he had to say - not even seeing Jesus in all his glory would change their minds.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God - for those who have the gift of wisdom to see it that way!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Homily for Thursday Novembere 15, 2007

Today we celebrate the feast of one of the greatest doctors in church history. A doctor of the church is one who excels not only in academic study, but also in the study of God and his relationship with his creation!

Albert, a German, Dominican priest, who lived in the 13th century, was noted for his expertise in the physical sciences - biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, geography and mathematics; he was also very learned in biblical studies and theology. He studied at Padua in Italy, and received his doctorate from the University of Paris. No doubt he noted and demonstrated the correlation between the natural sciences and matters of faith! After all - God is the essence behind, underneath, above and inside the reality of everything that exists.

It was Albert the Great who could probably most effectively describe just exactly what the image of the “vine and the branches” from our “alleluia verse” this morning actually means!

One of Albert’s most noted students was a man named Thomas, Thomas Aquinas. It was Thomas’ gift to emphasize the spiritual side of things; while relating them to the natural and the academic. He wrote the monumental Summa Theologica - The Great Summary of the Study of God - which has been influential in philosophical and theological thought since the 13th century.
Though trying to resist, Albert was made a bishop - of Ratisbon - and strove earnestly to establish peace among people and between cities. He died at Cologne in 1280.

Our first reading today from the book of Wisdom must have been such a delight to both Albert and Thomas Aquinas. In Wisdom is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, agile, clear, unstrained, certain, not baneful, loving the good, keen, unhampered, beneficent, kindly; firm, secure, tranquil, all -powerful, all-seeing, and pervading all spirits, though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.

She is an aura of the might of God and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty; therefore naught that is sullied enters into her. For she is the refulgence of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness…She is fairer than the sun and surpasses every constellation of the stars, compared to light, she takes precedence … Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily and governs all things well.

No wonder Albert, Thomas, and men and women throughout the ages have prayed for, sought after, and dedicated their entire lives to the study and acquisition of this amazing gift from God.
Jesus tells us in the gospel passage not to spend our time “looking up into the sky” trying to foretell his second coming - but to seek the Life of the Spirit - the Life of the Soul - the Soul of Wisdom - that will prepare us - for whenever that Day will be and whatever that Day will bring!

May we enroll in the School of Wisdom! A School whose halls are decorated with portraits of the saints - among them being Albert the Great! And if all goes well, there is no reason why our portraits cannot be hanging there one day as well!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Homily for Wednesday November 14, 2007

Among the most wonderful of God’s gifts is the gift of Wisdom. It is the gift of Divine Light necessary to make a true and authentic evaluation of anything. The natural light of reason is one thing - it can take us far; but the divine light of wisdom is quite something else - it can take us all the way: all the way to God.

In our first reading today from the book of Wisdom the mighty rulers of the earth are encouraged to use the gift of Wisdom that has been given them in order to rule their subjects in place of God. No one rules by his own authority; all authority and the application of justice comes from God. And unless the exalted Princes heed the counsels of God and consider themselves possibly in need of correction and the merciful treatment of God - they shall get none on the day that it matters most: the Last Day!

We should all be grateful to God for all the gifts that he gives us - always. He equips us to get through the day - the more we trust him - the more we believe that human life and how it works has already been loved, redeemed and protected by him. We do not have to reinvent ourselves or life in the world. All we need to do is to follow the desires he puts in our hearts to love him and one another as we love ourselves.

The gospel passage today is about one, lone foreigner who returned to Jesus to give him thanks after being healed by him. May we be that foreigner when we realize all that God does for us - if we but let him!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Homily for Tuesday November 13, 2007

Our gospel passage today makes a clear and somewhat disturbing point: when we do what God asks us to do, we should say simply: “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do!”

Something inside of us rebels at such a display of “humility.” After all - we may have taken a lot of our time to do this project; we may have put a lot of planning in to it; we may have put a lot of energy into executing the plan; we may have had to deal with all kinds of friendly and not so friendly people to see that the project was finished; we may even have had to put our lives at stake in some cases!

This may appear to have been the case. But when we look at the real dynamics of what was going on a very different picture emerges. For in reality: the idea came from God; it was his project from the start; the time he gave us to work on it was his gift; that he chose us at all to have anything to do with it was again his gift; any planning we could have done was only using the intelligence that he gave us; and as far as dealing with all kinds of people - should we be any different than he is in dealing with a great variety of friendly and hostile persons; and should we be any different than Jesus, who in finishing the project that God gave him to do - laid down his very life for the completion of the greatest project ever conceived!

Any and all human beings - including Jesus - have but one mission in life - which is the point of the gospel passage: to simply, and humbly and enthusiastically, albeit quietly, do the will of God! And then when it is finished: to simply, humbly and quietly walk away taking absolutely no credit for any part of the finished project - giving all praise and glory to God who conceived the project and brought to completion using us as his instruments!

In the emptiness of our humility, we will one day receive our full and due reward at the resurrection of the dead! Everyone will know of our efforts to cooperate with God! But - we shall have taken our rightful place - as a productive “slave” - who is now transformed fully into a friend and son / daughter of God.

Frances Xavier Cabrini, today’s saint was one such worker in God’s vineyard. She simply did what she felt God was calling her to do! She entered religious life to do God’s work! She humbly accepted God’s help! And she took no credit for anything that was accomplished - and look what God did using her: at the turn of the last century she was sent from Italy to America by Pope Leo XIII to assist Italian immigrants. She ended up founding schools, hospitals and orphanages in this “strange land” - especially in New York and Philadelphia. Ultimately her institute ended up founding houses in England, France, Spain and South America, as well as the United States.

May we, like Mother Cabrini, glory in the opportunities God gives us each day to cooperate with his grace without taking any credit! A true instrument in the hands of God can create something that mere human invention would only be a rough draft of!

Let us let God build what he wants using us this day!

Monday, November 12, 2007

Homily for Monday November 12, 2007

Today’s Saint - Josaphat - was an important figure in church history. Though his lived 500 years later, he was very much involved in mending the schism that occurred in the church in the year 1054 - when the Church of the East, split from the Church of the West.

He was a bishop in the Eastern Church - in the Ukraine - but he fought tirelessly for reunion of the two Churches. He had both sympathisizers and opponents to deal with. In the end the opponents overpowered the sympathisizers and Josaphat was martyred. He is quoted as saying: “I came to you as a shepherd. You know I would be happy to give my life for you. I am ready to die for union of the Church under Saint Peter and his successor, the Pope.” Amidst cries of: “Kill the papist!” the bishop was beaten with a stick, then an axe and finally shot through the head. His bloody body was dragged to the river and thrown in along with a dog who had tried to protect him!

Bishop Josaphat was all about using the grace that God gives us to do our task in building up the body of Christ - especially when that body remains wounded and in need of healing and reconciliation. Not only does the schism between East and West still exist today, but the entire Protestant revolution is a scandal to the unity of the body of Christ! We must all use the spiritual graces and tools God gives us to do our part in bringing about unity and peace!

The responsorial refrain we read today was: Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. It was because Josaphat had unswerving hope in God that he could have done what he did! That same hope is available to us to help us do what we are called to do! All we need to is to pray for it.

The gospel passage is from Jesus’ Priestly Prayer - spoken after the Last Supper. He was praying for his Apostles and for those who would hear the words of Truth from them - that ALL MAY BE ONE! so that all might see the glory of God which is so magnificent and wonderful - the glory that Jesus wants so much to share with EVERYONE! This is a glory that was born of LOVE - the love the Father had for the Son; the love the Son had for each and every one of us!

Thank you, God, for loving us so! Thank you for being our hope! Thank you for being the strength we need to live our days always seeking and doing only that which will bring about unity and peace - unity and peace that will last for ever for those who are faithful and responsive to LOVE!

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Homily for 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sometimes it is easy to be convinced of our own logic, of our own construction of reality, of our own sense of how things should be, how they should operate - and what should not be and how they should not operate.

The Sadducees of the gospel passage were those who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, nor in angels nor anything other than the Torah. And, even though others who had more credibility - like Jesus (who is the fullness of revelation) - were telling them otherwise, they continued to believe their own opinion to be fact.

Just because we have opinion about something - does not necessarily make it so - unless it is based on, or is seeking to establish itself on - reality - which ultimately can only come from God.

The first and third readings today are about two groups of seven! The first - a mother and her seven sons - who were arrested and tortured for their religious beliefs - the king was trying to make them disobey dietary laws and they refused. They were all tortured and some of them killed. And their amazing death proclamation was: It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the hope God gives of being raised up by him! They firmly believed in the fact of the resurrection of the dead that was made clear to them by faith - faith that was just not an opinion, but faith based on the revelation of God - through the working of the Holy Spirit - in their minds and hearts.

The gospel passage is about Sadducees who were trying to trip up Jesus by presenting a story about Moses allowing the people to make sure that a childless widow had children, if by surviving brothers. The point of the story was that marriage and propagation of family is important on earth, so that all of the members of God’s family that he wants to be with him in eternity, are created and given a chance to live here and be with him there. And that in heaven we are all brothers and sisters - as we are the day we become baptized!

But the Sadducees try to misconstrue the issue by demanding Jesus to tell them which one she would be married to - if she in fact married all seven brothers and was still childless.

Jesus ends the debate by telling them that Moses, at the burning bush called out "Lord" - and God revealed himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob - (he is the God of those who are still alive, not the God of those who were alive but are not so any more) - he is God of the living not the dead - because for God all are alive! What he creates he sustains - and his redeemed human creations will spend eternity somewhere. They will rise to life, or rise to be condemned - depending on how they spent their love during their time of earth - but they will rise!

And so, the Sadducees were pleased with Jesus’ answer because he referred to the God of the Torah - who is the Lord of Life! But they continued to misunderstand the idea of resurrection of the dead - they stubbornly refused to let go of their faulty, groundless “opinion” - they were putting in jeopardy their own place in eternity!

In the second reading today, St. Paul tells us that the real point of life is not to keep looking up in the sky and wondering about things like the resurrection of the dead. It is a fact; we need not worry about it. He tells us that the real point in life is good words and deeds, said and done for others because we know that we have first been loved by God - he loves us and gives us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace!

If we spend our days concentrating on living our faith to the fullest - then one day when God’s glory appears, our joy will be full - and we will experience resurrection to life! Eternal life! And it will be a fact - the greatest one we will ever come to the complete understanding of!

And it will be wonderful!

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Homily for Saturday November 10, 2007

Our first reading today is all about greeting our brothers and sisters in the faith of Jesus with a holy kiss! This is more than a kiss on the cheek! It is meant to encompass the gift of our entire selves. It is meant to mean that my whole “transformed-in-Christ” being greets your “transformed-in-Christ” being. Me, as a “new creation, born again by baptism” greets you, as a “new creation, born again by baptism.” It means that we are members of one another; it means that Christ is the common bond between us; it means that the love of God creates, sustains and nourishes us - until we reach the perfection of heaven.

The gospel passage is a continuation of yesterday’s, when the steward was dismissed from service. We recall that he made sure - by clever, but misguided means, to have “something to fall back on” when his dismissal became official. He made quick friends, who would “take him in,” of his master’s debtors!

Today, Jesus continues the lesson by saying that the steward should not have been dismissed in the first place. That he should have been faithful in small matters, so that he could have been given greater responsibilities, rather than being fired.

He also teaches us that doing everything for God ensures that it will all work out - that splitting devotion between God and worldly concerns will only bring stress, unfinished projects, disloyalty to both and final rejection by one: in this case, God. If we place God first, then everything truly does fall into place! God knows our hearts! He knows to what degree we are placing him first! May we commit ourselves at this Mass to pleasing him more and more, and to keeping him and his love and his willingness to help us central in our lives!

Friday, November 9, 2007

Homily for Friday November 9, 2007

The gospel passage today tells us to be as clever trying to secure our eternal salvation as we are clever in solving our earthly dilemmas and difficulties.

If we can manipulate our material concerns in both legitimate and illegitimate ways, we can cooperate in our eternal redemption - in a pure and holy way!

In the first reading to the Romans, St. Paul speaks of his priestly duty to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus - always to new communities - so that the Word of God can be brought to the ends of the earth! He does not want to preach to those who already have been introduced to Christ. He says if there is any boasting to be done in the process of proclamation and reception of the message: the boasting is in God who initiates both processes: the proclamation; and the reception.

It is God’s power that fills the proclaimer, it is his power that is in the message, it is his power that awakens the hearer to be receptive, and it is his power that accomplishes the understanding of what was proclaimed.

If it is true that the Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power, then it is also true that we, nourished by the Word and Eucharist of the Mass,ought to agree to cooperate in God’s will and plan - and give ourselves to him today as completely as we can - so that he can use us as he wills!

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Homily for Thursday November 8, 2007

Our readings today are about “life in Christ Jesus.” The first reading from St. Paul to the Romans emphasizes that those who are baptized are truly dead to themselves and alive in Jesus - and that because Jesus died and rose from the dead - whether they live or die, they live in the Lord (for Christ is Lord of the living and the dead.)

Therefore, St. Paul tells the Romans, and he tells us: let us regard one another as brothers and sisters - without judging each other, without looking down upon one another! For there will come a day when we will be judged on the extent and quality of our “life in Christ” - life in love, life in service to our fellows!

In order to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living: we must simply LOVE!

The gospel passage today is about the wonderful celebration that takes place when one who has wandered away - for one reason or another - from God: the source of love, the source of care, the source of protection, the source of assurance of eternal life - is found! And everyone wanders away to some degree, from time to time! Having been baptized and initiated into “life in Christ” - there are many who drift away, become indifferent, become even hostile against the very creating hand that made them, redeemed them and wishes to nourish them throughout their journey in life. In their tempestuous and disordered lives, they need to be found!

Jesus came to this world to seek out such LOST souls! He came to find them, to gather them into his comforting embrace and to place them safely back in the center of the fold: the Church! The image of the Good Shepherd carrying a frightened sheep on his shoulders; the image of the woman searching for a valuable coin - relate God’s effort to guide us to where we ought to be!

But even though the sheep is recovered, the coin is found - unless provisions are made, they may wander away again, or become lost again!

It is important then to take whatever steps are necessary to understand what happens in the finding process. It is important to find out more and more about the One who found us! It is important to do as much as we can, using our free-will and informed and educated consciences, to live the life of one who is a restored member of the flock; a member of the Body of Christ; a member of the Church! Or we might end up worse off than we were before!

The joy in heaven over “the lost who are found” - and it is a very real joy - can be experienced right here on earth - when we share in the finding process according to the gifts given us by the Holy Spirit to do so!

Today may we let ourselves be found - and let us allow Jesus to find others - using us as his instrument!

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Homily for Wednesday November 7, 2007

Today’s readings are ALL about love! In the gospel passage Jesus says that love involves a total commitment - a giving of our ALL. Half-measures - poorly planned and executed efforts at loving will get us no where in the end - following Jesus’ way means total focus on Jesus and the “way he did it.”

It will be a very sad day, one day, for any who did it “their way!” We must do it Jesus’ way!

He did it by carrying his cross to Calvary - and then being nailed to it, so that he could die on it! He invites us to do the same! so that he can give us as a reward, what he himself received - newness of life that lasts forever!

It does not sound so pleasant when it is put in those terms; but it sounds right! And it must involve some kind of an interior strength and help to make it happen! It does! It did for Jesus! It can for us too!

In the second reading, St. Paul tells the Romans that the entire law is fulfilled in the kind of LOVE that Jesus had for us, and demonstrated for us! A love that was completely other-directed; a love that believed that we are all meant to be one family - brothers and sisters who truly care for one another! A love which empowers and makes easy the process of loving - through the working of the Holy Spirit!

When ones life is all about loving, there is no remnant of broken “commandments” to be found there. It is healthier all the way around to be concentrating on loving service, than on scrupulously following legalistic prescriptions! Logically, which do you think God prefers: one who simply loves, or one who ignores his neighbor while fulfilling hundreds of meaningless religious niceties in a single day?

Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need! Let us be among those today who give our ALL to Jesus, because we give our LOVE to all whom he places in our path! Let us simply love them as we believe God loves us!

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Homily for Tuesday November 6, 2007

Today we have two clear and poignant readings. The first is about life as a member of the Mystical Body of Christ. The gospel is about the justifiable anger of the host who replaced invited guests at a dinner with the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.

Both of these stories are about God’s loving and merciful plan to make of all nations, one people of God - all existing in one community of mutual support and care; one community of worship, celebration and service!

The first reading tells those who are already baptized Christians to behave like it! Use all of the gifts that the Spirit has given each of you in his own measure for the good of the whole community, the whole Body. Above all: your love must be sincere, and the hallmark of membership in the group. Looking out for one another’s needs is to be of paramount importance! And not only are Christians to look out for Christians - they are also to regard everyone else, as they regard each other. When love fills the whole world - then God fills the whole world - and the world can be transformed by the working of the Holy Spirit.

In the gospel passage we see that for Jesus there was an order of things: his own Jewish people were supposed to be the first to receive the gift: to become members of this world-wide Body of interrelated members - but, as the passage suggests, most of them had a variety of excuses as to why they did not want to be included. Many of these reasons survive to this very day! And among the peoples of the world - similar excuses are keeping them from their rightful place - as invited guests - at the Table of the Lord!

This day may we judge no one - but, pray rather that all may be One; that the Body of Christ may be fully unified and functional; and that one day this will all lead to a marvelous nuptial banquet feast in the Kingdom - when time shall cease - and we will have for ever to celebrate LOVE!

Monday, November 5, 2007

Homily for Monday November 5, 2007

Our readings today, once again, focus on God’s great generosity and willingness to show mercy! In fact, he calls everyone to receive his mercy, because he considers all of us in need of it: he considers all of us disobedient, he considers all of us as sinners - thanks be to God! If he did not, then the extreme of the depth of the love shown by Jesus in his death and resurrection would not be complete. All are children of Adam, therefore all need to be touched by God’s merciful love and forgiveness obtained by the blood of Christ!

In the first reading from St. Paul to the Romans - we see that Paul is trying to include both Jews and Gentiles under the one umbrella of disobedience. This is a good thing! It is thus that God can have mercy on all! He adds that the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God are inscrutable and unsearchable! Yet, God has chosen to reveal to us all about how his thinks and acts, how he wishes to administer love and mercy: through his Son, Jesus!

The “alleluia verse” reminds us that if we remain in his word, then we will truly be his disciples and we will know the truth!

In a different way, in the gospel passage, Jesus demonstrates how God’s love and mercy is to be extended to everyone - including most especially the poor. He said that when we give a dinner (when we show mercy), we should do so for those who cannot repay us. For we will be repaid one day - at the resurrection of those who have done the right thing in their lives! And that will be enough! It is God who should get the credit for any distribution of love and mercy - especially as it flows through the instrumentality of our own lives - as an act of loving cooperation on our part!

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Homily for Saturday November 3, 2007

Today’s saint: Martin de Porres wonderfully exemplified a person whose life was thoroughly devoted to love of God, and love of neighbor! He lived in Lima, Peru, at the same time of St. Rose. His father was Spanish and his mother was a colored freed-woman from Panama. At 15 he became a lay brother at the Dominican Friary at Lima, and spent his whole life there as a barber, farm laborer, almoner, and infirmarian among other things.

Unable to go to the foreign missions, so that he could give his life to Christ as a martyr, he made a martyr out of his body by intense and severe penances. In turn, God gifted his with many graces and wondrous gifts, including aerial flights and bilocation.

In our first reading today, St. Paul describes an all-embracing and pure love that those possessing Christ have. It is honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious and excellent. This is the type of love that St. Martin had. He showed this kind of love not only to humans but also to animals: he maintained a hospital for cats and dogs at his sister’s house.

He also possessed spiritual wisdom demonstrated by helping to solve his sister’s marriage problems, and resolving theological problems for the learned of his Order and for bishops.

Martin died on November 3, 1639, and was canonized by Pope John XXIII, on May 6, 1962.

May we, with Martin, this day find our peace - find our joy, find our hope - in God! - and may we communicate it lovingly to others!

Friday, November 2, 2007

Homily for All Souls Day November 2, 2007

Yesterday we celebrated the feast of All Saints - in which we rejoiced with the Church Triumphant! Those men and women of every age who sought to do his will, who did his will as best they possibly could and who did it as closely as they could because they simply loved God.

Today we also remember those who have died - but who are not yet enjoying the fullness of the blessedness of God - those who, when they passed, were not totally ready to meet him - those who needed a further purifying process to remove what baggage their sins in this life still weighed them down with.

Out of justice, even after forgiveness occurs, there still is a need to “make up” in some way for wrongs done - some kind of “restitution” needs to be made - not out of revenge by the one who was sinned against - but simply because it makes sense for the one who did the offending in the first place!

The symbolic “location” of this purification process is called “purgatory.” It is not so much a “place” as it is an “intensity of feeling-oneself-being -purified.” In a sense, it is a spiritually painful process - the stripping away of all that is not holy; but the reward is great: the experience of a intense degree of holiness, to which we are all called - but to which that particular person never thought he/she would experience.

The passage to heaven - life with the already purified and beatified - happens almost instantaneously, then, after the purgation process, as there is no longer any need for further cleansing.

Those in the purgative process can be helped by the prayer of the Church - just as the saints can pray for us, and effect change - if we cooperate with the graces obtained by them for us. We can pray that the process of purgation be speedy, yet very thorough, so that the person gets an excellent reward for what he/she is experiencing! We can pray that the process release as many as possible into the blessedness of heaven this very day!

A key element in the purgation process is the humility of the person who is experiencing it. Only the childlike and the truly humble are allowed in heaven. This process then is to return those in it to a state of childlikeness and real humility. If a person truly sees himself as a child of God, who is totally dependent on him for absolutely everything - then he is ready for heaven!

If we, today, consciously spend time praying to become more childlike, and truly humble - and let ourselves be changed in ways that will make that a reality - then we are already participating in our own purgation process - and when we die - our experience will be that much “shorter,” “less intense” - if we need to experience it at all!

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Homily for Solemnity of All Saints November 1, 2007

Our responsorial psalm beautifully sums up the heartfelt yearning of all human beings: the most exalted of all of God’s creations:

Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face!

If all of us human creations could go deep inside of ourselves and identify our deepest longing, we would ultimately see that it is to see the face of God. This longing was born on the day when our first parents lost sight of that vision of God’s face - when they were cast out in the cold, stark darkness of the world outside the Garden Gates!

And from that moment on, their deepest desire was once again to see the face of God; and God immediately set a plan in motion for them to be able to do just that. And that plan included sending Jesus into the world to “reverse the curse” - to give a never-ending promise of hope that would keep us on the track as we journey towards a prepared place in our eternal home.

On this feast of All Saints we celebrate the Church triumphant! The Church in heaven who are very much alive, and who are very much spending the beginning of eternity both praising and worshiping God; but also enjoying one another’s company, and most importantly of all - who are still loving us, watching over us, and praying for us so that we can safely join them when our time comes to do so!

Whether the members of Jesus’ Body are in heaven already, or whether they are us, here, now and throughout the world - we are all God’s children - as St. John tells us in the second reading. When Christ our Life comes to take us all with him, then apparently something even more wonderful is planned - something that St. John only hints about in the reading! But whatever it is! It will be marvelous - and for those who base their lives on hope in this coming reality - they will be blessed indeed.

In the gospel passage Jesus gives us the formula for a sure-fired way of keeping our hope alive, keeping our lives headed in the right direction, keeping our sights fixed on eternity. The beatitudes beautifully sum up the life of a true and real follower of Jesus. They call happy (blessed) those who are poor in spirit (those who are making room to be filled with God’s fullness); those who mourn for their sins; those who are meek and mild; those who are merciful (for this is the condition for receiving God’s great mercy); the clean of heart (those who make God the center of their lives come what may); peacemakers (in the midst of a chaotic and stressful world); and especially the persecuted for Jesus’ sake - these will be highly blessed for they are experiencing what Jesus himself experienced - and they will have a special degree of blessedness given them. Rejoice and be glad! Your reward will be great in heaven.

We are so happy to celebrate with the whole Church today those who in every age - sought one thing: to do the will of God, because it was the will of God, and because they loved God. If we try to do that, each and every day, then we too are saints - and this is our feast day too!

If your hands are sinless, if your heart is clean, then you shall receive a blessing from the Lord; and in seeking for God, one day you will see his face!

Happy New Year 202

  A Happy New Year to you all! I hope and pray I am able to keep this blog up to date now that we are entering into the New Year! I would li...